A Treatise of Self-Denial, Chapter 4 · Section 2 · Subsection 2 · Sub-subsection 7
The Seventh Direction.
7 Never parley with a temptation, either to the commiſſion of any known ſin, or to the omiſſion of any known duty.
1 Not to the commiſſion of any known ſin; I ſay any known ſin, which you know is either expreſly, or by conſequence forbidden in the word. For if you bee moved to the doing of any thing, which (for ought you can underſtand from the word) is neither expreſly, nor by conſequence forbidden, and this thought preſently ariſe in your hearts that it is unlawful, and therefore may not bee done. Here a parley is not onelyonly lawful, but a duty; that is, before you lay a reſtraint upon your ſelves (ſo as not to do it) out of a reſpect of unlawfulneſs, you are to conſider it, whether there bee any ſuch reſpect of unlawfulneſs put upon it by any negative command of God; for neither we, nor any other creatures either in heaven or earth, can make more ſins than God hath made, nor may wee out of conſcience lay a reſtraint upon our ſelves, where God hath laid none.
Many perſons have much wronged themſelves in this particular, by laying a conſcientious reſtraint upon themſelves from the doing of ſome actions, and the injoying of ſome things, which in their own nature are indifferent, and the forbearance whereof is not abſolutely neceſſary, nor (it may bee) in reſpect of their particular caſe, alwayes expedient; and hence they have yeelded to the doing of ſuch actions, and the enjoying of ſuch things oftentimes with wavering conſciences, even before they have been fully convinced of the lawfulneſs of them, ſo as to have done what they did out of faith.
Some (as it is ordinary amongſt the Papiſts) think they may not lawfully eat fleſh, nor drink wine, though the neceſſity of their bodies bee ſuch, that they cannot live without it, or that they may not lawfully eat above one meal a day, and that a very ſpare one too, whereas their ſtomach calls for more. Now while this opinion and conceit laſts, they dare not think it may bee done, and yet the appetite, and neceſſity of nature is ſuch, that it often puts them upon the uſe of theſe things notwithſtanding, and then afterwards conſcience flyes in their face for ſelf-pleaſing, and hypocriſie, and they have gone up and down diſquieted and perplexed all their dayes. And there is this ſnare in it likewiſe; It often puts men upon the commiſſion of ſome things that are expreſly forbidden, and the uſe of ſome things abſolutely unlawful. As amongſt the Papiſts, many that are in Orders (as they expreſs it) think it unlawful to marry; yet theſe, having not the gift of continency, fall often into the ſin of Fornication and Adultery; and hence again conſcience is diſquieted.
The caſe of ſuch perſons muſt needs bee very wretched and miſerable, which is plainly implied by the Apoſtle in thoſe words, Happy is the man that condemneth not himſelf in any thing which hee alloweth, Rom. 14.22. Hee cannot be happy, whoſe conſcience doth accuſe him for the doing of that, which hee eſteems as lawful to be done; for this man is as it were rackt betwixt two opinions, of the lawfulneſs and unlawfulneſs of what hee doth; he thinks hee may not do it, yet, that it is not unlawful in it ſelf, and others do it, therefore he doth it; and while hee is doing it, notwithſtanding his opinion of the lawfulneſs of it in the general, yet hee condemns himſelf, his doing it in particular, and makes himſelf worthy of condemnation too, in doing it before hee bee perſwaded out of the word of God, that hee approveth of it, though indeed hee do, and therefore it follows, verſ. 23. And hee that doubteth, is damned if he eat, becauſe hee eateth not of faith, and what ſoever is not of faith, is ſin; that is, whatſoever is done by any one out of a wavering conſcience, not fully aſſured that the work hee doth is pleaſing to God, as having warrant from his word, to him it is ſin.
