The Rule of the Law Under the Gospel, Chapter 5
CHAP. 5.
Containing foure more pernicious and erronious opinions.
5 ERROR.
That no action of the beleever after justification is sinne, for unto faith there is no sinne; for all sinne past, present, and to come, is taken away by the blood of Christ, and no sinne remaineth in the kingdome where faith reigneth, and sitteth judge; it is out of the Lawes element to judge of this blessed condition: Neither can God allow any worke that is defective in the beleever.
Answ. Here is the ghost of H. N. in this peece of new Gospell, which tels us a dream of an absolute reigne of faith, where is still remaining sinne. True it is that faith deposeth the reigne of sinne, that it rule not, but so as that it selfe never reigneth in this life without the presence and assault of sin; for such as say they have no sinne with their faith, deceive themselves.
2. It is enough for the state of this life, that faith frame the heart to willing and sincere obedience▪ though not to perfect and absolute.
3. It argues their grosse ignorance in the Scriptures,Persons of beleevers imperfect, yet pleasing to God. which affirme, that both persons and duties of beleevers, though imperfect & defective, are yet pleasing. 1. For their persons, God looketh upon them in Christ, & pronounceth of them, that though they be blacke, yet they are comely. Prov. 12. 22. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that feare him. Psal. 147. 11. The Lord taketh pleasure in his people. Acts 10. 35. In every Nation he that feareth him is accepted of him. 2. For their duties, And duties also.though they be imperfect, yet they please him, because their persons doe. Mal. 3. 4. Then shall the offerings of Iudah and Ierusalem be pleasing unto thee. Phil. 4. 18. An odour of sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable and well-pleasing unto God: speaking of the almes and charity of that Church. Col. 3. 20. Children obey your parents, for this is wel-pleasing to the Lord. And our comfort and happines is, that he pleaseth to accept from us that which is sincere, though weake, and imperfect.
6 ERROR.
That our Preachers teach Popery in persuading good works to further mens owne salvation.
Answ. Our doctrine and practise herein agreeth with the doctrine of the Scriptures,Godly Ministers preach not popery in calling for good workes to further mens salvation. and with the practise of Christ and his Apostles, and because the Sectaries cast this imputation upon godly Ministers, to weaken their authority among their people, it will not be amisse in few words to cleare it: and that in these positions.
1. Wee teach according to Scripture, That every good worke must rise from a good worker, for the tree must first be good: and men gather not figges of thistles. So as a good worke is proper to a justified person,Non praecedit iustificandum, sed sequitur iustificatum, Aug. and the use of it cannot be to justifie, because he is justified already.
2. We teach ye necessity of ye duties of ye Law to salvatiō; not as causes or merits of our salvation or justification;Non necessitate efficientiae, sed necessitate praesentiae. which were to dethrone Christ, and preach Popery, but as a way and meanes appointed by God to walke into heaven:Via regni non causa regnandi. and so the Apostle preached them necessary. Tit: 3. 14. Let ours also learne to maintaine good workes for necessary uses: and every simple man knoweth, that the holding of the way must needes further the journey, and conduce to the place intended.
3. Wee carefully alwayes distinguish betweene the justice of workes,Distinguish betweene the iustice of works, and the presence of them. which conduceth nothing to salvation; and the presence of workes, without which there is no expectation of salvation: for without their presence all faith is dead, Iam: 2. 26.and all religion vaine.Iam: 1. 26.
4. Wee distinguish in this doctrine, the principall efficient cause of righteousnesse and salvation, from the instrumentall. Is it a good reason, that because Christ is the principall efficient,The meritorious cause of salvation, excludeth not instrumentall. and the onelyonly meritorious cause of our salvation; that therefore all the instrumentall and adjuvant causes and means of salvation must be cut off and cast away? True it is that God alone decreeth our salvation, Christ alone meriteth it, the spirit alone sealeth it: but yet the Gospell revealeth it, and that saveth; faith apprehendeth it, and that saveth: the Ministers they preach it, and they save, namely ministerially. 1 Tim: 4. 16. Thou shalt save thy selfe, and them that heare thee. Did the Apostle write popery, or derogate frō Christ, in saying that Timothy did save himselfe and others? or is it such a peece of popery to say, that the use of the meanes doth further the end?
