An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…

If Job had been a wicked man, he had been a lost man. Sin is not inconsistent with grace, but wickedness is.

If Job had been a vvicked man, he had been a lost man. Sin is not inconsistent vvith grace, but vvickednes is.

But you vvill say, What is wickedness? And when is a man so sinful that he is to be numbered among the wicked? To clear that, because Job ventures all upon it,

But you vvill say, What is vvickednesse? And vvhen is a man so sinfull that he is to be numbred among the vvicked? To clear that, because Job ventures all upon it,

I answer; first, In every wicked man sin reigneth, that is, sin hath not only a being in him, but dominion over him; he yieldeth ready and free obedience to it, as to his natural Lord, not a forced and involuntary obedience only, as to a tyrant. Our committing of sin gives not the rule to sin: but our submitting to it. As a man may do many good things, and yet grace not reign and rule in his heart: so it is possible for a man to do many evil things, and yet not have sin rule in his heart. A man may lay by the actings of a sin, and yet that be a reigning sin, and a man may fall into the act of sin, and yet that no reigning sin. The reign of sin or of grace are chiefly seen in that professed subjection or resignation of our selves to the dictates and commands of grace or sin. No man can be at once Gods Son, and sins servant; no nor at once a servant to both.

I answer; first, In every vvicked man sin reigneth, that is, sin hath not only a being in him, but dominion over him; he yeeldeth ready and free obedience to it, as to his naturall Lord, not a forced and involuntary obedience only, as to a tyrant. Our committing of sin gives not the rule to sinne: but our submitting to it. As a man may do many good things, and yet grace not raign and rule in his heart: so it is possible for a man to do many evil things, and yet not have sin rule in his heart. A man may lay by the actings of a sin, and yet that be a raigning sinne, and a man may fall into the act of sin, and yet that no raigning sin. The raign of sin or of grace are chiefly seen in that professed subjection or resignation of our selves to the dictates and commands of grace or sinne. No man can be at once Gods Son, and sins servant; no nor at once a servant to both.