of sinne is expresly said to be in the members And whereas the Apostle in that verse saith He seeth a Law in his members bringing him into captivity to the Law of sinne that doth not argue a distinction between these but according to the use of the Scripture the Antecedent is repeated for the Relative the sense being That the Law of his members did bring Paul into captivity to it notwithstanding the Law of the mind with in him as Gen. 9. 16. I will remember saith God himself the everlasting Covenant between God that is my self and every living creature We see then in these words that the Apostle giveth another name to that original sinne which dwelleth in him he calleth it very emphatically The Law of sinne in him Original corruption is even in Paul though converted how much more in all unregenerate persons by way of a Law From whence observe That the Scripture cals original sin the Law of sin Within us SECT II. TO understand this take notice of these things First The Apostle in his Epistles doth delight to use the word Law and that when speaking of contrary things The Law of God the Law of Works This he mentioneth properly but then he cals it The Law of faith because the Hebrew word for Law signifieth no more than Doctrine for Torath either comes they say from a word that signifieth to appoint or teach or from a word that signifieth to rain because saith Chemnitius as the raine is gathered together in the clouds not to be kept there but to be emptied on the earth that so it may be made fruitfull Thus the Law of God was appointed by God not meerly to be written in the Bible but also to be implanted in our hearts The word then in the Hebrew signifying Doctrine in the general no wonder if the Gospel be called The Law of Faith So Regeneration Rom. 8. is called The Law of the Spirit of life as in other places it is The Law of God written in our hearts but the Apostle doth not only apply it to these things but especially in this Chapter he cals it The Law of sinne not sin only but the Law of sinne and the Law in our members why the Apostle doth so you shall hear anon Only In the second place you must consider when the Apostle cals it The Law of sinne it is in an improper and abusive or allusive sense for a Law properly is only of that which is good the matter of a Law must be honest and just because a Law is pars juris and Jus is à justo Therefore Aquinas saith That unjust Laws are rather violentia than leges Yea Tully saith Such Decrees are neither Leges nor ne appellandae quidem yet the Scripture speaks of some who make iniquity a Law Psal 99. 20. or who frame mischief for a Law Tacitus complaineth of the multitude of Laws in his time and saith The Commonwealth groaned ut flagitiis ita legibus So that although the properties of a Law are to be good and profitable yet by allusion all unjust and hurtfull Decrees are called Laws and thus the Apostle cals it the Law of sinne alluding to those properties or effects which a Law hath What the Law of God doth in a regenerate man the contrary doth the Law of sinne in a natural man SECT III. Original Sinne compared to a Law in five respects ORiginal sinne therefore may be compared to a Law in these respects First A Law doth teach and direct Lex est lux It informeth and teacheth what is to be done Thus the Schoolmen they make Direction the first thing necessary to a Law The work of grace in a godly man is called by the Apostle The Law of the mind in this Chapter Because grace within a man doth teach and direct him what to do Hence 1 John 2. 27. the godly man is said to have an anointing within him The Law of God is written in his inward parts and so from within as well as by the Word without they are taught what to do Thus on the contrary the Law of sinne in a natural man doth teach and prompt him to all kind of evil This Law of sinne doth not indeed teach what we ought to do but it doth wonderfully suggest all kind of wickedness to us and from this cause it is that you see children no sooner able to act but they can with all readiness runne into evil sinnes that they have not seen committed before their eyes they can with much dexterity accomplish What a deal of instruction and admonition is requisite to nurture your young ones in the fear of the Lord And all is little enough And why is this The Law of God is not in their hearts they have not that in them which would direct and teach holiness But on the other side children need not to be taught wickedness you need not instruct them how to sinne they have much artifice and cunning in an evil way And why so The Law of sinne is in them this is that they are bred with So that as the young ones of Foxes and Serpents though they have no teacher yet from the Law of nature within them they grow subtil and crafty in their mischievous wayes Thus the Law of sinne doth in every man he is ingenious and wise to do evil As the ground ere it will bring forth corn doth need much labour and tillage but of it self bringeth forth bryars and thorns Thus all by nature are so foolish and blind that without heavenly education and institution you cannot bring them to that which is holy but of their own selves men have subtilty and abilities to frame mischievous things And why is all this They have a Law of sinne within them which directs suggests and informeth to do much evil So that we are not to put all upon the Devil to say He put it into my minde he suggested such thoughts to me No the Law of sinne within thee can sufficiently prompt thee to all evil Secondly A Law doth not onely teach but it doth instigate and incline it presseth and provoketh to the things commanded by it Thus the Law of the mind in a godly man doth greatly instigate and provoke him to what is good It is like a goad in his side it is like fire in his bowels he must do that which is good else he cannot have any rest within him You read when David refrained for a while from speaking good at last he could hold no longer but the fire did break out So Paul 2 Cor. 5. The love of Christ constraineth us Thus the true believer he hath a principle of grace within him which is like a Law upon him he cannot do otherwise he must obey it Thus on the contrary Original sinne in a natural man is like a Law within him it provoketh him it enflameth him to all evil Whensoever any holy duty is pressed upon him this Law of sinne stirreth him
God implying That the Sunne and the night can no more stand together then the remembring of God and carnal confidence can the ambitious man the voluptuous man remembring God would find it to be like thunder and lightning upon the soul This would immediately stop him in his waies of iniquities Thus 2 Sam. 14 11. that suborned woman of Tekoah in her disguised Parable to David complaining of some that would rise up against her to destroy her sonne she desireth the King to stop the revengers wrath by this Argument Let the King remember the Lord thy God Thus when thou art sollicited inticed to any evil way Remember thou God the infinite God the just God the omniscient God the dreadfull and terrible God in all his wayes of anger Nehemiah also maketh use of this Argument to quicken up the Jews against sinfull fear and cowardise in Gods work Nehem. 4. 14. 1 said to the Nobles and Rulers of the people be ye not afraid of them but remember the Lord which is great and terrible This God complaineth of Isa 57. 11. Thou hast not remembred me nor laid it to thy heart and therefore were they so propense to all their abominations These Texts may suffice to inform that our memories ought constantly to be fixed upon God and no sooner do we let him out of our mind but immediately some sinne or other is committed But how unspeakably is the memory of every man naturally polluted herein When is God in their thoughts Amongst those millions and millions of objects which thou dost remember when is the great God the just God the holy God thought on May you not see it by the bold impiety and undaunted wickednesse of all unregenerate men that they remember not God Yea the godly themselves finde in part this pollution upon their memory Whence arise those carnal feares those dejected thoughts Is it not because you forget the greatnesse and goodnesse of God Bewail thy memory-sinfulnesse as well as other sins 2. As the Scripture prescribes the object of our memory viz God himself so it doth instance in one time more then at another Though at all times God is to be remembred yet in one time of our age though there be greatest cause yet our lusts and desire after other things do greatly hebetate our memory We have the injunction from Solomon himself Eccl 12. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth Here you see who is to be remembred when he is to be remembred God is to be remembred and that in the time of our youth But do not the strong effects of original sin heightned also by actual sins discover herein most palpable impiety in young persons they remember their lusts their pleasures in the dayes of their youth and God is never in all their thoughts Oh where may we find a young Timothy that was acquainted with the Scripturee from his infancy Where an Obadiah That feared God from the youth Do not most young persons live so negligently about holy things as if they were allowed to be dissolute as if the things of Heaven and eternity did not belong to them as if Solomon had said the contrary Do not remember God in the dayes of thy youth be not so strict and precise but follow thy pastimes and pleasures Thus the very memory of God and holy things is a burden to young persons They think Solimon spake farre better Chap. 11. 9. when he saith Rejoyce O young man in thy youth let thy heart cheer thee and walk in the wayes of thy heart remove sorrow and evil away They like this well This is good but there is a sting in that which followeth Know thou that for all these things God will bring thee to judgement This will quickly damp all thy youthfull jollities Let then young persons especially bewail the sinfulnesse and forgetfulnesse of their memory herein This is the best and most flourishing time for your memory now it is put upon to learn either Mechanical Trades or the Liberal Arts your memories are most drawn out in inferiour things but take the advantage to imploy it more about holy things You hear old persons complain they have lost their memory they grow forgetfull therefore fix your memories upon good things while you may 3. The Scripture commends the Word of God likewise as the object of our memory Timothy had learnt the Scripture from his Infancy The word of God was for this end amongst others as you heard committed to writing that so we might the more readily have it in our memories Mal. 4. 