5. What will you say of St. Paul, who commands us to worke out our salvation with feare and trembling? It seemeth he thought that men must doe something toward their owne salvation:Qui fecit te sinc te, non salvat te sine te. as that Father did, who saith, that though God made us without our selves, yet hee saveth us not without our selves. And Phil: 4. 17. when he calleth duties of beneficence and charity, a fruit furthering our reckoning; that is, as a meanes, not as a merit. I would know how they should further our reckoning, and not further our salvation. True it is that mercy accepteth that for a furthering of our reckoning, which in strict justice would not goe for payment: but yet seeing the same mercy takes us into the worke, we may per…wade also with the Apostle, that Christians would be still thus furthering their owne reckoning. The same Apostle speaking of the same duties, 2 Cor: 9. 6. calleth them a sowing, and saith, He that soweth liberally▪ shall reape liberally. Whether doe not these men thinke, that sowing is a furtherance to the harvest? Surely S. Paul thought so, & yet minded not to strengthen popery: for neither is he that soweth any thing, neither he that reapeth any thing, but God that giveth the promise, and increase. The same Apostle speaking of the duties of Christian suffering, saith not onelyonly that they turne to the salvation of the Saints, Phil: 1. 9. but also that our light and momentany afflictions cause unto us an eternall weight of glory. & do they not then further our salvation? and what doth the Apostle Peter say lesse? when he saith, that by addition, and exercise of graces,2 Pet. 1. 11. an entrance is ministred abundantly into the kingdome of Christ. And why doth the Apostle excite Christians every day to further themselves in the way of salvation, as runners by speed and strength get nearer the goale; if we may not urge the doctrine of good workes, and Christian duties, in pretence of the Lawes abolition? which certainly was as much abolished in the Apostles dayes as now?
7 ERROR.
That not as much as any outward worship of God required in the Law is to be performed by true beleevers since the comming of Christ: because all the worship of the new Testament is inward and spirituall. Ioh: 4. 23. The houre commeth, &c. and to receive the doctrine of the Gospel by faith, is to worship the Father: Neither hath any other good worke done in obedience to the Morall Law any reward: because all is the free gift of God.
Answ. 1. Here is a bundle of errours tyed together, all for the upholding of atheisticall liberty; whereby they would trample under foote all Gods sacred ordinances at once, and loose themselves from all care, and conscionable use of the meanes of salvation: these wild conceits come in as the ill favoured lean kine in Pharaohs dreame, that eate up all the fat kine. For how wilde and loose a consequent is it, that because God will bee worshipped in all places, therefore hee must not be worshipped outwardly: or because he will be worshipped spiritually, therefore hee will not be worshipped externally.
2. How madly and confusedly is all worship inward and outward, resolved into a fantasticall faith, neither required in the Law, nor evidenced by workes, as the faith of the Gospel; nor distinguished from the faith of Divels, who by assent receive the doctrine of the Gospell, and beleeve it? This is mechanicall divinity beseeming a shop, for never came it out of the schooles: That there is no worship since Christ but inward: nor that, that inward worship is nothing but faith: nor that, that faith is nothing but to receive the doctrine of the Gospel.
3. As simple is that they say, that no workes have reward, because all is free gift; as if free gift and reward cannot stand together: the reward being freely promised by God, and God not unjust to forget either his owne promise, or our labour of love.
4. Are they such strangers in the Scriptures, that they have not read neither of recompence nor reward? not indeed merited by the worker, nor deserved by the worke; but reckoned (not to the worke but) to the worker being in Christ; and bestowed of free grace, for the faithfulnesse of the promiser, not for the desert of the worke, or worker. In which sense, let them runne and reade these places. Prov. 19. 17. Blessed is he that hath mercy on the poore, the Lord will recompence him that which he hath given. Matth: 10. 42. A cup of colde water, shall not lose his reward. Mat: 10. 25. Come ye blessed, &c. for ye gave mee meate. Rev: 22. 12. Beholde I come shortly, and my reward is with me, to give to every man according as his worke shall be. And Psal: 19. In keeping the commandements there is great reward.
