A Golden Chain, Chapter 13 – Chapter 14
CHAP. 13. Of actuall sinne.
A After original sin in Adams posteritie, actuall transgression taketh place. It is either inward or outward. Inward, is of the minde, will, & affections.
The actuall sinne of the minde, is the euill thought or intent thereof, cōtrary to Gods law. Examples of euill thoughts: God (the onelyonly knower of the heart) hath in diuers places set downe in his word. I. That there is no God, Psal. 10.4. The wicked is so proud, that he seeketh not for God, he thinketh alwaies there is no God. Psal. 14. 1. The foole saith in his heart, there is no God. II. That there is neither prouidence nor presence of God in the world. Psal. 10.11. He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth away his face & will neuer see. vers. 13. Wherefore doth the wicked centemne God? he saith in his heart, thou wilt not regard. III. It imagineth safegard to it selfe from all perils. Psal. 10. 6. He saith in his heart, I shall neuer be mooued nor be in daunger. Revel. 18.7. She saith in her heart, I sit beeing a Queene, and am no widowe, and shall see no mourning. IV. It esteemeth it selfe more excellent thē other. Apoc. 18.7. I sit as a queene. Luk. 18.11. The Pharisie standing thus, praied to himselfe, I thanke thee, O God, that I am not as other men, extortioners, vniust, adulterers, nor yet as this Publi…an. vers. 12. I fast twise in the weeke, and giuegive tithe of all my possessions. V. That the Gospell of Gods kingdome is meere foolishnes. 1. Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishnes vntounto him. VI. To thinke vncharitably & malitiously of such as serue God sincerely. Math. 12.24. When the Pharisies heard that, they said, he casteth not out diuels but by the prince of diuels. Psal. 74.2. They said in their hearts… Let vsus destroy them altogither. VII. To thinke the day of death farre off. Esay 28.15. Ye hauehave said, We hauehave made a couenant with death, and with hell we are at agreement, though a scourge runne ouer and passe through, it shall not come at vsus. VIII. That the paines of hell may be eschewed, in the place before mentioned, they say, With hell hauehave we made agreement. IX. That God will deferre his both particular and last generall comming to iudgement. Luk. 12. 19. I will say vntounto my soule, soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeres. and vers. 45. If that seruāt say in his heart, my master will deferre his comming, &c.
Many carnall men pretend their good meaning: but when God openeth their eies, they shall see these rebellious thoughts rising in their minds, as sparkles out of a chimney.
The actuall sinne of both wil and affections, is eueryevery wicked motion, inclination, and desire. Gal. 5. The flesh lusteth against the spirit.
An actuall outward sinne, is that, to the committing whereof, the members of the bodie doe, together with the faculties of the soule, concurre. Such sinns as these are infinite. Psal. 40. 12. Innumerable troubles hauehave compassed me, my sins hauehave taken such hold vponupon me, that I am not able to looke vp: yea, they are more in number then the haires of mine head.
Actuall sinne, is of omission or commission: Again, both these are in words or deedes.
In the sinne of commission, obserue these two points. The degrees in committing a sinne, and the differences of sinnes committed.
The degrees, are in number foure. Iames 1. 14, 15. EueryEvery man is tempted, when hee is drawne away by his owne concupiscence, and is entised: Then when lust hath conceiued, it bringeth foorth sinne, and sinne when it is finished, bringeth foorth death.
The first degree, is temptation, whereby man is allured to sinne. This doth Satan by offering to the mind that which is euill. Ioh. 13.2. The diuell had now put into the heart of Iudas Iscariot Simons sonne to betray him. Act. 5.3. Peter said to Ananias, Why hath Satan filled thine heart that thou shouldest lie? &c. 1. Chr. 21. 1. And Satan stood vp against Israel, and prouoked David to number Israel. This also is effected vponupon occasion of some externall obiect, which the senses perceiue. Iob 31.1. I hauehave made a couenant with mine eyes, why then should I looke vponupon a maide?
Tentation hath two parts: abstraction, and inescation.
Abstraction, is the first cogitation of committing sinne; whereby the mind is withdrawne from Gods seruice, to the which it should be alwaies readie prest. Luk. 10.27. Thou shalt louelove the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and all thy soule, with all thy thought.
Inescation, is that whereby an euill thought conceiued, and for a time retained in the minde by delighting the will and affections, doth as it were, lay a baite for them to draw them to consent.
The second degree, is conception, which is nothing els but a consent and resolution to commit sinne. Psal. 7. 14. He shall trauaile with wickednes, he hath conceiued mischiefe, but he shall bring forth a lie.
The third degree, is the birth of sinne, namely, the committing of sinne, by the assistance both of the faculties of the soule, and the powers of the bodie.
The fourth degree, is perfection, when sinne beeing by custome perfect, and, as it were ripe, the sinner reapeth death, that is, damnation.
This appeareth in the example of Pharaoh: wherefore custome in any sinne is fearefull.
Sinne actually committed, hath fiue differences.
First, to consent with an offendour, and not actually to commit sinne. Eph. 5.11. HaueHave no fellowship with the vnfruitfull works of darknes, but reprooue them rather. This is done three manner of waies.
I. When as a man in iudgement somewhat alloweth the sinne of another. Numb. 20.6,10. Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rocke, and Moses said vntounto them, Heare now ye rebels: shall we bring you water out of the rocke? vers. 12. The Lord spake to Moses and Aaron, because ye beleeued me not, to sanctifie me in the presence of the children of Israel into the land which I hauehave giuen them.
