The Reviler Rebuked, Treatise · Part 1 · Head 5
(5. Head of Scripture-contradiction.) Concerning Sin.
Section 19.
TO this Section alſo R. F. is wholly ſilent, where I had noted from diſcourſe with ſome of them in Scotland, That, ſin is not a viſible enemy to a Saint; Sin viſible in and to the Saint.contrary to Rom. 7. 23. And I may adde, Pſalm 51. 3. And my ſin is ever before me. Iſa. 6. 5. Wo is me, for I am undone, becauſe I am a man of unclean lips. They that ſee not their pollutions, have no part nor lot in the work of Sanctification; and they that ſee not ſin as an enemy, and their in-dwelling enemy, are friends, and in fellowſhip with it. As any are more or leſs ſanctified, they have the leſs or the more to ſee; but the more a ſoul is ſanctified, the more he ſees his motes to be beams, and the more viſible and ſenſible is the body of ſin and of death to him.
Section 20.
WHereas I had charged them for ſaying, All the children of light are called to judge them that ſay the children of God are found groaning under the burthen of ſin, which I called an arrogant aſſertion, contrary to Rom. 7. 24. R. F. *Page 12.minceth the matter by a new diſtinction; For groaning under ſin whileſt it is working out, that may be, but to ſay that the children of God groan under it all their life time, it Sin groaned under (while here) by the Saints.contradicts the Scripture. Thus R. F.
To which I Reply, 1. The new diſtinction (and new, becauſe not founded in Scripture) lies here, that he makes a difference between the time, whileſt the Saints ſin is working out, and their life-time: For let us conſider how long they are working out their ſin, or the Spirit for them, and in them, is that but a part of their life-time? It's a truth, we teach that groaning under a legal bondage of guilt and curſe, and fears of damnation, is but for a time, Luke 1. 74, 75. Rom. 8. 15. But when they are formed Saints, and endued with the Spirit of Adoption, then they groan, and ſigh, and cry out under another bondage; not of guilt imputed, but of guilt deſerved, and of corruption felt, as tyrannizingIn what reſpect. over the whole ſoul and body of a Saint, in part: i. e. in every faculty of the ſoul, and member of the body, there is ſome preſence of ſin with them all their days.
2. What Scripture is it that our aſſertion of continued groaning under the body of ſin and death, in the Saints, doth contradict? R. F. quotes Rom. 8. &c. 1 john 3. Rev. 14. but never a Verſe in all theſe Chapters he hath to produce for evidence. What ſhuffling is this and cunning craftineſs, whereby he lyeth in wait to deceive the ſimple with appearances of that which is not to be found? If ſo be would put off Errors by whole-ſale, he may do it this way.
After this, he throws dirt in the face of that Scripture, Rom. 7. (which I had ſaid from ver. 14. to the end was ſpokenRom 7. 14. to the end vindicated. in the name of the regenerate) Here, though Paul did cry out of the body of death, he did not always groan and ſigh as diſſemblers [and Scots] do.
Rep. 1. If he did it not as diſſemblers, he groaned as a real Saint; then the truth is granted, at leaſt ſeemingly.
2. Muſt all be diſſemblers that always groan, and are ſighing all their life time under the body of ſin and death? then Paul was one.
3. Hath the Lord no real Saints among the Scots? Grant, there is a formality of groaning among the common people, (not for the body of ſin, but the ſin of their bodies, or meerly in imitation, and out of cuſtom; which latter, I could not but tax a little, when I was there) dare any condemn the generation of the righteous, or impute that formality to the whole fraternity or ſociety of Profeſſors at large? among whom God hath hidden ones, and ſome, who do mourn for the abominations of the Land, and pollutions of the Kirk, and would willingly come forth to more viſible ſhame, for all that is amiſs in their Worſhip and Government Eccleſiaſtical; were they not over-powered partly by in-bred ſelf, partly by their ſuper-intending, and ſuper-extenſive Presbytery.
R. F. anſwereth, and aſperſeth yet further, Paul did not groan in the name of all regenerate, as thou ſays, but ſpoke his own condition there.
Rep. 1. Grant he ſpeaks his own condition from ver. 14. to the end, it is either as he is regenerate, or as wholly deſtitute of grace; but he doth not ſpeak it of himſelf as devoid of grace: for when he opened his legal ſtate as yet unregenerate, from var. 8 and 9 to 14. he ſpeaks in the Preter tenſe, or of the time paſt; but from ver. 14, &c. he expreſſeth himſelf all along in the Preſent tenſe, and time: and therefore he ſpeaks of the preſent ſtate wherein he was at the time of the writing of that Epiſtle. Now, was he a Saul or a Paul then? Was he Paul the Saint, or Saul the Perſecuter and Blaſphemer? Was he not then Paul the Servant of Jeſus Chriſt? Chap. 1. 1. And have we not the characters he gives of himſelf, as regenerate? Ver. 15. What I hate, that do I. Ver. 16. I conſent to the Law that it is good. Ver. 17. It is not I, but ſin that dwelleth in me, (where he divides his qualities into two ſorts or kindes, as Ver. 20.) Ver. 18. To will is preſent with me. Ver. 22. He ſpeaks of his inner man, and of his delight in the Law after that renewed principle. Then he cries out, Ver. 23, 24. of what he ſees and hates Now, no man that is unregenerate can truly hate ſin, as ſin, which he did; nor hath he two contrary principles in him, all over, of grace and ſin; nor hath he a will preſent with him, to do a ſpiritual good action; nor hath he an inner man, the new man to delight in the ſpiritual law of God; nor doth he feel the univerſal warring law, or power of ſin in his members, as Paul doth: Paul therefore ſpeaks of himſelf as now he is at preſent, regenerate; yea, he gives the account of himſelf, as ſuch; and therefore he lays forth the eſtate which is peculiar to the regenerate, and common to one and other as they are ſuch, more or leſs.
