Chapter VI
Two cases concerning a regenerate mail s sinning against knowledge. The first case resolved, how far such an one is capable of sinning against knowledge ; and what is the difference between his sinning against knowledge, and an
unregenerate maris sinning against it.
That a regenerate man may sin against knowledge, we will take the instance of Solomon only to prove it, who sinned against his knowledge,
yea, and that the experimental, clear, and tasting knowledge of God and his
320 OF GOSPEL HOLINESS [BOOK IY.
ways, yet remained godly. That he sinned very far against knowledge, see
1 Kings xi. 4, 7-9, where we read that his wives turned his heart away
after other gods ; that is, so far as to build high places for all his wives,
ver. 7, 8, and this for them to sacrifice and to burn incense on to their
several gods, ver. 10. And this sin of his is brought in by way of aggra
vation, that God had given him a special commandment against this sin, and so he had had a special light against it; yea (ver. 10), it is added, he
(therein) turned his heart away from God, who had appeared to him twice ;
that is, after he had strong revelations, and impressions, and appearances of the true God upon his heart, after he had known him, not only with a common knowledge of education, as others do, nor by faith only, as all
believers do, but had superadded to it an especial appearing and drawing
nigh of God to him, with a great acceptation of his person and prayers, manifested by God to him, and this twice. Thus he sinned every way
against an expressive, clear, experimental knowledge, the best and purest
of knowledge he could have, unless he had been took up to heaven (as Paul
was), and yet he says, Eccles. ii. 3, 9, that his wisdom remained with him,
namely, his grace and knowledge, for he speaks not of his gifts of wisdom
(since that they should remain was no wonder, such common gifts remaining
in the wickedest of men), but of that wisdom which in his Proverbs he so commends ; yea, and he says, that he acquainted his heart with wisdom,
ver. 3, though it took hold of folly, that is, closed with sin ; and there
fore, in the opposition, by wisdom he means true grace, so that he sinned
against knowledge, and yet still remained a godly man. Yea, and again, when for this the prophet had appointed Jeroboam, as from God, to be
king over the ten tribes, when Solomon heard this, 1 Kings xi. 4, it is said,
* therefore Solomon sought to kill him, which was as directly against God s will revealed by a prophet as was that of Saul, when for the same
that
cause he sought to kill David, because he was assigned his heir and successor
in his kingdom. But God had established his sure mercies with David
and Solomon his child, and not with Saul ; and therefore God pardoned Solomon, and turned him fully again unto himself, as his book of Ecclesi-
astes shews, whenas he rejected Saul. Having given you this resolution
of the question in the general from this one instance, I shall endeavour more particularly to explain the truth by answers to several questions.
The questions may be made concerning either some particular acts of sins
committed, or concerning a regenerate man s whole course, as either of them
do relate unto sinnings against knowledge.
Quest. 1. If the question be concerning particular acts of sin, we grant,
Assert. 1. That a godly man may, against actual light and knowledge, commit particular acts of sin, and omit the performance of some acts of
duties. Thus David had some light against the numbering of the people when he did it, for Joab reasoned the matter with him, and reproved him
for it, 2 Sam. xxiv. 2, 3 ; and in the 4th verse, all his captains shewed
their dislike (namely, of his pride in it), yet still he persisted and would
have it done. But yet this was not such a strong smiting light as that
which came upon him after he had done it; then it did strike upon his con
science, ver. 10, and although he saw it to be a sin afore, yet he saw it
not in that manner ; for it is said, that then his heart smote him, which
shews that before it had not thus smote him ; he knew it before, but minded
it not much, was not attentively apprehensive or struck with the sense of
it ; but now his heart smites him, and he cries out, I have sinned greatly, and so recalled the doing of it.
CHAP. VI.] IN THE HEART AND LIFE. 321
Quest. 2. But then the question will be, May he not sin, when he hath a strong pulse of conscience against a sin, a smiting light, as I may so term it ?
Assert. 2. Yes, he may sin against a strong pulse of conscience. Holy Peter, without question, had a strong light to the contrary, when he denied
his Master; and for the clearing of this, know that a regenerate man s
conscience being sanctified but in part, there is much light in it that is not
sanctifying light, all his knowledge about sin and grace is not the light of
life ; so as he hath a remainder of mere natural light of conscience in him, as well as a regenerate part of conscience ; and hence it may fall out, that natural conscience in him may stir strongly, and beat much against a sin
in a natural way, but upon such motives and considerations as are common
to him with carnal men ; when yet true light is not so fully stirred up
against it, it being at the good pleasure of the Holy Ghost to work in us how and as he will ; it is a new and peculiar work of the will and Spirit to do
that, viz., to stir the regenerate part. David had a strong working and
bustling of natural conscience in him, when he lay roaring under ter
rors of conscience, Ps. xxxii., yet still it prevailed not with him to confess
his sin : the natural light of conscience was then stirring in him, when
yet the regenerate part of conscience was not ; for if that had wrought thus strongly, as the other did, it would have made him kindly to have confessed and mourned for his sin, as it did when he confessed his sin to Nathan. By the like reason, before a godly man commits a sin, natural conscience may have a strong work, when yet true light against the sin hath not. There may be thunderings and lightnings in his conscience, which God s sanctifying Spirit is not so much in, and so he may sin
against much blusterings of that common light, when yet true light, which should cause him to hate it, and strengthen him against it, is calm and down ; for the light of natural conscience is as the light of straw or sedge,
it makes a flame of a great blaze, and so glareth much in men s eyes, terrifies much but heats not ; whereas true light, when it is kindled, is the
light of solid fire, wherein there is less flame and flashing, but more heat and efficacy upon the heart to restrain it from sin. No question but the
apostle Peter s conscience strongly wrought in him, his heart throbbed within him, when yet it prevailed not to keep him ; but one look of Christ
conveyed the Spirit to him, and so stirred up sanctified light, and broke
his heart presently. So when Nathan came to David to reprove him for
his murder, though his conscience had strongly wrought afore, as appears by the 32d Psalm (which is thought to be made upon that occasion), yet the Spirit of grace came not on him to stir up sanctified acknowledgment,
till Nathan came to him ; and then how easily did he confess it at the first !
