The True Doctrine of Justification Asserted and Vindicated, Lecture 16
LECTURE XVI.
MAT. 6.12.
And forgive us our debts.
HAving explained this Petition poſitively and practically, we come to handle thoſe Queſtions, which may make to the clearing of that truth, which is contained in the Text. And I ſhall pitch upon thoſe that are uſefull and neceſſary, not on thorny and perplexed. God indeed once ſpake out of the thorny buſh, but ſeldom doth truth diſcover her ſelf in thoſe thickets, which the Schoolmen have made.
The firſt in order that ſhould be diſcuſſed is, What remiſſion of ſin is; Or, What is meant, when we ſay, God doth forgive ſinne? But before we can come to that, another Doubt muſt be rouled out of the way, and that is, What ſinne is, and what are the proper effects of ſinne? For a man can never underſtand, what it is to have ſinne blotted out, or taken away, Sin conſidered …our vvayes,unleſſe he be firſt informed, What the nature of ſinne is, and what effects it hath wrought upon the ſinner. Of this therefore in the firſt place,
And firſt,1 Abſtractedly in its own nature. I ſhall ſpeak of ſinne abſtractedly in its own nature.
Secondly, Relatively to the perſon who ſinneth.
Thirdly, The proper effects of it.
Fourthly, The weight or aggravation of every ſin.
Let us begin with the former. Sinne in the Scripture hath ſeveral names, which do in ſome meaſure deſcribe the nature of it. The Hebrew foreign is uſed commonly for ſin,The nature of ſin expreſſed in the ſeverall names of it. and it doth in a proper ſignification, wherein it is once uſed, denote an aberration from the mark we ſhoot at, Judg. 20.16. Every one could ſling ſtones at an hairs breadth, and not miſſe; and from hence metaphorically is ſignified the nature of ſinne, for every mans action is to have an end, which end is manifeſted by the Scripture; and when a man reacheth not to this, he is ſaid to ſinne; anſwerable unto this word in the Greek is foreign, which comes from foreign, that is, to erre from the ſcope: And another word foreign, which is going beyond the bounds and limits which are ſet us. Though a learned Critick, Dieu, doth make foreign, not to ſignifie beyond, but by, as if it did denote a negligent and careleſſe paſſing by the commands of God. Another word is foreign which cometh of a word that properly ſignifieth crookedneſſe and obliquity in the body, and ſo is applied to the ſoul, and doth denote perverſeneſſe in him that ſinneth, and to this may anſwer foreign where the particle foreign is not to be underſtood privatively onelyonly, but adverſatively: for a meer want of the Law, may not be a ſin alwayes, but a repugnancy muſt neceſſarily be. And thus the word is uſed, 2 Theſſ. 2.8. 1 Tim. 4.9. The Hebrews alſo expreſſe ſinne by foreign which is as much as a deſection, or falling off from God; and anſwerable to this in the Greek is foreign, which is a falling away from that integrity and purity we either once had, or ought ſtill to have. As for the Latine word peccatum, ſome have derived it from pellicare, which is to commit adultery, as if a ſin were ſo called in the general, from one kinde of it; and others from pecus, becauſe a man in ſin wanders like a beaſt, or becomes like a beaſt; yet many conceive the word peccare to be a theme it ſelf, and not derived from any other word.
2 In the definition of it.As for the definition of ſin, What it is; though there have been many diſputes about it, and Chemnitius wiſhed for one publike definition of it, to which all Churches ſhould agree; yet certainly that of John is full and comprehenſive enough, 1 Joh. 3.4 Sin is the tranſgreſſion of the Law: Anſwerable whereunto is that, 2 Sam. 15.24. I have ſinned, for I have tranſgreſſed the commandment of the Lord: Only you muſt remember not to limit foreign, to a meer want of the Law, but as comprehending that which is againſt it. Now this definition agreeth both to habitual and actual ſins.
