Cor. 8. 12. Heb. 11. 17 and therefore by the rule of contraries he hates in evill works a full purpose to commit it as much as he doth the outward commission of it now the bringing forth of sin is here distinguished from the conception of it therefore seeing in the very conception of sin sin is brought forth before the eyes of God therefore by the bringing of sin is meant the bringing forth of it forth into externall act as it were before the eyes of men and our most secret words and deeds may be said to be brought forth before men because the former are audible though there be actually no auditors and the latter visible though there be actually no spectators even as a child may be 〈◊〉 to be brought forth that hath no witnesse of it's birth besides the mother 2. Secondly this sense would be most agreeable unto the Metaphor that is here used for lust is here compared unto a teeming mother now a mother conceiveth inwardly in her wombe and bringeth forth the fruit of her wombe out of her body into the world semblably the conception of sin is inward by delights desires and purposes of the 〈◊〉 the birth of it is outward by words and deeds The two last steps in the progresse of sins influence is the consummation of sinne and it's production of death sin when 't is finished brings forth death upon the exposition of which words before I enter I shall premise the severall acceptions of each terme First sinne may be said to be finished either 〈◊〉 in it selfe or else 〈◊〉 by extrinsecall denomination 1. Intrinsecally in it selfe and that is either in regard of the commission of it when 't is outwardly committed or else in respect of impenitency for it when 't is continued in without repentance 2. Extrinsecally by extrinsecall denomination from God's decree of permitting it when one hath sinned so farre and so much as God hath decree'd to suffer him 2. Death is taken either for the inchoation of the spirituall death 〈◊〉 the soule here in this life or for the consummation of it eternall damnation 3. Sin finished may be said to bring forth death either in regard of merit and desert or else in respect of issue or event The equivocation that is in the words being thus open'd proceed wee next unto the interpretation of them and 1. Enquire we how sin finished bringeth forth death it cannot be understood of a meritorious production thereof and my reason is because this bringing forth of death is appropriated unto the finishing of sin sin when 't is finished and not before bringeth forth death but now before sin is finished before 't is brought forth when it is but an embrio when it is but conceived in the heart by consent unto it and approbation of it then it deserveth death Hell and damnadation for this consent unto it is truely and properly sin and the wages of every sin is death corporall and eternall the bringing forth of sin then is to be understood not in regard of the merit and desert but of the issue and event it actually brings forth death it actually throwes into Hell 2. By the finishing of sin cannot be understood barely the outward commission of it for First then the finishing of sin would be the same with the bringing of it forth whereas in all probability they are distinguished as well as the other degrees in sins influence 2ly Sin when 't is 〈◊〉 assoon as 't is finished bringes forth death actually in regard of the event but as soone as sin is actually committed it doth not bring forth death actually in regard of the event for God many times grants a long reprieve after the externallcommission of the foulest enormities 3ly If by the finishing of sin you understand 〈◊〉 for it yet even so there will occurre difficulties to cleare which we must distinguish betwixt present impeniteny and 〈◊〉 impenitency and present impenitency is againe twofold actuall or habituall which we may call the state of impenitency and that is when there is no renewed principle no grace in the soule to dispose and incline it unto repentance these distinctions thus premised I shall lay downe foure propositions which will shew the sense of this clause The first proposition Actuall impenitency doth not alwayes bring forth death actually for it may be consistent with the seeds of spirituall life gracious habits and of this we have an example in David who lay in his sin a long time impenitent untill awakened and rowsed by the ministry of Nathan A second proposition Neither doth present habituall impenitency the present state of impenitency allwayes actually bring forth death if ye take death for eternall death hell and damnation for unto those that are for the present most impenitent God may in his due time give repentance unto the acknowledgement of the truth 2 Tim. 2. 25 and so rescue them out of the snare of the Divell A third proposition when sinne is finish d by a present habituall impenitency by a state of impenitency it doth actually bring forth death that is the inchoation of spirituall death standing in a separation from God and Christ who are the life of the soule and in an utter and totall privation of grace a state of impenitency is a state of death that soule which is habitually impenitent for sin is totally dead in sin for sin is there 〈◊〉 and raignes as a prince or Lord because there is no contrary principle of grace to oppose it no spirit to 〈◊〉 against it Nam in quo peccatum consummatur spiritus sanctus non commoratur as Tuke upon the place sin finished brings forth death that is spirituall death is the formall effect of habituall unrepentance for sinne The fourth proposition when sinne is finished by finall impenitency by perseverance in a state of impenitency then it actually bring 's forth death to wit hell and Damnation those of growne yeares that dye without repentance drop into the eternall flames and torments of hell What I have hitherto said may be applyed not only to the whole course of sin but also unto every actuall sin but Calvin restraines the words to the whole course of sin in a man's life Perfectum peccatum saith he non intelligo unum aliquod opus perpetratum sed cursum peccandi completum with Calvin Cartwright accords also in his answer unto the Rhemists annotations upon the place James saith he by the consummation of sinne doth not meane every actuall sin but sin 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 up to such a height as that 〈◊〉 calleth for an utter uncurable and unresistable destruction from the just 〈◊〉 hand of God as when a man doth not only walke in the counsell of the wicked stand in the way of sinners but even sit him down in the seate of the scornefull Psal. 1. 1 which are of such desperate hope as Solomon will not have them once 〈◊〉 the only remedy of recovering them if they
Taylor That Original righteousness was in Adam 279 280 277 b 278 b 279 b 2. A double quid sit of original righteousness is inquired into 1. Quid nominis Why the righteousness of the first man is called original righteousness 280b 281 2. Quid rei What is meant by the thing it self And for the clearing of this seven particulars explicated It s 1. Materiale matter or foundation 282 283 2. Formale or formality 283 3. Subject in which seated 283 284 4. Causation or production 284 5. Effects 285 286 6. Difference from sanctifying grace 286 287 7. The relation unto the first man Whether it were natural or supernatural to him Which disficult and important question is at large handled against Papists Arminians Socinians and Dr. Taylor 288 usque ad 318 The malignant influence or causality of Concupiscence Jam. 1. 14 15. But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed Then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death LUst is not here taken for the act of lust nor for contracted acquired habitual lust But for original lust 318 Concerning it we have remarkable 1. The propriety of its inherence 〈◊〉 own lust 319 2. The force of its influence it tempteth draweth enticeth to sin c. ibid. Here we have of this influence 1. The extent 320 2. The branches ibid. 3. The degrees 320 321 322 323 324 325 The words being analized and expounded are in the next place cleared 〈◊〉 two 〈◊〉 inferences of Papists The first That Concupiscence is not sin 325 326 The second That there are venial sins 326 327 One observation pitched upon That every mans lust or 〈◊〉 is the principal cause of his temptations unto sin 327 The point deduced from the Text is briefly explained confirmed and applyed 1. For Explication two distinctions 〈◊〉 The first Of an immediate and medi ate cause of temptation 327 The second Of an universal and particular cause of temptation 327 328 2. The Confirmation hath two parts 1. That our own lust is a cause 328 329 2. That 't is a principal cause of temptation unto sin because it tempts 1. Internally 2. Esfectively 3. Perpetually 329 3. The uses that are to be made of this Point are Of Information Of Reprehension Of Exhortation 1. Of Information and they are three 1. We may hence learn what a great difference there is betwixt the temptations of lapsed man unto sin and the temptations of our first Parents unto the first sin 329 330 2. We may hence be instructed what a wide 〈◊〉 there is betwixt our temptations unto sin and the temptations of Christ. 330 331 3. We may from the causality or influence of lust infer its obliquity against Papists Socinians and Dr. Taylor 331 332 From this there may be refuted three other Points of Popery 1. The absolute perfection of the good works of the regenerate 332 2. Their Justification by them ibid. 3. Their possibility of fulsilling the Law 332 333 From speculative practical uses are proceeded to 2. The next Use is of reprehension of all such as excuse or extenuate their sins by discharging them upon the importunity violence of outward temptations c. 333 334 3. Lastly Divers Exhortations may be inferred srom the causality and influence of our Concupiscence We may hence be 〈◊〉 unto 1. Humiliation for it 334 335 2. Mortification of it 336 337 338 339 340 341 3. Watchfulness against it 341 342 4. Thankfulness for deliverance from it 342 343 344 There be also some duties regarding our brethren 〈◊〉 which we may from this 〈◊〉 efficacy of 〈◊〉 be pressed 1. We may hence be exhorted to be careful in our watch over them diligent in our admonition of them frequent in our prayers for them 344 345 2. We may hence be perswaded to sugar and sweeten our reproofs of brethren with meekness and moderation The created and lapsed condition of man Eccles. 7. 29. Loe this onely have I found that God hath made man upright but they have sought out many inventions THe Coherence of the words wherein inquired in what sense Solomon saith That he found not one woman amongst a thousand 346 In the words two Conclusions unto which is premised a Preface 〈◊〉 this onely have I found Wherein three things remarkable 1. The weight and importance of these two Conclusions implyed in the Particle Loe. 347 2. The means by which Solomon came to the knowledge of these two Points diligent search and study into the word and will of God This have I found 347 348 3. We have a comparison of these Conclusions with other points of Doctrine hinted in the Particle onely This onely have I found this and nothing else 348 Against which an Objection and unto it three Answers 348 349 350 Having 〈◊〉 over the praecognita the Conclusions themselves are next proceeded to Conclus 1. Concerns Original righteousness God made man upright 350 Conclus 2. Concerns Original Sin peccatum originale originans the fall of our first Parents They have sought out many inventions These words describe the fall of our first Parents not as 't is considered formally in it self but Metonymically by its motives or effects 1. By its motives if we understand them onely of our first Parents 350 Against this interpretation two doubts propounded and resolved 350 351 2. By its effects if we extend them unto their posterity also they have all sought out many inventions 1. For the committing 351 352 usque ad 355 of sin 2. For the defending 355 3. For the 〈◊〉 355 356 4 For the concealing 356 357 The words as hitherto expounded run of sin considered indefinitely There be also that restrain them unto one particular sin Mens erroneous inventions concerning their supream end and happinesse and the ways and means leading thereunto 357 358 Divers other rendrings of the words considered 358 359 360. By this Table the Reader may correct the mistakes in the running Title A TABLE of the Scriptures explicated in this Book Genesis Cap. ver pag. 1. 2. 275.  12. 29. 281.  26. 27. 279. 280.  26. 28. 278. b.  26. 27. 280. b.  31. 280. 293. 313. 2. 19. 20. 274. b. 3. 6. 329. 330. 351.  12. 13. 355. 17. 1. 58. 20. 6. 321. 322. 39. 10. 12. 159. 341. Exodus 20. 25. 275. Leviticus 6. 13. 267. 19. 17. 97.  28. 146. 147. 21. 11. 166.  25. 146. 147. Numbers 6. 3. 146.  6. 166. Deuteronomy 14. 1. 146. 147. 22. 12. 18. 27. 5. 275. Judges 7. 2. 275.  20. 274. 1 Samuel 15. 3. 353. 1 Kings 10. 18. 239. 2 Kings 16. 10. 11. 144. 17. 15. 146. 18. 4. 138. 139. 140. c. Cap. ver pag.  5. 141. 142. 23. 13. 139. 140. 141. 142. 1 Chronicles 21. 7. 60. Ezra 8. 22. 98. 9. 13. 272. Esther 4 14. 227. Job 1 4. 5. 57. 58. 29. 16. 232. 233. 31. 33.
