A Confutation of the Heresies and Errors of Thomas Collier, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
Concerning the moral power of Man, or Free-will, where alſo of Original ſin.
IN Mr. C's 4th. Chapter, and that which followeth, he doth abundantly manifeſt; either great ignorance of the true ſtate of thoſe queſtions he meddles with, or elſe a deſign to pervert their ſenſe that maintain the truths oppoſed by him, that ſo he may bring them, and their Doctrine under odium, and intangle unwary Souls with his corrupt notions; To prevent him herein, and to make way for the clear unde…ſtanding of what I have to ſay in anſwer to him; I ſhall premit theſe things.
1. That I do acknowledge, That all men have a liberty of will, or freedom of chooſing with reference to thoſe things that are propoſed to them. And this I take to be an inſeparable adjunct of all humane acts.
2. This liberty conſiſts in a rational ſpontaneity: He acts freely, that is under no coaction (which alone is oppoſed to liberty in the true notion thereof) but doth what the laſt and practical judgement of his own underſtanding dictates to him. So that one that acts neceſſarily may yet act moſt freely. God cannot but love and delight in himſelf, and order all things to his own glory; yet is he an agent in every reſpect moſt abſolutely free: The good Angels now confirmed by Grace in their ſtation, and glorified Saints, cannot but love God, chooſe and delight in perfect obedience to his holy will: yet in all this are they free agents, becauſe they are thus determined by no external force, but by the dictate of their own underſtanding. And on the contrary, the Devils, and fallen man, are by their own wickedneſs determined to ſin, and that onelyonly, yet are they free in the choice thereof, &c.
3. That God made man upright, and ſo capable of yielding perfect obedience to the whole will of God, according to that Covenant in which he ſtood related to him; but he ſought out many inventions, and by his voluntary defection from, and rebellion againſt God, fell ſhort of the Glory of God, and loſt that rectitude of nature which was concreate with him, and became blind, diſobedient and dead to God.
4. Man having thus wickedly and wilfully loſt, and caſt away his power of obeying God, doth infer no unrighteouſneſs in the Law of God, ſtill requiring and commanding them to do that which is Juſt, and Holy and Good; neither doth it infer the leaſt obligation on God to recover him out of his loſt eſtate.
5. Although man in his l…pſed eſtate, hath ſuch a principle of enmity to God reigning in him, that he cannot, until converted by effectual Grace, chooſe that which is right in the ſight of God, yet doth he freely put forth a poſitive act of his will in refuſing mercy tendered on Goſpel terms.
6. So then the Queſtion is not ſo much, whether men▪ left to themſelves, and the common helps afforded them, may believe if they will? But whether any ſuch will believe; and not rather finally oppoſe God, and refuſe his Grace tendred to them in the Goſpel.
Theſe things duly conſidered, tend to obviate the cavils of Mr. Collier, and to detect his miſtakes. He aſſerts in the firſt Section, p. 24.
That ſuitable to the means and Miniſtries men are under, there is a capacity both of power and will in all men (that are not debilitated of the ordinary capacities of men) to underſtand, believe and obey the Lord in them.
By this and other following paſſages, it appears that by univerſal Grace, Th. C. means the ſufficiency of the humane nature, which is it, and not Grace, that he deſires to exalt; and as his notions are the ſame in this matter with the Pelagians, ſo is there the ſame deceit and aequivocation in his uſing the term Grace, which they ſought refuge in: and therefore let none be blinded with that ſaying of his in the ſame Section, That this capacity both of power and will, is of God; For Pelagius himſelf acknowledgeth as much; and it amounts to no more then the acknowledgement of our endowment with natural abilities by God who is our Creator: All theſe are from God in a way of nature, but ability to believe and obey the Goſpel is from him in a way of ſpecial Grace, which is that we plead for; and deny that a natural unregenerate man is capable, of ſaving knowledge of, or yielding obedience to, the will of God in the Goſpel, otherwiſe then as a dead Soul is capable of being quickened by the Almighty power of the Spirit of Chriſt. This the Scripture is full and expreſs in: I will inſtance in a Text or two.
We read 1 Cor. 2. 14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; For they are fooliſhneſs unto him; neither can be know them, for they are ſpiritually diſcerned.
The Apoſtle doth in the context divide all men into two ſorts: Natural and Spiritual: The laſt have the mind of Chriſt, and are made acquainted with the Grace of the Goſpel, through the effectual working of the Spirit, by which they are born again; the other, viz. natural men, unregenerate perſons (even the wiſeſt and beſt of them) receive not the things of the Spirit of God, i. e. the Doctrines of the Goſpel; becauſe they are without any Spiritual diſcerning of the glory that is in them, remaining under the power of darkneſs; they are accounted fooliſhneſs, and as fooliſh things, are ſlighted and rejected by them: Neither can they know them, viz. ſavingly and effectually, for they are ſpiritually diſcerned, i. e. by the enlightening, and teaching of the Spirit of God; and not without it.
