Body of Divinity, Book 4 · Chapter 11 – Chapter 12
CHAP. XI. Signes of a Christian in regard of sinne, and that great corruptions may be found in true Christians.
OF the first.
Signs of a Christian in regard of sin:
First, He is convinced of sin Iohn 16. 9. the Greek word signifies to evidence by demonstration, the Spirit so demonstrates it, that a man hath nothing to object, Psal. 51. 13.
Secondly, He is free from its dominion, as Paul saith, Sinne shall have no dominion over you, for you are not under the law but under grace; and after, Being freed from sinne. Whosoever is born of God sinneth not, John. They do no iniquity, David. They serve not sin *Proinde bonus si serviat, liber est: malus autem etiam si regnet, servus est, nec unius hominis, sed quod est gravius, tet dominorum, quot vitiorum. August. de civit. Dei, l. 4. c. 3.in the lusts thereof. He hath not an habitual resolution to continue in sinne.
Thirdly, He is troubled and wearied with the reliques of it, and driven toM. Burgess makes the opposing of sin, and abstaining from it, one of his Signs of Grace. See his Treatise of Grace, Sect. 2. Serm. 14. Christ for pardon and help. He is weary of sin, and every sin so farre as he knoweth, specially his own sin, and that iniquity which cleaveth closest to him. His flesh is inclined to it, but his Spirit is a verse from it, and even tired and burdened with it, so that he often sighes out in himself the complaint of St Paul, O miserable man that I am. Still as he prevails more against sin the remainders of it do more afflict him: sinne in it self considered is his greatest unhappinesse, that he hath so vile a nature, is prone to so vile deeds, and doth in many things so foolishly offend, this troubleth and disquieteth him even then when he hath no other crosse to trouble him, and many times imbitters all his prosperity.Christians go to God for Justification, ne peccatum damnet, that the damning power of sin may be taken away. For sanctification, ne regnet, that the raigning power of sinne may be destroyed. For Glorification, ne sit, that the very being of it might be abolished.
Fourthly, He is grieved with the sins of others, Ier. 9. 1. Ezek. 9. 4. Ezra 9. 3, 4. See 1 Cor. 5. 2. David was the great Devotionist of the Old Testament, Psal. 119. 136▪ Phil. 3. 18.
The greatest sinners when once converted are most compassionate to others, because they have experience of the power of sin, and have most sensibly felt the goodnesse of God.
God is dishonoured by the sins of others, as well as by our own sins, the godly hate sin both in themselves and others, Psal. 97. 10.
Of the second:
Very great corruptions in heart are yet to be found in sincere Christians, 2 Chr…. 15. 17. Very few men are recorded in Scripture, but their great sins are recorded as well as their graces, except Iosiah and some few *God hath preserved some of his people from shameful sins and stains, Enoch, Abraham, Caleb, Ioshua, and many others, and we are commanded to be careful to live without just reproach, 2 Pet. 1. 5 M. Rogers in his 7 Treat. c. 11. See M. Hildersam on Psal. 51. the Title.others. Davids adultery and murder, 1 King. 15. 5. Some think he was given to lying, Psal. 119. Remove from me the way of lying. Salomons grosse Idolatry, 1 King. 11. 4. Peters shameful Apostasie, Mark 14. 71. Asa's persecution, 2 Chron. 16. 10.
First, For inward corruptions, there is the body of all sins remaining in the soul of every gracious person, though it be mortified and broken, it doth not rule in him. Paul writeth to the Ephesians and Colossians, and wisheth them to put off the corrupt old-man.
Secondly, For actual, we may say with Iames, In many things we offend all; our infirmities are mingled with our best duties, we break out many times into things we know to be evil, slagitious crimes.
The people of God are freed,
1. From the sin against the holy Ghost, 1 Iohn 3. 9.
2. From sin raigning.
3. From a total apostasie, Ier. 3. 22. they cannot lose all saving grace, 1 Pet▪ 1. 13.
4. From final impenitency, Psal. 37. 24.
Godly men may fall into other sins:
1. The state of grace cannot exempt them, 1 Iohn 2. 1.
2. The truth of grace cannot preserve them, their actions come from a mixt principle.
3. No degrees of grace can preserve them, Phil. 1. 6. nothing will perfect our sanctification but the beatifical vision, 1 Iohn 3. 3.
They may fall into the grossest errors in judgement, and foulest evils of practice. In the Church of Galatia some denied Justification by the righteousnesse of Christ. In the Church of Corinth some denied the Resurrection, Revel. 18. 4. Tertullian fell to Montanism. Luther to Consubstantiation: David into murder and adultery: Salomon to Idolatry: Peter to deny his Master with execration▪ True believers may fall grievously and hainously:
1. Into sins not only quotidiani incursus. August. of daily incursion: but such which do vastare Conscientiam, as the Schoolmen speak, though they do not Excutere fidem.