inquit naturae ex spiritu rationali corpore naturali facta sit modo perfecto subordinationem infert unius propensionis ad alteram quae pugnam omnem excludit The union betwixt the body and the soule of man was perfect and therefore inferred a subordination of the propensions and operations of the body unto the soule and subordinatorum nulla est pugna subordination excludes all opposition this argument strikes chiefly against such as make the body to be the proper subject of the sensitive powers But there be some as you may see 〈◊〉 Metaphys lib. 2. cap. 5. tit 6. art 1. who in man make all sensitive powers to be seated in the soule and unto them too this argument may be applied the conjunction betwixt the sensitive and rationall faculties in the same soule supposing them to be both there which now it is not pertinent to dispute was a most perfect and orderly conjunction made by God the author of all good order who abhorreth all ataxy and confusion and order still requireth a subjection of those things or persons that are inferiour unto those which are their superiours the sensitive faculties therefore being the more ignoble were by God who made man subjected unto the rationall and they never had rebelled if man by his fall had not perturbed this order indeed we may now apply unto the powers of lapsed man that of Solomon Eccles. 10. 7. I have 〈◊〉 servants upon horses and Princes walking as servants upon the earth those powers which by the law of creation were servants made to serve and obey have the throne and supremacy in the soule and those unto which God gave the regency are dethroned and become servile but it was impossible for any such disorder or confusion to be in the soule of man by creation there could not then but bee a most perfect sweet and blessed harmony betwixt all man's parts and powers without any the least clashing or disagreement for othewise how could man be made as Solomon saith he was straite or upright Eccles. 7. 29. A second reason I have borrowed of Tilenus syntag pag. 1. cap. 33. s. 40. the specificall forme of man his reasonable soule doth so limit determine and restraine his generall formes vegetative and sensitive as that it makes their operations not only agreeable but proper unto man it maketh the operations of the vegetative soule which of themselves are common unto men with plants and beasts so proper unto man as that they are in man after a sort only humane and therefore man groweth and encreaseth not as a tree or beast but after a humane way even so also it maketh the operations of the sensitive soule which are common unto men with beasts proper and peculiar unto man so that whilst man's nature was uncorrupted he naturally coveted sensuall and corporeall things not after a bruitish but humane manner that is conformably unto right reason his nature then as 't was created by God for so you must still understand me was without any repugnancy between his sensuall and rationall appetites As for the other objections of Bellarmine I shall wholy passe them over because some of them come not nigh the question as stated by me others of them are triviall and receive an easy solution and unto all of them the Reader may find sufficient answers in Ames Rivet Gerard Maccovius and other writers upon popish controversies It may now be expected that I should make some application of this point and in particular that I should shew how far we are to be humbled for Originall sin whose formale is the privation or want of originall Righteousnesse and I had prepared a great deale of matter upon this subject but shall now wholy lay it aside because I am happily prevented by the learned and elaborate work of Mr. Anthony Burgesse concerning originall sinne whither I shall referre the Reader and all that I shall doe more shall be to annexe a briefe exposition and application of some few scriptures that conduce to this purpose Jam. 1. 14 15. But every man is tempted when he is drawne away of his own lust and enticed Then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth 〈◊〉 death IN the foregoing verse the Apostle James denyeth God to be the authour of temptation unto sinne in verse the 15. he opposeth unto this deniall an affirmation that man himselfe is the cause thereof and this Antithesis is denoted by the particle but. There is no doubt can be made but that lust is here taken in an ill sense but even so it hath a twofold acception it signifieth either the habit or the act Habituall lust againe is twofold either originall or acquired and contracted 1. Lust is not here taken for the act of lust because actions are here ascribed unto it to draw entice conceive bring forth it draweth 〈◊〉 to sinne eonceiveth bringeth forth sinne and actionis non est actio actions are better and more fitly ascribed to an habit than to an act 2. Lust is not here 〈◊〉 for contracted and acquired habituall lust because the lust here spoken of is the cause of all temptations into sinne whatsoever Every man whensoever he is tempted into sin he is drawne away of his own lust and enticed and men may be tempted sometimes into some sins not by any contracted and acquired habits of lust as is plaine in the temptation of Noah into drunkennesse of Lot into both drunkennesse and incest 〈◊〉 Peter into a cowardly deniall of his Master and Saviour The lust then which is the Theme that the Apostle James here treates of is that which is called originall sinne Aquinas 1 a. 2ae q. 82. a. 3. Well observeth that there be two things considerable in originall sin the formale and the materiale of it 1. The formale and that is nothing else but the privation and want of originall righteousnesse 2. The materiale is an inordinate conversion or inclination of man's faculties especially of his two appetites rationall and sensuall unto the creature and so it is called lust or concupiscence which saith Cornelius Jansenius in his Augustinus Tom. 2. lib. 2. cap. 7. is nihil aliud quà m pondus habituale quo animus inclinatur ad sruendum creaturis 〈◊〉 ut Augustinus loquitur rebus 〈◊〉 it is as it were an habituall weight whereby the soule is inclined and carried downewards unto the fruition of the creatures as it 's supreame end Concerning this originall lust we have here remarkeable 1. The propriety of it's inherence his own lust 2. The force of it's influence it tempteth every man unto 〈◊〉 c. 1. The propriety of it's inherence by his own lust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeed originall lust is one and the same specifically for sort or kind in all men unto which some apply that of Solomon Prov. 27. 19. As in water face answereth to face so the heart of man to man but yet every
man hath his own particular severall origiginall lust numerically different from that of others even as the reasonable soule though it be the same for kind in all men yet every man hath his own soule a soule individually distinct from that of others it is Laurentius his illustration upon the place Thus Paul appropriates unto himselfe the body of sinne which is the same with this lust I keep under my body 1 Cor. 9. 27. This appropriation of originall lust or the corruption of man's nature unto our own selves will more affect and humble us than to 〈◊〉 upon a generall and abstract consideration thereof and hence is it that David singleth out in his confession the iniquity and sinne of his own conception Psal. 51. 5. Behold saith he I was 〈◊〉 in iniquity and in sinne did my mother conceive me He doth confesse not only that there was such a sinne but also that he himselfe was defiled therewith besides this Epithet own or proper may be added to prevent men excusing of their sins by charging them upon the temptations of other mens lust who have drawne or enticed them This is a thing very usuall and therefore the Apostle adviseth to resolve all temptations into sin into our own lust the lust in our own bosoms Satan and the world may tempt 〈◊〉 sin but whensoever any man is tempted into sin he is drawne away and inticed of his own lust 2. We have here the force of it's influence it tempteth draweth 〈◊〉 unto sin conceiveth bringeth forth sin c. Here we have 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 secondly the branches and thirdly the degrees of this influence 1. The extent of it in regard of it's subject Every man is tempted by his own lust every man except he that was God-man who had God for his Father and a Virgin for his mother that holy thing which was borne of the blessed Virgin Mary and was called the Sonne of God Luk. 1. 35. 2. Here are the branches of this influence it draweth and enticeth unto sin these words may be understood either in regard of the parts in sin unto which it tempteth or of the wayes by which it tempteth 1. Of the parts which are in sin unto which it tempteth There are two parts as it were in every sinne and aversion from good and a conversion unto evill Now unto both these lust tempt's it draweth from that which is good and enticeth unto that which is evill it draweth ab incommutabili bono and enticeth ad commutabile bonum it draweth from God man's chiefe end and enticeth to the sinfull love and adulterous embraces of the creature it inclineth the soule to forsake the fountaine of living waters to hew out unto it selfe Cisternes broken 〈◊〉 that will 〈◊〉 no water Jer. 2. 13. 2. The words may signify the severall wayes or meanes by which every man 's own lust tempteth him unto sinne it draweth by the importunity and impetuosity of it's inclination unto unlawfull objects it enticeth and allureth by 〈◊〉 plausibility of such objects it draweth as a tyrant and enticeth as a harlot There are in the temptations of lust as Bishop Andrewes observeth on the tenth Commandement uncus and esca a hooke and a bait it draweth as a hook and enticeth as a bait The Metaphor is taken from fisher-men who make use of both they draw the fishes by the hook and entice them by the bait Concupiscence deales with us as Joseph's Mistris with him she enticed him to lye with her she spake to him day by day and then she attempted to draw him to her and she caught him by his garment saying lye with me Gen. 39. v. 7 10 12. 3. We have the degrees of this influence of lust and they may be reduced unto three heads it had an influence upon first the production secondly the consummation and thirdly the punishment of sinne 1. Upon the production of sinne and that is either inward or outward first inward and that is twofold first the first motions unto sinne it draweth and 〈◊〉 secondly consent unto such motions lust when it hath conceived 2. It hath an influence secondly as upon the inward conception so also upon the outward birth or production of sin Lust bringeth forth sinne Next it hath an influence upon 2. The Consummation of sinne Lust when it is finished 3. And lastly upon the punishment of sinne Sinne 〈◊〉 it is sinished bringeth forth death But to lay aside the curiosity of division we shall goe over these gradations in the influence of lust in order as they lye in the words without taking notice of any subversions First it draweth and enticeth unto sinne by which may be meant the first motions suggestions agitations and as it were titillations of lust before consented to Secondly lust when it conceiveth Conception say Physitians is never but with some kind of consent of both parties by the conception of lust therfore is understood a consent unto it's motions either consensus in 〈◊〉 or consensus in actum as Aquinas distinguisheth 1 a. 2ae q. 74. a. 7. 8 a consent of delight or a consent of resolution 1. A Consent of delight when a man takes 〈◊〉 in the very thoughts and apprehensions of the committing such a sin and accordingly desireth conditionally to commit it provided that all obstacles were removed thus many a ranke lecher neighes after his neigbours wife though he dare not outwardly attempt her chastity Omnia si claudas intus adulter erit His delights and desires unto which he dares give no vent will render him an adulterer in the sight of heaven 2. A consent of 〈◊〉 an effectuall purpose to commit sin which yet may prove abortive or miscarry and be hindred from execution the Children may come to the birth and there may not be strenth to bring forth Esay 37. 3. Psal. 21. 11. 3. A third degree in the influence of lust is that it bringeth forth sinne that is sinne eminently visibly and manifestly such the outward act of sinne thus sinne is also taken Gen. 20. vers 6. I withheld thee saith God to Abimelech from sinning against 〈◊〉 to wit by the grosse and outward act of adultery for there is no question but that he sinned inwardly 〈◊〉 his desire and purpose to 〈◊〉 Sarah that here by the bringing forth of sin is meant the externall perpetration of sin either by word or deed I shall evince by two reasons 1. Because in the inward conception of sinne by sinfull delights desires and purposes sin is brought forth in the eyes of God Matth. 5. 28. I say unto you saith our Savlour that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after 〈◊〉 hath committed adultery with her already in his heart In conformity unto this it is that the School-men make the outward act of sin to adde nothing per se and properly unto the intensive badnesse of the inward perfect and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commit it In good workes God accepts the will for the deed 2
were recoverable Prov. 9. 7 8. If sin be here taken as these worthies determine only for the whole course of sin then it is said to be finished not only 〈◊〉 in it selfe but also extrinsecally by extrinsecall denomination from God's decree of permitting it and 't is when men are come unto that fullnesse of sin that extent number and measure of sin which God hath purposed to suffer them to runne into when men arrive unto the utmost bounds and limits that God by his decree hath prefixed unto their sins then sin being thus finished bringeth forth death both temporall and eternall The words thus analyzed and expounded we shall in the next place cleare them from two false inferences of the Papists first that concupiscence is not sinne Secondly that there are veniall sinnes we have here set 〈◊〉 saith Bellarmine Tom. 4. de amiss grat statu pecc lib. 1. cap. 9. lib. 5. cap. 7. foure things lust and three of it's 〈◊〉 one involuntary two other voluntary one involuntary without all consent of the mind and that is 〈◊〉 lust draweth and 〈◊〉 unto sinne the two other are voluntary one imperfectly and the other perfectly one imperfectly voluntary and that is such a delectation wherein there is but an imperfect consent lust when it conceiveth it bringeth forth sinne the other perfectly voluntary when there is a full and perfect consent sinne when 't is finished bringeth sorth death These things thus presupposed first he concludes that 〈◊〉 is not sinne because the Apostle doth not call it sin but only affirmeth that 't is the cause of sinne lust 〈◊〉 it conceiveth it bringeth forth sinne But this argument is very weake for First though it be not expresly here called sinne yet 't is expresly called sinne by the Apostle Paul and that fourteen times as Commentators generally reckon in three chapters of his Epistle to the Romans viz chap. 6. 7. and 8. Secondly though it be not here called sinne expresly yet 't is imply'dly for 't is made the cause of sinne and such as the fruit is such is the tree Adde unto this thirdly that if the place prove concupisence not to be sinne it proves it not to be so in those that are unbaptized unjustified and unregenerate as well as in the baptized justified and regenerate for it speakes universally of all men every man when he is tempted c and therefore 't is fallaciously done to beare his Readers in hand as if he limitted his conclusion only to those that are baptized justified and regenerate In a second place he endeavoureth from the words to prove that there are veniall sinnes there are saith he two birthes of lust one imperfect lust when it conceiveth bringeth forth sinne but 't is a veniall sinne for 't is distinguished from the consummate birth of lust sinne finished unto which it is appropriated to bring forth death to be mortall to deserve hell and damnation the argument may thus be reduced into forme every mortall sinne bringeth forth death deserveth hell and damnation but the sinne that lust ingendreth or bringeth forth when it hath conceived doth not bring forth death doth not deserve hell and damnation therefore 't is not a mortall but a veniall sinne The minor is confirmed because 't is appropriated to sinne finished to bring forth death and sinne brought forth is distinguished from sin-finished The Answer shall be unto the Minor and it's confirmation and it standeth in two particulars First to bring forth death in regard of issue or event is appropriate unto sinne consumate or finished but to bring forth death in point of merit agreeth unto the least sinne for every sinne merits the curse of the law Galat. 3. 10. Mat. 5. 