4. the Prophet commands them to remember the Law of Moses with the statutes and judgments yea they were to have such a ready and familiar knowledge of the Word of God that when they were rising or walking they were to be speaking of them Deut. 6. 7 8 9. we may there see what care is taken that the Law of God should be alwayes in their mind but do we not evidently behold the cursed and wretched pollution of mans memory in this particular Why is it that little children will remember any Songs sooner then the principles of Religion Why is it that many persons who are not able to remember any thing of the Scripture or the Sermons they have heard yet can remember Ballads and Songs they can remember their youthfull pranks and talk of them with delight but they cannot give any account of the good truths that in their younger years were preached to them When do ye hear such say Such a Sermon wounded me at heart it sticketh still upon me I shall never forget it Now is not the sinfulnesse of the memory greatly to be bewailed in this particular If it were holy and sanctified it would take more delight and joy to remember Scripture-truths then any thing else whereas now thy memory is like a sieve that lets the corn and weighty grain fall through but the light refuse stuff that it retaineth Thus what is solid and would do thy soul good that quickly passeth away Oh that we could not fay our Sermons passe away as a tale that is told for those you do remember and you will carry a long while in your mind empty frothy things those abide long with you Would you not judge it madnesse in the Husbandman if he should pluck up and hinder the growth of his corn and let cockle and tare with other weeds flourish Thus thou dost about thy memory throw away the flours and keep the weeds whereas thy memory should be like the holiest of holies nothing but what is select and sanctified should enter therein 4. That I may not be too long in these instances The works of God whether in his mercy or in his wrath they are to be the object of our memory Thus the Scripture speaketh often of remembring his marvellous works Matth. 16. 19. Christ reproveth his Disciples because they did not remember the miracle of the loaves All the great
in some persons hath a notable expression Psal 5. 9. Their inward part is very wickednesse or wickednesses as in the Hebrew Their inward part is nothing but wickednesse Now although therefore habitual sinnes may truly be called sinnes dwelling in us yet the Apostle doth not speak here of such habitual sinnes for he speaks all along of one sinne as the mother as the fountain and root of all And besides Paul speaking in the person of a regenerate man could not complain of the acquired habits of sinne within him for in Regeneration there is an expulsion of all habitual sinne and in this sense Those that are born of God are said not to sinne viz. habitually and customarily as wicked men do although some actual sins and those of a very hainous nature may consist with the work of grace yet habites of sinne and habits of grace can no more consist together than light and darkness It is evident then that the Apostle not meaning habitual sinne must understand original in the immediate actings and workings of it for this will alwayes be a troublesome and molesting inmate This is not conquered but with the last enemy death it self SECT III. Why Original Corruption is called The Inherent or In-dwelling Sinne. THis premised Let us consider why original corruption is called the Inherent and In-dwelling Sinne and that even in a godly man And first The Apostle cals it the sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because of the propriety and proper right it hath to us As a man is said to dwell in his house because he hath a right to it and it is his own This original sinne is in every man as in its proper place as the stone doth rest in its center and will not move further So that as hell is said to be the proper place of Judas He went saith the Text to his own place Thus is the heart and soul of a man the proper and fit subject for all the natural impiety that cleaveth to us and therefore though the Devil be also said To rule in the hearts of wicked men he dwels also in them as well as sinne for which he is compared to an armed man keeping the house yet this is more extrinsecal and from without The Devil could not find a room ready swept and garnished for him but because of this native pollution Hence the Apostle doth not in this Chapter complain of the Devil but sin dwelling in him He doth not say I would do good but the Devil hinders me though that be sometimes true but sin dwelling in him Secondly This expression of sinne dwelling in a man denoteth The quiet and peaceable possession it hath in man by nature it dwels there as in its own house nothing to disturb or molest it Hence it is That all things are so quiet in a natural man there is nothing troubles him he is not disquieted in his conscience he feeleth no such burden or weight within him as Paul here complaineth of so that you would think many civil and natural men in a more holy condition than Paul They will thank God They have a good heart and all is quiet within them but this is not because original sinne doth not dwell and live and work in them but because they are sensless and stupid sinne is in its proper place and so there is no trouble and restlesness in their conscience Therefore it s thy want of experimental discoveries that makes thee question original sinne otherwise thy own heart would be in stead of all books to thee in this particular Indeed in godly men though sinne dwelleth in them yet it hath not peaceable possession it is as a tyrant in them Therefore the regenerate part maketh many oppositions and great resistances There is praying watching and fasting against it They are as sollicitous to have it quite expelled as some were to have Christ cast out the Devils from their possessed friends otherwise in the natural man original sin prevaileth all over and there is no noise no opposition yea great delight and content there is in subjection thereunto so that they resist Grace and the Spirit of God by the Word which would subdue sinne in them So that there is a great difference between the Inâ—dwelling of original sinne in a natural man and a regenerate In the former it dwelleth indeed but as the Jebusites in Canaan upon hard terms as the Gibeonites were in subjection to the Israelites It is true Arminius In Cap. 7. ad Rom. pag. 696. from this expression of sinne dwelling in Paul doth think a firm argument may be drawn to prove that he discourseth of an unregenerate person Because saith he the word to dwell doth in its proper signification and in the use of the Scripture signifie a full and powerfull dominion and therefore rejecteth that distinction of Peccatum dominans or regnans which is said to be in wicked men and inhabitans which is in the godly he would have it called inexistens not inhabitans But we have shewed That sinne is said to dwell in a man not because of its dominion in a godly man but because of its fixed inseparability and from this word a servant who hath no rule in an house is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Pet. 2. 18. Thirdly The word doth denote permanency and a fixed abode in us it is not for a night or year but our whole life dwelling in us So that sinne is not in a mans heart as a pilgrim as a stranger that is presently to remove but it hath taken up a fixed abode in us here it dwels and here it will dwell you see our holy Apostle sadly complaining of this inseparability of it from him as long as he lâ—veth Actual sinnes they are committed and so passe away yea when pardoned it is as if they had never been but original sinne is like Samson's hair though cut it will grow again and be as strong as ever till it be plucked up by the roots Fourthly In this expression is denoted the latency also and security of it it dwels in us and it 's called The Law in our members The chief actings and stirrings of it are in the inward man Therefore it is that the natural man the Pharisaical and hypocritical man know nothing of it Paul while a Pharisee and so zealous against grosse sinne abounding in external obedience yet knew not lust to be a sinne neither was he so sensible of such a load and burden within him Vse 1. Of Instruction not to think imputed original sinne or Adam's actual transgression made ours to be all the original sin we have No you may see there is an in-dwelling sinne an inherent corruption from whence floweth all that actual filth which is in our lives And why is it that we hear no more groaning and labouring under it Is it not because the spiritual life of grace is not within them Oh why are all things so still and peaceable within thee
lower region of thy soul but thy will thy mind thy conscience these also are become flesh and are wholly corrupted so that in thee by nature there remaineth no good thing at all SECT III. How carnal the Soul is in its actings about Spiritual Objects 3. IN that it is called Flesh there is discovered that a man in all the workings of his soul in religious things is carnal and meerly carried out wholly by the principle and instigation of flesh within him the Image of God was so glorious and efficacious in Adam that all his bodily and natural actions were thereby made spiritual his flesh was spirit as I may so say the body and bodily affections did not move inordinately against Gods will but having a divine and holy stamp upon them they were thereby made divine and spiritual But since this original corruption the clean contrary is now to be seen in us for even the spiritual workings of the soul are thereby made carnal and fleshly Adam's body was made spiritual and now our souls are made carnal Oh the said debasing and vilifying of us that is by this means If an Angel should become a worm it is not so much dishonour as for righteous Adam to become an apostate sinner Let us take notice how our souls do put themselves forth about spiritual objects and you shall find they are wholly carnal and fleshly in such approaches insomuch that in their highest devotions and religious duties they are onely carnal and fleshly all the while As First In the mysteries of Religion which are revealed unto in by a supernatural light The mind of man because it cannot comprehend of them in a carnal or bodily manner much more if not by natural reason though that be corrupt is ready to despise and reject all What was the reason that Christ crucified is such a foolish Doctrine to be believed by the learned Grecian but because it was not agreeable to natural reason When Peter made that Confession concerning Christ That he was the Sonne of the living God Christ tels him Flesh and blood had not revealed that to him Mat. 16. 