A Christian Survey for the Conscience, Confession · Question 2
QVEST. II. The manner how the Saints do ſinn willingly.
COncerning the next point, they condemne this Propoſition as falſe and monſtrous, That the Saints, or Regenerate, when they ſinne, and that willingly, doe ſinne not according to the inward man, that is, in that part wherein they are …egenerate, but onelyonly according to the outward …, that is, in that part wherein they are not regenerate, or … ſinne not according to the ſpirit, but according to the fleſh▪ … will ſinne by the will of th… … but by the will of the … therefore to ſinne in will … not …; and with conſent, but not …; which others doe hold, … much as not to ſinne with the … minde: I ſay they do reiect this P… poſition, as falſe and horrible, as before is ſaid: and on the other ſide they contend, that the Saints, … they ſinne with conſent, as … and Peter ſinned, that they … with the whole and full will, and with all their heart. For ſo … of Peter, that hee denied … with the whole hear…, and with … whole heart abhorred Chriſt. … therfore from hence they … That the Saints when they ſin w… lingly, that they looſe … and the Holy Spirit totally▪ But … the contrarie part I doe conde… this their reſolution, both gene…lly, in all men ſanctified, and ſpecially in Dauid and Peter, as re… nant to the holy Scriptures, and the … and holy Fathers of the Church: but that former ſentence I … approue and embrace, and am …ereunto perſwaded by many … both out of holy Writ, and …athers, and teſtimonies of learned …, whereofſome I will hauehave ſubſequently ſet downe.
If the Saints, when they ſin with will, doe ſinne with the totall and full will and with the whole heart, then they doe not …ate ſinne in any part or deteſt and nill it; but this is moſt falſe, and diſſonant to the holy writings; Rom. 7. The Apoſtle thus ſpeaketh of all the Saints and Regenerate, being in his owne perſon repreſented: The Law is ſpirituall, but I am carnall (ſcilic…t according to the outward man) ſold vnderunder ſinne; that is, vnderunder the tyranny of originall ſinne, as a bought ſeruant vnderunder the tyrannie of his Maſter; but ſuch ſeruants doe not louelove their tyrannicall Maſters, neither do they willing ſeruice vntounto them, for they doe alwaies deſire libertie. Therefore hee teacheth▪ … Saints doe alwaies hate … when they … they … full will from the heart. … hee more fully explaine▪ … addeth; for what … I allow not; that is, … commend it, nor in the will … outward man doe I … it, … of theſe he ſignifieth by the … foreign, as elſewhere often …; as Rom. 9. …e hath … his people which …e …, … knew to be his, and before … … So Mat. 11. I kn…w you n…t; … w…th in the Apoſtle, Not that … I would, that I doe, but that … that I doe, that is, that which I … in the will of the ſpirit, that … I doe not. …, that … good, but that which I hate … ſpirit▪ that I doe a… … … that which is euill. Hee … teacheth that in the … they …e regenerate, there … an hatred of ſinne, although▪ … bee carnall, they doe alwaies … ſinne: which thing a little after … reporteth ſaying; The good that … …ld I doe not, but the euill which I hate in the Spirit, that I doe a… car…all; and (by and by) for I am de…ghted with the Law of God according to my inward …; for I ſ… o… Law in my members …lling to the Law of my minde, and leading … to the Law of ſinne which is in my members. Loe here an expli…a…ion and confirmation of that he ſpoke in the beginning, …, when hee ſaid, … …arnall ſold vnderunder ſinne. Therefore the Regenerate, in reſpect of the inward man which hateth ſin, they doe it not with all the heart, for that in ſpirit they deteſt it▪ and are as vnwilling ſeruants vntounto it; hereupon they both lamenting this miſerie and … as it were conſtrained, doe … ou… with the Apoſtle, O … that I am …h… ſhall deliuer … from the …dy of this …ath▪ and becauſe they doe … that they ſh…ll▪ certainely be … by Chriſtt▪ therefore▪ they ſupport themſelues with this hope, ſaying; The grace of God, through … Chriſt our Lord. And that whi… … had taught in long ſpeach, … … cludeth after in the end of the …, ſaying; Therefore I my ſ…lf… … my mind ſ…rue the law of God, … my fleſh, the law of ſinne. That the … poſtle doth here ſpeake of the … generate; all learned men doe … knowledge.
