Body of Divinity, Book 8 · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. III. Of a Religious Vow.
THe word Vow is used ambiguously, sometimes for the Matter vowed; and sometimes formally, for the Promise it self; and sometimes again for Prayers which did accompany their Vow.
A Vow made to God is either General, and common to all, as that in Baptisme; or Special and Singular, proper to this or that man; by which he alone is bound which hath made the Vow.
The Matter of a Vow, or the thing vowed, ought not to be evil *As that Act. 23. 12, 13. That some Vows are unlawful, and bind not conscience. See Mr. Fenner of conscience, p. 315, 316. See Dr. Gouges Saints Sacri…. p. 181. to 199. & p. 248. And Mr. Wheatlies Prototypes on Iacobs Vow. Dr. Sclater on Psal. 116. 114. Mr. Downe of Vows.and unlawfull; but either good, just, and holy, or at least indifferent, which is not repugnant to the Law of God, in our power.
The Papists hold that nothing can be matter of a Vow, which was due before the Vow was made; but that is false. Genesis 28. 20. Iacob was bound to have God for his God before; our Baptisme is a Vow, though the Matter contained in it be a Duty before. Some say, such things as come sub praecepto, are not to be vowed: but such onelyonly as are left to our choice, to do or not to do them, as we will. Gregory Nazianzene made a vow unto God, That he would never swear all his life long; which Vow he kept all his daies, as writeth Gregory Presbyter in his life. Augustine in Psalm 75. saith we may vow moral eternal Duties.
Vowing is an extraordinary part of Gods Worship, whereby a man doth firmly and solemnly binde his conscience unto God, to the performing or not performing of something otherwise indifferent, for his help and furtherance in Godliness.
It is a promise made unto God of things lawful, by such as have power so to do, and thereby to testifie their affection and duty towards him. Master Down ofVota sunt promissiones sole… nes Deo factae de iis quae in nostra sunt potestate, & Deo gratae ad fidem in precibus confirmandam, Dud. Fen. Theol. Sac. l. 15. c. 9. Per hoc distinguitur juramentum à voto. In voto tranfigitur cum Deo ips…, ut cum parte cui votum immediatè nuncupatur: ast in juramento tranfigitur cum homine. Deus autem adducitur non ut pars, sed ut testis. Sandersonus de Iuramenti promissori obligatione. Praelect. 1. Sect. 3. Vows.
A binding of ones self to God by a solemn Promise, or rather Oath, to do or not to do something lawful, possible, and useful for our increase in godliness.
To vow, swear, and to covenant, say some, are in Scripture equivalent, importing the same thing, Numb. 30. 2. 1 Sam. 22. 16, 17.
It is called a Covenant, 2 King. 23. 2. an Oath, Numb. 30. 2. though there beVota fiunt Deo, juramenta hominibus per Deum, Bellarm. l. 2. de Monachis c. 14. some difference between a Vow and an Oath, an Oath is properly by God to men, for it is to end a controversie among men: but a Vow is a promise immediately to God.
A Vow is more then a single purpose: For in it there is, 1. A purpose to do a thing. 2. A binding our selves to do that we purpose, and to the Lord,Mr. Perkins Case of Consc. Deut. 23. 21.
It is a part of Gods Worship, because it immediately and directly tends to express our homage unto God, even as the Word and Sacraments, as being a means effectual to further, help, strengthen, confirm, and increase our inward conformity with his will, specially in the matter of thankfulness, and Nature it self dictates it for that purpose; for Heathen men would use this as a means of shewing their thankfulness and confidence in their God.
Some make it not a part of Gods Worship, but a help to the parts of Gods Worship; but these things may be called helps and furtherances to Worship, which tend to the same end that worship doth, but indirectly, as the circumstances of the action adjoyned and annexed to them, but a Vow tends in the same manner; that is, directly; and to the same end; that is, the increase of vertue in our hearts, that the Word and Sacraments do; onelyonly it is an extraordinary part of Gods Worship, as Fasting, Feasting.
2. It is a firm binding of the conscience unto God, Numb. 30. 3, It is a swearing by God unto God, and so contains implicitely a prayer unto God, to punish us severely and sharply if we fail to perform it, Deut. 23. 23. There are affirmative and negative Vows. Abraham lifted up his hand unto God, that is, vowed and sware unto him by himself, That he would not take so much as a shooe-latchet of the Sodomites goods; and Iacob vowed to offer the tenth at Bethel, and there solemnly and publickly to serve God. But evermore the thing must be in it self indiferent; therefore the Lord commanded that none should by vow dedicate the firstborn, because it was Gods before.