But ſaith R. F. Paul did not always groan under that body of ſin, and Law in his members, but witneſſed a Redemption from it, for which he thanked God that made him more then a Conqueror.
Rep. 1. The Apoſtle writes of the preſent conſtant frame of his Spirit, to ſee, feel ſin, hate it, and groan under it.
2. The Redemption that he witneſſeth and giveth thanksRom. 7. 25. vindicated. for, ver. 25. was firſt, that the guilt of this in-dwelling ſin was not imputed; there being no condemnation to him, nor to any in Chriſt Jeſus; which priviledge, cap. 8. 1. enlarged to others, as to himſelf, ſhews alſo that in the latter part of the ſeventh chapter, he had ſpoken of every true believer, and in the name of every ſanctified regenerate ſoul: AndRom 8. 1. cleared. foreign 1 Cor. 7. 14. & cap. 12. 20. cap. 8. comes in with an Inference, [There is therefore now no condemnation, &c.] the Inference is double and ſtrong [therefore now] or [now then] as the Geneva Tranſlation hath it: [now] is not here an adverb of time, but a note of inference, as [therefore] or [then] conjunctions gathering up the Argument before; which uſe of the Greek language R. F. underſtands no more then Thomas Lawſon *An untaught Teacher, &c. p. 25.who would have Pauls inference, Rom. 7. 25. [So then] to imply a condition and diſpoſition which he had paſſed through, then it was ſo, and ſo; and Rom. 8. 1. But—to declare his preſent condition; upon which miſtake, Th. Lawſon triumpheth in a ſuppoſed Antitheſis or oppoſition of time;
So then who is not blinde, may ſee.
But now who hath an ear, may hear.
Whereas the words Rom. 7. 25. [So then] in the Greek * areforeign no Adverbs of time at all, there (or in any place) but two conjunctions rational-collective, or gathering up the reaſon, and ſetting down the concluſion, that he and all the regenerate have matter of thankſgiving, and Goſpel-humiliation together; of humiliation, that ſin in him and them will be ſinning; of thankſgiving, that grace in him and them will be ſerving the Law of God. And the words, cap. 8. 1. [Now then] or [therefore now] are as [So then] conjunctions rational alſo, gathering up the reaſon, inferring and concluding, That if ſuch as are under the conflict, have matter of thankſgiving (as humiliation) and if they have the law of the minde, a ſweet frame of Grace wherewith they ſerve God (while with the fleſh or unregenerate part they ſerve ſin) therefore now, or now then, it followeth upon goodSection 20 reaſon and by force of Argument, That neither he nor they who are in Jeſus Chriſt, are in a ſtate of ſin and condemnation, but are delivered from the Law, i. e. the rigor, curſe and domination of it (though not from the direction and rule of it, cap. 7. 6. For,
Secondly, he witneſſeth that the victory was begun in him over the power of ſin, and that ſin did not reign, and though it remained in him and them, yet they walkt not after the command of it, but after the commands of the Spirit. Conſtant groaning and perfect juſtification, with ſincere ſanctification, may and do ſtand together.
It is from the queſtion what R. F. addes, [Such did not commit ſin, 1 John 3. 9. and then not always groaning.]
Rep. They groan for that which always is in them; though they have ceaſed the trade of ſin, they ſigh in their warring with it; and that it ſo eaſily beſets them, and preſſeth down.
This is my confuſion and condition R. F. ſaith, That I grant the children of God from their new birth do put off the body of ſin, as to guilt and reigning power, and yet we are eaſily beſet with it; and hence he draws forth a moſt ſophiſtical Syllogiſm againſt me, it may be ere he is aware:
Where ſin ſo caſily beſets and preſſeth down, it reigns;
But it eaſily beſets and preſſeth thee and you Scotchmen down, that are in the filth of it;
And therefore you let it reign in your mortal bodies, contrary to Romans 6.
Rep. 1. As to the form of his ſophiſtry, I except againſt it, for the fallacy of four terms, by foiſting in [ſo] and [that are in the filth of it] quite altering, by augmenting, the concluſion I held forth from Heb. 12. 1. which wasHeb. 12. 1. vindicated. this; Sin eaſily beſets them [Gods children] and preſſeth down by the remnants of filth. Now 'tis one thing to have ſin eaſily beſet by its filth, which is the caſe of Saints, and another to be ſo beſet and preſſed down, as they that are in the filth of it, which is the caſe of the un-ſanctified. Saints have remnants of filth in them, but are not drowned over head and ears in the filth of ſin.