I have sinned, said he.
Quest. 3. But you will further say unto me, May not a regenerate man
sin against a strong, smiting, and checking direction of sanctifying light, and of the Spirit of God moving to the contrary, and striving with him, by motives suitable to the regenerate part ?
Assert. 3. I answer, Yes ; why else doth the apostle say, Eph. iv. 30,
* Grieve not the Spirit, whereby ye are sealed ? Now then a sin is pro
perly against the Spirit, when against that which is his proper work, which
is to excite to good, to restrain from evil ; and then we grieve him when we sin against such a working of his, as wherein, like a father, and as a
friend, he gives counsel and direction to the contrary. We grieve him in
going against such works of his, wherein he shews himself a father to us.
VOL. VII. X
322 OF GOSPEL HOLINESS [BOOK IV.
When wicked men sin against the common workings of the Spirit, they indeed vex him and provoke him ; but when a godly man sins against those
peculiar stirrings of his as a Spirit of grace, then it is that properly they are said to grieve him ; and yet herein they may go so far, even his own
people, that they are said to rebel and vex his Holy Spirit
: Isa. Ixiii. 10, he speaks it of his own people. Now rebellion is a sin against knowledge and light, and such light wherein as a friend he sweetly admonished them,
for the punishment is, he turned their enemy, and fought against them, in
rebuking them in wrath.
But yet these things are to be considered in this case.
1. That then the Spirit doth not put forth an overcoming light in such
cases ; for though in all such acts, whereon the salvation of his people
depends, as their conversion at first, and his not suffering them to depart from him, therein the Holy Ghost works overcomingly and effectually in all
that shall be saved ; yet he works not so in giving light or strength in
every act of resisting sin, or in persuading to duty ; therein the Spirit doth
not always put in strength enough into our light, to prevail against the
temptation, but only to bear a strong testimony against it, to the end that
our weakness might so much the more appear. For as the Holy Ghost
doth not sanctify you as perfectly at first, as he could do if he pleased, but
in part only ; so neither doth he persuade us effectually in every act or motion of grace, as he did not Hezekiah, but left him to himself, that he
might see what was in his heart. The Holy Ghost, even when he stirreth
up the light of the regenerate part, yet often doth it not so effectually as
to prevail ; he doth sometimes suadere, but not persuadere, often movere, but
not permorere ; as he stirs not up all his wrath against us, so often not all
his grace in us, and then we fall. In Gen. vi. 3, there is a striving of the
Spirit mentioned, which man s corruption overcomes : the Holy Ghost,
being a free agent, putteth not always that full weight into the scale that
might weigh down the other, though it moves [it much ; but, Gen. ix. 27, there is a persuading Japheth mentioned, wherein he puts such weight into
his light as it prevails with a man, whereby the Lord makes a motive, an apprehension to prevail upon the mind, as he made the counsel of Hushai to prevail against the counsel of Ahithophel, 2 Sam. xvii., and so
preserved him.
2. The second thing to be considered is, that when a regenerate man
sins against such motions of the Spirit, and of true light stirred and acted, that always then he is in a passion, some strong lust and motion of sin, and law of the members, is risen suddenly up in arms in him. And though he may sin deliberately, when passion is not so much up, or when his
Spirit is bound and becalmed (as I shall shew afterwards), yet if such
powerful light be stirring in him, if right motions and gales of the Spirit be
breathing on him, it must be a strong tide of passion then that carries him
against it, which yet it may
: as Asa, a holy man, after a good sermon of
the prophet s (wherein it is probable that the Spirit breathed), wherein the
prophet had reproved him for his sin, was in such a rage with it, his pas sion and choler being provoked by that reproof, that he cast the prophet in
prison ; and the reason is, because a strong lust or passion doth break the
intention of judgment, and weakens it, and so diverts it to consider in a more intimate manner the pleasure of sin, which his mind hath a present
impression of, rather than to attend to the counsel of the Spirit. So anima
dispersa Jit minor, the strength of the soul is dispersed and weakened, and
so soon overcome, as vapours ascending in sleep, bind up the use of reason
CHAP. VI. J IN THE HEART AND LIFE. 823
and senses, and then fancy prevails. In like manner, a strong lust and motion of sin lays judgment asleep, that it is not fitly itself, but hath an
interrupted, broken working and operation. And again, a strong lust doth
alter a man s judgment, as a fever doth a man s tongue. The things he knows hurtful are relished as best, whereas good and wholesome food he hath no pleasure in ; and therefore, though the physician be by, and adviseth to the contrary, yet often he will have what is hurtful ; for quails unusquisque est, tails ei finis videtur. We judge of things as they suit with our desires ; therefore, when a strong desire is up, judgment is perverted against itself ; and therefore, when passion is up, though there may be
light enough to discover the evil and the sin to us, yet not enough to dispel the mist and clear up the mind, and so a man errs and is misled.
3. Yet, thirdly, this is to be added in such a case, that though the passion carries it, yet that light is not in vain, but hath an answerable effect upon the heart in working an inward resistance there ; and though it hath not
its perfect work, yet a proportionable effect, so far as it stirs it works ; so much stirring of light, so much reluctancy in the committing of it ; for though that regenerate light prevails not to hinder the outward act of sins, yet it breaks the force of the blow and strength of the lusts within, it causeth a contrary lusting and reluctancy in the whole man against it, even in the act, and so hath a proportionable and good effect. So that though passion carries it, yet but by a few voices and with much ado, it finds a
strong party of grace in every faculty against it, in the understanding dis
allowing it, in will hating it, in the affections lusting against it ; a strong impression over the whole man, a strong stream running another way ; so as he cannot do that evil in that full manner that others do, so as that light in the working of it avails so far, that he may still be able to say, It is not I that hath done it ; so as thereby the Holy Ghost doth manifest the
goodness of the heart, even in the midst of infirmity, that by their sense of that inward combat, and of a seed of God that cannot sin, the saints have as much comfort often, as discouragement in the fall.