The end of a vow must be furtherance in godliness. It must be made to the Lord, he is the Object of it, Iudg. 11. 30, 31. Abraham lifted up his hand to him, David vowed and performed to him, Deut. 23. 21. Psal. 50. 14.
Where the Scripture speaks of Vows it mentions Him.
Reasons,
1. It is an act of Religious Worship; therefore God onelyonly must be the immediate Object.
2. There is no example in Scripture of any that vowed to Saints.
Bellarmine therefore might well say, there is no doubt but the Hereticks (byCum scribereutur Scripturae sacrae nondum caeperat usus vov…ndi Sanct is. Bellarm. de cultu Sanctorum, c. 9. which he means Protestants) do judge us Idolatrous, because we make solemn Vows to the Saints; and indeed, acknowledging Vows to be religious Worship, they are much troubled to free their actions from Idolatry. At last they pitch on this, That since Saints are gods by participation, and have his image, therefore we may vow to them: But then we might vow to Magistrates, for they are gods so; and then we might also sacrifice to the Saints, which yet they allow not.
A Vow hath these special Uses:
1. To be a confirmation of our faith and confidence in God in the time of need, chiefly in afflictions and temptations.
2. To restrain corruption of nature, by avoiding things lawful, if inticements to sin.
3. To provoke our selves to the performance of such Duties as we find our selves naturally slack unto.
Rules to be observed in making a Vow:
1. For the Matter of the Vow, That we vow nothing but things lawful in themselves, and to us in respect of our condition.S. Francis vowed to gather all the Pismires in the way, that Travellers might not tread them to death.
2. A thing of some weight and moment, either in it self or at least to the party vowing; therefore the Lord forbade the price of a dog, because it is a vile and base creature; it had also a mysterie, for he was a type of a backslider, from which God will accept of nothing.
3. It must be a thing possible, and in our power to do or not to do.
The manner of vowing:
1. It must be done with understanding and advisedly, which was Iephtha's failing:Eccles. 5. 6.
2. With Humiliation, th…t we have so often dealt perfidiously with God; and with joy also, that God will take us to him again, though we have denied him, Neh. 9. 10. 2 Chron. 29. 36.
3. With full purpose of heart to perform, Psal. 76. 11. The very end of Vows and Promises, is to binde our unstable hearts, and to knit our souls more closely to God.
4. …n Faith, being reconciled with God. The Vows of Poverty and Continency in the Popish Church are to be condemned, because they are not done in faith, but to the overthrow of it, for hereby they think they do a more meritorious act, and that by these Vows as they please God the more, so God is more obliged to bestow Heaven upon them.
5. We must not be over often in vowing, it is an extraordinary Duty.
6. We must not make perpetual Vows; therefore in the Vow of the Nazariteship God would not have them make a perpetual Vow, but rather for a time. Certain Ceremonies were appointed to be accomplisht by those that were ordinary at the end of their Vow, by which he doth not onelyonly presuppose, but injoyne a set time. We reade of no perpetual Nazarites, but extraordinary two, Sampson and Samuel.
