Answ. 9 Sins of Infirmities, are servants, and drawers of water unto your Graces: Though in themselves evil, yet through the over-ruling ⟨p. 392⟩hand of Gods Grace,1 they will make you more gracious another way. Ye know how it is with a young Trades-man, who hath but a small Stock; he keeps his Shop diligently, and will not spend as others do: if you ask him the reason, saying, such and such men are of your Trade, and they will spend their shilling with us, and their time with us; why will not you do as they? He answers presently, True, they do so, and they may do so, their Estate will bear it; but as for me, my Stock is small, very little, therefore I may not do as they do; but I must be diligent, and a good Husband; I am but a young Beginner, and have little skill in the Trade, therefore it behoves me to be diligent: his very weakness is the cause of his diligence. So here: the more infirmities that a gracious soul labours under, the more diligent he will be; and if you ask him, Why do you take so much pains in following the means, and the like? He answers, Alas! I am a poor, weak Creature; such and such an one there is, that hath an excellent memory, all that ever he reads, or hears, is his own; but my memory is naught, my head and heart is naught, and therefore by the Grace of God, I will take the more pains in following after Christ: Thus his very infirmity is a provocation unto all his diligence. The Gibeonites served the Israelites, and were hewers of wood, and drawers of water for them; Why? but because the Gibeonites were at an under? So now, if your very sins be drawers of water, servants, and hand-maids to your Graces, it argues that your sins are at an under; and being so, they are weak, and but sins of infirmity, if they be not gross, foul, and scandalous Sins.
Answ. 9 Sins of Infirmities, are servants, and drawers of water unto your Graces: Though in themselves evil, yet through the over-ruling ⟨p. 392⟩hand of Gods Grace,1 they wil make you more gracious another way. Ye know how it is with a yong Trades-man, who hath but a smal Stock; he keeps his Shop diligently, and wil not spend as others do: if you ask him the reason, saying, such and such men are of your Trade, and they wil spend their shilling with us, and their time with us; why wil not you do as they? He answers presently, True, they do so, and they may do so, their Estate wil bear it; but as for me, my Stock is smal, very little, therefore I may not do as they do; but I must be diligent, and a good Husband; I am but a yong Beginner, and have little skil in the Trade, therefore it behoves me to be diligent: his very weakness is the cause of his diligence. So here: the more infirmities that a gracious soul labors under, the more diligent he will be; and if you ask him, Why do you take so much pains in following the means, and the like? He answers, Alas! I am a poor, weak Creature; such and such an one there is, that hath an excellent memory, all that ever he reads, or hears, is his own; but my memory is naught, my head and heart is naught, and therefore by the Grace of God, I wil take the more pains in following after Christ: Thus his very infirmity is a provocation unto al his diligence. The Gibeonites served the Israelites, and were hewers of wood, and drawers of water for them; Why? but because the Gibeonites were at an under? So now, if your very sins be drawers of water, servants, and hand-maids to your Graces, it argues that your sins are at an under; and being so, they are weak, and but sins of infirmity, if they be not gross, foul, and scandalous Sins.
- 1Mirabilis Deus in consiliis super filiis hominum, multos per peccata sanat à peccatis, sicut venenum pellitur à veneno. Luther. Non solum mala passiva, quae nobis irrogantur, in bonum cedunt, sed etiam activa, hoc est, mala quae nos ipsi facimus; quorsum hoc inquis? quia homo pius cum videt lapsum suum, pudefit, et confunditur, sic lapsus ille principio operatur humilitatem, deinde invocationem ardentem, ac malum illud quod in carne reliquum est ceu calcar est quod nos excitat, ut nobis ipsis irascamur, nos damnemus et clamemus cum Paulo. Infelix ego, quis me liberabit a corpore hujus peccati, sic crescit fides occasione vitiorum, &c. Luther, Come. 2. Gen. fol. 151. in Cap. 20.Mirabilis Deus in consiliis super filiis hominum, multos per peccata sanat à peccatis, sicut venenum pellitur à veneno. Luther. Non solum mala passiva, quae nobis irrogantur, in bonum cedunt, sed etiam activa, hoc est, mala quae nos ipsi facimus; quorsum hoc inquis? quia homo pius cum videt lapsum suum, pudefit, et confunditur, sic lapsus ille principio operatur humilitatem, deinde invocationem ardentem, ac malum illud quod in carne reliquum est ceu calcar est quod nos excitat, ut nobis ipsis irascamur, nos damnemus et clamemus cum Paulo. Infelix ego, quis me liberabit a corpore hujus peccati, sic crescit fides occasione vitiorum, &c. Luther, Com. 2. Gen. fol. 151. in Cap. 20.