And that he doth not only … of the motions of conc…piſence, … likewiſe of actuall ſinnes whi… … Saints ſomtime doe commit▪ … the teſtimonies of learned m… ▪ theſe wordes ſo often repeated … giuegive notice; I do; I act; I … ſerue. So alſo Buc… writeth … this place; to d…, (ſaith hee) ſo… doe take here for to l…ſt: but …o … ſpeaketh not, he vnderſtandeth t… fact it ſelfe which is effected by … violence of concupiſcence, … trary to that which the mind… … geſteth, and the minde … to the Law approueth. Therf… if the Saints, euen in ſinnes actuall, doe worke, as they bee carnall, that which they would not, but hate as they be regenerate and ſpirituall, it is manifeſt that the Saints doe neuer ſinne with the whole will and plenary conſent. Nay the Apoſtle proceedeth euen thus far in that place, as, becauſe the Saints doe not ſinne with a full will, neither according to the inward man, therefore he ſaith, that when they commit ſinne, it is not the Saints them ſelues who doe or worke euill, but ſinne it ſelfe, that is Originall corruption which is in their members. For thus hee reaſoneth; But if I do… that which I would not, it is now no… I that …rke, that is, commit it, but ſinne that dwelleth in me. Who may not here ſee, that the Apoſtle doth fully and clearely conclude, that the caſe is ſo farre otherwiſe, that the Saints when they ſinne actually, as they call it, ought to bee deemed to ſinne with the whole and ple…y will, and with all the heart, and as well according to the inward as the outward m… … rather (after a ſort) they … ſaid, it is not they who doe … Sinne dwelling within ther… … the reaſon is, for that the … doth not conſ…t … … and yet in the mean… time th… … not excuſed from ſinne, neither … their ſinn…s extenuated. For … though not according to the … pull part, that is the inward … they ſinne not, but onelyonly according to the outward, and in mind … they ſerue the Law of God, but … the fleſh the Law of ſinne; yet … very deed they are ſuch as doe … by their owne proper will.
If the Godly ſinne with … whole will, therefore whatſoe… they will according to the fl… they effect it; but this contradic… the Apoſtle who ſaith, …. 5. … …ſh …ſteth againſt the … ſpirit againſt the fle…: … not … … ye… would thoſe ye… do… … ſpe…ch is to …e vnderſt…d … …, for that … …ght againſt the ſpirit; that therefore the Saints cannot alwaies effect …he things the… doe will according …o the ſpirit, and on the contrary, becauſe the ſpirit doth fight againſt the fleſh, therefore the Saints, what things they will according to the fleſh, like-wiſe they are not able to performe. Therefore as the Saints doe not louelove God with all their hart …nd all their minde, for that fleſh is a … vntounto them: ſo they louelove not ſinne, neither doe ſinne, with the whole heart, for that the ſpirit doth hinder the doing thereof.
The Saints neuer ſinne of purpoſed malice, or (as others will) from the whole heart, but alwaies either of infirmity or ignorance. Now malice properly doth reſide in the will and heart. Mathew. 15. Therefore the Saint… doe …rme with plenary will, the whole heart, and full conſent.
