The Christian Armory, Book 1 · Chapter 1 – Chapter 2
CHAP. I. Of Mans offence and fall.
Question.
HOw came man, that was originally, and by his first creation, so honourable, holy and happy, to be so sinnefull, vile, and miserable?
Answere.
By reason of sinne and the transgression of Gods commaundement,1. Ioh. 3.4. Rom. 5.14. whereby he fell away from God, and lost his, former dignity, holinesse, and happines. Rom. 3.23.
Q. What is sinne?
A. It is foreign, the breach of Gods law; or, it is a declination, reuolt, and apostasie from the louelove,1. Ioh. 3.8. nature, communion, and will of God. Eph. 4. v. 18.
Q. Who is the subiect (or continent) of sinne?
A. The reasonable creature, that is, many of the Angels,Iud. 6. (for they kept not their first estate and purity) and mankind vniuersally,1. Cor. 15.21.22. no man excepted: for all men hauehave sinned, and are depriued of the glory of God. Rom. 3.23.
Q. Who is the author, or committe… of sinne?
1. Io. 1. v. 5.A. Not God; for hee is holinesse it selfe, and there is in him no darknes, nor sinne at all; for he doth not commaund nor commend, much lesse, instil and suggest sinne, but condemne and punish it, as that which is most aduerse and contrary to his owne will and word: but man onelyonly, who in mind, will, and affections is wholy corrupted with sinne, & by this meanes is become a vassall of Satan,Eph. 2. v. 2. and guilty of euerlasting damnation.
Q. Jnto how many kinds is sinne diuided and distinguished?
A. Into two kinds principally, namelie, that poisonfull corruption wherein man is conceiued, and borne, which we call, Originall sinne; and that offence of action, which we terme, Actuall transgression.
Q. What is Originall sinne?
A. It is the leprous,Psal. 51.5. Gen. 8.21. Ioh 5 2. Gen. 6. v. 5. contagious, & pestilent infection of nature, or an hereditary and naturall corruption, which is successiuely by carnall generation deriued and conueied from Adam the roote and common beginning of all mankind, vntounto all his posterity.
Q By what names and epithetes is it called in the scriptures?
A. Amongst others,Rom. 8.6. these are speciall names of it. First, it is called sinne (absolutely) because it is the fountaine of al sinnes.
Secondly, it is termed The body of Sinne, c. 7. v. 13because all sinnes are included in it, and (as it were) in league with it; for vponupon occasion offered they breake out.
Thirdly, it is named, The Law of the members, because of the dominion of it, in,c. 7. and ouer all our members: for all the parts and powers of our bodies, and soules, before regeneration obey it as a law, and it is intituled Rebellion in our members, because it doth by a continuall practise striue and rebell against the law of God.
Lastly, it hath the denomination of Flesh, Rom. 6.6. Iam. 1. v. 15.Gen. 6.3. of the old Adam, and of Concupiscence, which is an euill and inordinate desire and inclination.
Q. What are the maine parts of originall corruption?
A. Two: first losse and want of the first and originall holines in the whole man: Secondly, the presence of euill; or, a contagion and distempered disposition of all the parts and powers of soule and body.
Q. What are the causes of originall sinne?
A. Thrée; the one inward, and the other two outward.
Q. What is the inward cause of it?
A. The very law of nature, passing originally, and conueied by carnall generation from one person to another.
Q. What are the outward causes of it?
A. Two: First, the actuall sinne of Adam and Eue, the first instruments & foundation of mans nature. Secondly, Gods iustice, imputing the transgression of our first parents to al their ofspring and posterity.
Q. Doth originall sinne, or concupiscence remaine in the regenerate?
A. Yes: for though the guilt and dominion of it be taken away, (for Christ through his bloudy sufferings so hindereth the force and power of it, that it cannot condemne, and by his spirit so lesseneth and mortifieth it,Rom. 7.17 that it cannot tyrannize, nor dominere ouer them,) yet the corruption doth and will remaine in them vntill death, and hereupon it is called sinne dwelling (but not raigning) in the godly.
