A learned and very useful commentary on the whole epistle to the Hebrews wherein every word and particle in the original is explained ... : being the substance of thirty years Wednesdayes lectures at Black-fryers, London / by that holy and learned divine Wiliam Gouge ... : before which is prefixed a narrative of his life and death : whereunto is added two alphabeticall tables ...

§ 78. Of Gods seeing sin in such as are justified.

THis Text that doth so fully set out the Omniscience of God, is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pressed* 1.1 against those, who hold and teach, That God can see no sinne in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 persons. That they may more fully expresse their minde therein, they set it 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by these two comparisons. The first of an hat put upon an hour-glasse; The se∣cond of a bottle of ink poured into a sea of water. They thus apply these com∣parisons: As a man cannot see the Glasse that is covered with an hat, nor the blacknesse of the Ink in a sea of water: So God cannot see sinne in the ju∣stified. To this I answer, That resemblances from man to God, do 〈◊〉〈◊〉

〈◊〉〈◊〉, because of the infinite disparity betwixt them.

To discover the vanity of the afore-said Assertion, I propound these Que∣•…•…:

• 1. Whether there be any sinne at all in the justified, while here they live, or* 1.2 〈◊〉〈◊〉 The •…•…cripture expresly saith, That there is no man that sinneth not, 1 King. 8. •…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in many things we offend •…•…ll (Jam. 3. 2) That if we say that we have no sin, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ourselves, and the truth is not in us. John 1. 8. Surely under these 〈◊〉〈◊〉 phrases, even the justified must needs be comprized. If sinne be in 〈◊〉〈◊〉, the fore-said description of Gods Omniscience plainly demonstrates that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it.
• 2. Do men see sinne in others that are regenerate? This cannot be denied. For* 1.3 〈◊〉〈◊〉 saw sin in Davi•…•…, 2 Sam. 12. 7. and Paul in Peter, Gal. 2. 11. Can it be ima∣•…•… that man should see that which God cannot?
• 3. Can justified persons discern sinne in themselves? If not, Why do* 1.4 〈◊〉〈◊〉 complain thereof? As David, Psal. 38. 4. & 51. 1, &c. Yea and the Apo∣•…•… Paul also, Rom. 7. 24. Surely God must needs see more in man then him∣•…•… can?

How should God punish sinne in justified persons (as in Moses, Num. 27. 14.* 1.5 〈◊〉〈◊〉 David, 2 Sam. 12. 10, &c. and in Solomon, 2 Sam. 7. 14.) if he can see no sinne 〈◊〉〈◊〉? Or how should God order and dispose their sinne to good (as he doth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 8. 28.) if he see no sinne in them? The punishment here spoken of, is not to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for the vindictive Judgement of a Judge, simply for the crime committed, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for the corrective chastisement of a Father, for the amendment of the offender, •…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 7. 14. Heb. 12. 10.

Many of their grounds whereupon they settle this opinion, That God seeth no sin* 1.6 i•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉 justified, are raised from mistakes of sacred Scripture: so as I may say to them, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Christ said to the S•…•…dduces, Ye do erre, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power •…•…f 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Mat. 22. 29.

The first Scripture which they mistake, is this part of Balaams prophecy, He* 1.7 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 beheld iniquity in Iacob, neither hath be seen perversnesse in Israel, Numb. 23. 21.

To take these words according to this Translation, a 1.8 many judicious Expositors 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thus interpret them, God hath not beheld iniquity in Iacob utterly to destroy them: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 give them over to their enemies. b 1.9 Others thus, He seeth not iniquity in Iacob, in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he imputeth it not to him.

The true meaning of this Scripture will be best sound out by a due observance of the main scope thereof; which was this, to shew, That God would suffer no attempts to prevail against his people:

• 1. In this case, not to c 1.10 behold, or not to d 1.11 see, is not to endure to see such and such a thing to be done. When a father seeth his childe wronged, he may say, I 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 see my childe to be thus abused: that is, I will not suffer him so to be hand∣led, I will rescue my childe, and revenge the wrong-doer: Thus God may be said, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to see, that which he doth not like, and that which he will not suffer. Our English expounde•…•…▪ this phrase, seeth not, applied to God, thus, approveth not, Lam. 3. 36.
• ...

  2. The words translated e 1.12 iniquity and f 1.13 perversnesse, do most properly and usual∣ly signifie wrong and grievance.

  The former translated iniquity signifieth unequal dealing, Psal 94. 23.

  The later translated perversnesse, signifieth also mischief, Psal. 6. 16.

  Both these words in Balaams prophecy, imply evil in the enemies of Israel, ra∣ther then in Israel themselves, or in the people of God; so are both these words taken, Hab. 1. 3.

• 3. By Iacob and Israel are meant the whole body of the people that were then in the wildernesse whereof many were not truly justified. For in the verse before be saith, God brought them out of Egypt.
• 4. g 1.14 The Preposition translated [IN] signifieth also TO, or Against, as ver. 23. So as the words may be thus translated according to their true sense and mean∣ing, God endureth not to behold wrong done against Iacob, nor to see grievance against

• ... Israel. In this sense what canbe picked out to justifie that grosse errour, That G•…•…d seeth no sin in justified persons?

A second ground that they raise out of Scripture for the fore-said errour, is ta∣ken* 1.15 from sundry Metaphors, such as these, God blotteth out transgr•…•…ssions, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 putteth them aw•…•…y as a cloud, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them b•…•…hinde has back, and into the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the sea, &c. Of these, and other like metaphors, how they intend a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 discharge of sinne, See, A Guide to go to God, or, An Explanation •…•…f the Lords Prayer, 5^th Petition, §. 130. To apply metaphoricall phrases simply, and that beyond the intent or the holy Ghost who useth them, is to pervert the Scripture.

A third ground is taken from the holy Ghosts expression of the Churches •…•…∣ty* 1.16 in these, and such like phrases, Thou art all fair, my love, there is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in thee, Cant. 4. 7. And Christ gave himself for his Church, that he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 such thing; but that it should be holy, and without blemish, Ephesia•…•…s •…•…. 25, 26.

Answ. These, and such like places are meant partly of the Robe of Christs •…•…∣teousnesse, wherewith justified persons are cloathed while here they live: and partly of that glory wherewith the Church shall be decked in the world to come. But from thence to infer, That there is no sin in justified persons while here they 〈◊〉〈◊〉, or that God can see no sin in them, is a false inference.

Notes

• * 1.1

  An error, that God seeth no sin in justified persons.
• * 1.2

  1. There is sin in justified persons.
• * 1.3

  2. Other men see sin in them
• * 1.4

  3. Such see sin in themselves.
• * 1.5

  4. God punish∣eth sin in the justified.
• * 1.6

  Grounds of the fore-said errour.
• * 1.7

  Numb. 23. 21, expounded.
• a 1.8

  Pelican an∣no•…•…. on Tindall transl. of 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Piscat. in loc.
• b 1.9

  Hier. & •…•…ug. in Psal. 31. Va•…•…ab. Calvin, Piscat.
• c 1.10

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Lam. 4. 18.
• d 1.11

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Esth. 8. 6.
• e 1.12

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• f 1.13

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉▪
• g 1.14

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.15

  Gods full dis∣charge doth not prove that God see•…•…h not the sin dischar∣ged.
• * 1.16

  How the Church is without spot.