8 ERROR.
That God seeth no sinne in the justified: for hee seeth no iniquity in Iacob: Numb: 23. 21.
Answ. Vnhappy was his schisme, and unworthy was his suffering, that wilfully disturbed the peace of the Church, and ruined his owne peace, only for a strife of words, and mistaking a phrase of Scripture which hee would not understand.How God sees no sin in his children. The phrase is a borrowed speach (as all may see) ascribing eyes unto God; and taken from the custome of men, who turne away their eyes from that they would not see. Gods eye is his knowledge; and this knowledge is twofold. 1. A simple eye an… …owledge, 1. Simplex rerum notitia.wherby he cannot but see all things, and actions that ever were, or shall be. Heb: 4. 13. All things are naked to him with whom … have to doe. Ier: 23. 24. Can any man hide himselfe in secret places, that I should not see him? Thus he seeth all the sinnes of all good and bad. Psal: 69. 5. O Lord thou knowest my foolishnes, and my faults are not hid from thee.
2. A respective eye or knowledge, 2. Scientia coniuncta cum Dei voluntate.joyned with purpose and affection: and thus what hee cannot but see with the eye of his simple knowledge; he sees not with this judiciary eye: so he sees not the sins of the elect with the eye of severity; hee discernes the sinne, but not with purpose of revenge.
When God is pleased thus to behold sinne, hee is said in Scripture not to see it. 1. Because he sees it not to punish it; 2. not to impute it or lay it to the charge of the sinner; 3. when he seeth it to pardon it, and to cover it, yea and to cure it. And this phrase of not seeing sin, is the same with those other, of casting sinnes behinde his backe, Isay 38. 17. and casting them into the bottome of the Micah 7. 10. of putting them away as a mist, Isay 44. 22. all improper and metaphoricall speeches; but such as deceivers wrappe themselves in, to hide and colour their ignorant and witlesse schisme;Si Deus texit peccata, noluit advertere; si noluit advertere, noluit animadvertere; si noluit animadvertere, no…luit … ▪ maluit agnoscere, maluit ignoscere. Quid est enim Deum videre peccata, nisi punire peccata? In Psal. 32. taking that in the simple and literall sense, which is to be understood in the metaphoricall, and respective: and willingly shuffling and confounding those things, the distinguishing whereof would helpe them backe into the way of truth and sobriety. This is also St. Augustines exposition of the phrase: What is it for God to see sinne, but to punish sinne?
But for a man to say, that God can no way see the sinnes of beleevers, is to open a wide gate to all libertinisme, epicurisme, atheisme, and whatsoever else is an enemy to the feare of God, and the awefull regard of his all-seeing eye; and the expression was as foolish, as the conceit it selfe is novell, and false▪ The sinnes of beleevers are covered as close from Gods sight, as this salt-celler is now covered with my hat. Can you now (saith he) see this salt-celler? no more can God see the covered sinnes of beleevers. The man did not consider that God could see under the hat, though his disciple could not.
Somewhat would be said against this ignorant conceit, to instruct and stay such ingorants as are teachable, and willing to see the truth.Hee that must bring every action good and bad into iudgmēt, must see every action. And therfore thus I reason.
1. He that must bring every worke into judgement, must see every worke: but God will bring every worke into judgement, whether it be good or evill: therefore hee must see every worke, as well those that hee bringeth into the judgement of absolution, as those which hee bringeth into the judgement of condemnation.
2. What God seeth once by his simple and absolute knowledge, he ever seeth, by one eternall and simple act,Nunquam vartatur Dei aspectus, nihil novi unquā vidit, nulla mutatio … in Dei scientiam, cum ipsa scientia Dei est ipsa Dei essentia; & in Deo nil nisi Deus. which is not capable of change, or forgetfulnesse; not now seeing, and now not seeing; he never seeth any new thing, but seeth and knoweth all things at once with one and the same sight; for the knowledge of God is the essence of God: according to that ancient and approved saying, Nothing is in God but God.