But I find divers exceptions laid againſt this interpretation of the Text by Mr. Collier, p. 42. & 43. which I ſhall here remove out of the way.
1. He expounds this term the natural man, by, the ſenſual man: as if all unregenerate perſons were not intended thereby, but only ſome of the moſt bruitiſh among them; which is quite againſt the Apoſtles ſcope, whoſe deſign is to ſhew, that God hath made fooliſh the wiſdom of this world, and that the principal men thereof are ſtrangers to the things of the new Covenant, which eye hath not ſeen, &c. ch. 1. 20. & 2. 7, 8, 9.
2. He ſuppoſeth the Idolatrous Gentiles that would not come to the Goſpel light, &c. to be intended. But this alſo is plainly to contradict the Apoſtle, who ſpeaks of both Jew and Gentile, and particularly thoſe of them to whom the Goſpel was preached; as you may ſee moſt evidently in his foregoing diſcourſe; and theſe when the things of Gods Spirit were propoſed to them, received them not, but eſteemed them fooliſhneſs.
His third exception is plainly ridiculous; He ſaith, All where the Goſpel comes ſhould underſtand and believe it, but its th…ſe only that by the Word and Spirit of the Goſpel, do believe and obey it, that have this ſpiritual underſtanding. This we plead, That although all unto whom they are tendered, ought to receive the things of the ſpirit of God; yet no unconverted man doth ſo; the reaſon is in part, becauſe he cannot underſtand them; but they are fooliſhneſ… to him, and accordingly rejected by him; and to confute this, Mr. C. tells us that no unbeliever hath this underſtanding indeed; but if he did believe and obey he ſhould have it; as if to obey and believe the Goſpel, were not to receive the things of Gods ſpirit: The ſum is this, If he did believe, he might believe, and if he were not ignorant, he might underſtand, &c.
4. He endeavours to perſwade us, that it is only ſuch an underſtanding of Goſpel myſteries as is proper to grown Chriſtians, that the unconverted man is uncapable of, and how repugnant this is to the whole diſcourſe of the Apoſtle, I leave every one to judge: Thus he concludes his futilous cavil:
So that it ſuppoſeth not any impoſſibility for the darke…t and worſt of men to obtain Light and Life by the Goſpel. He woul… fain lye hid under the darkneſs of his ambiguous terms: This Scripture doth not ſuppoſe indeed but that the darkeſt and worſt of men, may be enlightened, and quickened, by the power of Gods ſpirit working with the word: But that every man, which hath only the natural accompliſhments of a man, may underſtand and obey the Goſpel if it be Doctrinally propoſed to him, in the exerciſe of that ability which he hath in his lapſed ſtate, is utterly denied …n this Text; and Tho. C. convict thereby of falſhood, who affirms it.
The ſecond Scripture which I ſhall oppoſe to his forementioned aſſertion, is Joh. 6. 44. No man can come to me except the Father which ſent me draw him. Chriſt doth here aſſert, that notwithſtanding the Goſpel be preached to men, their natural impotency is ſuch, that they cannot come; yea their enmity ſuch that they will not come, unleſs the Father draw them, viz. by thoſe effectual teachings, and that illumination, by which alone this impotency is cured in the Elect. v. 45.
Th. C. makes his exceptions likewiſe againſt this Text, p. 30 but to very little purpoſe.
1. He endeavours to perſwade us that this drawing of the Father, is the ſame with the preaching of the Goſpel, and ſo common to all that hear the ſound thereof; which the Text will in no wiſe admit, ſeeing it is of ſuch that hear the Goſpel that Chriſt ſpeaketh, amongſt whom ſome are thus drawn, others not.
2. He ſaith they cannot, becauſe they will not, and that the one is not without the other. We grant this, they neither can nor will, without ſpecial Grace come to Chriſt: neither are men condemned meerly for their impotency, but for their wilfulneſs in rejecting the Goſpel, but this helps not Mr. C. at all. And whereas he gives an account in ſome particulars why they will not, viz. 1. Becauſe they are habituated in ſin, and accuſtomed to it, &c. And 2. Becauſe of the influence that the Devil hath upon them: I grant that theſe things do obſtruct and hinder perſons from coming to Chriſt; but I muſt tell him alſo, That the firſt and main reaſon of their refuſal is quite paſſed over by him, and that is, the natural enmity that is in their Souls to God, Rom. 8. 7.
The third Scripture is Eph. 2. 1. with other paralel Texts that declare all perſons unconverted, to be dead in treſpaſſes and ſins; and then certainly uncapable in that condition to put forth any truly ſpiritual vital act, in receiving and obeying the Goſpel of Chriſt; ſeeing they are without that principle of life, from whence ſuch acts muſt flow. Unto this Mr. C. replies p. 29.
