A Treatise of Original Sin, Part 2 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Of the Name Law of Sinne given to Original Sinne.
SECT. I.
ROM. 7. 25.
So then, with the mind I myſelf ſerve the Law of God, but with the fleſh the Law of Sinne.
THis Chapter is the common ſeat and proper place, wherein the nature of original inherent ſinne is expreſly handled; ſo that he who by reading of this Chapter ſhall not be convinced that there is ſuch a thing as original ſinne, and that in ſome meaſure putting it ſelf forth in the godly to their great grief and miſery, I think we may ſay, he would not believe any ſuch thing, though men ſhould riſe from the dead, and come and preach it to us. I ſhall in time (God willing) fully improve the chief matter herein contained; for herein is deſcribed that Chriſtian conflict which is in all the godly between the regenerate and unregenerate part, as alſo the conſequents thereof: For the preſent, I muſt take two Hypotheſes, or Suppoſitions for granted, which in time (God willing) I ſhall fully prove.
The firſt is, That the Apoſtle ſpeaking of ſuch a ſharp combate within him between the Law of his mind, and the Law of ſinne, doth not aſſume the perſon of another, as of a carnal unregenerate man, or a Legaliſt convinced by the Doctrine of the Law, yet his heart carrying him in the clean contrary way, but ſpeak it of his own Perſon, and that as regenerated. The former way go the Arminians, and ſome Papiſts, and all Socinians, but the later way generally go the Proteſtants, even as Auſtin of old, retracting the former opinion he once had; yea the beſt and choiſeſt Commentators of the Papiſts, Salmeron, Pererius, Eſtius and Lapide, &c. do adhere to this Expoſition. So that you muſt not think, that the combate here ſpoken of, is like that which Ariſtotle deſcribes his incontinent perſon by, that doth like videre and Probare meliora, but deteriora ſequi, which is only a fight between an inlightned conſcience, and a corrupt heart. Nor
2. Is it like thoſe preparatory and initial works anteceding ſometimes converſion, which Auſtin doth notably ſpeak of in himſelf, deſiring to be freed from ſinne, and yet afraid his prayer ſhould be heard; ſo that he was alwayes going, but yet never did thorowly go to God, till at laſt he found that gratia Dei vorti cordis, which no hard heart can reſiſt, becauſe it is given on purpoſe to take away the hard heart: But the Apoſtle doth here not only doctrinally affirm ſuch a thing as original ſinne, but experimentally he declareth the actings of it: So that he doth not only write a doctrinal and dogmatical Truth, but alſo an Hiſtory of what he obſerved in himſelf.
The ſecond Suppoſition to be granted is, that by fleſh the Apoſtle doth not only mean the ſenſitive or ſenſual part, but the whole man, ſo farre as corrupted. So that with the Apoſtle, the ſoul is fleſh, the underſtanding, the will, are fleſh, becauſe all are corrupted with original ſinne; Of which more in its time.
Theſe two things premiſed, you may know, that this Text read is the Epilogue or ſummary Concluſion, which the Apoſtle makes from that doctrinal and practical diſcourſe about himſelf (to wit) that there are two principles in him, two ſelves, two men, as it were; There was both a ſweet fountain and bitter within him, and from theſe did flow two ſuitable ſtreams, The Law of the mind, did incline him to ſerve the Law of God, but the Law in his members, the Law of ſin; Not that the Law of ſinne and members are two diſtinct things, as Calvin and Beza thought, making the Law of ſinne, to be original ſinne, the Law in the members to be the actings and ſtirrings of this in the whole man; for ver. 23. The Law of ſinne is expreſly ſaid to be in the members; And whereas the Apoſtle in that verſe ſaith, He ſeeth a Law in his members bringing him into captivity to the Law of ſinne, that doth not argue a diſtinction between theſe, but according to the uſe of the Scripture, the Antecedent is repeated for the Relative; the ſenſe being. That the Law of his members did bring Paul into captivity to it, notwithſtanding the Law of the mind with in him, as Gen. 9. 16. I will remember (ſaith God himſelf) the everlaſting Covenant between God (that is my ſelf) and every living creature.
We ſee then in theſe words, that the Apoſtle giveth another name to that original ſinne, which dwelleth in him, he calleth it very emphatically The Law of ſinne in him; Original corruption is even in Paul, though converted, how much more in all unregenerate perſons by way of a Law: From whence obſerve,
That the Scripture cals original ſin the Law of ſin Within us.
SECT. II.