But that the Saints neuer of purpoſed malice doe ſinne, but alwaies either of ignorance, or by infirmity, is cleared by theſe teſtimonies. Thei… Saints, according to the … man, are delighted, in the la… … God, for that is good Rom. 7. And … they are delighted, in-ſo-much▪ … they who are not delighted … are not Saints. Therefore with D… uid eueryevery holy man doth truely vouch▪ In the volume of this book … written of m…, that I ſhould d… … will, O GOD: I will (or I deligh… ▪ therein, for thy law is (written) wit… my heart. Pſalm…. 89. For th…y h… t… law of God written i… their …r… … the Holy Spirit. Ierem. 31. therefore doe they m…ditate in the ſame …. Pſalm…. 1▪ And in their …rt… there is no guil…. Pſalm…. 32. for th…y are true Iſralites, in whome there is … guile. Io…. 1. And they are …ndu…d … the ſpirit of Chriſt, whereby …y … ruled in the … …an, elſe they we… no▪ Saints. Romans. 8. And they l… righteouſneſſe▪ and hate i…iquity. Pſal▪ 44. For they lo… the law of God▪ Pſ…l. 118. they like-wiſe lament with t… Apoſtle, that they are capti…s▪ … ſo vnderunder ſin. Ro. 7. How thē can they of deſtinate malice ſin, & ſo with their whol… hart… Aug. To. 7. de …orr. & gratia, c. 9. by the example of Dauid and Peter doth teach, That all Saints, when they ſinne▪ doe ſinne being troubled, for that Chriſt doth ſomewhat turn away his face from them, according to that in the Pſalme. 29. Thou turnedſt thy face from m…, and I …as troubled. Now to ſinne being thus troubled, is not to ſinne by endeuour, & of purpoſed malice, but rather, beſides the purpoſe of the mind.
Againe, To. 7. qu…ſt. 25. in Num. he maketh three ſorts of ſins; ſome of ignorance; ſome of infirmitie; and ſome of the contempt of Gods commandements, or …s the Scripturephraſ… ▪ there is with the hand of pride. It is one thing (ſaith he) to contemne the commandements; another thing to eſteeme them as precious; but yet either as ignorant, or ſurpriſed to do the contrary. But it is granted, that the Saints doe not ſin of contempt either of God or his commandements: the which thing …lſo … Mel…cthon in▪ 10. Cor. 1. doth write▪ That they neuer growe into … picureall contempt; for they … law and commandements of … Pſal…. 119. Now to ſinne of … tempt, and of deſtinate mali… ▪ … … one: wherefore the Saints do… … ſinne of pr…tenſed malic… ▪ W… then dare ſome diuines write agai… me. That they doe ſinne with … whole heart and plenary will?
G…gorie. 1. To. 1. in Iob▪ c. 34 … c▪ 11. doth deliuer the ſame … on, of ignorance, of infirmity, b… … deuour and of ſet purpoſe. And … ſaith that Paul did ſinne of ignorance, who ſaith, But I therefore … tained mercy becauſe I did … … Peter of infirmity, when he deni… Chriſt▪ and thoſe Iewes purpoſ… and by endeuour, of whom the Lo…d ſpeaketh, if. I had not c…m… … ſpok…n vntounto them, they had b… … againe, they b…th ſaw m…, and … ▪ … …nd my father. Ioh. 15. Out of theſe examples he declareth what it i… to ſinne of infirmitie, and what of purpoſe, ſaying; for it is one thing not to do good; another to hate the teacher of good things▪ …s it is one thing to ſin of praecipitation; another to ſinne of deliberation. For oftentimes ſinne is committed by p…cipitation, which is yet condemned by counſel & deliberation: for through infirmity often it chanceth, that we louelove God, and yet cannot effect it; but to ſinne of purpoſe, is neither to doe good, nor louelove it. But the Saints doe alwaies effect that which is good, elſe no Saints▪ where-vponupon Auguſtine alſo de corr…pt, & gratia, cap. 9. according to that of the Apoſtle, To them that louelove God, all things doe worke together f…r good, to them that of purpoſe are called Saints; ſaith hee; for theſe (ſcilic… Saints who are called of purpoſe) in this that they louelove God they con…ue out vntounto the end. … therefore, according to Saint Gr…gory to ſinne of purpoſe be neither to doe nor to louelove good; and, according to Auguſtine, the Saints doe alwaies louelove good; for that in that which they louelove th… continue forth to the end: it i… … good conſequent, That the Sa… doe not ſinne of purpoſe, or det… minate malice.