Popish Votaries in all respects abuse this Sacred Ordinance; they vow to Saints, vow things unlawful and trivial, to go in gray, things not in the compass of mens power, to be perpetually continent, hope to merit by vowing, and imagine a perfectionThat the vows of the Monks concerning poverty and perpetual continency are unlawful, see Dr. Willet on Gen. 20. 20. Sumptum est vocabulum consilii ex 1 Cor. 7. 4, 25. vocabulum supererogationis ex allegoria Samaritani Luc. 10. 15. Chemnit. They urge Matth. 19. 21. to prove these Counsels. Consilium persectionis vocamus opus bonum à Christo nobis non imperatum, sed demonstratum; non mandatum, sed commendatum. Bellarm. de Monachis, l. 2. c. 7. These are called Monastical Vows, because they are common to all that profess a Monastical life. Ipsum vocabulum du… haec includit, unum, ut qui supererogare statuatur, totum legis sensum absolvat, ne minimo quidem apic… praetermisso: Alterum, ut legem transvolet & transcendat, faciendo actiones non solum indebitas & minimè imperatas (quod quivis facere potest) sed faciendo actiones meliores, perfectiores, Deo gratiores, quam sunt istae quae in lege praecipiuntur. Episc. Dav. de justitia actuali, c. 42▪ Lex Dei …tem perata est ultimis viribus naturae integrae & primitus institutae: non igitur hanc legem transcendere potest, natura corrupt…, & nondumplene renovata. Apostolus hoc indi…avit ad Rom. 7. 14. quando legem Dei agnoscit spiritualem, & se carnalem &c. 8. 3. Est itaque insinitae superbiae simul & stultitiae, putare se posse facere opera supererogationis, hoc est (ipsis papistis authoribus) opera quaedam indebita, meliora, & sanctiora operibus legis. …n …laustrum se compingere, à carnium esu abstinere, prec…s ad certum numerum & certas horas indies demurmurare, non u…i conjugio, regulae humanitus inventae se subijcere, pro…ri…tati bonorum suorum renuntiare, sunt opera supererogationis solummodo sensu prophetico, Isa. 1. 12. non sensu papistico, quia opera à Deo in lege requisita vincunt & perfectione transcendunt. Id. ib. vide plura ibid. to themselves from it. They make children to vow which cannot deliberate, and bind them to keep it whether their parents will or no.
It is a question between us and the Papists, An dentur consilia Evangelica à praeceptis distincta? Whether there be Evangelical Counsels, or Counsels of perfection distinct from Precepts?
The Papists say, That in Gods Word there are Commands which belong to all, and Counsels which do teach some excellent heroical actions, which if a man do not he sins not, but yet if he do he shall have a greater reward in Heaven.
They call them one while Evangelical Counsels, because they are not commanded in the Law of Moses, but onelyonly commended in the Gospel of Christ; another while Counsels of Perfection, because they place a most perfect state and degree of Christian life in the observation of them; Superogatory works are good works done over and above enjoyned duty.
They mention three principal and substantial Counsels, Continence or single life, voluntary Poverty, and blinde Obedience. Now they say, God doth not command these things at all, but he counsels them as the best. Hence those only that do thus are called religious men, spiritual men, and perfect men; and those that do these things, they say do better and more things then God doth command. This Doctrine is suitable to flesh and bloud, which would have God to be a debtor to it.
A thing may be indifferent as a Counsel in the general nature of it, yet in particularAppellant Pontificij opera ista indebita qu… quis sponte, sine mandato ex talibus, ut vocant, consilijs praestat, nova ac van… voce. Opera Supererogationis (rectiûs Superarrogantiae appellarent) & docent ea coram Deo excellenter esse meritoria, non tantum pro ipsis qui ea praestant, sed etiam pro aliis, quibus per Indulgentias Papales, aut alia ratione applicantur, Hommii Disputat. Theol. adversus Pontificios. Disp. 29. Ipsum vocabulum duo haec includit; unum, ut qui supererogare statuatur, totum legis p…nsum absolvat, ne minimo quidem apice praetermisso: Alterum, ut legem transvolet & transcendat, faciendo actiones non solùm indebitas & minimè imperatas (quod quivis facere potest) sed faciendo actiones, meliores, perfectiores, Deo gratiores, quam sunt quae in lege praecipiuntur. Episc. Daven. de justitia habituali, cap. 42. Vide plura Ibid. to this or that man, it is a precept: as Marriage is not a command to all, yet in particular to him that thinks the not marrying is a greater advancement to Gods glory, and he hath the gift to do it, then it is a command to him, so Paul though he took nothing for the preaching of the Gospel as yet he might have done, yet because of that particular case he was in he was bound to do it.
2. When God hath appointed one end, he hath left divers waies or instrumenss to attain that end, it is left then to a mans choice to take which he will, onelyonly he is bound to strive to attain the end.
3. In good actions there is the inward work of the heart, and the outward circumstances, which being singular are not commanded, we cannot do more then the Word of God requireth for the inward, and for the outward the number i… not determined, as to pray three or four times, to give so much or so much.
These Vows are not lawful, because they are not in our power, and because they are repugnant to Christian Liberty and the common vocation of all Christians. Continence is not in our power, but is a singular gift of God: To submit ones self to any mortal man by a certain blinde obedience, as the Monks do, is repugnant to Christian liberty. To live by begging and the labours of others, doing nothing, is repugnant to the common vocation of men, to whom this ought to be a certain rule, He that doth not labour, let him not eat. Therefore it is not lawfull to vow such things!
