A Treatise of Original Sin, Part 2 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
Of the Epithete Evil is preſent with us, given to Original Sinne.
SECT. I.
ROM. 7. 21.
I finde then a Law, that when I would doe good, Evil is preſent with me.
I Shall not for the preſent ſay any more in the general, the may relate to the Explication of this Chapter, eſpecially of that conflict and combate mentioned therein, as alſo in whoſe perſon he deſcribeth it; for all will be fully conſidered, when we come to ſpeak of the fruit and immediate effects of original ſinne.
To come therefore immediately to the Text, You may eaſily perceive that it is part of that paroxyſme, and ſpiritual agony Paul is in between the principles of good and evil, working in him: therefore he ſaith, foreign, I find, that is, by experience: As for Grotius, who makes this no more than the combat of conſcience with corruption, which may be in natural men, alledging places out of the Poets, and Epictetus, where ſome have ſaid in the like manner, they knew it was evil they did, and they do not allow it, but yet their frail fleſh compelleth them to do it, ſo that they do not what they would, and what they would not, that they do: As alſo bringing in a Pagan out of Lactantius, ſaying, That he ſinneth, Non quia velo, ſed quia cogor, the fleſh being ſo ſtrong in him. Theſe are but low and philoſophical notions, arguing the ignorance of the work, of Gods Spirit in a man, and the repugnancy thereunto by the unregenerate part: But of this more in its time: It is enough for the preſent to take notice, that Paul ſaith of himſelf, That he findeth this in him.
In the next place, There is the object matter of this experimental diſcovery, which in the Greek is ſomething intricate, and hath ſo tormented Interpreters, that there are eight Expoſitions given to make the grammatical connexion: Yea Eraſmus is ſo bold, that unleſs we receive the ſupply of that Ellipſis or defect, he thinketh in Paul's ſpeech which he giveth, that we muſt confeſs Paulum balbituri; but as Beza well ſaith, Eraſmus doth ineptire in ſaying ſo, our Tranſlators render it ſmooth enough, I find a Law, and then followeth the ſpecifical deſcription of it, for foreign is taken many times foreign, which is this, That when I would do any good, I cannot do it ſo fully, ſo perfectly, ſo freely, becauſe evil foreign is preſent with me; it's adjacent and preſſing upon me; it doth not ſignifie a meer preſence of ſenſe, but the activity and vigorous motions of it. Beza thinketh it an alluſion to that which was ſpoken to Cain, Gen. 4. 7. Sinne lieth at the door, it is at hand upon all occaſions in the puniſhment thereof to lay hold on a ſinner, howſoever if the ſimple word foreign, doth not ſignifie a bare ſimple nearneſs, but that which is a burdenſom, deſtructive approximation, as when it's ſaid, Matth. 3. 10. The ax is laid to the root of the tree, foreign, in the Original, and ſo alſo ſome expound that, 1 Tim. 1. 9. The Law is not made for the righteous, foreign, as a burden impoſed upon him by conſtraint, for he hath a voluntary principle within; If I ſay the ſimple word foreign be uſed ſo, then much more the compound foreign, for foreign and foreign are called 'Diabolicae praepoſitiones, becauſe they do ſo intend the ſignification; Paul then finds ſinne alwayes at hand, when his heart is ready to do any good, to pull him back, to preſs him down, and ſo he is like the bird tied in a ſtring, which aſſaying to flie up to heaven immediately is plucked back again; Now this ſinne thus preſent, is not actual, habitual, or an accuſtomed ſinne; Though Gratius relateth it to the cuſtom of ſinne, even as he doth (Lib. 2. de Jure belli cap. 12. 26.) expound that of the Apoſtle [By nature the children of wrath] making nature to be cuſtom, ſaying, The Apoſtle doth not ſo much ſpeak of his own perſon, as of the Romans amongſt whom he then lived. For Regeneration delivers from the cuſtom of ſinne, but it is that original ſinne, that corrupt nature, which doth alwayes cleave to us, as the ſhadow doth the body, or rather, as the Ivy the Tree, ſecretly conſuming it. From whence obſerve,
That original ſinne is the adjacent ſinne, or the ſinne that is alwayes troubleſomly preſent with as: So that whereas we may go from one company to another, from one place to another, yet we can never go from this original ſinne, but we carry it about with us at all times, in all places, in all duties, and that even the moſt holy do, whereby it is that they are kept ſo low, and humble in themſelves; Why is it, that when we are regenerated, we ſhould not be like Saints in Heaven, without any ſpot or blemiſh? Why ſhould we not delight in God, and heavenly things, more than in earthly? Why ſhould there he the leaſt difficulty and unwillingneſs in us to any thing that is good? Is not all this, becauſe this ſinne is thus readily preſent with us, it lieth not at the door, but in the very heart of us all?