Luther likewiſe doth deliuer t… ſame thing, in eueryevery plac…, T… ▪ 5▪ … Comment maior▪ in ep. ad Gal▪ 5. … theſe words; The work…s of t… … are manifeſt. Hee ſaith in … termes▪ That Da…id and Peter▪ … they committed thoſe … ſinnes, did ſinne of infirmity and not of ſet malice. Here-vponupon▪ … (ſaith hee) ſpeaking of the … ſaith, the fleſh in them doth luſt … the ſpirit: therefore the deſires and conflicts of the fleſh will not be … ſent, yet doe they not therefore preſently hurt ſuch as feele them▪ But hereof we muſt thus iudge▪ it is o… thing to bee ſollicited of the fleſh▪ and not willingly to endure the co… cupiſcences thereof▪ but to walke in the ſpirit, and to reſiſt them▪ &… ▪ …nd another thing to aſſent …nto t… fleſh, and i… ſecurity to fulfill the workes thereof, and perſiſt in them; …d yet in the meane ſpace to diſ…ble piety, and to brag of the ſpi…i… &c. The former ſort hee comfor…eth while hee ſaith, that they are …ed by the ſpirit; and are vnderunder the l…w: to the other ſort hee threateneth aeternall deſtruction. Nay ſomtime it falleth out▪ That the Saints doe fall and fulfill the luſts of the fleſh; as Dauid fell with a greiuous …nd terrible downefall: beſides, hee was the cauſe of many mens murther, when his will was, that Ʋriah ſhould periſh in the battel: and therby alſo he gaue occaſion to the enemies of God, to boaſt againſt the people of God, to adore their owne Idolls, and to blaſpheme the God of Iſrael. Peter like-wiſe did horribly fall, when hee denied his Maiſter. But yet although thoſe ſinnes were h…inous, yet were they committed, not of the contempt of God▪ or malice fore-thought, but of infirmity. Beſides, being admoniſhed they doe not perſeuer obſtinate in their ſins, but repented. Therefore … … Doctor did no… well, … in the Schooles, that … Chriſt with the whole … with his whole heart did … Christ. Luth…r he… …
Againe, a little after th… … he faith whereforeth… … ſinne, fall, …nd euen g… … but it is by ignorance▪ f… … they would not denye▪ C…i… … looſe▪ the Goſpell. Th…ſe … Therfore neither did Peter▪ … deny Chriſt▪ for hee was … And if he would not willingly … him, therefore did he no… … with a ful conſent of wil. … Buc…r eueryevery where doth … ſame doctrin; ſcilicet, that th… … do neuer …in with a full will or … the heart, & of malice …o… … but alwayes of ignorance▪ … of infirmity. Take th…ſe …
VponUpon Rom. 7. he … d…eth this Queſtion▪ … … at &c. How can this hee … That we will that which … … and ye… doe it not; that we doe …il …d … will … not, … hate it▪ …ay▪ …at we both doe▪ …nd not doe, that which i… …uill? Now intending to determi…e thi… Queſtion▪ firſt hee …oth inquire out▪ w…at manner man …he Apoſtle ſpeaketh o… in his owne …ample and ſumm…rily he conclu…eth▪ That the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of … …n regenerate, who by a true …aith hath already receiued the …aw of God, and doth louelove it▪ …nd delight in it; but yet hath no… recei…ed ſuch a plentifull portion of the ſpirit of Chriſt▪ that hee can … follow the ſame▪ as that he doth not often tranſgreſſe againſt … ▪ not onelyonly by concup…ſcence, which euen faleth to men moſt per…t, but likewiſe▪ by ſliding into … and fi…thy offences as be fell … D…, and euen to Peter before … … … … more plentifull meaſure of the Spirit at the feaſt of …coaſt▪ For there▪ he maketh mention▪ of the examples of theſe two men▪ In the next place he learcheth out▪ how it came to … the ſame man being▪ … doth both will and … … which he doth▪ The … That it ſo commeth to … that in ſome man there is a … will; one whereby he doth … to the Law▪ another whereby … doth that which he … which followeth the … the Law; another which is … knowledge drawne from the … and which is of thinges … elſe that this ſo commeth to … for that in the regenerate▪ there … double man, inward and … mind and fleſh, whereof one … to the Law of God; the … to the Law of ſinne▪ From … therefore it commeth to paſſe … the Saints doe both the euill … would not and the good … they doe not▪ wherefore, … not with full conſent, … with … whole will, not totally, that is … to the double man.