Now as wee are not to do any thing which wee think is unlawful, while wee think it is unlawful; ſo wee are not to forbear out of conſcience of avoyding ſin, meerly by the not doing of it, untill wee bee aſſured that it is a ſin to do it, but ſearch the minde of God in the Scripture concerning it, whether it bee a ſin or not, and if not, wee are not to forbear it under that notion; nay though wee ſhould bee enjoyned by men to forbear ſuch things as are lawful in themſelves, under this notion of unlawfulneſs, wee are not to yeeld unto them. Let no man judge you (ſaith the Apoſtle) in meats and drinks, or in reſpect of an holy-day, Col. 2.16. and let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility, verſ. 18. as if hee had ſaid, Permit no man to uſurp a power of domineering over your conſiences, and of judging them guilty in theſe things, which now are not forbidden; and let no man take the prize which is held forth unto you, by drawing you aſide, under pretence of voluntary humility, to thoſe opinions and obſervances. The reaſon hee ſubjoyns, verſ. 20. For you are dead with Chriſt from the rudiments of the world, therefore you ought not be ſubject to them. What rudiments and ordinances theſe were, hee ſhews in the following words. Touch not, Taſte not, Handle not. Theſe were the doctrines and commands of ſuperſtitious men, and (you ſee) they were of forbearance of thoſe things which God had not forbidden, and therefore hee calls them, Ordidinances after the commandements and doctrines of men, verſ. 22. and in the next verſe, will-worſhip, which (notwithſtanding the ſhew of wiſdome and humility that is in it, in neglecting the body, yet) hath nothing of either of them in truth and reality, and therefore not to bee yeelded to upon any command of any man whatſoever.
This then (you ſee) is clear, that wee are not to forbear in things lawfull (if wee have occaſion to uſe them) under pretence of avoyding ſin, if God hath not forbidden the uſe of them; yet here this rule takes place, Till you know it not to bee a ſin, do it not. For when any thing is queſtionable, it is good to take the ſafeſt courſe, namely to forbear, it may be there is ſin in doing it, but I am ſure there is none in forbearing, I will not run upon a hazzard while all is well.
But now to come to that which is mainly intended, If it bee a known ſin to which you are moved, then do notkEa deliberanda omnino non ſunt in quibus eſt turpis ipſa deliberatio. Cic. Off. l. 11.1. deliberate whether you may do it or not; for it is already ſuppoſed that you know you may not, and now the caſe is clear, you may not do it, therefore do not admit of aparley, but give a preſent denial. A remarkable inſtance for this wee have in the ſtory of Joſeph, Gen. 39.7, 8. And it came to paſs after theſe things, that his Maſters wife cast her eyes upon Joſeph, and ſhee ſaid, Lye with mee, but hee refuſed, and ſaid, How can I do this great wickedneſs, and ſin againſt God? Well, ſee how ſhee follows him after this, and how hee perſiſts in denying her, verſ. 10. And it came to paſs as ſhee spake unto Joſeph day by day, that hee hearkned not unto her, to lye by her, or to bee with her, yet ſhee gives not over, for verſ. 11. when Joſeph went into the houſe to do his buſineſs, and there were none of the men of the houſe there within, ſhee caught him by his garment, ſaying, Lye with mee; but hee left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out; hee ſtayes not to parley with her, not ſo much as to reaſon with her againſt her lewd motion, becauſe the temptation came to ſuch an height, it was more ſafe to flye from it than to fight with it, and by this means hee preſerved his chaſtity. Nothing is better in this caſe than a peremptory denial. When Abiſhai would have perſwaded David to have ſlain Shimei, he gave him a peremptory denial, ſaying, What have I to do with you, yee Sons of Zerviah? So our Saviour, when Peter tempted him to ſave himſelf, hee gave him a peremptory denial, Get thee behinde mee Sathan. There is but little hope of denying our ſelves when once wee ſo far yeeld, as to conſult and parley in time of temptation. In any temptation, if Sathan can but obtain thus much, hee hath gotten half the victory. It is a ſign a beſieged enemy will not long hold out, when once hee yeelds to a Treaty. Wee ſee this in Eve, the firſt that ever was tempted, and the firſt that ever was overcome by temptation; Sathan ſaid unto her, Yea, hath God ſaid, yee ſhall not eat of every tree of the Garden? If this was the beginning of his ſpeech, it was very abrupt, but ſome think the words do preſuppoſe a precedent parley, wherein hee made his entrance into the matter in a more rhetorical manner. Shee ſhould have done as the deaf Adder that ſtops his ear, and will not hearken to the voyce of the Charmer, charm hee never ſo wiſely, Pſal. 58.4, 5. but ſhee had a mind to hear what Sathan could ſay, and ſo ere ſhee was aware, was perſwaded by him to taſte the forbidden fruit. Thus Balaam after hee had conſulted with the temptation, yeelds to curſe the people of God, Numb. 22.22. hee had a great minde to the reward that was promiſed, and therefore conſulted how far hee might yeeld. It is dangerous entertaining thoughts how far wee may yeeld, where wee ſhould not yeeld at all. While wee think to yeeld but a little, wee yeeld altogether.
