Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Theological treatise · Commandment 10 · Confutations 1
3. Places of controversie.
1. Conf. Against the Pelagians that denie concupiscence to be sinne.
FIrst we are here to deale against the Pelagians, who did hold concupiscentiam non esse peccatum ▪ that concupiscence is not sinne: whose objections were these:
1. Object. Such things as are naturall, are not evill: but concupiscence is naturall, therefore it is not evill, nor consequently sinne.
Answ. This argument must be answered by a distinction: for by naturall here may be understood that which was made naturall in man by creation before his fall: and so the proposition is true, but the assumption is false; for inordinate concupiscence and appetite was not in man before his fall: or it is taken for that which is now incident to mans corrupt nature since his fall, and so the assumption is true, but the proposition false.
2. Object. Even in our nature, as it now standeth corrupt, the appetite or desire to such things as tend to the conservation of nature, and to decline and shun the contrarie, are not evill: but such is the concupiscence to meat and drinke, and such like, Ergo.
Answ. 1. Such motions and appetites of themselves are not evill, as they are naturall motions: but if they be inordinate motions, and exceed a just measure, they are evill: as to have an immoderate desire to meat or drinke. For as it was naturall in Eve to desire to eat of the fruit of the tree, yet to desire it against the Commandement of God, was evill: so is it with these naturall motions, if they bee immoderate and inordinate, they are evill. 2. There are other concupiscences beside these; which are neither naturall, nor tending to the conservation of nature: as coveting another mans house, or wife, &c. which can have no such excuse or preten….
3. Object. That which is not in mans power to avoid, is no sinne: but not to covet is not in mans power: Ergo, it is no sinne.
Answ. 1. The proposition is false: for sinne is not measured by the necessitie or libertie of nature, but by the disagreement which it hath with the will of God. 2. When God first printed the law in mans nature before his fall, then were the precepts of God given unto man, in his power to keepe: though man by his voluntarie corruption hath lost his power and libertie, yet God forgoeth not his power and right of commanding. 4. But that concupiscence is sinne, it is both evident by this law, that would not forbid it unlesse it were sinne: and by the Apostle, who useth the same argument: I had not knowne sinne but by the law: for I had not knowne lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not lust, Rom. 7.7. Vrsin.
2. Confut. Against the Papists, that denie concupiscence to be sinne in the regenerate.
SEcondly, the Papists are herein Semipelagians; who generally affirme and hold, that concupiscence remaining after baptisme, is not properly sinne, nor forbidden by commandement: Rhemist. …. Rom. 6. sect. 6. So was it decreed in the Tridentine Synode, that concupiscence, non est vere & proprie peccatum in renatis, is not verily and properly a sinne in the regenerate, but that it is so called, quia ex peccato est, & in peccatum inclinat, because it commeth of sinne, and inclineth to sinne: Session. 1. cap. 1. They object thus.
1. Object. Sinne maketh men guiltie before God of eternall death: but the regenerate are not guiltie of eternall death, therefore concupiscence in them is no sinne.
Answ. 1. By this reason there shall bee no sinne at all in the regenerate: for there is no condemnation at all to them that are in Christ Jesus. 2. Neither concupiscence, nor any sinne else shall condemne the regenerate: but that is not because concupiscence is no sinne, but that both it and all other sinnes are pardoned in Christ, and so not imputed.
2. Object. Originall sinne is taken away in Baptisme: therefore concupiscence in the regenerate is no sinne.
Answ. Originall sinne is not simply taken away in Baptisme, but onelyonly quoad reatum, in respect of the guilt: and as the Schoolmen say, it is taken away formally in Baptisme, but not materially. There are two things to be considered in originall sinne: the disagreement or repugnancie which it hath with the law of God, and the guilt of the punishment. This latter way originall sinne is remitted and released in Baptisme, it shall never be laid unto the charge of the faithfull: as S. Paul saith, Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen, Rom. 8.33. But the other remaineth still in Gods children: as S. Paul confesseth of himselfe, Rom. 7.23. I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde; but yet, though it remaine and have a being in the faithfull, it doth not reigne in them: as the same Apostle exhorteth, Rom. 6.12. Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodie.
