The Complaint of a Sanctified Sinner Answered, Verse 16
VERS. 16.
If I doe then that which I would not, I conſent to the Law, that it is good.
ON that which the Apoſtle ſaid in the Verſe before, that what he would, that he did not, but what he hated, that he did; he brings in two inferences, two concluſions; one in this Verſe, another in the Verſe following. The ſumme and ſubſtance of his firſt inference and concluſion laid before vsus in this Verſe, is this, that there was in ſome ſort a good harmony, and a conſent betweene Gods Law and his heart, being now renued by grace, in that he hated and abhorred the euill that was done by him, becauſe it was euill and ſinful, and contrary to the Law of God.
And thus he concludes, If I doe what I would not, I conſent to the Law of God that it is good. But the firſt of theſe is true: therefore the ſecond. Now the ground of this inference is this generall,
That whoſoeuer he be, that wils not the euill he doth, but diſallowes and hates it, and that out of a louelove, and liking, and reſpect to the Law of God, and a conſent to that, he ſeeing that euill which he doth, to be contrary to the Law of God, doubtleſſe hee approues of the Law of God to be good, and to be the perfect rule of righteouſneſſe.
Thus we hauehave the Apoſtles firſt inference and concluſion, and the ground of it. Now the words of this Verſe need not long to be ſtood on, touching the ſenſe and meaning of them.
If I doe then that which I would not. InterpretationTheſe words we had in effect before: and the meaning of them is briefly this: If I act and doe inwardly in my mind, my will and my affections, and outwardly in my wordes and actions, that euill that I in part would not doe, as I am regenerate, becauſe it is euill, and againſt the Law of God, then I conſent to the Law, that it is good.
(Conſent) The word in the Originall properly ſignifies to confeſſe, to witneſſe with a thing, or to ſpeake with a thing to which it is applyed. As here, being applyed to the Law of God, the meaning is, as if the Apoſtle had ſaid, I confeſſe the goodneſſe of the Law of God, I ſubſcribe to it, I agree to it, I beare witneſſe with it to be good, I conſent, or I aſſent in my mind and iudgement, and in mine heart I approue the Law of God to be good.
By the word (Law) as before, wee are to vnderſtand the morall Law of God. (That it is good) that is, as before wee expounded the word, Verſ. 12. that it requires and commands only ſuch things as be good, and forbids the contrary all manner of euill, and ſhewes the good way in which men are to walke to life euerlaſting. Thus then conceiue wee the meaning of the Apoſtle in the wordes of this Verſe, as if he had ſaid,
If I then act and doe inwardly in my mind, will and affections, and outwardly in my wordes and actions that euill, that I in part would not doe, as I am regenerate, and as my heart is renued by grace, and that, becauſe it is euill, and againſt the Law of God. Surely then, I agree to the morall Law of God, and I beare witneſſe with it to be good, I conſent, or I aſſent to the goodneſſe of the Law of God, in my mind and iudgement, and in mine heart renued by grace, I approue the Law of God to be ſuch a Law, as requires and commands only good things, and forbids the contrary, euen all manner of euill, and ſhewing the good way in which men are to walke to life euerlaſting.
Firſt, hence obſerue we the Apoſtles inference, If (ſaith he) I act and doe the euill I would not, the euill that in ſome ſort is againſt my mind, my will, and my purpoſe, then I conſent to the Law, that it is good; I then aſſent to the goodneſſe of the Law of God, I approue the Law of God to be ſuch a Law, as requires and commands only good things, and forbids the contrary. Hence note we briefly thus much,
That when men doe euill againſt their purpoſe and will, Doct. 1 It is an euidence of conſent to the goodneſſe of Gods Law, when men doe euill, and they would not doe it.they doe euill, and they would not doe it, they hauehave in them a full purpoſe and reſolution, not to ſinne againſt God in any thing wittingly and willingly, and yet they ſinne againſt that purpoſe, then they conſent to the Law of God, then they yeeld to the Word of God commanding good duties, that it is good, that plainely proues it, and thereupon they may certainly conclude, that they in their mindes aſſent to the good Law of God, and approue of it in their hearts to be good; it is a plaine euidence of conſent to the goodneſſe of the Law of God, when men doe euill, and they would not doe it, but they would willingly be freed from doing of euill, and from breaking of the holy Lawes and Commandements of GOD.