II. When the heart approoueth in affection and consent. Hither may we referre both the Ministers and the Magistrates concealing and winking at offences. 1. Sam. 2. 23. Ely said, Why doe ye such things? for of all this people I heare euill of you. Doe no more my sonnes, &c. Now that Elies will agreeth with his sonnes sinnes, it is manifest, vers. 29. Thou honourest thy children aboue me.
III. Indeede, by counsell, presence, entisement. Rom. 1. 31. They doe not onelyonly doe the same, but also fauour them that doe them. Mark. 6.25, 26. Shee saide vntounto her mother, What shall I aske: and shee said, Iohn Baptists head, &c. Act. 22. 20. When the blood of thy Martyr Steuen was shed, I also stood by, and consented vntounto his death, and kept the clothes of them that slue him.
The second difference, is to sinne ignorantly, as when a man doth not expresly and distinctly know whether that which he doth, be a sinne or not, or if he knew it, did not acknowledge and marke it. 1. Tim. 1.23. I before was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and an oppressour: but I was receiued to merciemercy, for I did it ignorantly through vnbeleefe. Nomb. 35.22, 23, 24. If he pushed him vnaduisedly and not of hatred, or cast vponupon him any thing without laying of waite, or any stone (whereby he might be slaine) and saw him not, or caused it to fall vponupon him, and he die, and was not his enemie, neither sought him any harme: then the congregation shall iudge betweene the slayer and the auenger of blood, according to these lawes. 1. Cor. 4 4. I know nothing by my selfe, yet am I not thereby iustified. Psal. 19:13. Cleanse me from my secret sinnes.
The third difference, is to sinne vponupon knowledge, but of infirmitie, as when a man fearing some imminent daunger, or amazed at the horrour of death, doth against his knowledge denie that truth, which otherwise he would acknowledge and embrace. Such was Peters fall, arising from the ouermuch rashnes of the minde, mingled with some feare.
Thus all men offend, when the flesh, and inordinate desires so ouerrule the will and eueryevery good endeauour, that they prouoke man to that, which hee from his heart detesteth. Rom. 7.19. I doe not the thing which I would, but the euill which I would not, that doe I.
The fourth difference, is presumptuous sinning vponupon knowledge. Psal. 19. 13. Keepe thy seruant from presumptuous sinnes: let them not raigne ouer me. Hitherto belongeth, I. eueryevery sinne committed with an high hand, that is, in some contempt of God. Numb. 15.30. The person that doth presumptuously, &c. shalbe cut off from amongst his people: because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and and hath broken his commandement. II. Presumption of Gods merciemercy in doing euill. Eccles. 8.11. Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to doe euill. Rom. 2.4. Despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnes, &c. not knowing that the bountifulnes of God leadeth thee to repentance, &c.
The fift difference, is to sinne vponupon knowledge and set malice against God, and to this is the sinne against the holy Ghost referred.
CHAP. 14. Of the punishment of sinne.
HItherto we hauehave intreated of sinne, wherewithall all mankind is infected: in the next place succeedeth the punishmēt of sinne, which is threefold. The first is in this life, and that diuerse waies. The first concerneth the bodie, either in the prouision with trouble for the things of this life, Gen. 3. 17. or a pronenesse to disease, Matth. 9.2. Sonne be of good comfort, thy sinnes be forgiuen thee. Ioh. 5. 14. Behold, thou art made whole, sinne no more, least a worse thing fall vponupon thee. Deut. 28.21,22. The Lord shall make the pestilence cleaue vntounto thee, vntill he hath consumed thee from the land, &c. Or shame of nakednesse, Gen. 3.7. Or in womens paines in childbirth. Gen. 3. 16. VntoUnto the woman he said, I will greatly encrease thy sorrowes, and conceptions: in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children.
II. The soule is punished with trembling of conscience, care, trouble, hardnesse of heart, and madnesse. Deut. 28.28. The Lord shall smite thee with madnesse, and with blindnesse, and with astonying of heart.
III. The whole man is punished, 1. with fearefull subiection to the regiment of Satan. Col. 1.13. Which freed vsus from the power of darknesse, and translated vsus into the kingdome of his beloued Sonne. Heb. 2. 14. He also himself tooke part with them, that he might destroy through death, him that had power of death, that is, the diuell. 2. A separation from the fellowship of God, and trembling at his presence. Eph. 4. 18. Hauing their cogitation darkned, and beeing straungers from the life of God. Gen. 3. 10. I heard thy voice in the garden, and was afraid, because I was naked, therefore I hid my selfe. 3. VponUpon a mans goods, diuers calamities and dammages. Deut. 28.29. Thou shalt euer be oppessed with wrong, and be pouled, and no man shall succour thee, &c. to the ende of the chapter. To this place may be referred distinction of Lordships: and of this commeth a care to enlarge them, and bargaining with all manner of ciuill seruitudes. 4. The losse of that Lordly authoritie, which man had ouer all creatures; also their vanitie, which is not onelyonly a weakning, but also a corrupting of that excellencie of the vertues and powers which God at the first put into them. Rom. 8.20, 21. The creature is subiect to vanitie, not of it owne will, but by reason of him, which hath subdued it vnderunder hope, &c. 5. In a mans name, infamie and ignominie sometimes after his death. Ierem. 24.9.
The second, is at the last gaspe, namely death, or a change like vntounto death, Rom. 6.23. The wages of sinne is death.
The third is, after this life, euen eternall destruction from Gods presence, and his exceeding glorie. 2. Thess. 1.9. Who shalbe punished with euerlasting perdition, from the presence of God, and the glorie of his power.