19. Secondly the sinne which lust when it hath conceived bringeth forth and sinne finished are not distinguished as diverse sorts and kinds of sinnes but only in regard of severall considerations the very same sins that lust bringeth forth may be said to be finished when they are unmortified unsubdued lust bringeth them forth as they are externally committed or accomplished and they are 〈◊〉 to be finished when they are 〈◊〉 and unsubdued and so raigne in the soule without repentance The words afford many observations But I shall pitch upon one for which I made choice of them and 't is that every man's originall lust or concupiscence is the principall cause of temptation unto sin and hereupon 't is called originall sinne because actuall sinnes are unto it their rise and orignall est peccatum actuosum seu agens licet non sit actuale saith Tuke pag 50 indeed Satan and the world tempt unto sinne but James here makes no mention of them and what better reason can be assigned for this omission than this that they have not so great a stroke upon our temptations as our own lust This point being thus deduced from the Text I shall briefly First Explaine Secondly Confirme Thirdly Apply it First for explication we must distinguish of an 〈◊〉 and a mediate cause of temptation secondly of a universall and particular cause of temptation First of an immediate and mediate cause of temptation originall lust is not alwayes the immediate cause of prevailing temptations unto sinne for we are many times tempted immediately by our contracted and acquired lusts but yet of such temptations our native concupiscence is the mediate and remote cause Secondly we must distinguish of a universall and particular case of temptation originall concupisence is an universall not a particular cause of our temptation unto sinne now the influence or causality of universall second causes as if the heavens and starres is determined much diversified by diverse particulars in the subjects upon whom it is and thus the influence of originall lust upon mens temptations unto sinne is much differenced according to the variety that is in the complexions dispositions conditions and relations c of men it tempt's a chollericke man unto wrath and hatred a man of a sanguine constitution unto good fellowship riot and luxury a phlegmaticke man unto idlenesse a melancholy man unto envy unto darke mischeivous plots a rich man unto pride and covetousnesse a poore man unto impatience discontent and murmuring subjects unto disobedience sedition and rebellion Princes unto Tyranny and oppression but this influence of concupiscence varieth not only in severall men but in the same men as their 〈◊〉 varieth not only in severall men but in the same men as their conditions and relations alter when 〈◊〉 came to the scepter of Syria it quickly tempted him unto that belluine rage towards the people of Israell which when he was a servant of Benhadads he thought he had abhorred his 〈◊〉 heart misinformed him that he was scarcely capable of so great a guilt 2 King 8. 12 13 it made Caius Caesar Caligula when he was a subject to be a base and servile flatterer of Tiberius and when he himselfe came to the empire it rendred him intollerable for all kind
for it Secondly mortification of it Thirdly watchfulln sse against it Fourthly thankfullnesse for deliverance from it First unto humiliation for it There will be a great deale of justice in our teares for the fountaine of all temptations the mother of all sinnes for that which tempteth draweth enticeth unto sinne which conceiveth and bringeth forth all sorts of sins David therefore in his penitentiall Psalme for murder and adultery had very good reason to spread before God this his birth sinne because 't was a seminall sinne it contaiued the seeds of his adultery and murder Psal 51. 5 hence also 't is no wonder that Paul having mentioned the malignant operation of this law in his members forthwith subjoineth a most bitter complaint touching his infelicity and misery thereby and most passionately wisheth for a 〈◊〉 deliverance therefrom oh wretched man that I am saith he who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom 7. 24 concupiscence is the root of bitternesse Heb. 12. 15 the root of all the bitternesse that is in our evill deeds and therefore every one upon whom God hath powred a spirit of grace will or should be in bitternesse for it as one that is in bitternesse for his first borne every gracious heart greives at the sad dolefull and banefull effects of 〈◊〉 and shall we have no resentment of the badnesse of the cause oh Beloved did we but afford unto the accursed or pernicious issue or progenie of lust a due and thorow contemplation we would thinke that we could never weep enough for that which is productive of so much and great mischiefe though our head were waters and our eyes a fountaine of teares Jer 9. 1 even the most wicked are troubled in their minds when enormous sinnes break out into their lives and thereby terrify their consciences blot their reputations prejudice their estates or any other wayes incommodate them but this is but a worldly sorrow the damned in hell howle when sin being consummate bringeth forth death but this is but a hellish sorrow a true heavenly and godly sorrow riseth higher and goeth further it begins with the very inchoations of sin the first suggestions unto sin with concupiscence that makes these suggestions for this would be a likely meanes to retard and in some measure 〈◊〉 any further progresse of lusts influence and so anticipate or prevent the worldly and hellish sorrow now spoken 〈◊〉 when Elisha healed the waters of Jericho he went forth unto the spring of the waters and cast in salt there 2 King 2. 21. If we would heale the streames of actuall sinnes we should goe unto the spring originall sinne and powre out our salt our brinish teares upon it To surther and increase our humiliation for this malignant influence of concupiscence I shall propound only one but that shall be a very stirring motive and it is that this influence is exceedingly heightned and intended viz 〈◊〉 by the good holy and just law and commandment of God even as by an antiperistasis heat is many times intended by the opposition of the adjacent cold Rom. 7. 8 13 sinne taking occasion by the 〈◊〉 wrought in me all manner of concupiscence sin by the commandment became exceeding sinfull the prohibitions of the law 〈◊〉 accid ns provoke exasperate and enrage concupiscence and render it's workings more vigorous outragious and violent then otherwise they would be for Nitimur in vetitum semper cupimusque negà ta We long most after forbidden fruit we are most addicted unto interdicted actions 〈◊〉 waters saith 〈◊〉 wise man are sweet Prov. 9. 17 and hence is it that those carnall and unregenerate men who sit under a powerfull ministry usually run into a greater excesse of riot than such whose lusts are not at all awakened by the home and searching preaching of the law oh what an unfathomable pravity is there in this that makes a most equitable disswasive from sin to be a powerfull incentive unto it that makes that a spurre to excite unto sin which in it's naturall tendency is a bridle to restraine therefrom and so turnes a most wholesome 〈◊〉 into a most pernicious poyson makes that to bring forth fruit unto death which was ordained to life Rom. 7. 10. Secondly unto mortification of it sinne when 't is si nished brings forth death and 't is finished when 't is unmortified now lust is a part of sin consummate as Ames markes in his answer unto Bellarmine and therefore when our own lust is finally unmortified it bringeth forth death it cast's into the fire of Hell if we do not therefore mortify lust it will kill and damne us without the mortification of originall sinne the mortification of actuall sinne will be impossible unlesse we mortify the body of sin we can never mortify the deeds of the body it will be a vain endeavour to dry up the streames when the fountaine is as full as ever Stephen Gardiner used in the time of Queen Mary to say that 't was in vaine to strike at the branches whilst the root of all heretiques did remaine meaning the Lady Elizabeth that was afterwards Queen thus may we say it will be to little purpose to lop the branches of the tree of corruption unlesse we lay the axe unto the root of the tree that root of bitternesse our own lust which unlesse mortified will abundantly fructify in sinfull wishes desires delights resolves and outward workes it will alwayes be conceiving and bringing forth sinne the King of Meth in Ireland sometimes asked one Turgehesie how certaine noisome birds that came flying into the realme and did much harme might be destroyed he answered him nidos 〈◊〉 ubique destruendos the way to be rid of them was to destroy their nests the way to destroy actuall lust is to mortify and pull down originall lust that is fomes 〈◊〉 the nest and the wombe of all actuall sinnes whatsoever unto this the Apostle Paul exhorts Rom. 6. 12. Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies here by sinne many learned interpreters both Protestant and popish understand originall sinne unto which all actuall sin are but as Vice-royes and the mortification of this is nothing but the dethronization thereof when originall sinne is mortified then 't is uncrown'd and dethroned and 't is unmortified and raignes when there is no spirituall resistance made against it by a spirituall principle upon spirituall and scripture grounds because 't is displeasing unto God and contrary unto his law when ther 's no grace to impaire and weaken it no spirit to lust against the flesh The raigne of originall sinne which is nothing else but the unmortification thereof is here vers 13 described by it's 〈◊〉 and opposite First by it's correlate and that is a twofold subjection First and obedience unto it's lawes edicts and commands not obeying it in the lust thereof that is not yeelding a full and totall consent unto it's motions suggestions and desires The second is a 〈◊〉 to fight it's
quod Christus sit 〈◊〉 vel minor Patre sed cum determinatione scilicet secundum humanam naturam Nay not only Aquinas but generally all the Schoolmen and Civilians too are so precise in this particular as that among the degrees of damnable propositions are ranked by them not only propositions down rightly hereticall or 〈◊〉 but also propositio sapiens haeresin propositio male sonans every proposition that doth but smell that hath but a smack of heresie that sounds but ill or suspiciously and such are all propositions that in the first signification which their words at first blush seeme to import have an hereticall sense all propositions that of themselves that is uttered absolutely without any explanation or qualification seeme to favour or countenance hereticall propositions allthough they be capable of a good construction and with many cautions limitations and restrictions might passe for currant And therefore was it that the Councill of Basil condemned this proposition Christ sins daily because taken properly t is false and against the faith although perhaps it may be freed from errour if expounded in a unproper sense thus Christ sinneth daily not in himself but his members Suarez saith that if an equivocall proposition having two proper senses one Cathelick another hereticall be delivered absolutely without any distinction or declaration in which sense 't is meant it is then deservedly said to be propositio malè sonans The same author goeth on and tels us that a proposition is said to be malè sonans not onely ab 〈◊〉 but also ab extrinseco when the suspicion or ill sound thereof ariseth not from the proposition taken nakedly as it is in it selfe but considered jointly with the circumstances either of the person delivering or of the time and place in which it is delivered Omitting his instance I will give you others more true and savory The word Sacrament with the ancients sounded no other than an holy significant rite in those times then to have called matrimony orders c. Sacraments had been it may be without all manner of offence But now since the Church of Rome hath peremptorily determined that therebe Seaven Sacraments properly and strictly so called seaven outward and sensible signes which by divine institution have annexed unto them the promise of justifying grace He that shall now terme any thing a Sacrament besides Baptisme and the Lords Supper renders himselfe thereby justly suspected In the writings of the Fathers the words of satisfaction and merit have been of large use Satisfaction signified every bitter afflictive acknowledgment or penitentiall mortification of our sins whereby we prevent and turne away God's hand and punishments for them Merit denoted onely obtaining procurement impetration and according to this acception of the words a man might safely have heretosore affirmed that our prayers almes and other good works are satisfactory and meritorious But now since some of the Romanists have wrested these sayings of the Fathers unto a worse sense than they were uttered in and hereupon taught that works are properly satisfactory just compensations for our sins wherein we make recompence unto Gods wronged justice and redeeme our selves at least from temporall punishments that works are strictly and properly meritorious of eternall life deserving and earning it ex condigno in the way of condigne wages as if there were an equality or due proportion between it and them without all regard unto Gods gracious acceptance of them he that shall now averre these propositions may without breach of charity be justly thought to embrace them in that false and erroneous sense which our adversaries the Papists take them in Hitherto concerning doctrinall appearance of evill in Doctrines Practicall appearance of evill in manners or matters of practise next followes and that may againe be divided into 〈◊〉 or Imaginary The distinction is the same with that of others Aliquid 〈◊〉 speciem mali vel per se ex conditione operis vel per accidens ex aliorum 〈◊〉 The difference between these must be well weighed else we may as fouly be mistaken as once the Pentickes were who as Florus tells us fighting in a night with the Romans per errorem longius cadentes umbras suas quasi hostium corpora petebant mistaking their own shadowes projected long as at the going downe of the Moone laid at them as at the very bodies of their enemies or as the Romans themselves were unto whom when Tiberius Gracchus touched his head with his hand to exhort the people as by a signe to stand upon their guard for their lives it seemed as if he demanded a diademe Cùm 〈◊〉 ad defensionem salutis suae manu caput tangens praebuit speciem regni sibi diadema poscentis Flor. lib. 3. cap. 14. To distinguish them then a reall appearance of evill flowes per se ex natura operis from the nature and condition of the fact it selfe when that of it selfe and in it's own nature is a very probable signe of evill and so it is when it is ordinarily done for an evill end when it is per se an occasion of Sin in our selves and of scandall unto others it must be occasio data non accepta First when naturally and not onely casually it may prove and ordinarily doth prove an occasion of an incentive to sinne in our selves Secondly when it becomes an occasion of scandall or offence of scandall tending unto sinne in the weake of scandall tending unto sorrow and vexation in the strong and discreet Such an appearance is there of adultery in a mans lying in bed with another mans wife though he hath no carnall knowledg of her Such an appearance of Judaisme than which few greater evills is there in the c circumcision of those Aethiopian Christians that live under Prester John Such was the appearance of evill in Christians fitting at meat in the Temples of Paganish Idols in Naamans bowing himselfe in the house of Rimmon however Cajet an excuse him with a pretty distinction inter genu 〈◊〉 imitativam genu flexionem obsequii And such also is that appearance of evill in a good mans intimate fellowship with bad ones in a true and formall compliancy with aliens in the signes of profession As in a Protestants presence at the superstitious and Idolatrous worship of Papists or in any other complementings with them in the expression of that worship Now no actions that have this reall appearance of evill are upon any pretext whatsoever to be ventured upon and for this I shall give two Reasons First because in them there is allwaies a scandall given an active scandall as is plaine from Aquinas his definition of scandall 2. 2 dae qu. 43. art 1. Scandalum saith he understand it of an active seandall est dictum vel factum minùs rectum praebens alteri occasionem ruinae For a word or fact is minus rectum some way or other irregular not onely when t is a sin in
