Meadows may be overflown, but marish ground is drowned with the return of every Tide. A child of God may be carried away, and act contrary to the bent and inclination of the new nature; but when men are drowned and overcome with the return of every temptation, and carried away, it argues a habit of sin. And partly, because sin never carries it away clearly, but with some dislikes and resistances of the new nature. The children of God make it their business to avoid all sin, by watching, praying, mortifying, Psal. 39. 1. I said I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue. And then there is a resistance of the sin: God hath planted graces in their hearts; the fear of his Majesty, that works a resistance; and therefore there is not a full allowance of what they do. This resistance sometimes is more strong, then the temptation is overcome. How can I do this wickedness, and sin against God? Gen. 39. Sometimes it is more weak, and then sin carries it, though against the will of a holy man, Rom. 7. 15, 18. The evil which I hate, that do I. It is the evil which they hate, they protest against it; they are like men which are oppressed by the power of the enemy. And then there's a remorse after the sin, David's heart smote him. It grieves and shames them that they do evil. There's tenderness goes with the new nature; Peter sinned foully, but he went out and wept bitterly.
Meadows may be overflown, but marish ground is drowned with the return of every Tide. A child of God may be carried away, and act contrary to the bent and inclination of the new nature; but when men are drown'd and overcome with the return of every temptation, and carried away, it argues a habit of sin. And partly, because sin never carries it away clearly, but with some dislikes and resistances of the new nature. The children of God make it their business to avoid all sin, by watching, praying, mortifying, Psal. 39. 1. I said I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue. And then there is a resistance of the sin: God hath planted graces in their hearts; the fear of his Majesty, that works a resistance; and therefore there is not a full allowance of what they do. This resistance sometimes is more strong, then the temptation is overcome. How can I do this wickedness, and sin against God? Gen. 39. Sometimes it is more weak, and then sin carries it, though against the will of a holy man, Rom. 7. 15, 18. The evil which I hate, that do I. It is the evil which they hate, they protest against it; they are like men which are opprest by the power of the enemy. And then there's a remorse after the sin, David's heart smote him. It grieves and shames them that they do evil. There's tenderness goes with the new nature; Peter sinned foully, but he went out and wept bitterly.
