Secondly, It is not such a turning from sin, as that the true penitent shall never relapse into the same kind of sin any more; for a true penitent may fall into the same sin again and again. It was a sin for the disciples to sleep when Christ had commanded them to watch and pray,1 and yet they slept again and again. The prophet Jonah was a holy man, and ⟨p. 279⟩yet he relapsed into passion and discontent with God again and again; he was discontent with the work God set him about, therefore he flieth to Tarshish, Jonah 1.2, 3. and sorrows for it, and confesseth that they that trust upon lying vanities forsake their own mercies, Chap. 2.8. and yet when God had showed mercy to Nineveh, he was exceedingly discontented with God again, Jonah 4.1. But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. And when the Lord, who might have sent him to his grave, or a frowned him to hell, reasons lovingly, sweetly and mildly with him to take him off from his passion, Chap. 4.3, 4. and provides for him in his extremity; yet upon a very small occasion, viz. the taking away of a Gourd or shrub (which God did to convince him of his folly and waspishness of spirit) he breaks out again into the same passion, or worse, as if he had never seen the evil of it, or been humbled for it, Jonah 4.8, 9. I am greatly angry, or I do well to be angry, even unto death. And that is very considerable that Job speaks concerning his friends, Job 19.3. These ten times have ye reproached me, yet are ye not ashamed. It is a sin to reproach any man, it is a greater to reproach a godly man; but yet greater to reproach a godly man under sad and sore afflictions; but yet greatest of all to reproach a godly man under his sufferings, often, frequently; yet saith Job, These ten times have ye reproached me; and yet Job's friends were not only godly, but eminently godly. By this sad instance 'tis evident, that gracious men, yea that men eminently gracious, may fall into the same sin again and again, yea ten times, that is often. Though Christ told his disciples that his kingdom was not of this world,2 yet at three several times their pride and ambitious humour put them upon striving for preeminence and worldly greatness. King Jehoshaphat, though he was a godly man, yet he joins affinity with that non such wicked Ahab, for which he was smartly reproved by the Prophet, 2 Chron. 19.2.
Secondly, It is not such a turning from sin, as that the true penitent shall never relapse into the same kind of sin any more; for a true penitent may fall into the same sin again and again. It was a sin for the disciples to sleep when Christ had commanded them to watch and pray,1 and yet they slept again and again. The prophet Jonah was a holy man, and ⟨p. 279⟩yet he relapsed into passion and discontent with God again and again; he was discontent with the work God set him about, therefore he flieth to Tarshish, Jonah 1.2, 3. and sorrows for it, and confesseth that they that trust upon lying vanities forsake their own mercies, Chap. 2.8. and yet when God had shewed mercy to Niniveh, he was exceedingly discontented with God again, Jonah 4.1. But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. And when the Lord, who might have sent him to his grave, or a frown'd him to hell, reasons lovingly, sweetly and mildly with him to take him off from his passion, Chap. 4.3, 4. and provides for him in his extremity; yet upon a very small occasion, viz. the taking away of a Gourd or shrub (which God did to convince him of his folly and waspishness of spirit) he breaks out again into the same passion, or worse, as if he had never seen the evil of it, or been humbled for it, Jonah 4.8, 9. I am greatly angry, or I do well to be angry, even unto death. And that is very considerable that Job speaks concerning his friends, Job 19.3. These ten times have ye reproached me, yet are ye not ashamed. It is a sin to reproach any man, it is a greater to reproach a godly man; but yet greater to reproach a godly man under sad and sore afflictions; but yet greatest of all to reproach a godly man under his sufferings, often, frequently; yet saith Job, These ten times have ye reproached me; and yet Job's friends were not only godly, but eminently godly. By this sad instance 'tis evident, that gracious men, yea that men eminently gracious, may fall into the same sin again and again, yea ten times, that is often. Though Christ told his disciples that his kingdom was not of this world,2 yet at three several times their pride and ambitious humour put them upon striving for preheminence and worldly greatness. King Jehoshaphat, though he was a godly man, yet he joyns affinity with that non such wicked Ahab, for which he was smartly reproved by the Prophet,
- 1Mat. 26.40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45.
- 2John 18.36. Mat. 18.1, 2, 3, 4. Mark 9 34. Luke 9.46. & 22.24, 26.