Againe in Rom. 8. ſect. 2. … … not li… after the l…ſts of the fleſh; … teacheth ou… of the Apoſtle▪ That … cannot be▪ that they which are …uely Chriſts and hauehave the ſpirit of …riſt, ſhould li…e according to the …eſh. And hee f…ameth his Argu…ent in this forme. Thoſe whom the …irit of Chriſt poſſeſſeth, cannot … after the fleſh. But they that are Chriſts the ſpirit of Chriſt poſſ…ſſeth; Therefore they that are C…riſts cannot liue after the fleſh, …. Now to walke according to the fleſh … vol…ntarily, and with a willing and whole mind to follow the … of the fleſh, and to obey the l…ſts thereof, with full will▪ Therfore the Saintes do not ſinne with the whole heart and ple…ry c…ent of will.
Idem … Mat 8▪ …t▪ 2. pag. … ſaith▪ Hearein the Saints in ſi…i…g …o differ from the R…proba…e▪ for that they do hate that …uill which they doe, and …reſantly do dec…ne from it▪ being indeed righly perſwaded of God …d his will: whereof it is that in mind they … his law, and do dete…t the …ill of … fleſh▪ but the wicked do louelove … euil they commit, and could … perpe…ually to adh… … but onelyonly that they f…are … either from God …? And a … after he teacheth, That the … of the …in…s do proceed from … … of faith▪ ſaying, … euer the Elect doe …inne▪ it … m…th. from hence, for that … … they … d…fec…iue in that … ſwaſ…on▪ Beſides he faith … the Saints mind, wanting … …nneth into ſinne▪ the … concupiſc…ce therby turning … the edge thereof.
Id… in Mat. 12. ſect. 4. pag. … hath theſe wordes. Whoſoeuer, … the knowne truth, by … vol…rily f…ll into …, … willingly …o ſin▪ it is neceſſary▪ … they did formerly condemne … truth; and that is to … holy ſpirit. Theſe thing… …
Wherevppon it is man…feſt, … the Saints Eleect doe … ſinne againſt the …oly Ghoſt, as … there teacheth▪ therefore they ne…er … mind to impiety, after the knowne truth that i… ▪ willing; ſcil…ce…, … full will they do neuer ſinne, as … there doth … what it is by relapſe to fall from the heart into impiety.
Id… …ect. 4. pag. 308. The Elect (ſaith he) do neuer … but of ignorance. Againe, thou ſ… at all times percei…e in the Elect a c… tain… feed of God, and ſt…dy of the truth▪ eue… whe… they opp…g…e the …ruth, … doe … l…e d…agreeing with it. Againe; … many who liue lewdly, being Elect, thou maiſt perceiue a certaine … louelove of right and …ſt And the…e thinges he writeth of the Elect, before they … tr…h▪ or are iuſtifyed how …uch mor… a…e theſe thinges and of the Elect, being now inſ…fied▪ wherefore of th… …e …dd…th …g 309▪ After they ha…e receiued the … ( …ſcilicet the Elect) what they …, they ſinne therefore for that they are tur…ed out of the way by … luſts of the fleſh, ſo that they … not attend vponupon the knowne … but they neuer ſo farre d…line, … they hauehave and perſecute … … … but forthwith rather out of the la… thereof they doe begin to deſie, a… deteſt, that wherein they ſinn… ▪
Ide… in Mat. 7▪ ſ…ct, 6. pag. … ▪ Therefore a godly man thus … not ſinne, for that he cannot be … uen ouer from the heart to … and ſinne, as it is the ma…ner … wicked; but with the Law of God in minde he ſhall be ſtill deligh… ▪ for that the ſeede of God, of his word, and the Spirit of his children abideth with him, and for that h… is borne of God▪ yet withall▪ … that hee hath no good in his … he doth commit many things which he hate…h, and are ſinne… … but becauſe hee … not delighted therewith in the inward … in his heart is addicted … Chriſt▪ and before all thing… de…eth to b… correſpondent to the image of Chriſt, neither finally maketh doubt, that all things … remitted vntounto him for the merits of Chriſt, and that he ſhal … to that lik…ne… ▪ there ſhall alſo be no … vntounto him, although a ſinner, for that he abideth in Chriſt▪ Rom. 8▪ for God will not impute