Thirdly, Consider that infirmities, aberrations of weakness, §3do not nullify or evacuate our Covenant with God, nor hinder our walking in Covenant with God; for if they should, then no man could possibly keep Covenant with God, or walk in Covenant with God; Infirmities God passes by and pardons in course, and will never put them into the account, and therefore they cannot hinder our walking in Covenant with God. Breaches made in the first Covenant were irreparable, but breaches made in the Covenant of Grace are not so, because this Covenant is established in Christ, who is still a making up all breaches. Mark, there are five things which show that the deviations of Gods people are only infirmities, and not enormities, weaknesses, and not wickednesses; and the first is this, viz. That they do frequently and principally arise from the subtlety and sudden power of Satan's temptations. 2.1 That the frame of their spirits is against the evil that they do. 3. Their daily cries, tears, and complaints, speaks it out to be an infirmity, they are in this particular like a lost sheep, or a lost child, or a lost friend. 4. Though they do fall, yet they rise again, though they do step or wander out of the way, yet they do return into the right way again. 5. When they do fall, there is a vast difference, a mighty difference between their falls, and the falls of wicked men that are not in Covenant with God, and that first, in respect of willingness. 2. In respect of choice. 3. In respect of affection. 4. In respect of course. 5. In respect of quietness. 6. In respect of continuance. Mark, When wicked men fall, when men out of Covenant with ⟨p. 86⟩God fall, then they fall willingly, they fall out of choice, they fall out of affection to fall, they fall in a course, they fall, and they are quiet under their falls; they fall, and continue to fall,2 to morrow shall be as to day. But persons in Covenant with God, though they do fall, yet they do not fall, nor cannot fall as they do that are out of Covenant with God. For first, There is in all such persons an habitual purpose to keep Covenant with God. 2. An habitual desire to keep Covenant with God. 3. An habitual resolution to keep Covenant with God. 4. An habitual endeavour to keep Covenant with God.
Thirdly, Consider that infirmities, aberrations of weakness, §3do not nullify or evacuate our Covenant with God, nor hinder our walking in Covenant with God; for if they should, then no man could possibly keep Covenant with God, or walk in Covenant with God; Infirmities God passes by and pardons in course, and will never put them into the account, and therefore they cannot hinder our walking in Covenant with God. Breaches made in the first Covenant were irreparable, but breaches made in the Covenant of Grace are not so, because this Covenant is established in Christ, who is still a making up all breaches. Mark, there are five things which shew that the deviations of Gods people are only infirmities, and not enormities, weaknesses, and not wickednesses; and the first is this, viz. That they do frequently and principally arise from the subtilty and sudden power of Satans temptations. 2.1 That the frame of their spirits is against the evil that they do. 3. Their daily cries, tears, and complaints, speaks it out to be an infirmity, they are in this particular like a lost sheep, or a lost child, or a lost friend. 4. Though they do fall, yet they rise again, though they do step or wander out of the way, yet they do return into the right way again. 5. When they do fall, there is a vast difference, a mighty difference between their falls, and the falls of wicked men that are not in Covenant with God, and that first, in respect of willingness. 2. In respect of choice. 3. In respect of affection. 4. In respect of course. 5. In respect of quietness. 6. In respect of continuance. Mark, When wicked men fall, when men out of Covenant with ⟨p. 86⟩God fall, then they fall willingly, they fall out of choice, they fall out of affection to fall, they fall in a course, they fall, and they are quiet under their falls; they fall, and continue to fall,2 to morrow shall be as to day. But persons in Covenant with God, though they do fall, yet they do not fall, nor cannot fall as they do that are out of Covenant with God. For first, There is in all such persons an habitual purpose to keep Covenant with God. 2. An habitual desire to keep Covenant with God. 3. An habitual resolution to keep Covenant with God. 4. An habitual endeavour to keep Covenant with God.
- 11 Chron. 21.1. Rom. 7.15, 16, 19, 23, 24.
- 2Isa. 55.12.
