Of Free Justification by Christ, Book 1 · Part 26
How Christ takes away Sins: With an Answer to the Objections of Osorius.
BUT this goodly Antagonist rushes upon us again with another Osor. de Iust. lib. 2. p. 34. A Dilemma of Osorius.caption, which at the first sight may somewhat puzzle the mind of the Reader. For he asks of those that deny Sin to be utterly Ibidem.extirpated by the Grace of Christ in this Life; Whether they distrust his Power or his Clemency? For if Christ doth not abolish all Sins in them, whom he receives into favour, that comes to pass either because he cannot, or because he will not. If you say he cannot, you take away his Power. If you plead that he is not willing, you rob him not only of the praise of his Clemency, but also of his Faithfulness. Therefore whatsoever way you defend your Opinion, you trample upon the Son of God, and cast great reproach upon him. Well said, most excellent Man. And now by what confirmation do you prove Ibidem.this? For seeing his Infinite Power cannot be hindered by any difficulties from performing suddenly the things which he willeth: And seeing his Love is so great, that of old he bath engaged his Faithfulness, that through Christ he would abolish Sins, and would deliver Mankind from all wickedness; what boldness then is this of most impure men, who deny that Sin is utterly destroyed in those, whom he hath joyned to himself with a holy Love? and assert that Sin is not wholly The connexion of the Argument.cut off? nor plucked up by the roots? that all the remainders thereof are not extirpated? These things said he.
Argument.
Ma. Nature can shut out all Sin, An answer to the Major.being helped by the Grace of God.
Mi. The Grace of God helps those who are born again in Christ.
Concl. Therefore, all necessity of sinning is excluded in those that are born again.
If you understand it of the perfect help of of Grace, which is hindered by no difficulties, but that the infirmity of Nature may be taken away; so the Major is true, but the Minor false. For though I confess that the Riches of Divine Grace are infinite, and that the Gifts are excellent, which God bestows upon his own, yet this grace of God doth not so perfect any man in this Life, but that oft in small things we offend all, and pray daily, that our debts Iames 2. Hieron. contraI Pelag. Dial. 3.may be forgiven us. Yea, what is all the discourse of the Saints to God but a continual praying and deprecating, as Hierom witnesses, whereby it extorts the Clemency of the Creatour, that we who cannot be saved by our own strength, may be saved by his Mercy. Concerning which there is also heard Psalm 32.a Mystical Song of the Psalm. For this, saith he, shall every Saint pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found. Whence Hierom infers not without reason. If he is a Saint, saith he, how doth he pray for the pardon of sin? If he hath iniquity, upon what account is he called holy? to wit, after that manner whereby it is elsewhere Proverbs 24. Proverbs 28. My strength is perfected in weakness. 2 Cor. 12. 1 Cor. 12.said, A just man falleth seven times a day, and riseth up again. And again, A just man is an accuser of himself in the beginning of his speech, &c. Therefore the Grace of God helps our infirmities, that they may be diminished: But we deny that he so helps them, that they are wholly taken away. It helps indeed infirmities, as hath been said, but yet it leaves us infirm, that it may always help us. No man is ignorant how great power of Christ appeared in the holy Apostles, which yet did not fully compleat their strength, but it was rather perfected by their infirmity. We know, saith he, in part, and we prophesie in part: But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. We now see darkly through a Glass, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know as I am known.
Therefore that I may answer in a word: If you suppose there is that help of Divine Grace, which makes Obedience in this Life to be wholly unblameable and perfect; Augustine will presently deny that. Who discoursing of the first Precept of Righteousness, whereby we are commanded to love God, with all our heart, and our Neighbour as our selves: We shall fulfil that, saith he, in that Aug. cte spiritu & litera, cap. 36.Life, where we shall see face to face; and presently; And therefore that man hath profited much in this Life in that Righteousness, which is to be perfected, who by profiting knows how far he is from the perfection of Righteousness.
Moreover, that which is argued from the power of Divine Grace, is not sufficient to exclude the necessity of sin. They say indeed, that by the perfect Grace of God it is possible that a man may not sin at all in this life: Be it so; Yet all things are not made which can be made by the singular power of God can do the things that he willeth, but he wills not all things that he can.God. So by the power of God helping us we could flie, yet we do not flie: For God willeth not all things, which his power is able to do: But, you say, he willeth and commandeth with great Authority, that we should observe his Precepts, which he would not command unless he knew them to be possible. It is true indeed, if they be understood according to that Nature, which he first created in us, So that in him there is no cause but that the Precepts, as they should be judged right, so also they should be judged possible. But hearken to Hierom answering you, and aptly untying this Knot. God hath commanded things possible, saith he, this no man doubts of. But because men did not possible things, therefore all the World is become subject to God, and needs his Mercy, &c.