17. And doth not this fleshly mind still effectually move in Atheists and Heretiques Is not this the bane of Socinan persons that they will make reason a judge of divine Mysteries whereas that it sâ—lt is corrupt and is it self to be judged by the word of God So that the power of original sinne as it is flesh manifests it self about all the supernatual Doctrines and Truths revealed in the Gospel We that are Pigmies think to measure these Pyramides we think to receive the whole Ocean in our little shell Hence it is that Paul 2 Cor. 8. 5 6. will have all our imaginations every high thought brought into captivity Thus you see That whatsoever a man doth in reference to God he is wholly carnal and fleshly in it he is not carried out with a sutable principle of the Spirit to that which is spiritual and this may be discovered in many branches it is also very usefull and profitable for hereby they shall see that the onely things which they relie upon as religious worship of God and the evidences of their salvation are so farre from being a true stay to them that like thorns they will pierce their hands If a mans spirituals be carnals How great are his carnals If his Religion if his devotion if the matters of his God be thus altogether flashly What will his sins and corruptions appear to be We have already instanced in one particular viz. The Doctrine to be believed and declared how carnal a man is in that We proceed further to illustrate this necessary Truth and therefore Secondly Every natural man in his religious worship is wholly carnal as well as in his Doctrine to be believed For if we consult the Scripture and observe what was the cause of all that Idolatry and spiritual abomination for which God did so severely punish the children of Israel was it not from a carnal fleshly mind within Therefore you heard Gal. 5. Idolatry is made a work of the flesh when they changed the glory of God into the similitude of an Ox that eateth bay Was not this to please the eye And so their goodly Altars their goodly Images which the Prophet mentioneth Were not all these because of their sutableness to a carnal mind We need not instance in Pagans or Heathens who are wholly in darkness without any supernatural light But if we take notice of the Christian Church in all the successive Ages thereof How potent and predominant have carnal principles been in all their Devotions And is not Popery to this day a full demonstration of this Truth So that that notable expression of our Saviour Joh. 4. 23 24. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth Yea that the Father seeketh such to worship him hath seldom had its due observation Whereas then Campian would prove All Monuments all Churches all Windows and Pictures therein to be a demonstration of their Religion This proveth indeed the superstition and carnality of it not the spirituality and truth of it and oh the dishonour done to God by this means This fleshly wisdom in Gods worship hath been one chief cause of most of the calamities which have fallen upon it Col. 2. 18. The Apostle attributeth the worshiping of Angels to a fleshly wisdom in men Thirdly A man is naturaly carnal in religious Ordinances Because he is apt to put trust in them to think he merits at Gods hands or maketh satisfaction for his â—ispasses This is not to be spiritual but carnal We have low carnal apprehensions of God when we think that by our righteousnesse though it were ten thousand times more perfect than it is that we are able to profit God therewith Thus those false Teachers with their followers they are said to make a fair shew in the flesh Gal 6. 12. and Phil. 3. 3. to have confidence in the flesh To worship God in the Spirit and to have no confidence in the flesh are two opposite things Now by flesh there is meant circumcision and all other Church-priviledges which Paul did eminently enjoy and while a Pharisee he wholly rested in them but when once the sonne of God was revealed to him then he renounced all confidence in these things judging himself to be only carnal in them But now little was Paul while a Pharisee and so exactly diligent in the discharge of them perswaded that all he did was rejected by God that he abhorred all that he was only carnal in those things It is therefore of great consquence to be spiritual in the particular for this is a secret sweet poison that is apt to undo us Therefore the Particular the formal the devout man who is ignorant of Regeneration while he abhorreth all bodily flesh-sinnes he may be highly guilty of soul flesh sinnes So that there is little cause for a
further actings of original sinne in the mind and spirit of man And The second in order is That incapacity which is in every mans understanding about holy things Divine and supernatural things are no more received by him then a Beast doth apprehend the things of reason We have this fully affirmed 1 Cor. 2. 14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of God neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned you see there is no habitude or proportion between the understannding of a natural man and spiritual things no more then is between the bodily eie and a spiritual 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is one that doth excolere animam such as labour to adorne and perfect the soul with the most intellectual and moral indowments that are a Tully a Plato an Aristotle these if brought to Gospel-truth are not so much as noctuae ad solem Owles to the Sunne-beames To this purpose also Rom. 8. 7 we have not only this truth asserted but also aggravated where the carnal mind is said To be enmity against God and it is not subject to the Law of God neither can it be By which places of Scripture it is evident That the mind of man hath an utter incapacity as to any divine things Indeed there is a passive capacity as some express it and so the mind of man is susceptible of holy truth and such a capacity is not in a beast as that is not capable of sinne so neither of regeneration But then there is an active capacity when the soul by some ability and power of its own is able to move to these supernatural objects and thus the understanding of the most learned in the world cannot of it self receive it and therefore faith is said To be the gift of God so that we may justly abhorre the Arminians Probitas animi and Pia doxilitas which they make preparatory or main part to conversion Now there is a twofold receiving of divine Truths 1. Speculatively by a bare dogmatical assent and even thus none by nature can receive the Truths of God for the Pharisees though they heard Christ preached and saw the miracles he did yet they did not believe with so much as a dogmatical faith 2. There is a practical and experimental receiving of holy Truths in the power of them which is here called the knowing of Truths as they are in Jesus and this much less are we able to receive To the former is required the common grace of God To this a more special one Wonder not then if you see men even the most learned naturally so brutish so ignorant about divine things That they have no more understanding and apprehension about heavenly things Oh bewail original corruption which maketh thee so unteachable so untractable Why doth not every Scripture-truth every powerfull Sermon have its full and powerfull operation upon thee but because it doth not me et with a preparedand fitted subject Thirdly Adam's actual sinne which is our original imputed one was partly this They desired to be as gods to know good and evil which hath left its impression upon all Like the Bethshemite we desire to be looking into the Ark. The Apostle 1 Cor. 4. 6 as he would not have the Corinthians think of men above that which is written so much less of God contrary to that which is revealed This is a great evil upon the understandings of men by original sinne that now the mind is not contented with the rule God hath given it They think it a small and contemptible matter to know no more then what may be known by the Scripture but they affect extraordinary things This curiosity is that which filled the Church once with so many Schoolemen and their Questions as Aegypt was once with Caterpillars It is true School-divinity hath its use and so farre as they deal solidly and improve natural reason in any point they are very admirable but when once they fall into their useless unprofitable and sublime Questions where neither the Word of God or sure reason can conduct them then they vanish like smoak in the air how rash are they in their Disputes about Angels With what nice conceits have they obscured the Doctrine of the Trinity Insomuch that we may see much of original sinne in them inclining and hurrying of them to a bold and venturous determination of such things which God hath not manifested so that none of their seraphical sublime or angelical Doctors could begin their Disputations as John his Epistle That which we have seen we have heard and our hands have handled 1 Joh 1. 1. Though therefore the Schoolemen have in somethings their great use yet in their difficult niceties which are but as so many cob-webs there they are as much to be slighted as one king did a man who boasted he could stand at a distance and throw a grain of corn through the eie of a needle Again this original curiosity of the mind venteth it self in all those Magick Arts and Witchcrafts which have abounded in the world as also in judiciary Astrology and such deceitful impostures men affecting as Adam did to be like God to be able to declare the things that are to come Act. 19 19. They are called curious arts Furthermore this curiosity of the mind is seen in nauseating and disdaining known things and what are already discovered and ambitiously thirsting to find out some Veritas incognita as others have done Terra incognita To bring such new things to the world that were never knowen or heard before It 's from this sinful curiosity that men forsake the good Truths of God and runne after heresies errors and whatsoever hath novellisme in it so that he who would examine himself about his regeneration must look to the renovation of his mind in this particular as well as any other Fourthly Original sinne discovereth it self in our minds by the vanity that they are filled with 1 Cor. 3 20 The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vain If the thoughts of wise men without the Scripture be vain how much more of men who have no more then natural ability And certainly this must needs be a very heavy censure upon man that he who hath the best parts the greatest understanding yet till grace sanctify he is but a vain man His mind is a vain mind his understanding is a vain understanding many waies the vanity of it might be discovered as thus The understanding of man is naturally more affected with pleasing things then with solid and sound Truths it is more affected with words language jests and merry tales then with that matter which tendeth to spiritual edification Is not this a great instance of the vanity upon our minds to regard leaves more then fruit chaff more then good seed pictures and shews more then substances whence ariseth that delight in embroydered language in playes and Comedies and in Romances and such bubles and empty vapours but from
