Burroughs - BV15 B877 1654

6cl The right manner ofdrawing nigh to fatisfie their confciences, or to cloak and cover cher fins and the like ; perhaps they may foperform ir, as it might be better to be unperformed than toperform it as they do, but ifyou do endeavor to the utcermoft of your ftrength to do it, though you be not prepared as you do defice, yet it is better to do it than to omit the doing of it, and you will find it fol for one duty doth prepare for another. Though it be not done as I delite it fhoulcl be done, yet the doing ofit as well as I can at this time will helpme to do it better at another time, that is cer- tain as one fin doth prepare the heart for another fin, fo one, duty prepares the heart for another ; as now, fuppofe a man remits a. fin, and he bath a confcience that is enlightened that doth hinder him from committing his fin with that full if tength that he would do it ; many a man hath a mind to fin, but through the enlightning ofhis confcience he cannot fin with that delight as he would, becaufe his confcience flies in his face and doth interrupt him, but yet for al this through the ftrength ofhis corruption he will break througin to that fin ; now though at fiat they cannot commit that fin with that delightand freedom as they do at other times, yet if their cor- ruptions be fo ftrong as to break through the light of their confciences, the next time they come to the committing of that fin they will commit it with more freedom and eafe a great deal. This is evident by experience ; there is noneof you but if you will obferve your 'hearts you will find this, A temptation comes to a fin, now you cannot do it with fo much freedom as youwould, but yet you break through it, you will find chat the next time- you will commit it with more freedom, and fo one fin will prepare for another, and it may be you have fome trouble of confcience at firft, but the next time you will have lefs trouble, till at length you can commit it freely without a-, ny trouble of Confcience at all. As' it is in fin, fo it is in godlinefs many times, in fome degree ; at the firft you have a motion to a holy duty, but through the stirrings of your cor- ruptions youare not fit for it, now doyou but break through chat difficulty. and the next time you, will be more fit, and the new timeafter that youwiltbe more fit, andfo &ill moreand - more

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