their understanding of this point 3 Semi-Pelagians mistake in this knowledg 3. Neither are they more happy in their discovery who in succeeding ages were somewhat more refined in their heresy such as the elder and later Semipelagians whose ignorance of this enough appeare's in that which they oppose against efficacious Grace for an account of which I referre you to Cornelius Jansenius his Parallel of the errors of the Massiâ—ians and some late teachers in the second chapter of that Parallel and the third chapter which is annexed to his Augustinus c. With these are to be ranked Arminians who consent with these erring Doctors Socinians and some of our Anabaptists too as is evident from that which Mr Stephens cite's as one of the Doctrines owned by the 30 seperate Congregations in their confession these I adde not for their eminency in parts or learning few of them that I have met with being such but as witnesse of the universall mistake and error into which the naturall man with his highest pretences doth inevitably runne nor is Pigghius better acquainted with this doctrine as is evident from his Controv. de Peccat originali And our English confident Dr Taylor both in his unum necessarium and in his Answer to the Reverend Bishop of Rochester's letter with the whole heard of Jesuites that follow Lewis Molina in his opposition to the Dominicans and whoso will consider what is taught by these men will see how little they are acquainted with the true nature of this inhering concupiscence and whoso will consider who they are what kind of Persons will see they are men of notable naturall and improved parts and so see notable evidence to this truth ignornace in the Doctrine of Originall sin or indwelling lust like a thick cloud lying on the minds of men of such naturall and improved abilities that vve may rationally suppose if any could these had been the men vvho vvould have discovered it and seeing they have not vve may by a warrant from a logicall argumentation conclude à fâ—rtiori others cannot nor will ever be able for some of these have been men I will not say of the highest naturall and improved parts possible but I may and will say of the highest probable and yet they have not attained a right discovery of this Sin of this mystery of iniquity These men speak of it in such a manner as evidenceth they never either 1. Felt the strength and power of Sin as a King reigning in their mortall bodies Rom. 6. Nor 2. Had observed the wisedome and Policy of this old man which must be crucifâ—ed Nor 3. Had known the obligatory vertue of this Law of our members Nor 4. Had seen the forge where the evill and sinfull imaginations of thoughts were framed and wrought of Now if there be after so long tampering with it so little harmony and concent in the Doctrine of these men with the Doctrine of the Scriptures and the experience of regenerate sanctified soules concerning this sin we may very justly conclude they know not withall their skill to set their doctrines in tune with the Scriptures nor make a spirituall Scripturall discovery of this sinne but passe we on to another sort of naturall improved men who if reason could have reached this would have bidden faire for it These are 4. Schoolmen mistake in this knowledg 4. The Schoole-men whose notions though sometime very sublime and daring as if they would presently discover the very height of all that is knowable yet in this very point as in many others are very jejune and empty very uncertaine and in many things unsound especially those among them who have proceeded upon that unsound foundation of pure naturalls and thence stated our fall and sinfull state to be the reduction of us to our pure naturals the letting loose of the reines to a high meâ—led courser which was before curbed and not the laming and spoiling of a sound one or as the stripping off a man's clothes leaving him naked who before was cloathed This way Bellarmine and the Papists who have gone a step farther then the bounds prescribed by the Councill of Trent have generally gone Chemn loc com de Peccat Orig. p. 202. b. edit Francof 1653. And sure on this it was that Recentes ut Occam multi alii nomen retinent Peccati Originalis rem extenuant This extenuating of this sin was in that they denyed it to be an evill repugnant to the Law of God Nec culpam esse nec poenam as Lombard 2. dist 30. c. 5. Scotus in 4. dist 14. q. 1. art 1 boldly averre's that which will inferre necessarily if what he affirmes were a truth that this originall sinne is but the guilt of Adams first transgression so Biel Durandus and others farther when you shall find many of them as Hugo Victorinus Thomas 2.4 dist 28. art 4. Biel. 2. dist 28. and Bonaventure 2. dist 28. c. Assert nature preparing it sâ—fe for grace and professedly teaching that a man may ex naturae viribus love God above all and do his commandments Quoad substantiam actûs is not this an evidence that they did not understand how corrupt our natures were How weake and unable