Clavis cantici, or, An exposition of the Song of Solomon

The more frequently believers (or any other) relapse in the same sin, they will go the greater length readily in it, and by falling more dangerously, be more hardly recovered than formerly: Now she sleeps, and when put at, will not rise, but shifts, which is a further step than was chap. 3. 10. Lazy fits of indisposition and omissions of duty, do more frequently ⟨p. 256⟩steal in upon believers, than positive out-breakings and commissions, and they are more ready to please themselves in them, and to lie still under them. 11. Believers should be so acquaint with their own condition, as to be able to tell how it is with them, whether as to their unrenewed or renewed part; So here, I sleep, but my heart waketh. 12. Believers in taking up their condition, would advert both to their corruptions and graces; and in their reckoning, would put a distinction betwixt these two, otherwayes they will misreckon on the one side or other: They would not reckon themselves wholly by the actings of nature, lest they disclaim their graces; nor yet their renewed part, lest they forget their unrenewed nature; but they would attribute every effect in them to it's own cause and principle, where-from it proceeds. 13. It's good for a believer when overcome with corruption, and captivate by it, to disallow and disown it from the heart, as not allowing what they do, and to present this to God, as a protestation entered against their prevailing lusts. In some sense a believer may both condemn himself as sinful, and absolve himself as delighting in the law of God, at one and the same time; and where he allows not his corruption; but positively dissents from it, he may disclaim it as not being his deed.

The more frequently believers (or any other) relapse in the same sin, they will go the greater length readily in it, and by falling more dangerously, be more hardly recovered than formerly: Now she sleeps, and when put at, will not rise, but shifts, which is a further step than was chap. 3. 10. Lazy fits of indisposition and omissions of duty, do more frequently ⟨p. 256⟩steal in upon believers, than positive out-breakings and commissions, and they are more ready to please themselves in them, and to ly still under them. 11. Believers should be so acquaint with their own condition, as to be able to tell how it is with them, whether as to their unrenewed or renewed part; So here, I sleep, but my heart waketh. 12. Believers in taking up their condition, would advert both to their corruptions and graces; and in their reckoning, would put a distinction betwixt these two, otherwayes they will misreckon on the one side or other: They would not reckon themselves wholly by the actings of nature, lest they disclaim their graces; nor yet their renewed part, lest they forget their unrenewed nature; but they would attribute every effect in them to it's own cause and principle, where-from it proceeds. 13. It's good for a believer when overcome with corruption, and captivate by it, to disallow and disown it from the heart, as not allowing what they do, and to present this to God, as a protestation entered against their prevailing lusts. In some sense a believer may both condemn himself as sinful, and absolve himself as delighting in the law of God, at one and the same time; and where he allowes not his corruption; but positively dissents from it, he may disclaim it as not being his deed.