them dumb so also to make thy conscience dumb It is judged by Divines to be an exceeding great mercy of God that he hath left a conscience in a man for if that had not some actings there would be no humane societies the world would be like a Chaos as it was at first only conscience is a bridle to men and a curb to their impieties but when this is so corrupted that it cannot do its office though sinnes be committed yet conscience will not accuse will not condemn What hope doth then remain for such an one Conscience is called by Bernard Speculum animae the souls Looking glass by beholding thy conscience thou mayest see what are thy sinnes what are thy duties what is to be repented of what is to be reformed Oh that those who look often into the glass for their bodily faces so as to spie every spot and to mend an hair if it be not handsome would more consult with this spiritual glass their conscience would shew those deformities those corruptions that they are not willing to take notice of onely here is the difference the material glass will faithfully represent what thou art it will not flatter If thou art polluted deformed it will discover thy face as it is it will not flatter thee but conscience is a glass that may be corrupted to make thee appear fairer then thou art but if clean and pure then it will not favour thee But as you see it was with David when he had numbred his people presently his heart smote him such power it will also have over thee This accusation is called smiting because of the strong impression it maketh upon the soul Conscience is also called a Book and the Scripture may intend this as part Revel 20. 12. where at the Day of Judgement it is said Books shall be opened and the dead were to be judged according to what is written in those books One of these books that must be opened and by which men shall be judged is conscience that is the debt-book the Dooms-day-book There is no sinne committed but there it is set down and registred and one day it will be found there though now for the present thou takest no notice of it As conscience is a book so as Bernard said De Inferiori domo All books are to reform this book all other books that are written yea the Bible it self they are to amend this book of conscience This book thou art to read every day yea conscience is not only a book but it 's the Writer the Recorder also Conscience is the souls Secretary or Register and faithfully sets down every sinne Item This day such oaths such lies Item Such a drunken fit Item Such omission of duties Thus conscience should do its work But oh how negligent and sordid is conscience herein What foul acts may be committed and yet not the least sting or gripe of conscience We have a remarkable instance of this in Joseph's brethren when they had so cruelly and bloudily dealt with their brother throwing him in a pit and as to humane considerations ' fully destroyed him yet faith the Text They sate down to eat and drink What presently after such an unnatural sinne to find no Scorpions in their brests as it were but to sit down and eat Genes 37. 25. as if no evil had been perpetrated What an adamant or rock were these mens consciences turned into And is not this the state of many men and that after the commission of such sins which even nature may condemn for And as from the second act which is excusing here we have large matter to treat upon Who can comprehend the length and depth and breadth of the evil of conscience in this very thing To excuse to clear to justifie a mans self Did not conscience thus in the Jews of old Did not conscience thus in the Pharisees Doth not conscience thus in the breasts of all civil and moral men Whence is it that they can say God I thank thee I am not as this Publican I am no drunkard or swearer and therefore bid their souls Take all rest Is not this because conscience is turned into a Camelion to be like every object that it stands by Thus it is with their conscience excusing all they do flattering a man saying His estate is good and secure they are not such sinners as other men whereas if conscience were well enlightned and informed out of Gods Word in stead of excusing it would impartially accuse and condemn Thirdly Conscience is polluted in a further acting which it hath for when application witnessing and accusing will not do then it terrifieth which you heard was smiting Conscience fals from words to blows Acts 2. 37. It is there notably expressed They were pricked in heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was as if a dagger had been stabb'd into them and thus it did work upon Felix insomuch that it made him tremble Thus it did upon Cain and Judas Now conscience naturally is greatly polluted in this thing for either it doth not at all give any blows or if it do it is with slavish servile and tormenting thoughts that it maketh the sinner runne from Christ and doth indispose him for any mercy and comfort But of this more in it's time Fourthly Conscience hath a further and ultimate work or acting in a man and that is to judge It is a witnesse an accuser and a Judge also There is a Tribunal should be erected in every mans heart where conscience is to sit as Judge and this Court of conscience is daily to be kept This is no more then when Psal 4. we are commanded To commune with our own hearts and be still when we are commanded To search and try our wayes or 1 Cor. 11. To judge our selves that we be not judged This is the great duty which not onely Heathens commended Nosce teipsum and Tecum havita and which another complaineth of the neglect thereof In se nemo tentat descendere but it is very frequently commanded in the Scripture as the foundation and introduction into the state of conversion as a constant duty in persons converted to prevent Apostasie But who is there that doth keep a daily Court thus in himself That which Pythagoras Seneca and Heathens have admired To examine our selves What have I done to day Wherein have I sinned In what have I exceeded This Christians though inlightned by Gods Word are horribly sloathfull and carelesse about When is this examination this scruteny set up When are thy actions thy thoughts called to the barre and judgement given against them Now this judgement of conscience is seen about a two-fold object Our Actions and our Persons our Actions they are to be judged Whether they be agreeable with the Word of God or no Whatsoever thou undertakest and art not perswaded of in conscience as lawfull is a sinne Rom. 14. Whatsoever is not of faith is sinne Now examine thy actions thou
many now are led aside with Who would not desire to live the lives and die the deaths of such holy gracious men Thirdly Another object of our memory commended in Scripture is The former works of Gods Spirit which happily have been upon us but we have decayed and revolted This were alone necessary for many a man and especially in these times Remember what love thou didst once bear to the Ordinances Remember what delight and sweetness thou didst once find in them but now thou hast cast them off Thus the Apostle remindeth the Galatians Gal. 4. 15. Where is the blessedness you once spake of Once they did so rejoyce in Paul's Ministry accounted it a blessing of an eminent nature but now began to slight it There are also many who have formerly been zealous and active for good things they manifested their good desires about the things of God to all the world but now they are become like so many clods of earth they have forsaken the better part which with Mary once they did chuse and are either turned dissolute or earthly crawling upon the ground like so many worms Thus these flourishing trees are quite withered having neither fruit or leaves Thus the Church of Ephesus guilty of partial Apostasie Revel 2. 5. is injoyned To remember from whence she is fallen and this counsel is to be given to many persons Remember it was otherwise with thee once Remember it was not so with thee as it is now The time hath been thy heart hath been much affected with the word of God preached The time hath been thou hadst family-duties and daredst not to neglect the family-worship of God But now What is become of all this Religion You that began in the Spirit do you not end in the flesh Especially your memories are often to be stirred up and quickned who have been under many fears and dangers who have been at the point of death Oh what thoughts what resolutions have you made against sinne What bitter thoughts and apprehensions had you about your former evil wayes But alas how quickly are all those agonies of soul forgotten In this your memories are very much polluted that all your vows all your promises to God all your fears and terrors are forgotten Thou that art now imbracing of thy lusts entertaining thy Dalilah's again Oh remember what thou didst think of these things when thou didst look upon thy self as a dying man Oh remember what woes and wounds were upon conscience What confident expressions if ever God did recover thee again if ever thou wert delivered again all the world should see thy repentance and Reformation These things thou shouldest remember and shame thy selfe yea be confounded and never able to open thy mouth to excuse thy self Fourthly The Scripture doth propound to our memory as a special object never to slip out of it The consideration of our later end the day of death the day of Judgement these things are to be constantly in our memory The neglect of this is made by the Prophet Jeremiah a bitter instance in his Lamentations concerning the people of Israel Lam. 1. 9. She remembred not her later end therefore she came down wonderfully Here the forgetting of her later end is made the cause of all those strange and wonderfull judgements which come upon them Thus Isa 47. 