The Complaint of a Sanctified Sinner Answered, Verse 19
VERS. 19.
For I doe not the good thing which I would, but the euill which I would not, that doe I.
IN this Verſe our Apoſtle confirmes that which he ſaid in the Verſe before; That though to will was preſent with him, yet to performe good hee found not; by an argument from the effect negatiuely, and hee denies the effect to bee anſwerable to his will and deſire, touching that which is truely good, that indeed his will was to doe good, but hee did it not: and therefore he found in himſelfe a want of abilitie to performe the good hee willed, and purpoſed, and deſired to doe. So hee reaſons: to will is preſent with mee, but I finde no meanes to performe that which is good: for (ſaith he) I doe not the good thing which I would. And that is further amplified by the contrarie effect in reſpect of euill: the Apoſtle affirmes on the contrarie, that the euill which he would not doe, that hee did, But the euill which I would not, that doe I. And ſo wee hauehave the dependance of this Verſe, on foregoing matter, and the ſumme and ſubſtance of it.
The words of this Verſe neede not much to bee ſtood on, touching the ſence of them, wee had the ſame in effect, Verſe 15. where the Apoſtle ſaith, What I would, that doe I not, but what I hate that doe I. I will briefly runne them ouer. (For I doe not the good thing which I would.) InterpretationBy good thing, wee are to vnderſtand, that which is ſpiritually and truely good, and pleaſing to God: and the Word here rendred (doe) ſignifies to act, effect and bring forth Which I would: that is, which I, as I am regenerate, would act and doe, and which I purpoſe and earneſtly deſire to doe. But the euill which I would not. By euill is here meant the contrarie to the good before ſpoken of, namely, the euill of ſinne, and that is repugnant and contrarie to the Law of God, and diſpleaſing to God. Which I would not, that is, as before I ſhewed, which I, as I am regenerate, would not doe, that I doe, that I act and doe, and bring forth: yet this (as heretofore I ſaid) is not to be vnderſtood as if the Apoſtle had beene forced to doe euill againſt his will, but that he conſented not to it with his whole will, hee being now regenerate, the euill hee now did, was not with the full and whole conſent of his will.
And againe, we muſt know, that the Apoſtle ſaying, he did not the good thing which he would hauehave done, wee are to vnderſtand it, that ſo it was with him many times, not alwayes, that many times he did it not; and on the otherſide, in ſaying, The euill which hee would not, that hee did, wee are likewiſe to conceiue it, that ſo it was with him many times, not alwayes.
Thus then take wee vp the Apoſtles meaning in the wordes of this Verſe, as if hee had ſaid, For the good thing, euen that thing that is truely good and pleaſing to God, which I, as I am regenerate, would act and doe, and which I purpoſe and earneſtly deſire to doe, many times I doe not, I act not, I effect it not, I bring it not forth: but on the other ſide, the euill that is repugnant, and contrarie to the Law of GOD, and diſpleaſing to God, which as I am regenerate, I would not doe, that many times I act, and bring forth, and that many times I doe. Wee ſhall ſtand the leſſe while on this Verſe, becauſe we had it in ſubſtance before, Verſe 15. The Apoſtle here repeates that in ſubſtance, which there hee layde downe, as likewiſe in Verſe 20. hee repeates that which we had Verſe 16, 17.
Now this the Apoſtle did not for want of matter; hee was full of heauenly matter, neither was it idly and vnprofitably done, but to good purpoſe, no doubt, to let vsus vnderſtand, that the things hee here puts downe touching the ſpirituall Combat, are things of waight and importance, and needfull to bee knowne, and that wee cannot bee too well acquainted with them: and againe, that we are dull of hearing, and dull of conceiuing theſe heauenly matters, and doe not ſufficiently marke and conſider them: and therefore the Apoſtle is pleaſed to repeate them, and to vrge and preſſe them on vsus againe; and indeede, repetitions (which ſhall be the point I will hence note in the firſt place) I ſay,
Repetitions in Scripture are not idle and vaine, Doct. 1 they are not fruitleſſe, vnprofitable and to no purpoſe; Repetitions in the Scripture, are to good vſe and purpoſe.but they are to very good purpoſe, they ſerue to teach vsus the infallible and certaine truth of things repeated; doubling of things in Scripture is for more certaintie, and more plaineneſſe. Gen. 41.32. Ioſeph ſaith, Gen. 41.32.The Dreame was doubled; becauſe the thing was eſtabliſhed by GOD. And Philip. 3.1. the Apoſtle ſaith, Phi. 3.1.It grieued not him to write the ſame things to them. And he ſaith, Heb. 2.1.To them it was a ſure thing.
