A Christian Survey for the Conscience, Confession · Question 3 – Question 5
QUEST. 3. Of the qualitie of the ſinnes of the Saints.
OVT of the ſecond Queſtion ariſeth the third, which is; Whether the Saints may fall into ſinne (as Paul ſpeaketh) reigning, or the ſin againſt the conſcience, as it is called? But that we may clearly vnderſtand what ſinne is meant in this controuerſie, wee muſt take notice, that there are three ſorts of ſinnes, as the Apoſtle inſinuateth Rom. 6. when he ſaith, Therefore let not ſinne reigne in your mortall bodies, that yee ſhould obey it in the luſts thereof.
The firſt, is the ſinne of Nature, the root & fountaine of all other ſinnes, which is termed Originall: and this is ſignified by an excellencie of ſpeach, by the name of Sinne.
The next, are the concupiſcences of this ſinne, riſing vp euen againſt our wils▪ as lewd deſires, and vicious affections to ſinne, which neuer ceaſe in this life to moleſt vsus. This kinde is intimated by the name of Concupiſcence.
The third, is in plaine termes Actuall ſinne, when indeed wee obey that ſinne of Nature in purſuing the luſts thereof; whether it bee done by conſent onelyonly, or alſo by word or deede. This is ſignified by the word of Obeying,
The firſt is meere Originall; the ſecond partly originall, partly actual; the third totally actuall. Of the firſt two there is no controuerſie, whether they be in the Saints or no. The Queſtion is onelyonly of the third. But for ſo much as there bee alſo many ſorts of this, it likewiſe is to bee diſtinguiſhed, that wee may better perceiue whereof this controuerſie is intended.
The third ſinne therefore, which is then done when we obey original ſinne in yeelding to the luſts thereof, is ſo voluntarie, as that if it were not voluntarie it ſhould not bee ſinne, as Augustine in many places obſerueth. For no man could obey Original ſinne in perfecting the concupiſcences thereof, but that he is willing. Therefore it is alwaies voluntarie.
Moreouer, men obey that naturall and inhabiting ſinn, after a double, and that alſo a differing, maner. Some are obedient, and (that) willing, yet not with a full will, or plenarie conſent, or with the whole heart, but as it were captiues to a Tyrant. And this befalleth them; who either of ignorance or infirmitie doe obey ſinne; Of ignorance, for that either ſimply they know not that they doe euill, and ſuch in no caſe are ſaid to ſinne againſt conſcience, or if they know (in Theſi) in generall, they doe not conſider (in hypotheſi) in particular, or if they do conſider, they doe it very coldly: the violence of concupiſcence auerting their mindes from Gods Law; And of infirmitie, for that by the violence and force of ſinne either preſently ſmitten and quelled, they voluntarily yeeld themſelues; which after a ſhort reſiſtance to the contrarie, at laſt euicted they giuegive place a time. Wherefore theſe firſt (ſort) obey ſinne willingly, but not with a full will and totall conſent; for they doe not louelove ſinne: theſe may be ſaid to ſinne againſt their conſcience, but not properly; for they obey ſinne wittingly and willingly: but yet neither vponupon perfect knowledge, nor intentiue cogitation of that which they doe, nor with full will, and full conſent, as a little before is declared. Others obey with the whole will, full conſent, & whole heart, and all their might: and theſe are ſuch as doe offend of purpoſed malice, or with ſtudie, and from the heart. They (properly) ſinne againſt the conſcience: for they know that they doe contrarie to the Law of God, and (that) with contempt: and they obey ſinne with ſuch a willing minde, as that they louelove it, and would, if they might with impunitie, be perpetually ſeruiceable thervnto. Therefore this is called euen that reigning ſinne: for that while we doe louelove the concupiſcences of the ſinne of Nature, and doe from the heart fulfill them, we doe bring to paſſe effectiuely, that it r…igneth in our hearts,
Therefore there be two ſorts of Actuall ſinnes, drawne from the two different manners of willing; one, which is ſo voluntarie as that it is alſo partly involuntarie, of which kinde of Actions Ariſtotle treateth in his Ethicks, which indeed is not committed with plenarie conſent, as is expounded before. This likewiſe I grant befalleth the Saints: for thus ſometime they ſinne, as Dauid and Peter; therefore of this (as is ſaid before) there is no controuerſie. Neither is it controuerted, Whether by this ſinne the Saints are obliged with a new guilt, by the committing thereof, and ſo alſo hauehave need of new remiſsion of this new ſinne? for none of vsus doe deny it.
