In the next place, There are Habitual sins, such as are acquired by frequent acts, and daily commissions of sin; and these indeed must be confessed to be in-dwelling and fixed sins in us; and these habits of sin do much intend, and strengthen our original corruption, making it more vigorous; and if so be that custom be a second nature, how miserable is an unregenerate man, who hath as it were a two-fold nature inclining him to sin? Original corruption, which is like an innate habit, and custom in sin, which is like an acquired: So that as the Scripture speaks of some, who are twice dead, so we may say, These are twice alive, in respect of their vigorous propensity to sin; Therefore the Scripture speaks sometimes of men, that have these double chains of wickedness upon them: Thus when the Apostle, Rom. 3. 10, 11, 12, &c. doth from several places in the Old Testament apply those things which are spoken of men in an high nature flagitious, to every one by nature, that doth comprehend both their innate and acquired impiety, and therefore might well by the Apostle be applied to all, because all by nature would be carried out to such enormous rebellions. The Psalmist, because of original and habitual sin in some persons, hath a notable expression, Psal. 5. 9. Their inward part is very wickedness, or wickednesses, as in the Hebrew, Their inward part is nothing but wickedness. Now although therefore habitual sins may truly be called sins dwelling in us; yet the Apostle doth not speak here of such habitual sins, for he speaks all along of one sin, as the mother, as the fountain and root of all; And besides, Paul speaking in the person of a regenerate man, could not complain of the acquired habits of sin within him, for in Regeneration, there is an expulsion of all habitual sin; and in this sense, Those that are born of God, are said, not to sin, viz. habitually and customarily, as wicked men do, although some actual sins, and those of a very heinous nature, may consist with the work of grace, yet habits of sin, and habits of grace can no more consist together, than light and darkness: It is evident then, that the Apostle not meaning habitual sin, must understand original, in the immediate actings and workings of it, for this will always be a troublesome and molesting inmate;
In the next place, There are Habitual sinnes, such as are acquired by frequent acts, and daily commissions of sinne; and these indeed must be confessed to be in-dwelling and fixed sinnes in us; and these habits of sinne do much intend, and strengthen our original corruption, making it more vigorous; and if so be that custom be a second nature, how miserable is an unfegerate man, who hath as it were a two-fold nature inclining him to sinne? Original corruption, which is like an innate habit, and custome in sinne, which is like an acquired: So that as the Scripture speaks of some, who are twice dead, so we may say, These are twice alive, in respect of their vigorous propensity to sinne; Therefore the Scripture speaks sometimes of men, that have these double chains of wickedness upon them: Thus when the Apostle, Rom. 3. 10, 11, 12, &c. doth from several places in the Old Testament apply those things which are spoken of men in an high nature flagitious, to every one by nature, that doth comprehend both their innate and acquired impiety, and therefore might well by the Apostle be applied to all, because all by nature would be carried out to such enormous rebellions. The Psalmist, because of original and habitual sinne in some persons, hath a notable expression, Psal. 5. 9. Their inward part is very wickednesse, or wickednesses, as in the Hebrew, Their inward part is nothing but wickednesse. Now although therefore habitual sinnes may truly be called sinnes dwelling in us; yet the Apostle doth not speak here of such habitual sinnes, for he speaks all along of one sinne, as the mother, as the fountain and root of all; And besides, Paul speaking in the person of a regenerate man, could not complain of the acquired habits of sinne within him, for in Regeneration, there is an expulsion of all habitual sinne; and in this sense, Those that are born of God, are said, not to sinne, viz. habitually and customarily, as wicked men do, although some actual sins, and those of a very hainous nature, may consist with the work of grace, yet habites of sinne, and habits of grace can no more consist together, than light and darkness: It is evident then, that the Apostle not meaning habitual sinne, must understand original, in the immediate actings and workings of it, for this will alwayes be a troublesome and molesting inmate;
