The Pattern of Wholesome Words, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. Of Sinne.
Rom. 5.12.
Wherefore, as by one man sinne entred into the world, and death by sinne; and so death went ouer all men; for as much as all men hauehave sinned, &c.
HItherto of the cause of our misery.
The parts follow, viz.
1. Sinne.
2. Punishment.
The principles concerning sin, 4Principles concerning sinne.are,
First, that all men hauehave sinned, Psalm. 14.1.2.3. The foole hath said in his heart, there is no God: they hauehave corrupted and done an abominable worke; there is none that doth good.
The Lord looked downe from heauen vponupon the children of men, to see if there were any that would vnderstand and seeke God.
All are gone out of the way, they are all corrupt, there is none that doth good, no not one.
Prou. 20.9. Who can say I hauehave made mine heart cleane? I am cleane from my sinne?
1. King. 8.46. There is no man that sinneth not, &c.
Eccles. 7.22. Surely there is no man iust in the earth, that doth good, and sinneth not.
Rom. 3.9. What then, are wee more excellent? No in no wise: for we hauehave already proued, that all both Iewes and Gentiles are vnderunder sin.
Iam. 3.2. For in many things we sinne all.
1. Ioh. 1.8. If we say that we hauehave no sinne, we deceiue our selues, and the truth is not in vsus.
The second principle is, that the nature of man is stained with sinne from the birth, Iob 14.4. Who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse? there is not one.
Iob 15.14. What is man that he should bee cleane? and hee that is born of a womā that he shuld be iust?
Psal. 51.5. Behold I was borne in iniquity, and in sin hath my mother conceiued me.
That this infection hath ouerspread the whole nature of man, hence called the old man: For explication of this principle: we must consider that the nature of man is tainted 14. waies: For there is in man by nature,
Extreame darknesse,14Foule blemishes in eueryevery mans nature. sightlesnes, especially in the knowledge of God and happinesse.
Colos. 1.13. Who hath deliuered vsus from the power of darknesse.
1. Cor. 2.14. But the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishnesse vntounto him; neither can hee know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Insensiblenesse, and vnutterable hardnesse of heart, Ephes. 4.18. Hauing their cogitation darkened, and being strangers from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardnesse of their heart, &c.
Impotency, and extreame disability to deliuer our owne soules, or breake off our sinnes, Esa. 44.20. He feedeth of ashes; a seduced heart hath deceiued him, that he cannot deliuer his soule, nor say, is there not a lie in my right hand?
Enmity to that which is good,
Rom. 8.7. For the wisedome of the flesh is enmity to God.
Rom. 7.23. But I see another law in my members, rebelling against the law of my mind, and leading me captiue vntounto the law of sin, which is in my members.
5. Impurity, foulnes, filthines, all ouer, Tit. 1… 5. VntoUnto them that are defiled … …beleeuing, is nothing pure, … euen their mindes and conscien… are defiled.
Psal. 14.3. All are gone out of the way, they are all corrupt, there is none that doth good, no not one.
6. Abundance of false principles.
7. Pronenesse to al sorts of euil, Rom. 7.14.21. For we know that the law is spirituall, but I am carnall, sold vnderunder sinne.
I finde then by the law, that when I would do good, euill is present with me, &c.
Concupiscence.
Want of all righteousnesse, defects of the louelove, feare, Ioy. &c: in God: so of mercy, &c: Psalm. 14.3. All are gone out of the way, they are all corrupt, there is none that doth good, no not one, &c.
Rom. 3.10. As it is written, There is none righteous, no not one.
The members are naturally seruants of sinne: so the senses, Rom. 6.13.16, &c. Neither giuegive you your members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse vntounto sinne, &c.
Know ye not, that to whomsoeuer ye giuegive your selues as seruants to obey, his seruants you are to whom ye obey; whether it bee of sinne vntounto death, or of obedience vntounto righteousnesse, &c.
A seruile will, a will that apprehends no liberty but in sinning, Rom. 7.14.
A natural aptnesse to be scandalized, so as Christ himselfe is an offence: a rocke of offence, 1. Cor. 8.7. 1. Pet. 2.6.