It is a great miſtake to think and ſpeak as if men were as dead and uncapable to believe and obey the Goſpel as a ſtock or a ſtone, or as men that are naturally dead; this is a ridiculous and untrue imagination: and ſo proceeds with his unlearned eloquence to ſet forth the folly of giving any thing in command to a ſtone, &c. But to theſe things I ſay;
1. All men have indeed rational Souls; and none beſides Mr. C. will be ſo ridiculous as to to talk at ſuch a rate as if Men and Stones were in the ſame capacity of being wrought upon by exhortations, promiſes and threatnings; we acknowledge that theſe are proper moral inſtruments in their own nature ſuited to work upon the underſtandings, wills and affections of men, and to produce the effects of Faith and Obedience in them; and ſeeing theſe faculties are the principle and ſubject of all actual obedience, it is alſo granted that there is in men a natural remote paſſive power of believing and obeying the Goſpel which is not in ſtocks and ſtones: but this power is never actually put forth, nor can be, without the effectual Grace of God working in them both to will and to do: ſo that this notwithſtanding, as a ſtone or Corps cannot perform any operation of which natural life is the principle, becauſe they have it not; neither can a man in his fallen ſtate put forth an act of ſpiritual life, becauſe he is without that Life and Grace that is the principle thereof: For as the Soul is to the Body, with reſpect to natural life, ſo is the new nature to the Soul, with reſpect to a moral, or ſpiritual life.
That which he offers that he might eſcape the force of this teſtimony is ſo remote from the evident ſcope of the Texts inſiſted on; that I ſhall not need to return any particular anſwer thereto, but leave his errour cruſhed under the weight of theſe ſavings of the holy Ghoſt, who hath in them ſtained the pride of all fleſh: Only I could wiſh that they into whoſe hands theſe lines may come, would …lſo conſult Dr. Owen in his Diſcourſe of the Spirit: where he doth largely plead and vindicate theſe Texts againſt the Pelagians, Arminians, &c. from whom Mr. C. hath drank in theſe notions. For my own part, I had not now produced them, but only that I might take this opportunity to remove his objections againſt their true ſenſe, ſuppoſing this a convenient place for that work; ſeeing my deſign is only to remove his cavils out of the way of weak Chriſtians; and not to handle any point my ſelf, farther then in the purſuit thereof I am led to: I paſs therefore a multitude of other Scriptures that contradict his notion, and ſhall attend him, in his proof offered, and diſcover the weakneſs and inſufficiency thereof.
The firſt thing which he ſaith proves his opinion is,
Becauſe it is the duty of all men (ſuitable to the mea…s and miniſtry they have been under) to believe and obey God. And after he hath by divers Texts proved this, which none denies, he adds;
All which proves a capacity in men to anſwer his will, or we muſt reflect on God, &c.
Were man to be conſidered in his primitive ſtate, as he came out of the hands of God, there were ſome weight in this reaſoning, But to ſuppoſe that the duty of man muſt be meaſured by his power and ability in his fallen ſtate, is fond, and groundleſs: He cannot ſin himſelf from under obligation to duty; Though he looſe the image of God, that rectitude of nature, by his ſin, that enabled him to obey God, yet the moſt high doth not looſe his right of commanding him, that which is juſt and good. In truth, To ſay that we have power in and of our ſelves, to do all that God requires of …s, is in effect, to make void the Grace of God, and to renounce the Goſpel; at leaſt to allow its uſefulneſs (which is the moſt Mr. C. doth) only to facilitate the diſcharge of our duty. But if our duty is to be meaſured by our power, it will appear that ſinners hardened by continuance in ſin, and profligate wickedneſs, are moſt excuſable; ſeeing they have leaſt power to obey God (as Mr. C. will confeſs) and ſo by his argument it were unjuſt with God to require that of them, which he doth of others not immerſt in their debaucheries. Yea let me add this alſo; from Dr. O. p. 245. of his foreign.
In the tranſactions between God and the Souls of men, with reſpect unto their obedience and ſalvation, there is none of them but hath a power in ſundry things, as to ſome degrees and meaſures of ohem, to comply with his mind and will, which they voluntarily neglect; And this of its ſelf is ſufficient to bear the charge of their Eternal ruine.
The ſecond thing whereby he endeavours to prove his opinion, p. 25. is, Becauſe God blames thoſe under all his miniſtrations, that did not or do not ſuitably obey him therein: To which he adds in the third place, He threatens and executes Judgement on all ſuch.
Both theſe depend on the firſt; and no man beſides Mr C. would have made uſe of them as diſtinct mediums in the proof of his poſition.
The firſt therefore being enervated, theſe fall with it. But he ſaith, If we accept not this as a ſufficient proof of his notion.
