As this disease of infirmity, being never idle in the Saints, doth often drive them into great and grievous sins, and brings them to such distress sometimes, that for a season they seem like unto the wicked, forsaken of God, ⟨p. 348⟩and void of all Faith and Consolation: But God in his infinite Goodness never leaves them so destitute of his Mercy, whom once he hath planted in his Son by Faith, but that he puts his hand under them, when they fall, that they are not broken to pieces; and again he stretches forth his hand unto them to reduce them from their sins. Though he is greatly offended and angry at their wickedness, yet in his wrath remembering Mercy, he doth not cast them off for ever. This appears evidently by the known Examples of David, Peter, Manasseh, Eve, Adam, Aaron, Miriam, Solomon, and others. And this is the difference 1between the godly and ungodly, that though both of them fall into grievous sins against their Conscience, yet in this they are distinguished: the wicked run head-long on in their sins, and taking pleasure in them, not only for a while, but through their whole life give themselves up to the bondage of corruption, and take no care to return unto God by Repentance; but the case is contrariwise with the Godly and Regenerate; for though they may sin securely for a time, and reigning sin may have dominion over them for the present, yet nevertheless by the Grace of God they are brought to the acknowledgement of their sins, and are recovered by Repentance.
As this disease of infirmity, being never idle in the Saints, doth often drive them into great and grievous sins, and brings them to such distress sometimes, that for a season they seem like unto the wicked, forsaken of God, ⟨p. 348⟩and void of all Faith and Consolation: But God in his infinite Goodness never leaves them so destitute of his Mercy, whom once he hath planted in his Son by Faith, but that he puts his hand under them, when they fall, that they are not broken to pieces; and again he stretches forth his hand unto them to reduce them from their sins. Though he is greatly offended and angry at their wickedness, yet in his wrath remembring Mercy, he doth not cast them off for ever. This appears evidently by the known Examples of David, Peter, Manasseh, Evah, Adam, Aaron, Miriam, Solomon, and others. And this is the difference 1between the godly and ungodly, that though both of them fall into grievous sins against their Conscience, yet in this they are distinguished: the wicked run head-long on in their sins, and taking pleasure in them, not only for a while, but through their whole life give themselves up to the bondage of corruption, and take no care to return unto God by Repentance; but the case is contrariwise with the Godly and Regenerate; for though they may sin securely for a time, and reigning sin may have dominion over them for the present, yet nevertheless by the Grace of God they are brought to the acknowledgment of their sins, and are recovered by Repentance.
- 1They that sin finally. The Saints, though they fall sometimes into sin, they do not continue in sin.