Quest. 4. But you may further inquire, May not a regenerate man sin
against light when he is out of passion, and so sin deliberately against
light ?
Assert. 4. I answer, Yes ; David did so in the matter of Uriah, wherein he went soberly on ; and though it be true he was in a great strait, being afraid of shame and scandal, which he thereby sought to hide, yet that
passion had time enough to cool. It was not properly a passion, which is a subitaneous flushing, indeed, that of his adultery was from such a flush of passion, but this of Uriah s murder was a more continued distemper, sedately stirred, and retained and considered of. And so Isa. Ivii. 17, one that is the child of God, is said, after God had smitten him for his covet-
ousness, to go on frowardly in the way of his heart, and therefore without
passion.
1. But then, when a godly man thus sins, it is when he hath been
already disadvantaged and brought low, and into captivity by some former
passion, which also was David s case. This more settled distemper began at his adultery, which was but a passion ; but yet that having interrupted his communion with God, and his soul being thereby spoiled and left empty of spiritual comfort, God s Spirit was already grieved and withdrawn from him, and he left naked ; and the regenerate part was knocked down with so horrible a sin, and lay under hatches manacled, and was through the
* hardened from God s fear,
deceitfulness and guilt of that sin exceedingly
324 OF GOSPEL HOLINESS [BOOK IV.
as a godly man may be, Isa. Ixiii. 17. And lie being thus already weak
ened, no wonder though he be quietly carried on to further wickedness ; and though a sudden passion is not, nor was not much up, yet the spiritual
part being so much down, and corruption fleshed, and he put into so great
straits, no wonder if he was bold to proceed to further abominations. A
wise man being made suddenly drunk may be transported to do strange acts in that drunken mode, yet but whilst that drunkenness lasts ; when it
is over, and he comes to himself, he wonders at himself. But suppose,
further, that though the drunkennsss be over, yet it may leave him so inflamed as to cast him into a more violent lasting distemper of a fever, which doth more continually distemper his brain. This was David s case indeed ; the passion that cast him into this fit was over, but it left him in an universal distemper ; it had weakened grace, inflamed all corrupt lusts and humours in him, and now his spirit was fit for an}
7 abomination which he should by any strong temptation be put upon.
2. Or else, though a man is not fallen into any gross act of sinning, yet by long insensible neglects he may be brought into some consumption of
grace, having neglected to stir and to keep up spiritual apprehension, so
as his light is as a candle burning blue, or in the socket, and he sleeps (which was the case of the five wise virgins), insomuch as though a man hath many glimmerings and actual apprehensions come into his mind (and so his sins are against knowledge), yet they are not quick, fresh, and
vigorous, but wan and stale. I say, when by reason of this spiritual affections are brought very low and weak, starved, as it were, in regard of
any communion with God, heavy and dull in regard of any endeavours
after it ; in this case also, no wonder if men deliberately steal out for com
fort elsewhere. And some have understood this to be the case of the
prodigal, as being meant not of one anew converted out of a profane
course, but of the returning of one who hath been converted already, but whose affections, through fellowship with the pleasures of sin, have been
estranged from God ; and thus, he being starved in regard of comfort from
God, deliberately joins himself to another for husks.
Quest. 5. Now if, in the last place, the question be concerning a regene rate man s course, whether, in regard of his whole course, he may be said
to live and practise according to his knowledge ?
Assert. 5. The answer is, that not only no unregenerate man lives
according to his knowledge, but that no regenerate man neither doth live
fully and exactly answerably thereunto, nor doth he, nor can he, fill up the measure of it with practice answerable in his whole course.
Which proposition I yet limit and explain by these four cautions :
1. That indeed it is true that he lives not (take his whole course) in any one track of sinning, or way of wickedness against his knowledge. There
is no way of wickedness in me, says David ; it must be understood, none
that he knew of; for he speaks it after he had now come from an exact and diligent search made into himself and ways.
* Search me, Lord, says
he, for he himself had searched himself and found none; which search must needs be by bringing his course of life and ways and his light
together; but yet it is as true, that through his whole course and the track
of his life, he doth continually fall short of what he knows in all his
actions.
2. But then, when we say he falls short of, and lives not according to
his knowledge, the meaning is, he falls short of doing the things he knows
in that full latitude, whereto he sees the commandment, which is holy and
CHAP. VI.] IN THE HEART AND LIFE. 325
spiritual, extends ; for by knowledge in the assertion must be understood not only the knowledge whereby a man doth know, but the things them
selves which are known, in the extent of their being known ; and so it is used in ordinary phrase of speech, for fides est vel qud creditur, vel qua
creditur, it being taken both for the faith whereby we believe, or for the
things we do believe. So is knowledge taken also ; and as the things be
lieved are called faith, so we sometimes express the objects known, calling them knowledge. Now, if by living according to his knowledge be meant
that he lives exactly according to all the latitude of what he knows con
cerning the commandments, and the utmost strictness revealed to him, which, as David says, so far as he saw into them, are exceeding broad, and broader than his life could extend to, so no godly man doth live according to his knowledge ; he knows more for the object of his knowledge than he can reach in practice. Thus Paul, Rom. vii., comparing his heart and life with the law, saw a further spiritualness in the law than he could answer
in his heart and life. And so Phil. iii. 12-14, I reach, says he, to the
things that are before, not as if|I had already attained it ; he speaks it of a Christian course, he had light which discovered still a further horizon of
godliness, mightily beyond and distant from that to which at present he had arrived, a vaster latitude before him than he was able to stretch unto, a higher pitch than he was able to reach unto ; as a child may have know
ledge to discern what a fair copy that is which is set before him, and be
able to read it and like it, when yet he wants skill to write after it. A man knows he should love God with all his soul, and all his heart ; that he should pray constantly, fervently, without distraction ; but how do we fall short of all this ! But if living according to his knowledge be understood of the knowledge itself by which he knows them, that axiom of
: That so much as a man knows he practiseth ; and he that says he knows God, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, says John, 1 John ii. 4.
divines will here take place
3. But then this must be understood of true, real, practical knowledge : the light of life, as Christ calls it ; such knowledge as the apostle calls
knowing as we ought to know ; for otherwise, we have much more light about the ways of grace and holiness than is sanctifying in us. Much of
that light of conscience which is in a regenerate man s mind, remains in a
great measure unsanctified, seeing conscience is but in part purified, as I
said before, and then a regenerate man hath often a large addition of gifts of knowledge for the good of others, more than would otherwise serve his own particular only, as stewards have more money than for themselves ; and therefore, if we take measure of all such knowledge as is in him of
gifts and conscience, it must needs be too big and too wide for his practice.