I know that there is not any For it is not the fault of the Commander, but the frailty of the Hearer, that all the world should become subject to God.thing so difficult in humane things but infinite Omnipotency can do it by a word of his Power; to whom it would not be difficult to restore this frailty of Fallen Nature to its Antient State of Innocency, if he would. And there is no doubt, but he would do it, if Hier. Dial. 2.he had decreed to do as much by his secret Counsel, as he could do by his Infinite Majesty. Now therefore either prove, that all infirmity of the flesh is taken away in the Regenerate, and that they are restored to their former Innocency, which is without all sin, and also freed from a necessity of dying, or cease to dream of that Perfection of Righteousness in this Life, which hitherto hath not been found in any of the Saints, whether Apostles (that I may speak in the words of Hierom) or Patriarchs or Prophets. Hierom. Dial. 1. A… Answer to the minor Osor. de just. lib. 2. Osor. lib. 40. pag. 89.phets. But that we may pass by this debate about the Power of God, from which we detract nothing, what shall we say in the mean while of Grace, and his most Gracious loving kindness and good will? What shall we answer to God promising to us? For, What, saith he, hath not God of old engaged his faithfulness, by a most sure Covenant, that be would ablolish all our Sins through Christ? Is not this Grace promised to be obvious and prepared for all that are willing to obtain it, which frees Mankind from all Wickedness, which immediately imprints the form of Divine Righteousness upon the minds into which it enters, and furnishes them with most invincible strength, whereby it is possible to destroy Lust, to drive away all the pollutions of the Mind, and extirpate all remainders of fi…thiness and impurity: De just. lib. 6.So that now Lust being subdued, evil concupiscence extinguished, the pravity of a stubborn mind being taken away, the mind being strengthened by the Divine support, it is stirred up with all its desire to the Study of the Divine Law, and most easily keeps the Law of God, and obtains Salvation.
What then, when the Majesty of the most high God hath all things in his Power, and under his Command, and his goodness is no less Infinite than his Power: Do we suppose he will at any time be wanting to help the Creature, or shall we distrust the Clemency of the most hountiful Creatour?
An Answer.
God forbid. But pray tell me, where hath God so engaged his faithfulness, whereof you speak, that the remainders of all Sin, being cut off, and all Infirmity of sinning being taken away, he would so heal Mankind, having so thoroughly purged them from all Sin, that evil concupiscence being subdued, and all matter of the Antient Contagion being blotted out, no relicks of Sin should remain in this Life, but that it may be most easie to obey the commands of God, and so obtain Salvation?
By what Author, by what Witness, by what Doctor, by what Testimony, or Example, do you prove this to be true, which you Preach?
First, You say, is not this certain, A confirmation of the Osorian Assertion.that Sin is hateful to God, which necessarily through its violence and outragiousness divides us from Union with God? And how can it be that the Lord, who is by Nature just, and a Lover of Righteousness, should not take away all Sins out of the minds of them, whom he designs to unite unto himself by Love? Moreover he that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all; How, saith Paul, will he not with him give us all things? If then the Testimony of Paul be true, it is thence evident, that those are delivered from all Wickedness, whom that infinite purity joins unto it self by most pure Love.
For, otherways if God did not take away Sin, be would be so far Osor. de just. lib. 2. pag. 34.from giving us all things, that he would suffer us in the chiefest respects to be miserable, unhappy, and wretched. And so it would come to pass, that God would seem to have conferred upon us no great benefit by Christ, if he left us in the bondage of Sin, if he did not throw off the servile Yoke from our Necks, as he had promised of Old. Moreover the Blood of Christ poured forth on the Cross had yet brought us no advantage: For yet we are in great misery, we cannot but be miserable whilest we are held in the bonds of our Sins: There are also very evident Testimonies of the Holy Scriptures confirming this Assertion: To wit, that by the Divine Power of Christ, Sin is extirpated, Lust is destroyed, Evil Concupiscence is restrained, and the minds of Men being freed from Sin, put on a Divine form.
