A Key to the Key of Scripture, Chapter 1 · Exposition of verse 28
Verſe 28. For as they regarded not to acknowledge God, euen ſo God deliuered them vp vntounto a reprobate minde, to doe thoſe things which are not conuenient.
THere yet followes another degree of this ſpirituall iudgement, with the cauſe of it; declaring alſo how equall this vengeance was, and how iuſtly inflicted; in the words obſerue theſe things: firſt, the ſinne, they regarded not the knowledge of God: ſecondly, the puniſhment, giuing vp to a reprobate minde: thirdly, the conſequent of the puniſhment; doing of things vncomely; fulneſſe of all vnrighteouſneſſe.
The ſinne is, that they regarded not to know God. Obſer. The word foreign, ſometime ſignifies to trie, or examine; 1 Theſ. 5.21. ſometimes to approue and allow, ſo here it imports a not allowing, or regarding, or making that precious account of the knowledge of God: a grieuous ſinne noted in men of deſperate impietie, Iob 21.14. and the common ſinne of theſe times; wherein the Lord hath vouchſafed vsus ſo plentifull meanes of knowledge of himſelfe, in the face of Ieſus Chriſt, by the Goſpell.
Signes of it: firſt, to deſpiſe the meanes: Pro. 1. Ier. 32.33.
Secondly, not to preſerue it being attained, by all holy meanes, hearing, reading, meditation, conference, practiſe, prayer, &c.
Thirdly, wilfully to ſuppreſſe, and choake it in vsus. Rom. 1.18. 2 Pet. 3.5.
Fourthly, to preferre other vaine ſpeculations of our owne, or other mens deuiſing▪ before what God reuealeth. Rom. 21.22. Many other might be reckoned, but theſe ſufficiently conuince our people as guiltie of this ſinne. See we now the puniſhment; God gaue them vp to a reprobate minde. This reprobate minde ſome take actiuely, and thus interpret; a mind not ſo much reproued, as reprouing, or diſallowing things to be allowed; approuing things to be reproued: which though it may be implied as a fruit of this reprobate minde, yet I take it, is not principally, and firſt here meant. And to my remembrance there is no vſe of theſe words foreign and foreign, in this actiue ſenſe, in any Greeke authentike Authour.
This reprobate minde, I therefore interpret; a minde reiected, diſallowed, abhorred of GOD and good men; in reſpect of that blindnes, vanitie, impietie, peruerſeneſſe it abounds with all. We hauehave an Epithite in our Engliſh ſomething neare it; when we vſe to ſay of a man deſperately froward, and malicious; that he is a man of a diueliſh minde.
Such a minde hath in it theſe deteſtable fruits: firſt, a diſallowing of all that good is; approuing of all that is naught. Iſay 5.20. Secondly, an aboliſhment, or at leaſt a great decay of thoſe naturall ſynteriſis, that is, principles of direction for Morall actions; which in ſome naturall men are meanes of much reſtraint from euill, prouoking to good duties. Thirdly, vncapableneſſe of all good vnderſtanding, and knowledge. See Ier. 4.22.
Vſe. Which heauy iudgement, how is it euerie vvhere conſpicuous amongſt our people? God iuſtly giuing them vp to a reprobate minde▪ becauſe they regarded not to procure, preſerue, or rightly to vſe the knowledge of God vouchſafed vntounto them.
Secondly, and let their harme teach vsus to beware, the like ſinne of little eſteeming the knowledge of the moſt high: leaſt when we would know, God ſhut our eyes, that we cannot ſee the things that concerne our peace. Iſay 6. &c.
How many of our people, too late bewaile this; that they cannot now conceiue the plaineſt truths taught them in the plaineſt and moſt familiar manner. Iſay 28. and cry out of themſelues for neglecting, and deſpiſing inſtruction; but all in vaine?
I cannot here paſſe ouer this conſideration: Obſer. how the pollution of ſinne admitted into the bodie, windes it ſelfe into the affections, and thence creepes into the very iudgement, and vnderſtanding, till it hauehave eaten out all ſoundneſſe of iudging and diſcerning betwixt good, and euill. Confer Ier. 24.26.28. Their bodies firſt defiled; then their affections ſubiugated: Now their very mindes forlorne of all iudgement, and iuſtly reiected of the Lord. Compare alſo 1 Tim. 1.19. Adulterie how creepes it from the bodie to the affections bewitching them? Hoſ. 4.6. How then blindes the iudgement; to thinke, and cenſure it but a tricke of youth? Drunkenneſſe, what an inward thirſt of the deſire workes it? and how eaſily inclines it to iudge it no worſe then fellowſhip, yea,Iſay 5.22. ſo good as a point of manhood.
And let it be our caueat, how we admit euen the leaſt of bodily pollutions; leaſt by Gods iudgement, our affections thereby be entangled, and our mindes darkened, our bodies they are part of Chriſts purchaſe. 1 Cor. 6. ſhould be ſacrifices vntounto GOD. Rom. 12. weapons to fight the Lords battels againſt vnrighteouſneſſe. Rom. 6.
But how frequent libertiniſme is in this behalfe, we ſee in ordinarie experience; whiles men with an Epicharmus like proteſtation, take libertie to ſee, heare, practiſe bodily vncleanneſſe; and all with this pretenſe of a good heart, and cleane ſoule to God-ward. To ſee the impious fooleries of a Maſſe, many hold it expedient; and to be preſent at Idolatrous ſeruices, with reſeruation of conſcience to God, how frequent is it in our beyond-ſea trauellers? little weigh they how ſpeedy a paſſage the…r… is from the eye to the heart, and how ſoone our affections are bewitched with ſuch gariſh ſpectacles; and how GOD often puniſheth ſuch fond curioſitie with blindnes, and giuing vp to be enſnared.
Come wee now to the conſequents of this iudgement: firſt, doing things not comely nor conuenient: ſecondly, fulneſſe of all iniquitie.
foreign implyes two things. foreign: Dutie, and Decorum. And the meaning is, that they ran wilfully into the groſeſt ſinnes, contrarie to all euen naturall Dutie, and Decorum; without regard to any thing that might beſeeme their age, ſexe, condition of life, &c. not that any ſinne agrees with Dutie or Decorum; but that euen corrupt nature, till it be infatuated and giuen ouer, hath care of ſome Decorum in tranſgreſſing; and holds ſome ſinnes, at leaſt in the manner of committing, diſgracefull, and deteſtable: As it is ſaid of Scipio, when a beautifull ſtrumpet was tendered him to abuſe himſelfe with all, vellem, inquit, ſi non eſſem Imperator. I would willingly, were it not vnſeemely for the great place I am in.
Obſer. But here ſee, what an horrible confuſion of all things flowes into the life, naturall iudgement, and conſcience, once extinguiſhed: ſo that euen common honeſtie, and modeſtie is neglected; and ſinnes euen to the corrupt nature deteſtable, are willingly practiſed. Compare Epheſ. 4.18.19. alſo Rom. 1.26.27.
Vſe. And let vsus hence learne by all good meanes to cheriſh in vsus that light both of nature and grace, that it pleaſeth God to ſet in vsus, that this reprobate minde come not vponupon vsus.