I must confefs I do think it is this taking our Eftimates of Virtue and Vice from the received Opinions of them we converse with, that does as much Mifchief to Souls, by making them to prefume on God's Mercy, while they continue in fuch Practices as are directly contrary to his Laws, as any other thing whatsoever. For Inftance, what a

world of Murders hath the Notion of Honour that obtains among us been the Occafion of, tho' yet it be the most mishapen unnatural Notion of Honour that can be. For if a wife Heathen' was to be asked, which was the more honourable in a Gentleman, to pafs by a trifling Injury, or to revenge it to Death; I dare fay he would answer (I am fure Socrates and Cicero would fo have anfwer'd) that it was below a Man of Honour to take notice of fuch Affronts as now prove the moft mortal Quarrels of the most honourable Men among Chriftians. What is it that makes Lewdnefs and Drunkennefs, and fuch other Debauches, fo frequently practifed among us, but only this, the Fafhionablenefs of the Sins doth fo blind our Judgments, that we think them excufable Frolicks, how feverely foever God has declared against them. A Man would not be prevailed upon to fwear, or to curfe, or to talk profanely, and irreligiously in his common Converfation, but that the Sin is fo ordinary, that he believes God will estimate the Guilt of it, not according to the Rigour

of

of his Laws, but according to the Vogue it hath obtained among Men. Tho' our Religion doth most strictly forbid Back-biting and fpeaking Evil of others, yet feeing this is the general Entertainment of moft Converfations, one thinks it no great matter to ftretch a Point of Duty as to this Business, and he hopes God will eafily make Allowance for it. Thus apt are we to be swayed by the popular Opinions about good or evil Actions. But But yet for all that, it is of infinitely dangerous Confequence; for whoever frames his Life according to this Principle, it is ten to one but he runs himself into most deplorable Mischiefs. For God fees not as Man fees. The impartial Judge of the World will take account of our Actions, not according to the Opinions of the Men of this World, whom we converfed with, but according to their intrinfick Goodness or Turpitude. He will indeed make great Allowances for Mens Ignorance and Mistakes, where they were unavoidable, but there is no reafon to expect that he should grant any Favour in thofe Cafes where Men faw their Duty well enough, and knew likewise what Strefs God in his Word laid upon it; and yet would be bold to tranfgrefs it, because they faw other Men did. The Sin was a modifh Sin, and therefore they made a flight Matter of it.

4. Another Occafion of our Deceit in this Matter is the general Opinion that is entertained

tained about Sins of Infirmity. We all know that Sins of Infirmity are confiftent with a State of Salvation, otherwife none of Mankind could be faved. For the beft Men are attended with many Weakneffes and Imperfections, and have daily Occafion to implore the Divine Mercy upon the Account thereJames 3.2. Of. In many things we offend all. And in truth, as the State of Mankind now is, we may account him the best and worthieft Chriftian (not he who never tranfgreffeth God's Laws, for perhaps there is no fuch Man, but he) who hath the feweft Mixtures of Folly and Sin in his Life. All this now is true: but because this is true, we will have a great deal more to be fo, which is not: for finding that the beft of Men have Infirmities, and that thofe Infirmities fhall be no Bar to their Salvation, we are apt to con→ clude, that our Sins, how grievous or how habitual foever they be, are but our Infirmities likewife, and that we may go to Heaven for all them. The Truth is, to that unreafonable Degree of Latitude have we commonly extended Sins of Infirmity,, or those Sins which are confiftent with a State of Holiness and Happiness, that really there are hardly any, but Atheists or downright profane irreligious Perfons, but may very well fhelter all the Sins and great Miscarriages of their Lives under this comfortable Name. For what are thofe Sins which we call Sins of Infirmity, but fuch Sins (be they in their

own

own Nature never fo heinous) as we do often resolve against, and are perhaps troubled at after we have done them, but which yet we continue in the Practice of? There are a great many who have fo far a Sense of Religion, that they cannot avoid being troubled and concerned at their wicked Lives. It is with fome Reluctancy that they act as they do: And they cannot forbear accufing themfelves, and perhaps refolving to do fo no more: But yet for all that they live never the better: They do not amend one Fault for all thofe Convictions and Refolutions. Let the Sins which reign in them be what they will, Drunkennefs, or Lewdnefs, or Covetoufness, or Injustice, or Malice, or Neglect of God's Worship, or the like, yet the next Temptation that comes in their Way to any of these Sins, they shall not fail to comply with, tho' it was not a Month before that they were troubled at themfelves for living at this Rate, and refolved to forfake these Courses for ever. But now all the while they remain in this Condition, the Sins they commit must needs be Sins of Infirmity, becaufe really it is their Infirmity and Weakness that they do not conquer them. Their Intentions, their Purposes, and Defigns, are without doubt right and honeft, and therefore they cannot doubt but that they fhall be accepted upon the Account of them, tho' they never live up to their good Prin

ciples,

ciples, nor conquer any of thofe Sins they

labour under.

This, I fay, is our common Opinion concerning Sins of Infirmity. And there is no doubt Hundreds of Perfons under the Protection and Security of this Notion mean very well, and live very ill, nay and perhaps die fo, and yet, after all, think they fhall go to Heaven.

But now all this is extreamly false Reafoning. It is true, it is the Mens Weakness and Infirmity that they live in a. Course of Sin, contrary to all their Sentiments and all their fericus Purposes: But yet for all that, if the Sins they live in the Practice of be open known Sins, fuch Sins as are plainly forbid by the Laws of the Gofpel, and are there declared against for fuch, as fhall exclude from the Kingdom of Heaven, they are not Sins of Infirmity, but wilful prefumptuous Sins, which the Men fhall anfwer for to God at the Peril of their Souls, with what Reluctance foever they committed them, or what Resolutions foever they used to make against them. For do not deceive your felves, that only is a Sin of Infirmity which a Man cannot help; that which a Man is drawn into thro' Surprize, or want of Time to confider. But all Habits and Customs of Sin fall under another Denomination. If a Man make it his Practice to break God's Laws in his Actions, and to do fuch things not only once or twice, but cuftomarily, as often as the

Tempta