is the cause that most people are still such sots and sensless men about regeneration Yea learned and knowing men are as blind and bruitish in this as the simple and poor people are doth not all arise from this That they feel not neither do perceive that original sin like a leprosie hath run over the whole man both soul and body especially there would not be these three mistakes about the work of grace which are very common As 1. A Philosophical Reformation by the Dictates and Principles of Moralists such as Plutarch and Seneca give would not be taken for Regeneration For although their sayings and directions are admired and there may be some good use of them yet they do not go to the root of the matter they are not an antidote against original sinne that defileth the nature and therefore cannot promote Regeneration which doth properly cure that in some degree Aristotles way to make a man a virtuous man viz. by frequent and constant actions at lest to acquire an habit is absurd and repugnant to Scripture for by that the tree must be made good and a man must be born again ere he can do any thing holily Hence God promiseth to give a new heart to take away the heart of stone and then to cause us to walk in all holiness Ezek. 11. 19. These divine principles must be infused before there can be holy actions So 2. Civility and an ingenuous temperate disposition will be but a glistering dunghill a painted sepulchre when original sinne is known He will presently see for all his civil and inoffensive life his heart is full of all noisomness Therefore civil men of all men do most need this light to shine into their brests we are ready to think of our selves because so harmless and innocent as was said of Bonaventure In hoc homine non peccavit Adam such were born without sinne and brought better natures into the world than others but if you search into the Scriptures it will appear that all are born children of wrath and are equally destitute of that image of God and then as when the pillars of an house are removed the house it self must fall into its own rubbidge Thus when that primitive righteousness was lost man is prone to runne into all evil and every man would be like a Judas or a Cain even the most civil man that is did not God restrain original sin 3. Gifts and abilities which many have in religious exercises will presently be seen not to be Regeneration Though we should preach with the tongue of Angels though admirable in prayer and other holy duties yet these and original sin in the power of it may stand together and so many looking to the flowers but not the dead corpse they are upon conclude themselves to be alive when indeed they are dead SECT IV. I Shall mention some few more spiritual Advantages that come by the full and undoubted perswasion of this original corruption for so of old we are advised Firmissimè texe nullatenus dubita c. Believe most firmly and doubt not in the least manner but that by Adam's sinne all his posterity becomes sinfull and obnoxious to Gods wrath And First upon the Knowledg of originall sinne we evidently see our impossibility to keep the Law of God That when the Law requireth a love of God with all our heart mind and strength and also doth prohibit all kind of lust and sinfull concupiscence even in the very first motions and stirrings of it The Law I say requiring such universal perfection and we being wholly dead in sinne upon the comparing of the Law with our condition we cannot but conclude That we fail in all things That the Law is spiritual but we are carnal And if he be cursed that doth not continue in all things the Law requireth how accursed must he be that is not able to perform any one thing All those opinions that diminish original sinne do also plead for a possibility of keeping Gods Commandments Now this self-flattery is imbred in all Do not most of our common people think they keep the Commandments of God Do they believe that the curses of the Law do belong to them every hour Oh if such convictions were upon them how greatly would it humble them and make them debased before God but they trust in this they readily and confidently say with that young man All these have I kept from my youth up Mat. 9 20. Oh then inform thy self more about this natural defilement and loathsomness that is upon thee and then thou wilt find the Law to accuse and condemn thee in all things Secondly The right knowledge of this will make even the godly and regenerate though in some measure delivered from the power and dominion of it yet to see that because of its stirrings and actings in them there is imperfection in every thing they do And truly this is one of the most profitable effects of true knowledge herein for hereby a godly man is made to go out of all his graces and his duties hereby he is afraid of the iniquity of his holy things and cals his very righteousness a menstruous ragge This is clear in Paul Rom. 7. How sadly doth he complain of the vigorous actings of this original sinne in him For the present I take it as granted that that part of the Chapter must be understood of a regenerate person though vehemently denied by some as is in time to be shewed That Law of sinne was alwayes moving when he set himself to any thing that was holy he desired to obey the Law perfectly to love God compleatly but this Law of sinne would not let him So that because of this natural defilement evil is mixed with all the good we do insomuch that there would be a woe and a curse to all our gracious acts if strictly examined Thus it is with a godly man in this life as those Hetruscan-robbers reported of by Aristotle and mentioned by Austin who would take some live men and bind them to the dead men which was a miserable way of perishing Even thus it is here original corruption is constantly adhering and inseparably to him who is alive in holiness and by this means there is unbelief in his faith coldness in his zeal dulness in his fervency Insomuch that the Apostle crieth out of himself Oh wretched man that I am And that because of this very thing the Papists though they hold original sinne yet maintaining That after Baptism it 's quite taken away and that though there be some languor and difficulty in a man in respect of what is good yet if we do not consent to these motions of lusts within us they are not truly and properly sins do consequentially conclude that there is not necessarily dross and sinne in every holy duty we do but the evidence of Rom. 7. is too great to be contradicted So that preaching of original sinne is not only necessary
he saith The Positive inclination to evil must be the effect of the privation of original righteousnesse and so not a part of original because an effect cannot be a part of its cause It 's answered first That sometimes there is a division of a common thing as into two parts when yet one is the effect of the other as when malum is divided into malum culpae and malum poena the evil of punishment is necessarily the effect of the evil of sinne But Secondly Though an inclination to evil may be the effect of the privation of original righteousnesse yet for all that it may be part of original sinne which is the whole consisting of both these Even as according to some learned Divines Remission of sinne is part of Justification although it be an effect of the imputation of Christs Righteousnesse which is also another part of our Justification SECT II. The word Lust expounded HAving therefore considered this Title or Name given to original sinne viz. Flesh which doth denote the Positivenesse of it I come to a second which shall also be the last and that is the word lust or concupiscence which both in the Scripture and in the writings of several Authors is attributed to it For which purpose the Text pitched upon is very usefull To understand which consider that the Apostle having asserted some things which in an outward appearance did seem to dishonour the Law he maketh this Objection to himself Is the Law sinne A cause of sinne and so sinne and God the Law-giver a commander of sinne To which he answers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by defiance God forbid and in the next place giveth a reason why the Law cannot be the cause of sinne because that doth discover and detect sinne that judgeth and damneth it therefore it cannot be the cause of sinne and that the Law is the manifester and reprover of sinne he instanceth in himself and his own experience I had not known lust to be sinne except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet Now ere we can understand this Text we must answer some Questions And First It 's demanded What is meant by the Law here Some say the Law of Nature which is not so probable Others the written Law of Moses and this is most probable by the whole context But yet some though they understand it of the Law of Moses yet they do not mean any particular command but the Law in the general saying the Apostle useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for all one As if the meaning were The Law in general did not only forbid sinfull actions but also inward lust and motions of the soul thereunto as our Saviour fully expoundeth it Matth. 5. Others they understand this Law of a particular Commandment viz. the tenth and therefore Beza observeth the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by this or by that Commandment in particular And this seemeth most probable because they are the very words of the tenth Commandment But secondly If the Apostle alledge that command Why doth he instance onely in the sinne forbidden not mentioning the objects that are specified in the command Thy neighbours Oxe or his Asse c The Answer is that is not material for the Apostle speaking of lusts in the heart what latent and unknown sins they were without the light of the Law it was enough to name the sinne it self seeing the objects about which they are conversant are of all sorts and can hardly be numbred In the third place It 's doubted how the Apostle could say that he did not know lust to be sinne but by the Law of Moses seeing that by the very Law of nature even Heathens have condemned inward lusts and unjust thoughts and plots though but in the soul and never put into practice Aquinas makes the meaning of it as if Paul's sense was He did not know lust to be sinne as it was an offence to God and a dishonour to him because the Law of Moses represents the sinfulness of these lusts in a more divine and dreadfull way then the Law of nature doth Grotius maketh the sense thus Paul did not know lust but by Gods Law because the Laws of men punish nothing but sinfull actions never at all medling with the thoughts and purposes of the heart Beza expounds the expression comparatively I had not known lust to be sinne viz. so evidently so fully so unquestionably as I did when I understood the Law But the general Interpretation is That the Apostle speaketh here of his thoughts and knowledge while he was a Pharisee and it 's plain by our Saviours correcting of pharisaical glosses about the Law Matth. 