TO underſtand this, take notice of theſe things:
Firſt, The Apoſtle in his Epiſtles doth delight to uſe the word Law, and that when ſpeaking of contrary things, The Law of God, the Law of Works; This he mentioneth properly, but then he cals it, The Law of faith, becauſe the Hebrew word for Law, ſignifieth no more than Doctrine, for Torath either comes, they ſay, from a word that ſignifieth to appoint or teach, or from a word that ſignifieth to rain, becauſe (ſaith Chemnitius) as the raine is gathered together in the clouds, not to be kept there, but to be emptied on the earth, that ſo it may be made fruitfull. Thus the Law of God was appointed by God, not meerly to be written in the Bible, but alſo to be implanted in our hearts. The word then in the Hebrew ſignifying Doctrine in the general, no wonder if the Goſpel be called, The Law of Faith; So Regeneration, Rom. 8. is called, The Law of the Spirit of life; as in other places it is, The Law of God written in our hearts; but the Apoſtle doth not only apply it to theſe things, but eſpecially in this Chapter he cals it; The Law of ſinne, not ſin only, but the Law of ſinne, and the Law in our members; why the Apoſtle doth ſo, you ſhall hear anon. Only
In the ſecond place, you muſt conſider, when the Apoſtle cals it, The Law of ſinne, it is in an improper and abuſive, or alluſive ſenſe; for a Law properly is only of that which is good, the matter of a Law, muſt be honeſt and juſt, becauſe a Law is pars juris, and Jus is à juſto; Therefore Aquinas ſaith, That unjuſt Laws are rather violentia, than leges. Yea Tully ſaith, Such Decrees are neither Leges, nor ne appellandae quidem, yet the Scripture ſpeaks of ſome, who make iniquity a Law, Pſal. 99. 20. or who frame miſchief for a Law. Tacitus complaineth of the multitude of Laws in his time, and ſaith, The Commonwealth groaned, ut flagitiis ita legibus; So that although the properties of a Law are to be good and profitable, yet by alluſion, all unjuſt and hurtfull Decrees are called Laws, and thus the Apoſtle cals it the Law of ſinne, alluding to thoſe properties, or effects, which a Law hath; What the Law of God doth in a regenerate man, the contrary doth the Law of ſinne in a natural man.
SECT. III.
Original Sinne compared to a Law in five reſpects.
ORiginal ſinne therefore may be compared to a Law, in theſe reſpects:
Firſt, A Law doth teach and direct, Lex eſt lux, It informeth and teacheth what is to be done. Thus the Schoolmen, they make Direction the firſt thing neceſſary to a Law; The work of grace in a godly man, is called by the Apoſtle, The Law of the mind, in this Chapter; Becauſe grace within a man doth teach and direct him what to do; Hence 1 John 2. 27. the godly man is ſaid to have an anointing within him; The Law of God is written in his inward parts, and ſo from within, as well as by the Word without, they are taught what to do: Thus on the contrary the Law of ſinne in a natural man, doth teach and prompt him to all kind of evil; This Law of ſinne doth not indeed teach what we ought to do, but it doth wonderfully ſuggeſt all kind of wickedneſs to us; and from this cauſe it is, that you ſee children no ſooner able to act, but they can with all readineſs runne into evil; ſinnes that they have not ſeen committed before their eyes, they can with much dexterity accompliſh: What a deal of inſtruction and admonition is requiſite to nurture your young ones in the fear of the Lord? And all is little enough, And why is this? The Law of God is not in their hearts, they have not that in them, which would direct and teach holineſs; But on the other ſide, children need not to be taught wickedneſs, you need not inſtruct them how to ſinne, they have much artifice and cunning in an evil way, And why ſo? The Law of ſinne is in them, this is that they are bred with: So that as the young ones of Foxes and Serpents, though they have no teacher, yet from the Law of nature within them, they grow ſubtil and crafty in their miſchievous wayes: Thus the Law of ſinne doth in every man, he is ingenious and wiſe to do evil. As the ground ere it will bring forth corn doth need much labour and tillage, but of it ſelf bringeth forth bryars and thorns: Thus all by nature are ſo fooliſh and blind, that without heavenly education and inſtitution you cannot bring them to that which is holy, but of their own ſelves, men have ſubtilty and abilities to frame miſchievous things: And why is all this? They have a Law of ſinne within them, which directs, ſuggeſts and informeth to do much evil: So that we are not to put all upon the Devil, to ſay, He put it into my minde, he ſuggeſted ſuch thoughts to me; No, the Law of ſinne within thee, can ſufficiently prompt thee to all evil.
Secondly, A Law doth not onelyonly teach, but it doth inſtigate and incline, it preſſeth, and provoketh to the things commanded by it, Thus the Law of the mind in a godly man, doth greatly inſtigate and provoke him to what is good; It is like a goad in his ſide, it is like fire in his bowels, he muſt do that which is good, elſe he cannot have any reſt within him: You read when David refrained for a while from ſpeaking good, at laſt he could hold no longer, but the fire did break out: So Paul, 2 Cor. 5. The love of Chriſt conſtraineth us; Thus the true believer he hath a principle of grace within him, which is like a Law upon him, he cannot do otherwiſe, he muſt obey it: Thus on the contrary, Original ſinne in a natural man, is like a Law within him, it provoketh him, it enflameth him to all evil; Whenſoever any holy duty is preſſed upon him, this Law of ſinne ſtirreth him up againſt it, makes him rage at it, as the Apoſtle doth abundantly teſtifie in this Chapter, he tels us, This Law of ſinne did warre and fight againſt the Law of God, it did lead him captive, it conquered and ſubdued him againſt his will: If then a godly man find this Law of ſinne ſo powerfull, and operative in him; No wonder if men wholly carnal and natural, they finde the Law of ſinne as fully prevailing over them, as the Devils did on the herd of Swine, which they hurried violently into the ſea without any resiſtance. As then the Devil when he poſſeſſed ſome bodies, provoked and moved them to many violent and ſudden actions, which they could not gainſay: Thus doth the Law of ſinne in men naturally, it provoketh, it inſtigateth, it turneth the ſoul upſide down, it is continually preſſing and enclining to evil, which makes the Scripture ſay, Gen. 6. That the imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart is only evil, and that continually.