2. So as to wound the consciences of their brethren, Rom. 14. 15.
3. To wound their profession, 1 Tim. 6. beg. Rom. 2. 24.
4. They may strengthen the hands of sinners, 2 Sam. 12. 14.
5. They may greatly grieve the Spirit.
6. They may contract a damnable guilt, Psal. 90. 8.
7. They may fall so as to bring on themselves great temporal afflictions, Ezra 9.They may lose their peace Psal. 51. 12. wound their own consciences, Prov. 6. 33. weaken their graces, be a reproach to all the Saints. 13. Psal. 99. 8. Ier. 2. 19.
8. They may be chastened with spiritual afflictions, Psal 51. 12.
9. God may in them punish one sin with another. David was punisht with carnal adultery for his spiritual security.
10. They may lose, though not jus ad regnum, yet aptitudinem regnandi.
Yet there is a great difference in their sinning between them and the wicked, their spots are not alike:
1. They have not such a full inward principle to sin. David committed adultery not as Zimri with his whole heart, the other had a principle checking him, totus homo sins, but not totum hominis, there is a principle of grace.
2. They do not constantly sinne, they live not in grosse sins; it is one thing to fall into the dirt as a sheep, another thing to wallow in it as a swine doth.
3. These are bitter sins to them, and minister much matter of humiliation afterwards; David was a murderer and a bitter penitentiary for it, Psal. 51. Deliver me from bloud guiltinesse.
4. They are in a combat and fight with their ordinary infirmities of passions, as Paul Rom. 7. & Gal. 6. it makes them often pray, it puts them into sad agonies, as Rom. 7. what they would not do they do, therefore O wretched man that I cannot pray, be humble.
5. They do at last come out of these with the contrary graces, and delight in them, they mortifie and subdue their lusts, Rom. 8. The law of the Spirit frees them from the law of sin, yea they delight in the contrary graces, His delight is in the law of the Lord.
6. They do not only come out of them themselves but set against them in others, the woman of Samaria called her neighbours; Lydia her family; Then will I teach transgressors thy wayes.
It is a great mercy for the holiest men to be preserved from grosse and scandalous sins, 2 Pet. 1. 10.
Reasons
1. Hereby all the actual exercises of grace are suspended, one hath no more use of grace then if he were an unregenerate man, Psal. 51. 10, 11. there is a Deliquium gratiae as well as animae.
2. There is a suspension of all the priviledges of grace when one fals into grosse sins, there is an interdiction though not an intercision, a sequestration though not an ejection, Psal. 51. 7. He alludes to the purging of the Leper under the Law, he had a right and title to his house, but not an actual enjoyment of it, a man hath communion with God here by the acts of grace and consolations of the Spirit, these are suspended.
3. Grosse fals in Gods people are commonly penal, the punishment of other sins, 2 Sam. 11. 6. Matth. 26. 33, 34. as sin cannot be called by a worse name then sinne, Rom. 2. 1…. so God cannot punish sin worse then by sin.
4. It leaves a blot on a man which shall never be wiped off. Peters denial is spoken of where ever the Gospel is publisht; Ieroboam that made Israel to sin; This is that Ahaz; Iudas the Traitor.
5. Hereby you grieve the hearts of the Saints, and strengthen the hands of the wicked.
6. Though God pardon the sin, yet he will not take off the temporal judgement from the person and posterity.
The execution of judgement shall begin with them, Amos 8. 1. 1 Pet. 4. 17. GodSee Jer. 13. 11, 12, 13. Deu. 32 19. Mi…a. 1. 5. will punish his people with greater *1. They are nearer unto God then other men, Mic. 2. 8. Ier. 12. 8. 2. Their sins provoke him more then the sins of others, being committed, 1 Against more light, Isa. 22. 1. & 29. 1. inward light, Psal, 51. 6. 2 Against greater mercies, those of the new Covenant, the bloud of a Son, the graces of the Spirit, Am. 9. 3. 3. Their sins dishonour God more then the sins of others, Rom. 2. 24.severity, Lam. 4. 6. Mat. 3. 10.
Six sorts of godly persons are in danger:
First, Men in the highest place, Magistrates, Ministers, David, Peter.
Secondly, Men of great parts, Knowledge puffeth up. Augustine saith of Licinius, one of great parts but of a corrupt judgement, Cupit Diabolus à … ornari.
Thirdly, Men of the greatest graces, God leaves sinne in men to keep them low, therefore when men are high in grace he leaves powerful lusts to exercise them.
Fourthly, Men that are carnally confident, as Peter, Dr Pendl…ton.