indifferent all things unto all men only in order to their salvation to gaine their soules unto Christ and why should we abridge our selves in the use of our liberty in things that are of great expediency and conveniency unto us when such a restraint of our liberty is not a probable means of reaching the said end what reason can be given why we should incommodate our selves by forbearing all such indifferencies that wicked men are scandalized at when such forbearance is unprofitable unto their spirituall good and unlikely to bring them any jot the nearer unto God and Heaven A third limitation the forementioned rule hath not place when by the sorbearance of our indifferencies at which some wicked men are scandalized there is incurred as great if not a greater scandall then that by their use as when they are hereby confirmed and hardned in their errour and sinne and others are hereby drawn into the like prudenter advertendum est saith Bernard scandalum scandalo non emendari qualis emendatio 〈◊〉 si ut aliis scandalum tollas alios scandalizas Thus you see how the rule is to be limited and without such or the like limitations rigidly to presse it would make against both the liberty and peace of conscience First against the liberty of Conscience for it would in great part evacuate and annull the grand charter of our Christian liberty in things indifferent it would as Peter saith in another case put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our Fathers were nor we are able to beare Acts 15. 10. All things are lawfull for me saith Paul But I will not be brought under the power of any 1 Cor. 6. 12. But now if we must forbeare all our lawfull conveniences at which wicked men perhaps will be purposely scandalized we should be brought under the power of them we should be little better then their slaves and what an unspeakeable and intollerable vassalage would that bee Secondly it would make against the peace of Conscience for it would so perplex mens consciences with doubts and uncertainties as that they would hardly know when and how to act in the use of things indifferent for wicked men are very prone to be scandalized at the lawfull conveniencies of the Godly and there is no doubt but many are so wicked as that they would of set purpose nourish and cherish such scandals in themselves if they thought that the Godly would hereupon forbeare such their conveniencies there be some people of such malevolent spirits against Ministers as that they are scandalized at the decent apparell of them their wives at their competent fare and moderate house-keeping and if they must make the humor and opinion of such men the rule of their walking in all things indifferent it will be a very difficult matter for them to know how herein to carry themselves But this doctrine that we are to 〈◊〉 all indifferencies at which wicked men are scandalized if it be unlimited would create perplexities not only unto Ministers but unto all sorts of men especially such as have any thing due unto them from others for grant this and how often will a Landlord be at a losse to demand his rent a Creditor his debts and the magistrate his tribute or contribution Adde unto this thirdly that this doctrine without limitation will tend unto the overthrow of publick peace and 〈◊〉 and brings in nothing but anarchy and confusion for publique peace and order depends much upon the preservation of propriety and upon what a ticklish point would propriety stand if we must forbeare to exact or receive all such temporals at which wicked men are scandalized that can be forborne without sin unto what wrongs and injuries would this expose such as are well affected for there be some men so wicked and malitious as that they would be scandalized at their temporals for the nonce to deprive them of them I shall conclude this particular with the resolution of Aquinas 2. 2 dae q. 43. art 8. Propter cos qui sic scandala concitant non sunt temporalia dimittenda quia hoc noceret bono communi daretur 〈◊〉 malis 〈◊〉 occasio noceret ipsis rapientibus qui retinendo aliena in peccato remanerent Unde Greg. dicit in Moral Quidam dum temporalia à nobis rapiunt solummodo sunt tolerandi quidam verò aequitate servata prohibendi non 〈◊〉 cura nè nostra subtrahantur sed ne 〈◊〉 non sua semet ipsos perdant But what if this imaginary appearance of evill slow from the supposall of a weak one yet an holy one Why then it must be omitted but with this caution so it may be without sin or as the ordinary glosse upon that 15 of Matth. v. 12 13 14. resolves it Salvâ triplici veritate vitae Justitiae Dectrinae so the threesold verity of life justice and doctrine be preserved safe Nam per hanc triplicem veritatem saith Gregory de Valentia intelligitur omnis rectitudo immunitas à 〈◊〉 in actionibus humanis Veritas namque vitae continetur in actionibus rectis quas quis in seipso exercet convenienter rectae rationi appetitui recto atque 〈◊〉 verè veritate quadam practicâ Veritas 〈◊〉 justitiae rectis actionibus quae 〈◊〉 erga 〈◊〉 similiter convenienter rectae rationi prout verè absque 〈◊〉 oportet veritas denique 〈◊〉 continetur 〈◊〉 verâ minimè 〈◊〉 By this triple verity is understood all the rectitude and freedome from sinne that is in humane actions for the verity of life is contained in those regular actions which any one 〈◊〉 in and towards himselfe agreeably to right reason and a well governed appetite c. The verity of justice consists in those regular actions which are performed towards another likewise sutably to right reason as it behoveth truely and without sinne And to conclude the verity of doctrine consists in a true regular and unerring faith if these three verities be kept inviolate every thing must be abstained from upon which followes scandalum pusillorum a scandall springing from either the ignorance or weaknesse of our brother but because this resolution may be thought both too generall and obscure the Schoole-men themselves sumbling much about its explication we will therefore goe to worke more distinctly and particularly Consider whether or no the action in which this appearance of evill is imagined to be is necessary or indifferent If it be necessary and commanded by God it must not be omitted though all the world be offended For evill must not be done that good may come thereof Calvin telling us regard ought to be had of charity limits how farre usque ad aras that is so for our brothers sake we offend not 〈◊〉 I may adde so for our brothers sake we endanger not our own soules To prevent scandall and sin in our 〈◊〉 we may not runne upon sin our selves for a well ordered
of thy youth and walke in the waies of thy heart and in the sight of 〈◊〉 eyes as if he should have said pursue thy 〈◊〉 pleasures without check or stop and abridge not thy selfe of any thing that thy heart desireth or delighteth in but to shew that this is but a Sarcasme he presently brings in a dreadsull commination of judgment as a cooling card to 〈◊〉 the the rage and fury of his lusts But know that for all these things God will bring thee to judgment For all these things that is for all thy excesses for all thy intemperate courses for all thy Epicurisme and Sensuality God will bring thee unto Judgment thou mayest perhaps be unwilling to come to a triall but God will compell thee and the Ministers of his justice will dragge thee unto his Tribunall This in its owne nature is an apt and forcible dissuasive as unto all men from all sin so especially unto those that are in the Magistrary or in any office apperteining to justice from those sins that are opposed unto the duties of ther respective places Asterion in Tenedos is memorable for an old custom observed amongst them which was that at the backe of the Judge there alwaies stood a man with an axe advanced as well to terrisie the witnesse from giving false evidence to the Judge as the Judge from pronouncing a false sentence upon the evidence whence the Proverb 〈◊〉 securis But this axe was but a 〈◊〉 crow in comparison of a deep imprestion of the last judgment one would thinke that it should deterre even a Judge that is not very zealous for justice from the perverting of judgment and resusall to doe iustice and make him returne this or the like answer unto all temptations unto unjustice How shall I commit this great wickednesse and sin against the Judge of all Judges What then shall I do when God 〈◊〉 up and when he visiteth what shall I answer him Iob 31. 14. And why should not this meditation have the like influence upon all organs of Justice from the highest unto the lowest from the Sheriffe unto his Bailiffs why should it not affright all Plantiffs from unjust contentious and frivolous actions all Accusers and Informers from suggesting all Witnesses from deposing any untruth all Jurors from 〈◊〉 and partiality in their verdicts and presentments all Lawyers from colouring and palliating bad causes and persons from betraying or delaying the causes of their poore Clients Would all these but sadly Consider that a day will come when all their actions and proceedings at this time shall be revewed and reexamined how 〈◊〉 might it make them against all failings and practises that turne judgment into 〈◊〉 into gall and the fruite of 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 Amos. 5. 7 and. 6. 12. that is that turne publique Judicatories into places of bitter banefull and deadly injustice unto the oppressed for of all these their Judge hath a more perfect cognizance then their own Consciences The Prophet Amos tels the great ones of Samaria that they did put farre away the evill day and caused 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 to come neare Amos 6. 3. Although the evill day be there meant primarily of the 〈◊〉 of some particular judgment upon Israel yet it may be extended unto the day of generall judgment which will be unto the wicked in a way of eminency the evill day a day of sad and 〈◊〉 tidings Now if those that have any imployments in publique dispensation or distribution of Justice put farre away from them all thoughts of this day they cause the seat of violence to come neare the 〈◊〉 of justice should be a sanctuary unto the distressed but they who dread not a day of accounts turne it into a seat of unjust and Tyranicall violence and they are very hot and eager in the pursuit of their oppressive courses they cause the seat of violence to come neare Secondly The day of judgment should be a disswasive from even suspected sins from all things that have an appearance of evill When Tunstall Byshop of Durham told Mr Gilpin that he should have a dispensation for non-residence during his travell beyond the 〈◊〉 Mr Gilpin answered that he feared 〈◊〉 he came to stand before Christs Tribunall it would not serve his turne and indeed whosoever will seriously weigh the matter must needs confesse that in the generall we all have very good reason to stick and scruple at those things which we doubt will be disallowed by the supreame and Soveraigne Judge of all rationall Creatures in this sublunary world Me thinks then men should be afraid to adventure upon those recreations fashions or the like concerning the lawfulnesse of which they have not cleare full and evident satisfaction A third duty regarding God unto which we may be exhorted from the day of judgment is love of God and Christ Jesus for the sincere and upright love of them will give admirable erection and embolden against the terrors of that day 1 Joh. 4. 17. Herein is our love made p rfect that we may have boldnesse in the day of judgment because as he is so are we in this world Wheras on the Contrary how can they have boldnesse in the day of judgment whose hearts are here 〈◊〉 with enmity against Jesus Christ by whome God will in that day judge the secrets of men and God reckons all those to be mortall enimies unto him who are cordial friends unto any sin against such what a thundering curse doth Paul denounce 1 Cor. 16. 22. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha there be many learned Expositors that take the word to be an advise unto the third and highest degree of Excommunication that answered unto the Jewish Shammata an accursing of a man unto the coming of Christ without hope of mercy which cannot be done without a Propheticall spirit But against this it may be objected That the mere not loving of Christ is a sin of the heart and therefore comes not under Ecclesiastical Cognizance and censure Unto this Objection I find two answers The first Of the learned and Reverend Doctor Hammond that the not loving of Christ is the denying of him in time of trouble and signifyeth here him that was taynted with the Error of the Gnosticks and so would not confesse Christ in time of persecution A second Is that the not loving of Christ is the sin against the holy Ghost an opposition of Christ and his Gospel out of mere malice and desperate hatred But to make either of these interpretations good we must fly unto a Meiosis whereby lesse is spoken and more implyed and what need we run unto a figure as long as the words are capable of a faire interpretation in their proper sense I shall therefore conclude with Cornelius Alapide Dickson and others that the words containe only a simple denunciation of an eternall curse and damnation to be inflicted at the coming of the Lord to judgment upon
on Christ's behalfe our Lord. He is ordained to be a Priest for men in things pertaining to God Heb. 5. 1. to offer sacrifices for them not only 〈◊〉 and expiatory but also 〈◊〉 and gratulatory sacrifices of thanksgiving And as he is a priest to offer them so he hath a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and much 〈◊〉 to sweeten and purifie them from all sinne adhering to them and this seemes to be laid downe Rev. 8. 3. for the place by some of good note is expounded of Christs Mediation and Intercession for his members at the right hand of his Father his bearing the Iniquity of their holy things as Aaron his Type was appointed to doe Exod. 28. 38. his covering all the imperfections of their services and procuring of them favour and acceptance Secondly he hath a golden altar whereupon to consecrate them that is besprinkled with the blood of that great sacrifice which hath more virtue merit and welpleasingnesse in it then there can possibly be demerit and malignity in all the corruptions and failings of our thanks Meet therefore that we bring as all our sacrifices so the sacrifice of prayse and thanks in particular unto this our high priest soe however of it selfe offensive in Gods nostrils yet being 〈◊〉 with his Incense 〈◊〉 by his altar it shall ascend up in an holy smoke unto Heaven and as the Apostle spake of Almes Phil. 4. 18. shall be an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable and well-pleasing unto God FINIS OF Originall Righteousnesse And it 's CONTRARY CONCVPISCENCE BY HENRY JEANES Minister of God's Word at Chedzoy Ecclesiastes 7. 29. Loe this onely have I found that God hath made man upright But they have sought out many inventions James 1. 14 15. But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed Then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death OXFORD Printed by Hen Hall for Tho Robinson 1660. To his Honoured Friends The RIGHT WORSHIPFULL Sr WILLIAM WYNDHAM Of Orchard VVyndham Baronet THE WORSHIPFULL Esquires FRANCIS LuTTRELL of Dunstar Castle GEORGE TREVELYAN of Nettlecomb CHARLES STEYNINGS of Holnicote Gentlemen I Have joined you together in this Dedication to publish your Conjunction in a very laudable and Charitable action The giving of a plentifull Exhibition for the maintenance of a poore youth Student in the University of Oxon A rare Example in these daies in Gentlemen of whom how few can the greatest importunity winne to spare any thing from their superfluities for so good an use But your Liberality was so forward as that it needed no spurre nor Excitation only it called for direction unto a meet object That this should be published in Print was a thing I believe you never desired nor expected But though you doe not expect the praises of men as being acted by a higher principle yet you may lawfully accept them provided as Theseus dedicated unto Hercules the Temples that were built in his own honour so you doe not suffer these praises to be terminated in your selves but carry them further and higher unto that God who hath given you hearts and estates for such a worke There remaines yet one thing to be done and that is that we all you and I joine in sincere and unfeigned prayers unto God for his blessing upon the studies of him unto whom you have shewn such Munificence for though you water this plant 't is God alone can give the increase Unto this God I commend you and yours and rest Yours to be Commanded in the things of Christ HENRY JEANES That Originall Righteousnesse was in Adam Proved against Dr TAYLOR ALl that I have to say concerning Originall Righteousnesse shall be reduced unto two heads 1. An sit 2. Quid sit First Inquire we concerning its An sit for the Socinians deny that there was any such thing as you may see by what Socinus himselfe saith in his Prelections Chap. 3. and with him Dr Jeremy Taylor fully accords in diverse places of his bookes Further explication of Originall sinne pag. 461. The matter of Originall Righteousnesse is a thing framed in the Schoole forges but not at all spoken of in Scripture c. An answer to a letter touching Originall sinne pag. 5. When the Luthâ—ran and the Roman dispute whether justice and Originall righteousnesse in Adam was naturall or by grace it is de non ente Unum necessarium pag. 380. Innocency of Actuall sin seemes to be that which Divines call Originall Righteousnesse there being no other either taught or reasonable who these Divines are that he speaks of I cannot guesse unlesse it be his reverend friends the Socinians and some 〈◊〉 that tread in their steps for excepting them the generality of both Protestants and Papists dissent from this conceit of his touching Originall Righteousnesse but the censure of Socinianisme is that which Dr Taylor despiseth and smileth at as a trifling noise a boyes trick a womans argument c and therefore we shall oppugne his and the Socinians opinion by arguments and they shall be taken from Scripture and Reason First From Scripture The first place is Gen. 1. 26 27. God said let us make man in our Image after our likenesse c. and the principall part of this Image stood in Originall Righteousnesse as is apparent by Pauls exposition thereof Ephes. 4. 24. Col. 3. 10. A second place is Gen. 1. 31. And God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good man therefore was in his kind created very good and the goodnesse proper unto a 〈◊〉 creature is a morall 〈◊〉 the righteousnesse which we here speake of so that 't is impossible for man to be very good unlesse his understanding be full of saving light truth and knowledg and his will affections and whole man of holinesse Socinus praelect cap. 3. hath here a very sorry shift 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibi non de animi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de justitia sermonem esse sed de aptitudine 〈◊〉 ad id quod Deus 〈◊〉 sibi 〈◊〉 I Answer saith he that by goodnesse is meant the fitnesse and conveniency of every thing for that end which God hath appointed but this is so far from infirming our argument as that it rather makes unto the confirmation thereof because as I shall shew anon man cannot be fitted and qualified for the end unto which God hath designed him without a positive righteousnesse A third place is Eccles. 7. 29. 〈◊〉 this onely have I found that God hath made man upright the word translated upright is jaschar and that usually denoteth one that is upright not onely with a negative uprightnesse an uprightnesse of innocency an exemption from sinne but also with a positive uprightnesse an uprightnesse of vertue purity and holinesse Johannes Junius in his refutation of Socinus his Prelections observeth that the 〈◊〉 render it here by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifieth strait or right Matth. 3. 3. Mark