5. That they thought the Law did onely require external obedience and whatsoever thoughts or sinfull lusts men had so that they did not break out into the practice of them they were not guilty of sinne He did not then know lust to be sinne following the traditional exposition of his Masters till he came to understand the Law aright Another Question of greater consequence is What is meant by lust Thou shalt not covet for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though in Exod. 20. there be the same Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet Deut. 5. 21. There is another Hebrew expression which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which because in Hithpael and so of a reciprocal signification they translate fecit se concupiscere to stirre up a mans self to desire and thereby say such lusts are only forbidden that a man nourisheth and yeelds himself up unto but that rule is not a general one see Prov. 23. 3. Some limit this Commandment too much as it did only command contentation of spirit and that we should not sinfully desire that which others have But the Apostle doth plainly extend it further than so The Papists they likewise limit it too much making only those lusts andmotions of sinne which we consent to to be forbidden denying that those motions to evil which arise antecedently to our reason and will to be truly sinnes hence is their Rule concerning them Non sensus but consensus is that which doth damn which in a good sense we also will acknowledge to be true But we are not to limit Scripture where it hath not limited it self and therefore we conclude That the command doth forbid a threefold concupiscence or lust First That lust which is actually consented to though not breaking forth into act and if this were all the Law of God would hereby be exlted above all humane Laws which reach no further than external actions And how many are ignorant of at least not affected with the spiriruality of this Law in this particular Would they dare to entertain such heart-sinnes as they doe could they make their souls cages of uncleane unjust and ungodly thoughts as they do Secondly The Law goeth higher and doth not only forbid those lusts in thy heart which thou yeeldest consent unto
Sinne resembles a Treasure CHAP. VII Of the Name Body given to Original Sin Rom. 8. 13. But if you through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live SECT II. What is implied by the word Mortifie SECT V. Why Original Sinne is called a Body CHAP. VIII Of the Privative Part of Original Sinne. SECT I. Of Adam's begetting Seth in his own likeness Gen. 5. 3. And Adam begat a son in his own likeness after his Image and called his name Seth. SECT II. What Original Sin is as to the Privative Part of it CHAP. IX Wherein the making man after Gods Image did consist CHAP. X. Corollaries informing us of the Nature and Aggravations of our loss by sinne and shewing what were the most excellent and choice parts of that Original Righteousness that we are deprived of CHAP. XI A further Consideration of Original Righteousness proving the thing and answering Objections against it CHAP. XII More Propositions about the Nature of the Image of God which man was created in Shewing what particular graces Adam's soul was adorned with CHAP. XIII Reasons to prove That the Privation of Original Righteousness is truly and properly a sin in us CHAP. XIV The Aggravations of the losse of Gods Image SECT II. By the losse of Original Righteousness Gods end in making man was lost SECT III. The Harmony and Subordination in mans Nature dissolved SECT IV. The Properties of this loss CHAP. XV. Of the Positive Part of original Corruption John 3. 6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh SECT II. Of the use of the word Flesh in Scripture and why original Corruption is called by that Name SECT III. How carnal the Soul is in its actings about spiritual objects CHAP. XVI Reasons demonstrating the Positive Part of Original Sinne and why Divines make Original Sinne to have 〈◊〉 Positive as well as Privative Part. CHAP. XVII Objections against the Positive Part of Oâ—â—â—al Sinne answered CHAP. XVIII A Second Text to prove Original Sinne to be Positive opened and vindicated Rom. 7. 7. For I had not known lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet SECT II. The word Lust expounded SECT VI. A Three-fold Appetite in man SECT VIII A Consideration of this Concupiscence in reference to the four-fold estate of man SECT X. Why Original Sinne is called Concupiscence or Lust CHAP. XIX The Description of Original Sinne. CHAP. XX. A clear and full knowledge of Original Sinne can be obtained onely by Scripture-light SECT II. Whether the wisest Heathens had any knowledge of this Pollution CHAP. XXI That Reason when once enlightned by the Scriptures may be very powerfull to convince us of this Natural Pollution CHAP. XXII A Comparison and Opposition between the first and second Adam as introductory to this Question How this corruption is propagated 1 Cor. 15. 49. As we have borne the Image of the earthly we shall also bear the Image of the heavenly CHAP. XXIII The various Opinions Objections and Doubts about the manner how the Soul comes to be polluted CHAP. XXIV That the Soul is neither by Eduction or Traduction but by Introduction or Immediate Infusion proved by Texts of Scripture and Arguments from Scripture SECT V. The Authors Apology for handling this great Question SECT VI. Propositions to clear the Doctrine of the Propagation of Original Sin notwithstanding the Souls Creation The Contents of the Third Part. HAndling the Subject of Inhesion CHAP. I. Of the Pollution of the Mind with Original Sinne. Ephes 4. 23. And be ye renewed in the Spirit of your Mind CHAP. II. Of Original Sinne polluting the Conscience Setting forth the Defilement of Conscience as it is Quiet Stupid and Senslesse and also when it is troublea and awakened Tit. 1. 15. But even their mind and Conscience is defiled CHAP. III. Of the Pollution of the Memory 2 Pet. 1. 12. I will not be negligent to put you alwayes in Remembrance of these things c. SECT II. What we mean by Memory SECT III. A Two-fold weaknesse of the Memory SECT V. It s great Usefulnesse SECT VI. Of the Nature of it SECT VII Demonstrations of the Pollution of it SECT VIII Instances of the Pollution of the Memory 1. In forgetting the Objects that we should have in our Memory both Superiour and Inferiour SECT X. 2. In respect of its inward vitiosity adhering to it 3. In not attaining its End 4. In that it is made subservient to the corrupt frame and inclination of our hearts 5. It is not subject to our will and power Hence 6. We remember things that we would not CHAP. IV. Of the Pollution of the Will of Man by Original Sinne. John 1. 13. Which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God SECT II. Propositions concerning the Nature of the Will SECT III. ¶ 1. The Corruption of the Will in all its several operations ¶ 2. It s Corruption in its General Act which is called Volition ¶ 3. In its absolute and efficacious willing of a thing ¶ 4. In its Act of Fruition ¶ 5. In its Act of Intention ¶ 6. In its Act of Election or Chusing ¶ 7. In its losse of that Aptitude and readinesse it should have to follow the Deliberation and Advice of the Understanding ¶ 8. In its Act of Consent SECT IV. The Desilement of the Will in its Affections and Properties or the sinfull Adjuncts inseparably cleaving unto it Rom. 9. 16. So then it is not of him that willeth or of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy ¶ 1. This Scripture opened vindicated and improved ¶ 2. The Will is so fallen from its primitive honour that it s not worthy to be called Will but Lust ¶ 3. It s wholly perverted about the Ultimate End ¶ 4. It s Privacy and Propriety ¶ 5. It s Pride and Haughtiness ¶ 6. It s Contumacy and Refractoriness ¶ 7. It s Enmity and Contrariety to Gods will ¶ 8. It s Rebellion against the light of the Mind and slavery to the sensitive part in a man ¶ 9. It s Mutability and Inconstancy SECT V. Of the Natural Servitude and Bondage of the Will with a brief Discussion of the Point of Free-will John 8. 35. If the Sonne therefore shall make you free ye shall be free indeed ¶ 2. The Text opened ¶ 3. Of the several kinds of Freedom which the Scripture speaketh of ¶ 4. The Names the Scripture expresseth that by which we call Free-will ¶ 5. Some observations concerning the Promoters of the Doctrine of Free-will How unpleasing the contrary Doctrine is to flesh and blood with some advice about it ¶ 6. The first Demonstration of the slavery of the Will is from the Necessity of sinning that every man is plunged into ¶ 7. That a Necessary Determination may arise several wayes some whereof are very consistent with liberty yea the more necessary the more free ¶ 8. The second Argument of its
to the unregenerate but even to the most holy and godliest man that liveth Let him desire to know more of it for it may do him also much good and this is the reason why the more godly any are the more they are displeased with themselves and do the more highly esteem of Christ not but that they grow in grace only they grow also in the discoveries of more filth and unworthiness in themselves Thirdly By the true knowledge of this we come to be acquainted with that combate and conflict that is between the flesh and the spirit so much spoken of by Divines who usually say In every godly man there are two men two I's as the Apostle Rom. 7. distinguisheth I Paul carnal sold under sinne doing the things I would not and I Paul spiritual delighting in the Law of God in the inwardman and thanking God the Father through Christ because freed from condemnation That Paul did not speak of this combate while unregenerate as a Legalist as some say but as truly converted will appear if we consider that in another place Gal. 5. 