THe whol scope of the blessed Apostle in this Letter of his , is , as himself teacheth us , to confirm the people of God , to build them up in that great Article of their Faith , and their great priviledge which is , the Communion of Saints . He tels you in the beginning , he writes to them that they might have Communion with himself and the rest of the Apostles , whose Communion is with God the Father and is Son Jesus Christ ; presently he proceeds to shew wherein this Communion stands , which he doth express ,

First , More generally : It is to walk in the light ; when all the world walks in darkness ; they by virtue of their fellowship should walk in the light , And then ,

Secondly , Explains this more particularly , in the subsequent discourse ; and shews that by walking in the light he mainly intends walking in holiness , that is , to abominate and abandon the waies of sin , and to live as becomes those that are born of God in holiness and righteousness , and this is the plot of the whol Epistle . And then he begins with the first branch of it , and that is , to depart from the waies of sin , and sets down this conclusion , That if any man do pretend Communion with Jesus Christ and walk in sin , he is a meer Dissembler , he hath not one dram of Communion with God and Jesus Christ ; That is a certain rule , no man that hath Communion with Jesus Christ can walk in a sinful life , but every branch of the great things that Christ bestows upon his people , the purport and intent of them all is , to make them leave sinning , that they wholly overthrow the very tenour of the Gospel , who talk of believing in Christ and walk in a Godless life . Now this first Branch the Apostle prosecutes at large , both in the first Chapter , & in this second Chapter , and begins the second Chapter thus , Now all these things do I write to you ▪ that you sin not , and presently at the 3d verse takes it up again , ( saith he ) If any man know him he must walk as he walketh , and so proves it by many Arguments . Now ( Brethren ) you shal see the intent of my Text : The Apostle knowing what an uncomfortable Doctrine this would be if it were not explained , how uncomfortable it would be even to the best of Gods Saints and people , he prevents the sad objection that every gracious heart would be ready to make ; for when he hath set down this for his Conclusion : He that is in Christ cannot sin , he cannot sin , he deceives himself if he talks of Christ and sins , Why ? A poor Soul would presently come out and say , Then am I utterly undone , I have then no interest in Christ , for I sin , I sin dayly , I cannot live without it , I cannot perform one Duty but my corruption is intermingling it self with it ; wo be to me if that Doctrine go for currant , that he hath nothing to do with Christ that sins . Now by way of Prolepsis the Apostle anticipates this objection , and cleers the mind of God about it , and then proceeds further to prosecute his Doctrine , and it is laid down in these words , But if any man sin , let him know that we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous , who is the Propitiation for all our sins , and not only ours that are Jews , but throughout all the world if they be Beleevers : This he laies down to stay the hearts of Gods people in reference to that sadness , that they would be ready to be overwhelmed with . Now ( Brethren ) because there is but one main Doctrine that I intend to insist upon , I wil but briefly explain the words to you , and then I wil propound the Doctrine .

First , When the Apostle saith , If any man do sin , he thereby plainly implies , that there are certain sorts of sins , that even Gods Children though they dare not commit sin nor walk in sin , yet even Gods own Children ( for them he speaks to , my little Children I write this to you , ( I say ) there are sins that Gods own people ) are overtaken with , even after they have fellowship and Communion with Jesus Christ ; that is the first thing that he takes for granted . Then ,

Secondly , To that he adds , But ( saith he ) if any man sin , that is , when we do thus sin , when Gods people do thus sin , What then ? We have an Advocate , ( that you all know the meaning of , ) one that pleadeth our cause , that is the office of an Advocate , to appear in behalf of another in his cause : We have an Advocate with the Father above in Heaven at his right hand , that is , Jesus Christ our Lord who died for us , and loved us , and gave himself for us , he appears in Heaven for us , yea , he is Jesus Christ the righteous ; that is , though he be so righteous that he wil never plead an ill cause , yet this is a part of his righteousness , to intercede and appear in the behalf of his own people , even when they sin against him ; Jesus Christ the righteous who is the Propitiation for our sins ; that is , who once upon earth offered himself up a Sacrifice to satisfie for them , and now in Heaven pleads the benefit and virtue of it for ever in the behalf of his people . And not for ours only ; that is , we that are Jews , but for the sins of the whol world , supposing stil he speaks of the same matter , of those that believe in Christ , that have Communion with him throughout the world , Rich and Poor , Yong and Old , Jew and Gentile , this is a truth to them all ; When Gods people sin , Jesus Christ the righteous , at Gods right hand maketh mediation for them . So the words thus briefly paraphrased upon do afford us this Doctrine , ( which is the only Lesson that I intend to handle this day , ) namely ,

Doct. That the Lord Jesus Christs intercession in Heaven , is the great dayly relief that al the Saints have upon Earth against their dayly sins .