We cannot have right, honourable, and God-like thoughts of the Lord, to require, blame, pity, promiſe, threaten, and execute terrible judgement on a people, that in no caſe was able to help it.
He that can make good ſenſe of theſe words, hath more skill then I, but I heartily wiſh non-ſenſe had been the worſt fault in Mr. Colliers Book, however it be, I will endeavour to give a diſtinct anſwer to that which he drives at. 1. God may require obedience of thoſe from whom it is due, though they have ſi…ned away their power to perform it. 2. It is a moral ſinful impo…ency that men are under, they cannot, nor they will not obey; but they can and do wilfully refuſe to obey God, and therefore are juſtly blamed and puniſhed for this wickedneſs, and are alſo as Creatures, the object… of pity while they thus deſtroy themſelves. 3. Promiſes and threatnings are fit mediums to work upon rational Creatures, who are capable of underſtanding the terms in which the things of the ſpirit of God are propoſed to them (though the Glory of the things themſelves, they diſcern not) and to put forth a free act of their wills in reference to them; as Mr. C. ſaith himſelf in his Bod. of Div. p. 452. Though man hath loſt the freedom of his will to that which is good by ſinning, yet not the power of willing. And 4. By the mighty power of Gods ſpirit giving efficacy to this means, the Elect are made obedient, and the reſt left without excuſe or Cloak for their ſin.
As for that clauſe, That in no caſe was able to help it: it is fallacious. They act ſpontaneouſly, and are in no caſe willing to help it, whoſe Souls are not renewed by ſpecial Grace. He goes on, p. 26.
4. It muſt be ſo becauſe the contrary leaves the condemnation of ſinners at Gods door, which f…r be it from any ſober ſpirit to imagine: For God to bring forth a glorious miniſtration of Grace and Life to the world, 1 and tender it to ſinners on ſuch terms as is impoſſible for them to perform; with the helps he affords, 2 and to damn them for nonperformance ther…f, neceſsarily leaves a neceſſity of periſhing without hope or help: So that if this were true, that men could not believe and obey the Goſpel, where it comes 3 ſimply from their debility and impotency, and the debility of the means …fforded them for help therein; It could not be their ſin. 4 for its no mans ſin, not to do what he cannot do, but what he can and might do had he a will to it.
The things before pleaded, do fully remove out of our way what is here offered: But farther to detect his aequivocation; mind, 1. Although it be impoſſible for dead ſinners to quicken themſelves; yet ſeeing this impoſſibility is founded in the corruption of their natures, and wickedneſs of their own hearts, it cannot in the leaſt excuſe their diſobedience. 2. Sinners are liable to damnation for the breach of the Law, and if they add hereunto diſobedience to the Goſpel, it neceſſarily aggravates their ſin and condemnation; and this they will do, if left to themſelves; but neither doth this neceſſity, which is only a neceſſity of infallibility, with reſpect to the event, in any wiſe infringe their liberty, or excuſe their ſin. 3. Whereas he talketh of unbelief that comes ſimply from the debility and impotency of men, and the debility of the means afforded them: and in the next Section, Of that which befalls a man that, he could not, nor in any caſe cannot help, &c. I muſt tell him, that it is diſhoneſtly done to repreſent this, as the opinion of the men with whom his controverſie is; ſeeing they teach, That mens diſobedience to God ſprings from their obſtinacy, and not only impotency; and they are condemned for that, and not ſimply for this alone, and alſo, That the means of Salvation tendred in the Goſpel, is full and gloriouſly perfect in its kind: But the reaſon why the Goſpel is not effectual to the ſalvation of all that hear it is, The natural enmity and obſtinacy of their hearts againſt God is ſuch, that unleſs it be overcome and cured, by him that raiſed Chriſt from the dead, they do finally reſiſt the call of God, and will not come to Chriſt that they might have life: And this defilement of humane nature man brought upon himſelf …y his fall, which he could have helped and prevented if he would, and it is approved and delighted in by all his poſterity. 4. The falſhood therefore of his ſaying, That is no mans ſin not to do what he cannot do, is evident, ſeeing mans duty is determined by Gods holy command, not his own ſinful weakneſs. So then our Doctrine doth not lay the ſin of men at Gods door (as he ſuggeſts) but at their own, where the Scripture lays it; It ſpoileth man indeed of all matter of boaſting, which is the true reaſon of Mr. Colliers endeavour to load it with this calumny.