Thus our Apoſtle here concludes directly, If I doe that euill which I would not, I conſent to the Law, that it is good. This I note in a word, to teach eueryevery one of vsus to try our ſelues, touching our conſent to the Word of God. No doubt, eueryevery one will ſay he likes the Word of God, and he approues of it, and it were pity of his life if hee did not conſent to the Truth, and to the goodneſſe of the Word of God. But take heed, whoſoeuer thou art, that thou doe not deceiue thy ſelfe: trie thy ſelfe by the note now deliuered;
Doſt thou find, that the euill thou doſt, Ʋſe. thou wouldſt not doe it, it is againſt thy purpoſe and mind? A ground of triall.Thereupon thou maiſt certainly conclude, that thou doſt conſent to the Truth and goodneſſe of the Word of God: that is a good euidence indeed, that thou doſt approue the Law of God to be good, in commanding good things, and good alſo in forbidding of euill. But on the other ſide, if thou find that the euill thou doſt, is pleaſing to thee, and thou doſt wittingly, and willingly, and purpoſely doe any knowne euill, deceiue not thy ſelfe, out of all queſtion thou doſt not conſent to the Truth and goodneſſe of the Word of God; thou maiſt thinke thou giueſt aſſent to the Word of God, and doſt approue of it in thine heart; but the truth is, there is no ſuch matter, thy doing euill wittingly and willingly, is an euidence againſt thee, yea, it proues plainly, that thou denyeſt the Truth and goodneſſe of the Word of God; and if thou goe on in that courſe, thou ſhalt be puniſhed as one that denyes the Truth of the Word of God, and with holds the Truth of it in vnrighteouſneſſe. Rom. 1.18. Rom. 1.18.The wrath of God ſhall one day be reuealed from heauen againſt thee, yea, it is a feareful ſtep to the vnpardonable ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt, to deny the Truth and goodneſſe of the Word of God.
It is reported of Iulian the Apoſtata, Note. that he firſt began to account the Word of God fooliſhneſſe, & then he perſecuted the Profeſſors of it with mocks & taunts; and ſo by degrees fell to that foule ſinne of Apoſtaſie. Full little doe men thinke of this, that their doing euill purpoſely and willingly, proues this againſt them, that they deny the Truth & goodneſſe of the Word of God, and are going on to that fearefull vnpardonable ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt: but indeed ſo it is. And if a men appeale to their owne hearts, if they deale truely, their owne hearts muſt needs yeeld to it, that they doing euill purpoſely, they deny the Truth and goodneſſe of the Word of God. Doth not thine owne heart, whoſoeuer thou art, while thou goeſt on wilfully in ſinne, ſay thus to thee, Deut. 29.19.God is mercifull, and as it is, Deut. 29.19. Thou ſhalt hauehave peace, though thou walke according to the ſtubbornneſſe of thine owne heart? And what is this, but to deny the Truth of God, the Word of God, that reuealing that God is iuſt aſwell as mercifull? and as it followes, Deut. 29.20. that hee will not be mercifull vntounto him, but the wrath of the Lord and his ielouſie ſhall ſmoke againſt that man, and eueryevery curſe that is written in this Booke, ſhall light vponupon him, and the Lord ſhall put out his name from vnderunder heauen. Therefore take heede of doing euill purpoſely and willingly.
Conſider we further, that the Apoſtle ſaith, hee doing that he would not, yet he conſented to the Law of God, that it was good. And this conſent of his, wee made a ſecond argument and proofe of his regeneration. That therefore hee was certainly a man truely regenerate, becauſe howſoeuer hee was ouer-carryed to doe that hee would not, yet he conſented to the Law of God, that it was good.