Thirdly, Original ſinne is a Law, becauſe by this a man is bound and captivated to the luſts thereof, there is an indiſſoluble union till death. Thus the Apoſtle argueth from the Law of an Husband and his Wife, ſhe cannot marry another, while her Husband lives; Neither can we be married to Chriſt, while this is predominant, yea, we muſt die, ere we be wholly freed of it.
Fourthly, Original ſinne is called a Law of ſinne within us, becauſe of the injurious command and rule it hath in every man by nature: And this indeed is the moſt explicite and formal reaſon, why it is called a Law; for to a Law there is not onelyonly required a directive power, for ſo counſels and admonitions have, which are no Laws; but there muſt be alſo a preceptive and commanding power; ſo that a Law hath vim coactivum, a compelling force; to have a thing done; and in this reſpect, the Apoſtle gives it this Title of a Law of ſinne within us, for even in the perſon of a regenerate man; What ſad complaints doth he make of this tyrannical power of ſinne within him? He is not his own man, he cannot do what he would, yea he doth what he would not; inſomuch that he cals himſelf carnal, and ſold under ſinne: Theſe expreſſions are ſo great, that therefore ſome have thought they could not be applied to a godly man; For it is ſaid of Ahab, as a ſure Character of his wickedneſſe, That he ſold himſelf to do evil, 1 Kings 21. 20. but Ahab did that willingly; Paul is here paſſive, he is ſold againſt his will, becauſe ſinne hath ſuch tyranny over him: Therefore the afflicted Iſraelite did not more groan to be delivered from his oppreſſion, than Paul crieth out to be delivered from this body of ſinne; Well therefore may this birth-pollution be called, The Law of ſinne within us, for it ruleth all, it commands the whole man; what ſinne bids us think, we think; what it bids us do, we do; No natural man can do othewiſe: The Apoſtle ſpeaks peremptorily, They that are in the fleſh cannot pleaſe God? Rom. 8. 7, 8. And the carnal minde is not ſubject to God, neithe indeed can be: Oh the miſerable and unhappy eſtate we are all then in by this original ſinne! We cannot but ſinne, we do not love that which is good, neither can we; The Law of ſinne hath wholly enſlaved us: Though all the curſes of the Law be denounced againſt us, yet we cannot but ſinne: As venemous creatures cannot vent that which is ſweet, but neceſſarily that which is poiſon, yet (as Bernard of old ſaid well) This neceſſity in ſinning doth not take off from voluntarineſſe and delight in it, neither doth the delight take off from the neceſſity.
Laſtly, It may be called, The Law of ſinne (ſaith Aquinas) Becauſe it's that effect of Gods penal Law inflicted upon mankind, becauſe of Adam's tranſgreſſion; So that upon Adam's ſinne, God hath ſo ordered, that it ſhould be by way of a puniſhment upon us, to be prone unto all evil. For (as you heard) this original ſinne, is both a ſinne and a puniſhment; So that as God hath appointed that every man ſhould die, it is a Law that ſhall never be repealed; ſo likewiſe that every one born of man in a natural way ſhould be unclean, and have a fountain within him daily emptying it ſelf into poiſonous ſtreams.
Vſe. To be informed, whence it is that thy heart is ſo out of all meaſure evil, whence it is that no godly thing is pleaſing to thee, whence it is that upon ſearching into thy heart, thou findeſt a noiſom dunghill there, that thou art never able to go to the bottom, whence it is that luſt is ſo ready at hand alwayes, that ſinne alwayes appeareth firſt in thy ſoul; All this is, becauſe original corruption is by way of a Law in thee; That teacheth to ſinne, that inſtigateth to ſinne, yea that commands and imperiouſly puts thee on to all manner of evil: If you do not feel this heavy thraldome and preſſure upon you, it is not becauſe it is not there, but becauſe thou art dead in ſin, and haſt no feeling of it. Solemon ſpeaking of a good woman, hath this notable expreſſion, Prov. 31. 26. The Law of kindneſſe is in her lips (The Law of kindneſſe) ſhe cannot but be loving and friendly in all ſhe ſaith. Now on the contrary, The Law of ſinne is all over thee; The Law of ſinne is in thy heart, the Law of ſinne is in thy mind, the Law of ſinne is in thy eyes, in thy tongue, thou canſt not but ſinne in, and by theſe.