that is wholly depraved and defiled with lust he thinkes then that lust might be seated in the will nay 〈◊〉 himselfe though he thinke that concupiscence hath it's chiefe residence in the flesh by which he meanes the body and the sensuall powers of man yet he withall 〈◊〉 that there is something like unto it in the superiour part of the soule for even that is prone immoderately to desire honours vaine glory and the like vanities and therefore Paul Gal. 5 having said that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lusteth against 〈◊〉 spirit he nameth not only fornication drunkennesse and the like carnall sinnes but also idolatry heresies envyings c which were spirituall sinnes sinnes of the upper region of the soule thus you see that a great part of concupiscence is placed in the supreme the rationall faculties of man and extended unto spirituall and immateriall objects and hereupon it will follow that at least this part of concupiscence cannot 〈◊〉 from the condition 〈◊〉 the matter A third argument is because this assertion that the resultancy of this concupiscence from the nature and matter of man would have been besides the intention of God strikes against either the omniscience or omnipotency of God for either God foresaw this resultancy or not to say that he did not foresee it takes away the infinitenesse of his knowledge if he foresaw it then I demand whether he could not or would not prevent it to say that he could not prevent it denieth the infinitenesse of his power if he could but would not prevent or stay it then it followeth that this resultancy was not besides but agreeable unto his purpose and intention Secondly this answer is repugnant unto Bellarmine his own principles I shall instance in two First it is apparent that he maketh this concupiscence to be chiefly the naturall and necessary propension of the sensitive faculties unto their proper and naturall object and from this I thus argue Naturall and necessary propensions of the naturall faculties of any thing unto their naturall and proper object cannot be besides the intention of God the creatour for such propensions must needs be positive qualities and of every positive being God is the cause and author But now concupiscence is by Bellarmines discourse the naturall and necessary propension of the sensitive faculties of man unto their proper and naturall objects And consequently t is not besides the intention of the Creatour flowing as a naturall defect or disease only from the condition of the mould or matter of man A second thing in Bellarmine with which this his answer clasheth is his confession that concupiscence is contrary to the nature of man de gratiâ primi hominis cap. 7. From hence I thus argue Nothing that is against the nature of man can 〈◊〉 naturally and necessarily from the principles of his nature But Bellarmine confesseth that this concupiscence is against the nature of man And therefore he contradicts himselfe when he affirmeth that it results from the principles of man's nature the condition of his matter As for the similitude of the Smith and the Iron sword that will be nothing unto the purpose for First no Smith whatsoever can make Iron that is the matter of a sword but God alone is the author of the matter of man and consequently is the cause of all the naturall sequels thereof Secondly a Smith if he could would frame such a sword as might not be subject or inclined unto rust but it is not a thing in his power for he cannot alter the nature of Iron so that if he will produce an Iron sword it will be lyable unto rust The Papists seeme to ascribe such an impotency unto God himselfe for they suppose all along that God cannot make man to be compounded of a reasonable soule and sensible matter but that besides the intention of God the naturall and necessary result of such a composition will without supernaturall prevention be a headlong inclination unto sensible objects against the dictates of right reason but the falshood of this supposition I shall anon at large detect A second answer of Bellarmin's which we frequently sind also in Dr. Taylor is that this concupiscence is not a sinne but only a disease languer infirmity or 〈◊〉 of nature and therefore though God had been the cause of it it would not yet have followed that God was the author of sinne Unto this I shall oppose the cleare testimony of Paul who in 6 7 8. chapters of his Epistle unto the Roman's cal's it sinne fourteene times as Bishop Davenant and Dr. Francis White after Bishop of Ely calculate the places But unto all these places Bellarmine replyeth in which reply he is seconded by Dr. Taylor that concupiscence is called sinne by the Apostle not properly and formally but 〈◊〉 because it is the effect and cause of sinne the effect of Adam's first sinne and the cause of our sinne But that concupiscence is properly and formally a sinne I shall prove against both Bellarmine and his confident second Dr. Taylor from it's influence subject adjuncts opposites First from it's influence mediate and immediate First from it's mediate influence it is the cause of all actuall sin whatsoever whensoever we are tempted to any sinne we are enticed and drawne away by our own lust this is the mother that conceiveth and bringeth forth all sinne Jam. 1. 14 15 and doubtlesse the daughter resembleth the mother the cause and the effect have the same nature that which as a habit or quality is the cause of sinne must needs be sinne too but concupiscence or the originall pronesse of our natures unto sinne is the roote of all sinne and therefore to use the Apostles expression 't is exceeding sinfull Rom. 7. 13 for nil dat quod non habet vel formalitèr vel eminenter But for confirmation of this argument we have the testimony of him who is the truth it selfe Mat. 7. 17 18. A corrupt tree bringeth forth evill fruit a good tree cannot bring forth evill fruit now concupiscence or an inclination unto sinne bringeth no fruit but that which is morally evill and corrupt and therefore 't is a tree morally evill and corrupt but this argument I shall insist on more fully hereafter in opening Jam. 1. 14 15. Secondly from it's immediate influence it naturally and directly produceth as it 's immediate effects those first motions unto sinne which are without consent and therefore if we can prove these first motions unto sinne to be sinne our adversaries will confesse that concupiscence is sinne also now that they are sinne may be concluded from the Apostles description of sinne 1 〈◊〉 3. 4. Sinne is the transgression of the law for the first motions unto sinne trespasse against that which our Saviour cal's the first and great commandement thou shalt love the Lord with all thy soule might mind and strength for if sinne God's greatest enemy hath any motions or inclinations of the soule any thoughts of the
mind God is not loved with all our soule and mind and the soule is faulty when 't is divided betwixt God and sinne their heart is divided saith the Prophet now shall they be found faulty Hosea 10. 2. This argument Dr. Abbot Bishop of Salisbary brings in his defence of Mr. Perkins his reformed Catholique against Dr. Bishop pag. 187. 188. He erreth saith he in that be maketh Originall 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 only in the integrity of the will and the forme of sin to stand only in the aversion of the will from God by the 〈◊〉 of the same originall justice whereas originall justice was in truth the integrity of all the parts of 〈◊〉 not subjecting the 〈◊〉 to the mind and the mind to God but 〈◊〉 whole man to God the image whereof is set forth unto us in the commandment Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy mind with all thy soule with all thy thoughts and strength The forme of sinne therefore is not only in the aversion of the will but in the aversion of any part or power or faculty of the soule if in any of these there be a declining from the law of God it is the sinne of man Now 〈◊〉 so long as there is any matter of concupiscence to be yet 〈◊〉 and restrained God cannot be loved with all the soule for how can 〈◊〉 have all the soule so long as concupiscence hath any part therefore in the 〈◊〉 of any matter of concupiscence there is sinne because it is sinne when either there is not love at all or it is lesse than it should be when it is not with all the soule But further as these first motions and agitations of concupiscence are virtually and implyedly contrary unto our Saviour's summary of all the commandements of the first table so they are particularly and expressely forbidden by the last commandement of the second table the tenth commandement that God here dealeth with the first motions and thoughts of the heart is the sense of Bishop Andrewes upon the commandements and Dr. Taylor cannot say that he was a Calvinist or Presbyterian But this his exposition hath for it very good 〈◊〉 because those motions unto sinne which are consented to are forbidden in the severall commandments as appeareth by our Saviour's glosse upon the seventh commandment Matth. 5. 28. Now if they be forbidden in the severall commandments 't is unlikely that there should be alloted for the prohibition of them a distinct commandment considering how short a breviary of man's duty the 〈◊〉 is Indeed Ames rightly holdeth that the first motions unto unjustice are here only expressely forbidden but from the forbidding of them we may conclude by way of proportion the prohibition also of the first motions which are against the duties of religion and 〈◊〉 commanded in the first table But though the first motions of concupiscence had not been forbidden by any written law yet 't is sufficient to make them sinne that they are repugnant unto the light of right reason for this is truly properly and univocally the law of God the law of nature written in the hearts of all men and as for the repugnancy of the first motions of concupiscence unto right reason it cannot be denyed if we instance in those which are in the sensitive powers of man against the dominion of his mind and so much may be gathered from what Aquinas acknowledgeth concerning concupiscence it selfe part 3. quaest 15. art 2. Ad rationem fomitis inquit pertinet inclinatio sensualis appetitus in id 〈◊〉 est contra rationem and againe afterwards ad 1 m ratio somitis consistit in resistentiâ sensualis appetitus ad rationem and ad 2 m fomes peccati importat concupiscentiam delectabilium praeter ordinem rationis This reason is urged by Augustine to prove concupiscence to be not only a punishment and cause of sinne but also sinne it selfe the concupiscence of the flesh against which the good spirit striveth is a sin saith he quia inest illi inobedientia contra dominatum mentis by reason ther 's in it disobedience against the dominion of the mind A second argument to prove that concupiscence is a sinne and not a sinlesse infirmity is taken from the subject of it It is only found in sinfull men such as are descended from Adam in an ordinary way of naturall generation Hence now I thus reason All sinlesse infirmities so they were generall unto our nature and not personall were found in the humanity of Christ for he was made like unto us in all things sinne alone accepted But concupiscence was not in the humanity of Christ as is confessed by the generality of Papists And therefore 't is not a sinlesse and naturall but a morall and sinfull infirmity Unto the Major the Papists give an answer I confesse which I have upon another occasion replyed unto in my treatise of the incarnation pag. 103. 104. The Minor Dr. Taylor seemes to deny in his further explication of originall sinne pag. 494. his words I shall transcribe and then give what reason I have for my suspicion If concupiscence which is in every man's nature be a sinne it is certaine Christ had no concupiscence or naturall desires for he had no sinne But if he had no concupiscence or naturall desires how he should be a man or how capable of law or how he should serve God with choice where there could be no potentia ad oppositum I thinke will be very hrd to 〈◊〉 understood Christ felt all our infirmities yet without sinne All our infirmities are the effects of the sinne of Adam and part of that which we call originall sinne therefore all these our infirmities which Christ felt as in him they were for ever without sinne so long as they are only naturall and unconsented to must be in us without sinne for whatsoever is naturally in us is naturally in him but a man is not a man without naturall desires therefore these were in him in him without sinne and therefore so in us without sinne I meane properly really and formally Here I expect to be cold that the Dr hath explicated concupiscence by naturall desires But now I demand whether by naturall desires he understand the desires of the sensitive appetite after meat drinke and and the like if he doth then he speakes nothing to the purpose but fights with his own shadow for those whom he opposeth 〈◊〉 and Calvinists hold such desires to be lawfull and indifferent and never affirme that they were in themselves sinne unlesse vitiated by circumstances but to prevent his shifting and to sift out his meaning I shall propound unto him this following Dilemma either he speakes of concupiscence in that sense it is understood by Protestants and Papists in this controversy or not If not then he playeth the egregious 〈◊〉 and runnes away 〈◊〉 the question and whither such a trifler be meet to reforme the Divinity of Christendome