2. They are not profitable, much less necessary (as they are used by the Papists) but pernicious to the Christian Church. From the Vow of Continence arose abominable filthinesses of all kinds in the Monks Cloysters. From the Vow of feigned Poverty arose so many kinds of unprofitable drones, which devour the honey of the sedulous Bees. From the Vow of blinde and absolute Obedience, flow such execrable insolencies against the lives of Princes, and such horrible treasons as have frequently been perpetrated by the Jesuites.
Of the Vow of Continence.
The Papists much prefer a single life before a wedded estate, holding that theIerome doth immoderately commend Virginity. very indifferent actions of a Votary, viz. to eat or drink, are to be preferred before the best actions of the conjugall estate, as to pray, hear, or receive Sacraments, and that the entring into this estate is as good as Baptism; so that whosoever shouldNup…iae terram replent, virgi… nitas paradisum, l. 1. contra Jovin. die immediately after that Vow, should certainly be saved.
The vowed single life among the Papists, is so far from being a state of perfection or supererogation, as that it is for the most part a sinful estate in respect of making the Vow. For it is a sin to vow that which a man doth not know to be lawful,And he reasons thus from those words of the Apostle, It is good for a man not to touch a woman; if it be good not to touch, therefore it is evil to touch. The Papists urge 2 Tim. 2. 3, 4. for the single life of Priests, and we alledge 1 Tim. 3. 24. & Heb. 13. 4. for the lawfulness of Ministers Marriage. Doctrina quae in concili… Tridentino obtinuit, in quo matrimonia parentibus invitis à filiis famili i… contracta, fuerunt validata, non minus est Doctrina D…moniorum; quam alia, qua prohibent matrimonium personis Ecclesiasti…. Rivetus in c. 24. Gen. 57. Exercit. 111. or not in his own power, Matth. 19. 11.
The Vow of Continence, whereby a man promiseth to God to keep chastity alwaies in single life; that is, out of our state of wedlock. Against this Vow makesAbbot against Bishop. that 1 Cor. 7. 9. Cardinal Campegius doubted not to say, That it is a greater sin for Priests to be married, then to keep many Harlots at home.
Abraham was twice married, the rest of the Patriarchs were married men, and so the Priests, the Prophets and Apostles, and almost all the Scripture setteth beforeId. Ib. us, as examples of perfection.
Religious single life is Angelical, Rhem. on Matth. 22. 30. It is a slender praise to be like unto the Angels in that they neither marry nor are married. For since the Angels have no aptness nor ability unto the company of women, as those which have no bodies, it can be small praise unto them to abstain. Married persons have not been inferiour unto Virgins in their prompt obedience unto Gods will, wherein the Angels are set up for patterns unto us, as Abraham, Isaac, Iacob, Moses, David, Hezekiah, Peter. Cartwright on Rhem. Test. Vide Spanhem. de Dub. Evang. Dub. 28.
The Papists hold marriage an unclean thing, and yet make it a Sacrament.Dr. Clark. If marriage be unclean, Adam sinned in his perfect esta…, he sinned before the f…ll, he sinned before he sinned.
The Pope and Priests in detestation of the marriage of Ministers, do for this cause brand Protestants with the terms of carnal, fleshly, and beastly Ministers.
Iohn Haymond our Epigrammatist told Queen Mary her Clergie was saucy, ifIn a Synod at London Anselme forbad Priests marriage in England, and in the next yeer were discovered a great company of Sodomites among them. they had not their wives they would have Lemmans,
The Popish Votaries, according to the French Proverb, have a Law not to marry,Veteres Patres Cyprianus, Epiphanius, Hieronymus, si quis fortè voverit se velle vivere vitam caelibem, & postea vivat impurè, nec possit incondia cupiditatum cohibere, satius esse dicunt, ut ducat uxorem, & sese castè gerat in matrimonio, at que illud ipsum matrimonium, vetus pater Augustinus, ratum & firmum esse judicat, nec oportere revocari: Isti, eum qui se voto semel obstrinxerit, quantumvis uratur postea, quantumvis scortetur, quantumvis flagitiosè, & perditè contaminetur, tam…u illura non sixunt uxorem ducere: aut si fortè duxerit, tamen negant illud esse matrimonium: & satius multo & sanctius esse do…nt, cono…binam aut scortum alere, quam ita vivere. Mocket. Apol. Eccles. Anglic. and a Custome not to live chaste. Dr. Taylor, that couragious Martyr, said at his parting, Blessed be God for holy Matrimony. That Proverb, Si non caste saltem caute, came first from the Papists.
