6. It is true, that when the Germans were pressed upon this head, they soon allowed, (many of them at least) that “sin did still remain in the flesh, but not in the heart of a believer.” And after a time, when the absurdity of this was shewn, they fairly gave up the point: allowing, that sin did still remain, though not reign in him that is born of God.
7. But the English who had received it from them (some directly, some at second or third hand) were not so easily prevailed upon, to part with a favourite opinion. And even when the generality of them were convinced it was utterly indefensible, a few could not be persuaded to give it up, but maintain it to this day.
II. 1. For the sake of these who really fear God and desire to know the truth as it in Jesus, it may not be amiss, to consider the point with calmness and impartiality. In doing this, I use indifferently the words regenerate, justified or believers: since tho’ they have not precisely the same meaning, (the first implying an inward, actual change, the second a relative one, and the third, the means whereby both the one and the other are wrought:) yet they come to one and the same thing; as every one that believes is both justified and born of God.
2. By sin I here understand inward sin: any sinful temper, passion or affection: such as pride,self-will, love of the world, in any kind or degree: such as lust, anger, peevishness; any disposition, contrary to the mind which was in Christ.
3. The question is not, concerning outward sin: whether a child of God commits sin or no? We all agree and earnestly maintain, He that committeth sin is of the devil. We agree, whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin. Neither do we now enquire whether inward sin will always remain in the children of God? Whether sin will continue in the soul, as long as it continues in the body? Nor yet do we enquire, whether a justified person, may relapse either into inward or outward sin? But simply this, Is a justified or regenerate man freed from all sin, as soon as he is justified? Is there then no sin in his heart? Nor ever after, unless he fall from grace?
4. We allow, that the state of a justified person is inexpressibly great and glorious. He is born again not of blood, nor of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. He is a child of God, a member of Christ, an heir of the kingdom of heaven. The peace of God which passeth all understanding, keepeth his heart and mind in Christ Jesus. His very body is a temple of the Holy Ghost, and an habitation of God through the Spirit. He is created anew in Christ Jesus: He is washed, he is sanctified. His heart is purified by faith; he is cleansed from the corruption that is in the world.The love of God is shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost which is given unto him. And so long as he walketh in love (which he may always do) he worships God in Spirit and in truth. He keepeth the commandments of God, and doth those things, that are pleasing in his sight: So exercising himself as to have a conscience void of offence, toward God and toward man. And he has power both over outward and inward sin, even from the moment he is justified.
III. 1. But was he not then freed from all sin, so that there is no sin in his heart? I cannot say this: I cannot believe it: because St. Paul, says the contrary. He is speaking to believers, and describing the state of believers in general, when he says, The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: these are contrary the one to the other. Gal. v. 17. Nothing can be more express. The apostle here directly affirms, that the flesh, evil nature, opposes the Spirit, even in believers; that even in the regenerate, there are two principles, contrary the one to the other.
2. Again. When he writes to the believers at Corinth, to those who were sanctified in Christ Jesus, 1 Cor. i. 2. he says, I brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual but as unto carnal, as unto babes in Christ—Ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying and strife, are ye not carnal? ch. iii. ver. 13. Now here the apostle speaks unto those who were unquestionably believers, whom in the same breath he stileshis brethren in Christ, as being still in a measure carnal. He affirms, there was envying (an evil temper) occasioning strife among them, and yet does not give the least intimation, that they had lost their faith. Nay, he manifestly declares, they had not; for then they would not have been babes in Christ. And (what is most remarkable of all) he speaks of being carnal and babes in Christ, as one and the same thing: plainly shewing that every believer (is in a degree) carnal, while he is only a babe in Christ.
3. Indeed this grand point, that there are two contrary principles in believers, nature and grace, the flesh and the Spirit, runs through all the epistles of St. Paul, yea through all the holy scriptures: almost all the directions and exhortations therein, are founded on this supposition: pointing at wrong tempers or practices in those, who are notwithstanding acknowledged by the inspired writers to be believers. And they are continually exhorted to fight with and conquer these, by the power of the faith which was in them.
4. And who can doubt, but there was faith in the angel of the church of Ephesus, when our Lord said to him, I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, thou hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured and hast not fainted. Rev. ii. 2, 3, 4. But was there meantime no sin in his heart? Yea, or Christ would not have added, nevertheless I have somewhat againstthee, because thou hast left thy first love. This was a real sin which God saw in his heart (of which accordingly he is exhorted to repent.) And yet we have no authority to say, that even then he had no faith.