Thirdly wee may from the causality and influence of lust infer it's obliquity aganist Papists Socinians and Dr. Taylor that 't is not only a naturall but a morall disease of the soule not only vitium but peccatum that which as a quality or habit tempts drawes and entices unto sinne conceiveth and bringeth forth sin must needs be sinne but lust doth all this and therefore 't is sinne to wit properly and formally The Minor is affirmed in terminis by the Apostle in the text and for confirmation of the Major I shall lay openly three things First the testimony of our Saviour Matth. 7. vers 17. 18 a corrupt tree bringeth forth evill fruit a good tree cannot bring sorth evill fruit but the fruit of lust is morally evill it bringeth forth sinne therefore 't is a tree morally corrupt A second thing is that knowne Maxime in Logick Nihil dat quod non habet vel formaliter vel eminenter that which is the principall cause of the obliquity and deformity of sinne must needs have in it selfe that deformity or obliquity 〈◊〉 formally or 〈◊〉 it must either have the same deformity or obliquity or else some deformity or obliquity which is more eminent than that but no deformity or obliquity can transcend that of sinne and concupiscence is the principall cause of sinne whether efficient or deficient it comes all to one therefore concupiscence containeth the obliquity or deformity of sinne formally and consequently is formally a 〈◊〉 A Third particular which I shall alleadge for confirmation of the Major is the manner of lusts causality of and influence upon sinne it tempts drawes and enticeth unto sinne not outwardly as an object but inwardly as a quality or habit it incâ—lineth unto sinne as habits dispose unto their acts now habits impart both their name and nature unto their most accomplished and compleat acts concupiscence therfore communicates unto it's most consummate acts their nature and name and therefore hath as they both the name and nature of sinne Ames thus urgeth this argument against Bellarmine Concupiscentia dicitur parere peccatum eo modo quo interna animi rectitudo quae est justitia parit justitiam id est completum actum de quo nomen natura totius motus principii ejus usitate proprie maxime praedicatur Bell. enerv tom 4. pag. 36. From this there may be refuted three other points of popery First the absolute perfection of the good workes of the regenerate Secondly their justification by them And thirdly their possibility of fulfilling the law First the absolute perfection of the good workes of the regenerate for concupiscence worketh in all the actions of man and therefore seeing 't is a sinne it distilleth sinfullnesse into the best of them and rendreth them peccaminosa though not peccata sinfull though not sinnes the flesh lusteth against the spirit so that yee cannot doe the things that yee would Gal. 5. 17 the good things that yee would so exactly or perfectly as yee desire Secondly we may hence conclude against justification by goood workes at least in a meritorious way for it so distaineth them as that it disableth them to satisfy for the least sin against God to merit the least good from God and this may discover the necessity of a Christ for our justification who was God as well as man and in his man-hood had such an all-fullnesse of grace as was utterly exclusive of and inconsistent with the least degrree of concupiscence lust therefore did not could not mingle with any of his actions and sufferings to impede the all-fullnesse of their satisfaction and merit Thirdly we may hence inferre the impossibility of fullfilling the law in a legall way for though we may keep it evangellically in such a measure as God for Christs sake will accept yet concupiscence doth so immixe it selfe with all our actions the very best of them as that they must needs prove gradually defective and come far short of that exactnesse and perfection which the law requireth and so consequently every man is a sinner a transgressour of the law But to passe from speculative unto practicall uses The next use is of reprehension of all such as excuse or extenuate their sins by discharging them upon the importunity and violence of outward temptations the text in hand teacheth us that the principall cause into which we are to resolve all the prevailing temptations unto sin is our own lust so that God may say to those that perish in their sinnes as the Prophet unto Israel Hosea 13. 9 thou hast destroyed thy selfe it is thy owne concupiscence hath undone thee hath damn'd thee oh Beloved 't is our own lust that hath conceived and brought forth all our sinnes 't is this internall tempter in our hearts that hath betrayed us unto all forreigne and externall suggestions unto sinne by opening the gate of our consent unto them and therefore it would be injustice to lay our sins at any others doores externall tempters are never totall but only partiall causes of sinne they doe never more than cooperate with that sinfull lust within us the goodly Babylonish garment the two hundred shekels of silver and the wedge of gold of fifty shekels had never enticed Achan unto sacriledge if he had not been also tempted by his own lust the lust of the eyes coveteousnesse David had never by the beauty of Bathsheba been allured unto adultery with her but that he was tempted by his own lust the lust of the flesh though Satan provoked him to number Israel 1 Chron. 21. 1 yet he could never have drawne him thereunto but that he was tempted by his own lust the pride of life ambition and haughtinesse and hence was it that he did not throw the blame upon Satan but charged himselfe alone 2 Sam. 24. 10. Davids heart smote him after that he had numbred the people and David said unto the Lord I have sinned greatly in that I have done when Scipio's invasion of Africa drew Hannibal out of Italy it is said that Hannibal brake out into this expression it is not Scipio but mine own country men Hanno and his faction in the Senate of Carthage that hath thwarted and contradicted all my designes and hindred my recruits and supplies 't is he only that hath driven mee out of Italy So every regenerate man may say when he is drawn or driven from his communion and fellowship with the Allmighty it is not so much Satan the world evill company the badnesle of times or places in which I live outward provocations and allurements the infelicity of my condition relations and the like it is not so much these the traitour in my heart the flesh lusting against my better part the spirit hath tempted and seduced me hath drawne me from my God and Saviour and hath enticed me unto sinne Lastly diverse exhortations may be infer'd from the causality and influence of our concupiscence we may hence be exhorted unto First 〈◊〉
battels to take up armes in it's defence to imploy all the parts of our body and consequently all the powers of our soule by which these parts are acted in it's service 〈◊〉 yeeld yee your members as instruments or as it is in the greek armes or weapons of unrighteousnesse actuall unrighteousnesse unrighteous actions unto sinne that is unto originall sinne Secondly the raigne or unmortification of originall sinne is here described by it's opposite subjection and obedience unto the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof but yeeld your selves unto God c and your members and conseqnently the faculties of your roules as instruments of righteousnesse unto God Unto the mortification that is opposition of the raigne of originall sin we have here two arguments First the shortnesse of the combate it will be only whilest you have these mortall bodies Secondly the assurance and certainty of victory First sinne shall not have 〈◊〉 over you vers 14 so you will doe your devoyre and make head and resistance against it and this promise of victory he confirmes from the state of regeneration for yee are not under the law but under grace ibid yee are not under the law as 't is the strength of sinne 1 Cor. 15. 56 as it irritates stir 's up and provokes unto sinne Rom. 7. 8 but ye are under grace the grace of sanctification it will enable and assist you to resist and overcome sinne and that originall as well as actuall unto this place let me adde another of the same author in his Epistle unto the Hebrewes 〈◊〉 12. 1 2 let us lay aside the 〈◊〉 which doth so easily beset us originall sinne cannot here in this life be laid aside as touching the existence of it but let us lay aside the dominion of it let us shake of the rule of this sinne which of it selfe doth so easily beset us beleaguer all our faculties it tempts us without a tempter it's motions will arise without any outward provocation Erasmus renders the clause abjecto tenaciter inhaerente nobis peccato sinne that cleaves so fast unto us so fast that it cannot be loosed from us à conceptione ad funus though we be working on it and weeding out of it from the beginning to the end of our life so Bishop Lake on Psal. 51. v. 5 notes upon the words and according to this translation 〈◊〉 tel's us of some who thinke that the Apostle alludes unto Ezekiel 24. 26 where some wicked men are compared to a pot whose scumme is therein and whose scumme is not 〈◊〉 out of it the scumme of concupiscence will never wholly be gone out of our natures here but however we should alwayes be rubbing and scouring it away so much as we can let us endeavour our utmost to lay aside the sinne which doth so easily beset us that so we may with patience run the race that is set before us for if it be not in some measure lay'd aside abated and weaken'd it will burden hinder and entangle us in our spirituall race hence in the Italian translation the former words are thus read the sinne which doth so easily hinder us the similitude saith 〈◊〉 seemes to be taken from such long and large garments as were wont to be laid of in such races to be so much the more active the laying aside that is the mortification of this sinne is a very difficult taske and therefore in it we should look off from our selves upon our head and Saviour Christ Jesus and this will incourage us for he is the authour and finisher of our faith and faith will purify our hearts from originall and actuall sinne he hath broken this head of the serpent for us by his death and passion in which he gave for it ample satisfaction 〈◊〉 the justice of God and he hath also broken this head of the serpent in us by the remission and mortification of it and this worke that he hath begun he will perfect and accomplish in our glorification in which he will present us to himselfe glorious not having the least spot of lust any the least pronenesse unto sin This mortification of concupiscence is of such necessity and importance as that our Apostle Gal. 5. 24. makes it the character of our christianity our relation unto Christ they that are Christs the true and genuine members of Christ have crucified the flesh that is our originall and native lust with the affections and lusts the affections that is the sudden passions and lusts that is setled desires which it worketh those that doe not endeavour to mortify to crucify the flesh the corruption of their natures are not true and reall but only nominall christians The mortification of the flesh is here compared unto a crucifixion not only because in part it resembleth it but also because 't is from the virtue and merit of Christ's Crosse and by meditation thereon for a 〈◊〉 thus reasoneth with himselfe my inbred lust had a hand in the crucifying of my Saviour shall I then suffer it to live and reigne in mee For it he hung upon a crosse and shall it then have a 〈◊〉 in my heart shall I spare and indulge that which put him to so painfull and shamefull a death No I will as it were naile it unto a crosse too disable it for motion so that it shall not have such liberty to revell it up and down in my heart and life as formerly The Apostle not only recommendeth the subduing of the flesh unto others but also exemplifieth it by his own practise 1 Cor. 9. 27. I keep under my body and bring it into subjection where by body protestant writers generally understand that body whose deeds by the spirit are to be mortified Rom. 8 13 that which is called Rom 6. 6 the body of sinne Rom. 7. 24 the body of death and even Estius a 〈◊〉 expositor though he interpret it of the body yet 't is with regard unto the flesh in it the carnall concupiscence of which Paul speaks Gal. 5. 17 the flesh lusteth against the spirit the greeke words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are very emphaticall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Criticks observe is to strike about the face or under the eyes to give black or blew wounds in the places there abouts as Champions did unto their antagonists with their fists or clubs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to bring under as masters did their slaves when they were unruly wanton or insolent or as wrestlers did their fellow combatants when they overcame them But you may now perhaps expect some directions for the mortification of concupiscence I shall in this last point at three First lust is mortified by sorrow for it and hatred of it it dyes when it dyes in the affections it is crucified when 't is bewailed and loathed Secondly lust is mortified by the growth and 〈◊〉 of grace for intenso altero contrariorum 〈◊〉 reliquum when one
contrary is height'ned and intended the other is thereby remitted depressed and abated the strengthenning of grace then will weaken the corruption of our nature and therefore whith Paul Ephes. 3. 14 16. let us bow our knees unto the father of our Lord Jesus Christ that he would grant us according to the riches of his glory to be strengthned with might in the inner man by his spirit giving efficacy unto a diligent use of God's ordinances for this will decay and impayre the old man A third way to mortify concupiscence is to stop it's influence for this must needs enfeeble it and as it were dishearten and discourage it now this is done when it's motions and desires are resisted it's conceptions are strangled in the wombe it's births like brats of Babylon Psal. 137. 9 dasht in peices against the 〈◊〉 i e destroyeyd by a timely repentance and never suffered to arrive unto any growth or maturity For this hinderance of lusts operation I shall prescribed two meanes one inward another outward First inward and that will be to exert and act all our 〈◊〉 as much as possibly we can for contrary actions as well as contrary qualities will weaken and wound each other the way then to quench the lustings of the flesh against the spirit will be to foment the lustings of the spirit against the flesh to entertaine and cherish all holy motions thoughts and desires Secondly outward and that is abstinence from the occasions that are likely to excite and stirre up concupiscence that bring as it were 〈◊〉 unto the fire and throw oyle upon the flame thereof for what were this but to make provision for the flesh to fullfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13. 14 we should therefore take up David's resolution Psal 101. 3. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes if we set wicked things before our eyes they will soon steale into our hearts and there kindle a fire that may never end but in the flames of hell Prov. 23. v. 2 31 put a knife to thy throat if thou be a man given to appetite Look not thou upon the wine when it is red when it giveth it's colour in the cup when it moveth it's selfe aright Forbear gaming if thy experience informe thee that it tempts thee unto either rash anger or covetousnesse if thou findest that thou art prone unto wantonesse doe not so much as looke upon an amorous romance hearken unto the advice of Solomon Prov. 5. 8 remove thy way far from the strange woman and come not 〈◊〉 the doore of her house imitate the prudence of Joseph who not only refused the imbraces of his mistrisse but sled from her very sight and presence Gen. 39. verse 10 12 he was more affraid of the temptation of his own lust then of all the charmes in her beauty and the importunity of her solicitations Thirdly we may from the influence of lust be exhorted unto watchfullnesse against it and that in all the faculties of our soules and members of our bodies we should trust none of them without Job's covenant Job 31. 1 or David's bridle Ps. 39. 1 Peter exhorts unto vigilancy because our adversary the Divell as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whome 〈◊〉 may 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 5. 8 But if it were not for the compliance and correspondence of our own lust this roaring lyon could doe us no more hurt than the Lyons did Daniell in the denne 't is this that opens the doore of our soules unto him and so betrayeth us unto his temptations nay this would be an importunate and restlesse tempter though Satan and the world should surcease their temptations for it can conceive sin without a father bring it forth without a midwife and breed it up without a nurse concupiscence is a dangerous adversary not only when as a King it commands all in the soule but also when it is deposed from it's rule and is in a subdued nay in a crucified condition and therefore the most sanctified should keep on still their watch against it and be jealous of all it's motions though they seeme to be never so weake and remisse Mr. Knowles in his Turkish history relates a very strange story concerning a wounded souldier which I shall insert and apply unto our present purpose After Amurath the third King of the Turks had overcome Lazarus the 〈◊〉 of Servia he with some of his cheif captaines taking view of the dead bodyes a Christian 〈◊〉 sore wounded and all 〈◊〉 seeing him in staggering manner arose out of an 〈◊〉 of stayne men and making towards him for want of strength fell oftentimes by the way at length drawing nigh unto him when they that guarded the King's person would have stayed him he was by Amurath himsele commanded to come neare 〈◊〉 sing that he would have craved his life of him thus this halfe dead Christian pressing neere unto him as if he would for honours sake have kissed his feet suddenly stabbed him in the bottome of his belly with a short dagger which he had under his souldiers 〈◊〉 of which wound that great King and conquerour presently dyed unto this souldier every regenerate man may compare his own lust though it be in a wounded nay dying and mortified state ready as it were to expire and give up the Ghost yet if we suffer it to arise from the dead if we doe not hinder it's motions though they seeme to be faint and feeble if we doe not continue a constant watch and guard against it but suffer it's approaches and give way unto a conference and parley with it it will soon smite us as it were under the fist rib give such a fatall blow and stab unto the conscience as would soon make a totall and finall dispatch an utter riddance of all the remainders of spirituall life in us but that we are under the hands of a Physitian unto whom belong the issues of death who hath a plaister of divine and infinite virtue and value his own heart blood the blood of God-man and a soveraigne balsome of infinite power and efficacy his spirit which can cure the deepest and most dangerous wounds of the soule that otherwise would be deadly Fourthly from the influence of lust we may be exhorted unto thankefulnesse for deliverance from it and this exhortation may be addressed unto both the unregenerate and regenerate First unto the unregenerate who are delivered from it only in a way of restraint when they see malefactors imprisoned stock'd whip'd dragged to shamefull executions let them consider that if God did not withhold their concupiscence from it's naturall energie it would have brought them into the like case made them as publique spectacles of shame as any if it were not for the bridle of God's 〈◊〉 grace upon them originall sin would worke in them all manner of concupiscence Rom. 7. 8 out of the concupiscence that is in their hearts would proceed as waters streame from a fountaine not only evill thoughts but