And in truth though proud Hypocrites will be b…aſting of their ſelfſufficiency, we need not nor can have a more pathetical confutation of Mr. C's Doctrine, then that which is gathered from the confeſſion of one poor in ſpirit, and diſtreſſed in Soul, under the ſenſe of his loſt condition by nature; Methinks I ſee ſuch an one rolling himſelf in the duſt, and with flouds of tears, and groanings that cannot be uttered, pouring out his Soul before the Lord with ſuch expreſſions as theſe;
O Lord look down in mercy upon a captivated condemned ſinner, that hath broken thy holy Law, and finds nothing in himſelf but a principle of enmity to, and averſation from thy holy will revealed either in the Law or in the Goſpel; I confeſs that it is a miracle of mercy, that terms of pardon and acceptance by Jeſus are propoſed to me: But ah Lord! my blindneſs is ſuch that I ſhall never find this way of life, if thou do not lead me; and the hardneſs of my heart ſuch, that it will not bow, unleſs thou make me willing in the day of thy power! I hear Chriſt ſay Come; but alas! I cannot came; Oh draw my Soul to thy ſelf by thine effectual Grace! Heaven is opened to the Believer: but O Lord! that word Believe ſlays my heart; It is my duty I confeſs, and ever to be admired is Grace, that found out ſuch a remedy: But oh my unbelief! I am ſhut up under it! what ſhall I do! whether ſhall I flee! Lord Faith is thy Gift, and by thine Almighty power it hath been wrought in ſome ſuch as I am: Oh magnifie Grace in me a loſt Creature, even me alſo! renew my Soul, change my Heart, make me a Believer, work in me both to will and to do of thy good pleaſure, elſe I may as …n reach Heaven with my finger as Believe; my impotency, my blindneſs, the perverſeneſs of my heart is ſo great! I muſt confeſs O Lord thou art juſt if thou damn me; but oh pity! and ſave a Soul without might, that is now ſinking under thy wrath, if free, free Grace prevent not, by working in me what thou requi…ſt of me.
I return to Mr. C. who will now give us inſtances to illuſtrate his former aſſertion, and (that he may take this opportunity, to let out more of his poiſonous Doctrine) chiefly inſiſts on original ſin, which he endeavours to perſwade men is an harmleſs thing, and of it ſelf lays them under no more guilt, then doth a fit of ſickneſs, or any other affliction of the like kind, that no man can help, &c. only thus much he grants,
Its true the firſt death is come on all men by Adams tranſgreſſion, they having the ſame original nature of ſin and death, its come into all men as a Judgement for the firſt tranſgreſſion, but not as a ſin to the ſecond death.
Although it may not be eaſie to find out any good ſenſe of theſe words [the Original nature of ſin and death] yet it is eaſie to underſtand what is the drift of his diſcourſe, which he alſo farther explains anon, and which I before touched: And therefore to prevent him, before I examine what he ſaith, I will briefly propoſe the truth concerning this point as it is taught in the Scriptures Rom. 5. and other places, viz. Job 14. 4. Pſal. 51. 5. Joh. 3. 6. &c. From whence I gather,
1. That Adam in his primitive ſtate was to be conſidered as a publick perſon, in whom all mankind (that in an ordinary way of generation came of him) were; and in whom they ſinned and fell, when he fell: And they are to be conſidered in him legally and naturally: 1. Legally as he was (according to the terms of the Covenant in which he ſtood related to God) their repreſentative; and ſo received his perfections, or original righteouſneſs, for them as well as for himſelf, and they as well as he loſt it by the fall. 2. Naturally, as he was the root of all mankind, which were virtually in his Loins when he fell: So then,
2. Original ſin is either Imputed or Inherent. The imputation of Adams ſin to his poſterity, by which they are moſt juſtly accounted to have ſinned in him, who was the root, and both generative and faederal principle of mankind, is in ſome ſort the meritorious cauſe of the inherent pravity of the humane nature derived from him, which is diffuſed through all the parts of the Soul, and is a juſt puniſhment for the firſt offence; by which we are turned away from God, and diſpoſed to all wickedneſs, it being the root, ſeed and principle of all actual tranſgreſſions and ſins; and is therefore ſo frequently by the Apoſtle Paul called ſin in a way of emphaſis; and the fleſh; of which all the abominations that are in the world are the proper fruit and off-ſpring, and are ſo repreſented by him, Rom. 7. 8 &c. ch. 13. 14. Gal. 5. 19. Col. 2. 11. Eph. 2. 3.
3. When therefore we affirm with the Apoſtle, Rom. 5. 18. That by the offence of one, Judgement came upon all men unto condemnation; neither doth the holy Ghoſt in that Text, nor we, intend to aſſert, that any are actually damned for Adams particular fact: but, That by his ſin and our ſinning in him, by Gods moſt juſt ordination, we have loſt original righteouſneſs, and ſo (as darkneſs neceſſarily is, where light is taken away or denied, and ſickneſs where health is not) contracted that exceeding pravity and ſinfulneſs of nature, which deſerveth the curſe of God and Eternal damnation; and it is inherent uncleanneſs that actually excludes out of the Kingdom of God.