To habitual, whether it be that innate and imbred of original ſin; or whether it be that habitual voluntarily contracted, you have both the actual and habitual foreign, excellently put together, Rom. 6.19 As you have yeelded your members ſervants to iniquity unto iniquity: where by the former iniquity is meant original and habitual ſin; by the later, actual ſin as the fruit of the former. It hath been doubted, how habitual, eſpecially original ſin can be called truly ſin, becauſe it is not voluntary: for that voluntarineſſe ſhould be of the nature of ſin, is ſo univerſally acknowledged, that neither Doctorum paucitas, nor Indoctorum turba do diſſenti…e: neither the few learned men, or the many unlearned did ever gain-ſay, ſaid Auſtin: And beſides, All ſin muſt be forbidden by a Law, now how are we forbidden to be born without ſinne? Would not ſuch a prohibition be ridiculous?
Again, The commands of God ſeem to be for good actions, not for the habits of good actions.
Now although it might fairly be maintained, that foreign not foreign, the tranſgreſſion of a Law, and not voluntarineſs,Hovv all ſin is voluntary. is of the nature of a ſin; for the Apoſtle, Rom. 7.15. ſaith, He doth that which he would not do; and there are many ſins of ignorance, which muſt neceſſarily be without any expreſs act of the will, yet we may with Auſtin call this ſin voluntary, taking voluntary, as it comprehends the will of Adam, that univerſal perſon, and principle in whom we all willed. And by this means, though Infants are not in themſelves capable of any precept, much leſſe before they were born, which they were to accompliſh in their own perſon, yet they were bound up in a command, even before they had an actual being in Adam, in whoſe will they were to fulfill that command, for that command was not given to Adam as a ſingle perſon, but as an univerſal.
Hence it is, that habituall ſin, whether remote, or proxime, is forbidden by the Law of God, which requireth not only good things to be done, but alſo that they flow from a clear and pure fountain within, even an entire perfection of the nature; ſo that although infuſed habits of grace come not under a precept, in reſpect of the infuſing and ingenerating of them, for that is Gods act, and we are not bound to do that, yet they are commanded both before they are infuſed and after; Before, by the Law, which requireth of us, that inward rectitude, which is now loſt; and after they are infuſed, to be diligent in thoſe pious actions, whereby thoſe habits may be preſerved and retained. So that by this we may ſee a ſin to be, whatſoever doth tranſgreſſe the Law of God, whether habitually or actually, whether internally or externally, whether by commiſſion, or by omiſſion, and from hence ariſeth the curſe which the Law pronounceth againſt ſinners, becauſe its broken by them.
In the next place,2 Of ſin relating to the perſon ſinning. A man poſſibly may not, or rather form…lly cannot intend ſinne. if we ſpeak of ſin as it relates to the perſon ſinning; ſo there is not required; firſt, That a man ſhould not intend ſin, and will it as ſin, for that is impoſſible: even as the underſtanding cannot aſſent to any thing falſe as falſe, but as the object is either true really, or apparently: So neither can the will, deſire any thing that is evil, as evil, but as it is apparently good. As the devil appeared in Samuels clothes, ſo doth ſin and evil alwayes under the notion of ſome good or other. Hence the Apoſtle ſaith, Luſts ſaves, i. do foreign, entice a man, as a Fiſherman doth the ſilly fiſh by the bait upon the hook, which the Apoſtle elſwhere cals foreign, a deceiving or putting a falſe Syllogiſm upon our ſelves. So that they do not ſufficiently vindicate the pure providence of God from ſin, who ſay, God doth will the act, but not the deformity, or the evil of it; for ſo neither doth man will expreſly the evil of the act, although in willing that act to which ſin is neceſſarily annexed, it be interpretatively to will the ſin.