3. But that concupiscence is sinne in the very regenerate, it is evident by this precept, Thou shalt not covet: which commandement is given generally to all both the regenerate and unregenerate. S. Paul also calleth the rebellion of his flesh, which he felt in himselfe being now regenerate, the law of sinne, Rom. 7.23.25. And the Apostle speaketh to men regenerate, when he saith, Be renewed in the spirit of your minds, Ephes. 4.23. which renovation needed not, if concupiscence in them were no sinne.
4. But that place of Augustine will bee objected: Quamvis insint, dum sumus in corpore mortis hujus, peccati desideria, &c. Although while we are in the bodie of this death, there be in us the desire of sinne: yet if we should give assent to none of them, non esset unde diceremus, &c. dimitte debita nostra, we should have no cause to say to our heavenly Father, Forgive us our debts, &c. August. epist. 200.
Answ. 1. Augustine must be understood to speake of actuall sinnes: that if so men had grace never to consent to their concupiscence, they should not need to pray for remission of such sinnes. 2. And who is there that liveth, who sometime is not carried away with concupiscence, to give assent unto it? So that, if Augustine should speake generally of all sinne, yet his speech being conditionall, if we should give ass… to none of them, and that condition being kept of none, this proveth not concupiscence not to bee sinne. See more of this controversie, Synops. Centur. 4. err. 16.
3. Confut. That no concupiscence is a veniall sinne in it selfe.
THirdly, Thomas Aquin his assertion commeth here to be examined: Not a quòd cupiditas tun… est peccatum mortale, quando sine ratione, &c. Note that concupiscence is then mortall sinne, when as the things of our neighbours are coveted without reason: but when they are reasonably desired, it is veniall, Thomas in opuscul.
Contra. 1. This distinction of mortall and veniall sinnes, being understood in their sense, that some sinnes in the condition and qualitie thereof are mortall, some veniall, is contrarie to the Scripture, which maketh death the wages of sinne, Rom. 6.23. that is, of all: but to the faithfull, through Gods grace, all sinnes are veniall, and shall never be laid unto their charge: and so no concupiscence is mortall. 2. There can be no reasonable coveting of another mans things: for reason is grounded upon the law of nature: against the which such concupiscence is: therefore the coveting of our neighbours goods, being a transgression of this morall precept, is in it owne nature mortall: but through Gods merciemercy in Christ, both it and all other sinnes to the faithfull are veniall and pardonable, and not otherwise.
4. Confut. That Marie was not void of originall sinne and concupiscence.
FUrther, Thomas Aquin hath another position: Post peccatum propter corruptionem nullus evadit concupiscentiam praeter Christus & virgo gloriosa, &c. After sinne entred, because of corruption none can escape concupiscence, beside Christ and the glorious Virgin: Thom. in opuscul. So the Rhemists All men are borne in sinne, Christ onelyonly excepted, and his mother for his honour, Annotat. Rom. 5. sect. 9.
Contra. 1. The Apostle saith, Rom. 3.19. Whatsoever the law saith, it saith to them which are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world be culpable before God. But Mary was under the law, and culpable before God as others were: Ergo, the law also saith to her, Thou shalt not covet.
2. Againe, the same Apostle saith: The law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be made righteous by faith, Galath. 3.24▪ But Mary was made righteous by faith, for shee calleth Christ her Saviour in her song, Luk. 1.47. Therefore the law also was a schoolmaster to her to bring her to Christ.
3. S. Paul further saith, Ephes. 2.3. We were by nature the children of wrath as well as others: He speaketh generally of all the faithfull: therefore even Mary was by nature the childe of wrath; and consequently borne in originall sinne.
4. Divers infirmities are discovered in Scripture in the Virgin Mary; as Luk. 2.48. her finding fault with Christ: Matth. 12.46. her interrupting of Christ in his sermon: Ioh. 2.2. her prescribing of the time to Christ to shew a miracle in turning the water into wine: when Christ rebuked her, saying: Woman, what have I to doe with thee? All these infirmities doe shew that Mary was not void of originall sinne. And therefore upon these reasons and testimonies of Scripture we inferre, that Mary was conceived and borne in sinne as others are, and Christ onelyonly is excepted: of whom onelyonly the Apostle saith, He was in all things tempted in like sort, yet without sinne, Heb. 4.15. As Origen also well saith, Solus Christus sine macula: OnelyOnly Christ was without spot: Homil. 1. in Levit. See more also of this question, Synops. Centur. 2. err. 79.