Now againſt this, Obiect. there is alſo obiection made. Some doe thus obiect againſt it; ſay they, Vnregenerate perſons may, and do ſometimes conſent to the Law of God, and they may and doe approue of it to be good, yea, ſometimes vnregenerate perſons delight in the Law and in the Word of God, as it is ſaid of Herod, that he heard IOHN BAPTIST gladly, Mar. 8.20.Mar. 8.20. and of Temporaries, ſuch as hauehave only a temporarie faith, it is ſaid, Mat. 13.20. Matth. 13.20.that they receiued the Word with ioy. And Heb. 6.5. it is ſaid of Apoſtataes, that they hauehave taſted of the good Word of God. And therefore it is not a true note of the Apoſtles regeneration, or of the regeneration of any other, that they conſent to the Law of God, and approue it to be good.
For anſwer to this, firſt know, Anſw. that vnregenerate perſons are either openly wicked, being conuinced of ſinne in their conſciences; and their conſciences galling them for ſinne, it may be, they acknowledge the Law of God to be good; but how? Surely, Exod. 9.27.as PHARAOH acknowledged the Lord to be righteous, Exod. 9.27. not out of any louelove or liking of the Law. No: they could wiſh there were no Law at all, they hate it, becauſe it condemnes their ſinnes, and ſhewes them the curſe of it due to them for their ſinnes.
As for hypocrites, they outwardly approue of the Law and Word of God, in outward profeſſion only, but they hauehave no true inward louelove and liking of it, they ſuffer it not to worke on their hearts, and to reforme them in their inward affections, they only yeeld an outward conformity to it, in reſpect of their eaſe, pleaſure, profit, or the like, but inwardly they reiect it, and caſt it behind them, Pſal. 50.17.
Againe, for the inſtances brought: Herod indeede heard Iohn Baptist gladly: but if wee marke the Text, it was onelyonly in ſome things, hee liked of ſome things Iohn taught, not all that hee heard from him; and ſo hee did not thorowly like of the Word preached by Iohn, but onelyonly in part, and that onelyonly in ſome ſiniſter and by-reſpect. And ſo alſo Temporaries, they receiue the Word with ioy, not out of any louelove and liking of it, but in reſpect of eaſe, or gayne, or credit, or the like. And for Apoſtataes, it is true indeede; they taſte, and as it were ſippe of the ſweetneſſe of the Word of God, they touch it, as it were with the tip of their tongues, but they neuer ſend it downe into their hearts, they digeſt it not, it is not conuerted and turned as good nouriſhment into the ſubſtance of their ſoules, to the true comfort and ſtrengthening of them, and ſo they hauehave in them but a light and vaniſhing, and no true ſound and ſolid approbation of the Law and Word of God: And therefore ſtill it remaynes a true note of the Apoſtles regeneration, that howſoeuer hee was ouercarryed by his owne corruption, to doe the euill he would not hauehave done, yet hee conſented to the Law of God, that it was good.
And it is a true note to others, A true note of regeneration.that they alſo are truly regenerate, if they find, that though they doe the euill they would not doe, yet they conſent to the Law and Word of God, they aſſent to it in their minds and iudgements, and in their hearts they approue of the goodneſſe of it, and they louelove, and like it, and cleaue to it in their inward affections. In that the Apoſtle ſaith, I conſent to the Law of God, that it is good; wee are giuen to vnderſtand yet further thus much,
That true Beleeuers, Doct. 2 Gods Children, they conſent to the Law of God, Gods children hauehave in them a true louelove and liking of Gods Law.they hauehave in them not onelyonly knowledge of the Law of God, and an aſſent to it in their mindes and in their iudgements, but they alſo approue of it in their hearts, they hauehave in them a true louelove and liking of the Law of God, and that both in commanding of good things, and in forbidding of euill: ſo farre forth as men are regenerate, they conſent to the Law of God, and there is a good agreement betweene their hearts and the good Law of God, and ſinne is diſpleaſing to them, and they diſlike it, and diſallow it, and hate it, becauſe it is againſt the good Law of God, and good duties are liked and loued of them, and performed by them, becauſe Gods Law requires them. Thus it is with all Gods Children, and ſuch as are truly regenerate.
