An answer to the discourse of Mr. William Sherlock, touching the knowledge of Christ,…

This working of the Law of sin in Gods People is an ill thing. ¹Oh! that we had perfection! But while we are here sin will be in us, and whilst it is in us, it will work in some measure: Concupiscere nolo & concupisco, saith St. Austin. ²The first mark in the Doctor, is sinning industriously and designedly, and this is a sure one, and found in all the unregenerate; although all of them are not alike cunning, and Artists at the Trade of sin, all more or less make provision for the Flesh, the frame of their Heart, & stream of their Thoughts run this way. The Flesh (as the Doctor speaks) hath the [Greek or Hebrew], the projecting and forecasting ability at command in them, thus it is not with the regenerate. The Second is, The temptation easily prevails in the unregenerate; and what more certain? The old heart is as dry tinder, ready to take fire upon every little spark; thus it is not with the regenerate, who hath a higher and a better Spirit than his ⟨p. 548⟩own, to guard him against the temptation: If he be overcome in a particular Act of sin, sin is not yet his Master, because it cannot gain the bent of his heart, and the course of his life. The third is, When sin carries it against all external Discouragements, against the threatenings of the Law, the Sceptre of the Gospel, the Love and Wrath of God, the Wounds of Christ, Reproofs, Resolutions, Vows, &c. then it is the Law of sin. Upon which the Author infers thus: It seems when sin carries it against external oppositions only, it is a mark of an unregenerate Man; but when it carries it against internal and external oppositions, that is a sign of a regenerate Man. To which I answer. It is true, when sin carries it in a regenerate Man, it carries it against such internal helps, and principles of Grace as are not in the unregenerate, but then it carries it only in a single Act: But in the unregenerate it carries it in a course of life too, against Law, Gospel, Wrath, Love, the Blood of Christ, the smitings of Conscience, Reproofs, Promises, Judgments, still he will sin on, whilst he is unregenerate; thus the regenerate doth not. The Fourth is: When 'tis sinning, and no sense of sin, no after ⟨p. 549⟩Repentance for it, then it is the Law of sin. But, saith the Author: What bad Man is there, who does not at one time or other repent of his sins?