Another ſort is ſo vn vluntarie; as that in no reſpect it is involuntarie; for which cauſe it is called the ſinne (properly) against the conſcience, that is to ſay plenarie, and vtterly waſting the conſcience; and therefore euen reigning. Therefore the difference betweene vsus is, concerning that other kinde of actuall ſinne. For our Aduerſaries doe vouch, That the Saints (as Peter) do offend with the whole will, and with all their heart, and ſo (properly) againſt the conſcience. And for that ſuch ſinne cannot in any wiſe conſiſt with faith; therefore hence they conclude, That the Saints may looſe faith totally. But contrariwiſe I doe deny, that this kind of ſinne can befall the Elect, being ſanctified an regenerate: and ſo conſequently I deny, That the Elect ſanctified can vtterly fall from faith and wholly looſe the Holy Spirit.
And why I ſhould deny that this kinde of ſinne can befall the Saints, I am induced by theſe reaſons and teſtimonies. For how can Sin reigne, and by Sinne Satan, where Iuſtice and Chriſt reigneth? And how can Faith reigne there, and by Faith Chriſt, where Sinne and Satan reigneth? The Parable of Chriſt is famous: When the ſtrong man keepeth his Tower, it cannot bee inuaded of the enemie, vnleſſe hee bee ſtronger then the Owner of the Tower, & doe expell him from it. Now Chriſt is ſtronger then Satan; therefore Chriſt doth often baniſh Satan out of his Kingdome, and there doth reigne himſelfe. And Satan, though hee doe often beſiege the Cities of Chriſt, (that is, the Elect) yet can he not ſurpriſe them, and by e…ecting Chriſt the King there reigne himſelfe; for hee is not ſtronger then Chriſt. Therefore is it vtterly impoſsible, That Sinne ſhould (properly) reigne, and get dominion in the Elect.
Sinne in his dominion (or reigning Sinne) is that, to whoſe concupiſcences,… as to the Kings mandates, Men without any reſiſtance, with heart and with full and cheerefull will, obey, and are alwaies obſequious with readineſſe. according to that of the Apoſtle Rom. 6. Let not therefore Sinne reigne in your mortall body, to obey the luſts thereof.
As touching the Saints, firſt, before Satan and Sinne doe make any aſſault againſt them, in them there is no purpoſe to obey or ſerue Sin: for they hate it with perpetuall hatred. Againe, in the aſſault and incurſion of Sinne, ſtriuing to draw them to the obedience therof, they, ſo farre as ſtrength will worke, doe reſiſt & encounter againſt it; though ſometime they are wounded and fall downe buffeted: but this commeth vponupon them againſt their wils. Finally, after this, by imbecillitie ſometimes beeing ſurprized, they doe obey ſinne a freſh, they doe by the force of the Spirit thereunto fortified, redintigrate the battell againſt Sinne, as againſt a Capitall and perpetuall enemie, and doe continue this combate vntounto the end of their daies. Gal. 5. How therfore can it be ſaid, that Sinne reigneth in the Saints, or that the Saints doe obey Sinne, as their King, to fulfill the luſts thereof?
Iohn in his Canonicall Epiſtle doth ſpecially labour in this, That it cannot be, that ſuch as are truely ſanctified and borne of GOD, ſhould commit ſuch ſinnes, which are called ſometimes ſinnes waſting the conſcience; ſometimes, ſinnes vntounto death; ſometimes reigning: and therefore that they are lyers, who boaſt themſelues to be the ſonnes of God, & to acknowledge God, when yet in the meane while they ſin in ſecuritie, hate their brethren, and doe not endeuour to obſerue Gods Law: and therefore that they onelyonly are Saints, and borne of God, who ſtudy to avoyd ſinne, and keepe the Law of God. cap. 2. He that ſaith that he knoweth God, and doth not keepe his commandements, is a lier, and the truth… is not in him. And Gods precepts a… ſpecially obſerued, when they are laid vp firmely in the heart, and beloued. So ſaith Dauid; In the volum… Pſal. 41.of thy booke is it wrttten of me, that I ſhould doe thy will, O Lord: I am c… tent to doe it, yea thy law is in the middeſt of my heart▪ſcilicet. I hauehave it the…e written and ingrauen. If the Saints hauehave the Law ſo fixed in their harts, how then therfore ſhould ſin reigne in their hearts? cap. 3. EueryEvery one wh… abideth in him ſinneth not, and eueryevery one that ſinneth haeth not ſeene him, not knowne him: againe, hee that doth ſin is of the diuel, becauſe the diuel ſinneth from the beginning. Hereof it is apparant, of what ſort of ſinnes the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, when he ſaith, He that doth ſinne is not borne of God, but is of the diuell, that is, of ſuch as are like to the ſinne of Satan the Father of all the wicked. And of what quality is the ſinne of the diuell? ſinne committed of purpoſed malice: ſinne reigning, and perpetuall. For the Diuell ſinned from the beginning, thatAliud eſt proijcereſe in lutum, vt ſues; aliud, labi in lutū vt ſolent munditiei ſtudioſi. Zanchius. is to ſay, from the beginning vntounto this preſent houre he doth continually ſinne, and adhaere vntounto ſinne. Wherefore it cannot be, that ſuch as are truly borne of God, ſhould commit ſinnes of ſuch qualitie, that is deuiliſh, and perſiſt in them: therefore he addeth, ſaying; All that are borne of God, ſinne not, becauſe the ſeed abideth in him, neither can he ſinne, becauſe he is borne of God.