17. the Apostle speaks of all the godly as thus exercised The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh So that whatsoever is done holily and godlily it is alwayes cum luctâ carnis and therefore grace is the mortifying of the flesh Now our sins will not be put to death without some pain and reluctancy to the carnal part Therefore this is a perpetual concomitant of every godly man he hath a combate and spiritual conflicting within him and this makes him often in so many agonies this makes him so earnestly watching and praying against all temptations now come we to natural people they feel not the least strugling within them all is quiet and at ease because they are wholly in their original sinne they were born in And this makes it plain likewise that all their praying hearing all the religious duties they ever performed were never done in an holy and godly manner because there was no reluctancy or inward combate but they did them in a customary formal way without any spiritual life or motion for flesh will not fight against flesh Indeed there is a combate between conscience in its conviction and corruption even in some unregenerate men as in Aristotle's incontinent man as distinguished from his intemperate and that is known of Medea video meliora proboque deteriora sequor I see and approve better things but follow the worse And some would have Paul's combate to be no other because he cals it The Law of his mind fighting with the Law in his members but that is not cogent as is more largely to be shewed in its time Though therefore there be a reluctancy in some unregenerate men yet that is not like the conflict in the godly because amongst other differences this is one principal The godly man being regenerated in every part of the soul though not perfectly his will is sanctified as well as his mind Hence the combate and opposition in a godly man is between the same faculty sanctified and the flesh still abiding in that part his holy will against his corrupt will so that not only his mind and conscience is against sinne but his will also so farre as sanctified Hence the same Apostle makes the opposition between will and will What I would not that I do and though captivated by lust yet at that very time delighting in the Law of God in the inward man whereas in unregenerate men they have only an opposition between their conscience and their heart The mind suggests one thing but the will and affections wholly incline another way Therefore that light in their consciences is a trouble and vexation to them they do all they can to extinguish it The Doctrine then of original corruption informing us That it abideth still in a man while he liveth upon the earth doth inform the truly godly that they must alwayes expect agonies and conflicts within like fire and water met together so will grace and corruption be Therefore by this very combat we may discern true grace and it 's counterfeit for presumption which would be thought faith is easie we find no opposition to it but faith is put forth with much difficulty so godly sorrow put forth upon pure and spiritual motives is greatly assaulted by the flesh within us but worldly sorrow or mourning though for sinne because of temporal judgments only that is easie we are carried to it from a propensity within from a love to our selves Hence lastly The main and principal effect of the true knowledge of our original defilement is to bring the soul humbled and burdened under it to a true and real esteem of Christ and his Grace So much as we take off from original sinne making it either no sinne or the least sinne or quite abolished after Baptism so much do we take off from the grace of God in Christ Hence the Apostle Rom. 5. when he maketh that famous opposition between the first Adam and the second the gift of grace by one and the condemnation by the other he pitcheth upon that first disobedience by which we are made sinners as the original of all that calamity we are plunged into and therefore the same Paul when he poured out a large complaint about this Law of sinne working in him at the close of all he runneth to Jesus Christ Rom. 7. 35. It is the true knowledge of this only that will make us see the necessity of Christ all the day long and in every duty in every performance As we have none speak so much of Grace and Christ as Paul so none speaks so largely and fully about original sinne In the fifth Chapter of the Romans he asserts the Doctrine of it and in the seventh Chapter he declares the power of it which he felt experimentally in himself though regenerated Do not then think this is a Philosophical dispute or that to erre in this is like erring in those points wherein one Christian is to bear with another but with Austin account it a fundamental and that to deny it is to overthrow that Law whereby we are Christians CHAP. III. Demonstrations of the Naturality of this Sinne That we have it by Naturall Propagation SECT I. BEing then thus informed of the Usefulness and Necessity of true Knowledge in this matter Let us have your ready and diligent attention in prosecuting that matter which relateth to it And so I come to that notion which this Text fastens upon it that it is a Natural sin that we have it by natural Propagation In the Scripture and by the Ancients before Austin's time it had many names The Law of sinne The Old man The Flesh The old stroke of the Serpent an hereditary evil The tradux mali But in his time for better obviating the Hereticks who would allow the former names it was by him called Original sinne and ever since made an
teacheth no such wickednesse yet because many may have a bare knowledge and a vain empty profession of Christ and live such Paganish lives he addeth a corrective to his speech which is worthy of all attention If so be ye have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus This is an excellent limitation men may know Christ professe Christ and yet not do it as the truth is in Jesus that is not to obey the Doctrine of Christ as he hath commanded Christ never required that thou shouldst only make a profession of faith in him and then for thy life that that may be full of vice and corruption know if you do so you know not the truth as it is in Jesus Christ We have a like expression Colos 1. 6. where the godly are said To know the grace of God in truth◠and Tit. 1. 1. There is the acknowledging of the truth after godlinesse Oh let such hear and let their ears tingle and their hearts tremble who come to Church profess Christ and yet runne in all excesse of riot What doth any knowledge profit if it be not of the truth as it is in Jesus if it be not an acknowledgment after godlinesse thou deniest the faith and art indeed worse then an Heathen There is Theologia rationalia and experimentalis as Gerson or Theologia docens and utens It is this later viz. an exercised experimental Divinity that maketh a Divine properly Therefore Amesius his definition of Theologia is good that it is Doctrius Deo vivendi a Doctrine whereby we are taught to live unto God Every wicked Christian is worse then a Pagan But who will believe this report Now that we may know what it is to know truth as it is in Jesus he instanceth in a twosold effect or demonstration thereof The first is To put off the old man with the decitfull lusts thereof This old man you heard is original sinne this must be mortified with the immediate issues thereof So that a true knowledge of Christ doth not only cleanse the strems but the fountain also doth not onely change the conversation of a man but the heart the affections the whole man It goeth to the root as well as the branches And the second effect is in the Text To be renewed in the spirit of your mind wherein we are to observe the Duty and the Subject of it The Duty is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be renewed We read it Imperatively but in the Greek it is the Infinitive mood as also the Duty to put off mentioned ver 22. is in the same mood for these Infinitives do relate to the Verb being taught as the truth is in Christ to be taught to put off to be taught to be renewed If so be we conceive of those to whom Paul writeth as converted already then this duty of renovation is to be understood of further increased and degrees To be more renewed every day for it is usual with the Apostle to write to those who are supposed to be in the state of grace that they should be more sanctified and reconciled to God To be renewed is to have the mind indowed with new Properties and Qualities for ignorance knowledge for atheism and unbelief faith for sinfull and vain thoughts gracious and holy ones c. So that there are two extreame errours in the expounding of this 1. Of the Illyricans who as they held sinne to be the substance of a man so this renovation they must hold to be substantial not accidental But it 's absurd to say a man must have a new soul essentially in regeneration The other extream is of Socinians for they holding There is no such thing as original sinne they must needs say That this renovation is only in regard of contracted sinne and external impiety in the life not in respect of any inbred and inherent pollution in the mind But this also is against the Scripture The second thing in the Text is the Subject of this renovation The spirit of your mind Concerning the difference between spirit and mind many thoughts have been but either it is an Hebraism and is no more then the mind which is a spirit or else spirit is taken for that which is the most sublime noble and also most active and vigorous in a man Thus Job 20. 3. we have the spirit of understanding And Isa 11. 2. The spirit of wisdom the spirit of counsel and the spirit of knowledge Yea it is sometime applied to the vigorous and high actings of evil as Hos 4. 12. The spirit of whoredom And the spirit of whoredoms Hosea 5. 4. So that when the Apostle doth not say Be renewed in your mind but in the spirit of your mind This supposeth That what is most choise excellent and noble even in the rational part of a man called for its dignity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet this is all over polluted by original sinne and so needeth a renovation As for those who by the spirit would understand the holy Ghost that is most absurd For how can we be renewed in that SECT II. THe Text thus opened we may see two Doctrines in the womb of it the first implied and supposed viz. 1. That the mind of every man in all the choise operations thereof is wholly polluted and stained 2. Because it is thus polluted that needs regeneration and renovation as well as any other parts The former Doctrine is only to my subject in hand for now my work is to shew you Wherein this contagion doth discover it self And I shall begin with that which hath the greatest dignity in a man and if that hath not escaped pollution much lesse may we think the other parts have And if the eye be dark how great must our darknesse be And before we speak particularly to that let us say something in the general about the subject wherein this original sinne is seated SECT III. FIrst There hath been some who have not so much seated it in the soul as made the very soul and substance of a man to be original sinne So that we might properly and truly say Man was sinne it self The Author of this was Flaccius Illyricus who in many things is to be praised for his diligence and industry but he was of a turbulent spirit very restless insomuch that in his studies at first he was so greatly tempted that many times publick prayer was made for him in the solemn Assemblies Vide Horned Sum. Controv. de Lutheranismo This man out of great earnestness to oppose Papists yea and the Lutheran Strigelius who extenuated original sinne fell into another extream making it to be the very substance of man It is true Some have excused him as thinking his opinion was sound onely his words were obscure and dangerous for he doth often distinguish between the Homo Physicus and the Homo Theologicus he maketh the Theological man as he is in such a consideration to be onely sinfull But surely it is