Pſal. 40.8. Dauid ſpeakes thus, I deſired to doe thy will, O my God, yea, thy Law is within mine heart. As if hee had ſaid, Thy will O Lord, made knowne to me in thy Law. I doe not only know to be holy, and good, and aſſent to it in my mind and iudgement, but I like it, I approue of it, I deſire to doe it, mine heart is inclined to it, yea, thy Law is within my heart, I willingly imbrace it, my heart conſents to it, and I find a good agreement betweene thy good Law and my heart. And againe, Pſal. 119.127. ſaith DAVID, I louelove thy Commandements aboue gold, yea aboue most fine gold: I doe not only know thy Commandements, and aſſent to them in mind and iudgement, but I approue of them in my heart, and I hauehave an exceeding great louelove to them. And then hee ſubioynes in the next Verſ. 128. I eſteeme all thy Precepts most iuſt, and I hate all falſe wayes. As if hee had ſaid, I hauehave a true louelove and liking of thy holy Commandements, and that both in commanding of good things, and in forbidding of euill, there is a ſweet conſent and agreement betweene my heart, and thy holy Lawes and Commandements, in whatſoeuer they either command or forbid; I like good duties and I performe them, becauſe thy Law requires them, and I diſlike euill and ſinne, and hate it, becauſe thy Law forbids it, and becauſe it is againſt thy Law. Thus it was with Dauid, and thus indeed it is with all Gods children.
And hence it is, that Gods children are ready and willing to obey God in any thing he commands them, be it neuer ſo contrary to nature, and neuer ſo hard and harſh to fleſh and bloud. Gen. 22.2. The Lord no ſooner ſaid to ABRAHAM, Offer thine only ſonne ISAAC, euen that beloued and deare ſonne, and that with thine owne hands, and burne him when thou haſt done for a burnt offering, but he without grudging or gaine-ſaying, was ready to doe as the Lord commanded him. The Text ſaith, Verſe 3. that he roſe vp earely in the morning to doe it, Gen. 22.2, 3.there was in him alacritie and forwardneſſe, to doe that which the Lord required at his hands: and ſo it is in all Gods children.
Inſtance might be giuen in many other examples, Gods children are ready to doe the will of God made knowne to them. The Lord no ſooner ſaith to a child of God, Doe this: but his heart anſwers, I will doe it. And againe, no ſooner ſaith the Lord, Forbeare this, or, Auoid that: but the heart of a child of God anſwers, I will forbeare it, and I will auoid it. And that ſtrongly confirmes the truth of the point in hand, that there is a good agreement betweene the hearts of Gods children, and the good Law of God: the reaſon and ground of it is this:
Gods children, Reaſon. and ſuch as are truly regenerate, are borne anew of God, whoſe Law it is, and they hauehave in them that Spirit, from whom the Law of God was breathed, and who is the Author of the Law and of the Word of God, and that Spirit inclines their hearts to the good Law of God, and makes them louelove and like it, and yeeld willing obedience to it. Ezech. 36.27.Ezech. 36.27. ſaith the Lord, I will put my Spirit within you, and cauſe you to walke in my Statutes, and yee ſhall keepe my Iudgements and doe them. Yea, that Spirit being powerfull in them, makes the Lawes and Commandements of God, which to nature are harſh and hard, eaſie to them, and makes them not to thinke them hard and grieuous, 1. Joh. 5.3.1. Ioh. 5.3. And therefore hereupon we may conclude, that true Beleeuers, & Gods children, hauehave not only knowledge of the Law of God, and doe not onelyonly aſſent to it in their mindes and iudgements, but they alſo approue of it in their hearts, and hauehave in them a true louelove and liking of the Law of God; ſo farre forth as they are regenerate, they conſent to the Law of God, and there is a good agreement betweene their hearts and the good Law of God; they diſlike and hate ſinne, becauſe it is againſt the good Law of God, and they like good duties, and performe them, becauſe Gods Law requires them.
