Gospel Truth Stated and Vindicated, Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII. Of the Hurt that Sin may do to Believers.
TRUTH. IT's true of Believers, that if Sin should have Dominion over them, they would thereby be subject to Condemnation. And though the Grace of God will prevent the Dominion of Sin in every elect Believer, and so keep them from eternal Death; yet true Believers may by Sin bring great hurt upon themselves in Soul and Body, which they ought to fear, and they may expect a share in National Judgments, according as they have contributed to common Guilt.
ERROUR. The grossest Sins that Believers can commit, cannot do them the least harm; neither ought they to fear the least hurt by their own Sins, nor by National Sins; yea, though themselves have had a hand therein.
Proved that this is Dr. Crisp's Opinion.
P. 510, 511. They need not be afraid of their Sins, they that have God for their God; there is no Sin that ever they commit, can possibly do them any hurt: Therefore, as their Sins cannot hurt them, so there is no cause of Fear in their Sins committed, &c. There is not one Sin, nor all the Sins together of any Believer, can possibly do that Believer any real hurt. This he attempts to prove from Rom. 7. Some will be ready to say, here is a Fear of Sin: Oh wretched Man, that I am! Who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death? But give me leave to tell you, that the Apostle in this Chapter, as I conceive, doth personate a scrupulous Spirit, and doth not speak out his present Case, &c. Obj. Sure the Doctor only meaneth, that Sin shall not damn them. A. Hear him putting this Case: You will say no Condemnation in Hell; but yet as there are Remainders of Sin in God's own People, so there will some Evil or other fall upon the Commission of Sin. He summs up his Answer thus: Now Sin is condemned to the Believer, it can do no hurt at all to him. P. 513. Sins are but Scare-crows and Bug-bears to fright ignorant Children; but Men of Insight and Understanding, see they are counterfeit things, &c, they are to know for certain, it is but a mad thing, there is no Fear from the Sins of Believers, all the Terrour and Fearfulness of Sin, Christ himself hath drunk it, &c. Sin is dead, and there is no more Terrour in it, than is in a dead Lion. P. 515. He shews, that the Sins of the Nation cannot hurt God's People, though they had a hand in them. P. 429. Are you sinful in respect of the Prevalency of Corruption? Let it not come into your Thoughts that you are worse than others, or less than others. P. 522. So oft as Men fear Affliction from Sin committed, so oft do they slander the Grace of God. See P. 429, 413, 510, 562, 559.
Wherein the Difference is not.
1. It is not, Whether God will preserve elect Believers from eternal Condemnation, by keeping them from the Dominion of Sin? 2. Nor whether a justified Person be freed from the Curse of the Law, or the Sanction of the Law of VVorks. 3. Nor whether a Believer should fear his eternal Condemnation no farther than his Sins bring his Sincerity in question, or lead to Security or Apostacy. 4. Nor whether God may in Soveraign Mercy, spare to execute those Rebukes, National or Personal, which a godly Man's Sins may expose him to. 5. Nor whether God may, and can, over-rule the Sin of a Believer afterwards to his Benefit. All these I affi…m. 6. Nor whether the Afflictions of the Godly be the Execution of the damnatory Curse of the Law, or any Satisfaction or Atonement for Sin? This I deny, and add, that Christ alone satisfied Justice.
The real Difference.
1. Whether, according to the Gospel-rule, if a Believer should yield up himself to the Dominion of Sin, he should perish? This I affirm, and the Doctor denies, against plain Texts directed to Believers; as Rom. 8. 13. 2. VVhether a Believer, falling into such Sins, as Idolatry, Murther, &c. ought not to awe his Soul against Security, with lively thoughts of Damnation; and if he continue long herein, ought not he to suspect the State of his Soul, as in danger of Hell? This I affirm, and the Doctor denies; and thereby he renders the Gospel-threatnings, as urged by the Spirit on the Hearts of Believers, to be all foolish. 3. VVhether Christ is at liberty sharply to afflict a justified Person for provoking Sins, though he be secured against Soul-destroying Judgments? This I affirm, and the Doctor denies. 4. VVhether a Believer, falling into great Sins, ought to fear God's present Rebukes for such Sins? This I affirm, and the Doctor denies. 5. VVhether great Offences be a real hurt to a Believer, and oft brings on him much present harm. This I affirm, and the Doctor denies. The Case of National Sins is concluded as these be, and I have elsewhere spoken to.