Q. Why will God hauehave originall concupiscence to dwel and remaine in those that are iustified and sanctified?
A. First, that they should the better perceiue and feele the efficacy of grace, and of the spirit of Christ, who though he suffer this enemie to dwell in them, yet hee doth so kéepe vnderunder, and captiuate him in them, that he cannot raign in thē, nor destroy them.
Secondly, that they should find, and certainely know, that they can by no other meanes be iustified in Gods sight, then by Christs perfect obedience apprehended of them by faith alone.Rom. 3. v. 24.
Lastly, God will hauehave them (for their exercise) to hauehave an enemie vntounto their dying day, with whom they may alwaies fight and combate, and whom by the grace of Christ they might foile in fight,Apoc. 3.4. 1. Tim. 4.8. and by foiling they might procure to themselues the greater Crowne of glory.
Q. What vse are we to make of Originall sinne?
Ans. First, we must diligently mark and obserue the motions & suggestions of it, whether arising from within vsus, or occasioned and caused from without vsus; and then we must not be glad, but grieue at them; neither cherish, but rather kill and crucifie them. Let vsus therefore keepe this enemy from virtuals, and cherish and strengthen the spirit against him: and let vsus watch and warily espie in what part hee assaieth to make a sallie and to assault vsus, and there let vsus by the contrary weapons resist him. Lastly, let vsus alwaies flee vntounto the throne of grace, through Iesus Christ▪ & we shall be releeued and rescued, and in the end gloriously deliuered.
Q. What was Adams fall?
A. A voluntary transgression of the first law and order that God ordained, whereby he fell alway from God, lost his image, and betaine a slaue to sinne and Satan, and so exposed himselfe and all (that were to bee borne of him and succeed him) to euerlasting damnation.
Q. What was the matter or obiect of Adams sinne?
A. The eating of the forbidden fruit or apple.Gen. 3.6. & 7.
Q. How could the eating of an apple (though neuer so much forbidden) deserue so great misery and punishment?
A. Wee must not rate and esteeme the offence by the basenesse of the outward obiect, but by the vnconceiueable dignity of Gods infinite maiesty offended, and by the high contempt of Gods strict prohibition. Lastly, this sinne could bee by no other meanes satisfied, nor Gods wrath appeased, but by the vnualuable ransom of Iesus Christ his death and obedience.
Q. Who was the instrumentall cause of Adams fall?
A. The Diuell, who by the beauty and baite of an apple,Gen 3. v. 4.5.6. and by lying suggestions, entice and drawe him to disobedience.
Q. What was the formall or inward cause of the fall of Adam?
A. The blinding and corrupting of his minde, will, and affections, whereupon he beléeued not Gods threatnings, but willingly assented to Satans temptation.
Q. Did not God forsake our first Parents before their fall?
A. Yes vndoubtedly: for God by his power could hauehave preserued them from fault and fall.
Q. How did God leaue & forsake thē?
A. First, by withdrawing from them (for he is bound and indebted to none) the sunshine of his knowledge & grace. Secondly, by denying them strengthning and confirming grace.
Q. Why did God permit their fall?
A That he might draw good out of euill, and might heereby make knowne the glory of his power and iustice in the damnation of the reprobate,Rom 9.22. and the glorie of his mercy in the saluation of the elect.
Q. What is the guilt of their sinne?
A. A firme and straite binding ouer, and endangering of himselfe, and all his posterity to eternall punishment.
Q. How can it stand with Gods iustice so to impute Adams sinne and fall to all his posterity, that they must be punished and smart for it?
A. It may, and doth stand with Gods iustice very well: for first, when Adam sinned, all his posterity & ofspring was in his loines, from whom they were by the course of nature to issue,Rom. 5.16. and therfore with him they receiued part of his guilt; for the sinne of the head (so farre forth as it is the head) is deseruedly imputed to the whole body: as we may sée the truth hereof in Dauid, who, because he being a King,2. Chr. 21. v. 14. & (in the pride of his heart) would néeds number the people, thréescore & ten thousand of his good subiects perished by the pestilence for it. Secondly, quia contrariorum contraria est ratio, wee may euidently sée and obserue the certainety of this point by the contrary. For euen as whatsoeuer Christ, as the head of all the elect,Eph. 2.6. Eph. 5. v. 26. & 27. and Church, suffered and performed for the Church, is imputed to it: so whatsoeuer Adam as the stockfather, and beginning of mankind lost, is imputed to all his posterity: and no maruaile, seeing that he represented all their persons, and did by his offence, as a certaine gate, conuey all that was euill in him to all that did, or euer should succéed him. Lastly, as Adam receiued the Image of God, that is, illumination, holines, righteousnes, for himselfe, and his posterity; so he lost it for himselfe and his ofspring: and therefore as they should hauehave béene heires of his happines, commodities, and rewards if hee had continued in his innocency; so since his fall, they must be partakers of his guilt, burden and punishment.