Now this ſerues to diſcouer vntounto vsus, Vſe 1 whence it is that the holy Commandements of God that are harſh and hard to nature, Whence it is that the holy Commandements of God are eaſie to Gods childrenand to men that are in their naturall condition, are in ſome ſort eaſie to Gods children, and that Gods children willingly yeeld to that which God commands, which others wreſtle and ſtriue againſt, and will by no meanes be brought to bend vntounto. Surely hence it is, the hearts of Gods children being renued by grace, conſent to the Law of God, and there is a good agreement betweene them and the good Law of God, they hauehave in them that Spirit from whom the Law of God was breathed, and that Spirit makes their hearts, which of themſelues are wayward and auerſe to eueryevery thing that is good, plyable and inclinable to the good Law of GOD.
Say to an angry furious man or woman, one that is yet in the dregs of nature, Thou muſt forgiue, Thou muſt louelove thy Neighbour, Thou muſt bleſſe them that curſe thee, and doe good to them that hurt thee; he being yet in his naturall ſtate, he cryes out, Theſe be things impoſſible; how can one yeeld to ſuch a Law? But tell a child of God of theſe things, and let him vnderſtand that this is his duty; and he willingly yeelds vntounto it, and his heart conſents to the good Word of God; he hath in him that Spirit, that makes men that are as Wolues, Beares, and Tigres, put off their brutiſh and ſauage nature, Iſai. 11.6, 7.Iſai. 11.6, 7.
Againe, is it ſo, that true Beleeuers, Gods children, Vſe 2 hauehave not onelyonly knowledge of the Law of God, A difference betweene Gods children and others, diſcouered.and doe not only aſſent vntounto it, but their hearts alſo approue of it, and ſo farre forth as they are regenerate, they conſent to the Law of God, they diſlike and hate ſinne, becauſe the Law of God forbids it, and they like good duties, becauſe the Law of God requires them? Surely then, this points out a plaine difference betweene Gods children, and others that are either openly wicked or hypocrites, for it is farre otherwiſe with them: the vngodly man and the hypocrite may indeed in his mind and iudgement aſſent to the good Law of God, he may, being cōuinced in conſcience, acknowledge ſuch & ſuch things to be good, and ſuch and ſuch things to be euill and ſinfull; but in the meane time his heart is not inclined to that hee acknowledgeth, and his heart approues not of it, becauſe Gods Law commands it, and his heart doth not diſlike & hate that he knowes to be ſinne, becauſe the Law of God forbids it. No, no: hee rather hates the Commandement, and he could wiſh there were no ſuch Commandement: for example, the Drunkard, being in conſcience conuinced and preſſed with it, will ſometimes confeſſe Drunkenneſſe to be euill, yet his heart diſlikes it not, his heart is not inclined to hate that ſin, but he could rather wiſh there were no Word of God againſt that ſinne. Yea, if wee obſerue it, and if the vngodly and hypocrite themſelues doe obſerue it, they ſhall find, that they neither doe any good thing, nor eſchue any euill, becauſe the Law of God commands the one, and forbids the other, but they euer hauehave reſpect to gaine, or credit, or pleaſure, or paine, Note. or the like; and it is ſtill themſelues they ayme at, in doing good, or in eſchuing euill, and not the Law and Word of God: and ſo it is with them in all other things; it may be, the ioyes of heauen being ſpoken of, doe ſomewhat affect them, and when they heare of the paines of hell, they are ſomewhat aſtoniſhed; and it may be, they know God to be of infinite Maieſtie and Power, and that none is able to indure the fierceneſſe of his wrath; it may be, theſe things a little touch them when they heare of them; but it is only, becauſe they would eſcape the wrath of God and his iudgements, and ſo it is ſtill themſelues that they louelove: if there were neither heauen nor hell, they would not care for God, nor for the Word of God.