Neither ſecondly is to ſin, to produce ſin, as the proper and immediate terminus of our action, for ſin being a privation, or at moſt a relation, it cannot be the immediate effect of any action. Sin is not indeed a meer pure privation, ſuch as blindeneſſe is, but mixt and compounded, ſuch as ſickneſſe is, which hath both the inordinacy, and want of a good temperament, and alſo the ill humours in it. So that a man ſinneth by producing or doing that action, to which ſin is annexed. And herein neither do they ſufficiently clear Gods concourſe about ſin, in ſaying it goeth to the material act of ſin, but not to the immediate obliquity of it. For ſo neither doth man, and indeed ſin being a privation, or as ſome, a relation, it is impoſſible it ſhould be produced any other way, but by that act unto which it is joyned to, as theft is committed by doing that material action, to which that deformity is inſeparably adjoined. Therefore to ſin, is to do a thing deficiently from the Law of God, ſo that God in all thoſe ſeveral acts of his about ſin, whether they be permiſſive or ordinative, is gloriouſly vindicated, becauſe he doth nothing deficienter, as falling from that eternal and immutable Law of righteouſneſſe; whereas the Angels and man did, miſſing or coming ſhort of the rule, by which they were to be guided: but becauſe this Diſcourſe is more remote to our preſent matter of Pardon of ſin, we come to that which doth more nearly concern it.
3 The proper eff…ct of ſinne, which is to make guilty.Therefore in the third place, there is the proper effect, and conſequent of ſin, which is to make guilty, and oblige to eternall wrath. To omit the many things that are in ſinne, Divines doe acknowledge two things in every ſinne, the Macula, or filth, and the Reatus, the guilt; which guilt ſome do again diſtinguiſh into the guilt of ſin, which they call the inward dignity and deſert of damnation, which they make inſeparable from ſinne, even as heat is from the fire; and the guilt of puniſhment which they make ſeparable: For the preſent, let us examine, What is that effect of ſinne, whereby a man when a ſinne is committed is truly denominated a ſinner, for ſeeing Remiſſion is a taking away of ſin in that reſpect, whereby we are adjudged and accounted of as ſinners, it is neceſſary to know what that is, which doth ſo conſtitute a ſinner: As for example, David after his adultery, Peter after his denial, have contracted ſuch a guilt upon them, whereby they are accounted as ſinners, though the acts of their ſins be gone and paſſed; and in this condition they ſtand, till remiſſion or forgiveneſſe come, which takes away their ſins. For the underſtanding of this, conſider this foundation, That every ſin committed by a man, though the ſin be tranſient, and quickly paſſeth away, yet it doth ſtill continue, and is as it were ſtill in acting, till by remiſſion it be removed. And this conſideration is of great practical uſe. A man is apt to look upon his ſins committed a long while ago, as thoſe which are paſſed, and are no more to be thought upon; but you muſt know, that there is ſomething which doth remain after a ſin is committed, which is ſomewaies the ſame with the action of ſin: ſo that not figuratively, but properly the ſin it ſelf is ſaid to continue. Thus the Scripture cals ſomething by the name of ſin, that doth continue, when yet the commiſſion of the ſin is paſt. As David many moneths after he had ſinned, praieth God, To blot out his ſinne: why, where was his ſin? It was committed long before, and it was a tranſient act, but yet David by this doth acknowledge that there is ſomething which doth continue that act of ſin, whereby David is as much bound up in his conſcience, as if he had been in the very commiſſion of it. Conſider therefore that till there be a pardon of ſin, though thy ſins have been committed fourty or fifty years ago, yet they are continued ſtill, and thou art truly a ſinner, though ſo many years after, as thou waſt at the firſt committing of them. Sin is not taken away by length of time, but by ſome gracious act of God vouchſafed unto us: How juſtly may it be feared, that many a mans ſins do ſtill lie at his doors! Thou art ſtill in thy ſins, and looked upon as ſo by God; though it may be thou haſt left ſuch ſins many years ago. Thy youthfull ſins it may be, thou haſt left them along while ago, yet thou art ſtill in them, and they are