The Greek Church saith, He cannot be in Holy Orders that is married: The Reformed Church saith, He may be in holy Orders that is married, and convertibly.
II. Of the Vow of Poverty.
It is a blessing of God to be in a state to give rather then to receive, Psal. 109. 10. Therefore to renounce that state wherein God hath made one able to give, is wilfully to renounce the blessing of God. That place is unanswerable, Eccles. 7. 11. because hereby more good may be done.
The person vowing poverty is either rich or poor; if poor, he voweth to leave all, when he hath nothing at all to leave; if rich, and voweth to give away all for merits sake, he sins against faith, because he sets up his own merits as if Christs were not fully enough.
2. Poverty is in it self an evil, therefore Agur prayes against it, Prov. 31. because of the temptations that are in it. It is unlawful for a man to put himself willingly into that condition in which there are many dangers of sinning.
3. This hinders a greater Good, as the Offices of Charity and Liberality, and therefore may not be vowed.
For the blinde obedience of Superiours, I have touched upon that before, and the mentioning of it is a sufficient confutation. The Jesuites vow to their Generals and their Superiours, not onelyonly an obedience of will, but also of judgement, which they call a blinde obedience.
They are a kinde of Regulars professing obedience to the Pope and their General,I finde the Polander had reason when he said that the Society of the Jesuites was a Sword, whose Scabbert was in France, but the handle of it in Spain, or at Rome, where the General of the Jesuites abides; for the first motion to draw this Sword comes from thence. A Refut. of C…tto… 's Letter to the Queen Regent. at whose sending they must of free cost preach wheresoever they be sent. They may rather be called Jebusites.
Mr. Ball in his larger Catechisme, after the handling of the Ordinances, before he treats of the Commandments, speaks of the spiritual Combate, and two other fruits of Faith; which Method I shall here the rather follow, because I have not yet discussed that Subject.
The first Question then to be resolved, is, What follows the purifying of the heart by faith?
Ans. A fighting and combating against sin and corruption, Rom. 7. ult. Gal. 5. 17. a Law in the Flesh and in the Spirit; there is alwaies bellum, though not alwaies praelium betwixt the Flesh and the Spirit.
In the state of Nature men are wholly in the Flesh, and not in the Spirit; in the state of Glory they are wholly in the Spirit, and not in the Flesh; in the state of Grace there is both Flesh and Spirit.
As long as there is a mixture of Principles, there will be a mixture of our actions, a Christians life is nothing but a checker-work of light and darkness.
The Flesh resists Divine Admonition before, and in, and after conversion; but though it may resist God exhorting, yet it cannot resist God regenerating, as dead flesh cannot resist God raising it from the dead. In the first moment of conversion the Flesh cannot lust against the Spirit, since that is filled up by introducing the Spirit and regenerating the man.
The nature of this Fight,
First, It is the contrary renitency between the Flesh and the Spirit, in the whole course of a mans life.
1. There is an habitual enmity of one against the other in the bent of ones spirit, he is disposed both waies all the daies of his life, the Will doth will and nill sin, and Grace, loveth God and sin, there is a proneness to both sides.
2. An actual Opposition, when the faculties of the soul are to act on any thing that fals under a Rule, they both close with it in all holy actions or sins. Both these have their seconds to joyne with them, Grace hath its second, and Corruption its second, the Devil and World side with the one, and the Spirit of God and holy Angels side with the other. The Devil by suggesting to the Flesh sinful thoughts, presenting objects and taking all advantages. The world joynes with it, 1. All wicked men. 2. Things and state of the world, prosperity and adversity, 1 Iohn 2. 15, 16. they feed these Lusts, Riches, Honours, Pleasures. The Power of God, the Intercession of Christ, the in-dwelling vertue of the Holy Ghost joyne with Grace, the Holy Ghost by his exciting and assisting grace, by chasing the Devil away.
A natural conscience may fight against sin as well as a renewed, when a mans conscience is tempted to sin often, and Satan and corruption will take no denial (when conscience yet resists) this is properly a fight, this may be in natural conscience, Numb. 22. 13. Dav. Psal. 73. 13.