A Doctrine which at the very first propounding Promiseth not only comfort to Believers , but carnal men they wil be ready to promise themselves liberty , ( though I hope without cause ( by that time I have done with it , ) but Jesus Christs mediation in Heaven is the great relief to all Gods Saints upon earth , against the dayly sins that they are overtaken with . Now ( Beloved ) that I may handle this Doctrine for your profit , there are two questions which ( God willing ) I shal endeavor to cleer , ( and that wil be the sum of all my work , the discussing of them . ) First ,

Quest. 1. What sins the Lords Children and People are liable to while they are in this world , what those sins are that the Children of God may be overtaken with while they live in this world . Secondly ,

Quest. 2. I wil shew you how the Intercession of Jesus Christ is the great relief to Gods Children against these sins .

For the first ,

First , What are those sins which the Lords people , his own Children are liable to while they live in this world ? And to make you the more attentive to it , be pleased to note that there are two Conclusions about sin , laid down so cleerly in the Scripture , yea , in this very Epistle , that they almost seem to contradict one another , and therefore it is of great weight to have that cleared . First ,

1. Nothing clearer then this , That he that is born of God doth not sin , nor cannot sin , and if a man say he hath communion with Jesus Christ and walkes in sin , he is a Liar and deceives his own Soul ; Nothing clearer then this in this Epistle ; So likewise in Romans , 6. How can we that are dead to sin Live any longer therein ; Sin cannot have dominion over you , you are not under it , you are under Grace ; This is a clear proposition , A Child of God cannot sin .

2. Yet on the other side it is as clear , that if any man that calls himself the Child of God say he hath no sin , he is a Liar , it is rather an Argument he hath no grace ; In many things we sin all ; Nothing clearer then that the people of God , his dearest Children do sin . Paul in the name of them all , talketh of being sold under sin , carrying a body of sin about him ; now these two must of necessity have such an interpretation , as to justifie the truth of God in it . Be pleased then to know thus much , that when the Scripture speakes so positivly and clearly , of the Children of God not sinning , that they cannot commit sin , the meaning is this , That whereas the way of sin ( mark it , the way of sin ) is the only way that al men walk in before they come to Christ , as conceive it thus , when men first fel from God , while he stood in his integrity God was his end , God was his portion , God was his rule , but when man fel from God , the whol corruption of mans nature stood in these two things , That now he was turned away from God , and fallen into the Creature , and there he continues til a new life be communicated , let him do what he will , let him pray , let him read , let him hear , let him walk in workes of justice and righteousness , and stil he is but within the compass of injoying the creature , and living to the creature , making himself and the good that he can find in the creature his portion , which is a turning off from God and this is one way of sin , and thus all the men in the world walk , that although it be true , yet some of their sins are greater then others , and aggrauated by some circumstances , yet look as it is with a man that is in prison , though the prison may be very large , and he may somtimes walk East , West , North , and South , and do some things more clean , and some things more gross , yet they are al done within that compass of the prison ; So take a man not in the state of Grace , the end he aimes at is himself , the rule he walks by is somwhat that may yeild contentment to him from the creature , and beyond al this no living man goes til God give him a new life . Now when the Lord vouchsafeth to cal a man home to Jesus Christ , and planteth in him a new principle of a new life , then the Soul returns home to God , now for time to come God is his portion , and the way that may lead him to the injoyment and knowledg of God , is his only way to which he resignes up himself , and makes it his daylie study and trade to walk in it : now here is his way , that as to an unconverted man the creature is his way , and al things that may make him injoy the creature , or setled in the creature is his way , but the new man he hath no way but approaching to God , aspiring up to him , drawing nigher to him , being made more like to him , this is his way , but now while he intendeth this way , ( mark it ) he being converted but in part , he knows his way but in part , and therefore somtimes misseth it for want of light , he somtimes likewise stumbles in the right way for want of strength , somtimes a violent temptation takes him and turnes him a little out of the way for want of good take-heed ; these kind of sins Gods Children are liable to while they live in this world ; So that the sume of it is this , no reigning sin , a sin that shal have dominion over him to carry him from God , and settle him upon the creature can be compatible with the state of a converted man ; but yet frailties and weaknesses for want of strength those are his sins , and they and no other are the sins that Gods Children are liable unto . So that the thing I have brought you to is , to shew you , that the Saints while they live in this world are compassed with infirmities , and only with infirmities ; concerning which ( because it is a great Doctrine ) I intend ( the Lord assisting me ) to open these three things , and that wil be the sume of this first Question , What the sins are .