continued upon thee, till by remiſſion they are taken away. It is not thy other courſe of life and abſtinence from ſin, that makes a ſin not to be, but there muſt be ſome gracious act on Gods part, removing of this. Conſider therefore of it, that thy ſoul remaineth as polluted and guilty twenty years after a ſin, yea a thouſand of years, if thou couldſt live ſo long, as when it was in the very firſt act of ſin. Remember the action of ſinne doth paſſe away, but not the ſinne; you may therefore ask, Wherein doth the ſin continue ſtill? What is that which makes me ſtill to be reputed of as if I were a ſinner in the very act? It is commonly out of the Schoolmen determined,Whence comes 1 A ſt…in upon the ſo…l, taken out by ſanctification. That after a ſinne is committed, there doth remain a Macula, a blot in the ſoul, and that continuing, the ſinner doth thereby remain obliged unto eternal wrath. That there is ſuch a filth and blot remaining becauſe of ſinne,Liv. de Rec. I ſee generally acknowledged by our Divines: only that learned Wootton doth much oppoſe it, and ſaith, the Schoolmen have been five hundred years labouring to declare, what it is, and are not able to do it. Indeed he grants, That in Adams ſin we may well conceive a blot remaining after the ſin was committed, becauſe he was endowed with grace; but now in a man grown up that hath grace, no ſinne that he commits takes away his grace, and therefore he is not deprived of that beauty by the blot of ſinne. And as for wicked men, they have no beauty at all in them; and therefore how can ſinne make ſuch a blot in them? There muſt be beauty in them by grace, which is nitor animae, the luſtre of the ſoul, before there can be Macula, which is the deformity of it. For the right conceiving of this, know, 1. That it is one thing to acknowledge ſuch a defilement and impurity by ſinne abſolutely; and another to acknowledge it ſo, That juſtifying grace, or remiſſion of ſin muſt take that blot away. Herein the Papiſts erre, That they hold ſin leaveth ſuch a ſtain, which remiſſion of ſin taketh away; whereas indeed there is ſuch a filth by ſin, but that is taken away by ſanctifying grace, not juſtifying; ſo that it is a dangerous errour to ſpeak of ſuch a defilement by ſin, and then to ſay, God by pardoning takes it away; This were to confound Juſtification and Sanctification.
But in the ſecond place, we may according to Scripture, ſay, not only in Adams ſinne, but in every ſin we commit there is a blot and ſtain made upon the ſoul, Matth. 15.20. Theſe things that come from the heart defile a man, Epheſ. 5.27. Sin is compared to a ſpot and wrinkle. So Rom. 3.12. All by nature are ſaid to become unprofitable. The Hebrew word in the Pſalm, out of which this is taken, ſignifieth corruption or putrefaction, for ſuch ſin is to the ſoul, not that you may conceive that the eſſence of the ſoul is naturally corrupted by ſin, as ruſt doth the iron, and moths the garment; but in a moral ſenſe, by ſin the ſoul in its faculties is diſenabled from doing its duty. Thus the Apoſtle cals ſins dead works, Heb▪ 9.14. not in that ſenſe, as if they did bring death to a man, for that the Apoſtle expreſſeth otherwiſe, killing us, when he ſpeaks of the Law; but he cals them dead works, becauſe they defile man, as dead carcaſes in the old Teſtament: For the Apoſtle, verſ. 1. ſpake of cleanſing by the bloud of an heifer, which was to be uſed when a man had toucht any dead thing, which made him legally unclean. Thus (ſaith he) Chriſts bloud will cleanſe from ſin that contaminateth a man. Neither is it neceſſary that grace muſt really have been in the ſoul before, and then ſin by depriving the ſoul of it, ſo to ſtain it: for its enough that the ſoul ought to have grace in it, though it were not preſent before: as when a man doth not believe Gods Word, though this unbelief do not deprive him of the beauty and grace of faith, which he had, yet it doth of that beauty of faith, which he ought to have.