DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3689#0023
a Devout and Holy Life. 21
And that we have not that perfection, which our present state
of grace makes us capable of, because we do not so much as
intend to have it.
It only teaches us, that the reason why you see no real morti-
fication, or self-denial, no eminent charity, no profound humility,
no heavenly affection, no true contempt of the world, no Christian
meekness, no sincere zeal, no eminent piety in the common lives
of Christians, is this, because they do not so much as intend to
be exact and exemplary in these virtues.
Chapter III.
Of the great danger and folly•, of not in-
tending to be as eminent and exemplary as
we can^ in the practice of all Christian
virtues.
ALTHOUGH the goodness of God, and his rich mercies
in Christ Jesus, are a sufficient assurance to us, that
he will be merciful to our unavoidable weaknesses and
infirmities, that is, to such failings as are the effects of
ignorance or surprise; yet we have no reason to
expect the same mercy towards those sins which we have lived
in, through a want of intention to avoid them.
For instance, the case of a common swearer, who dies in that
guilt, seems to have no title to the divine mercy, for this reason,
because he can no more plead any weakness, or infirmity in his
excuse, than the man that hid his talent in the earth, could plead
his want of strength to keep it out of the earth.
But now, if this be right reasoning in the case of a common
swearer, that his sin is not to be reckoned a pardonable frailty,
because he has no weakness to plead in its excuse, why then do
we not carry this way of reasoning to its true extent ? Why do
not we as much condemn every other error of life, that has no
more weakness to plead in its excuse than common swearing ?
For if this be so bad a thing, because it might be avoided, if
we did but sincerely intend it, must not then all other erroneous
ways of life be very guilty, if we live in them, not through
weakness and inability, but because we never sincerely intended
to avoid them ?
For instance, you perhaps have made no progress in the most
And that we have not that perfection, which our present state
of grace makes us capable of, because we do not so much as
intend to have it.
It only teaches us, that the reason why you see no real morti-
fication, or self-denial, no eminent charity, no profound humility,
no heavenly affection, no true contempt of the world, no Christian
meekness, no sincere zeal, no eminent piety in the common lives
of Christians, is this, because they do not so much as intend to
be exact and exemplary in these virtues.
Chapter III.
Of the great danger and folly•, of not in-
tending to be as eminent and exemplary as
we can^ in the practice of all Christian
virtues.
ALTHOUGH the goodness of God, and his rich mercies
in Christ Jesus, are a sufficient assurance to us, that
he will be merciful to our unavoidable weaknesses and
infirmities, that is, to such failings as are the effects of
ignorance or surprise; yet we have no reason to
expect the same mercy towards those sins which we have lived
in, through a want of intention to avoid them.
For instance, the case of a common swearer, who dies in that
guilt, seems to have no title to the divine mercy, for this reason,
because he can no more plead any weakness, or infirmity in his
excuse, than the man that hid his talent in the earth, could plead
his want of strength to keep it out of the earth.
But now, if this be right reasoning in the case of a common
swearer, that his sin is not to be reckoned a pardonable frailty,
because he has no weakness to plead in its excuse, why then do
we not carry this way of reasoning to its true extent ? Why do
not we as much condemn every other error of life, that has no
more weakness to plead in its excuse than common swearing ?
For if this be so bad a thing, because it might be avoided, if
we did but sincerely intend it, must not then all other erroneous
ways of life be very guilty, if we live in them, not through
weakness and inability, but because we never sincerely intended
to avoid them ?
For instance, you perhaps have made no progress in the most