1. Negatively. A simple apprehension of sin is not sinful. Thoughts receive not a sinfulness barely from the object: That may be unlawful to be acted, which is not unlawful to be thought of. Though the will cannot Will sin without guilt, yet the understanding may apprehend sin without guilt; for that doth no more contract a pollution by the bare apprehension, than the eye doth by the reception of the species of a loathsome object. Thoughts are morally evil, when they have a bad principle, want a due end and converse with the object in a wrong manner. Angels cannot but understand the offence which displaced the Apostate Stars from heaven; but they know not sin cognitione practicâ: Glorified Saints may consider their former sins, to enhance their admirations of pardoning mercy. Christ himself must needs understand the matter of the Devils temptation; yet Satan's suggestions to his thoughts were as the vapours of a jakes mixed with the Sun-beams, without a defilement of them. Yea God himself, who is infinite purity, knows the Object of his own acts, which are conversant about sin; as his holiness in forbidding it, wisdom in permitting, mercy in ⟨p. 3⟩pardoning, and justice in punishing. But thoughts of sin in Christ, Angels, and glorified Saints, are accompanied with an abhorrency of it, without any combustible matter in them to be kindled by it. As our thoughts of a divine object are not gracious, unless we love and delight in it; so a bare apprehension of sin is not positively criminal, unless we delight in the object apprehended. As a sinful object doth not render our thoughts evil, so a divine object doth not render them good; because we may think of it with undue circumstances, as unseasonably, coldly, &c. And thus there is an imperfection in the best thought a regenerate man hath; for though I will suppose he may have a sudden ejaculation without the mixture of any positive impurity, and a simple apprehension of sin, with a detestation of it, yet there is a defect in each of them; because 'tis not with that raised affection to God, or intense abhorrency of sin, as is due from us to such objects, and whereof we were capable in our primitive state.
1. Negatively. A simple apprehension of sin is not sinful. Thoughts receive not a sinfulness barely from the object: That may be unlawful to be acted, which is not unlawful to be thought of. Though the will cannot Will sin without guilt, yet the understanding may apprehend sin without guilt; for that doth no more contract a pollution by the bare apprehension, than the eye doth by the reception of the species of a loathsome object. Thoughts are morally evil, when they have a bad principle, want a due end and converse with the object in a wrong manner. Angels cannot but understand the offence which displaced the Apostate Stars from heaven; but they know not sin cognitione practicâ: Glorified Saints may consider their former sins, to enhance their admirations of pardoning mercy. Christ himself must needs understand the matter of the Devils temptation; yet Satan's suggestions to his thoughts were as the vapors of a jakes mixed with the Sun-beams, without a defilement of them. Yea God himself, who is infinite purity, knows the Object of his own acts, which are conversant about sin; as his holiness in forbidding it, wisdom in permitting, mercy in ⟨p. 3⟩pardoning, and justice in punishing. But thoughts of sin in Christ, Angels, and glorified Saints, are accompanied with an abhorrency of it, without any combustible matter in them to be kindled by it. As our thoughts of a divine object are not gracious, unless we love and delight in it; so a bare apprehension of sin is not positively criminal, unless we delight in the object apprehended. As a sinful obiect doth not render our thoughts evil, so a divine object doth not render them good; because we may think of it with undue circumstances, as unseasonably, coldly, &c. And thus there is an imperfection in the best thought a regenerate man hath; for though I will suppose he may have a sudden ejaculation without the mixture of any positive impurity, and a simple apprehension of sin, with a detestation of it, yet there is a defect in each of them; because 'tis not with that raised affection to God, or intense abhorrency of sin, as is due from us to such objects, and whereof we were capable in our primitive state.