4. And then, if practice be confined and meant of the outward perform ance only, then, so Rom. vii. 18, Paul himself says, he was not able to
perform all he knew ; but if by practice be meant a continual serving of the law in the mind, more or less, as true knowledge is active in him, as he
there speaks in the 25th verse, which in the same chapter is expressed by
doing, and is so esteemed in God s account, so it is always true, that so much true knowledge as is stirring in the heart, so much practice is found
throughout his whole course ; and though he knows more than he is able
outwardly to perform, yet the best of his will is to do as much as he knows, verses 18, 19, and his will therein is as large as his knowledge, and both
to keep the law exactly only. As his knowledge is intensive imperfect, though extensive and objectively much larger, as extending itself to all the
320 OF GOSPEL HOLINESS [BOOK IV.
commandments of God, and the utmost strictness of them, so also his
will, though it be intensively imperfect, and weak, or not able to bring all he knows into performance, yet it is extensively as large as what he knows, aiming and stirring after the highest perfection. So that look how far his
knowledge reacheth, so far doth his will also, which is the principle of
action ; and therefore his practice may be said to be likewise as large as
both, though all imperfect.
And now we have explained how far a regenerate man may sin against knowledge, and Ml short of it in his course ; it will be needful to add some
differences to all this, between his sinning thus against knowledge, and an
unregenerate man s, lest wicked men be hereby encouraged, or godly men themselves made presumptuous. And herein my meaning is, not to handle
all these differences which may be given in their sinning, but only their
different carriage towards their knowledge ; and these differences we will
severally fit to the main of the foregoing assertions. And, first, we will begin to difference this which we brought in last, con
cerning falling short of his knowledge in his course, which though it be common to regenerate and unregenerate men, yet with these differences :
1. That though a regenerate man fall short of his knowledge in his whole
course, yet he preserves and fosters all his knowledge still in the utmost
extent of it, and keeps up his assent to all that strictness he knows, and which he hath been convinced of, and labours also to wind his heart up to
it ; and this still he endeavours to do. As he goes on to know more, he
preserves the same opinions of the strictness of God s ways, and studies to confirm himself in the truth of them, and lets not his light to settle, keeps
it as his standard, which he measures his heart and actions by. But now an unregeneraie man, when he sees his heart and life cannot agree with
strictness, he labours to cut the standard, and makes it even with his
bushel, to bring his opinion to his own heart and ways ; and what is more than he is able to do, or means to do, he reckons it too much preciseness. The former instance of a regenerate man you may see in Paul ; and what he says of himself is true of all regenerate men in their measure, as it was
true of him in his measure ; only his measure was larger
: in which respect indeed he puts a wide difference between a lower sort of Christians and himself in that same place. I see the mark, says he, and what is before me. Now (says he), I look not to what is behind, but endeavour to reach to what I want, Philip, iii. 13. I do stretch to the utmost ; and, verse 14, press to the mark. He sets up to himself the highest pitch of
strictness (he knows to be so) as his mark, and that he alters not ; he moves not that to himself, but moves himself to it.
* And as many as are
* are thus minded ; that is, whose hearts are perfect with God. Now because it would be said, But some do not think God s ways so
perfect, says he,
strict as you, have not so large apprehensions as you have of them, and are not so strict as you, It may be so (says Paul), but yet two things he says
(1.) That God will by degrees reveal it to them who are spiritual, in
time, as fully as to me.
(2.) And he exhorts that nevertheless whereto we have attained, let us all walk ; that is, so much knowledge more or less that thou art con vinced of, proportion thy endeavour unto, and not thy knowledge to thy endeavour.
(3.) And he insinuates as much as if he had said, Whereas I may seem
too strict for some of you, and to have attained to more than you, therein
CHAP. VI.] IN THE HEART AND LIFE. 327
follow me, says he, think not to have me come back to you, but come up
to me ; whereas an unregenerate man now will persuade one, that is more
strict than himself, to come to his pace, or else he hates him.
