9. They are not condemned, fifthly, for _sins of infirmity_, as they are usually called. (Perhaps it were adviseable rather to call them _infirmities_, that we may not seem to give any countenance to sin, or to extenuate it in any degree, by thus coupling it with infirmity. But if we must retain so ambiguous and dangerous an expression) by _sins of infirmity_ I would mean, such involuntary failings, as the saying a thing we believe true, tho’ in fact it prove to be false; or the hurting our neighbour, without knowing or designing it; perhaps when we design’d to do him good. Tho’ these are deviations from the holy and acceptable and perfect will of God, yet they are not properly sins, nor do they bring any guilt on the conscience of _them which are in Christ Jesus_. They separate not between God and them, neither intercept the light of his countenance; as being no ways inconsistent with their general character, of _walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit_.
10. Lastly, _There is no condemnation_ to them for any thing whatever which it is not in their power to help; whether it be of an inward or outward nature, and whether it be doing something, or leaving something undone. For instance: the Lord’s supper is to be administered. But you do not partake thereof. Why do you not; you are confined by sickness. Therefore you cannot help omitting it: and for the same reason, you are not condemned. There is no guilt; because there is no choice. As there _is a willing mind, it is accepted, according to that a man hath, not according to that he hath not_.
11. A believer indeed may sometimes be _grieved_, because he cannot do what his soul longs for. He may cry out, when he is detain’d from worshipping God in the great congregation, _Like as the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul is athirst for God, yea even for the living God: when shall I come to appear in the presence of God?_ He may earnestly desire (only still saying in his heart, not as I will, but as thou wilt) to _go again with the multitude and bring them forth into the house of God_. But still, if he cannot go, he feels no condemnation, no guilt, no sense of God’s displeasure: but can chearfully yield up those desires, with, _O my soul, put thy trust in God: for I will yet give him thanks, who is the help of my countenance and my God_.
12. It is more difficult to determine concerning those which are usually stiled, _sins of surprize_: as when one who commonly in patience possesses his soul, on a sudden and violent temptation, speaks or acts in a manner not consistent with the royal law, _Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself_. Perhaps it is not easy to fix a general rule, concerning transgressions of this nature. We cannot say, either that men are, or that they are not condemned, for sins of surprize in general. But it seems, whenever a believer is by surprize over-taken in a fault, there is more or less condemnation, as there is more or less concurrence of his will. In proportion as a sinful desire or word or action is more or less voluntary, so we may conceive, God is more or less displeased, and there is more or less guilt upon the soul.
13. But if so, then there may be some sins of surprize, which bring much guilt and condemnation. For in some instances, our being surprized is owing to some wilful and culpable neglect; or to a sleepiness of soul which might have been prevented, or shaken off before the temptation came. A man may be previously warned either of God or man, that trials and danger are at hand: and yet may say in his heart, _A little more slumber, a little more folding of the hands to rest_. Now if such an one afterwards fall, tho’ unawares, into the snare which he might have avoided; that he fell unawares is no excuse: he might have foreseen, and have shuned the danger. The falling even by surprize, in such an instance as this, is, in effect, a wilful sin; and as such must expose the sinner to condemnation, both from God and his own conscience.