This alſo is the doctrine not onelie of the Godly Fathers, nor onelyonly of Luther and Bucer, but alſo of all Proteſtants. For ſuch things as were defended in the diſputation at Ratisbone, were defended in the name of all the Proteſtants. And there in many pages this doctrine is preſſed and defended, That ſuch hauehave not true faith as doe commit ſinnes waſting the conſcience: And contrariwiſe, they that are truly faithfull do nor entertaine theſe ſinnes, much leſſe perſiſt in them; for that the nature of true faith cannot end…e ſuch ſinnes. page. 241. Sinne (ſay they) againſt the conſcience, or (as Auguſtine ſpeaketh) waſting the conſcience true faith cannot tolerate to be with it; neither doth hee euer continue in ſuch a ſinne, who liueth by a true and iuſtifying faith. But pag. 242. they doe firſt demonſtrate, that the faith of them who doe adh…ie to ſuch ſins againſt the conſcience, is no true fayth, but a vaine opinion.
Then of ſuch as are endued with a true faith thus they ſay; yet touching faith, whereby a iuſt man liueth, the caſe is otherwiſe: for they that hauehave that faith, are the ſonnes of God, and them the Holy Spirit leadeth to holy and rightfull thinges, as that the things contrary wittingly and in vnderſtanding they doe not, much leſſe perſeuer in them, although they doe ſome-time, and ſinne of the imbecillity of the fleſh, and not of fayth; but not ſinnes waſting the conſcience, or ſuch as exclude preſently from the Kingdome of God.
In this place they verifie foure things, of ſuch as are true Saints, and the true ſonnes of God, of whome is this our Queſtion.
One is, That they are guided by the Holy Spirit to doe thoſe things which are holy and rightfull. The next, that they are ſo led by the Holy Spirit to ſuch things as are holy, as that witting and with vnderſtanding they doe not the contrary. The third, That if the Saints doe not admit ſuch ſinnes as waſt the conſcience, much leſſe therefore doe they perſeuer therein. The fourth, That yet oftentimes through infirmity of the fleſh they doe admit ſomethings which are not of faith, and ſo doe ſinne. And they ſpeake of actuall ſinnes the ſelfe-ſame thing they doe ſignifie by the word of acting ſinne. Therefore although the Saints doe often ſinne euen actually, and with ſome conſent, by frailty of the fleſh, as be fell Dauid and Peter who did ſinne of infirmity, as we hauehave before proued euen by Luthers teſtimony, yet vponupon them neuer fall the …eigning ſinnes, which properly are called, by the Proteſtants, ſinnes againſt the conſcience, and waſting the conſcience. And this doctrine they comfirme by the Scriptures, and chiefly by this Syllogiſme taken from Saint Iohn: Hee that truely beleeueth, that the Lord Ieſus is the Chriſt, is borne of God. 1. Ioh. 5. But he that is borne of God, ſinneth not, neither can ſinne. 1. Ioh. 3. Therefore he that truely beleiueth, he cannot ſin, that is, the ſinne waſting the conſcience, much leſſe porſiſt in it. Theſe things are in that place word for word.
Neither did I euer teach otherwiſe. And indeed when I did interpret the Epiſtle of Saint Iohn, both in the Argument of the Epiſtles, and in explication of the ſecond Chapter, I confirmed at large the ſame doctrine. Let my Praelections bee read, ſpecially vponupon theſe wordes of the ſecond Chapter, Hee that ſaith hee knoweth God, and keepeth not his commandements, is a lier. Wherefore, it appeareth what indignity to ſuch men as profeſſe Chriſt this voice did bring, which my aduerſaries bruited abroad faſely againſt mee, perſwading many, as alſo left in writing, ſcilicèt, That I ſhould teach, That the Saints, although they doe ſinne againſt conſcience, and liue wickedly, and perſeuer in their ſinnes, yet that they do not looſe faith: whereas I did alwaies teach the contrarie according to the Scriptures, That ſuch as commit ſuch things, and perſeuere therein, not to be Saints, neither at any time to hauehave had a true faith, but to be the ſonnes of the Diuell. For theſe ſinnes cannot befall the Saints; who though ſomtime they doe ſinne, and that with ſome conſent, yet not plenarie: yet notwithſtanding neuer of ſet malice, nor of contempt of Gods Law; and therefore doe they not ſinne (properly) againſt the Conſcience, as is aboundantly explained before.