2. Though a godly man falls short in many particular acts of what he
knows, and so can t make his life and his knowledge adequate and even,
yet take his whole course, he brings his heart to subject itself to all he
knows, makes it answerable and conformable to every particular thing
known, and hath a care to do so and keep it so from day to day, but
especially at such times when he more solemnly reneweth his covenant
with God, and sets himself to make his heart perfect with God ; which
perfection lies in this, in a willing subjection to all he knows. This you
may see to be the fruit and effect of David s knowledge ; Ps. cxix. 104,
< gotten much understanding ; by the word he
David says there, he had
knew more sins than others, had a larger insight into duties commanded
than others had ; and as he says in another place, Thy commandments
are exceeding broad. Now what was the fruit and effect of this knowledge
in his heart ? He says, Therefore do I hate every false way. You may
observe, that as his knowledge was such a knowledge as wrought hatred to
the sins he knew ; so he had compared particularly his heart with his
knowledge, and surveyed the one and the other, and remarked all the
particular sins he knew, and of them all he says in particular^ I hate
every one. He goes over to particulars, makes his heart and his know
ledge even, and brings it to a hatred of every false way, which he knew to
be such ; and so for duties he doth the like, verse 106. He brings his
heart in subjection to every duty he knew ; and though he had fallen often,
yet he takes and renews often an oath of allegiance of his heart, to submit
to every one : I have sworn, says he, that I will keep thy commandments
diligently ; he will not suffer his heart to stand out as a rebel against any ;
< he brings every thought into obedi
but, as the apostle says, 2 Cor. x. 5,
ence to the knowledge of Christ, and so makes his knowledge and his
heart, in the subjection of it to every command, to be even of adequate
extent. So that, suppose in a godly man that some duty and his heart
have been strangers for some while, yet he brings them together again,
renews his acquaintance, makes them friends ever and anon ; and when
they are brought together, though he hath omitted a duty, and_ hath been
a stranger to it, yet after a little conference with his heart and it, they are
as good friends as ever, he finds his heart is in it again. So, on the con
trary, if he hath admitted any familiarity with any sin, yet he makes his
heart and every sin to break friendship, and so makes his heart and his
knowledge adequate ; so as he can look about them, run over all, and go
through every particle of his knowledge, and can truly say there is no sin
I know to be such but I hate it, and can part with it, no duty but I have
a heart willing to submit to it, and is agreeable to it. And this making
the heart perfect is that which should be done from day to day, when a
man prays and renews his covenant with God ; so David did when he came
to pray, Ps. Ixvi. 18. He made a separation between his heart and every
sin he knew such, and especially when he came to the altar with his offer
ing, as you to the sacrament ; so as ever and anon he doth, as at his first
conversion (every new act of renewing the covenant between* a new con
version), go over all particular sins, which either he hath lately been tempted
unto or may be, and breaks his heart off from them ; and so he views all
duties either he is called to, or may be called to, and brings his heart into
* Qu. being ? ED.
328 OF GOSPEL HOLINESS [BOOK IV.
obedience to them, so as lie hath a care to make all adequate, and to walk so to subscribe to all often, as I may so speak, though he hath failed in that full actual conformity required at all times and upon all occasions. But there is no wicked man in the world that keeps his heart thus, and makes it thus correspondent to his knowledge, but either he neglects to do
it, or if he goes about it, he cannot get it to part with every sin, nor to submit to every duty ; it stands out, and will not take the oath of allegiance to everything, at least doth not this ordinarily in his course.
3. In regard of particular acts of sinning, though a godly man may commit a sin against a smiting strong light in passion (as in the former assertions was discovered), yet these differences may be assigned
(1.) There is much in his whole heart that takes part with his light and backs it, and speaks on its side ; and though his conscience threateneth,
terrifies, reproves, and checks, yet still there is something in his heart is
glad of all this, and rejoiceth in it. So says the apostle, Rom. vii. 22, that he delighted in the law, and the light of it, and this as it wars and
fights against his lusts ; for there is a regenerate part suitable to that light, and is glad of all the buffets and blows that conscience gives the heart for the sin, for the light that is in him fights and speaks of his side ; but con
science, knowledge, and light in a wicked man hath nothing to back it and
* likes not to retain the knowledge of God.
uphold it : Bom. i. 28, he
Indeed, to know the truth and view it, and the beauty and harmony that is
in it, may be exceeding pleasant to him, John v. 35, but when this truth,
being once received, begins to be busy with him, and to intermeddle in
every action, as such light will, and to tell his heart this pleasure of sin
ought not to be enjoyed, and this duty ought to be done, and so applies itself and sticks in to guide him in every particular action, this reproving
light he likes not, and so desires not to retain it, nor to carry it along with him wherever he goes ; though he was delighted with the bare shining of the truth, yet the reproving of the truth in his heart he likes not. But a
godly man having a heart suitable to his light, delights in all the checkings and reproofs of it, as speaking on its side, and against his enemies. Here now a wicked man, who in a particular act dares not commit the act itself
against light, yet his heart is against the light itself. As Balaam, If thou wouldst give me this house full of gold, I would speak no other than God
speaks ; yet his whole heart was against this light, would have given another message, and would have reversed his blessing, and went with such a hope and full desire, so as his whole heart was against the light and truth
though he obeyed it. But now, on the contrary, a godly man, though he may commit the sin which is against his light, and the truth of the law in
his conscience, yet still his heart is for the light, and says, the law is holy and good, Rom. vii. 14 ; and this not with an assent which he cannot but choose to afford it, but so as he is glad there is such a law, though it con demns him and sin. Any truth of Christ that is revealed to him, which crosseth his aims never so much, he doth not only assent that it is true and
good, but is glad it is a truth, and says it is best it should be so, and so takes part with it.