Three things I will open to you about the sins of infirmities wherewith Gods people are compassed while they live ; The first is ,

First , I wil shew you the nature of them , the nature of a sin of infirmity .

Secondly , I wil shew you the kinds of them , what kinds of sins of infirmities Gods people may be overtaken with . And Thirdly ,

Thirdly , I wil shew you how these may be known to be such , that no man may deceive his heart about them and these must needs be opened , because the latter part of our Question of Christs being a relief to them , is so ful of Consolation , that I would have no body have it that have not right to it , and therefore I would not have them flatter themselves about it . For the first ,

First , To open to you the nature of an Infirmity : Take it thus , To enable a Soul to walk in the waies of God , ( as all Gods people do in measure , but to enable a Soul to do it , ) there is required a twofold strength , the one is , I. An habitual strength . The other is , II. An actual strength .

1. The habitual strength that all Gods Saints have , it is nothing but the inclination and disposition of their hearts to the waies of God , and against the waies of sin , which is wrought in them by 〈◊〉 Holy Ghost in the time of their first conversion 〈◊〉 which hour the quickning Grace communicate●●o the Soul , doth once for ever make the bent of the heart stand to the waies of God , that now there is a complacency , a delight , a suitableness to them in the waies of God , and a displacency and aversion in reference to the waies of sin . This now is habitual strength , once given to Gods people , never taken away from them . But now though this habitual strength do give them a good wil , ( as the Apostle cals it ) a good mind to the waies of God , yet ,

2. To enable them either to forbear any sin , or to perform any duty , there must be communicated an actual strength , and that actual strength is nothing but the immediate assistance of the Holy Ghost , who dwels in them drawing out their Graces to work , and strengthening them in their working , and when this actual strength is communicated to them by the Holy Ghost , then if a temptation to a sin be propounded , the Saint is too strong for it , he overcomes the temptation , if a holy Duty be propounded to be done , by the help of this God ( if need be ) he can leap over a wall . Give a Child of God the inward inclination of his heart wrought by Grace , and the actual assistance of the Spirit of God , when he is called out to particulars , then he walketh as becomes a Saint in holiness and righteousness : but when at any time the Spirit of God ( for reasons best known to himself ) doth withold his immediate assistance from that Soul , then their habitual inclination is never able to make them do any thing that is good : If a temptation to a sin be propounded , and a corruption of their nature be a little excited , and Satan backing it , and the Spirit of God not joyning , down they tumble in every temptation , and sin against God though never so fouly ; and if a holy Duty be to be performed , pressed with all the moral Arguments in the world , if the Lords spirit afford them not assistance and strength , immediately they are not able , they are unfit & unable to do that which they are required : and from hence ariseth all the infirmities of Gods people ; and herein you may see there is a corrupt nature in part remaining . There are likwise external objects that would stir up this corrupt nature , temptations from the Devil that would inflame it , when these stir and Gods spirit doth not assist , then are all the Lords people so weak and feeble , that infallibly they sin against him ; and this is the nature of the sins of infirmity , that is the first ; The second thing I would cleer is this .

Secondly , What kinds there are of them , ( because that will further acquaint you , for indeed my aim is that all the Saints of God may see the frame of their own spirits ( as it were ) in a Glass , that so afterwards you may learn how needful the Lord Jesus Christ is to us , then the second question is , ) What kinds of infirmities are the people of God subject to ?