And againe, repeating and doubling of things in Scripture, ſerues to put vsus in minde, that wee are more carefully to marke and obſerue, and to minde and remember the things repeated. Heb. 2.1. it is ſaid, Wee ought diligently to giuegive heed to the things which we hauehave alreadie heard; euen when they are repeated, and when we heare them againe. And there is reaſon for it:
For if the Lord hauehave a mouth to ſpeake, Reaſon. we muſt hauehave an eare to heare, a minde to attend, and an heart to yeeld to that which is ſpoken. And if the Lord double his ſpeech, we muſt double our attention, and we muſt double our care to marke and obſerue, and minde and remember the thing that is doubled, Vſe 1 and accordingly make vſe of it.Iuſt reproofe of many, who regard not things doubled & trebled in Scripture.
And this ferues for the iuſt reproofe of many in the World: Many there bee that are defectiue, and come ſhort of their dutie in this reſpect, they hauehave little or no regard of that the Lord ſpeakes to them in his Word, no, though the Lord double, yea, treble his ſpeech, and often vrge and preſſe the ſame thing on them, eſpecially in matter of threatning and denouncing of Iudgement, the Lord in his Word doubling his threats of Iudgement againſt ſinne, who almoſt regards it according to that manner of deliuerie? who is it almoſt that doubles his attention, and his care to be bettered by it accordingly? To inſtance in ſome particulars, 1. Cor. 6.9, 10.1. Cor. 6.9, 10. the Apoſtle ſaith, The vnrighteous ſhall not inherit the Kingdome of God. And he reckons vp particulars, Neither Fornicaters, nor Idolaters, nor Adulterers, nor Wantons, nor Buggerers, nor The eues, nor Couetous, nor Drunkards, nor Raylers, nor Extortioners ſhall inherit the Kingdome of God. And he repeates the ſame againe, Gal. 5.19, 20, 21. Epheſ. 5.5.Gal. 5.19, 20, 21. And againe, Epheſ. 5.5. No Whoremonger, neither Vncleane perſon, nor Conetous perſon which is an Idolater, hath any inheritance in the Kingdome of Chriſt, and of God. Let no man deceiue you with vaine words: for, for ſuch things commeth the wrath of God vponupon the children of diſobedience.
Now, where is that Whoremonger, that Filthy perſon, that Drunkard, that according to this doubled threatning, doubles his regard of it, and his care to bee bettered by it to this reformation? where is almoſt ſuch an one to be found? Nay, doe not many Filthy perſons, and Drunkards, and ſuch like, euen blunt the edge of Gods thteatnings on the hardneſſe of their hearts? Well, thinke on it, whoſoeuer thou art: Hath the Lord ſpoken a thing, and ſhall not hee doe it? Hath hee threatned Iudgements againſt thee for thy ſinne, and that againe, and againe, and ſhall not hee bee as good as his word? Yes, aſſuredly; Vnleſſe thou anſwere the Lord in doubling his threatnings by a ſound and through reformation, he will bring his threatned Iudgements on thee; yea, know it for a truth, thou that goeſt on in thy knowne ſinne, notwithſtanding the Lord doubles his threates of Iudgement againſt thee, either in his written Word, or in the Miniſterie of his Word, the Lord directing his Miniſters often to hit vponupon the ſin, & iuſtly to denounce the Iudgements of God againſt thee for the ſame, thou doſt in an high degree reſiſt the Spirit of God, Act. 7.51. and as it is Pro. 1.25. Thou deſpiſeſt all the Counſels of God. And aſſure thy ſelfe, the Lord will deale with thee proportionably; he will certainely double his Plagues and Iudgements on thee.
