A Treatise of Christian Religion, Chapter 10
CHAP. 10.
Of Originall and Actuall ſinne, and the guilt and puniſhment thereof.
The conſequent of their fal in their poſterity, is the
Guilt of Adams ſinne imputed.
Effect thereof:
Sinne,
Originall.
Actuall.
The conſequent of ſin,
Guilt.
Puniſhment, in Chap. 11.
ROM. chap. 5. verſ. 12. 13. 14.
12. Wherefore, as by one man ſinne entred into the world, and death by ſinne: and ſo death paſſed vponupon all men, for that all hauehave ſinned.
13. For vntill the Law ſinne was in the world: but ſinne is not imputed when there is no Law.
14. Neuertheleſſe, death raigned from Adam to Moſes, euen ouer them that had not ſinned after the ſimilitude of Adams tranſgreſſion, who is the figure of him that was to come.
EZRA chap. 9. verſ. 6.
6. And ſaid, O my God, I am aſhamed, and bluſh to lift vp my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are encreaſed ouer our head, and our treſpaſſe is growne vp vntounto the heauens.
Q. HItherto of the Fall of our firſt parents, and the miſerable effects thereof in their owne perſons: now we are to conſider the like fruites and effects that it had in their poſterity: as it is declared, Roman. 5. 12. 13. 14. Ezra 9. 6. Rom. 6. 24. Tell me therefore what is the principall ſcope of this firſt place?
A. To ſhew, that the ſinne of one Adam eating the forbidden fruit, is the ſinne of all men.
Q. How is the ſinne called the ſinne of one man, when as both Adam and Euah ſinned, which are two; and ſeeing Euah ſinned before Adam?
A. Becauſe all mankind was originally, and more properly (according to the phraſe of the Scripture) in the loynes of Adam, then in the loynes of Eue: Beſides, by Adams eating, the ſinne was compleat and ful.
Q. What ground is there, that all the poſterity of Adam ſhould ſinne in that one ſinne, that they neuer committed?
A. The reaſon hereof is, becauſe all mankind was in Adams loynes, when he ſinned.
Q. This reaſon ſeemeth to be as doubtfull, as the queſtion it ſelfe.
A. But it may be explained by the example of Abraham, Heb. 7. 9. 10.in whom Leui is ſaid to hauehave paid tithes to Melchiſedeck, which was not borne ſome hundred yeeres after: alſo by the example of Rebecca, who hauing two ſonnes in her wombe, is ſaid to hauehave two Gen. 25. 23.Nations.
Q. Is there any proofe hereof out of this place?
A. Yea verily: for beſides that, it is expreſſely ſaid, that By one, ſinne entred into all, it is further implied by compariſon thus: Euen as the righteouſnes of Chriſt is reckoned to thoſe that beleeue in him, although it be not their owne, becauſe they are one with Chriſt; ſo the ſinne of Adam is reckoned to all his poſteritie, becauſe they were in him, & of him, & one with him.
Q. Can you ſhadow out this vntounto me by any reſemblance of earthly things?
A. We ſee, that by the act of generation in leprous parents, the parents leproſie infecteth the children: and the ſlauiſh and villanous eſtate of the parents is communicated vntounto all their ofſpring. And the treaſon of one man tainteth his whole poſterity, till it pleaſe the Prince, out of his compaſſion, to pardon it.
Q. Then it appeareth, that by propagation from our last parents, we are become partakers of the tranſgreſsions of our firſt parents?
A. Euen ſo: and for the ſame tranſgreſſion of our firſt parents, by the moſt righteous iudgement of God, we are conceiued in ſin, and borne in iniquity.Pſalm. 51. 5.
Q. What call you that Inborne ſinne, wherein eueryevery one is conceiued?
A. It is called Originall ſinne, which is a ſinne ariſing from the former, whereof all the poſterity of Adam are equally guiltie; and whereby all the powers of the ſoule and body being infected, we are made drudges and ſlaues of ſinne.
Q. Seeing by the Law ſinne is, and the Law was not before Moſes; it ſeemes, that there is no ſinne vntill Moſes?
A. When it is ſaid, the Law was not before Moſes, it is to be vnderſtood of the written Law in the tables of ſtone by the finger of God; and other lawes ceremoniall and politicall, written by Moſes, at the commandement Rom. 2. 15.of God: for otherwiſe the law (the ceremoniall excepted) was written in the heart of man, and after the decay thereof (through ſin) was taught by thoſe to whom that belonged, from the fall, vntounto Moſes.
Q. Whom doth the Apostle meane, when he noteth them that ſinned not to the ſimilitude of Adam?
A. Infants, who are borne in ſinne, and who ſinne not by imitation, but by an inherent corruption of ſin.
Q. How is it ſhewed, that babes new borne into the world, ſinne?
A. In that they are afflicted ſundrie waies, which they bewray by their bitter cries: & in that they comming out of the mothers wombe, go ſtraight vntounto the graue.
Q. What are the fruites of this ſinne?
A. Actuall ſinne, viz. all thoughts, words & deeds againſt the Law, and the righteouſneſſe thereof.
Q. Thus much of ſinne and the kindes thereof; what are the things that generally follow ſinne?
A. They are two: guilt, and puniſhment; both which doe moſt duely waite vponupon ſinne, to enter with it; and cannot by any force or cunning of man, or Angell, be holden from entring vponupon the perſon, that ſin hath already entred vponupon.