to Good How full of enmity to God I feare not to averre it That man knoweth not the sinfulnesse of his nature that dares say a man may by the strength of nature love quoad substantiam actus God above all He understand's not that his naturall mind is enmity to the law of God who sayeth he can love God above all by the power of nature nor knoweth he that his carnall mind is not subject to the law of God who dares say he can viribus naturae obey the Law of God He hath not a right knowledg of Originall sin who dares affirme either of these And Dr Whitaker in that peice de Peccato origin l. 2. c. 4. Cajetan Scotus Richard Durandus Bellarmine cited by Dr Whitaker in that l. 2. c. 4. against Thom. Stapleton who affirmes Scholasticos tribuere humanae naturae vires integras ad diligendum deum super omnia ad facienda praecepta Dei secundum substantiam actuum And adding farther that some other of the Schoolmen taught praeparationem esse in homine ante gratiam homini facienti quod in se est non deesse Gratiam passeth this censure on both jointly Quod nunquam dicerent si originalem naturae depravavationem intelligerent But I leave these men and next come to an other sort of men who though greatly improved yet have not rightly understood this sin They are such Who 5. Some plead an exemption of the Virgin Mary from Originall Sin 5. Have pleaded an exemption for some from the common calamity of mankind to be borne into the world full of sin and stained with Originall corruption though the greatest part by farre nay though all except one be tainted with this sin Bellarm. de amiss
is done and justly hateth it he cannot but hate that person those abettors and counsells which did designedly engage him to it and will farther prompt and sollicite him to do the like If undutifull Absalom had lived to see the hatefulnesse of his unnaturall rebellion and been in any measure recovered to a childlike dutifulnesse and obedience he would doubtlesse have hated both his former rebellion his counsellour Achitophel and the abettours of it So when a man is renewed through Grace acquainted with and sensible of his forepast rebellions against the Lord when he is reduced to the right disposition of a Son and Dutifull child he doth entirely hate his former courses and especially that which entangled him and ingaged him in them The soule renewed to holinesse and received into the favour of a son begins to consider the hatefulnesse of that corrupt nature which engaged him against the Lord and will not be reconciled to it But an unregenerate man will not hate nor dislike it 7 th Difference A regenerate man loves the law which discovers forbids and condemnes lust so doth not the unregenerate 7 Another considerable difference between the knowledge of this sin in a regenerate soule and the unregenerate how highly so ever you can suppose him improved lyeth in this That the sanctified Regenerate soul hath a strong entire and constant love to the command by which this sin is discovered and forbidden attending on flowing from the knowledge of this sinne whereas the unregenerate man in his best improvements cannot well relish that Law which forbids the sinne and discovers the sinfulnesse of it The one loves that Law from which this sin takes occasion to be more sinfull and to orke more violently and his love to the Law growes as doth his knowledge of the abominable contrariety in this sin to the Law whereas the other loveth his lust and dislikes the law which condemnes it and could heartily wish there were no Law to restraine the power of his sin or to condemne the sinfulnesse of it The one rejoyceth that Sin cannot rule without controule the other wisheth that there might be an uninterrupted exercise of it's power in him The unregenerate though best improved with naturall and morall helps do boldly though secretly wish there were no Law to forbid the sin or no justice to punish the sinner if any of the Learned worldlings would speak out their observations of themselves which either they do or might gather from the workings of this sin we should have them confessing this a truth The learned Atheist reading the first Commandment seeth that as he should have but only the true God for his God and that he should onely love delight and serve him not his owne lusts will sooner be induced to wish there were not or to flatter himselfe that there is not a God and that he is not so obliged to duty towards him The same might be observed in the rest of the Commands still the unregenerate mans love is towards his naturall sinfull inclinations in dislike of the spirituall holy and just Law of God But the Regenerate and renewed soule is well pleased and in love with the holy Commandment in opposition to his naturall lusts and corruptions Just like as it is with a chaste wife and faithfull so is it with a gracious renewed heart as it is with a treacherous lewd wife so is it with an unsanctified and naturall heart The chast and loyall spouse highly valueth dearly loves and