notorious and most ungodly enemies of the Church because the seed and root of these is in all so we may appropriate this feared conscience to every man naturally whereby a man commits gross and foul sinnes and yet finds not one prick or stab at his heart for it What made David when he had numbered the people to have his heart smite him presently but because his conscience was sanctified and made tender by God whereas thou canst a thousand times fall into the same gross-sinnes and thy conscience giveth thee not one lash for it Is not this because thy conscience is stupified so that it hath made thee in all thy sinnes as Lot was when made drunk by his daughters He knew not in the morning what he had done Thus with the same stupidity and sottishness dost thou act sinne it cometh from thee as excrements from a dying person and thou hast no apprehension of them as in sleep the stomack doth digest that meat which if waking would so molest it that there would be no ease till exonerated Thus while conscience is asleep those things are committed which if it were tender it would with fear and trembling fly from O men bitterly to be lamented and mourned over Conscience which is set as a schoolemaster to direct and reproove thee is become a flatterer or rather lieth stark dead within thee that the Devil and sinne in all the lusts thereof may hurry thee whether they please and conscience doth not contradict so that you may as well offer light to the blind speech to the deaf wisedome to the bruit beast as publish the great truths and commands of God to them while conscience is thus stupified within them Therefore in conversion the first work of grace is to make this tender and sensible even of the least sinne SECT III. The Blindness and Stupidity of Conscience discovered in the several Offices and actings of it THirdly Because this pollution of the conscience is expressed in the general viz. blindness and stupidity Let us examine how this sinfullness is seen in the several offices and actings of conscience for which God hath placed it in the soul And 1. One main work of conscience is to apply what we read in the Scripture as generally spoken conscience is to apply it in particular When it readeth the threatnings and cursings of the law to such sinnes as thou art guilty of then conscience is to say This belongeth to me This curse This burden is my curse it 's my burden Because David did not let his conscience do its duty in application David could condemne sinne in general His wrath is kindled against such sinners as himself in the general Nathan was forced to be in stead of conscience to him saying Thou art the man Thus conscience if not polluted when it heareth any woe denounced against such and such sinnes then that stands up and saith Thou art the man hence God giveth the commands by particular application Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not steal that conscience may say This Commandment belongs to me As natural bodies they act by a corporal contact so the Scripture worketh upon the soul by a spiritual contact and that is the application of conscience Insomuch that if we do a thousand times read over the Scriptures if we hear Sermons upon Sermons all our life if conscience doth not apply all becomes ineffectual And this may answer that Question How it cometh to pass that a man can commit those sinnes which he knoweth to be sinnes which his conscience tells him are sinnes Who are there so much stupified and besotted by sinne that do not in the general know that the waies they live in are wicked that they provoke God that they ought not to do so How then is it possible that they should close with those sinnes that they know to be so seeing the will cannot will evil as it is evil Now the Answer is This ariseth from the defect of conscience she doth not particularly make such a powerfull application pro hic nunc as it ought to do There is therefore a general knowledge an habitual knowledge of such things to be sinnes yea it may be a particular apprehension that they are now sinning and offending God but this is onely a speculative apprehension it 's not a practical one produced by conscience in thee Oh therefore that all our Auditors were delivered from this original pollution of conscience for therefore we preach in vain and you hear in vain because no application is made to your own hearts None brings the truth the command the threatning to his own soul saying This is my portion none so guilty as I am in this particular and thus as she said to the Prophet Thou hast brought my sinnes to my mind or as the woman of Samaria concerning Christ He had told her of all that she had done Thus faith the applying conscience This Sermon brings my sinnes to my mind This Sermon tels me of the wickednesse at such a time committed by me It was the Prophets complaint of his hearers None said What have I done They did not make a particular application Therefore till the grace of God quicken the conscience making thee to cry out What shall I do I have sinned Gods Word hath found me out It is me the Law condemneth It is me that the curses belong to as if I were mentioned and named as if I had heard a voice from Heaven saying Thou Thomas Thou John here is thy sin here is thy doom Till I say this be done all thy knowledge in the general all the Texts of Scripture in thy memory they have no influence at all Secondly Herein is the corruption of the conscience naturally seen That though it doth apply yet it is in so weak and cold a manner that it hath lost its activity and predominancy over the affections and the will of a man insomuch that though conscience do speak do rebuke do apply yet a man careth not for it The affections and the will are not kept in awe by it Thus although conscience in many doth not so much as stirre it is stark dead yet in many it doth sometimes apply bringing home the Word of God to the heart so that he cannot but confesse if he doth thus and thus he sinneth but then conscience is too weak affections and passions like Amnon to Tamar are too strong and consuperate her whether she will or no Is not this the dreadfull condition of many who frequent our Congregations whose consciences condemn them daily Thou art such a sinner thy wayes are damnable but they slight and despise these applications of conscience as rude Scholars the authority of their Master what care they for the Monitor in their breast Like Balaam they will press forward to their wickedness though conscience stand like an Angel with a sword in his hand to stop in the way Rom. 1. 18. The Apostle speaketh excellently to this
under his power though there were no actual sinnes committed by us then let us not matter the speculations of Philosophers nor the Political sentences of Civil Magistrates for by these nothing is accounted culpable but what is voluntary by our own personal will Hence Austin explained that assertion of his when dealing against the Manichees Vsque adeò peccatum est voluntarium c. Voluntariness is so necessary to the being of a sinne that it cannot be any sinne if this be wanting in this saith he all Laws all Nations all Governours c. do agree The Pelagians commended this of Austin and improved it against him but in his explication of himself he calleth it Politica sententia This is true according to the political Laws of Governours and withall agreeth to actual sins But the truth about original sinne meerly by revelation we need not then regard what Aristotle and other Philosophers say in this matter who as they knew nothing of the creation of Adam so neither of his fall and this caution is necessary to every one that would not be deceived in this point Secondly Although in one particular respect this sinne may not be so hainous as others yet in many other respects it doth farre exceed and they are abundantly compensative for that one consideration It is true This sin hath nothing of our own personal voluntariness yea if a man should now consent to this birth-defilement and even rejoyce because he was born thus estranged from God this subsequent will would not make original sin to be a voluntary sin unto him for this is an actual sinne committed a new by the personal will of a sinner But though this be granted yet there are many other respect which do exceedingly aggravate it even those we have mentioned before Hence a learned Schoolman Dela Rua contra Theolog. cont 2. speaking of the comparisons made by Aquinas and others of original sinne with venial ones excuseth them saying They must not be understood in that respect as original sinne is a mortal one for so it doth infinitely exceed any venial one but in that respect as original sinne is not contracted by our own proper action but by Adam in whose will our wils were contained What then though in one particular this sinne may not be so hainous as others yet look upon the many other respects wherein it doth exceed all other hainous sinnes and then you will be compelled to acknowledge the weightinesse thereof Thirdly The chiefest and highest aggravation of a sinne is from the contrariety of it to the Law of God for seeing the Apostle doth define sinne 1 John 3. 