7. Babylon is there arraigned for her pride and arrogancy And she did not lay the judgements of God to heart neither did she remember the later end of it And how pathetically is Gods desire expressed Deut. 32 29. Oh that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their later end Here you see the summe of all godliness is expressed in considering our later end No wonder then if men who forget their death and the day of Judgement be violently carried on to all excess of riot For what should stop or stay them in their paths Whereas didst thou remember as Solomon adviseth his young man That for all this thou must die thou must be brought to judgement This would bind him as it were hand and foot Quicken then up thy memory whatsoever thou forgettest do not forget that thou art a mortal dying man that the day of judgement is coming upon thee which thou canst not avoid The memory of this would make thee flie from every enticing sinne as Joseph did from his mistress Lastly The Scripture requireth That we should remember the desolation and troubles that are upon others especially the Church of God So that although it be never so well with us though God give us our hearts desire yet the remembrance of the afflictions and straits of others should make us mourn and pray for them Thus Col. 4. 18. Paul calleth upon them to remember his bonds So Heb. 13. 3. Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them What an hard and great duty is this yet if thou art not a dead member in the body if spiritual life be in thee thou wilt remember the sad condition the afflicted estate of many of Gods children when thou enjoyest all thy soul longeth for It was thus with good Nehemiah he was in the Princes Palaces he wanted nothing for his own advantage yet he mourned and was sad from day to day because he remembred how it was with Jerusalem See how impossible a thing almost David maketh it to forget Jerusalem Psal 137. 5. If I forget thee O Jerusalem let my right hand forget her cunning If I remember thee not let my tongue cleave to the rooff of my mouth If I preferre not Jerusalem above my chief joy here is a gracious worthy spirit see what David resolveth shall be in his memory more then the chiefest good in this world he will forget his own friends his own joyes yea his own self sooner then the Churches good now may not even a godly man bewail his forgetfullness herein Thou mindest thy own estate thy own family seekest thy own self but how little is thy memory about the affaires of the Church Thou dost not remember how many afflicted Joseph's how many impoverished Lazar's there may be in the Church of God how many exiles and banished persons how many desirous to take up the crums that fall from thy table Did we remember the afflictions and straights of others it would put us more upon prayer for them and it would also make us walk more thankfully and humbly for our mercies then we do And thus you see though the memory be a vast treasure though it hath infinite recesses and capacious receptacles yet the Scripture hath prescribed matter enough to fill every corner as it were and if the memory were thus frighted if it were such a good store-house how happy would it be whereas naturally it 's like a cage of unclean birds and a den of thieves I proceed therefore to shew as it was to Ezekiel about the Jewes still more abomination in this memory of ours SECT X. The
hand out of his bosom he willeth and willeth but never doth effectually set himself upon working This man is like a reed that is tossed up and down with every wind Many more sinfull affections might be named for they are like the motes in the air or the sand upon the sea shore But let this suffice because more will then be discovered when we speak of the slavery of it to evil having no freedom to will what is good Only let this Truth be like a coal of fire fallen upon thy heart let it kindle a divine flame in thy breast consider this corrupt will is the root of all evil If thy will were changed if thy will were turned to God this would bring the whole man with it Oh pray to God to master thy will to conquer thy will Say O Lord though it be too hard for me yet it is not for thee Remember hell will be the breaking of thy corrupt will Thou that wouldst not do Gods will here shall not have thy will in any thing when in hell SECT V. Of the Natural Servitude and Bondage of the Will with a brief Discussion of the Point of Free-will ¶ 1. JOH 8. 35. If the Sonne therefore shall make you free ye shall be free indeed HItherto we have been discovering the vast and extensive pollution of the will in its Originals and Naturals both in the several operations and affections of it The next thing in order is To treat of the will in regard of its state as in freedome of servitude about which so many voluminous Controversies have been agitated And indeed a sound judgement in the point of Free will is of admirable consequence to advance Christ and the grace of the Gospel For whosoever do obscure the glory thereof they lay their foundation here They praise nature to the dispraise of grace and exalt God as a Creator to the prejudice of Christ as a Redeemer Although it is not my purpose to go with this Point as many miles as the Controversie would compel me yet because the Doctrine of Free-will is so plausible to flesh and bloud that in all Ages of the Church it hath had its professed Patrons And because the cause of Christ and the Gospel is herein interessed and further because it is of a great practical concernment to know what a slavery and bondage is upon the will of man to sin it will be necessary and profitable in some measure to inlarge upon it for there is scarce one in a thousand but is pussed up with his own power and strength so that he feeleth not the want of grace ¶ 2. This last mentioned Scripture opened THis Text I have pitched upon will be a good and a sure foundation for the superstruction of our future Discourse For Austin in his hot disputes with the Pelagians about the freedom of the will to what is good doth often flie to this Text as a sure Sanctuary And Calvin gravely upon this Discourse of our Saviour saith Eunt nunc Papistae we may adde Arminians and Socinians liberum arbitrium factuosè extollunt c. Let them presumptuously exalt free will but we being conscious of our own bondage do glory in Christ onely our Redeemer Though Maldonate is pleased to censure this expression of Calvin us Sententia digna verberibus vel igne Let us therefore take notice of the Coherence and we will go no higher then to the 30th verse where we have specified a blessed and fruitfull event upon Christs Discourse concerning his Person and Office For as he spake those words many believed on him not by their own natural ability and power but the Father did draw them by his omnipotent and efficacious grace Christ while he spake to the ear did also reach to the heart he did not onely preach but could inable the hearer also to believe herein exceeding all Pastors and Teachers that ever were in the Church of God Christ plants and watereth and giveth the increase likewise all of himself Yea Christ seemeth here to sow his seed upon the high way and among thorns and stones yet some seed cometh up and prospereth well Upon this we have the love and care of Christ mentioned to these new Converts he immediately watereth these plants and swadleth these new born Infants that they may not miscarry This is seen in the counsel suggested to them where you have The Duty supposed and the admirable Priviledge issuing from it The Duty supposed If ye continue in my Word It is not enough to begin unless there be perseverance It is not enough to receive Christ and his Word unless we abide therein and have our ears as it were boared never to depart from such a Master The neglect of this maketh all that dreadfull Apostasie and those sad scandals to Religion which in all Ages do terribly break forth Except ye abide in Christ as well as be in him we shall fall short in the wilderness and not be able to enter into Canaan It is also observable that Christ saith If ye abide in my Word it must be the true Doctrine of Christ it must be what he hath delivered which denoteth two things 1. That heresie and errour can no wayes make to our Christian-Discipleship they cannot set us at liberty from any lust or sinne and therefore no wonder if you see men of corrupt judgements at last fall into sinfull and corrupt practices For the word of God is only the instrument and instituted means of sanctification Sanctifie them by thy word Joh. 17. 2. Hereby we see the necessity of the Ministry of it by the preaching of Gods word they are first brought to believe and after that are continually to depend on it The Ministry is both for the begetting of grace and the increase of it Those that despise and neglect the Word preached do greatly demonstrate they never got any good by it The consequent Priviledge upon this continuance in the Word is to be Christs Disciples indeed From whence we have a distinction of a Disciple in appearance and shew or profession onely and a Disciple indeed There were many that became Christs Disciples in profession onely they followed him for a season but afterwards forsook him which caused our Saviour so much in his Parables and Sermons to press them upon a pure thorow and deep work of grace upon their souls The title without reality will be no advantage Musculus observeth That Christ useth the Present tense Then are ye my Disciples indeed From whence he gathers That Continuance or Perseverance in grace doth not make the truth of grace but the truth of grace maketh the perseverance they do continue and therfore are Disciples indeed but they are Disciples indeed therefore they continue in Christs Word But Beza maketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in other places and if so then it must be thus understood That our Perseverance in grace doth not make grace to be true but doth demonstrate and