intirely closeth with that law which binds her to fidelity and constancie in her affections to her husband The Adulterous and unfaithfull disliketh quarrels with and secretly wisheth the law were not yet in being which confines her affections and embraces to that single person whom she calls husband whilest the regenerate soule loves that law which maketh his choice duty and disliketh onely the boundlesse and unreasonable freedome which lust aimeth at the best improved naturall man in the meane time hath an adulterous soule and complaines of the strictnesse of that Law which requires that all his strength and all his soule and all his might should entirely and solely be terminated to God and his will It is too severe a precept to the naturall man to cast off every rivall lust and cleave to the Lord alone and his best improvements by education or learning without renewing grace do not alteâ— this frame of his heart but it is an easy aâ—… equitable a very excellent Law to the saint which bind's the saint to chuse that which he would not for ten thousand worlds refuse Me thinks I see this in Paul so evidently that I need no other instance who did heartily and sweetly close with that perfect holy Law which he seigne would have perfectly obeyed though he could not He accounteth it good in the Rom. 7.12.13 assenteth to the beauty and comelinesse oâ— it vers 16. what the Law commendeth heâ— approveth what the Law commandeth heâ— would performe not as a taske and unpleasant worke but as that in which he delighteth For that which the Law commandeth is that which he would do and what it forbid's is that he would not doe and so heâ— delighteth vers 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hoc desiderio manifestè se ab incontinentibus Philosophorum discernit saith Pareus in loc is there in a carnall in an unregenerate man such a complacency in the Law of God Oh! nothing lesse there is an unsuitablenesse in the heart of every carnall man and he judgeth the waies and the lawes of God unaequall too strict and he cannot nor will he close with them A traitour may know what is treason and by what law enacted such a session of Parliament in such a King's reigne and wish there never had been any such made A loyall and obedient subject may know this too and love the law approve the Justice and wisedome of his Sovereigne Who now see 's not the palpable difference between these two men in their knowledg of the same thing just so it is in this case But in the last place 8. Differ There is a difference in the certainty evidence assurance of their knowledge 8. These two sorts of men have a knowledge of this same sin very much differing in the certainty assurance evidence and firmenesse of their assent to the conclusion of that demonstration in which it is proved a sin The unregenerate man looks on it as a Problematicall Question which may be disputed and brought into the Schooles in an affirmative or negative state of the question so did that conventicle gathered together at Trent in the yeare 1545 in the 5th Session on the 17 of June 1546. Leave it to every mans liberty to think or teach what liked him touching this Provided he thought and maintained that it was and that it was propogated and what were the effects of it But an experienced Christian is more firmely and
degree of knowledg in men meerly carnall though of highest improved parts And here I might have advised them to give glory to free grace which hath revealed this unto them for flesh and blood could not and so have closed the Sermon but then I seare I should leave some unsatisfyed who would gladly get a right knowledg of this sinfull frame of their nature and would be willing to see more of it For their sakes I adde Use 4. A fourth Vse of Direction If thou wouldest get and keep up a more full and cleare knowledg of this sinfull frame of thy nature then let it be thy care Direction 1. Directi Study thoroughly and and affect thy heart with the nature and extent of Gods Law First To study well the nature of the Law of God endeavour to know much of this perfect Law and then thou wilt know much of thy imperfect heart Study throughly and determine clearely the maine Questions touching the obligatory power of the Law of God by which it bindeth the very mind and soule in its habituall disposition and first motions he that doth not stedfastly believe that the Law of God doth lay an engagement on the inward frame and bent of the heart will never stedfastly believe there is so much wickednesse in the frame of the mind as he seeth there is who hath well and clearely stated this point It is the Law by which we have the knowledg of sin Rom. 3.20 so the Apostle assures us when we know the just extent of the Law of God we do discover the extent of that Lust which is contrary to it and so when we see the Law extends to the frame of the heart and first motions we shall see what sinfulnesse there is in both When we know the holynesse of the Law of God we then shall discover