(2.) Hence ariseth a second difference between the carriage of a godly man s heart towards his light, and a wicked man s, viz., that a godly man s heart is active in using the light he hath against his sin, and in provoking and stirring up his heart to duty ; but a wicked man, though he may be
active in getting light, yet is passive rather in the use of it in his heart
against sin or to duty. It is common, indeed, to both to have light come
CHAP. VI. J IN THE HEART AND LIFE. 329
in against a sin, both before and after, yet so as a wicked man s heart is but
rather a patient in regard of it ; but a godly man s heart is an agent that endeavours to bring it in, and to use it against his sin. This you shall
find John iii. 19, where Christ distinguished a wicked and a good heart by
this, by coming to the light. A wicked man comes not to the light, but
the light to him. Christ puts the difference not in not having or having
light, but in their coming or not coming to it, which notes out that wicked men s light comes in upon them, the other call it in, and come to it, and
gladly bring their hearts, lives, and estates to it. For instance, before a wicked man commits a sin, whilst he is addressing himself to it, light of
conscience may break in upon him, it being appointed as a controller and
a watch over him and his ways, and not suffer him to sin securely and untaken notice of. But now a godly man, when he is tempted to sin, he
himself stirs up that light which is in him to withstand it. When he hears
the thief knock, he lights his candle presently, gathers his thoughts together, musters up such considerations as he can think of as weapons to resist it
with, considers what motives, what arguments are against it, calls up such a
place of Scripture as had lain sleeping in him, remembers such a piece of
a sermon in such a corner of his heart laid up against this time ; and armed with this light, all he could muster up on the sudden, he encounters his
enemy. So Joseph did : How shall I do this, and sin against God ? He
considered what God was, and what sin was, to keep him from it ; whenas
a wicked man, on the contrary, when he would enjoy his sin, he useth his
light to find out shifts rather than arguments against it ; he would shut the
windows, but that there are some crannies at which light will come in, and
find him out, even as Elias found out Ahab : Hast thou found me, my enemy ? Such he judgeth his light, he would imprison the light that is come in, that it might not interrupt him ; and so when he had sinned,
though light be brought in as a witness, and terrifies and checks, and whilst
it follows him, he judgeth himself, confesseth it to God ; yet otherwise he would be content to pass it over, nor would set his thoughts to consider what he had done, to the end to humble himself, but that such thoughts are set upon him as they were upon Cain and Judas, when he repented
himself, and upon Darius when his thoughts troubled him ; but he would
not go about to trouble his thoughts about sin, but that sin troubles his
thoughts, being set on by the spirit of bondage. But now when a godly man hath sinned, he stays not till his thoughts be troubled about it, but he
sets his mind awake to consider his sin ; he stays not till a writ be served
upon him, but sues out for one, useth his light to examine it, searcheth
into every corner and circumstance of it, sits as a judge on himself, judgeth himself lest he be judged, calls in his conscience as a witness, and so goes and humbles himself kindly and willingly before his Father ; so they, Lamen. iii. 40, stir up themselves to set their light a-work, Come let us
search and try our ways, and turn to the Lord. They stir up the light in them, light the candle, and go down into every corner, as David did ; Lord, says he,
* I have searched. He used all knowledge he had in it, and when he had done, he sets the windows and doors open, desires God to
bring in light and search also.
(3.) The third difference is, that though a godly man may commit an act
of sin against knowledge, and on the contrary a wicked man through know
ledge and conscience abstain from sinning, yet in a godly man knowledge will overcome, and be too strong and powerful for his sinning, and not let him depart from God ; but in the other, in the end his sin will be too head-
330 OF GOSPEL HOLINESS [BOOK IV.
strong and overpowerful for his knowledge, so as to make him to depart from God, and to go on in sin. So, 2 Peter ii. 20, those who through
knowledge had escaped the defilements of the world, were again overcome.
Whereas, Bom. vi. 14, sin hath not dominion over a regenerate man who is under grace. Which places expound each other ; for to be overcome is to
yield a man s self a servant again to sin, Rom. vi. 16, so as to be pleased and rest in that condition, and so to go on in it. But a slave s spirit never
returns upon the child of God, but the knowledge of his former condition
rescues him again, and will not suffer indentures to be drawn between them and him, to become a constant servant to it. Now the reason of this difference is, because knowledge in an unregenerate man hath the whole frame of the heart, and all the strength of the will and
affections, armed against it, so as it governs but as a tyrant, by threats,
&c. But grace and sanctifying knowledge hath a great interest and party in the will and affections for to back it, so as it fights not alone ; but there
is a whole man to fight with it, if it be but mustered up by knowledge. And now therefore, though knowledge in the one, ruling only as a tyrant, may for a time overcome a whole country and keep them under, and so
conscience in a wicked man rules the whole man, and restrains it from sin
for a time, yet this cannot hold long, for the power of every king lies in
the love, hearts, and agreement of his subjects, and willing obedience to his
laws. Now therefore, knowledge and conscience in an unregenerate man,
having none other than a tyrannical power, therefore, as all tyrants are, it
is hated of all the whole, whilst it doth rule and curb unruly lusts, and in
the end they rise up and overcome it, and depose it and imprison it (so Rom. i. 17), as Herod did John, though he feared him. And in the end
they begin to slight his threats, and so overcome knowledge, going on in
obeying the lusts of their hearts, let conscience say what it will ; and by how much the more they were overawed with it, so much the more they
slight it now. But knowledge in a regenerate man hath an interest in the whole heart, even as its natural prince ; it hath the hearts of the chiefest and the strength of the subjects, namely, of the will and affections ; and
therefore, though it may be foiled in a particular combat, lose a field or two,
the man carried captive, yet knowledge in him musters up its forces again,
having such a natural interest in the house, as it rescues the heart again ; and therefore, though he be overcome in an act of sinning, yet he pitcheth another battle, challengeth it into the field again at new weapons, prayer and confession, and never rests till it hath overcome sin again, so as what
it loseth at one time it recovers at another. If sin overcome one way, grace
will overcome another, yea, and still wins ground, so as the believer never
continues to go on in a sin, or is overcome of it.
3. Whereas it was said in the former assertion, that a godly man might
deliberately and presumptuously sin, when he is out of passion, there are
these two differences between his sinning and that of a man unregenerate.
(1.) Although a godly man may break a particular commandment again and again against knowledge, yet his knowledge never suffers him to go on
so far as to venture knowingly to break the covenant of grace with God, and to depart from him ; when he hath gone on so far in a sin as he comes
to apprehend he must break with God, and lose him if he goes on any
further, this apprehension stays him, stops and brings him back again ; he
may presumptuously venture (though seldom ; and always to his cost) to commit an act of sin against knowledge, because he may withal think, that
by one act the covenant is not broken, nor all friendship and love hazarded
CHAP. VI.] IN THE HEART AND LIFE.