From what hath been ſaid, it is eaſie to gather how pernicious Mr. C's doctrine is, who teacheth, that Original ſin expoſeth only to temporal or bodily, not Eternal death. The Apoſtle conſtantly affirms Rom. 5. that it is the death and condemnation, that Chriſt ſaveth his people from, (which ſurely is the ſecond, not the firſt death only) which by our fall in Adam we were expoſed to, and guilty of.
But why doth not Original ſin deſerve the ſecond death? Is it becauſe Adams tranſgreſſion was but trivial, certainly the aggravations of his ſin were exceeding great, There was contempt of God, diſ-belief of his word, pride, breach of Covenant, Theft, Murther▪ &c. all combined in that one ſin; ſo that a greater (the ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt excepted) and …ore …ex evi…e of the Sons of …n were ever guilty of. But if … had …n, There …in in …s own nature ſo ſmall, but ratione obj… in that it is …ainſt an infinite Majeſty, it deſerv… Eve…laſting p…ſhment; a… …ry one that fears God, and knows his te…rour▪ … Is it becauſe …e corruption of our nature derived from Ad… …t a ſmall thing▪ who trembles not at ſuch a thought, that ha… …ot caſt off all ſenſe of a Deity, and the holineſs thereof▪ We hav… before proved, That it is the ſpring of all the evil that is done …der the Sun; it is in its own nature a principle of enmity to G…d; that from whence the heart of man is denominated to be dec…i… above all things, and deſperately wicked.
If there be any thing therefore in what he ſaith beſides his bold affirmation it is only this,
Becauſe it is a Judgement for the firſt tranſgreſſion, …t cannot be a ſin to the ſecond death.
But he may learn from the Scriptures, that God oft-times puniſheth ſinners by giving them up to ſin, and yet that ſin, which hath alſo in it a puniſhment of former tranſgreſſion, will ſink a Soul under divine wrath, as well as any other. L…t him take for inſtance, Rom. 1. 21. ad finem, 2 Th…ſ. 2. 10, 11, 12.
I thought in my reply to this, and what followeth, to have ſhewed how Mr. Collier in ſome things takes the Pelagian notion of Original ſin, in effect plainly enough denying it; and alſo how in aſſerting the defilement of our nature, not to be ou… ſin, he agrees with Bellarmine and other Jeſuites, in their oppoſition to the Proteſtant Doctrine in this point; But I muſt be brief; and ſhall therefore content my ſelf only to ſhew his repugnancy to the truth of God in the Scripture. Thus he goes on,
All men are born into the world with ſinful nature…, now this defilement of our natures (though ſinful) no man can help; therefore it is not their ſin, but their affliction.
Here is a ſinful nature, a ſinful defilement of nature; and yet no ſin but an affliction only! Let ſuch confuſion be the …ot of all that oppoſe Gods ſacred truth? Can the nature of man be defiled, and ſinful, and yet he not a ſinner? yea but
—no man can help it, therefore it is not their ſin. I anſwer,
This defilement of humane nature came by that ſin, that man might not have committed; he might have helped it if he would. Yea moreover Original ſin, is habitually in the Will as the ſubject thereof as well as other faculties of the Soul, and therefore is voluntary; and every particular perſon is to be accounted, and truly is, the immediate principle as well as the ſubject, the Author as well as the poſſeſſor, of his own individual Original ſin, or corruption of nature, even as a man is of his natural faculties, or acquired habits, or as Adam himſelf was of …his Original Sickneſs or Diſeaſe, in his own perſon: as the Learned Voetius aſſerts in his firſt Book of Select. Diſputations, p. 1105.
And it is by reaſon of this defilement of nature, that we are by nature the Children of wrath; which could not be, if it were not our ſin, Eph. 2. 3. And on this ground the Lord Chriſt aſſerts the neceſſity of regeneration, and that without it none can ſee the Kingdom of God, Joh. 3. 5, 6, 7. Mr. C ſaith farther,
And cauſe we have to bewail it as our affliction; but not as our ſin; ſo the Apoſtle doth Rom. 7. 24. It is conſenting to it which is the ſin, v. 15, 16 Jam. 1. 14, 15. when perſons conſent to covetous and worldly luſts, to proud, envious, and diſobedient luſts; this is the ſin that will uſher in the ſecond death: Original guilt and ſtain only brings under the firſt death, but not not the ſecond as diſtinct from conſent.