Obiection. But Adams sinne was proper to his owne person, how then could it be imputed to his posterity?
A. Adam in this action is not to bée considered as a priuate person (for then he should hauehave smarted for his own sin onelyonly,) but hee must bée estéemed as an actiue, and common beginning, yea, & as the roote, head, and first instrument of mankind; and therefore what good hée receiued frō God, or what euill else where, he receiued it aswell for them that were to come of him, as for himselfe.
Q. Is sinne deriued from the parents to the children?
A. Yea verily, for the parents beget them,Psal. 51.5. and their mothers conceiue them in sinne.
Q. But how doe parents conuey, transfuse, and deriue corruption into all their children?
A. First by the law of generation, whereby one person begetteth another; or, by the séed and generation of the parents: for this is the instrumēt by which sinne is deriued: and therefore the séede of man being corrupted, so is, and néedes must be the children also. For (according to the principles of nature) the begetter doth communicate his nature to the thing begotten.
Secondly, this birth-infection inuadeth the minde and vnderstanding, and so stretcheth and extendeth it selfe to the whole body.
Obiection. Heb. 12. v. 9. Zach. 12.1.How can parents by carnal generation infuse into & deriue originall corruption vntounto their children, seeing that by warrant of Scripture, and the consent of the most excellent Diuines, both ancient & latter, the Parents do not beget, but God doth daily create new soules in the bodies prepared and fitted for them: but God is iust, and cannot be the author of si…ne?
A. Albeit God continually create new soules, and that without sinne, yet hee doth create them in weakenesse, and in the very moment of creation hee forsaketh them and leaueth them, imputing Adams sinne vntounto them.
Secondly, the soule receiueth contagion by the body in which it is seated: for as a precious and costly ointment is soone marred and corrupted,Simile (as daily experience teacheth) by an vnsweet and a fusty vessel: so is the soule corrupted by the sinfull body.
Lastly, the soule and body (by common consent and practise) bring foorth sin; for there is so neere a familiarity betwéen them, that the one doth gratify the other.
Q. But why doth God suffer sinne to dwell and remaine in the most holy and regenerate men that liue in the earth?
A. First, to humble and afflict them. Secondly, that they may know what sin bringeth them vntounto, and what grace affordeth. Lastly, that they may alwaies runne vntounto God for helpe and pardon.
Q. What vse are wee to make of this deriuatiue pollution?
A. 1. Vse. We must lay aside al pride and selfe-conceit, and with all humblenesse, acknowledge our vncleannesse.
Secondly, wee must not so curiously search how the fire of originall sin came, as to be careful how to quench it; nay we must labour betimes to quench & put out the first sparkles of this fire,Ioh. 4.4. lest if preuailing flame out and vtterly consume vsus.
Lastly, we must in this life be regenerate and borne anew of water and the holy Ghost, and therefore flee vntounto Christ our Sauiour for pardon of our sinnes, and for further grace, or else we shall neuer enter into his kingdome.
Q. What is the actuall sinne?
A. EueryEvery thought, word, and déede, whether in committing euill, or in leauing good vndone, that is against the wil and law of God.
Q. Whence floweth or proceedeth it?
A. From the fountaine and roote of originall corruption; for it is a deriuatiue from it, and a fruit of it.
Q. Doth it any way aggrauate and increase originall sinne?
A. Yes; for it daiely encreaseth the guilt and punishment of it, and (if faith & repentance preuent not) deserueth, and procureth the greater torment in hell, for as there are degrees of sinne;Ma. 11.24. Luc. 12.47 so God in his iustice hath accordingly appointed and ordained semblable degr…es of punishment.
Ephes. 4. vers. 18.Q What is the cause of Actuall sin?