and sweeten our 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 with meeknesse moderation Gal. 6. 1 if a man be overtaken in a fault 〈◊〉 which are spirituall restore such a 〈◊〉 in the spirit of 〈◊〉 considering thy selfe 〈◊〉 thou also be tempted here spirituall is taken in opposition not unto the unregenerate as 't is used 1 Cor. 2. 15 but unto weake Christians babes in Christ and so 't is understood chap. 3. vers 1 by spirituall persons then are understood those that are strong in the faith of full age who by reason of use have their senses 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 both good and evill Heb. 5. 14 now the Apostle to induce these spirituall persons unto 〈◊〉 and gentlenesse in their reproofes propounds unto them the consideration of their own frailty and obnoxiousnesse unto surprisall by sinne considering thy selfe lest thou also be 〈◊〉 as if he should have said suppose thou art spirituall an eminent Christian one extraordinarily gifted with the gifts of both edification and sanctification yet if thou wilt duely consider the depravation of thy nature thou must needs be sensible that it is no impossible thing for thee to be tempted drawne and inticed by thy own lust into the very same faults with which thy weaker brethren are overtaken and for which they are now under the lash of thy censures thy lust may conceive and bring forth the same sins meditation upon this would take of much from the rigor severity and unclemency that usually is in our reprehensions which makes them to be mistaken for railings and deemed to proceed from an hostile and not fraternall affection it would incline us to reprehend our falling and failing brethren with such tendernesse as a Chirurgion handles his patients and so much may be imported by the word here translated restore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to set a bone that is broken or out of joint and this is or should be done with a tender hand and 〈◊〉 heart Ecclesiastes 7. 29. Lo this only have I found that God hath made man upright but they have sought out many inventions IN the verse foregoing Solomon complaines of the generall depravation of mankind one man among a thousand have I found but a woman among all those have I not found in the words there is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sive 〈◊〉 so that the words one and none are here taken for few and fewer as 't is observed in the Dutch Annotations if ye take the words properly the last clause is to be limited unto his outlandish wives and concubines that seduced him unto Idolatry who are said to be a thousand 1 Kin 11. 3 seven hundred wives three hundred concubines amongst all these there was not so much as one prudent and good woman now lest any should hereupon throw the blame of this upon God for giving man so depraved a nature he cleareth God by laying downe two conclusions The First concerning the state of man by creation God made man upright The second concerning the state of man by his apostacy and defection from God but they have sought out many inventions Unto these two Conclusions he premiseth a preface Lo this only have I found wherein we have three things remarkable First the importance of these two conclusions implyed in the note of attention Loe Secondly the meanes by which he came to the knowledge of them diligent search and study into the word and will of God this have I found Thirdly a comparison of them with other points he found them only First here 's the weight and importance of these two conclusions implyed in the note of attention Loe and the weight and concernment of them may be gather'd First from the influence of them upon practise being well studyed they will make us thankfull unto God humble in and watchfull over our selves charitable unto others in admonishing of them and praying for them Secondly from the pronenesse that is in men to justify themselves and accuse God for the corruption of their natures let no man saith James say when he is tempted I am tempted of God James 1. 13 this prohibition implyeth that men are apt to say that they are tempted by God Secondly we have the meanes by which Solomon came to the knowledge of these two points diligent search and study into the word and will of God this have I found to wit by inquiring after divine revelations the light of nature and reason can never discover that Adam was made upright as the representative of all mankind and that his fall from this uprightnesse was imputable and derivable to all mankind indeed the Lord of Plessie Marlie in his worke intituled the truenesse of Christian religion chap 26 proveth by naturall reasons that man's nature is corrupted that man is falne from his first originall and for it also chap. 27 he alleadgeth the testimonyes of diverse antient Philosophers indeed by the woefull effects they had a confused knowledge of the 〈◊〉 that there was a great confusion and disorder in the soule of man but first however they knew it to be vitium a blemish or infirmity of nature yet doubtlesse the generality of them was ignorant that it was peccatum a fault or sinne Secondly reason though never so much improved could never attaine unto so much as a glimmering of it's 〈◊〉 the cause whence it came it fared with them as with Rebecca Gen. 25. 22 two children strugled together within her wombe and 〈◊〉 said if it be so why am I thus so they by dayly experience find contrary appetices strugling within them but they cannot ghesse at the cause of this unnaturall war and therefore they say as shee if it be so why are we thus and unto this demand 't is impossible to have any satisfying answer unlesse they doe as shee did in the close of the verse shee went to inquire of the Lord. This then may discover the true reason why Papists Socinians and Arminians have been at such a losse touching originall righteousnesse and originall sinne they have not taken such a course as Rebecca here they have not gone to inquire of the Lord they have consulted reason only and not scripture they have followed Aristotle not Paul for their guide Thirdly we have a comparison of these conclusions with other pointes of doctrine shinted in the particle only this only have I found this and nothing else But sounds not this very strangely was Solomon such a truant such a sorry proficient in the study of divinity as to know only two heads thereof originall righteousnesse and originall sinne sure then he was not gifted or qualified for the office of Ecclesiastes the Preacher for he had been unable to declare all the counsell of God For Answer unto this First this particle only is to be taken not simply but secundum quid in relation unto that depravation of man-kind spoken of in the foregoing verse this only have I found to wit as touching the cause
the same sinnes and that in regard either of the motives for meanes unto or manners of committing them First they have found out many inventions that is many motives and reasons to incite themselves unto the same sins thus an Harlot is allured unto her libidinous course of life by pleasure and by profit by a desire to maintaine her selfe in idlenesse and gaiety of apparrel by a vaine and proud delight that shee takes in the courtings adorations of her beauty thus in an unworthy and sinfull compliance with the vices of the times there may be a concurrence of many impulses servile feare covetousnesse vaine-glory and ambition but now though men may by variety of arguments tempt themselves unto the same sinnes yet there 's no solidity in any of these arguments they are but inventions have no more reality in them than poeticall fictions Secondly they have found out many inventions that is many meanes and wayes for the practising of the same 〈◊〉 how many are the wiles by which an adultresse deviseth to defile her husbands bed who can reckon up all those unlawful practises tricks deceits cheats and fetches by which misers scrape and hoard up wealth in an inordinate way and it is not as impossible to trace all the by-pathes and crooked wayes by which the ambitious ascend their undeserved honours and preferments Thirdly they have 〈◊〉 out many inventions that is many wayes and manners of acting the same sinnes Tiberius instituted saith 〈◊〉 a new office forsooth à 〈◊〉 for the devising of new and various pleasures he had also as the same Author monstrosi concubitus repertores such as invented monstrous kinds of libidinous filthinesse indeed not only he but diverse others of the Romanes as their Historians and Satyrists informe us used such unnaturall wayes of lust and uncleannesse as modesty prohibits the recitall of them and the devisers of them may be those inventors of evill things of which the Apostle speaks Rom. 1. 30 But to speake of our own times the drammatique poetry of our age hath been very inventive and 〈◊〉 was never able to keep pace with the various and quaint frauds of cheaters with the severall modes and methodes of drinking unmeasurable healthes with those horrid oathes and blasphemies that some men shall I say rather incarnate Divels dayly coyne and boast of such coynage as a rare invention with those monstrous and ridiculous fashions in apparrell and otherwise by which the gallants of both sexes expresse their pride and vanity Secondly this clause may be understood of severall sinnes they have found out many inventions that is they have invented many forts and kinds of sinnes First many sinnes against the first table much prophanesse and neglect of duties many 〈◊〉 and hereticall inventions against the truth of God many superstitious and idolatrous inventions against the worship of God Secondly many sinnes against the second table many vile unjust and uncharitable practises in the way of converse with and carriage towards men If this be the sense of the clause there be three things observable in it First the nature and originall of men's sins they are their inventions Secondly their numerousnesse many Thirdly their voluntarinesse sought out First their nature and originall they proceeded from their own invention and therefore cal'd their inventions the ground of all sinne is that men lay aside the unerring rule of God's word and will and invent rules of their own to walke by our first parents had never falne but that they first suspected and then disrelished the supposed rigour of God's precept and hereupon chalked out unto themselves a way unto happinesse that in truth and reality lead downe unto the chambers of Death what made Saul run upon a worser sinne than that of witchcraft rebellion against his maker a sinne that rooted out him and all his posterity but that he undervallued God's command and followed his own judgment his own invention God commanded him to smite 〈◊〉 and utterly to destroy all that they had and to spare them not but to 〈◊〉 both man and woman infant and suckling oxe and sheep Camel and Asse 1 Sam. 15. 3 but he devised as he thought a more prudent and politique course he reserved their King for triumph or ransom and the best of their cattle for spoile and plunder though he pretended it was for sacrifice in Psal. 106. vers 43 that which the Psalmist cals the counsel of the Israelites in the former part of the verse he termes their iniquity in the latter part they provoked him with their 〈◊〉 and were brought low for their iniquity now from this collation the inference is 〈◊〉 that mens own counsel is their iniquity men sinne when they are guided by their own counsels and inventions the best way then for prevention of sinne is not to bee directed by our own counsels and inventions but to keep exactly unto the perfect rule of righteousnesse the law and testimony of God I hate vaine thoughts but thy law doe I love saith the Psalmist Psal 119. 113. the cause of his hatred of vaine thoughts was his love of the law of God so on the contrary distast at the lawes of God is the principle of all vaine thoughts and sinfull inventions because men doe not love God's law therefore they love vaine thoughts they seek out many inventions This note as it may be averred of all sinne in generall so in a more speciall manner of will worship and 〈◊〉 for what is it other than humane invention the offering of strange fire to the Lord which he commanded not Levit. 10. 1 the setting of our posts by God's posts our thresheld by his threshold Ezek. 43. 8 what was the cause of the Israelites Idolatry against the second commandement the same thing with superstition but their desertions of God's ceremoniall Law that was to be the adequate rule of instituted worship and their seeking and following of many inventions and with what severity did God both threaten and punish this Idolatry of the Israelites you may read at large in the old Testament Secondly we have the numerousnesse of mans sinnes many inventions the 〈◊〉 inventions which the deceitfull hearts of men have sought out are so various and numerous as that they are unsearchable by any but the Lord himselfe who 〈◊〉 the heart and tryeth the 〈◊〉 Jer. 17. 9 10 Unto this at least by way of allusion we may apply that of the Prophet Isay 57. 10 thou art 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 of thy way the way to hell is so great and broad the pathes in it so many the sinfull inventions which wicked men seeke and pursue are so infinite as that 't is no wonder that they are quite tyred out in their journey they are in this respect as a swift Dromedary traversing her wayes Jer. 2. 23 that is severall wayes running when she is proud or hot with lust to and fro after severall males one while after one of them and another
nonsense and blasphemy he for his own part with a great deale of modesty forthwith declined all further dispute of the businesse but withal he told me that he would If I so pleased give D r Taylor notice of what I said whereunto I agreed and in a short time he brought me from the D r a faire and civill invitation to send him my exceptions and with it a promise of a candid reception of them whereupon I drew them up in a letter unto Mr T. C. the Copy whereof followeth Letters of the Authour And D r IEREMY TAYLOR To M r T. C. Sir I have here according unto your desire sent you my 〈◊〉 against that rassage in Dr Taylor concerning which you 〈◊〉 at my house It is in his further explication of the Doctrine of originall sinne pag 496 and it is the second argument which he brings to prove that inclination to evill is no sinne properly because it is accidentall to nature not intrinsecall and essentiall The argument put into sorme may be reduced into two syllogismes The first Sinne properly is not accidentall to the nature of man An inclination to evill is accidentall to the nature of man therefore An inclination to evill is no sinne 〈◊〉 A second Syllogisme is Sinne properly so called is intrinsecall and essentiall to the nature of man An inclination to evill is not intrinsecall and essentiall to the nature of man therefore An inclination to evill is not sinne properly so called Unto the first of those syllogismes I answer that the major is false and that according to Porphyry his so celebrated desinition of an accident Accidens est quod adest abest sine 〈◊〉 interitu that is as the best Commentators upon Porphyry expound the words An accident is that which may be affirmed or denied of it's subject without any repugnancy or contradiction to the essence and desinition thereof now to deny sinne of man gives no overthrow to his essence and definition for a man that is no sinner may bee animal 〈◊〉 sinne therefore is accidentall to the nature of man The major of the second syllogisme is 〈◊〉 lesse salse than that of the first as for the terme intrinsecall I shall not stay upon it because the 〈◊〉 useth it as equivalent to essentiall as is apparent by the 〈◊〉 he puts between 〈◊〉 and accidentall but shall wholy insist upon the word 〈◊〉 To say as the Dr doth hy consequence that sinne is essentiall to the nature of man is an assertion guilty of nonsense Blusphemy and libertinisme 1. Nonsence A thing may be said to be essentiall unto an other either a priori and then it is 〈◊〉 of it in primo modo dicendi perse or else 〈◊〉 posteriori and then it is predicated of it in secundo modo dicendi per se. And to say that finne is either of these wayes essentiall to the nature of man is such pittifull and prodigious nonsence as that I cannot thinke it 〈◊〉 of any serious refutation In a second place I charge it with Blasphemy it blasphemes three actions three acts of God 1. The creation of man 2. The incarnation of Christ. 