The difference between the fighting of the natural conscience, and of the renewed conscience with sin:
1. The conflict in a natural man is between Conscience and the Will and Affections, the Will carries the Soul one way, Conscience another, 2 Pet. 2. 15. In a regenerate man the fight is in the same faculty between Conscience and Conscience, there is Sin and Grace in every faculty, a party in the Will for Grace, and another for Sin, this is properly the fight between the Flesh and Spirit in the regenerate, id patiebar invitus quod faciebam volens Ang. The Angels and Saints in Heaven are all for good, the Devils and damned all for evil. One saith it is an apparent errour to affirm, that a godly man cannot sin with a full consent of will, Gal. 5. 17. Sanctification is in every faculty, 1 Thess. 5. 23. 1 Iohn 5. 4. Two things will make it plain, 1. An antecedent and concommitant willingness and unwillingness;Vide Am…s. l. 2. de …onsc. c. 1…. dc lacta Spiritus & carnis. See also Mr. M…nton on Jam. 4. 7. p. 419. & 426. before the sin one may seem very unwilling while the lust and objects are kept asunder, but bring them together, the natural conscience presently sins. 2. There is a willingness perse, and per accidens, a wicked man loves sin but for Hell.
2. The fight in a natural conscience never puts sin out of dominion, Rom. 6. 12, 14. There may be in natural man an opposition of flesh against flesh, corruption against corruption; he may strive against all sin from the dictates of his understanding and his conscience, but his will is never troubled at it. This opposition is but weak and treacherous, he hath no will to any good, but a kind of woulding that is but now and then; the opposition of the Spirit to the flesh is everlasting and irreconcileable.
Why doth not the prevailing party keep the other under when it hath gotten the victory?
A good man hath a twofold strength:
1. Habitual, a readiness to that which is good and against evil, by the work of Regeneration which gives him a Will.
2. Actual strength, the assisting power of the Holy Ghost, which calleth out the graces that are in us, strengthens them; God is a free Agent, when his assistance is withdrawn sin prevaileth.
Nature opposeth sin with worldly weapons, carnal considerations, I shall lose my credit; the Spirit with heavenly weapons, the Word of God, I shall offend God, grieve the Spirit.
The Flesh gets the better of nature, and at last prevails; the Flesh is worsted by the Spirit.
Sanctification is an imperfect work in this world, we are adopted, reconciled, justified, as much at first as ever, but sanctified by degrees. The imperfection of Sanctification stands in three things, 1. All the habits of Grace are weak. 2. There remaineth still a whole body of corruption. 3. All the acts which they perform here are mixt.
A wicked man may have fighting about corruption, as Pilate had a conslict with his own soul before he gave sentence against Christ. There is a fivefold difference (say some) between the war in the godly and this in the wicked: In the regenerate man there is the flesh against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; in the unregenerate there is only flesh contending with it self on several considerations, on the one side flesh lusting after a present content, and at the same time flesh fearing an after reckoning. 2. In the unregenerate the strife is betwixt Reason and Conscience inlightened, and the inordinate affection; but in the regenerate man faculty against faculty in the whole man, in the will somewhat which closeth with sin, and somewhat which abominates it. 3. In the Matter, in the unregenerate the contest is onelyonly about gross sins; the gracious heart is against sin, as sin, and consequently against every sin. 4. In the end they propound, the unregenerate man to stop the clamours of his conscience, and secure his soul from the danger of Hell; the godly man, to destroy the body of sin, and please God in all things. 5. In the effects, the unregenerate man is given up to walk in the waies of sin; but in Gods servants, the longer the warre is continued, the more corruption is mortified, and Grace grows in him.
It seems their estate then in the second Adam is not better then it was in the first Adam, where there was no such mixture; Adam's happiness consisted in the perfection of his Sanctification, theirs in the perfection of their Justification, Ephes. 5. 27. 2. His happiness continued but a while, theirs shall last for ever. 3. This state conduceth much to Gods glory and their own spiritual good. 1. They live in a continual dependance, slie to God still, and rely on him. 2. They are kept humble, and long for a full fruition of Christ, Rom. 18. 23. & 7. 24. 2 Cor. 5. 2. Those actions they perform are in some respect more acceptable then that of Adam in innocency, or the Angels in Heaven, because done with conflict and self-denial.