… An o…igation to …t…r…l …ſhment … by re…iſſion. And thus as particular actual ſins are multiplied: ſo are particular ſtains and defilements alſo encreaſed; we therefore muſt grant a ſtain by ſin, though this be not that which is removed by remiſſion. Therefore that which continueth a man a ſinner in Gods account, and is to be removed by remiſſion, is that obligation to eternall wrath appointed by God; for as ſoon as a man hath ſinned, there doth accrue to God a moral right (as we may ſpeak with reverence) and power, being a Judge, as thereby he may inflict vengeance upon a ſinner; and in this reſpect ſin is called an offence, becauſe it doth provoke him, who is a juſt Judge, unto anger and vengeance. This then is that, which makes a ſin to continue ſtill as if it were in act, becauſe upon the ſinne committed there is an obligation by Gods appointment to everlaſting puniſhment, and when this is taken off, then is God ſaid to forgive, and till it be, ſinne is alive, crying for vengeance, as fiercely, as if it were newly committed. So that the act once committed that cauſeth the obligation to puniſhment, and this obligation continuing, God doth not forgive. When a ſinne is committed it may remain in Gods minde, and in our minde. In our minde, by way of guilt and trouble; as David ſaid, His ſin was alwayes before him; or elſe in Gods minde, ſo that he doth will the puniſhment of ſuch. Now when God doth forgive, he blots ſins out of his minde, and remembers them no more. He doth not will the obligation of them to puniſhment, being ſatisfied thorow Chriſt, and the party believing in him. By all this you may ſee, That after a ſin is committed there remaineth obligation in the will and minde of God to eternal puniſhment, and God when he doth forgive, cancelleth this debt or obligation. This being cleared, we may the eaſilier judge with what act God doth forgive ſinne, but of that hereafter.
Sin conſidered as an …ffence to God.Let us conſider the aggravation of ſin, as it is an offence to God, which may the more inſtigate us to pardon. In ſin we may conſider two things; Firſt, The deprivation of that rectitude which ought to be in every thing we do: in which ſenſe, ſin is a moral monſter, as there are natural monſters, for the ſoul in ſin doth not bring forth fruit anſwerable unto reaſon and the Law of God; this conſideration may much humble us; but there is another thing in ſin which doth more aggravate it, and that is as it is a diſhonour, and an offence to God, and by this means it becometh above our power ever to ſatisfie God for it. Therefore in every ſin beſides the particular conſiderations, look upon that general one, which is in all, viz. That peculiar deformity it hath,Whether ſin b… an infinite evil. as it is an offence againſt God. Its diſputed, Whether ſin have an infinite evil and deformity in it? To anſwer this, If a ſin be conſidered in its kinde, ſo its not infinite, becauſe one ſin is ſo determined to its kinde, that it is not another ſin, as theft is not murder.
Neither ſecondly can ſin be ſaid to be infinite evil, in reſpect of the being of it, for it cometh from finite creatures, who are not able to do any thing infinite; and therefore ſin is not infinite, as Chriſts merits are infinite, which are ſo, becauſe of the dignity and worth of the perſon, though the actions themſelves had a finite being. Beſides, if ſins were infinite in ſuch a ſenſe, then no ſin could be greater then another, becauſe that which is truly infinite cannot be made more or leſſe.
Therefore thirdly, Sins are ſaid to have infinite evil in them, in reſpect of the object or perſon againſt whom they are committed, viz. God, who is an infinite object. For ſeeing the aggravation of a ſinne ariſeth from the worth of the perſon againſt whom it is committed; if the perſon offended be of infinite honor and dignity, then the offence done againſt ſuch an one, hath an infinite evil and wickedneſs in it. So that the infiniteneſs of ſin ariſeth wholly from the external conſideration of God againſt whom it is. But of this more when we ſpeak of the neceſſity of Chriſts ſatisfaction to Gods juſtice by his death.
Let the Uſe be to inform thee, That every ſin committed,Ʋſe. continueth as freſh to cry vengeance many years after, as if it were but lately done, till remitted by God. Think not therefore that time will wear it out, though they may wear out of thy conſcience, yet they cannot out of Gods minde. Conſider that of Job 14.17. Thou ſealeſt up my tranſgreſſion as in a bag, and thou ſoweſt up mine iniquity. So that what the Apoſtle ſpeaks of ſome, 2 Pet. 2. is true of all impenitent ſinners, Their damnation ſlumbereth not, nor doth it linger. Therefore till the mercy of God hath taken off this guilt, thou art to be in as much fear and trembling, as if the very ſins were ſtill committed by thee.