I have put this objection as strong as possible, that its full weight may appear. Let us now examine it, part by part. And 1 “_That which is born of the Spirit, is spirit_, is altogether good.” I allow the text, but not the comment. For the text affirms this, and no more, That every man who is _born of the Spirit_, is a _spiritual man_. He is so. But so he may be and yet not be _altogether spiritual_. The Christians at _Corinth_ were _spiritual_ men. Else they had been no Christians at all. And yet they were not _altogether_ spiritual. They were still (in part) _carnal_. “But they were fallen from grace.” St. _Paul_ says no. They were even then _babes in_ Christ. 2. “But a man cannot be _clean_, _sanctified_, _holy_, and at the same time _unclean_, _unsanctified_, _unholy_.” Indeed he may. So the _Corinthians_ were. _Ye are washed_, says the apostle, _ye are sanctified_: namely, cleansed from _fornication_, _idolatry_, _drunkenness_, and all other outward sin, (1 Cor. vi. 9, 10, 11.) And yet at the same time, in another sense of the word, they were _unsanctified_: they were not _washed_, not inwardly _cleansed_ from envy, evil-surmising, partiality. “But sure they had not a new heart, and an old heart together.” It is most sure, they had. For at that very time, their hearts were _truly_, yet not _entirely_ renewed. Their carnal mind was nailed to the cross. Yet it was not wholly destroyed. “But could they be _unholy_, while they were _temples of the Holy Ghost_?” Yes, that they were _temples of the Holy Ghost_, is certain. (_1 Cor._ vi. 19.) And it is equally certain, they were, in some degree _carnal_, that is, _unholy_.
2. “However, there is one scripture more, which will put the matter out of question. _If any man be_ (a believer) _in Christ_, he is _a new creature. Old things are past away: behold all things are become new_, 2 Cor. v. 17. Now, certainly a man cannot be a _new creature_ and an _old creature_ at once.” Yes, he may. He may be _partly renewed_, which was the very case of those at _Corinth_. They were doubtless _renewed in the spirit of their mind_, or they could not have been so much as _babes in Christ_. Yet they had not the whole mind which was _in Christ_, for they _envied_ one another. “But it is said expresly, _old things are past away: all things are become new_.” But we must not so interpret the apostle’s words, as to make him contradict himself. And if we will make him consistent with himself, the plain meaning of the words is this. His _old judgment_ (concerning justification, holiness, happiness, indeed concerning the things of God in general) is now _past away_. So are his _old desires, designs, affections, tempers, and conversation_. All these are undeniably _become new_, greatly changed from what they were. And yet though they _are new_, they are not _wholly new_. Still he feels, to his sorrow and shame, remains of the _old man_, too manifest taints of his former tempers and affections, though they cannot _gain_ any _advantage_ over him, as long as he _watches unto prayer_.
3. This whole argument, “If he is clean, he is clean,” “if he is holy, he is holy;” (and twenty more expressions of the same kind, may easily be heaped together) is really no better than playing upon words: it is the fallacy of arguing from a _particular_ to a _general_; of inferring a general conclusion, from particular premisses. Propose the sentence entire, and it runs thus: “If he is holy _at all_, he is holy _altogether_.” That does not follow: every babe in Christ is holy, and yet not altogether so. He is saved from sin; yet not intirely: it _remains_ though it does not _reign_. If you think it does not _remain_ (in _babes_ at least, whatever be the case with _young men_, or _fathers_) you certainly have not considered the height and depth and length and breadth of the law of God; even the law of love, laid down by St. _Paul_ in the thirteenth of _Corinthians_ and that _every_ ἀνομία, disconformity to, or deviation from this law, _is sin_. Now is there no disconformity to this in the heart or life of a believer? What may be in an adult Christian is another question. But what a stranger must he be to human nature, who can possibly imagine, that this is the case with every babe in Christ?
4. “But believers _walk after the Spirit_.[27] Rom. viii. 1. and the Spirit of God _dwells_ in them, consequently they are delivered from the guilt, the power, _or in one word_, the being of sin.”
These are coupled together, as if they were the same thing. But they are not the same thing. The _guilt_ is one thing, the _power_ another, and the _being_ yet another. That believers are delivered from the _guilt_ and _power_ of sin we allow; that they are delivered from the _being_ of it we deny. Nor does it in any wise follow from these texts. A man may have the Spirit of God _dwelling in_ him, and may _walk after the Spirit_, tho’ he still feels _the flesh lusting against the Spirit_.