If you would therefore deny your ſelves, follow this Direction, Do not deliberate in a caſe determined already by God himſelf. Cyprian being commanded by the Preſident to deliberate whether hee would obey, or bee killed? hee made anſwer, In re tam ſanct a non eſt deliberandum, in a matter wherein the glory of God is ſo much concerned, I may not deliberate. Take this courſe then, when you are tempted to any thing that is ſinful, chide away the temptation with an angry denial, ſay, Get thee hence Sathan. It is true Chriſt ſuffered himſelf to bee tempted again and again, three times following, before hee put the Tempter to flight; but this is not imitable by us, hee had ſtrength enough whereby to overcome the temptation when hee would, yet you ſee in the third temptation (for our imitation) he ſaid, Get thee hence Sathan. If you give not a peremptory denial at the firſt, you give the Devil ſome hopes of prevailing, and you will never bee rid of a temptation till you have done it. As for example, A beggar comes to your door, and is importunate for ſomething, you tell him you have nothing for him, the times are hard with you, you cannot ſerve every one that comes, with much more to this purpoſe; but all this will not make him bee gone, till you ſay peremptorily, let him ſtay never ſo long, you will give him nothing, and then hee goes his way. Why thus you muſt do with Sathan, which if you do, within a while hee will leave you. Reſiſt the Devil (ſaith the Apoſtle) and hee will flye from you, Jam 4.7. The French have a Proverb, When the Spaniard comes to parley of peace, then double bolt the door; ſo when Sathan comes to treat of ſinning, bar up the doors, give him no audience. He ſhoots in Satans bow, that thinks by parlying with him to put him off.
2 Not to the omiſſion of any known duty; I ſay as in the former particular, a known duty, that which you know is either expreſly or by conſequence commanded, elſe you are not to do it upon any termes under that notion; for as wee cannot make that to bee a ſin which God hath not made a ſin; ſo wee cannot make that to bee a duty, which God hath not made a duty. Where there is no Law (ſaith the Apoſtle) there is no tranſgreſſion; ſo where there is no Law, there is no obedience. Whatſoever therefore wee do as matter of obedience unto God, muſt have a command from God, elſe it is will-worſhip, and that is abominable. Cultus non inſtitutus non eſt acceptus, In vain do they worſhip mee (ſaith our Saviour) teaching for doctrine the commandements of men, Matth. 15.9. God threatens the ten Tribes, that they ſhall commit Whoredome, and ſhall not increaſe, becauſe (ſaith hee) they have left off to take heed to the Lord, Hoſ. 4.9, 10. that is (as ſome) in point of worſhip, that worſhip which they thought was moſt ſuitable to their own politick ends, that worſhip they ſet up, but by this they provoked the Lord. It is not enough if it be no where expreſly forbidden, if it bee not commanded, we are not to do it. Though our ends and aimes be never ſo good, wee may not do evil that the greateſt good may come thereof. Therefore when wee are moved to do any thing under the notion of a duty, and we are not fully perſwaded out of the word that it is a duty, wee not onelyonly may, but ought to deliberate till wee can certainly inform ourſelves. And yet, while wee beleeve it to bee a duty, and cannot by any means bee convinced to the contrary, though in reallity it bee not ſo, yet wee muſt do it, becauſe an erring conſcience bindes; for till wee bee fully convinced that wee may and ought to omit it, wee cannot omit in faith, and if not in faith, wee ſhould condemn our ſelves to omit it. But now on the contrary, If it bee a duty, and wee know it to bee a duty, if now wee have a temptation to neglect it, wee may not parley with this temptation, but forthwith ſet upon the performance of it. When thou ſaideſt, ſeeke yee my face, my heart ſaid unto thee, Thy face Lord will I ſeeke, ſaid David, Pſal. 27.8. I made haſte, and delayed not to keep thy Commandements, Pſal. 119.60. When it pleaſed God (ſaith Paul) who ſeparated mee from my mothers womb, and called mee by his grace, to reveal his Son in mee, that I might preach him among the heathen, immediately I conſnlted not with fleſh and blood, Gal. 1.16.17. By faith Abraham when hee was called to go out into a place, which hee ſhould after receive for an inheritance, obeyeà, and hee went out, not knowing whither hee went, Heb. 11.8. This is that which God expects whenſoever he commands us any thing, that wee ſhould obey without diſputing, without reaſoning, without anſwering again. It is the Devils policy to gain time, to prevail with us to put off duties, for then hee knows it is more than probable that wee will omit them. Some are alwayes promiſing, but ſeldome or never performing, ſemper victuri, alwayes beginning to live, but never live in good earneſt. All will come to nothing, till wee come to an unchangeable reſolution of doing our preſent duty.