QVEST. IIII. Whether the Saints doe perſeuere in Sinne?
FOR hence it eaſily appeareth, what I thinke, and what is to be holden concerning the fourth Queſtion which is controuerted betweene vsus, ſcilicet, Whether any of the Saints, being iuſtified and regenerate, doe perſeuere in their ſinnes to the end, and periſh in them? For a certaine Diuine doth affirme, and endeuoreth to defend this: And I deny, and doe contend, That this doctrine is repugnant to Holy Writ, and ouerturneth the whole courſe of the Goſpell. For how can this be a concordance, hee that beleeueth in me, hath euerlaſting life? how can it be euerlaſting, if he fall into aeternall deſtruction? how likewiſe ſhall that chaine of the Apoſtle continue inuiolable. Rom. 8. Thoſe whom hee hath Predeſ…inate hee hath called, (ſcilicèt of purpoſe) and whom he hath called, them alſo he hath iuſtified, if that the iuſtified can outragiouſlie continue in ſinne vntounto the laſt breath of their life; and runne headlong into aeternall deſtruction: Againe, if ſinnes reigning cannot befall the Saints, as is before manifefeſted, how can they perſeuere therein? Therefore the Proteſtants in their Diſputation at Ratisbone, did more truely put downe in writing, as we hauehave ſeene in the places before related, That the Saints, and they who are endued with a true faith, and liue thereby, although they fall of frailetie, yet doe they not commit ſinnes waſting the conſcience, much leſſe doe they perſeuere therein. Better alſo writ Luther, in Gal. 5. fol. 422. If they do not repent, but going on in obſtinacie doe perfect the deſires of the fleſh; it is an infallible ſigne, that fraud is in their heart, that is, that they are not truly ſanctified, but Hypocrites. Beſides, hee that obeyeth the fleſh, and goeth on in ſecuritie to perfect the luſts thereof, let him know that he doth not belong to Chriſt: and howſoeuer hee adorne himſelfe in the higheſt degree with the name of a Chriſtian▪ yet doth he deceiue himſelfe. For they that are Chriſts hauehave crucified the fleſh, with the vices and luſts thereof. Luther in theſe words teacheth, That it is impoſsible, that ſuch as are truely Chriſts, and Saints, ſhould perſeuere in their ſinnes, and proceed in practiſing the luſts thereof: for that i… any be found that do continue, they doe giuegive open teſtimonie that they are Hypocrites, and in no caſe pertaine vntounto Chriſt.
QVEST. V. Whether the Saints do perſiſt vntounto the end in faith once giuen?
THIS is the ſtate of the Queſtion; Whether the Elect, after they be once endued with true faith, and truely iuſtified, regenerate, and ingraffed into Chriſt, can againe vtterly fall away from faith and from Christ? Neither did I put in this Quaeſtion this Particle (although the… ſinne againſt conſcience and liue wickedly) as I was vntruely traduced:▪ for I was not ignorant, that this Clauſe would make the Queſtion foreign, that is, not queſtionable; for that it is impoſsible for one to be in Chriſt, and to liue wickedly, that is, to walk according to the fleſh.
Therefore in the Schooles I anſwered to the queſtion to this effect, as may bee ſeene in my Praelections of Perſeuerance, That the Saints who by the bond not onelyonly of aeternall Election, but alſo of the Spirit of Chriſt, and of true faith▪ are coupled to Chriſt, and ſo hauehave been once ingraffed into the bodie of Christ; which is the Church of the Saints, will perpetually perſ…uer… in Chriſt, and in faith, neither …an they againe vtterly fall away from faith; & that not from their owne ſtrength and merits, but partly for the promiſe of God, partly for the prayer and interceſsion of Chriſt: the ſpirit of Chriſt preſeruing faith in them.
All this doctrine they condemned and impugned, as new and H…reticall, but yet mine accuſers hauehave not caſsiered it. For although both my ſelf in my Praelections, and other my writings, I did ſo plentifully proue it, as alſo other Vniuerſities and Churches, and other great men in Germanie confirmed the ſame; becauſe notwithſtanding yee my Lords did enioine me, that I ſhould exhibite vntounto you my Confeſsion, and the ſame confirmed by ſome teſtimoni…s, touching this point, therefore I will not hold it burdenous to eſtabliſh the ſame doctrine againe, euen by other teſtimonies both of Scriptures and Fathers, both of our Doctors, as alſo of your owne Confeſsions, ſo bee it be not greeuous to you to read them with attention, and examine them with diligence.