4. to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The transgression of the Law then the more irregularity there is in sinne the greater is that sinne Now this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is either habitual or actual and if habitual sins are greater then actual because of the greater dissonancy to Gods Law then must original be more then habitual and so greater then all sins if then we compare original sinne with the Law we shall find it contrary to it in the highest manner that can be For Gods Law doth not require only actual obedience but such obedience flowing from a pure and holy heart and holiness in the heart is more answerable to the Law then holiness in actions Thus on the contrary sinne in the habitual inclination of a man is more opposite to Gods holy Law then the expression of it in several actings If then the Apostle define a sinne by the contrariety of it to Gods Law not by knowledge or voluntariness then where there is the greatest obliquity and declension from this rule though there be not so much voluntariness there is the greater evil So that this respect may silence all those cavils and disputes which are usually brought in to diminish the guilt of this sinne still have recourse to the Law of God and there thou wilt find that whereas actual sins are respectively against respective commands this is against every Law It is against the whole Law and therefore hath as much evil in it in some sense as the Law hath good So that the Use is To exhort every one who would have his heart deeply affected in this point who would be humbled greatly because his sinne is great to take off his thoughts from all those Philosophical or humane arguments which are apt to lessen it Because a Magistrate will not put a man to death unless where he is guilty by some voluntary personal act of his own do not thou therefore think it cruel and unjust with God if he condemn for that sinne wherein though we have not own proper will ingredient yet by imputation it is voluntary But of this more when we are to justifie God in these proceedings against cavilling Sophisters SECT III. That every one by Nature hath his peculiar proper Original Sinne. THe second Doctrine offereth it self in the next place to be considered of which is That every one by nature hath his peculiar proper original sinne which doth betimes vent it self into actual evil For the Text speaketh universally there is not any to be exempted It is made a Question in the Schools Whether there be many or one original sinne onely Aquinas bringeth two Arguments for more original sinnes than one The one is from the Text according to the Vulgar Translation Psal 51. 5. where it is rendred In sinnes did my mother conceive me in the Plural number And then the second from Reason because there being many actual sinnes it cannot seem rational that one original sinne should incline to them all seeing many times these sinnes flow from contrary principle How may it be thought this one sinne should carry a man out concupiscentially to so many contrary lusts Therefore that this truth may be fully demonstrated let us consider these Propositions First That such who deny any original inherent corruption and make Adam 's actual sinne to be ours onely by imputation as Pighius and Catharinus they will say That there is but one original sinne which is by imputation made every mans Even as by the light of one Sunne every man seeth or as some Philosophers say there is one common Intelleotus agens by which all men are inabled to understand So that by this opinion every man hath not his peculiar inherent defilement but that one actual transgression by imputation is made the one common sinne of mankind Now although this is to be granted That Adam's actual sinne is made ours which Chamier and some French Protestants following him do dangerously deny yet the Texts heretofore brought in this point do evidently convince That every one hath his peculiar native defilement that he is born in So that original sinne though it may be called one in specie and proportione yet when we come to every particular man he hath his numerical and individual original sinne in him Although therefore there be as many original sinnes
would not have been any privation of such light as was necessary but it would have been meer nesciency and so no sinne and therefore such a nesciency was in Christs humane nature while and Infant Luk. 2. 52. He encreased in wisdome and stature as also Isa 7. 15. Butter and honey shall be eat that he may know to refuse the evil and choose the good that is he should eat on childrens usuall food till he did encrease in knowledge but all this was without sinne This Proposition may satisfie that Infants cannot have any actual sinne while meerly so because the want of use of reason in them is no sinfull imperfection neither are they under the commands of God to beleive and know him as also to love him with all their soul Therefore it is absurd in the Lutherans to say that these commands of actual knowledge fear or love do bind them while thus under a natural nesciency that floweth from their very nature as nature not as vitiated and defiled Prop. 3. The reason why Infants have not the actual use of reason as soon as they are born ariseth not from their soult but the constitution of their bodies As in natural fools mad men or men in sleep there is no defect in their souls but in the body which is the organical instrument of the soul Therefore when Infants die as soon as ever their souls are seperated from the body they have perfect knowledge and reason but the want of the use of reason ariseth from the abundance and overflowing of humours whereby the sensitive powers of the soul are make indisposed for their operations Prop. 4. Seeing therefore that the soul cometh to work rationally by the successive alteration of the complexion of the body as the organs are disposed which in some is sooner in some later it is impossible to give not only the metaphysical indivisible instant but even the moral time wherein a child doth first begin to have an actual sinne As we cannot observe it in our selves when we first had any use of reason so neither can we in another and therefore the limiting of the works of understanding to the fourth sixth or seven years is altogether uncertain only we are to conclude That children sinne long before they know what sinne is or can understand what it is to offend God for those peevish 〈◊〉 vexations which are in little ones even while sucking are not to be freed 〈◊〉 some kind of guilt for such things would not have been in the state of innocent◠And if you say Why should we think those are sins seeing they do not flew from the use of reason and free-will Therefore The fifth Proposition is That contrariety to the Law of God is of the essence of a sinne not voluntariness in actu secundo as they say as if immediately elicited by the will For habitual sins are not voluntary in that but because they are the effect produced by voluntary acts of sinning that did precede therefore they have as much voluntariness as is required to make an habitual sinne and thus original sinne with the immediate effects that flow thence have as much voluntarness as is required to make them sinnes for as habitual sinnes are therefore sins because contracted by our own personal will so original sinne is voluntary because descending upon as by his will who was our Head both quoad esse naturale and morale as it is in time more to be explained Therefore that Position of Socinians and others That nothing can be a sinne which is not committed by the voluntary consent of our own personal will is to be rejected as that false foundation upon which they build so many erroneous Doctrines The sixth Proposition is That even young children very early have imperfect workings of understanding and will So that those obscure actings of a rational soul begin farre sooner to put themselves forth then many do think Hence it is that they know and love those that give them suck we must then consider that there are imperfect workings of reason and perfect formed ones These later indeed are not so soon but the former are very early Lapide in Psal 25. speaketh out of Gregory of a child but five year old guilty of blasphemy And certainly Austin in his Confessions doth much bewail his sins while he was a child he was but tantillus puer yet tantus peccator a little boy but a great sinner This truth is very usefull not only to confute Pelagiant and Socinians who make in a child an indifferency to good or evil or with Aristotle a blank table to receive any impression but especially to quicken up Parents to their duty in diligent admonition and institution of them For Solamon wiser than any Pelagian saith Prov. 22. 15. Folly is bound up in the heart of a child The word signifieth is close bound to his soul as if it were with ropes Now if besides this natural folly there be wicked education and evil example this will be such a three-fold cord that will not easily be broken Oh then do not think it is no matter what children do their sins are but sports and jests you will not have them displeased or corrected for this is contrary also to Solomon's counsel Prov. 22. 5. Train up a child in the way he should go c. Some render it dedicate some instruct it cometh all to one sense but who must be thus trained Even a child in the Hebrew it is Gnal pene super es viae which causeth divers Interpretations Some understand it of the very first beginnings of a childs course when he in bivio whether he shall take to virtue or vice Some for the very time that any entrance can be made upon them for children are to learn many things by meer memory before they have understanding neither is that though in holy things a taking of Gods name in vain but a serving of God according to their capacity Some understand it according to the capacity of the child as a vessel with a narrow mouth must have liquour poured into it by degrees all these senses tend to the same purpose viz. that Parents should not put off the instruction of their children or to think because they are children therefore their sins are not to be much regarded for you have Job sharply bewailing these Job 13. 23. What were those iniquities for which God did so severely chastice Job Why did God write such bitter things against him it was because of the sins of his youth the same word in the Text And Psal 25. 7. David in great affection prayeth God would not remember the sins of his youth the same word also in the original as is in my Text And certainly we have a dreadfull example of Gods anger even against the sins of little children 2 King 2. 23. for such came out of the City and mocked the Prophet saying Go up thou bald head and there presently came two she-bears