his ſinnes vntounto him. Wherefore, neither ſhall they bee ſinnes, as they are no debts▪ which the Creditor hath …, … he … ▪ b… obliged, and hath ye… m…de no payment▪ For which … he that is Christ… ▪ as he … ▪ that is, be wholly giuegive…, and ſtudi… to ſinne, which onelyonly God imputeth and accompteth for ſinne: ſo it is neceſſaire, that hee endeuour …e ſtudie of his will to his power, neither accompt any thing … p… cious, then to compoſe himſelfe … tally according to his word▪ Ye… i… the meane while many things according to the fleſh … vppon him▪ … th… … … … pray, forgiue vsus … deb… … by the merit of Chriſt, … doth repoſe all his fiudci…, … … be pa…doned, ſo they ſhall … ſinnes. Whoſoeuer therefo… ſhall not do… the will of the Fathe… … is, ſhall not ſ…die from his … performance thereof, (for othe… … to doe it is no… inciden… … life) hee neither hath knowne … Father no… Chriſt, he is not … God, and as y…t▪ want…th the … … Gods Children, and ſo in that … ſpect ſhall be a… hypocri… although hee call to Chriſt, L…d… … that in his hea…t hee doth … knowledge the Lord, wherein … …n call him▪ Lo…d, but … of a true faith▪ All theſe things … ▪
Idem. in Pſal. …. v. 1. pag. …. F…t… it is to be obſerued, that the Proph…t ſaith not, Bleſſed is … … … been …icked, … ſinnes m…licious, … … b… hath …t had … with th… hath not follow…d their …, … their f…s hath … for … …m that are bleſſed, and can liue according to Gods Law, the ſeede …f God, and the good ſpirit doth ſo …uaile, that they cannot ſinne, that …, b…come peruerſe and wicked with the whole heart▪ Which thing … expreſſ… words Ioh. …ap. …. 3. doth touch, for that they are borne of God. But we dayly ſin al, as he con…ſſeth c. 1. and not a few likewiſe are ouertaken with euill, doe follow for … time the conſultations of the wicked, … happened to Dauid, Peter▪ and others; whereof the …, to ſatisfie his pleaſure, did admit both adult…rie and … ▪ the other, in deſ… of his life, was ſo farr… drawn…, that hee denied his Saiuiour.
Here by the ſentence of Buc…, both Dauid, and … are again… placed in the number of them, who… although they ſinne, yet ſinne they not, or … … with the who… heart.
P…ſently hee … touching Mau… and the Thiefe, ſaying▪ Manaſſes King of Iuda may … hauehave ſitten in the ſeat of the … and wholly in malice to hauehave … with them, then whom … of the Kings did euer eſtabliſh … Idolatry againſt the Lord, or … more innocent bloud of the P… phets. With him happily you … combine the Thiefe cruci… … the Lord Christ. Both of them … were the ſonnes of God▪ … therwiſe neither could hee pray … God from his heart, and … pardon of his ſinnes; neither … the other hauehave attained the … franchment of Paradiſe. For ſ…ch … are not borne of God, as they vnderſtand nothing of the things of God▪ (which Paul affirmeth of them) … ther can they indeed heare: (which thing our Sauiour doth teſtifie … 8.) ſo hauehave they not any abilitie … ther to ſeeke or pray for any … matter. Therfore both of them … ordained to life, and choſen to … uation, before the creation of mankinde; and therefore indeede neither of them was wicked, vngodly, malicious, though they committed …anythings wickedly, vngodly, and …, for that a full and … contempt of God, and the … and ſolid ſtudy of naughtineſſe … neuer in them, although they had ſetled their ſeat with peruerſe wicked men, that is, a reſolute courſe … life they had determined amongſt them. H… ill…. But if the Elect yea euen before they be regenerate, doe … in themſelues a certaine ſeed of God and of Pietie▪ how much more is it ſo to be ſentenced touching the Elect now being regenerated? If therefore ſuch a ſeede of Pietie bee alwaies r…iant …n them then do they neuer pr…ſtitute th… ſ…lues into any … the whole will, … doe …