The other fruits of Faith are:
1. A renouncing of all evil in affection, and of gross sin in life and conversation, 1 Iohn 2. 1. Then in a Gospel-sense we are said not to sin when we cast off, and are free from all gross and scandalous sins, and do carefully avoid and make conscience of the least and most secret sin, 1 Sam. 12. 3, 4, 5. Luke 1. 16.
The Schoolmen and Casuists agree with the Protestants in this, That converting Grace cannot stand with the voluntary practice of any one sin. Every Saint lives in the practice of sin through ignorance, and is often overtaken with known sin: through the strength of temptation; as David did often lie, some think it was the sin of his nature, Remove from me the way of lying, but he makes not choice of a way of sin. No godly man allows himself in the practice of any known sin, 1 Iohn 1. 6. Sinneth not] he means it not of acting sin, see 1. 8. but alloweth not himself in the practice of known sins; see chap. 3. 7, 8, & 9. verses, & 2. 4. 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10. Gal. 5. 19, 21. Ephes. 5. 5, 6. 1 Thess. 4. 6, Rev. 2. 8. ul…. & 22. 15. Mark 8. 43. to the end of 48.
Reasons,
1. Whoever is effectually called, is called to turn from all sin, Ezek. 18. 30, 31.
2. He is called to turn to God, Ier. 4. 1.
3. The Authority of God is violated as well by the allowance and willing committing of one sin as by all, Iam. 2. 10, 11. He that gave one command gave the rest, Quod propter Deum fit aequaliter fit.
4. Christ denies salvation to those that do not repent, and it is no repentance except we turn from all sin, Rom. 11. 26. Tit. 2. 14.
2. There are many helps against outward gross sins, 2 Tim. 3. 5. God is much dishonoured by such sins; men generally condemn such as wicked, they say such a man is a drunkard, a whoremaster. Some Christians have attained to that perfection, that after their repentance they have not deliberately committed any gross sin, as Paul, Zachary, and Elizabeth, Luke 1. 6. Iob, and they may attain to it, yet it is not so necessary to repentance as it must be in all, then we shall shut our David, Noah, Ionah, and Lot, because God is pleased to shew the variety of his Grace.
II. A love and delight in that which is good, joyned with a sincere desire, purpose and indeavour, daily to amend whatsoever is amiss, and to lead a life according to the Law of God, Thy testimonies are my delight, Psal. 40. 8. Isa. 58. 13, 14. Cant. 1. 4. & 2. 4. Isa. 26. 6, 9. Psal. 73. 25.
Obedience to Christ flows from Faith. Rom. 1. it is called the obedience of Faith, it flows from Faith three waies:
1. Because Faith joyns the soul to Christ, from whom alone we receive strength for every good.
2. Because it teacheth the soul to acquiesce and rest constant with those Arguments that the Lord useth to perswade us.
3. Faith commands all other Graces, I believed, therefore I spake, and so, I believe, therefore I hear and meditate, Christ is my husband, therefore I must obey him. David a man after my own heart, he will fulfill all my will, Heb. 10. 7. Gods will should not onelyonly be the rule, but reason of our actions. We may do the will of God, and yet not do it because he wils it.
1. The people of God are redeemed wholly from the Ceremonial Law, Col. 2. 14. When Christ the substance was come, these shadows ceased; it is a great mercy to be delivered from these Rites, burdensome to the Jews, and impossible to the Gentiles, Acts 15. 18.
They are not delivered from the Law as a Rule, then
1. There would be no sin or duty, but men might live as they list, Rom 4. 17.
2. If the Law were blotted out, the Image of God might be blotted out, which consists in holiness and righteousness, it is Gods immutable Image, Heb. 8. 10.
3. Christ died that we might have Grace to fulfil the Law, Rom. 8. 3, 4. Phil. 1. 21.
We are (notwithstanding our defects) bound to strive after perfection, the indeavour is required, Phil. 2. 11, 12. that is, our state after the resurrection. 2. We are obliged to bemoan every defect and failing, 3. These weaknesses thus bewailed (where there is sincerity) shall not hurt us. God speaks of such as are upright and sincere, as if they had satisfied the Law, 1 King. 4. 18. 2 Kings 23. 20. 4. Then are we sincere, when we have constant care to love and please God, and our weaknesses not allowed but resisted, and bewailed if we fall, Ier. 8. 4.
Faith doth not single out its Object, nor Obedience its Command, Psal. 119. 6. Faith believes all promises, all truths, and obedience respects every precept.
The End of the eighth Book.