A naturall sauouring and relishing of the things of Satan, Ephes. 2.2. Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, and after the prince that ruleth in the ayre, euen the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience? This hath been euer since the first tentation in Paradise.
Corruption of memory.
Forgetting Good.
Retaining Euill.
A naturall dis-union one from another, lusts of disagreement, shunning all harty communion with others through dislike, and selfe-louelove, Iam. 4.1. From whence are warres and contentions amongst you? are they not hence, euen of your lusts that fight in your members.
These things proue that wee hauehave all vile natures, that there is not one of a good nature in the world by nature.
The fourth principle is, that besides these sinnes that sticke fast vponupon our natures, eueryevery man is guilty of horrible, and many, and vile actuall sinnes, Psalm. 14. 1.2.3. They hauehave corrupted and done an abominable worke, &c.
Iob. 15.15.16. Behold he found no stedfastnesse in his Saints: yea the heauens are not cleane in his sight.
How much more is man abominable and filthy, who drinketh iniquity like water.
Rom, 3.12. They hauehave all gone out of the way, &c.
Such as are,
1. A world of euill thoughts, Genes. 6.5. When the Lord saw that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth, and all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were only euill continually.
Atheisticall thoughts, innumerable.
Impure thoughts, innumerable.
Vaine thoughts, innumerable.
Errours in all parts of Religion.
2. Vile affections: Impatiency: Lust: Anger: Enuie: Suspition: Malice: Worldly feare: Trust: Ioy: LoueLove, &c.
3. Vile words: bitter, idle, false, flattering, slādering, proud, filthy, deceitfull, scornfull, censuring words.
4. Atheisticall workes, Psal. 14.1.3. as in many places before.
Against Gods worship in all the parts.
Against the Sabbath.
In our particular and generall calling.
At home and abroad.
Secret, open.
Of omission, and commission.
Of ignorance, of knowledge.
Sudden, and of custome.
In company, out of cōmpanie.
Hypocrisie, pride, security, vnbeleefe, impenitency, &c.
In prosperity, aduersity, &c.
Partaking with others sinne.
Our owne righteousnesse, as Esa. 64.6. is as filthy clouts, and we all doe fade like a leafe, and our iniquities like the wind hauehave taken vsus away.
Besides personall faults, as drunkennesse, vsury, swearing, whoredome, &c. workes of the flesh, Galath. 5.19.20.21 Moreouer the workes of the flesh are manifest, which are adultery, fornication, vncleannesse, wantonnesse, &c.
The vses of these principles are fourefold.9Vses for information.
First for information, and that in 9. things. For hereby we may know:
1. That there can be no iustification by our workes, Rom. 9.20. Therefore by the workes of the law shall no flesh hee iustified in his sight; for by the law commeth the knowledge of sinne.
Psalm. 130.3. If thou (O Lord) straitly markest iniquities, (O Lord) who shall stand?
For eueryevery mouth must bee stopped, and all the world bee guilty before God.
2. That the cause of all Gods dis-regard of vsus, and the miseries that befall vsus, is in our selues.
How can we murmure at our crosses, if wee looke vponupon our sinnes? There is mercy in the greatest Iudgement: for it is his mercy wee are not consumed, Lam. 3.22. It is the Lords mercy that we are not consumed, because his compassions faile not, &c.
If Adams one sinne deserued it, what doe all these in vsus.
3. That it will neuer goe well with the wicked, though God forbeare for a long time, Eccles. 8.11.12. Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily: therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set to doe euill.
But it shall not be well to the wicked, neither shall hee prolong his dayes; he shall be like a shadow, because he feareth not before God.
4. That no man hath cause to brag of his good nature, there are so many springs of sin, within vsus.
5. That the things that defile a man, are from within, in himselfe, it is not any outward deformitie, ill cloathes, naturall foulenesse, &c.
6. That a little repentance will not serue the turne.
7. That there is difference betweene the wicked, and the godly in sinning.
8. Concerning Gods prouidence in the death of Infants: we kill young snakes and adders, because they will sting, as well as the old, because they hauehave stung.