Q. What is the guilt of ſinne?
A. It is the merit and deſert of ſinne, whereby wee become ſubiect to the wrath and puniſhment of God.
Q. Is there any euill in the guilt, before the puniſhment be executed?
A. Very much: for it worketh vnquietneſſe in the mind; as when a man is bound in an obligation vponupon a great forfeiture, the very obligation it ſelfe diſquieteth him; eſpecially if he be not able to pay it (as wee are not): and yet more, becauſe where other debts hauehave a day ſet for paiment, we know not whether the Lord will demand by puniſhment his debt, this day before the morrow.
Q. What learne you from this?
A. That ſith men ſhould ſhun by all meanes to bee in other mens debts or danger, as alſo the Apoſtle exhorteth, Owe nothing to any man; & Salomon alſo counſelleth Rom. 13. 8. Pro. 6. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.in the matter of ſuerty-ſhip; wee ſhould more warily take heed, that wee plunge not our ſelues ouer head and eares in the Lords debt: for if it be a terrible thing to bee bound to any man in ſtatutes, ſtaple, or marchant, or recogniſance; much more to bee bound to God, who will bee paid, by one meanes or other, to the vttermoſt farthing.
Q. How elſe may the hurt and euill of the guilt of ſinne be ſet forth vntounto vsus?
A. It is compared to a ſtroke that lighteth vponupon the hart or ſoule of a man, where the wound is more dangerous, 1. Sam. 24. 4. 5. 6▪ Prou. 23. 32.then when it is in the body; and ſo it is alſo a ſting, or a biting, worſe then of a viper, as that which bringeth death euerlaſting.
Q. HaueHave you yet wherewith to ſet forth the euill of the guilt?
A. It ſeemeth when the Lord ſaith to Cain, If thou Gen. 4. 7. Rom. 2. 15.doeſt not well, ſinne lieth at the doore, that hee compareth the guilt of ſinne to a dog, which being awaken, is alwaies arring and barking againſt vsus: which is confirmed by the Apoſtle, who attributeth vntounto it a mouth, Rom. 2. 15.alwaies open to accuſe vsus, and that of no ſmal matters, but of faults deſeruing eternall death.
Q. What is the effect of this guilt of conſcience?
A. It cauſeth a man to flie, when none purſueth; Prou. 28. 1. Leuit. 26. 36.and to be afraid euen at the fall of a leafe.
Q. When a man doth not know whether hee ſinne or no, how can he be ſmitten, or bitten, or barked at, or flie for feare? and therefore against all this euill, ignorance ſeemeth to bee a ſafe remedie.
A. It is farre otherwiſe: for whether a man know it or no, his guiltremaineth: as debt is debt, although the perſon indebted know it not, and it is by ſo much more dangerous, as not knowing it; hee will neuer bee carefull to ſeeke after the meanes to diſcharge it, till the Lords arreſt bee vponupon his backe, when his knowledge will doe him no good.
Q. But we may ſee, that many heape ſinne vponupon ſinne, and know alſo that they ſin, and yet for all that, ceaſe not to make good chere, and make their hearts merrie: in ſo much as none are more iocund and pleaſant then they.
A. Yet the countenance doth not alwaies ſpeake Prou. 14. 13. 2. Cor. 5. 12.truth, but ſometimes when in ſhew it is moſt merrie, there are prickes and ſtings in the conſcience; and though it be oftentimes benummed, and ſometimes through hypocriſie ſeared (as it were with an hot iron) 1. Tim. 4. 2.yet the Lord will finde a time to awaken and reuiue it, by laying all his ſinnes before his face.Pſal. 50. 21.
Q. When the guilt of our ſinne is knowne, what is the remedie of it?
A. Firſt, it were wiſedome, not to ſuffer it to runne long on the ſcore; but to reckon with our ſelues eueryevery night, ere wee lie downe to ſleepe, and looke backe to to the doings of that day: that in thoſe things that are well done, we may be thankfull, and comfort our own hearts; and in that which hath paſſed otherwiſe from vsus, we may call for mercy, that ſo our ſleepe may be the ſweeter. For if (as Salomon aduiſeth vsus) in the caſe of Prou. 6. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.debt by ſuertyſhip, it be our wiſedome to humble our ſelues to our Creditors; and not to take reſt, til we hauehave freed our ſelues from their danger: much more ought we in this caſe to be wiſe, to haſt to humble ourſelues vntounto God, eſpecially ſeeing nothing elſe but the blood of Chriſt, can ſatisfie the Iuſtice of God for ſinne.
Q. Is the guilt of ſinne in all men alike?
A. Of Originall ſinne it is, but not of Actuall; for Ezra. 9. 6.as Actuall ſinnes exceed in ſome aboue others, both in greatneſſe, and number, ſo the guilt of them encreaſeth accordingly. As appeareth, Ezra 9. 6. where ſinne is ſaid to be gone aboue their heads, and the guilt thereof to reach vp to the heauens.
Q. When the ſinne is gone and paſt, is not the guilt alſo gone and paſt?
A. No: but though the act of ſinne be gone, ſo as Prou. 23. 32. Mat. 17. 3-5.the leaſt print thereof appeareth not, yet the guilt remaineth alwaies, as the marke of burning, when the burning is paſt.
Q. What is contrary to the guilt of ſinne?
A. The teſtimonie of a good conſcience, which is Prou. 15. 15. 2. Cor. 1. 12. Prou. 18. 14.perpetuall ioy and comfort, yea and a heauen to him that walketh carefully in Gods obedience; as the other is a helliſh torment vntounto men, eſpecially when their conſciences ſhall be awakened.