5. Confut. Against the Romanists, that it is impossible in this life to keepe the law of God.
NOw whereas the law restraineth the very inward concupiscence and corrupt desire: herein appeareth the perfection of the law, and how impossible it is for any in this life to keepe the law of God perfectly: as the Apostle saith, Rom. 7.14. We know that the law is spirituall, but I am carnall sold under sinne. There are two reasons, why it is not possible to keepe the law: both because it is spirituall, not restraining onelyonly the externall act, but the internall spirituall motions, and so is a most perfect rule of righteousnesse; and for that we are on the other side imperfect, full of weaknesse and corruption, and carnall. Here then is discovered another error of the Romanists, That the precepts and commandements of God unto a man justified, and in the state of grace, are not impossible to be kept: Concil. Trident. sess. 6. can. 18. First then the truth concerning this point, shall briefly be opened: and then their objections answered.
First, here we are to consider a fourefold state and condition of man: 1. As he was created in a perfit state before his fall, when it was possible for man to have kept the law, and to have conformed himselfe in perfit obedience to the will of his Creator. 2. But man considered in his corrupt nature, before he be regenerate and restored, can by no meanes keepe the law: as the Prophet saith, Can the blacke moore change his skinne, or the Leopard his spots? then may yee also doe good, that are accustomed to doe evill; Iere. 13.23. So the Apostle, Whatsoever is not of faith, is sinne, Rom. 14.23. And, We are not able of our selves to thinke any thing, 2 Cor. 3.5.
3. In the restored estate of man by regeneration and new birth, the law is partly possible to bee kept,How the law is possible to bee kept in the regenerate. partly impossible. It is possible two wayes: first by the imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ, who hath fulfilled the law for us: for he needed not fulfill it for himselfe, as hee suffered not for himselfe: for he was perfitly holy and just, even from his conception, communicatione justitiae divinae, by the communication of the divine justice: Marbach. So the Apostle saith, Rom. 10.4. Christ is the end of the law (that is, the fulfilling of the law) for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth.
Secondly, the law is possible to be kept of the regenerate, Quo ad inchoationem obedientia internae & externa, in respect of the inchoation or beginning of obedience internall and externall: as the Apostle saith, This is the love of God, that we keepe his commandements, 1 Ioh. 5.3. For he which without this beginning of righteousnesse, that is, without regeneration, saith he knoweth and serveth God, is a liar, Vrsin. This regeneration and inchoate obedience, being wrought in the faithfull by the Spirit of God, though it doe not wolly extirpate and root out sinne, yet it keepeth it so under, that it reigne not in them: and it so renueth them, that they labour to resist sinne, and to live according to the law of God: which obedience though it bee in it selfe imperfect, yet is it accepted of God by faith in Christ, in whose perfect righteousnesse, whatsoever is imperfect in our obedience, is perfected, and our imperfections pardoned, Marbach.
Yet even in the regenerate the law is impossible to be kept, in respect of that perfection which God requireth:How it is impossible to be kept in the regenerate. and therefore the Prophet David saith, Psal. 143.3. Enter not into judgement with thy servant, for in thy sight shall none that liveth be justified. 1. The faithfull doe both imperfectly keepe the law, committing many things against it: 2. Even in those things wherein they keepe the law, they have some imperfections, as the Prophet Isay saith, 64.6. All our righteousnesse is as a stained clout, Vrsin.
But there is great difference betweene the regenerate and unregenerate, even when they sinne.Difference betweene the sinnes of the regenerate and unregenerate. 1. Gods purpose standeth to save the Elect, though they sometime slip; so is it not with the other. 2. Their repentance in the end is certaine; so is it not in the unregenerate. 3. Even in the sinnes of the regenerate there remaineth yet some seed of faith, which is not utterly extinguished, nor they wholly given over: but the wicked and unregenerate are wholly sold over unto sinne, and their very conscience is polluted, Vrsin.