2. Let the concluſion be taken, as I gave it, from the Apoſtle, and I deny his major, or firſt propoſition: Where ſin eaſily beſets and preſſeth down, (and ſo eaſily, that is, by the remnants of filth) it reigns, he; it reigns not, ſay I; for it reigned not in Paul, and in the godly Hebrews, and yet it did eaſily beſet them; and the very remnants of filth was a burthen and preſſure to them: if they had not been a grievance, ſin had reigned; the more grace there is, the more ſenſible the ſoul is of every weight. The word ſignifiethforeign whatſoever is groſs, heavy, burthenſom, and troubleſom, which being upon a mans back, in a journey, makes him ſtoop, or hinders him in a race: every luſt is clogging, and where the roots of all are, there are many to beſet us; if it be but the inordinate love of the creature, of honor, riches, pleaſure, or exceſſive cares of this life, they are every of them a weight upon our ſpirits; and where they are felt as weights, and groaned under (with the whole body of ſin) ſin reigneth not; if it doth, we muſt indite all the believing Hebrews; but that we will not at R. F. his pleaſure.
3. As to his minor, or ſecond propoſition, He muſt better know me, and all Scotchmen, before he will have ground to indite us for being in the filth of our ſins: neither ſanctified Scots nor Engliſh, are in the filth, though filth be in them. Let me go for a poor ſinful wretch, and worm, as I am; I pleaded not my own condition before, but the Saints; now I muſt break forth with the Apoſtle, and give thanks, that I know my ſelf to be a ſinner; and that as I have perfect victory in my Head, ſo, that I now my imperfections in part, and have a ſenſe of theſe weights, and a ſight of this encompaſſing Enemy in-dwelling ſin; which yet we are exhorted to get free of the very preſence of it, as much, as faſt, and as far as grace ſhall enable; and hereunto I ſtrive, according to Gods working in me: Oh, that it were more mightily! As for that R. F. alledgeth and addeth *Page 13. 1 John 3. 3. vindicated.of the hope that purifieth, even as Chriſt is pure, 1 John 3. 1, 2, 3. The Apoſtles words are not in the Preter tenſe, that a childe of God hath purified himſelf, or done his work perfectly here, but that it is his conſtant daily work; he is not therefore fully cleanſed, as to his ſanctification, while he liveth, but he goes on with his beſt endeavors, in the ſtrength of faith and hope in Chriſt, to be made like him in perfection of ſoul and body-holineſs when he appears. What hath R. F. done all this time, but ſtrengthned his own and fellows Contradictions to the Scripture?
Section 21.
HEre I took up two paſſages, the one of James Parnel in his tryal of Faith*Page 4. While ſin is, there no purity can dwell: The other of James Nayler *Few words, &c. page. 25.God and ſin cannot dwell together in one. Both contrary, as I no…ed, to 1 Cor. 3. 16. The Saints at Corinth had ſin, and the holy Ghoſt dwelling in them at the ſame time; ſo had Paul, Rom. 7. 17. compared with 1 Cor. 7. 25. lets this Section paſs without anſwer, and I ſhall diſmiſs it with, but, a little more animadverſion, whether their Doctrine or mine will ſtand,Sin and purity dwell in one ſoul, not as one let him that readeth underſtand: I am ſure of Contradictions, one part muſt be falſe, both cannot be true. And if it hath been already cleared as a truth of Scripture, and experience, That Saints and Regenerate upon earth, in whom God dwelleth, have ſin in-dwelling, that muſt be falſe.
Firſt, which J. P. teacheth, While (or where) ſin is, there no purity can dwell; by which dictate, he would deſtroy the faith of all thoſe who believe no perfect freedom from the body of ſin, in this life.
Secondly, which J. N. teacheth; That God and ſin cannot dwell together in one. I ſuppoſe he meaneth, in one ſoul, by what he hath before; Did ever Jeſus Chriſt redeem ſuch a people, or dwell in ſuch a people? If he would ſay, God and ſin cannot dwell together as one, or at agreement, but as enemies, warring and fighting one againſt another, in the ſame field or houſe, that is a truth evident enough: For as Jacob and Eſau were in one womb ſtruggling, ſo are grace and corruption in one heart: As Hannah and Peninnah were contending in one family, ſo are holineſs and ſin in one ſoul: Even as two contrary qualities, light and darkneſs, are in the ſame air at the ſame time; and heat and cold in the ſame water, though one in a remiſs, the other in a higher degree. God dwells as a Lord, ſin as a ſlave; purity as a prince, ſin as a tyrant, in the ſame Saint and Chriſtian. If any that is called a Saint thinks otherwiſe, he is either not as he is called; knows not himſelf, as every Saint doth in part, and in this caſe: or, if he be one really ſanctified, he is under a ſtrong deluſion, and in a moſt drowſie dream for the preſent, the Lord will awaken him in his good time.