The Truth Confirmed.
The principal Point to be proved, is, That Sins do a Believer hurt; this will convince us of the rest, for as it brings hurt, it is the Object of Fear in all that wisely resent things. And as any threatned Affliction is caused by it, it argues a Power reserved in Christ so to threaten and afflict: both which I have proved, Chap. 13. One would think a little Labour will serve to prove a Point, which the Feeling and Experience of all Men plead for; yet take a Hint of those Heads of Arguments which might be improved.
1. Sin it self is a great hurt to any Man guilty of it, or pestered with it: It's so called, Jer. 8. 11. Its a Wound, or we need no Healing; it's a Defilement, or we need no Washing; it's a Crime, or what's Forgiveness? it's a going astray, or where's the Use of Returning? it's a Weakness, or Strengthning after it were needless. Is that no harm, which is a Blemish to our Natures, the Disease of our Souls, the Disorder of our State, in reference to God and our selves, as depending on him. If Sin be no harm, why should we pray against it? Why doth God so warn us still against it? Why doth Grace so oppose it? Why doth the Spirit strive against it? Wherefore do we praise God for preventing it? On what Account hath God made it the Duty of Magistrates and Parents to punish for it? and of Ministers to censure the Transgressors? If it's become so innocent in his People, Why doth Christ complain so oft of it? Why should the Doctor tell us, we should fear it before we commit it, though not after? Why should Saints desire Heaven to be rid of Sin? Can that be a small Mischief, that dishonoureth God, reproacheth the Name of Christ, grieves the Spirit, pleases the Devil, offends the Good, hardens the Wicked, puts the tender Heart on Mourning for it in it self, yea, in others? Psal. 119. 136. If Sin be no hurt, Grace and Holiness, as the Contraries to it, are not Good; nothing is a Blessing, as a Prevention of it. Where shall I stop? Yet each of these refer to the Sins of God's own People, and some of them more affect their Sins, than the Sins of other Men.
2. There's great Hurt befalls God's People for committing Sin. Doth not God hide his Face? the Spirit abate its Influences? Is not the Conscience oft seared? the Heart oft less capable of Impressions by the VVord? the Soul streightned in Duty? great Decays in Grace and Vigour, too oft never recovered this side the Grave? Many are rendred incapable of Service by Reproach for Sin, or by Poverty, Diseases, &c. VVho hath not found by Sin, what he must call Hurt? VVhat Pains, Loss of Friends, Ruine on Estates, Blasts on Undertakings? Are VVars, Plagues, Fire, Removal of Ordinances, Famine, cursed Relations, &c. no Hurt? Sure so many will not be proselyted to this Opinion, as to Transubstantiation. But what can. be offered for it? Obj. God will order all this for the good of a Believer; therefore none of these hurt him. 1. A. I do not know where God hath promised, ThatSin shall do us good, and in its Nature it hath no aptness to Good, and the best Good it can do, is to prevent it self. Rom. 8. 28. saith, All things shall work together for good, &c. But it speaks of Sufferings for Christ, not Sins against him; and though God should over-master it to some Concurrence for Good, yet it were a greater Mercy to receive that same Good by other Means. 2. A. Though Sins, or corrective Afflictions may be ruled to do us good, yet that doth not hinder, but that they do us hurt. This may be evinced, not only because it were a greater Mercy to have that Good another way, which, but for Sin, we should not miss of: But also 1. VVhatever God threatens to inflict, that thereby he may dissuade from Sin, must needs be a Hurt or Damage. It is not a Threatning, if it include no harm, and it's a Reproach to our God in his Government to think otherwise. VVhat confounding of Promises and Threats would it inferr? Doth not God intend to awe Men with some Hurt, when he saith, Rev. 2. 5. Remember, &c. or I will remove thy Candlestick out of its Place; and was this no hurt when it befell them? I might instance a thousand Places of this kind.