But on the other ſide, true Beleeuers, and Gods children, they obey God in his Word, out of a louelove to God, and their ſoules are not ſo deare to them, as the Name of God is to ſee that glorified; and they, as it were, carry their liues in their hands, and they are ready to yeeld them vp to the glory of his Name, and they conſent to the Law of God in their hearts, and they diſlike & hate ſinne, becauſe the Law of God forbids it, and they like good duties, becauſe the Law of God requires them. And thus it muſt be with thee, if thou wouldſt make it good to the comfort of thine owne ſoule, that thou art a child of God.
Haply thou wilt ſay, Queſt. How ſhall I know that I diſlike and hate ſinne, becauſe the Law of God forbids it; and that I like good duties, becauſe the Law of God requires them?
I anſwere, By this thou ſhalt certainly know it: Anſw. If thou find thine heart equally affected to all and eueryevery Commandement of God, and that thy heart is equally inclined to the keeping of all and eueryevery one of Gods Commandements, and thou doſt not thinke any thing that the Word of God commands or forbids, to be light, or that the doing or not doing of it is a trifling ſinne, but thou makeſt conſcience of the leaſt euill and ſinne; not only of Theft, Murder, and ſuch like, but of Sabbath-breaking, of Swearing by Faith and Troth, of Vanity in apparell, and ſuch like: if thou thinke thou doſt diſlike ſinne, becauſe it is forbidden in the Law of God, & thou loueſt good duties, becauſe the Law of God requires them, and yet thou art partiall, in doing good, and auoyding euill; thou makeſt choice of what good thou wilt doe, and what euill thou wilt auoid; thou abſtayneſt from Murder and Theft, and yet makeſt no conſcience of Sabbath-breaking, Open rayling, and haply thou giueſt to the poore, and yet thou art careleſſe of other good duties, thou deceiueſt thy ſelfe, that will yeeld thee no true comfort: for as Iam. 2.11. Iam. 2.11.There is the ſame Lawgiuer, and he that commands one thing, commands another, and he that forbids one thing, forbids another: and if thou wittingly and willingly breake one Comandement, thou art guilty of all, Verſ. 10.
If then thou wouldſt be ſure, that thou doſt diſlike ſin, becauſe the Law of God forbids it, and that thou likeſt good duties, and performeſt them, becauſe Gods Law requires them, then neuer reſt, till thou find that thou art equally affected to eueryevery Commandement of God, and that thou art equally inclined to the keeping of all and eueryevery one of Gods Commandements, and that thou doſt not thinke any thing, that the Word of God commands or forbids, light and trifling, but that thou makeſt conſcience of the leaſt euill and ſinne.
Laſt of all, Vſe 3 is it ſo, that true Beleeuers, and Gods children, Ignorance of Gods Law, a fearefull thing.doe not only know the Law of God, and aſſent to it in their mindes, but their hearts alſo approue it? Surely then, their caſe muſt needes be fearefull that are ignorant of the Law of God. Can they yeeld conſent of heart to the good Law of God, & approue of it in their hearts, that are ignorant of it? It is not poſſible. Conſider this all you that are ignorant of Gods Law, you cannot comfort your ſelues with this, that you are Gods children. No, no: Gods children not only know the Law of God, but they alſo approue of it in their hearts: now you are ſo farre from that, as you know not the good Law of God, and ſo your caſe is fearefull. Oh then labour you for knowledge of the Law of God, whileſt you hauehave time and meanes, that ſo you may approue of it in your hearts, and yeeld ſound obedience to it both in heart and life.