Original ſin may be conſidered either in the unregenerate in whom it reigns, and is wholly unmortified; or as remaining in the regenerate, though mortified and ſpoiled of its reigning power; The unregenerate are under the power thereof in all the faculties of their Souls; It is blindneſs and vanity in their minds; hatred of God, and obſtinacy in their wills, &c. and they are content to be commanded by this principle, and the firſt moral acting of the Soul is influenced thereby, Pſal. 58. 3. and in them the luſtings of the fleſh are never reſiſted, from any true hatred of their ſinfulneſs; though on other accounts, as they are apprehended deſtructive to themſelves one way or other, they may be ſo, in ſome particular actings thereof. But in the regenerate there is a contrary principle, even the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Chriſt Jeſus that ſets them free from the Law of ſin and death, ſo that they obey not the fleſh in the Luſts thereof; and theſe, as they are by the power of the ſpirit of Grace delivered from the ſervice of ſin, ſo are they alſo by the efficacy of Chriſts bloud ſaved from the condemning power thereof: There is no condemnation to them, Rom. 8. 1. But it is not becauſe in-dwelling ſin deſerves none, But becauſe Jeſus ſa…eth them from the wrath to come. Now ſuch an one is perſonated by Paul▪ Rom. 7. unto whom all ſin is an afflicting burthen; and the luſtings of in-dwelling ſin, which w…re oppoſed by the new Creature, he complains of as his greateſt affliction, b…t not as his affliction only, as outward trouble, and perſecution was, but as his ſin alſo: Nay therefore it was his affliction, becauſe his ſin, and ſo he calls it about ten times in that Chapter, and as ſuch bitterly bewails it. L…t the Text be conſulted for proof hereof. In me (ſaith he) that is in my fleſh (in me ſo far as not renewed by Grace) dwells no good thing: Now ſin is foreign, … privation of that Good and Holineſs that the Law requires, and this ſaith the Apoſtle is in me: and yet Mr. C. ſuppoſeth he acknowledgeth no ſin; but this may be in a rational Creature, and he not a ſinner. Yea the Apoſtle confeſſeth, that he was greatly hindered in his duty by the working of his corruption, and at laſt flies to Chriſt for deliverance therefrom; and yet ſhall we ſay he owneth no fault all this while?
As for Jam. 1. 14, 15. The evident ſcope of the Apoſtle is, not to teach men to juſtifie the wicked luſtings of their hearts, as Mr. C. doth; but to prove that the ſpring of all the wickedneſs of man, is in his own Breaſt, and it will be in vain for him to think of ſhifting off the blame to any other. It is granted indeed, that the Apoſtle ſaith, Luſt when it hath conceived bringeth forth ſin; and that this conceiving of ſin is by the conſent of the will, agreeing to the Commiſſion thereof; but by ſin here, it is evident that actual tranſgreſſion is intended: and what ſaith the Apoſtle of this Luſt? verily, That it tempteth, draweth away the Soul from God, and enticeth it to ſin; and that it worketh thus as a principle in the Soul; it is a mans own luſt. Shall we then ſuppoſe actual tranſgreſſion to be a ſin, and the working of that principle in a mar that diſpoſeth to it, not to be ſo? Hath God no regard to the hearts and principles of men, and the habits of their Souls? do not they come under his Law? or is not the habit of Grace, Grace as well as the exerciſe thereof, and a man denominated Gracious therefrom? and here …ppoſitorum par rati…, In plain terms; to ſuppoſe the luſtings of a corrupt heart after all wickedneſs, is no harm, unleſs they be fully conſented to, is impious.
As to that which he adds concerning Infants and Idiots; To ſuppoſe them no way concerned in ſin as he doth, and ſo well enough without Chriſt, is like the reſt of his Doctrine: This I ſay, becauſe the Scripture ſaith it, which declares all to be under ſin (even thoſe that have not ſinned after the ſimilitude of Adams tranſgreſſion, viz. actually) and all ſin to deſerve wrath; That neither Infants nor Idiots can ſtand before God without a Mediator: They have ſin enough to damn them, but there is Grace enough in God, and Merit enough in the bloud of Chriſt to ſave them, unto which (and not their own innocency) they muſt be beholding for ſalvation.
The 5th thing he inſiſts on to prove his opinion, is Gods expoſtulating with men to convince them of the equality of his ways: That the ways of God towards the Sons of men are full of Equity and Grace; is evident from what I have already proved in oppoſition to his errours; and to his harangue about it, I ſhall only ſay: There is no need for him to ſpeak wickedly for God: His righteouſneſs is abundantly manifeſted by the light of Scripture Doctrine, without the help of his notions, and ſhall be yet farther manifeſted in the day of Chriſt, to the ſhame and ſilencing of all that now reply againſt God, even in thoſe things where his Judgements are a great deep: as the Apoſtle diſcourſeth at large Rom. 9. and 11. Chap…ers.