2. Saints, with God's Approbation, bewail and deprecate Sins, and Punishments for Sins, as a real Hurt. Why hast thou hardned our Hearts from thy Fear, &c. Isa. 63. 17. For the Hurt of the Daughter of my People, I am black, astonishment hath taken hold on me, Jer. 8. 21. The Book of Lamentations, Haman's, David's Moans are forgotten. Read Pauls Complaints of himself and others.
3. God himself accounts these things to hurt his People, for he calls it Patience and Long-suffering in him, to forbear inflicting them. He oft declares his Pity of his People, when under them, and a ceasing to Pity, when he inflicts them, Isa. 63. 9. Joel 2. 8. Jer. 13 4. The Removal of these he declares to be an Act of Mercy and Goodness. Read the Prophets, and you'll find what Terms he gives these: viz. Wounding, Smiting, Spoiling, &c. He oft testifieth against Insensibleness of these, as evil and afflictive things, and threatens to encrease them, to beget a duer sence of Sin and Judgments. Sure I need not add, That Mercies opposite to these are Blessings, and promised as such; all the good in Repentance argues the Hurt we get by Sin, and by the Effects of it. If these things will not prove Sin brings hurt, we must declare Patience in Saints to be no Grace, or find a new Description of what is a Hurt in this VVorld. The Doctor indeed calls us to this when Sin is made so innocent, and present with-holdings of more Grace from us is a Mercy; as he affirms, P. 541. Let me add, that by Sin, a Saint's degrees of Glory may be diminished in another VVorld; for sowing sparingly, he shall reap sparingly, and he therefore that shall break one of the least of these Commandements, and shall teach Men so, he shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven, Mat. 5. 19. That's unprofitable for you, Heb. 13. 17.
TESTIMONIES.
The Assembly, and Cong. Elders, chap. 19. a. 6 tell us, The Threatnings of the Law are of use to the Regenerate, to shew what even their Sins deserve, and what Afflictions in this Life they may expect for them, although freed from the Curse threatned in the Law. Chap. 18. a. 4 True Believers may have the Assurance of Salvation divers ways shaken and diminished, &c. by falling into some special Sin, which woundeth the Conscience, and grieveth the Spirit, by some vehement Temptation, by God's withdrawing the Light of his Countenance. Chap. 17. a. 3. Saints may fall into grievous Sins, and for a time continue therein; whereby they incurr God's Displeasure, and grieve his Holy Spirit; come to be deprived of some measure of their Graces and Comforts; have their Hearts hardened, and their Consciences wounded; hurt and scandalize others, and bring temporal Judgments on themselves.
Turretin, tells us, Instit. Theol. par. 2. p. 650. That a Believer falling into gross Crimes, incurreth the Fatherly Indignation of God, loseth a present Meetness for Glory, contracts damning Guilt: So that if he remain Impenitent in that State, he ought to conclude himself liable to Death, and certain to perish, except he return.
Do not Divines generally conclude, That if David had not repented of his gross Sins he fell into, he had perished? Dr. Owen as much discovers the hurt of Sins to Believers, as most Men do. See Mr. A. Burgess, of Justification, lib. 1. from 240. to 245.
The Grounds of the Doctor's Mistake.
Because there is no Eternal Condemnation lies against a Believer; therefore there is no penal Present Affliction upon a Believer: Whereas there's much hurt below Hell; and and that it is not Hell that follows the Sin of a Believer, is not from the Innocency of Sin, but the Grace of God that brings him to Repentance, and Faith in Christ for Remission. Because all Sufferings for Christ work for Good; therefore all Sins against Christ can do no Harm. But allow that Sins, and Sufferings for Sin, were included, then thus it reasoneth; Because God can and doth over-rule these to some good at last; therefore they do no harm in the mean while, nor in any degree. Because a Believer is freed from the damning Curse of the Law; therefore no Gospel-Threatning of Christ can reach him. Because some good Men are some times humbled and awakened by Sin, as it's an Evil; therefore to them it is not an Evil.