reasons formerly produced and many others which might be named there are two famous places of Scripture which do most signally and eminently declare such a combate in the most holy men The first is this of my Text which hath sufficiently been explained and vindicated from corrupt Interpretations And truly the light of this Text shineth so clearly that there are very few who are not convinced that this speaketh of the fight which regenerate persons find in themselves between those two contrary principles of the Spirit and flesh which are within them The second place which doth so firmly establish such a conflict in those who by grace are made new creatures is Rom. 7. from v. 14. to the end of the Chapter where we have a most palpable delineation of this duel that is fought in the inwards of a godly man but that place is not so freely consented unto as this Text I am upon Now because the clearing of that is of special use and because it is of such affinity with my Text I shall inlarge my self for I will not call it a digression in the full explication of that part of the Chapter shewing How that it must be a regenerate person and him only of whom those things are there spoken And you will find that the distinct opening of that portion of Scripture will afford us many necessary things both for Instruction Consolation and Admonition and all immediately adhering to this point I am now upon This I intend to dispatch in several particulars which will be as so many branches growing from the flock of that Proposition I have already named And First You are to know that the Discourse which Paul there useth concerning the combate within himself is by some interpreted as if Paul though he name himself Yet doth not mean himself while regenerated but while unregenerated So that say they Paul doth therein take upon himself the person of one that is not yet in the state of grace This they conceive must necessarily be so because such a person is said to be carnal and sold under sinne The flesh is alwayes said to have the better whereas regenerate persons they have crucified the flesh and the Spirit And the Law of the Spirit of life hath freed them from the Law of sinne and death Rom. 8. 2. Onely when they expound it of an unregenerate person they distinguish of such 1. One who is grosly ignorant and prophane wallowing in his sinnes in a most senslesse and stupid manner whose conscience are wholly dead within them and such are carried out to sinne with all impetuousness having no check or remorse of conscience within them of such the Apostle doth not speak But 2. There are others who are in a Legal state under the powerfull convictions and operations of the Law as Amyraldus expresseth it Men who besides the meer knowledge of the Law have by the efficacy of Gods Spirit the convincing power of it so set home that now their inlightned minds do greatly incline them to that which is good but because their hearts are not sanctified their affections are not mortified therefore these lusts do hurry them away against those legal convictions that are upon them or as Arminius expresseth it in cap. 7. ad Rom. not in a much different way the Apostle speaketh of one who is in some preparatory way to conversion By the Law he is so farre wrought upon that he is afraid because of his sinnes he cryeth out of them mourneth because of them hath many wishes and desires Oh that I could leave these lusts I do not like or consent to such evil things that I do Thus this person is supposed to have a servile fear which is initial to the work of conversion And this frame of spirit although it be not regeneration yet is to be reckoned among the good and spiritual gifts of God This say they is the direct case of that person who is here described by Paul and it cannot be denied but that many of the Ancients and some later Writers have expounded it of a man under such legal convictions And although the Pelagians boasted That all Ecclesiastical Writers did interpret it of such a person yet Austin opposeth them therein instancing in some who did understand it of a person regenerated It is true Austin himself while younger did expound it of an unregenerate person I understood it saith he in that manner or rather I did not understand it But when he came to be elder and more exercised in the Scripture other Writers then he was compelled to yeeld to the truth and to interpret it of a person regenerate so that they caluminate Austin who make him flie to this Interpretation out of the heat of his Disputations with Pelagians taking this sense though formerly he had done the other as being more subservient to his present interest for he attributeth his change of mind to the truth of God in other Scriptures as also to the light he had from the tractates of other learned men Especially those places compelled and forced him as he saith viz Now I no longer do it but sinne within me and I delight in the Law of God in the inward man He that delighteth doth it not for fear of punishment but love of righteousness Vide August lib. 1. Retract c 23. c. 26. l. 3. contra Julianum c. 26. lib. 6. contra Julianum cap. 11. We grant indeed that there is such a legal state in which some men are that there are some who are miserably divided between their enlightned consciences and their corrupt lusts so that they do the they would not do Yea the godly themselves though they have a superiour and more subline combate yet because they have an unregenerate part within them therefore they sometimes have even this conflict between their consciences and some importuning corruptions but this is not remarkable in them comparatively to the other In the second place There are others who do zealously contend that that discourse cannot be applied to any but a regenerate person and to understand it otherwise would be to plunge the godly in a deep gulph of discouragements and to attribute such things to unregenerate persons which those that are truly sanctified cannot go beyond And this way Austin and others of old do willingly go Yea most of the Popish Interpreters Estius Contzen Pererius Sasbâ—lt c. Tolet is taken notice of as the most eminent dissenter The Lutherans also generally and the Calvinists yea most Protestant Writers Even Musculus whom the adversaries of this Interpretation do so much alledge in this point and labour to decline all suspicion by his name yet doth clearly and fully expound it of a man truly regenerated and converted but in the lowest degree and initials of grace although in the lowest form yet sanctified and regenerated he confesseth him to be Arminius and Amyraldus have indeed in a peculiar manner set themselves against this
Some say therefore it 's an habit others as Aquinas and Dr Ames answering Mr Perkins his Objection Why it cannot be an act that it is an act But certainly as scientia is sometimes taken for that which is by way of a principle or habit in man and sometimes for that which is by way of act So also it is with conscience it taketh into its nature both that practical habit called by Aristotle Intellectus or the habit of first principles and also the actual application of them for if conscience were not habitual as well as in act There were no conscience in men when they are asleep which yet cannot be denied unto regenerate persons So that as in Scripture saith and love are taken sometimes for the habit of those graces sometimes for the acts of them so also conscience is taken both for the principle and the act it self For to the acting of conscience there is required as all observe a practical Syllogisme Thus Whosoever is a fornicator a drunkard a curser cannot inherit the kingdom of God But I am such a sinner Therefore I cannot inherit the kingdom of God Or on the contrary To him that believeth and is of a broken contrite heart pardon of sinne is promised But I believe and am of a broken heart Therefore to me pardon of sinne is promised Thus conscience is well called the practical understanding for whereas the speculative hath for its object that which is meerly true this looketh upon it as ordinable to action as such a truth is to be brought into particular application To every acting then of conscience compleatly there is required a Syllogisme either interpretative or formal And as Dr. Ames saith well Conscience in the major Proposition is Lex in the Assumption it is Testis in the Conclusion it is Judex In the first Proposition there it is by way of a Law dictating such a thing to be true In the Minor it is a Witnesse bearing witness either against or for our selves And lastly it is a Judge passing sentence according to the premisses And in that it is called conscience it doth relate to another a knowledge with another that is either our selves so that conscience in its actings is conceived as a person as it were distinct from us and so that witnesseth with our hearts what we are and what we have done Hence if a mans conscience lay a sinne to his charge though all the world free him yet he beareth guilt and terrour about with him Quid proderit tibi non habere conscium habenti conscientiam or else which is more probable it is called conscience or knowledge with in respect of God So that in the actings of conscience there is a sense and apprehension of the knowledge of God and his presence Therefore conscience doth alwayes bear some aspect to God this God will see this God will punish this God hath forbidden and therefore let me betime take heed how I do it So that while conscience hath any stirrings and vigorous actings there is some hope in a man Although it be thus generally received by all that conscience belongs to the understanding yet Durand makes it something probable Lib. 2. Distinct 39. Quast 4. That if it be not the will yet the will is necessarily included in the workings of conscience so that conscience doth denote understanding and will also For that act of conscience which is called remordere to bite and sting a man to make him grieve and be sad upon the committing of sinne must flow from the will Secondly Although man hath lost the Image of God and be thus all over polluted Yet he hath not lest neither his soul or the faculties thereof with some imbred principles both speculative and practical which can no more be separated from the soul then the beams from the Sunne Hence that habit of practical principles such as that there is a God that he is to be worshipped that Parents are to be honoured is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à conservando because these are kept and preserved still or rather as Martinius in his Lexicon out of Hierom because these do instigate and incline to keep us from sinne in our actions The Scholmen commonly call it Synderisis and say It is as much as con-electio but this is because of their ignorance of the Greek tongue These Reliques of Gods Image are lest in us still even as after some great fire of a stately Pallace there remain some sparks long after or in the demolishing of glorious Towns there will some rudera some remnants appear of such a building It is true This is questioned by some Illyricus out of his vehement desire to aggravate sinne denieth there is any sense or knowledge of a God left in a man more then in a bruit and endeavoureth to answer those places of Scripture which are brought to prove those common principles or implanted knowledge in a man by nature The Socinians also though plowing with another heifer do deny any implanted knowledge by a God but that it comes by same and tradition On the other side Pelagians Arminians and some Papists fall into another extream for they hold such principles about God and what is good that they may be light enough to guide us to salvation It is not my work now to examine either of these for the truth is between these two There are some implanted practical notions in us about God and what is good agaist those that erre in the defect and yet they are no wayes able to conduct to eternal happiness against those that erre in the excesse To prove this will be to anticipate my self in the protract of this Discourse about original sinne Therefore here only we take it for granted That there are such principles as also a conscience to discern between good and evil which though it be greatly polluted Yet this candle of the Lord as it is called Prov 20. 