yond it. What Sin is there that may not thus be excufed? St. Paul reckons among the Works of the Flesh, Adultery, Fornication, Uncleanness, Lafcivioufnefs, Hatred, Variance, Emulations, Wrath, Strife, Envyings, Murders, Drunkenness, Revellings, and the like; then adds, they which do fuch Things fhall not inherit the Kingdom of God. Now try these round, they all immediately, or by Confequence, arife from Paffions which are called natural, and, as they meet with a fuitable Temper, fome may prevail in one, fome in another; and then either the Excufe is vain, or the Apostle's Judgment is vain, that they which do fuch Things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. The Scripture uses Weakness in another Senfe, as oppofed to Knowledge; as weak Chriftians are thofe newly converted, and not yet confirmed in the Knowledge and Mysteries of Christianity: But this Senfe is nothing to our Purpose. So likewife Weakness is applied to them who have weak and tender Confciences, eafily offended, who fcrupled eating Meat offered to Idols, the Ufe of which the Apostle allows to fuch as had Sense enough not to be offended at it. Their Infirmity was a nice and and scrupulous Fear of Sin, where there was no Reafon to fear: A Weakness we are pretty well got over. These are the most usual, if not all the Scripture Senses of Infirmity; and I think it appears, that none of them have Infirmity enough in them to be an Excufe for Sin. All Sin is Weakness; the more perfect any Crea-. ture is, and the nearer it approaches to Him who is all Perfection, the more remote is it from a Poffibility of finning. It was our Weakness made it neceffary for the Son of God to come to our Affiftance, to rescue us from the Law of Sin and Death; which he did by condemning Sin in the Flesh, and by the powerful Effusion of his Holy Spirit. But to what Purpose is the Holy Spirit promised or given, but to overcome our Infirmities, that the Strength of God may be made perfect in Weakness? But yet, after all these Helps, we are not, nor cannot, be perfect Creatures. St. James fays, In many Things we offend all. How fhall thefe Errors be excufed, which the best of Men are liable to? Is there a Foundation for an Excuse, or must all alike perish in the Error of their Ways? This will receive an Answer, if we confider, Secondly, Secondly, What fort of Sins they are which will admit of an Excufe, because of the Infirmity from which they proceed. And here you are not to expect a Catalogue of Sins, for I know no kind of Sin that can be otherwise excufed than by Repentance and Amendment; and at best there is an Impropriety of Speech in Sins of Infirmity. The neceffary Effects of our Infirmities are not finful: Where they are not neceffary, they may be finful, but why they are called Sins of Infirmity in Diftinction to other Sins is hard to fay. There is an Imperfection in the Obedience of the best of Men. The five Wife Virgins flumbered, and their Lamps grew dim, and wanted trimming, when the Bridegroom came: But yet they foon made ready, and were received to the Marriage Feaft: And, without question, God will favourably look upon the Failings of good Men, and accept their fincere, though not perfect Obedience. This, I hope, we have Reason to allow: But yet the common Notion of Sins of Infirmity gains nothing by it; for let any one fay what is the Sin of Infirmity that all good Men are guilty of. There is an Imperfection which flows from the Weakness of our present Condition, and shews itself, itself, not regularly, but in various Inftances, Many good Christians have complained of a Coldness fometimes in their Devotion, and of wandering and roving Thoughts; which is, without doubt, one of thofe Weakneffes that shall be forgiven to pious and fincere Christians. Will you then make this one of your Sins of Infirmity, an Evil that carries its Excufe always with it? Surely no: For, though it shall be forgiven fome, it will be an Aggravation of the Guilt of others, who have not the fame fincere Obedience and good Difpofition to plead in their Excuse, Some are troubled with impious and blafphemous Thoughts, unworthy Conceptions of God and Chrift, and fuffer a prodigious Torment and Anxiety of Mind because of them, who are Objects of Pity and Compaffion both to God and Man: And when this is the Cafe of well-difpofed Perfons, who are no ways confenting to them, there feems to be as little Guilt in them, as in a Fever or an Ague. Upon the whole then: Since there is fo little Reason to depend upon this Excufe, and fince all Men in fome Degree stand in need of it, I will fhew you the Way, and I know but one Way of entitling ourselves to this Plea, |