Repetitions in Scripture, or in the Miniſterie of the Word, are not idle and vaine: no, no, they ſignifie the infallible truth of the things repeated, and that wee are more carefully to attend them, and to make vſe of them: and therefore when the Lord doubles his ſpeach in promiſing mercy, in commanding any dutie, and eſpecially in threatning Iudgement againſt ſinne; let vsus looke wee anſwere the Lord, in doubling our attention and care to profit by the ſame: otherwiſe, the Lord will one day certainely require it at our hands, and wee ſhall ſmart for it. Now from this Verſe, in that the Apoſtle ſaith, that hee did not the good thing which he would; hee would hauehave done good, but he did it not, he points out to vsus,
That the good which Gods children would doe, Doct. 2 as they are regenerate, many times they doe it not, Gods children doe not alwaies performe the good they deſire to doe.they doe not alwaies performe that good they deſire to doe. And againe, in that he ſaith, The good thing which I would, I do not, but the euill which I would not, that doe I: wee might further note,
That Gods children are neuer ſo giuen ouer, Doct. 3 as to ſinne with the whole will, and with full conſent of will: Gods children neuer ſinne with full conſent of will.for when they omit the doing of good, or faile in the doing of any good, they would not ſo doe; or when they doe euill, they would not doe it, they doe it not with full conſent of will. But theſe things we hauehave formerly handled; therefore I paſſe by them. And the point I will ſtand on, hence offered, is this: In that the Apoſtle ſaith, I doe not the good thing that I would, but the euill that I would not, that doe I. Hence wee are giuen to vnderſtand,
That Gods children doe not onelyonly ſometimes omit the doing of good, Doct. 4 Gods deareſt children ſometimes ſinne, in doing that which is directly euill.or faile in the doing of that good which they doe, and ſo ſinne; but ſometimes they ſinne in doing euill: euen the beſt of Gods children that liue on the face of the earth, ſometimes ſinne in doing that which is directly euill, and ſometimes they doe that which is directly repugnant and contrary to the rule of Gods Law. Gods children not onelyonly ſinne by fayling in performance of good duties, but ſometimes alſo by euill actions, euen by ſuch actions as are ſimply euill in themſelues, and directly contrary to the Law. Thus did the Apoſtle, he did euill. And thus wee finde that Abraham ſinned by lying, Gen. 20.2. Iob by impatiencie, Iob 3. Ezechiah by vaine-glory, 2. King. 20.13. Moſes by ſpeaking vnaduiſedly, Num. 20.10. And ſo many other of Gods deare children hauehave ſinned, by doing things ſimply euill in themſelues, and directly contrary to Gods Law: yea, wee finde that Gods children ſometimes through the ſtrength of their owne corruption and violence of temptation, hauehave beene ouertaken with foule groſſe euils; as Noah, Lot, Dauid, and Peter.
Now if any demand why the Lord ſuffers his children ſo to be ouertaken? Queſt.
I anſwere, Anſw. For their further humbling, and becauſe the Lord will hauehave his children acquainted with their owne weakneſſe, and will giuegive them to ſee that they ſtand in need of his grace continually, yea though they hauehave gone farre in Chriſtianitie, yet that they are but men, and ſo may learne wholly to relye on his grace.
Now then, Vſe 1 this being a truth, that the beſt of Gods children not onelyonly ſinne by fayling in good duties, That opinion of the Papiſts, that a man may in time of this life bee without ſinne, confuted.but ſometimes alſo by doing that which is directly euill, and contrary to the Law of God, it muſt needes bee falſe which the Papiſts hold and teach; That a man may in time of this life be without ſinne, and may ſo liue, as that hee may bee altogether void of ſinne. That cannot ſtand with the truth now deliuered, but muſt needs bee erronious and falſe.
But they bring for defence of their opinion, Obiect. the example of Zachary and Elizabeth, Luk. 1.6. where it is ſaid, that they were both iuſt before God, and walked in all the Commandements and Ordinances of the Lord without reproofe.
Anſwere. They were indeed iuſt before God, that is, Anſw. iuſtified by faith in the ſight of God, and as a fruit of that, they walked blameleſſely before men, they were holy and iuſt perſons, yet not free from ſinne: for Zachary, as one of Gods people, looked for remiſsion of ſinnes, and ſalnation by Chriſt, Verſe 77.
Againe: Is it ſo, Ʋſe 2 that the beſt of Gods children not onelyonly ſinne by failing in good duties, The beſt of Gods children hauehave need to watch ouer their owne hearts.but ſometimes alſo by doing that which is directly euill? Then the beſt of vsus hauehave neede to be watchfull ouer our owne hearts, we are in danger to be ouercome of temptation, and occaſions of ſinne and doing euill being offered, to bee ſometimes ouercarried by corruption that ſtill abides in vsus, to the doing of it. And if the corruption of nature was ſo ſtrong in Paul, and other of Gods children, as that ſometimes they were ouer-carried by it, not onelyonly by failing in good duties, but by the doing of euill; Oh what need hauehave we then to be watchfull ouer our ſelues, we hauing not ſo great a meaſure of grace as they had! yea, the beſt of vsus hauehave cauſe eueryevery day to be humbled for our ſinnes, and eueryevery day to renue our repentance, and to ſay, Lord, forgiue vsus our ſinnes: yea, though we be aſſured of our owne ſaluation, and know nothing by our ſelues, though we be not guiltie of any groſſe ſinne, yet with Dauid we hauehave need to pray, Lord, cleanſe vsus from our ſecret faults, Pſal. 19.12. We doe many things that are directly euill, and repugnant to the Law of God, and we hauehave cauſe to be humbled not onelyonly for our failings, but for our ſinnes alſo that are directly againſt the Law of God, and are in themſelues tranſgreſſions of Gods Law.