The Objection that he ſtarts about God his creating man upright, &c. I need not long ſtay upon; The truth concerning this is before ſtated and proved; and every impartial Reader may ſee, how miſerably he trifles in his endeavour to ſolve it: He gives you his word for it, that God will excuſe men from all that Obedience that they have by their ſin loſt both power and will to perform. But I hope none are ſo credulous as to take his Book to be Canonical. Not one Text of Scripture doth he, nor can he produce for the proof of his opinion: but only attempts to back one falſhood with another; ſaying,
That ſince the fall God requireth not perfect obedience of men; but only ſincerity; and that he knew that man might yield ſincere Obedience …n Faith and Love; and in that hath promiſed both aſſiſtance, and acc…ptance in his Son, &c.
Two things he here takes for granted, but both without ground.
1. That all the World are under the Covenant of Grace, ſo as to be preſently intereſted in the priviledges thereof; and accepted in thoſe ſincere endeavours to obey God, which they are capable of in that condition wherein they are by nature, which is not ſo; For all that can be ſaid of Men in General unto whom the Goſpel is preached, amounts to no more then this, That the Grace and Bleſſings of the New covenant are offered to them upon condition of Faith: God declareth his good pleaſure to ſinners, that if they or any of them do confeſs and forſake their ſins, they ſhall find mercy; and thoſe of them that do believe, he gives the ſure mercies of David unto, Iſa. 55. 3. and they are under Grace Rom. 6. 14. But the reſt of the world are under the ſeverity of the Law ſtill; yea whoſoever doth in heart depart from Chriſt, and ſeek life by his own works, is a Debtor to anſwer the moſt rigorous demands thereof, and is fallen from Grace, Chriſt ſhall prof…t him nothing, Gal. 5. 3. 4. And that paſſage 2 Cor. 8. 12. For if there be firſt a willing mind, it is accepted according to what a man hath, and not according to what he hath not: is pitifully wreſted by Mr. C. in that he would apply it to the caſe in hand: for neither the thing nor perſons there ſpoken of, will at all agree thereto.
1. It is not a moral ſinful impetency or deficiency, that the Apoſtle there ſpeaks of: but only a want of riches, and ability in that reſpect to contribute ſo largely to the neceſſity of the …oor Saints, as otherwiſe they might and would have done.
2. The perſons ſpoken of are Saints, Believers, ſuch as are accepted in Chriſt, and intereſted in the Covenant of Grace; whoſe ſincere endeavours to walk with God, are according to the terms of that Covenant accepted by him through the beloved, (though this Obedience of theirs is not their juſtifying righteouſneſs, nor accepted for that end▪) But the caſe is otherwiſe with perſons out of Chriſt.
Mr. C. endeavours to ſtrengthen this notion, p. 32. by proving, That under Moſes Law, ſincerity was accepted, and …hat though the Law required perfect Obedience, yet this perfection conſ…ſted, in univerſality and ſincerity, &c.
But here again he pitifully confounds things that ought to be heedfully diſtinguiſhed.
In the Moſaical oeconomy, there was ſuch a remembrance of the Covenant of works revived, with the terms and ſanction thereof; as that hereupon it is called the miniſtration of cond…mnation, and did ingender unto bondage, 2 Cor. 3. 7. Gal. 4. 25. But yet the promiſe of Salvation by the Meſſiah, being made long before, was not enervated thereby; but even this was laid in a ſubſerviency to Goſpel ends; and alſo the Goſpel was preached to them, Heb. 4. 2. (and ſo the Covenant of Grace revealed) though more darkly in types and ſhadows, through which they were inſtracted, to ſeek Juſtification unto Life by Chriſt promiſed, and ſo deliverance from the curſe of the Law by him. Now amongſt theſe ſome did believe, others did not; and ſo ſome were related to God in the New Covenant, others remained under the Old: The ſincere Obedience of the one was accepted on Goſpel gracious terms, and for Goſpel ends (not that they obtained life thereby, according to the terms of the Covenant of works, Do this and live) Chriſt being their ſurety to anſwer the utmoſt demands of the Law, for their Juſtification before God. The othe… wer…n their own perſons reſponſible for the br… of the L…w …nd ſtood …ty of death by the curſe thereof, …ll for wa… …lu… …rtection, as ſincerity in their Obedien… …e Covenant of works conſidered formally as ſuch, knows no c…ange of ſincerity for perfection, but its commands muſt in every ſpect be obeyed, and its demands anſwered, and they are ſo by Chriſt alone who hath fulfilled the righteouſneſs thereof for them that do believe; and without Faith in him, the Soul ſtands or falls to the unallayed and moſt rigorous ſentence thersof.
The ſecond thing Mr. C. ſuppoſeth is,
That every man hath ability in his fallen ſtate to yield ſincere obedience to God in Faith and Love.
This hath been already refuted; and here is nothing offered to enforce it, I ſhall therefore refer the Reader to that which precedes in this Chapter: where alſo the foundation of what Mr. C. farther pleads in his two following Sections, is fully removed, ſo that there remains only a flouriſh of words, wherewith he beats the Air; in returning anſwer to which, I ſhall waſte no more precious time.