between God and him, nor his interest in the state of grace, nor God, quite
lost by it, though he may well think he would be displeased with him ; but
if he should begin to allow himself in it, and to continue to go on again and again in it, then he knows the covenant would be broken, it cannot
stand with grace ; and when this apprehension comes, and comes in strongly,
he cannot sin against it, for this were to cast away the Lord, and to depart
wickedly from him, now so he doth not. So David, though he sinned
highly and presumptuously, yet says he, Ps. xviii. 21, I have not departed
wickedly from my God ; that is, I have not so far departed from him as
though I apprehended I should utterly lose my interest in him, yet I would
go on. No ; for he is my^God, there lies the consideration that kept him
from departing from him :* so Ps. xliv. 17, We have not dealt falsely in
thy covenant, says the church there. Many acts of displeasing him may
pass and be ventured, but if the holy soul thinks that the covenant lay at
stake, that God and he must utterly part and break off, thus far he will
never go. And hence it comes to pass that a Christian finds it often harder
to deny himself in small matters than in the great trials and turnings of his
life; for usually in great trials a man looks upon them as passages appointed
of God on purpose to try him ; and if he should fail him then, he thinks
he should lose him quite, never look him in the face more, nor be owned by him ; and in these cases, and when such apprehensions are set on, tho
heart sticks close to God, and returns from sinning, for God hath put his
fear in their hearts that they should not depart from him, Jer. xxxii. 40.
But now a wicked man lying in a course of sinning, and being in the pur
suit of his sin, although he apprehends he loseth God thereby by going so
far and longer in it, and breaks quite with him, yet he will venture to go on
still, as those that defer their repentance do, and such others ; as Esau
when he sold his birthright, wherein he is made a type of such. So also
Saul did ; he knew God would cast him off if he destroyed not the Amalek-
ites, yet for fear of the people he ventured to spare the best of them,
1 Sam. xv., and rejected the word of the Lord, and cast God away by that
act. And so many, when they have gone so far in an estate of sinning,
that they apprehend and are convinced that they are in a damnable con
dition, yet venture still as securely to go on as ever ; these sin against the
very covenant and the terms of it, break the very fundamental condition of
it ; but this no godly man, apprehending or knowing it, can do, nor be false
in the fundamental parts of the covenant, for such a violation of it would shut men out of the state of grace, for it is not compatible to it. As God keeps
the believer from doing so, so his knowledge and fear doth, as Jeremiah
says, Jer. xxxii. 40. A wife that is loving may venture sometimes to do
many things she knows displeasing to her husband, but if she should
apprehend he would certainly divorce her and cast her off, she would not
venture on them, she would not lose her husband. Now to continue in any
sin a godly man knows would break the covenant, and cause an utter
divorce, this the fear of God in his heart, and the knowledge of the good ness of God, and of his interest in him, as the church reasoneth, Hosea ii. 7,
will not suffer him to do. So also for the performance of a duty, though
a godly man may neglect to perform it, and that long against his con
science (though it is dangerous so to do), yet herein he acts as a man that
hath a bond in a friend s hand, and may neglect such a day of payment, because he may hope to excuse it and humble himself; but in the end, when he shall come to apprehend, that if he takes not some order about it
his bond will be sued, all his estate of grace mortgaged, an execution come
OF GOSPEL HOLINESS [BOOK IV.
out, when this is served upon his conscience, this rouseth a godly man, when an unregenerate man will go on for all this, as deferrers of repent ance do.
(2.) Though a godly man may deliberately commit a particular sin
against his knowledge, and therein despise the commandment of God, that
is, make bold with it for that act (as David did, which is most fearful), 2 Sam. xii. 9, yet he doth not reject or cast away the commandment which he thus knows, so as to forsake or renounce obedience to it as to a com mandment, which he cannot nor will bring his heart to be subject unto, as a wicked man in some one commandment or other usually doth. So Saul
* Thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and therefore God hath rejected thee from being king ; because he cast off the government of the commandment, and would no longer be subject to God, therefore God took away his government over others. He stood out as an outlaw and a rebel in that act, and so the word intimates in that same verse, for his act is called rebellion and stubbornness. Now though David made bold with the commandment, and did so much despise it, yet he stood not out as an outlaw, as one that would not come in to obey it, or that rejected
is said to do : 1 Sam. xv. 23,
it. A subject may presume in a particular act to transgress a law, and so David did, but yet intends not to shake off the yoke of obedience in any thing to his prince, becomes not a rebel, an outlaw to any command ment, as every wicked man doth in regard of some command or other. Though wicked men know that the Sabbath ought to be kept strictly, they will not only in particulars make bold with it (which is a high kind of
sinning), but their hearts cannot be subject to it, yea, will not, and so stand as outlaws ; they say in their hearts, This man shall not reign over us ; such a commandment they will not be subject unto, and so go on from day to day, not despising it only, but rejecting it, asfthe Jews did Christ for
being king. So also did they, Luke vii. 30, who are said to reject the counsel of God within themselves ; they knew they ought to subject them
selves to John s doctrine and be baptized, but they scorned to seem to follow a poor man. And so in the 50th Psalm, the hypocrite is said there, though he knows God s will (for he takes it into his mouth), yet to cast the law behind his back. Now when a thing is cast behind a man s back, he hath no more an eye to it, but leaves it behind him ; but a godly man, though in a particular act he passeth by the law, yet he sets it before him, looks to it as a mariner to the loadstone to sail by it, he turns not his back on it, but (as Paul did, Philip, iii. 14) he sets this mark before him, and aims at it in a course of constant obedience ; whereas those did the con
trary of whom the prophet speaks, Jer. v. 5 : these (saith he) have broke the bands and the yoke. Every commandment which a man knows becomes a bond to tie him to God, and as a yoke to keep him in his
compass and rank, and bring him into subjection. Now a wicked man breaks the bonds and yoke in pieces, will not be subject to some command ment or other ; but a godly man, though he may go astray against his
knowledge, and run away, yet still he hath the yoke about his neck, he hath
a resolution and heart still to be subject, and doth not break the bond in
pieces, and give himself a liberty and allowance to be free from any commandment, though sometimes he makes escapes ; as an apprentice, though he breaks the conditions, yet tears not the indentures, as a wicked man doth.