A. The next and immediate cause is mans corrupt minde, wil, and affections: for these are the working instruments and command the action, and therefore as sparkes proceed from the burning coales, as rust from the iron, and venim from the Aspe; so doth actual sin flow from our sinfull and degenerate nature.
Q. What are the outward causes or occasions of Actuall sinne?
Luk. 22. ver. 3.4.A. Foure specially: First, the suggestion and temptaton of the Diuel, prouoking and enticing men thereunto.
Luk. 7.1.Secondly, the scandals and bad examples of wicked men offending them.
Matth. 13. vers. 21.Thirdly, troubles and persecutions, through which many men are drawn to vniust practises, yea & to fall away from sound faith and true religion.Ibid. v. 22. 1. Tim. 6. ver. 17.
Lastly, profits and pleasures, which drowne men in destruction, and cause them to forget God and themselues.
Q. How is Originall sin to be distinguished from Actuall transgression?
A. Many waies: First originall corruption is bred and borne in vsus and with vsus, but Actuall sin is borne afterwards.
Secondly, Originall sinne is the roote, but Actuall sinne the fruit: Originall sinne the cause, but Actuall the effect: Originall sinne is the mother, but Actuall the daughter.
Lastly, in Actuall sinne, the matter doth not remaine but passeth away (for when a man hath committed blasphemie, adultery, murther, &c. the action foorthwith ceaseth, though the offence of God,Rom. 3.11 and the guilt still remaine) but in originall sinne, the matter manifestly remaineth;Rom. 7.18. héereupon we naturally, yea and daily runne and rush into sinne, and are backward and vntoward to the performance of any good thing that God requireth.
CHAP. 2. Of the punishment of Sinne.
Question.
WHat followeth sinne?
A. Temporall and eternall punishment.Rom. 6.23
Q. Are the temporall punishments of sinne inflicted vponupon mankind, curses, satisfactions to Gods iustice, and the forerunners of euerlasting damnation?
A. They are such in their own nature and originall, and such in all the reprobates, yea they are no other then curses to the elect so long as they are vnregenerate and vnderunder the ministry of the Law.Gal. 3.10. For cursed is he that doth not continue in all things that are written in the book of the Law to doe them.
Q. But what are these temporall plagues, and punishments to the beleeuing and regenerate?
A. They are not (to speake properly) the punishment of their sinnes, nor part of the eternall curse, and therefore no satisfactions to the rigour of Gods iustice: for Christ by his death and obedience hath fully satisfied his fathers iustice, remoued from them the curse of the law,Gal. 3.13. yea and deliuered them,Heb. 2. ver 15. which for feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage:Heb. 12. ver. 11. they are therefore not curses, but corrections, not punishments, but preseruatiues vntounto them, and not the broad way that leadeth to destruction,2. Sam. 12. but the narrow way that tendeth vntounto life. Act. 14.22.
Q. But seeing that Christ hath made satisfaction for sinne, Rom. 3. v. 25.26. 2 Cor. 5.19.and their sinnes are not imputed to them, but pardoned, why doth not God as well (& eodem instanti) take away the chasticement, as the Sinne?
A. First, because certaine seedes of corruption, certaine sparkles of concupiscence, and certaine rootes of sinne, in part abide, and will abide in them, so long as they liue in this mortality, which Christ the Physitian of our soules must needes correct, yea and mortifie by the bitter pilles, and purgations of affliction. Secondly, because the bitter memory of sinne committed, remaineth in the minds of them that louelove God,2 Cor. 7. v. 11. Math. 14. v. 5. & 8. which cannot but grieue and molest them.
Thirdly, the wicked who are Satans impes, and Gods rods, do alwaies séeke, and if they find, they take any occasion to vexe and trouble Gods children. Apoc. 12.12.
Q. What instruction gather you hence?
A. That mans nature is vile & vnperfect, & that the sinne that ariseth out of it, and from it, is very hatefull, and horrible in Gods sight; for hee will not let it escape, and passe vncorrected in his déere Children, no, nor in the sucking Infants that are frée from the committing of actuall sinne;Rom. 5. v. 14. for they are subiect to diseases, paines, and vntounto death, as well as men of yéeres.