4. In the glorious state of the Saints in the next life, the obedience of the Saints shall bee perfect, and they shall wholly be conformable to the will of God: and then we shall be just, not onelyonly by the imputative justice of Christ, sed propria essentiali justitia, but by a proper essentiall justice, and then we shall fully be made like to the image of Christ, as the Apostle saith, Rom. 8.29. Those which he knew before, he also predestinate, to be made like the image of his Sonne, Marbach. Now the contrarie objections are these:
1. Object. The works of the Spirit are perfect: but good works in the regenerate are the works of the Spirit: therefore they are perfect.
Answ. This argument proceedeth from that which is simpliciter, simplie and absolutely said to bee of the Spirit, to that, which secundum quid, after a sort is of the Spirit: the works of the faithfull are not absolutely the works of the Spirit: but they are so the works of the Spirit, as they be also our works: so they are pure, as they proceed of the Spirit, but impure and imperfect, as they are wrought by man.
2. Object. They which are conformable to the image of Christ, have perfect works; The faithfull are conformable in this life to the image of Christ: Ergo.
Answ. The proposition is true onelyonly of those which are perfectly conformable: but so are not the faithfull in this life, but onelyonly in part, as the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 13.12. Now I know in part: and as our knowledge is, so is our obedience, both imperfect.
3. Object. There is no condemnation to the faithfull, Rom. 8.1. therefore their works are perfect.
Answ. The argument followeth not, for the privilege of the faithfull, and their exemption from condemnation, dependeth not upon the perfection of their works, but upon the perfection of Christs righteousnesse imputed to them by faith.
4. Object. Christ at his comming shall render unto every one according to his works: but it standeth not with Gods justice, to give a perfect reward unto imperfect works, therefore the works of the regenerate, because they shall be perfectly rewarded, are perfect.
Answ. 1. The obedience of the faithfull shall bee perfectly rewarded, not according to the law of works, but according to the law of faith, whereby the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed, and is rewarded in them, being theirs by faith, as fully as if it were their owne. 2. Yet Christ shall judge also according to their works, not as causes of the reward, but as testimonies, and lively arguments of their faith, Vrsin.
5. Object. The Scripture ascribeth perfection to the works of the Saints, as it is said of Noah, Gen. 6.9. that he was a just and perfect man in his time: so Hezekiah saith, 2 King. 20.3. I have walked before thee with a perfect heart.
Answ. 1. These and the like sayings must be understood, de perfectione partium, non graduum, of the perfection of the parts of obedience, not of the degree of perfection: that is, the faithfull doe exercise their obedience in every part of the law, but not in a perfect degree or measure. 2. They are said to bee perfect, in comparison onelyonly of such as were weake and imperfect. 3. And further, their sinceritie and perfection is understood, as being opposite unto dissimulation and hypocrisie, that their heart was perfect toward the Lord, that is, unfained, without any dissimulation: in which sense the Prophet David saith, Iudge me according to mine innocencie, Psal. 7.8.
6. Object. The Apostle saith, Whosoever is borne of God sinneth not, 1 Iohn 3.9. the faithfull then, being borne of God, sinne not.
Answ. The Apostle understandeth here, not the dwelling of sinne, but the reigning of sinne, for otherwise he should be contrarie to himselfe, who had said before, chap. 1.8. If we say we have no sinne, we deceive our selves, and the truth is not in us: They which are borne of God sinne not, that is, sinne, though it remaine in them, it reigneth not in them, as S. Paul saith, Though we walke in the flesh, we doe not warre after the flesh, Vrsin.
Of the true end and use of the law.7. It is evident then, that the law was not given to justifie men thereby, as the Apostle saith, Rom. 3.20. Therefore by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight, for by the law commeth the knowledge of sinne. This then is the end and use of the law: 1. It sheweth what God is, one that loveth justice, and hateth iniquitie: 2. It is as a glasse, wherein we may see that image, after the which man was at the first created, which now is defaced in him by sinne: 3. It is a rule and line, after the which wee should square out our life and actions: 4. It sheweth the corruption of our nature, and so is as a schoolemaster to bring us to Christ, Marbach. So Augustine saith, Hac est utilitas legis, ut hominem de sua infirmitate convincat, & gratiae medicinam, quae in Christo est, implorare compellat. This is the profit of the law, to convince man of his infirmitie, and to drive him to seeke the medicine of grace in Christ, Epist. 200.
