I. Scripture-light the most sure light ... delivered in three sermons on 2 Pet.…

Answ. 5 And though my sin be great, yet if it be but a sin of Infirmity, it shall never spoil my Gifts, nor make them unprofitable: If a man have great Gifts, praying, exercising Gifts, and his Life be scandalous, ⟨p. 398⟩what saith the World? I, this man hath exceeding good Gifts indeed, but do ye see how he lives? A scandalous Life soils and spoils his Gifts, and doth make them unuseful. But now if my sin be only a Sin of infirmity, it shall never soil my Gifts, so as to make them unuseful, and unprofitable unto others. Surely then, there is a great, and a vast difference between this Sin of Infirmity, and another Sin; and therefore why should we not labour to make it out with clearness to our own souls, what kind of sins our sins are? Every man almost, thinks that his Sin is a Sin of Infirmity: Come to the Drunkard, Swearer, Adulterer, Opposer, and these will tell you, that their Sins, are but Sins of Infirmity; they will rail at, and oppose the People of God, and yet their sins are but Sins of Infirmity; Swear, and swear daily, yet their sins are but Sins of Infirmity; go to the Tap-house, Play-house, Whore-house, and yet their Sins but Sins of Infirmity: the vilest of men think their Sins are only Infirmities. But is there such a great difference between Sins and Sins? this, and the other Sins? Then why should we not look wishly into our condition? consider our ways, and labour to make it out with clearness to our own souls, whether our Sins, be Sins of Infirmity, or not?

Answ. 5 And though my sin be great, yet if it be but a sin of Infirmity, it shal never spoil my Gifts, nor make them unprofitable: If a man have great Gifts, praying, exercising Gifts, and his Life be scandalous, ⟨p. 398⟩what saith the World? I, this man hath exceeding good Gifts indeed, but do ye see how he lives? A scandalous Life soils and spoils his Gifts, and doth make them unuseful. But now if my sin be only a Sin of infirmity, it shal never soil my Gifts, so as to make them unuseful, and unprofitable unto others. Surely then, there is a great, and a vast difference between this Sin of Infirmity, and another Sin; and therefore why should we not labor to make it out with cleerness to our own souls, what kind of sins our sins are? Every man almost, thinks that his Sin is a Sin of Infirmity: Come to the Drunkard, Swearer, Adulterer, Opposer, and these wil tel you, that their Sins, are but Sins of Infirmity; they wil rail at, and oppose the People of God, and yet their sins are but Sins of Infirmity; Swear, and swear dayly, yet their sins are but Sins of Infirmity; go to the Tap-house, Play-house, Whore-house, and yet their Sins but Sins of Infirmity: the vilest of men think their Sins are only Infirmities. But is there such a great difference between Sins and Sins? this, and the other Sins? Then why should we not look wishly into our condition? consider our waies, and labor to make it out with cleerness to our own souls, whether our Sins, be Sins of Infirmity, or not?