For so it is recorded to us by Holy David. As far as East is from Os. lib. 2. p. 35. Ps. 103. Ps. 51. Isa. 61.the West, so far hath he removed our Transgressions from us. And thou shalt sprinkle me, O Lord, with Hysop, and I shall be cleansed, thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than Snow.
And Isaiah foretold that it should come to pass, that all that live in the Church by Faith, should be called Holy: And he hath blotted out as a Cloud thy Iniquities, and thy Sins as a thick Cloud. Likewise Ieremiah: At that time, saith the Lord, the Iniquity of Ierem. 50. Ezek. 36.Israel shall be sought, and it shall not be, and the Sin of Iudah, and it shall not be found. And in Ezekiel, he saith, I will pour clean Water upon you, and ye shall be cleansed from all your defilements. Also Micah: He will cast all our Micah. 7.Sins into the depths of the Sea.
Moreover, Zechariah declares that Everlasting Fountain, which was to be opened, to wash away the filth of all. And how glorious is that Testimony of Iohn the Baptist. Behold the Lamb of God that taketh Ioh. 1.away the Sins of the World?
Which Testimonies being so many, and together with these infinite others; what do they all drive at, but that we may understand that by Christ, all the pollutions of our sinful Nature are done away, &c. For this is the sum of those things which you cite and heap together, with Augustin.a long Circumlocution of Words.
Unto which being so many, there is one Answer, and a well fitted one out of Augustin: Distinguish the times, saith he, and you will reconcile Scriptures. Our Sins are done away by Christ; no Man doubts of that. But we must see how they are done away: He does them away in this Life, he will also do them … in the Life to come; but not after one and the same manner: Sins are done away by Christ, after what manner. Dan. 6. August.For Iniquity is taken away and Sin receives an end, as is evident by the Prophecy of Daniel. But if you ask how in this Flesh? Augustin will answer you: None, saith he, takes away Sin, but Christ, who is the Lamb of God that takes away the Sins of the World: And he takes them away, both by removing the Sins that were done, and by helping, that they may not be done, and by bringing August lib. de perfect. just.to the Future Life where they cannot be done at all.
Therefore in this Life, there is only a race to Righteousness, and Phil. 3.in the other Life will be the prize. This then is our Righteousness now whereby we run Hungering and Thirsting to the perfection, and fulness of that Righteousness, wherewith we shall afterward be satisfied in the other Life. Hence the Apostle saith: Not that I have already attained, or am already perfect. Brethren, I do not think that I have apprehended, but one thing I do, forgetting the things that are behind, and being stretched forth to those things that are before, I press forward to the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus, &c.
Therefore according to Augustin here is the Race, here is the Progress, Aug. de Spiritu & litera.there will be the Perfection. Here as running in a Race, we proceed from Vertue to Vertue. There we are perfected.
Now we have only the Seeds of Vertues begun, then in that August. de perfect. justitiae.fulness of Charity, when that shall be perfected in us, which now is imperfect, that precept shall be fulfilled, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, and with all thy Soul. For whilest there is yet any Carnal concupiscence, which may be restrained by continency; God is not in all respects loved with all the Soul, for the Flesh doth not Lust without the Soul, though the Flesh is said to Lust, because the Soul Lusteth Carnally, &c.
Therefore as long as the Saints are burthened with this Flesh, which they cannot shake off, verily Sin dwelling in the Flesh cannot be absent.
Objection.
But how, say you, is Sin taken out of the World, If the Corruption of Sin yet does reign in the Saints?
Answer.
I will tell you briefly, to wit, after the very same manner that the death of Christ hath driven … from our necks, and yet we dye. The same comes to pass in the destroying of sin, that being freed from Sin by Christ, yet we are not without sin, for these two things come always together, being tied to one another by a very near connexion. That where sin is, there by necessary consequence Therefore fits also after the same manner is taken away by Christ.death follows; wherefore if the flesh is yet held in bonds by the cruelty of death, by the same reason it is proved, that the relicks of sin remain also in the flesh. But now where is then that righteousness which Christ hath purchased for us? Would you know, O Osorius? where our life is, there is also our righteousness. Not in this flesh which we put off, but in that body which we shall in due time put on uncorrupted. For such are all the benefits of Christ purchased for us, that the promise of them being shewed afar off, as of old the Holy Land to the Hebrews, it is apprehended by Faith, and the Spirit in this life, but the full possession belongs only peculiarly and in the whole to the other life.