9. Say not, God is the cause of our ruine: nor is it thy chance, or ill lucke, or onelyonly the diuell, that brought thee into this or that mischiefe: it is thine owne ill nature.
Secondly, for humiliation:
First, to the godly in two respects:
1. Because they find so many of their old corruptions, hauing receiued such graces and mercies from God:
2. Because they yet are the meanes of the conueiance of originall sinne to their children.
Secondly, to such wicked men as liue in open sinnes, yet repent not. Why doth their hearts cary them away? Iob 15.12.14.
HaueHave the workers of iniquitie no knowledge? are they guiltie of so many reasons, and fallen into the hands of a righteous Iudge, and yet secure? Psal. 82.5. They know not and vnderstand nothing, they walke in darkenesse, albeit all the foundations of the earth be moued.
To ciuill honest men: for here they may learne,7Things make ciuill honest men miserable. how vild their estate is, though God hauehave restrained some euils in them: for
1. They want the Image of God.
2. They hauehave an infected nature in all the former fourteene things.
3. There is in them a disabilitie in the manner of all holy duties.
4. They partake of other mens sinnes many waies.
5. They are guiltie of many omissions.
6. They abound in inward sinnes, by which God is vexed, as Genes. 6.5. When the Lord saw that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth, and all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were onelyonly euill continually: and Satan by thē can set vp… strong holds, 2, Co. 10.5.
7. They are guilty of many outward euils against the least commandements.
The third vse is for instruction, & so strong Christians should learne to admire and praise God
1. That could bee pacified: Oh what is mā, that God should here looke vponupon such a dounghill!
2. That hath so vouchsafed to make vsus cleane in part from such filthinesse, taking away the body of sinnes, and seasoning the fountaine, and drying it vp.
Secondly, weake Christians should neuer bee at rest, till they get assurance of their pardon in the blood of Iesus Christ.
Thirdly, all the godly,
1. Sould striue after the contrary holinesse, and to expresse the reformation of their natures and liues, Ephes. 4.22. and cast off concerning the conuersation in times past, the old man, which is corrupt through the deceiueable lusts▪ &c.
2. Should walke humbly all their daies, because of the many remainders of corruption, as Rom. 7.15.16. &c. For I allow not that which I doe: for what I would, that doe I not: but what I hate, that doe I. and looke to their hearts, Heb. 3.12. Taking heed lest at any time there be in any of them an euill heart, and vnfaithfull to depart away from the liuing God. And looking to it, that sin raigne no more, Rom. 6.16. &c.
3. It should worke in all the godly a wonderfull desire of finall redemption, Rom. 7.24. O wretched man that I am, who shalt deliuer me from the body of this death! Psalm. 14.7. Oh giuegive saluation vntounto Israel out of Zion, when the Lord turneth the captiuity of his people, then Iacob shall reioyce, and Israel shall be glad.
Oh how should wee desire to get out of the world! seeing all so leprous, the plague sore running vponupon eueryevery man, so as we are in danger to be infected in all places, and by all persons.
4. It should worke in wicked men a feruent desire of remission, and constant indeuour in the confession of sinne, crying out daily with the leper, vncleane, vncleane.
The last vse is for consolation.
1. First, to all men for the Lord vseth this, as an argument of pitie and mercy, Genes. 8.21. And the Lord smelled a sauour of rest, and the Lord said in his heart, I will hence forth curse the ground no more for mans cause: for the imaginations of mans heart is euill euen from his youth, neither will I smite any more all things liuing, as I hauehave done. Isaiah 48.8.9. I knew that thou wouldest grieuously transgresse; therefore hauehave I called thee a transgressor from thy wombe: yet for my name sake will I deferre, &c. 2. Chro. 6.35.36. Then heare thou in heauen their prayer, and their supplication, and iudge their cause:
If they sin against thee (for there is no man that sinneth not), and thou be angrie with them, and deliuer them vntounto the enemies, and they take them, and carry them away captiue vntounto a land farre and neere, &c.
2. To the godly: they should admiringly reioice in their priuiledge in the blood of Christ, and in the remission of all their sins.