But let us explain, What is comprehended in this Epithete given original ſinne, That it is preſent with us?
SECT. II.
What is implied in that Epithete.
FIrſt, It implieth, That this ſinne putteth it ſelf forth firſt in the ſoul: The motions and thoughts of ſinne ariſe firſt in us, before grace can prevent them. The Schoolmen ſpeak of the motus primò primi, the very immediate and firſt ſtirrings of the Soul, before the will gives any conſent, or the mind hath any deliberation, and theſe are ſinnes, becauſe contrary to the Image of God; But whence come they? Even from this womb of original corruption: So that it is like a furnace alwayes ſending forth ſparks: The Scripture expreſſeth it notably, Gen. 6. 5. where every imagination of the thought of the heart is ſaid to be only evil, and that continually. Valentia (Analyſis Diſ. de peccato originali) and other Papiſts complain, That we aggravate originall ſinne too much, we ſpeak too tragically about it, and indeed the Subject is very diſtaſtfull to every man; how unwilling is he to bear, that he is all over thus ſinfull? This is to make them like Devils, and to ſend them to hell, they think; but what can be ſpoken more terribly againſt man in regard of original ſinne, then God himſelf here ſpeaks, where every word is like ſo much thunder and lightning, as is to be ſhewed? Only for the preſent purpoſe obſerve, that he ſaith, Every imagination of the thought of a mans heart is evil; Imagination, or framing, and faſhioning the heart of a man, is compared to a ſhop of wickedneſs, and every thing framed or faſhioned there, is only evil. Sinne then is preſent in a powerfull manner, when there cannot ſo much as riſe a motion in thee, a ſtirring of thy ſoul, though never ſo involuntary and indeliberate, but it is only evil: Oh it was not thus in the ſtate of integrity, then every imagination, every motion was good, and only good; but now our gold is become droſs, and wine water; Let a natural man obſerve his heart, and he ſhall ſee what riſeth firſt in his ſoul is all filth, like the muddy fountain it comes from; Yea, even in a godly man, How many thoughts and motions riſe up in his heart, that he abhorreth and trembleth at? It is true, ſometimes the devil injecteth vile and blaſphemous thoughts; ſo that his heart is not at all active in them, and therefore are not ſinnes, but compared to the Cup in Benjamin's ſack, they knew not how it came there, and it is a great dexterity in caſuiſtical Divinity ſo to direct a Chriſtin, that he may know when ſuch motions ariſe from the devil alone, ſo that they are my afflictions, but not ſinnes, or when they come from my heart, and ſo are truly imputable to me; of which in its due time, it may be; but for the preſent we may ſigh and groan under this conſideration, That evil is ſo preſent with us, that nothing riſeth up in the heart ſooner than ſinne.
Secondly, In that evil is ſaid to be preſent, to Paul, there is denoted the univerſal and diffuſca preſene of it. Paul doth not ſay, it's preſent in one part, in one faculty, but to me, that is in every part ſuſceptible of ſinne. Therefore it is called The Law in his members, becauſe it putteth forth its efficacy every where: ſinne is preſent in the mind, by atheiſm, unbelief, &c. in the will by obſtinacy and obdurateneſs, in the affections by inordinacy and confuſion, yea ſinne is preſent in the eye, in the tongue; So that the Apoſtle meaneth, this original ſinne is of ſuch an univerſal extent, that it is preſent in every part in him; For you muſt not think (as ſome Papiſts do) That original ſinne is only in the inferiour, ſenſitive part of a man, but it is principally and chiefly in the intellectual and moſt noble part, the mind and the underſtanding; and indeed becauſe it's ſo predominant, therefore is converſion ſo difficult for the Miniſtry, bringing arguments and convictions out of Gods word. The ſinne that is preſent in the underſtanding putteth a man upon atheiſtical cavils, and carnal diſputes, whereby he ſhuts himſelf up voluntarily in his darkneſs, rather than he will receive light.
Thirdly, In that evil is ſaid to be preſent with us, here is denoted the continual aſſaulting and vigorous acting of it at all times. Though original ſinne be not an actual ſinne, yet it is an active ſinne; Hence Paul attributeth ſuch actions to it, as if it were ſome mighty, imperious and conquering tyrant, he ſaith, it doth foreign and foreign, It warreth againſt him, it leadeth him into captivity; Do not then think this ſinne hath a meer bare ſluggiſh preſence, is if it lay aſleep in thee? No, it is daily aſſaulting thee, it's continually pulling thee down; As the heart and pulſe are in continual motion, thus is original ſin within thee; Therefore our imaginations are not only ſaid to be only evil (Gen. 6. 5.) but alſo continually; Thy ſoul never acteth, but it acteth ſinfully and corruptly. It is true, while men are in their natural eſtate, They are dead in ſinne, and ſo they find not, feel not theſe ſtirrings, neither do they groan under them, but there are innumerable Myriads of ſinfull motions in thee to ſinne, though thou doeſt not apprehend them; As a man ſhut up in a dark dungeon full of Toads and noiſom vermin, he ſeeth nothing, till light come into the place, and then he trembleth, being afraid to ſtay there any longer; ſuch a loathſom dungeon is every mans heart naturally: Oh the atheiſm, vanity, wickedneſs that is bound up therein, but thou doſt not know or believe any ſuch thing, becauſe dead in ſin.