Use 1. The first use is raised from the differences between a godly man s and an unregenerate man s sinning against knowledge ; which is to exhort
CHAP. VI. ] IN THE HEART AND LIFE. 333
you to examine yourselves by them, my brethren. All here have some
knowledge, all know some sins and some duties. Go and examine how
thy heart carries thyself to thy knowledge ; it is a short way to convince men by, used by the apostle in Rom. i. ; for though the Gentiles had lived
according to knowledge, it would not have saved them, yet it might nega
tively demonstrate their estate naught. Dost thou not desire to grow in
knowledge, to the end thou mayest know how to glorify God more ? And
as thou dost grow, dost thou not still desire to bring thy practice answer
able to it, and to run the faster, the further of thy practice is from what thou knowest thou shouldst do ? It is well with thee. But dost thou rest
in a pitch and course of duties and say, This is enough to save me, and what needs more ? Thy estate is naught then. Hast thou not a care to
keep thy heart even with thy knowledge, to make it perfect, when thou
prayest and receivest the sacraments ? Hidest thou not thine eyes from
any command, as it is said they in the prophet did from the Sabbath ? And when thou knowest it, dost thou not rest till thy heart be loosened from thy sin, and made subject to all duty, to pray, read the word, and
sanctify Sabbaths, and to examine thy heart, to confer holily, &c. ? Thy heart is naught if thou dost not and wilt not be found perfect before God. Art thou afraid of any truth, and sorry that it is a truth when thou knowest
it, because it crosseth thy lust ? Art not glad of that busy light that is in thee ? but dost thou wish thyself rid of it ? Art thou overcome of
any sin, and though thou knowest it to be a sin, yet in the end goest on and allowest thyself in it, let conscience say what it will ? Hast thou a heart can defer repentance when thou art persuaded thy estate is naught, and go on in sinning when thou seest thou must lose God if thou dost ? Thy heart is naught then. Dost thou reject any commandment and daily walk, as if there were no such thing to be minded by thee, as if it were not to be put into thy memorandum to have a care of? Dost thou pass Sabbaths thus, and praying-times over thus ? Thy heart is false with God then. My brethren, believe it, at the latter day the first course God will take in his order of convincing and condemning men, will be to reckon and account what knowledge they had, and so then to examine how they walked
accordingly: Rom. ii., Those without the law shall be judged without it ; for it will afford matter of conviction sufficient to take what sins they knew to be sins, and yet sinned in them. And therefore in the first chapter of the
Epistle to the Romans, the apostle goes no further, but instanceth in such sins as natural light taught them. Do thou so of what thou knowest, and see how thou answerest that knowledge.
And as for you that are professors, and know more, I here charge you, either leave professing to know God, leave noting sermons, and repeating them, or else make your hearts perfect and your lives answerable. For St John says plainly, He that says he knows God, and keeps not his commandments, is a liar, 1 John ii. 4, an hypocrite. Wherein lies the power of religion, but in ruling and moulding the heart to what you know ?
Use 2. Though a regenerate man may sin so far against knowledge, yet this is not to encourage any to go so far, and presume they may still be in the state of grace. No ; but as the apostle says, These things we write to you, that you sin not. Nor do I speak these things so to you that you may be discouraged, presently to think all is naught, and to call all into
question. I would have such as would presume on what hath been said, not to make so bad a use of so true a doctrine, but consider the heinousness of sinning against knowledge, and withal the fearful consequences of
834 OF GOSPEL HOLINESS [BOOK IV.
making bold with the commandments of God. A sin of knowledge will
stop thy mouth both to God and man. When thou goest to pray to God,
it will clap a lock upon thy heart and lips ; so it did on David s, as
appears from Psalm li., where after that great sin he prays to God to open
his lips, for that they had been sealed up ; besides, it will cause God to
give thee up to terrors, to lose the comfort of all thy grace. And as thou
sinnest against knowledge, so knowledge and the guilt of thy sin shall fight
against thee : and though he will not give thee up to thy lusts as he gave
up these Gentiles, and to a reprobate mind, for thou art his child, yet he
will give thee up to a terrified mind ; and as seven devils enter into one
that falls after knowledge, that belongs not to God, so in thy proportion
shall seven devils be let loose to terrify thee ; and as their latter end is
worse than the beginning, so shall a worse humiliation cease on thee than
at thy first conversion. If thou wilt go to the utmost of what is com
patible with the state of grace in sinning, God will answerably bring thee
to the utmost border of hell, as far as thou canst go and not go in, to the
depth of that despair which may stand with faith. This often he doth ;
yea, happily he will shorten thy life, cut thee off before thy time ; for he
that sins presumptuously, Num. xv. 30, 31, should be cut off. And the
laws of men not now taking notice of thee, God will cut thee off, at least
in thy apprehension, from the number of his people ; thy own thoughts and speeches shall excommunicate thee, thou shalt lie roaring and cry out,
thou art none of his. Therefore take heed of doing anything presump
tuously by what hath been said, but make this use of it, that if in time
past thou hast thus sinned, and art therefore now in the dungeon, and so
thinkest because thou didst sin so grievously against knowledge, that there
fore thou wert never truly regenerate, to comfort thee, consider what hath
been said.
Use 3. Is it so heinous to sin against knowledge ? This should teach
us to be valiant for the truth, if evil times come. Those truths which you
are now assured of, flinch not from them ; remember what St Paul says to
: 1 Tim. vi. 12, 13, Fight the good fight of faith, that thou hast
Timothy
professed before many witnesses. And I give you charge in the sight of
God, who is able to quicken you, if you die for it, and of Jesus Christ, who himself witnessed a good confession before Pilate, and denied not
what he knew was truth, that you do so too, though others will say with
Pilate, What is truth ? and make a jest of it ; but never deny it. Be ye
cast in prison, the truth will make you free, John viii. 32, and pay all thy
charges ; and therefore do not thou imprison it as the Gentiles, for the
children of God can do nothing against the truth, not heartily ; they can
not deny it, and stand out denying it, as the martyrs could not, it will
break prison doors ; for when they had subscribed, they could not be quiet
till they had torn out their names again. We can do nothing against it,
but for it all we can, 2 Cor. xiii. 8.