6. Confut. That the Morall law nor any precept thereof may be by humane authoritie dispensed with.
THere remaineth yet one point to be discussed, whether any of the precepts of the Morall law may be by humane authoritie dispensed withall: wherein the Popes Canonists have heretofore given unto their terrene god an infinite and unreasonable power: for these were their conclusions, that aJuel. defens. Apolog. pag. 59.Papa potest dispensare contra jus divinum; The Pope may dispense against the law of God: aJuel. defens. Apolog. pag. 59.contra jus natura, against the law of nature: aJuel. defens. Apolog. pag. 59.contra novum Testamentum, against the new Testament: aJuel. defens. Apolog. pag. 59.contra Apostolum, against the Apostle. Papa potest dispensare de omnibus praeceptis veteris & novi Testamenti; The Pope may dispense with all the precepts of the old and new Testament, &c. But herein I preferre the judgement of Tostatus, a moderate writer of that side, who denieth unto the Pope any such authoritie, and answereth the contrarie objections.
1. Object. As among men, the Law-maker may dispense with his law, so God that gave the Morall law, is therefore above the law, and may dispense with it: and if God may dispense, then the Prelates of the Church consequently may dispense, because they are in Gods stead.
Answ. First to the proposition this may bee answered: 1. That in humane lawes which tend unto the common good, the preservation of the publike state, the maintenance of peace, and of justice, the Law-giver himselfe cannot so dispense, as to overthrow the end of those lawes: as that it shall be lawfull to disturbe the publike state, or such like; for this were to evert the very scope and end of the law: but yet in particular cases he may dispense; as where an order is, that every one shall watch, which is intended for the good of the Citie: yet some may be dispensed withall, and exempted from watching, who may more necessarily bee employed for the common good: for here, although the letter of the law bee not precisely kept, yet the intention of the Law-maker is observed, which is to seeke and procure the common good.
So likewise: 1. Universally the Lord himselfe neither will nor can dispense against his law:How God himselfe neither can not will dispense with his owne law. as to make it lawfull to have other gods, to take Gods name in vaine, and such like: for this were for God to denie himselfe to be just, which were to deny himselfe: but the Apostle saith, God is faithfull, and cannot denie himselfe, 2 Tim 2.13. but to make it lawfull in generall, to violate the precepts of the first and second Table, were to denie his owne justice, and so consequently to denie himselfe: for God is most just, yea justice it selfe, and the law is a perfect rule of justice.
2. Yet in the particular determinations of the law, the Lord doth dispense, as with Abrahams sacrificing of his sonne, the Israelites robbing of the Egyptians, the fornication of Ose the Prophet: for the will of God which is most just, and the right which he hath in the lives, bodies, and goods of men, maketh these things lawfull, being done by the Commandement of God, which otherwise should bee unlawfull: for as a man may use his Oxe, or his Asse at his pleasure, because they are ordained to his use: so the Lord may doe with men, take away their lives at his pleasure, and that by a double right; both because man by his sinne hath deserved to die, and God as Creator may use the creature as it may best serve to his glorie. And as a man may use his owne goods, and that which is lent unto a man, precari…, freely and frankly, during the pleasure of the lender, he may when he will require againe: so the earth being the Lords and the fulnesse thereof, which he as it were lendeth unto man so long as it pleaseth him: the Lord may justly at his pleasure transferre things from one to another. So likewise in the third case of fornication: like as matrimony maketh carnall copulation lawfull, so the Lord may, tale vinculum inducere, by his commandement bring in and supplie the like bond, as matrimonie is, as when he commanded the Prophet to take him a wife of fornications, Hose 1.3. the commandement of God made that lawfull, which otherwise was unlawfull.