Fourthly, There is implied the facility and eaſineſs in ſinning. The way to ſinne is no narrow or ſtrait way; There needeth not much ſtriving to enter therein, for it's ready at hand; May not all find, if they will ſearch, this readineſs of ſin at all time? Why is thy heart ſo quickly moved and drawn out to any earthly or ſinfull pleaſure, but it's a long while, ere thou canſt make any fire, or kindle a flame in thy ſoul to that which is good? Thy ſoul is a dry Tree to the former, but a green Tree to the later, as the Scripture ſpeaks concerning the righteouſneſs of faith, It's night thee; Thou needeſt not ſay, Who ſhall go into the deep for it? Rom. 10, &c. Thus it is true of ſin in thee, thou needeſt no inſtruction, no maſters, thou needeſt not fetch devils from hell to commit ſinne, for that is alwayes preſent with thee: Hence Eliphaz compareth it, Job 15. to drinking of water, when a man is ſcorched with thirſt; If you ſee there are many, who by a natural conſcience are ſo convinced, that they are difficulty brought to commit ſome ſinnes, eſpecially groſs ones; It is no contradiction, for a man to be all over polluted and prone to ſinne, notwithſtanding ſuch dictates of conſcience implanted in all men; This is plain, That ſin ſs ſo preſent, that without any difficulty or pain, we are carried out to ſinne, ſo that the kingdom of hell doth not like the kingdom of Heaven, need any violence to take it.
Fifthly, When evil is ſaid to be preſent, there is denoted the ſubtile and daily inſinuation of it into all that we do. It's in a man, like leaven, that ſends forth its fourneſs into all the meal, it leaveth not the leaſt part unleavened: This ſinne is like a Dalilah in Samſon's heart, it is alwayes enticing and tempting of thee; and therefore it's called by the name of luſt or concupiſcence; and Jam. 1. 17. there it's ſaid foreign, to intice, by ſetting baits for us: Hence in Jer. 17. the wickedneſs of the heart is expreſſed by this, That it is deceitfull above all things; who can think, that the wiſe, holy God made us with ſuch hearts at firſt: No, but upon the firſt tranſgreſſion came this deſolation upon us. Becauſe then evil is thus preſent with us, hence every holy duty is contaminated; hence there is fleſh as well as ſpirit in the beſt performances: This cloſe ſubtil inſinuating nature of original ſinne, is the cauſe why a godly man can never know the bottom of his heart; This makes ſo many hypocrites and apoſtates; This is it that makes a man ſo uncertain about himſelf; for when he hath done all, that we would think there were no danger, yet ſome embers or other may lie, as it were, under the aſhes, and ſet all on flame.
Laſtly, When it ſaith, Evil is preſent with us, that denoteth, the moleſting and retarding nature of it, ſtopping us in all the good we would do. This is that eſpecially for which Paul makes this ſad complaint, ſo that he cannot ſtep one ſtep, but ſinne puls him back again; This is the milſtone about the neck; This is the clog and burden upon every man: Oh Lord, I would even flie up into heaven, but this burden doth preſs me down! When we would runne our ſpiritual race, this makes us halt.
Vſe. Of Inſtruction, to abhorre all ſuch Doctrines as teach a perfection, that holdeth, We may attain to be without ſin in this life. Some Anabaptiſts and Papiſts, though ſo extreamly contrary, yet have underſtood that place, Epheſ. 5. 27. Not having ſpot or wrinkle, or any ſuch thing (to be fulfilled in this life, forgetting the words before) that he might preſent it to himſelf a glorious Church; ſo that till this be done, it is not without ſpot; And near to theſe are ſuch, who though ſinne be every way preſent in them, yet becauſe of their phariſaical and doubled minds (as Paul once was) they do not diſcover or feel any ſuch thing. But let the tender enlightned heart go into Gods preſence, and ſadly bewail himſelf, ſaying; O Lord, How ill is it with me? What ſhall I think or ſay of my ſelf? How unſpeakable is my miſery, I might have thought all ſin within me even dead and buried? But oh, how it ſtirreth! Oh how ready is it to put forth it ſelf! Lord, I know not how to live with this burden, and yet I cannot live without it, I ſhould utterly faint, but that thy grace is ſufficient for me.