3. The full 〈◊〉 of the Saints at the resurrection 1. The creation of man God was the Authour of whatsoever was essentiall unto man And if sinne be essentiall unto the nature of man then God was the Author of sinne 2. The 〈◊〉 of Christ in which God made Christ like unto man in essentialls If sinne then be 〈◊〉 unto the nature of man God made Christ sinsull a blasphemy that I tremble to mention 3. This opinion blasphemes God's full glorification of the Saints in the resurrection for it affirmes by just consequence that they shall be raised with sinne because doublesse they shall be raised with whatsoever is essentiall to the nature of man In the third and last place this Tenet is chargeable with 〈◊〉 'T is a licentious doctrine and opens a gap to the greatest 〈◊〉 for it takes away all conscience of sinne all repentance of it for the time past all caution against it for the suture If sinne be essentiall to the nature of man what reason hath he to be humbled for it to aske God pardon for it to make any scruple of the committing of it And thus having briesly performed my promise and satisfied your request I shall rest Your affectionate freind and humble servant HENRY JEANES Before the receipt of this Mr T. C. gave an account unto Dr Taylor of what he remembred in our discourse and received from him an answer which he concealed from me untill the delivery of my paper and then he produced it This answer together with my reply thereunto I shall next offer unto thy Consideration To his respected Freind Mr. T. C. these c. Mr. C. I thanke you for your letter and friendly information os Mr Jeanes his exception but is he had been as carefull to understand as he was forward to object and mistake he had cased you and me of this little trouble He objects that I say that inclination to sinne is no sinne because it is accidentall not intrinsecall and essentiall and he gives reasons why such a reason is absurd To all which I returne this sost answer that he sayes true but nothing to the purpose For the thing that I was to prove then was the precedent word that every man is inclined to evill some more some lesse that is that this inclination to evill is not regular and 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 not naturall sor as sor the other clause it is an effect or condition of nature but no sinne properly that was the lesse principall part of the proposition and to it only the first reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz that which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not a sin But if he had considered the 〈◊〉 I was then 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 needs have seene that I was explicating that clause of the Church Article and is inclined to evill which I was to say was an inclination not naturall not 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 but accidentall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this thing I pursue and to this all the other 〈◊〉 relate to the end of that section and none of 〈◊〉 the first only excepted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 part of the proposition which is I had lest out and the reasons 〈◊〉 to it the sense had been as compleat and my argument not the worse and my 〈◊〉 no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 the 4 last reasons that is all 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 to that 〈◊〉 of the variety of our inclination to 〈◊〉 he will not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reason but all the 〈◊〉 Besides this if Mr Jeanes had so much 〈◊〉 as he pretends to have Logicke he would have perceived that sor me to 〈◊〉 what he sayes I 〈◊〉 had been the perfect destruction of all my 〈◊〉 and all my 〈◊〉 sor if I had sayd that nothing could be a sinne but what is 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 I had 〈◊〉 that not only some sinne but all sinne had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now my Thesis
and if it be more solid weighty and 〈◊〉 than those which I have hitherto read give him many thankes for it As for his last letter I have not yet had the leasure fully to peruse it but by that 〈◊〉 view which I have taken of it I find it to be as empty of reason though fuller of passion as the former you have given it out that it is unanswerable but I shall desire you to have a little patience and if I doe not give it a satisfying answer I shall submit unto what penance you will injoyne me In great hast I rest Your affectionate 〈◊〉 and servant HENRY JEANES Chedzoy August 31. 1657. Mr C. thought that the Doctor 's letter would supersede all 〈◊〉 sputation but perceiving that I was unsatisfied and that I intended a replication he conveyed my objections unto the Doctor which begat a very angry letter from him unto which he would not vouchsafe so much as a superscription but I saw the Contents concerned me and therefore unto thee I shall present it together with my answer thereunto submitting both unto thy censure and so shall rest Devoted to thy spirituall service HENRY JEANES Sir I understand by my very good friend Mr T. C that you are very much troubled at a passage in my further explication of originall sin pag 496 The words are these that every man is inclined to 〈◊〉 some more some lesse but all in some instances is very true and it is an effect or condition of nature but no sinne properly The 〈◊〉 you conceive is because one of the 〈◊〉 I bring to prove it is because it is accidentall to nature not intrinsecall and essentiall 〈◊〉 this you 〈◊〉 that I 〈◊〉 that all sinne is intrinsecall and essentiall to nature which indeed is I had said I had been as very a fool as you conceive me and worse 〈◊〉 besides the reasons you are pleas'd to object which I am no way by this 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 I had destroyed my maine intention nay that which I was proving in that 〈◊〉 place for my worke there was to prove that no sinne is or can be naturall Now 〈◊〉 although I 〈◊〉 you could easily have understood what I did and must meane there yet because you are pleased not to doe it I will point in out to you To 〈◊〉 to evill is an effect or condition of nature but no sinne properly 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 for that is the subject of the Question whether inclination to evill be an 〈◊〉 os nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 principle of evill a sinne naturall and necessary Now that it is not this I doc suppose that reason which you so misconstrued competent 〈◊〉 It is not a naturall or necessary sinne not a sinne of our nature because it is 〈◊〉 to nature not intrins call not essentiall If it be in our nature it must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 be at first it must be in all persons that have our 〈◊〉 And this is my meaning and that you may not be troubled at the word essential I 〈◊〉 it not in the 〈◊〉 physicall but in the morall sense that which is not after our nature but together with it in reall being and I explicate it by intrinsecall I oppose it to accidentall in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to superinduc'd in the next Sir I did give an account to Mr C. in a letter to him which I know was sufficient and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for cujus est loqui ejus est 〈◊〉 I told you perfectly what is my meaning it is very plaine by the whole 〈◊〉 of that that it must be my meaning it is also 〈◊〉 enough and very easy in the expression and therefore I now appeale to your 〈◊〉 whether you ought to have made such tragedios with that which common 〈◊〉 would have made plaine to you unlesse you had received a prejudice And now 〈◊〉 to your two 〈◊〉 be pleased to the subject of the two majors to adde but this qualification naturall and try if those horrid consequents will follow which you assixed to your own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But I shall for this once consider the particulars 1. You charge it with nonsense but with your favour you prove it most pitifully your 〈◊〉 is that to say essentiall is predicated of sin in either os the two wayes dicendi per se is such pitifull and prodigious nonsense that you 〈◊〉 it not worthy of any serious resutation so that this is your argument to say that sin is essentiall is prodigious and pitifull nonsense g. it is prodigious and pitiful nonsense surely a good argument or thus that which is such nonsense that you think ' not worthy of resutation is certainly nonsense but to say that sinne is essentiall is such nonsense that you thinke not worthy of resute therefore it is 〈◊〉 I doe not say your argument is 〈◊〉 but I am sure it is no argument 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 affirmative be a sufficient proofe in your Logicke But to the thing that 〈◊〉 is essentiall is 〈◊〉 false to say but to say so is not 〈◊〉 And whereas you will suppose me to say so you are uncharitable and something unreasonable in it for I was to prove that inclination to sinne was not a sinne of our nature as was pretended because what was 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 and essentiall as docibility to man which because to be 〈◊〉 to sinne is not g. it is not a sin viz of nature In the next place you charge this with blasphemy If I had 〈◊〉 or meant what you pretend you had reason But then pray consider how your charge will returne really upon your selfe For is it be blasphemy to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the Authour of sinne then what I deriv'd from 〈◊〉 is no sinne for that 〈◊〉 sinne should descend upon me I demand who was the Author of that If you please you may take time to consider it but in the interim if you be pleased to read a little 〈◊〉 of mine called Deus justificatus you shall find my Question not to be answered by you if you have any regard to the authority or to the reason of Mr Calvin Dr Twisse and some other Bigots of your party Your second charge of Blespemy is that my reason does by implication involve Christ in the guilt of sinne because whatsoever is essentiall he had But then if you remember that I say not that sinne is essentiall and that I bring the reverse of this very argument against your party and 〈◊〉 in some of my late discourses you have reason to 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 out of your owne bosome not to tell me that I 〈◊〉 For if inclination to sinne be a sinne naturally and derived from our Parents I demand whether or no had not Christ all naturall 〈◊〉 If he had not he was not a 〈◊〉 man If he had then all naturall desire are not natural sins for if you say they be you are the blasphemer by the consequence of your affirmative not I But God sorbid
sufficient 〈◊〉 First To say that that which is 〈◊〉 is positive is nonsense Put to say that 〈◊〉 is essential unto man either à priori or à 〈◊〉 is to say that 〈◊〉 which is privative is positive for the essentials of man are positive and the sormality of sin is a privation Therefore to say that sin is 〈◊〉 unto man either à 〈◊〉 or à posteriori 〈◊〉 nonsense Secondly To say that that which is predicated of man 〈◊〉 ac 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 of man in primo or secundo modo dicendi per se is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per se per accidens are opposite ways of predication But to say that sin is predicated of man in primo or secundo modo 〈◊〉 per se is to say That that which is predicated of man per accidens is predicated of man per se sor that sin is predicated of man per 〈◊〉 will be questioned by none who know what primus modus dicendi per accidens is Therefore to say that sin is predicated of man in primo or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per se is nonsense Thirdly To say that that which is predicated contingently of man is predicated 〈◊〉 of him is nonsense But to say that sin is predicated of man in primo or secundo modo 〈◊〉 per se is to say That that which is predicated of man 〈◊〉 is predicated of 〈◊〉 necessarily for sin is predicated of man contingently because man and sin cohere 〈◊〉 man might not have been a sinner and when he shall not be a sinner he will still be a man and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per se est gradus necessitatis Therefore to say that sinne is predicated of man in 〈◊〉 or secundo modo dicendi per 〈◊〉 is nonsense If these arguments satisfy you not you may command more of me when you please as also any further enlargement of these Yea but you say that sinne is essentiall is 〈◊〉 to say but to say so is not non-sense To this I answer that however it may be 〈◊〉 in Grammar yet 't is nonsense in Logick because 't is a 〈◊〉 for in 〈◊〉 every contradiction not only expresse but that also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and implyed is nonsense a 〈◊〉 as we usually speake thus 't is nonsense to say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that a spirit is corporeall that a body is 〈◊〉 without quantity or extension that an 〈◊〉 subsists or that a substance properly inhereth Now my three arguments above irrefragably prove that to say that sinne is 〈◊〉 to man is a contradiction for 't is in effect as much as to say that that which is privative is positive that that which is predicated of man per accidens is predicated of him per se that that which is predicated of man 〈◊〉 is predicated of man necessarily and these are grosse and palpable contradictions and therefore not only false but most pitifull and 〈◊〉 nonsense You accuse me of uncharitablenesse and unreasonablenesse in supposing that you say that sinne is essentiall unto man but from this accusation I have 〈◊〉 vindicated my selfe by beating you from all your miserable shifts And unto what I have said herein I shall referre both your selfe and the Reader Dr Taylor In the next place you charge me this with blasphemy if I 〈◊〉 said or meant what you 〈◊〉 you had reason but then I pray consider how your charge will 〈◊〉 really 〈◊〉 your selfe for if it be 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 God to be the Author of sinne 〈◊〉 what I derived from Adam is no sinne for that Adam's sinne should 〈◊〉 upon me I demand who was the Author of that If you please you may take time to consider it but in the interim if you be pleased to 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 discourse of 〈◊〉 called Deus justificatus you shall find my question not to be answered by you if you 〈◊〉 any regard to the authority or to the reason of Mr Calvin Dr Twisse and some other of the 〈◊〉 of your party Jeanes 1. Here you tempt me to a digression and you may with as good reason call upon me to answer all the reproaches that Bellarmine in this particular 〈◊〉 upon the Protestant Churches and some of the most eminent members thereof as propound this question unto me 2. However yet I briefly answer to it that Adam was the author of the descent of his sinne upon me not God for to be the Author of sinne is to be a desicient culpable cause thereof and it is impossible that God should be defective in a culpable manner and that our doctrine of originall sinne maketh him to be such you may boldly affirme but can never prove 3. Bishop 〈◊〉 in the doctrine of 〈◊〉 sinne is one of our party and he speaks that which will abundantly 〈◊〉 your demands in his animadversions upon Hord pag. 323. 224. It was not sayes he God's absolute decree of 〈◊〉 but Adam's voluntary act of rebellion which brought sinne and the guilt of sinne upon himselfe and all his posterity God having justly 〈◊〉 that Adam's children should participate with him 〈◊〉 his state of 〈◊〉 did as justly 〈◊〉 that they should also participate in the state of sinne If this Author deny the propagation of 〈◊〉 from Adam he must acknowledge 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 c. His whole discourse concerning originall sinne and the propagating 〈◊〉 unto all mankind is 〈◊〉 in that he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the divine 〈◊〉 must needs be 〈◊〉 or causative of all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas if the events be actions sinfull God's decrees are 〈◊〉 and ordinative not 〈◊〉 of causing much esse necessitating such evill 〈◊〉 as hath been often told him 4. I have seene your little 〈◊〉 called 〈◊〉 justisicatus and must say of it as Florus did of the Ligurians lib. 2. cap. 3. Major 〈◊〉 labor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vincere The Rhetorick of it is so rank as that it will be a very hard matter to find out the Logick and reason that is in it If you please to put your arguments into forme you then may command me to consider them but otherwise I shall be very loath to adventure upon any thing of yours for I find by this present debate about two or three lines that I shall not without great difficulty search out what is your meaning 5. I wonder why you say that by this discourse I shall find your question not to be answered by me why pray Sr could I answer it before you propounded it but your meaning is I suppose that I shall find that your question cannot be answr'd by me but the event will 〈◊〉 that 6. That which you meane in Mr Calvin and Dr Twisse are I 〈◊〉 those places which you quote pag. 32 of that your 〈◊〉 and then unto the place in Calvin you have an answer in Dr Twisse 〈◊〉 gra lib. 2. dig 2. cap. 3. pag. 42. where he cleares it from the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 And then for the place in Dr Twisse you may gather an answer from that he saith unto