Chap. r. An Expofstion upon the Bookof3 O B. VerC 5. (,7 ofthe bell, of the purefi, of the holieft, though they do not rake in the dunghil, and wallow in the mire of fin bafely and fil- thily, yet they do from day to day,yea frommoment to moment contra fume filth and uncleannefs. And in this fence it is that there it no man that liveth and finneth not. Every man bath a Fountain of uncleannefs ,in him , and there will be ever found fin, fome filthinefs, bubbling and boyling up, ifnot flowing forth. Secondly, To fin,is put for Tome fpecial adoffin, that which in Scripture is called a fall ; Ifany man be overtaken with a fault, you that arefpiritual reftore him. And in this fence the Apoflie John faith (which is a clear anfwer to this doubt, and loth open jeh. Z. r. the term)Iwrite untoyou little children, that you fin not. He did not write to them an irnpotlìble thing, he writ tothem about that, which in a Gofpelfence they might attain unto. There are three degrees offnning. a. There is one kind of finning, which is called a daily infir- mity, which the Saints of God, the belt in this life, are not freed from. 2. There is another kind of finning, which is to fin wilfully, andwith pure delight; and thus, he that is born of God cannot fin. pill. 3. 3. There isanother kindof finning,which is called falling into fin, or thefalls ofthe Saints ; and fometimes we know they have fallen intogreat and fcandalous fins In this fence it is that the Apoftle faith, Little children,! write toyon, thatyou finnot. That is; though you have daily infirmities, yet take heedoffcandalous finnings. So here in the Text, where it is Paid, It may be myfont havefinned; It is not meant, either in the firft or fecund fence; it is not meant, as ifhe thought his Ionswere without infirmities ; nor is it meant that he did fufpeff them ofthofe fins (which are indeed incompatiblewith the itateofgrace) fins of perfeEt wilful - nefs and ofmalice,or the like :but it is of thofe fins in the middle fort. It maybe myfans havefinned,that is,have finned fo,as to pro- yoke nod, and fcandalize men in this their feafling iti their meet- ing together. -We may`-notefrorn that firs, He that liveth without grufffins, ina Gofpel- fence, liveth with- outfin. To be without great and grofs fin is our holneff upon Earth K 2 19
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