3. But as God can make that which seemeth unjust, to be lawfull and just: so yet can he not make a just and good act to be evill and wicked; as that he which worshippeth God aright, doth evill, or such like; and the reason is, because God by this meanes should bee contrarie to himselfe, in commanding one so to worship him, and yet to count him, so worshipping him, to doe evill. Againe, Impossibile est Deum facere quae non potest velle, It is impossible for God to doe that hee cannot will: now the Lord willeth none evill to be done, therefore hee cannot make that which is good to be evill, because he cannot denie himselfe, who is onelyonly good.
4. Further a difference is to be made betweene the precepts of the first and secood Table: God doth dispense with the precepts of the second, which are referred to the good of our neighbour, when he seeth it more to make for his owne glorie, which is the chiefe end and scope of the duties of the first and second Table; as when God commandeth to dishonour parents, rather than to dishonour him, and biddeth any kill, and so in the rest: but with the precepts of the first Table God dispenseth not, because they are immediately referred to Gods glory, for that were to consent to the dishonouring of himselfe. And thus much for the answer to the first part of the argument.
Secondly, it followeth not, if God can dispense, that therefore the Prelates of the Church may:It is not in mans power to dispense with the Morall law, though God may dispense. 1. Because the dispensation against a law must bee by as great authoritie as the law was first made by: but the morall law grounded upon the law of nature, was founded by the Author and Creator of nature, and therefore by him onelyonly, and not by any else may it be dispensed with. 2. As in naturall effects, ordinarily there must goe before a naturall cause; as a thing cannot be made hot, unlesse fire or some other efficient cause of heat be put unto it: so that the Pope himselfe cannot command a thing to bee hot, but by such efficient cause of heat: yet the Lord without any such mediate or ordinarie cause can make a thing hot, by his infinite power supplying that cause himselfe: so likewise in spirituall actions, the Lord may supplie that which maketh the thing lawfull, which man cannot doe, unlesse some externall cause or circumstance doe concurre, which maketh the act lawfull: As to kill is an unlawfull act in it selfe, neither can the Pope or any other make it lawfull to kill, unlesse there be some cause, that maketh it lawfull to kill, as when the partie commanded to be slaine hath deserved to die. But God, to whom all men are debters, and who is the Lord of every mans life, may command to kill without any injustice: although there be no such apparent cause or circumstance, which should make that act lawfull.
2. Object. Further it is objected thus, to restore that which is committed to a mans trust, is a naturall dutie: yet this is dispensed with, when as a man refuseth to restore to a mad man his sword or weapon, which he gave one to keepe: so the Magistrate ordinarily dispenseth with that precept, Thou shalt not kill, when he commandeth malefactors to be slaine: so the Macchabees dispensed with the Sabbath, when they resolved to fight with their enemies upon the Sabbath, 1 Macchab. chap. 2. as these precepts are dispensed withall by men, so also may the rest.
Answ. 1. For the first instance, there is in that particular case no dispensation against the law of nature, for then by such dispensation it should bee made lawfull not to restore that which is committed to trust, which cannot bee made lawfull by any dispensation, for this were to crosse and overthrow the law of nature: but not to restore a sword to a furious man, is but a particular interpretation of that generall law of nature, wherein the intent of that law is kept: for it is agreeable to the law of nature, to render whatsoever belongeth to another, and the reason thereof is, because it is just: so it is lawfull by the same law nothwithstanding, not to give unto a mad man his owne sword, because it is just also; the meaning and reason of the law is kept, because the furious man would doe some hurt with his weapon, and therefore to minister occasion and instruments unto his rage were unjust.
2. In the other two particulars there is no dispensation, but an interpretation rather, or declaration of the law: in the first, that it is no murther, when one is justly slaine; and in the other, that it is no breach of the Sabbath, when necessitie compelleth to breake the rest thereof. 1. This were a dispensation, to make it lawfull to kill, where one cannot justly be put to death; and to worke upon the Sabbath, where there is no necessitie. 2. And a dispensation maketh that lawfull afterward, which was not before such dispensation: but it was alwayes lawfull both for the Magistrate to put to death, and upon like necessitie to intermit, or suspend the rest of the Sabbath. 3. Beside, these interpretations and declarations of these lawes are not devised by man, but warranted in Scripture by the Lord himselfe, the maker and author of the law, and therefore they are not interposed by any humane authoritie, Tostat. quast. 35.