and weak for it is willingly acknowledged that the increase of actual wickedness was the immediate and proxime cause of this general judgement had not their iniquities in that age risen higher and cried louder for vengeance then ordinarily sinne did we may conceive God would not have proceeded to such an unheard of and extraordinary judgement Therefore vers 5. it is said God saw the wickednesse of man was great in the earth The Hebrew word comprehends both the greatness in quantity it was exceedingly multiplied as also in quality They were enormous sinnes all this the Text is clear for but this is not all The Text goeth higher to aggravate these impieties from the fountain which is a corrupt nature even as David Psal 51. doth heighten his actual wickedness from the sinfull nature he was born in Therefore both actual sins as the fruit and original sinne as the root is here made the cause of that universal judgement The second Exception to which the third may be adjoyned is That this corruption is supposed by those who hold it to be natural and unavoidable and therefore God could no more punish mankind for that then for sleeping or being hungry Beâ—◠〈…〉 by were eight persons excepted when all were alike Is not this a respect of 〈…〉 Answer this Here is either grosse ignorance or else a wilfull mistake about the word natural and unavoidable We grant it to be natural and unavoidable in some sense but not in that which he taketh it as if it were natural like sleep or hunger which are not culpable or have any guilt in them But of this largely in its time because the Adversaries do usually in an odious manner represent this inevitablenesse of sinning unto their Reader though we say voluntarily contracted at first and seem much to triumph in it As for the other addition Eight persons were excepted It is answered That those who were godly then and escaped that judgement they were delivered from the dominion and guilt of this original sinne and therefore it being pardoned to them though the remnants in some measure continued in them they were not involved in this judgement Lastly What ignorance is manifested in saying It must be respect of persons If God amongst those that were equally guilty spared some and rejected others For he may learn out of Aquinas and his followers That respect of persons cannot be in matters of liberality and munificence for where that is there is some justice and debt supposed Now if God had not saved any one man more then any apostate Angel I suppose he would not have charged God with in justice Thirdly It is questioned If it were the natural corruption God complained of Why did he it but thus as if it were a new thing It is answered The though original corruption was in all mankind as soon as ever the Image of God was lost and therefore Seth is said to beget his sonne after his own likeness sinfull and mortal yet because it did not break out into those violent torrents of iniquity before as it did at this time Hence it was that God did more severely take notice of it as putting it self forth in such bitter effects Fourthly It is objected That Noah the Preacher of righteousnesse was sent to draw the world off from that which was likely to destroy it but no man can think he would dehort them from being guilty of original sinne To this we also answer That as for being guilty of original sinne in our birth and how that can be our sinne then when we were not capable of a precept I have at large treated of it and so shall not actum agerâ—â— as also how farre original sinne is to be repented of Onely to the present Objection we say That though the Ministry be not to hinder us from being born in sinne yet it is to be instrumental in working our Regeneration which great gift of God those that deny original sinne must also necessarily deny which is a subduing and mortifying of original sinne in some degree and is a renovation of all those parts which original sinne had corrupted For Regeneration John 3. is proved necessary from the supposition of original sinne Whatsoever is born of the flesh is flesh The Text then thus vindicated from corrupt glosses for the imagination and devices of many men though learned have been very evil and that continually in the interpretation of it I shall only adde this That although by the imagination of the thoughts be chiefly meant the working of the mind and the understanding yet because the imaginative power or phantasie in a man is immediately subservient to the understanding in its operations and is therefore called ratio imperfecta imperfect reason and Cogitativa facultas the cogitative faculty in the soul I shall therefore treat of it only from this verse for the original pollution of the understanding hath been abundantly discovered From the Text then observe That that power of the soul whereby we imagine or phansie any thing is universally corrupted It imagineth only evil and that continually we have sinfull fancies as well as sinfull affections SECT II. Of the Nature of the Imagination in a man BEfore we insist on the particular pollutions thereof let us briefly take notice of the Nature of this Imagination in man And First It is taken two wayes For either by imagination we mean the power it self whereby we do imagine or the acting thereof even as the word Wib is sometimes taken for the power and sometimes for the act so is fancy and imagination Secondly Consider That Philosophers do affirm that besides the rational and immaterial faculties of the soul as also besides the external senses there are internal material senses about the number whereof they greatly dissent Some make five The Common Sense the Phansie the Imaginative Power the Estimative and the Memory Others there Others four Some but one only it may seem many because of the several manners of operation It is not worth the while to contest herein it is enough to know that there is in man such a power whereby he doth imagine and fancy things witness those dreams which usually rise in our sleep The use of this imagination is to preserve the species suggested to order them and judge of them and thereby is necessary to our understanding according to that Rule Oportet intelligentem phantasmata speculari And certainly The power of God is admirably seen in this imaginative faculty whether in men or beasts For how do birds come so artificially to make their nests and the Ants and Bees to be such admirable provident creatures in their kind but from that natural instinct in them whereby their phansies are determined to such things So it is from this imagination that the Sheep is afraid of a Wolf though it never saw one before especially in man his imagination being perfect there are many admirable things about the nature of it which when
grace to sanctifie them and prepare them for any heavenly duty Prov. 20. 12. The hearing ear and seeing eye the Lord hath made even both of them Let the Use be even to amaze and astonish thee with the thoughts of this universal pollution upon thee the soul in all the parts thereof the body in all the members thereof Nothing clean and pure but all over leprous and ulcerous How canst thou any longer delight and put confidence in thy self Why doest thou not with Job sit abhorring of thy self and his indeed were ulcers of the body only and they were a disease but not sinne whereas thou art all over in soul and body thus defiled and that in a proper sinfull way Oh that the Spirit of God would convince all of this sinne The Prophet Isaiah was to cry All flesh is grasse and the floâ—rer thereof fadeth away to prepare for Christ but in that was chiefly comprehended All flesh is sinne and the fruit thereof damnation What though this be harsh and unpleasing to flesh and bloud What though many erroneous spirits deny it or extenuate it yet seeing the Scripture is so clear and evident with which every man that hath experience of his own heart doth also willingly concurre Believe it seriously and humble your selves deeply think not transient and superficial thoughts will prevail as the weighnness of the matter doth require If ever thy heart can be broken and softned let it be discovered here rise with the thoughts of it walk with the thoughts of it and leave it not till thou find the belief thereof drive thee out of thy self with fear and trembling finding no rest till thou art interessed in Christ CHAP. VIII Of the Subject of Predication Shewing that every one of Mankinde Christ onely excepted is involved in this common sinne and misery SECT I. The Text opened and vindicated LUKE 1. 35. Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Sonne of God WE have at large though not according to the desert thereof described and amplified the subject of original sinne wherein it is seated By which it appeareth that man all over is become corrupted both the totus homo and the totum hominus the whole man and the whole of man The next thing to be considered is the omnis homo or the Subject of predication as Divines call it The former being called the Subject of Inhesion Our work then is to shew That Christ onely excepted every one of mankind is involved in this common sinne and misery there is none that can plead any exemption from it For seeing it is made the peculiar priviledge of Christ to be so born because conceived after a miraculous manner it therefore necessarily followeth that all others are comprehended under this guilt Though you may see some men from the youth up lesse vicious then others more ingenuous and civil then others yet even these are by nature all over sinfull so that there is no such thing as a natural probity and goodness of which the Socinians dispute as in time is to be shewed That it is the prerogative of Christ only to be freed not only from all actual sinne but also original and birth-sinne is evident by this Text which containeth an answer of the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary who with some trouble and amazement had questioned how she should conceive a Sonne who knew not a man The Angels answer consisteth in the information of the manner how it shall be and the consequent issue and event thereof The Manner is expressed in the efficient cause and his efficacy The Efficient cause is said to be the holy Ghost and the power of the Highest A person not the vertue only of God as the Socinians blaspheme as appeareth â—n that we are baptized into the name of the holy Ghost who is reckoned one of the three with the Father and Sonne as also by the personal operations and characters attributed to him which cannot be cluded with the figure of a Proso 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as some endeavour It is true The works of God ad extra are common to all the three Persons yet there is a peculiar order and appropriation and therefore the preparing and forming of Christs body out of the Virgin Mary is peculiarly ascribed unto the holy Ghost The Efficacy is set down in two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to be understood of the operation of the holy Ghost not his essence for that is every where The like expression though to another purpose is Acts 1. 8. The second word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning which there is more difficulty The word in the New Testament is applied to a Cloud covering a man with a Dative Case though Favorinus and Stephanus make it to have usually an Accusative Matth. 17. 5. Mark 9. 7. and Acts 5. 15. such an overshadowing as they expected virtue and efficacy thereby So Heysichius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Old Testament by the Septnagint it is often rendreed for defence and protection because in these hot Countreys the shadows of trees were a great preservation against the extream scorchings of heat And in this sense rather then in any other we take the word in the Text that the holy Ghost should protect and defend her not only in the inabling of her against nature to conceive without a man but also against all accusations and dangers she was to be exposed unto by this means Thus Virgil used the word Et magnum Reginae nomen obumbrat Others which may be additional to the former render it The holy Ghost shall fill her with glory therefore she is said to be highly favoured And thus also among Poets the word is said to be used Olympiacis umbratur tempora ramis Stat. Some make it to be as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if the meaning were the holy Ghost should as it were pourtray and draw the lineaments of the body Others make it an allusion to the hen which by covering her egg doth by the heat thereof produce a live young one to which also the Scripture is said to allude Genes 1. 2. when it is said The Spirit moved or was incumbent as the water Thus by the power of the holy Ghost in an unspeakable manner the body of Christ was formed of the mass and fleshly substance administred by the Virgin Mary But this we are to take heed of lest the mind of man should apprehend any indecent thing in this great mystery Therefore Smalcius the Socinian his assertion is to be rejected with great abomination that feared not to affirm That by this expression is secretly and modestly implied the work of the holy Ghost as supplying the place of a man his blasphemous and abominable expressions I shall not relate Smal. refut Smigl cap. 17 18 19. We shall then keep to the first interpretation understanding it of Help and Protection in this wonderfull work The
