VeR 9.] SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. 59
SERMON XIV.
Wliosoever -is horn of God doth not commit sin, for Ms seed remaineth in him ; and he cannot sin, because he is horn of God. — 1 John iii. 9.
This verse is a perfect antithesis, or standetli in direct opposition to the former. There he reasoneth against a sinful life, because the com- mitting of sin argueth conformity to the devil, who is the great architect of all wickedness, and sinners are of his confederacy and party. Now he reasoneth, on the contrary part, that non-committing of sin argueth conformity with God : ' He that committeth sin is of tlie devil, for the devil sinneth from the beginning ; ' that was his argument there ; but here he argueth from the principle of all grace and goodness, ' Whoso- ever is born of God doth not commit sin,' &c.
In the words there is an assertion, with its reasons annexed —
1. The assertion attributeth two things to the regenerate person — (1.) That he doth not sin ; (2.) That he cannot sin.
2. The reasons are annexed to both — (1.) Because his seed remaineth in him ; (2.) Because he is born of God.
The words need a clear discussion, that they may not be abused by erroneous persons on the one side, to establish the impeccability and perfection of the saints ; on the other side, by persons of a weak and tender conscience, who are apt to conclude against their own regenera- tion because of their daily failings ; nor by a third party, who, because of these infirmities, and on the presumption of grace xeceived, are apt to intermit their care and diligence, as if the new nature would preserve them, and bear them out against all possibility of declining from God and the ways of holiness.
Therefore I shall — (1.) Acquaint you with, or lay down, some pre- liminary considerations ; (2.) Acquaint you with the different thoughts of sundry interpreters ; (3.) Assert the true sense of the words ; (4.) Vindicate them from abuses.
First, The preliminary propositions.
1. That there is not a man upon earth that sinneth not, believers and persons regenerate as well as others : Eccles. vii. 20, ' There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not ; ' and James iii. 2, ' In many things we offend all.' Of us, even the holiest and most regenerate commit many acts of sin.
2. That notwithstanding this, there is a difference between the carnal and the regenerate : ver. 10, ' In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil.' Otherwise the god]y and ungodly would be confounded, and there would be no difference between the wicked and the sincere. Certain there is a people that do not sin as otiiers, and, in a good and commodious sense, cannot sin : Deut. xxxii. 9, ' Tiieir spot is not the spot of his children.'
Secondly, I shall show the different thoughts of men about this place. Ambrose interpreteth it of the state of glory, where there is no more sin ; but it agreeth not with this place ; for the apostle speaketh of the state of the regenerate in this life, and would lay down a sign by which the children of God may be distinguished from the children of the
CO SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR. XIV.
devil, ver. 10. It is true our perfect state in heaven is spoken of, ver. 2 ; but the apostle is off from that argument, and inferreth thence our hohness : ver. 3, * He that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as Christ is pure.' Others, as Austin in his book of nature and grace, chap, xiv., supposeth the apostle speaketh dejure, what should be of right, and not de facto ; not what is, but what should be, viz., that he that is born of God should not sin. But this will not suit with the apostle's scope, which is to lay down a mark of difference, and the unregenerate are under an obligation not to sin. Neither will it consist with the reason here alleged, ' His seed remaineth in him.' If the jus were considered, this argument would do better, because sin is forbidden by the law, from whence right and wrong is determined ; but the apostle argueth from the remaining principle of grace, which is proper to the regenerate. Some understand it, as Bernard, of God's non-impu- tation of sin ; he sinneth, but it is not reckoned for sin. But though this would agree with the former part, ' committeth not sin,' yet it would not with the latter, ' cannot sin ; ' for God may impute sin, though he will not. And it establisheth evil doctrine ; for the evil acts of the regenerate are sins in God's account, and damnable in them- selves, merito operis, and so should be reckoned by us. Others say that it is very absurd, very unbecoming ; so ' cannot ' is taken for a moral cannot, not a natural cannot, which noteth a monstrous incongruity, not an utter impossibility : Gen. xxxix. 9, ' How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God ? ' So Acts i. 20, ' We cannot but speak the things which we have heard and seen.' The heart, as thus constituted, cannot be brought to it : 1 Cor. x. 21, 'We cannot drink of the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils ; we cannot be partakers of the Lord's table and the table of devils.' That it is very absurd and unbecoming : Gen. xxix. 8, 'We cannot roll away the stone till all the flocks be gathered together.' It is not the law and custom and fashion among us.