the sinfulnesse and vilenesse of sin of this sin the known purity of God's Law will disclose the unknown impurity of sin and lust Study well the spirituall nature of all the commands of God when the soul seeth as Paul that the Law is spirituall it will also be able to see the spirituall wickednesse which is in lust that is contrary to it And remember in thy studying of these points that thou do not onely store thy head with demonstrative arguments that the Law is thus perfect in the extent and holynesse and spirituality of its precepts but with demonstrative arguments joyne also affecting motives that may worke on thy heart as well as informe thy head Want of these two I perswade my selfe are the great cause at least they are one great cause among others of the sad learned ignorance and mistake of great improved parts For whilest learned men mistake in the extent of the Law of God and determine that it bindeth no more then outward acts or perfected consented to and deliberate Motions and purposes of the mind it is impossible but that they should presently acquit both the frame and first motions of sinfull hearts and pronounce them under no law therefore contrary to none and therefore not sinfull This is the grand fundamentall errour on which the rest are built and which necessarily induceth us into many and great both Practicall and speculative errours This is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the severall learned erring men and parties which I have reckoned up in the confirmation of the Doctrine if therefore thou wouldst avoid a dangerous errour and get a true right knowledg touching thy sinfull nature be diligent to understand the truth of the affirmative state of that Quaestion whether the inward habituall and secret frame of the heart and the first unformed indeliberate and unconsented motions be and ought to be under the Law of God to this adde the second part of this direction viz the affecting moving considerations that worke upon the heart the defect whereof hath been the cause of the uselesse and unprofitable knowledg of this Lust in those unregenerate learned men among us who have been sound in their opinions and determinations of this doctrine and who have mainteined in their disputes the contrariety of the Naturall heart and it 's first motions to the holy Law of God and consequently the great sinfullnesse of them so that they have been in part right in their knowledge Even so far as a speculative judgment was to act they have acted their parts aright but then they have failed in that other which is the practicall part of this knowledge which should worke upon the affections and heart and endline the heart to close with the Law of God in opposition to the stirrings and actings of this sin which should engage the heart to love the Law and to hate that sinfull frame those sinfull projects and tendencies which are contrary to the Law In a word then right knowledg of this sinfull nature consists in such a thorough full and adequate discovery of it and its workings together with a hearty affectionate and well grounded dislike of it and opposition to it the first part of it thou wilt attaine by a thorough studying of the speculative part of the question touching the Law of God its nature and extent The other part thou wilt get by engaging the affectionate part of the soule with those moving considerations which will perswade thee to close practically with the Law as understood in it's full extent 2. Be dilgent in comparing thy heart its frame and inclinations with the Law so known 2. If thou wouldest get and keep a right and due knowledge of the sinfulnesse of thy nature Then be often diligent and humble too in comparing thy heart and its tendencies with the Law of God Let not thy be onely taken up with the outward visible part of thy life she may appeare neat and cleanly abroad who may possible be found a very slut at home within doores follow thy selfe into thine heart and search well the secrets of thy soule neither be thou seldome in this worke doe it often for there is danger in little intermissions of our watch the waters which silently glide from this fountaine will rise to an undiscerned depth in a little time He that seldome searcheth hardly ever comes to a just discovery of his heart It is an often repeated search that is likelyest to discover a notorious cheate and when thou tryest be not negligent and carelesse in it do it diligently make it thy businesse and then thou wilt find what now lies hidden out of sight a dangerous Fistulating tumour must be searched with much diligence or the chirurgion will never know either it's depth or danger This spirituall corruption of our natures hath many and very deep pipes and all our skill is little enough to find out its secret conveyance and therefore in thy search be not slothfull and sleight And remember to take humility along with thee in the tryall for pride will never be content to let the heart appeare as it is a proud man is