and yet give no discovery that he doth not mean it of himself especially when the Adversaries to this Exposition say That to understand it of Paul is so contumelious to the Spirit of God and so destructive to all godliness Certainly if so the Apostle would have manifested something to remove this stumbling block Although I may adde that even that very Text I have in a figure transferred to my self and Apollo c. doth not necessarily allude to that mention made of thâ—â— 1 Cor. 2. 12. where speaking of their factions some said they were of Paul others of Apollo as if the Apostle did by figure use their names intending thereby the false Apostles for say they The Corinthians made their divisions by occasion of the false Apostles glorying in them and exalting them against those that were faithfull But if so what argument could there be in Paul's words Was Paul crucified for you Were you baptized in the name of Paul If he did mean false Apostles and not himself why should he thank God that he had baptized so few Therefore Pareus acknowledgeth that the common Interpretation of that Text as if Paul by a figure use his name and Apollo for the false Apostles is no wayes agreeable with the scope of the place For how could that be an example to teach them humility as he there enlargeth himself Heinsius also doth not like the translation of the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for such a transmutation of names and persons but maketh it the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but enough of this 2. A second Argument is In that this person is said to hate evil not to will what is evil not to know or approve of it and then he is said to will that which is good Now this is the Description of godliness to love good and to hate evil It is true that in convinced men who yet retain their lusts as also in legal men they would not do the evil that they do but yet they cannot be said to hate it No they love their lusts therefore when any fear doth abate they presently fall unto those sinnes again but this man doth hate sinne So that in this property two things discover a regenerate person 1. That not only his conscience and his judgement is against sinne but his will his heart and affections also whereas in all unregenerate men their judgements and their consciences being enlightned and terrified maketh them afraid to commit sinne but their will then affections 〈◊〉 not against it And then secondly The Apostle speaketh generally of evil and good he doth not say I do this evil I would not or I do not this good that I would but evil and good indefinitely and this is only proper to the regenerate he only hateth all evil be only loveth all good whereas the unregenerate person doth hate only some evil and it is some good only that he would do though if a man truly hate any sinne he hateth all sin because odium is circa genus Thirdly This person must be a regenerate person because there are two distinct principles in him Sinne and He are made two different things vers 17. It is no more I that do it but sinne that dwelleth in me And ver 18. I know that in me that is my flesh dwelleth no good thing Here then are as it were two distinct persons this person hath two selfs which doth necessarily demonstrate that this is a sanctified person For can a man under legal convictions say It is not I but sinne within me Can he that hath only errors upon his soul say It is not I but sinne within me How absurd and false were that for their hearts are set upon evil only the terrours of the Law restrain them Now a man is what his heart is not what his conviction is It is true the Libertines did abuse this Doctrine and would thereby acquit themselves it was not they but the flesh Yea some blasphemously would attribute it to God himself but till a man be regenerated he hath but one self and that is the flesh But saith Arminius those legal preparatory workings by the Law are the good gift of God and are to be reckoned among the works of the Spirit and therefore the Apostle may oppose them and sinne together To this it is answered Though those legal operations are from Gods Spirit yet because the person is not regenerated he is still in the state of the flesh he is still without Christ and therefore cannot distinguish himself from the flesh within him As long as those good gifts of God are not in a subject regenerated the same person and the flesh are all one Yea though those good effects come from Gods Spirit and so are in themselves spiritual yet as they are in a person unregenerated they are improved carnally they are managed only to self-respects and thus temporary believers though they do enjoy the good and common gifts of Gods Spirit yet as they are in them they are carnally improved spiritual things being prostituted to temporal ends It is plain then that onely a godly man may say It is not I but sinne in me and thus Aquinas on the place saith it may be easily understood of a man in the state of grace and of a sinner it can be only interpreted extortè by violence His reason he goeth upon is because that a man is said to do which his reason doth not which his sensitive appetite inclineth unto because homo est id quod est secundum rationem By reason we must understand sanctified reason otherwise a mans reason is corrupted as well as his sensual part Besides there is a further Argument used by the Apostle in this distinction he maketh It is no more I that do it No more that implieth once it was he that did it formerly he could not make such a distinction as now he doth Fourthly The person here spoken of must needs be a regenerate person Because it is said He delighteth in the Law of God after the inward man ver 22. This is one of the places that compelled Austin to change his former opinion Certainly to delight in the Law of God is an inseparable property of a regenerate person David expresseth his holy and heavenly heart thereby yea the Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I delight with Arminius doth well observe the emphasis of the word for he maketh the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not redundant but significant So that the meaning is he delighteth in the Law of God that is he delighteth in Gods Law and Gods Law delighteth in him there is a mutual sympathy and delight as it were which maketh the reason the stronger for a regenerate person For can any but he delight in Gods Law and Gods Law as it were delight in him again It is true it is 〈◊〉 in the inward man but that is not a diminution but a specification of the cause
whereby he doth delight in Gods Law I will not say that the inward man doth alwayes signifie the regenerate man and so is the same with a new-creature For although some understand that place so 2 Cor. 4. 16. The outward man perisheth but the inward man is renewed daily yet happily the context may enforce it another way yet here it must be understood of the mind as regenerated because it is opposite to the flesh and so signifieth the same with the hidden man of the heart in which sense a Jew is called one inwardly because of the work of grace upon his soul Fifthly The sad complaint he maketh concerning his thraldom doth evidently shew that it is a regenerate person O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death If we take body for the material body which is mortal and so sinfull or else for that body of sinne which abideth in the godly it cometh much to one point It argueth that the person here spoken of feeling this weight this burden upon him is in sad agonies of soul judgeth himself miserable and wretched in this respect and thereupon doth earnestly groan for a total redemption he longs to be in heaven where no longer will evil be present with him where he shall do all the good and as perfectly as he would It is true a godly man cannot absolutely be called a wretched and miserable man but respectively quoad hoc and comparatively to that perfect holiness we shall have hereafter So we may justly account our selves miserable not so much from external evils as from the motions and stirrings of sinne within us that do press us down and thereby make our lives more disconsolate Hence it is that Austin calleth this Gemitum saactorum c. the sighs and groans of holy persons fighting against concupiscence within them Sixthly The affectionate rejoycing and assured confidence that he hath about the full deliverance of him from this bondage expressed in those words I thank God through Jesus Christ doth greatly establish this exposition also of a regenerate ate person It is true there is variety about reading of this passage however this plainly cometh from an heart affected with assurance of Gods grace to give him a full redemption though for the present he lie in sad conflicts and agonies This is so palpable a conviction that some of the Dissentients will make Paul here to speak in his own person as if he did give God thanks for that freedome which the person spoken before had not obtained Neither is it any wonder to see such a sudden change in Paul from groaning under misery presently to break forth into thanks and praises of God For we may often observe such ebbings and flowings in David's Psalms that we would hardly think the same Psalm made by the same man at the same time one verse speaking dejection and disconsolateness the next it may be strong confidence and rejoycing in God Lastly The conclusion which Paul maketh from this excellent experimental Discourse is fully to our purpose So then I my self serve the Law of God but with the flesh the law of sin To serve God and to serve the Law of God is all one and this none but a godly man doth Yea to serve him with the mind and the spirit is a choice expression of our grace But because this is not perfect and compleat he addeth He serveth also the flesh and the law of sin It is true None can serve God and mammon Christ and sin but yet where there is not a perfect freedom from thraldom to sin there though in the principal and chief manner we are carried out to serve God yet the flesh retardeth and so snatcheth to it some service you heard contraries might be together while they are in fight Neither is our redemption from sin full and total It is to be done successively and by degrees that so we may be the more humbled and grace exalted Besides that expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is emphatical this is used when Paul expresseth himself in some remarkable manner I the same and no other man as it is used in other places 2 Cor. 10. 