Fifthly, Those that are censorious against the fals of others, Gal. 6. 1.
Sixthly, Those that are used to great visions of God; Salomons heart departed from the Lord that appeared to him twice, Eclipsis lunaris nunquam contingit nisi in plenilunio.
The Saints of God are often gainers by their sinne, Rom. 8. 28. Good comes to them this way by accident, the Lord over-ruling it by his wisdom and grace.
First, Hereby a man is discovered to himself, sees that in his own heart which he never saw before, 2 Chron. 32. 31.
Secondly, The work of his humiliation and repentance is perfected; this use Paul made of his grievous sins, I was a persecutor, saith he.
Thirdly, The work of regeneration is perfected, Luke 22. 32.
Fourthly, He exalts the grace of God: so Paul.
Fifthly, It makes him watch over his own heart, and shun the occasions of sinne the more.
Sixthly, It makes him the more compassionate to others when they fall, Gal. 6. 1.
CHAP. XII. Two Questions resolved about sinne.
Quest. 1. HOw can grace and corruption stand together, so that corruption poisons not grace, nor grace works out corruption, when the admitting of one sin by Adam kill'd him presently?
Answ. Perfect holinesse cannot stand with any corruption, but when the first lines only of Gods Image are drawn they may stand with corruption. If corruption should destroy grace, or grace corruption formally, yet they may be mixed together in gradu remisso. God hath undertaken not to withdraw himself from them.Prov. 20. 9. Eccles. 7. 20. 1 John 1. 8. It was much disputed whether Carthage should be destroyed in regard it had been such a great enemy to Rome, and had sent forces to the very walls. But some opposed it, because then Rome would degenerate into luxury, and there would be divisions among themselves, when they had no common enemy to encounter. Vide Livium & Aug. de civ. Dei, l. 1. c. 30.
God (though he could take away the seeds of sins) yet suffers such remainders of corruption to abide in his people for divers good reasons:
1. Because the Lord delights in this world rather to shew grace to the persons of his servants then to their natures.
2. Because he would humble them *God humbleth his people three waies, 1. By love melts them with his goodnesse. 2. By suffering. 3. By sinning, that is the worst way, as the other by his love is the best. Gods people have principles of love to melt their souls, Ezek. 36. 31. Hos. 3. 15. There are two aggravations of their sins, 1. That they should sinne against the sweetnesse of Grace, Iohn 6. 61. 2. That they should sinne against the power of Grace, Psalm 51. 6.(as Paul when exalted above measure) and have them live on free grace, 2 Pet. 1. 9. The Devil tempted Adam (though he was created perfect) telling him he should be as God; if from a state of sin there should be such a sudden change to perfection, men would be apt to swell. The Antinomians will have nothing to do with the Law, and then (since by the Law comes the knowledge of transgression) they think they are without sin, and after, that they are perfect, like God.
3. He delights in their fervent hearty prayers, he would have his children daily begging of him.
4. He would have them long to be dissolved and to be at home with him.
5. That he might magnifie the power of the in-dwelling vertue of his Spirit, that a little grace should dwell amidst great corruptions.
6. That we might deal gently with our brethren when they fall, Gal. 6. 1.
Quest. 2. Wherein lies the difference between a man sanctified and unsanctified in regard of the body of corruption?
Answ. There are these apparent differences:
1. An unregenerate man hath a body of corruption in him and nothing else, all his thoughts in him are only evil continually, a regenerate man hath a body of grace as well as of corruption.
2. The natural man carries the guilt of it with him, the reward of his body of sinne is death and destruction, but in the regenerate man the guilt (that is, the power to binde him over to the wrath of God) is wholly done away in the bloud of Christ: Gods displeasure doth not redundare in personam, the person is pardoned though the sin remain.
3. The body of corruption hath the whole rule in the unregenerate man, itA Swine is where he would be when he is in the mud, but so is not the Sheep. is the active principle from which all is wrought, but in the other grace strugleth against it.
The Papists say, 1. There is no such body of corruption left in a man when he is regenerate, in Baptism, or when Regeneration is wrought the body of corruption is taken away: 2. They say, Concupiscence never was a sin, but was in Adam in the state of Innocency: 3. That the good workes of regenerate men are perfect.
This may minister consolation to the people of God who finde these reliques of corruption, they are unteachable, sinful, can do nothing well.
1. This is the condition more or lesse of all the servants of God.
2. These corruptions are not imputed to thee, the Lord loves thee as well as if thou wert rid of them.
3. Thy loathing thy self for them is as pleasing to God as if thou couldst perform perfect duties.
4. Christ will reign in thee in the midst of these his enemies.
5. He will deliver thee from these reliques of corruption when he hath done good to thee by them.
6. This should make thee humble and watchful.