The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance

Thirdly, The description you give of a sin of infirmity from Gal 6. 1. Is that alone which we acknowledge may befall Believers, though it hath sometimes befallen them in greater sins. It is evident from hence, that a sin becometh a sin of infirmity, not from the nature of it, but from the manner of mens falling into it. The greatest actual sin, may be a sin of infirmity, and the least, a sin of Presumption. It is possible a Believer may be overtaken, or rather surprised, with any sin, so he be overtaken or surprised. A surprisal into sin through the power of Temptation, subtlety of Satan, strength of indwelling sin, contrary to the habitual standing frame of the heart, (not always neither through a defect of watchfulness) is all that we grant a Believer may be liable to: and so upon Mr Goodwins confession he sins only out of infirmity; such sins being not exclusive of the Love and Favour of God. And therefore

Thirdly, The description you give of a sinne of infirmity from Gal 6. 1. Is that alone which we acknowledge may befall Believers, though it hath sometimes befallen them in greater sinnes. It is evident from hence, that a sinne becometh asinne of infirmity, not from the nature of it, but from the manner of mens falling into it. The greatest actuall sinne, may be a sinne of infirmity, and the least, a sinne of Presumption. It is possible a Believer may be overtaken, or rather surprised, with any sinne, so he be overtaken or surprised. A surprisall into sinne through the power of Temptation, subtilty of Sathan, strength of indewlling sinne, contrary to the habituall standing frame of the heart, (not alwayes neither through a defect of watchfullnesse) is all that we grant a Believer may be lyable to: and fo upon Mr Goodwins confession he sins only out of infirmity; such sins being not exclusive of the Love and Favour of God. And therefore

Fourthly we say that true Believers cannot be said to walk according to the flesh, to do the works of the flesh, to do the Lusts and desires of the flesh, which the Holy Ghost so cautions them against, which as Mr Goodwin observes are none of them charged upon true Believers, but only such persons as are enemies of God, and Children of wrath; so that those expressions hold out to Believers only what they ought to avoid in the use of the means which God graciously affords them, and do not discover any thing of the will of God, that he will suffer them, contrary to his many Faithful Promises to fall into them. And so the close of this Discourse is contrary to the beginning; M. Goodwin granting that true Believers cannot fall into these sins, but only such as are enemies to God; and yet he hath no way to prove that true Believers may cease to be so, but because they may fall into these sins, which that they may do, he here eminently denies. Wherefore he adds