1. Now I Paul my self beseech you c. 2 Cor. 12. 13. except it was because I my self was not burdensom to you Rom. 9. 3. I could wish that myself were accursed c. which is enough to convince such as are not refractory ¶ 3. Objections Answered I Shall now consider what is objected against this Interpretation and shall not attend to the general objections such as that That who are Christs and regenerated have higher things attributed to them They have crucified the flesh they have mortifiedeth old man c. As also this seemeth to be injurious to Gods grace it will encourage men in slothfulness and negligence c. for these shall be answered in the general I shall therefore only pitch upon two objections which the Adversaries insist upon The first is That this person here spoken of is said to be once without the Law which say they is the description of a Gentile in Paul 's language therefore he assumeth some other person then his own for Paul alwayes lived under the Law Austin indeed expounds it thus I did live once without the Law that is saith he when he was a child before he had the use of reason This is too harsh Therefore it is better answered The person here spoken of is not said to be without the Law which is indeed the description of a Gentile but that he was alive without the Law once that is he as all the Pharisees understood the Law of God as forbidding only external sins and Paul living unblameably as to that respect thought to have life and righteousness by the Law but when the commandment came in power to him and he was convinced that it did prohibit not only outward sins but inward lustings of heart then he began to find himself a greater sinner than he was aware of then he found the Law to be death to him so that he lived without the Law because he was not affected with the full and exact obligation therof The second thing much insisted upon is That the person here spoken of is said to be carnal and sold under sinne which they say is made by the Scripture a certain property of a wickedman Thus it is said of Ahab Thou hast sold thy self to do wickedly 1 Kin. 21. 10. yea of all the children of Israel 2 Kin. 17. 13. They caused their children to pass through the fire and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord. But first Calvin doth grant that this is spoken of Paul while unregenerate and therefore beginneth his Exposition at the 15th verse of a sanctified person yet that cannot well be because there the Apostle beginneth to alter the tense There he saith I am carnal I am sold under sinne whereas before he had used the
it Is Sanctification a Condition of Justification because they are inseparable one from another That distinction of Faith justifying quae viva but not quâ viva which IS lively and working but not AS lively and working is not trifling as the Remonstrants say nor is there any cheat in it Most of the Fundamentals of Religion are distinguished from confining errours by such distinctions If a man say Christus qui Deus mortuus est saith true but if he should say Quâ Deus would he not speak blasphemy And this I bring in the rather because there are some who affect and glory in a moderating way thinking the Papists and Protestants do not so Fundamentally differ in the Point of Justification but that they may be reconciled whereas our learned Worthies at first declared that if the Romanists and we differed in no other point but this this were enough to have no Communion with them Spalatensis one of the unhappy Catholique Moderators writing of the Protestants who affirm that Faith alone Justifieth yet such a Faith as is lively and worketh by love so that although Faith Justifieth yet other graces are present though not proximely attingent of Justification Ecce saith he Formalitates Theologicas adding that the Romanists may grant to the Reformed that the dispositions to Justification are not merits And again the Reformed grant to the Romanists that by these dispositions being joyned with Faith Justification is acquired not from merit but Divine mercy alone It is true he declareth his own notion how Faith Justifieth alone viz. Absque necessitate ullius alterius humanae positivae actionis non tamen absque negativâ illa dispositione non faciendi quicquam quod sit á Deo vetitum But in the protract of his Discourse he maketh our differences herein to be pura quaedam metaphysicalia ad salutem nihil necessaria sed Galaticamur planè fratres as Tertullian of old There is a propensity in all to Galatize to joyn Faith and Works under some notion or other as to our Justification whereas the Apostle maketh an immediatie opposition between them not in the person Justified but as to the manner of Justification The learned Brother alledgeth a place out of Doctor Twisse in the title page with a signall accent upon it The words are Verum in diverso genere ad justitiam Dei refertur Christi satisfactio fides nostra Christi satisfactio ad eandem refertur per modum meriti condignitatis nostra verò fides ad eandem refertur per modum congruae dispositionis Who would not think by this passage thus barely quoted that the Doctor was speaking of Justification that Christs satisfaction is meritorious of it and our Faith a congruous disposition to it But my Brothers oversight is very great in this allegation for the learned Twisse is there speaking of Gods Justice and Mercy tempered together in Election taken terminativè as it effectually comprehends Salvation Therefore he said before Electionem ad salutem non fieri sine intuitu miseriae nostrae satisfactionis Christi fidei nostrae resipiscentiae c. So that his words oppose Doctor Hammond and Mr Pierce with others who odiously charge the Calvinists as if they held irrespective Decrees in Election and Reprobation either to sinne or holiness Whereas the excellent Doctor sheweth that Salvation the terminus of Election is not accomplished without the satisfaction of Christ and our Faith and Repentance as fit dispositions to Salvation he doth not say to Justification The Doctrine of Justification hath been greatly polluted of old by Platonicall and Aristoteticall Philosophy and we must take heed we do not defile it in a new way by running to the Civil Law and deductions from it What are Bartolus and Baldus in this point As Justification is a mercy wholly revealed in Scripture and supernaturally vouchsafed so the Words and Phrases are observed by the Learned to be peculiar as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that the Scripture expressions being compared together will best discover the manner how we are justified for it is wholly at Gods appointment what way he will take therein and from them we shall only discover a righteousness of Faith not of Love or any other particular grace It was the ruine of Socinus to conclude of the Truths of Divinity according to principles of the Civil Law this made him deny Christs satisfaction The Discourse of the Apostle James concerning Justification by Works doth not at all patrocinate the Reverend Brothers Opinion For first It is to be observed that the Apostle doth not mention any particular grace but Works in the generall as externally and visibly practised Had the Apostle said Abraham was justified not only by Faith but love then there had been some colour for his Assertion And secondly The expressions used by the Apostle concerning Justification by Works comply not with a conditio sine quâ non For ver 26. he saith As the body without the spirit is dead so is faith without Works Is the soul a conditio sine quâ non of life Again ver 22. By Abrahams Works his Faith was made perfect and his Works did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with his Faith Doth a condition sine quâ non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I urge not this as owning the Papists Expositions of Causality of Works and Merit only they make not for a conditio sine quâ non We must take Justification and Faith in another sense then the Papists do When the learned Brother explicateth that passage of the Apostle Faith is dead being alone after this manner That Faith is dead as to the use and purpose of Justifying for in it self it hath life according to its quality still Adding afterwards that Works make Faith alive as to the attainment of its end of Justification Can this be applyed to a conditio sine quâ non But the Discourse swelleth too big I have done what I thought sufficient in this matter The good Spirit of the Lord so lead us into his Truth that we may serve him with one heart and one way and wherein we have not yet attained reveal such Truths unto us A CATALOGUE Of the Chiefest of those Books as are Printed FOR THOMAS UNDERHILL By Col. Edw. Leigh Esquire A Treatise of the Divine Promises in Five Books The Saints Encouragement in Evil Times Critica Sacra or Observations on all the Radiees or Primitive Hebrew words of the old Testament in order Alphabetical Critica Sacra or Philological and Theological Observations upon all Greek words of the New-Testament in order Alphabetical By Samuel Gott Esquire Nova Solymae Librisex Sive Institutio Christiani 1. De Pueritia 2. De Creatione Mundi 3. De Juventute 4. De Peccato 5. De Virili Aetate 6. De Redemptione Hominis Essayes concerning Mans true Happiness Parabolae Evangelicae Litinè redditae Carmine Paraphrastico varii generis Morton His Touchstone of