3. What God directeth and ordereth to a certaine end, he must needes see and know: but hee directeth and ordereth all the sinnes of beleevers (though past and pardoned) to a certaine end; namely to his owne glory, to the praise o… his merciemercy, and to their humiliation, repentance and salvation: therfore hee must needes see that which he so wisely and powerfully ordereth.
4. One Attribute of God destroyes not another, his mercy must not destroy his wisedome; he must see the sinnes that hee pardoneth, and in which he magnifieth the riches of his mercy: and if God knew not all evills of whomsoever, his knowledge were imperfect,Cognitio mali bona est. and he should want some good knowledge; for the knowledge of evill is good.
5. What God makes them see in themselves, himself must necessarily see; but hee makes the beleever see, and confesse and bewaile his sinne, even past and pardoned: therefore himselfe seeth them much more. For we have no eye, nor facultie of minde to discerne any thing,Nihil in nobis … quae est a Deo, vel … quo… est a … ▪ vel gratiae qua datur in Christo, quin Deo notum est, & totum adprime cognitum. but from him that enlighteneth every man that commeth into the world, Iohn 1 Doth he work in us the knowledge o… our sinnes, and hee not know them? Nay doth he enjoyne the Saints to set before his eye daily their sinnes in the humble confession of them and prayer for pardon, and doth he not yet see them? Doe we not heare David confessing the sins of his youth long after they were not onelyonly committed, but remitted? Psal. 25. and doth he not confesse with humility those foule sinnes, after he had a speciall message from God, that they were pardoned? Psal. 51. And in the new Testament did not Paul long after his conversion and justification, confesse sinnes pardoned? I was a blasphemer, and a persecuter, &c. And did not God now see and know these sinnes past and pardoned; or not heare their confessions?
6. If the spirit of God maintaineth a continuall combat against the sinnes of the justified, then he sees those sinnes against which he fighteth: for wee must not thinke that the spirit of light and wisdome either fighteth in the darke, or blindfold; or that the elect can ever find the power of the spirit subduing those sins which he cannot see.
7. Hee that recordeth the sinnes of the elect many yeares and ages after they are pardoned,He that recordeth sins past, and pardoned many ages before, must needes see them. seeth sinne in the justified: for how could hee inspire his servants in that which he did no way see? But so doth the Lord. For of David was said long after his death, that hee was right save in the matter of Vriah. Rahab was called an harlot many ages after her, and yet the holy Ghost forgat not that she was a beleever. Heb. 11. 31. By faith Rahab the harlot perished not. Elias was said to be a … subject to the same infirmities, Iames 5. God that sees the infirmities of the Saints so many ages after, seeth and knoweth greater errors much more, though not to impute them.
Object. But these were in the olde Testament; but since the death of Christ God cannot see sinne pardoned.
Sol. O grosse ignorance!Many examples hereof in the new Testament Was the death of Christ lesse efficacious in matter of remission of sinne, and righteousnesse to beleevers in the olde Testament than to us in the new? was hee not the same lambe slaine from the beginning of the world? even the same yesterday, to day, and for ever?
2. Doe they never reade the Scriptures, or doe they reade them, and winke at such pregnant and plentifull examples of beleevers recorded, and yet many ages before pardoned? 1 Corinth. 6. 11. speaking of theeves, covetous, &c. And such were you, but now yee are justified, now yee are sanctified. Did not God and his spirit see sinne past, and pardoned in the justified▪ Rom. 6. 19. Yee did give up your members weapons of unrighteousnesse. These were sinnes past and pardoned in justified persons in the new Testament, and after Christs death. Ephes: 2. 11. Remember that yee were Gentiles, in the flesh, without God: aliants without hope: it seemes God saw, and remembred sinnes past, and pardoned, and putteth them in remembrance of them. Col. 3. 7. The Apostle chargeth the Colossians with what they had beene, and in what fearefull sinnes they had walked, though now they were justified. Did the Lord charge them with that hee did not see? I might be abundant in such testimonies: but if these places cannot cleare this truth to them, let them still shut their eyes against the Sunne, and hide themselves in their owne thickets; to enjoy more securely all their licentious courses; as those wicked men that say, Tush God seeth us not, there is no knowledge in the most High.