27. searching the inward things of a man is not quite extinct Whether these common principles are naturally propagated as the body is as the Lutherans say who hold the Traduction of souls from parents or whether they are De Novo created in the creation of the soul as the dissentient party from that opinion must hold is not here to be debated we may conclude That the soul hath a natural testimony in it self about God and therefore in sudden calamities doth immediately cry out to him which made Tortullian say O anima naturaliter Christiana Thirdly Because conscience doth thus witnes with God and as it were in Gods stead Hence it is That is hath such a command and power over a man that we must not go against conscience We may go against our wils against our affection but we must not go against our consciences no not when they are erroneous and though they dictate sinne as Rom. 14. ult Whatsoever is not of faith is sinne and be that doubteth is condemned conscience is but an
that solid judgement as to know its liberty and its freedome from Judaical rites and all other Commandments of men about the worship of God Indeed the notion of Christian-liberty may quickly be abused to prophane dissoluteness but yet the true Doctrine about that was one of the greatest mercies brought to the Church in the first reformation for there the conscienees of all were grossely intangled and miserably inthralled yea their Casuists who took upon them to resolve and direct conscience they were the greatest tormentors of all insomuch that they then seemed to be in a wilderness or rather under an Aegyptian bondage wherein were many lawes and Canons many Doctrines and opinions that were as Luther expresseth it about one homicidissimae Now to this bondage the conscience of a man is more naturally prone then unto any obedience to the true commands of God Indeed the conscience of man naturally is miserably polluted about the knowledg of those tyes and obligations that are upon it for sometimes it contracteth and limiteth them more then it ought Hence it is that a man yea a godly man may live in the omission of many duties in the commission of many sinnes and yet not know that he doth so and all because we do not study the extent of the obligation of conscience and from this it is that many good men have endeavoured to grow in more knowledge to study the commands of God obliging of them and upon enquiry have found cause to do those things they never did before and also they would not for a world walk in the same paths they once did Thus Melancthon remembring his superstitition while a Papist Quoties cohorrui c. How often doth horror take bold on me when I think with what boldness I went and fell down before Images worshipping of them This is one great pollution of conscience not to know its divine obligations that are upon it But then on the other side the conscience smitten about sinne is many times prone to stretch its obligations beyond the due line they judge sinnes to be where there are none They make duties where God hath not required and all because the troubled conscience is like a troubled fountain a man cannot see clearly the face neither are we then able to judge of any thing truly It is a rule in Philosophy Quicquid per humidum videtur majtu apparet Every object through an humid ormoist medium appeareth greater then it is thus also doth sinne and duties through a grieved wounded conscience therefore for want of the true knowledge of our Christian-liberty there is a scrupulous conscience called so because as little stones in the shoe hinder the feet in going so doth the scrupulousness and timerated thoughts much annoy in a Christian walking These commonly are without end as one circle in the water begets another or as Gerson resembleth it like one Dog that barketh setteth all the Dogs in the Town on barking so doth one scruple beget another and that many more Now although a scrupulous conscience may be for the main tender and good yet the scrupulousness of it ariseth from the infirmity and weakness thereof and maketh the soul paralytical in all its actions These scruples make a man very unserviceable and to live very uncomfortably and although God in great mercy doth many times exercise the truly godly sadly with them thereby to humble them to keep them low to say with Agur they have not the understanding of a man to be kept hereby from gross and foul sinnes yet they are to be prayed against for these scruples are like the Aegyptian Frogs alwaies croaking coming into the chamber and in at every window thereby disturbing thee in thy duty If thy conscience were sound and clear the light thereof would quickly dispell these mists Again From the blindness of a troubled conscience cometh also the sad and great doubtings upon the heart whereby the soul of a man is distracted and divided pulled this way and haled that way Rom 1. 14. The Apostle speaketh at large about a doubting conscience and sheweth how damnable a thing it is to do any thing doubting whether it be a sinne or not A doubting conscience is more then a scrupulous for Divines say a man may go against a a scrupulous conscience because the conscience is for the main resolved that such a thing may lawfully be done only he hath some feares and some jealousies moving in him to the contrary But a doubting conscience is when Arguments are not clear but a man stands as it were at the end of two waies and knoweth not what to do now if conscience were well inlightned and informed out of Gods Word it would not be subject to such distracting doubts but because of its natural blindness therefore it is at a stand so often Hence In the last place it becomes from a scrupulous doubting to a perplexed conscience so insnared that what way soever he taketh he cannot but sinne if he do such a thing he sinneth and if he doth it not he sinneth as in Paul who thought himself bound to set himself against Christians if he did persecute them it is plain he did sinne if he did not he thought he sinned It is true Casuists say Non datur casus perplexus there cannot be any case wherein there is a necessity of sinning because a man is bound to remove the error upon his conscience but yet the ignorance and blindness of man doth bring him often into that perplexed estate There remain two chief particulars wherein the pollution of a natural and troubled conscience is observable which are In the sixth place A proneness to use all unlawfull meanes and to apply false remedies for the removall of this trouble Seventhly A direct and open opposition to what is the true evangelical way appointed by God for to give true peace and tranquillity to such a conscience Before we descend to these particulars It is good to take notice of some general Observations which will greatly conduce to clear the particulars What a blessed Thing it is to come well out of the pain of a troubled Conscience FIrst That it is a most blessed and happy thing to come out of a troubled conscience in a goood safe and soul-establishing way For this womb of conscience when in pain and travail is apt to make many miscarriages yea sometimes it is so farre from having any joy that a man-child is born I mean the true fruit of holiness produced that there is a monster brought forth in the stead thereof Doth not experience and Scripture confirme this that many have come out of their troubles of conscience with more obstinacy and willfullness to sinne again That as the wind blowing upon coales of fire which might seem to extinguish the fire doth indeed encrease it Thus these pangs these gripes of conscience which sometimes they have felt that made godly friends say Now there is hope blessed be God that maketh them
God implying That the Sunne and the night can no more stand together then the remembring of God and carnal confidence can the ambitious man the voluptuous man remembring God would find it to be like thunder and lightning upon the soul This would immediately stop him in his waies of iniquities Thus 2 Sam. 14 11. that suborned woman of Tekoah in her disguised Parable to David complaining of some that would rise up against her to destroy her sonne she desireth the King to stop the revengers wrath by this Argument Let the King remember the Lord thy God Thus when thou art sollicited inticed to any evil way Remember thou God the infinite God the just God the omniscient God the dreadfull and terrible God in all his wayes of anger Nehemiah also maketh use of this Argument to quicken up the Jews against sinfull fear and cowardise in Gods work Nehem. 4. 14. 1 said to the Nobles and Rulers of the people be ye not afraid of them but remember the Lord which is great and terrible This God complaineth of Isa 57. 11. Thou hast not remembred me nor laid it to thy heart and therefore were they so propense to all their abominations These Texts may suffice to inform that our memories ought constantly to be fixed upon God and no sooner do we let him out of our mind but immediately some sinne or other is committed But how unspeakably is the memory of every man naturally polluted herein When is God in their thoughts Amongst those millions and millions of objects which thou dost remember when is the great God the just God the holy God thought on May you not see it by the bold impiety and undaunted wickednesse of all unregenerate men that they remember not God Yea the godly themselves finde in part this pollution upon their memory Whence arise those carnal feares those dejected thoughts Is it not because you forget the greatnesse and goodnesse of God Bewail thy memory-sinfulnesse as well as other sins 2. As the Scripture prescribes the object of our memory viz God himself so it doth instance in one time more then at another Though at all times God is to be remembred yet in one time of our age though there be greatest cause yet our lusts and desire after other things do greatly hebetate our memory We have the injunction from Solomon himself Eccl 12. