Secondly, The distinction of sins. All sin, but not all alike. The scripture intimateth a distinction : * Their spot is not the spot of God's children,' Deut. xxxii. 5. They are a perverse and crooked generation ; their sin which spotteth and blemisheth their souls is not such a sin which is of infirmity, which his children may, and many times do, com- mit, but not of malignity, and perverseness, and contempt, or such as proceedeth out of wilfulness or an impenitent heart. God gave the
358 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [Ser. Ill,
priest under the law direction how to put a difference hetween leprous persons, to pronounce some clean and some utterly unclean, Lev. xiii. 38, 39, with the 44th. If the leprosy spotted the skin, but did not fret the flesh, the priest was to pronounce him clean. God is merciful to the infirmities of his people, not esteeminoj every spot and deformity in them as a malignant sin. We read, Jude 15, of 'ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed ; ' and Ezek. xxiv. 13, ' In thy filthiness is lewdness.' Some things al'e done out of mere weakness, others in a more provoking manner ; as when a man is sufficiently convinced in his understanding that the thing that lie would do is unlawful and displeasing to God, or at least hath means to convince him if he be not wanting to himself in the use thereof, and hath time and leisure to advise with himself, and examine the case, and apply the light of his understanding to direct him, yet resolveth to put his intention into act, and to fulfil his own will ; this is an ungodly deed ungodlily com- mitted, a presumptuous sin ; and whosoever doth so is become highly culpable before God. Thou canst not say. It is thy infirmity, no more than if a man should voluntarily beat another and say it is his infirmity. A man may strike another by chance, or in his sleep, as night-walkers ; that is passed by ; or as under the law there was a city of refuge for him that slew another by chance, and not of malice prepense. As casual homicide and wilful murder differ, so doth sinning out of infirmity and sinning out of presumption ; and a middle between both is striking another in passion, as sins of violent passion are in some cases infirmi- ties, in others presumptions.
Thirdl}'', The nature of sins of infirmity. The more of voluntariness or wilfulness, the less they are sins of infirmity ; for to sin wilfully, resolvedly, without restraint, reluctancy, or tenderness of conscience, is to sin presumptuously, not out of infirmity. Now what degree of voluntariness there is in our sinning is here to be determined, and must be known by observation. The will may concur several ways, habitually or actually. Habitually ; as John iii. 19, ' They loved dark- ness rather than light ; ' which is more plainly expressed Ps. Hi. 3, ' Thou lovest evil more than good.' What is done wittingly, willingly : Isa. Ixv. 12, ' And did choose that wherein I delighted not ;' Isa. Ixvi. 3, 4, ' They did evil before mine eyes ; yea, they have chosen their own ways ; and their soul delighteth in their abominations.' When men willingly choose and betake themselves to such practices: Eom. vi. 16, ' Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey ? ' ' And an actual consent ; this may be in some cases to some particular sinful action. Their actual will to sin at that time is greater than their actual will to forbear it. Now this may be deliberate or precipitated. Deliberate : Heb. x. 29, ' Who have trodden underfoot the Son of God, and have counted the blood of the covenant wherewith they were sanctified an unholy thing, and have done despite to the Spirit of grace.' That is a presumptuous sin ; a thorough consent of will to forsake the known truth, or else precipitated by the violence of the present passion, which is a kind of surprisal ; as Peter, being surprised of a sudden, denied that he knew Christ. Again our willingness may be full or half full, plenary or partial. Plenary is set forth in that expression, Eccles. viii. 11, ' Therefore the heart of
VeE. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. 359
the sons of men is fully set in tliem to do evil ; ' when there is a voluntary delivering over ourselves to such a practice. Partial or but half full when there is a consent and a dissent, but the consent is stronger for the time ; as when they do that whicli they allow not, Rom. vii. 15. This may be an infirmity, the other an iniquity. Sometimes the will may concur not by an express consent so much as by a naked permission or connivance ; not a strong dissent, which, though it be culpable considering our duty, yet it argueth a weakness. Again, consent of will is found out by considering our strength, or advantages of standing out against the temptation, as when there is more time for deliberation. A deliberate act hath more of the will than sudden risings or bubbling up of sins. So also in the nature of the sin. To blaspheme and curse God is a greater sin than an idle thought, and we have more advantages against it. Idolatiy is a greater sin than stealing a shilling, shedding of blood than an ojBficious lie. Or when we have more checks of conscience, and warn- ings and stops in providence, or our temptations are not great ; as the murmuring of the Israelites was not out of want, but wantonness. Or when men have greater helps, quickness of understanding, and grace to prevent it. In short, an evil intent hath more of the will in it than an evil action ; the one is purposed, the other done by way of surprise.