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth Here you see who is to be remembred when he is to be remembred God is to be remembred and that in the time of our youth But do not the strong effects of original sin heightned also by actual sins discover herein most palpable impiety in young persons they remember their lusts their pleasures in the dayes of their youth and God is never in all their thoughts Oh where may we find a young Timothy that was acquainted with the Scripturee from his infancy Where an Obadiah That feared God from the youth Do not most young persons live so negligently about holy things as if they were allowed to be dissolute as if the things of Heaven and eternity did not belong to them as if Solomon had said the contrary Do not remember God in the dayes of thy youth be not so strict and precise but follow thy pastimes and pleasures Thus the very memory of God and holy things is a burden to young persons They think Solimon spake farre better Chap. 11. 9. when he saith Rejoyce O young man in thy youth let thy heart cheer thee and walk in the wayes of thy heart remove sorrow and evil away They like this well This is good but there is a sting in that which followeth Know thou that for all these things God will bring thee to judgement This will quickly damp all thy youthfull jollities Let then young persons especially bewail the sinfulnesse and forgetfulnesse of their memory herein This is the best and most flourishing time for your memory now it is put upon to learn either Mechanical Trades or the Liberal Arts your memories are most drawn out in inferiour things but take the advantage to imploy it more about holy things You hear old persons complain they have lost their memory they grow forgetfull therefore fix your memories upon good things while you may 3. The Scripture commends the Word of God likewise as the object of our memory Timothy had learnt the Scripture from his Infancy The word of God was for this end amongst others as you heard committed to writing that so we might the more readily have it in our memories Mal. 4. 4. the Prophet commands them to remember the Law of Moses with the statutes and judgments yea they were to have such a ready and familiar knowledge of the Word of God that when they were rising or walking they were to be speaking of them Deut. 6. 7 8 9. we may there see what care is taken that the Law of God should be alwayes in their mind but do we not evidently behold the cursed and wretched pollution of mans memory in this particular Why is it that little children will remember any Songs sooner then the principles of Religion Why is it that many persons who are not able to remember any thing of the Scripture or the Sermons they have heard yet can remember Ballads and Songs they can remember their youthfull pranks and talk of them with delight but they cannot give any account of the good truths that in their younger years were preached to them When do ye hear such say Such a Sermon wounded me at heart it sticketh still upon me I shall never forget it Now is not the sinfulnesse of the memory greatly to be bewailed in this particular If it were holy and sanctified it would take more delight and joy to remember Scripture-truths then any thing else whereas now thy memory is like a sieve that lets the corn and weighty grain fall through but the light refuse stuff that it retaineth Thus what is solid and would do thy soul good that quickly passeth away Oh that we could not fay our Sermons passe away as a tale that is told for those you do remember and you will carry a long while in your mind empty frothy things those abide long with you Would you not judge it madnesse in the Husbandman if he should pluck up and hinder the growth of his corn and let cockle and tare with other weeds flourish Thus thou dost about thy memory throw away the flours and keep the weeds whereas thy memory should be like the holiest of holies nothing but what is select and sanctified should enter therein 4. That I may not be too long in these instances The works of God whether in his mercy or in his wrath they are to be the object of our memory Thus the Scripture speaketh often of remembring his marvellous works Matth. 16. 19. Christ reproveth his Disciples because they did not remember the miracle of the loaves All the great
own person Yea he saith Austin's purpose was ad infereadum virtutibus bellum ad excidium civitatis Dei c. Lib. 3. contra Julianum cap. 26. What a boasting Goliah is here or a railing Rabshaheb as if the holding of this corruption adhering to a man though godly did proclaim war against all godliness and did overthrow the City of God Cassalio also maketh such preaching as this to be to sow thistles that we may reap figs It is to make God accept of blind and same Sactifices saith he Quinque Impedim pag. 11. 12. 19. that we are like children holding a bird whose legs are tied by a thred and letting her flie a little we presently pull her back again Thus we bid people obey 〈◊〉 Law of God and when a man endeavoureth to do it then they tell him he cannot Therefore saith he spend as much time to get perfect obedience as thou doest to get learning the knowledge of the tongue or as thou dost to get wealth and then thou wilt see we are not perfect because we do not spend so much time in this as in other things But this is to speak like a Philosopher rather than a Christian To the Objection we answer There is no injury to godlinesse offered by this truth First Because we say it is every mans sinne that he is not perfect therefore we ought to humble our selves under all our failings As it was the Israelites disobedience that they were not active to destroy every Canaanite whatsoever cometh short of the exact Rule of the Law is sinfull and thereby damnable Hence God is angry not only with gross sinnes but the imperfect graces of his people Revel 3. 2. I have not found thy works perfect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before God I here was much emptiness much vacuity the Church wanted solidity and fulness in her duties For this it is that the godly are subject to many afflictions and temptations they are under divers chastisements because all the drosse of corruption is not yet purged from them So that the godly man is so farre from delighting and contenting himself in these imperfections that he mourneth and groaneth under them Secondly Here is no impediment to godliness because we press it as a duty upon the godly to be pressing forward every day to be perfecting holinesse constantly and that they are to take heed of self-fulness or to rest contented in low principles Hence the Apostle Heb. 5. 11 12 13. and Chap. 6. 1. speaketh very terrible to such as remain in their rudiments as it were and are not carried out to perfection The Corinthians also 2 Cor. 7. 1. are commanded to perfect holinesse in the fear of God It is therefore our duty to endeavour after perfection as Paul professeth he did Phil. 3. though he had not attained unto it but yet when all is done Our perfection will be to bewail our imperfection we shall find absolute purity is Res voti magis quam eveniûs as Ambrose of old Hence the most godly have failed in the exercise of those graces which they have been most eminent in Abraham is called the father of the faithfull whose steps we are to follow yet through fear in his lying or equivocating he manifested unbelief Sarah is noted for obedience to her husband and propounded as a patern to all wives yet in what a sinfull and sad passion did she break out against Abraham when he was innocent and she was in all the fault that was about Hagar The Lord saith she judge between me and thee Gen. 16. 5. Thus David for his sincerity called a man after Gods own heart but how false and hyporitical in the matter of Vriah Here then is no encouragement to stand still we are not come to our races end we are to grow every day there is more to be done then yet we have performed and this striving after further holiness will be while we are in this life ¶ 7. The Objection return'd upon the Perfectionists THirdly Those that plead for perfection they hinder the progress of godliness they perswade men with foolish and ablurd conceits that they â—ay attain to perfection for when men do believe they are perfect What â—â—ed they labour more if they be at the races end What need they runne still Nothing doth more destroy the life and power of godliness than such arrogant and proud conceits So that as Seneca said Many had been learned men if they had not been conceited of their learning so many might profitably proceed in the mortifying of sinne if they were not perswaded it was mortified already Thus these Perfectionists preach men into arrogant perswasions of their own righteousness and thereby hinder them from a true progress in holiness Besides such Doctrine is in an high degree injurious to the grace of the Gospel to our Evangelical Justification if we be whole we do not need the Physician Though God vouchsafe inherent grace to us so farre as to be delivered from the dominion of sin and also to be subduing of it daily yet the grace of God exalted in this life is by imputation The grace without us not the grace within us is that which doth justifie This is the grace so frequently spoken of in the New Testament and to which all the godly make their recourse under the guilt of sinne and the accusations of the Law whereas the Doctrine of Perfection wholly evacuateth this admirable and precious way of Gospel-grace But enough of this ¶ 8. The several Conflicts that may be in a man I Come to another Proposition which is That we may conceive of three conflicts and contrary lustings that may be in a man not at all naming that which is for the most part in every sinner that he would have the profit of a sinne the pleasure of a sinne but not the bitterness of it Such a conflict is in most sinners they would have the advantage by sinne but not the damage by it Thus Arianus Epictetus lib. 2. cap. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every sinne hath division in it self and so goeth on saying That every rational soul is obnoxi us to this fight The thief would not steal as it is a sinne but as it is profitable Hence it is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that what he would that he doth not and what he would not do that he doth which are almost the same words with the Apostle But this I do not insist on The first combate is That which may be in Heathens between their conscience and their appetite The light of nature inclining one way and their lust another way which is notably taken notice of by Aristotle a man in such a conflict is called by him an incontinent person as distinct from an intemperate who having the habit of sinne is carried out to the actings thereof without any remorse or regretings of conscience or reason To clear this he speaketh of