Funerall on the 28. of December 1608. The second The Perseuerance of the Saints Preached on the 29. day of Ianuarie 1608. By T. W. Minister of the Word LONDON Printed by Tho. S. for Thomas Man dwelling in Pater-noster Row at the signe of the Talbot 1609. THE FIRST SERMON called The Practise of the Saints preached at a Funerall on the 28. of December 1608. The Text. Rom. 6. Verse 12. Let not sinne raigne therefore in your mortall body that yee should obey it in the lusts thereof THE holy and blessed Apostle Saint Paul in the eleuen former verses of this Chapter had taught that such as be iustified by faith in the blood of Christ were partakars also of the Spirit of Christ vnto their sanctification whereby they were freed not from the corruption yet from the tyranny and dominion of sin euen as iustification had freed them from the guilt and condemnation of sinne wherevpon he concludeth that sithens the gift and grace of righteousnesse in the forgiuenesse of sinne is accompanyed with a new grace of holinesse vnto amendment of life therefore the doctrine of free iustification doth giue no libertie to liue licentiously in sinne How can they which are dead to sinne liue yet therein Verse 2. then in the 3.4 and 5. Verses our sanctification is declared both by the seuerall parts thereof as also by the cause and testimonie of it The parts are three first death of sinne secondly buriall of sinne which is the progresse of mortification thirdly newnesse of life The cause is a vertue or power deriued and conueyed into the members of Christ from his death to the beating downe and keeping vnder the strength of sinne and also from his Resurrection to the quickning and raising them vp in their vnderstandings and wils vnto the study and loue of Godlines all which hee setteth forth by an excellent similitude of grafting or planting Verse 5. like as the grift translated from an old stocke to a new liueth groweth and fructifieth by the iuyce and vigour which it draweth from the stocke into which it is set so it is with the elect being taken out of the old rotten stock of Adam and thence planted into that noble stocke Christ Iesus they participate of his Spirit by vertue whereof applying the death and Resurrection of Christ vnto them they receiue power against corruption to keepe it downe and subdue it as also to loue and doe in some measure the will of God and of all this their Baptisme is no idle and naked but an effectuall pledge and testimony the water sanctified by the word as also the dipping or sprinkling the childe with water according to Christs ordinance and commandement and the comming out of the water being a powerfull instrument of the holy Spirit not onely to represent and seale the grace of the couenant but also to effect in all the elect their neerer and straighter coniunction with Christ in his death and resurrection both for iustification and sanctification After this from the sixt Verse to our Text this communion of beleeuers with Christ is proued and amplified by comparison of contraries and equals and at this twelfth Verse he falleth vnto exhortation which he deduceth out of and buildeth vpon the former doctrine as appeareth by the illatiue particle therefore let not sinne raigne which is as much as if hee should say seeing the members of Christ are vouchsafed this mercy to haue fellowship with Christs death to the killing and destruction of sinne in them by little and little euen as his crucified body dyed and languished by little vpon the Crosse also with his resurrection that as Christ being dead raised vp now dyeth no more but liueth for euer to God likewise we may perpetually liue the life of grace till wee come to glory therefore in this knowledge of this great grace wee should endeauour all that is in vs to maister and subdue those remainders of corruption which still stick in our nature that sinne raigne not in vs as a king and as a Tyrant trample vpon vs and triumph ouer vs. In this Verse consider the exhortation it selfe and the explication the exhortation is to stirre vp all Christians to hinder the power and raigne of sinne in themselues let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies The explication teacheth how this raigne and kingdome of sin is to be hindred namely by not obeying the lusts of sinne In the exhortation the words are first to be made plaine then the matter to be handled Let not sinne The word sinne in this place and through this whole Chapter doth signifie that naturall corruption called originall sinne which sticketh both to the reason and will and hath depraued and corrupted them both Eph. 2.23 This naturall corruption is here tearmed sinne not onely because it is the fruit and consequence of our first parents sinne as also the matter and cause of all other sinnes but moreouer because it keepeth the proper nature of sin euen in the regenerate The Papists in their Remish notes deny this and say that it is not properly a sinne nor forbidden by commandement till it raigne in vs and wee obey and follow the desires thereof Which their opinion appeareth to be false by these reasons first naturall concupiscence is repugnant to the law of God as it is written I had not knowne lust except the law had said Thou shalt not lust Rom. 7.7 But whatsoeuer is repugnant to the law is sinne as it is written the transgression of the Law is sinne 1. Iohn 3.4 Therefore naturall concupiscence is sinne Secondly naturall concupiscence rebelleth against the gouernment of the spirit in the minds of the regenerate There was saith Paul a Law in my members rebelling against the Law of my minde therefore it is sinne properly Thirdly it both commeth from sinne and begetteth all other sinnes and beareth the name of sinne therefore it is properly sinne according to that rule That which maketh such is more such Fourthly young children are knowne to dye which haue no other sinne but naturall concupiscence now death is the wages of that which is properly sinne therefore naturall concupiscence hath the proper nature of sinne and whereas some say it is not properly sinne because it is not voluntary this reason holdeth not but in actuall sinnes onely howbeit originall sinne in some sence may be auouched to be voluntary insomuch as Adam voluntarily and freely disobeyed the commandement and wee all sinned in him his sinne is ours by imputation as Christs merits and righteousnesse is ours by imputation Rom. 5.12 c. And whereas some of the Fathers say it is not sinne in the regenerate they must be vnderstood first that it is not accompted to them as a sin to whom all sins are forgiuen secondly that in them it is no raigning sinne but peccatum inhabitans a dwelling sinne Rom. 7.17 Now the word body by a
Synechdoche of the part for the whole is taken here for the whole man as the soule which is but one part of man is sometimes put for the whole person as in that saying of Ezek. 18. The soule that sinneth shall dye and where Paul saith Let euery soule be subiect Rom. 13. so on the other side the body is here put for the whole man which appeareth by this reason euen for that our sinnes doe principally raigne in the soule as it is written From within euen from the heart commeth adulterie murder debate c. The body being but the executioner to fulfill the deuises and desires of the soule yet for good reasons the Apostle vseth here the word Body rather then soule first because in the propagation of sin it is conueyed by the body into the soule according to that of Iob how can one draw a cleane thing out of vncleane seede Secondly because howsoeuer the first motion of sin comes from the soule yet it is perfected by the body which executeth that euill which the minde hath conceiued the will embraced Thirdly hauing before spoken of the crucifying of Christ which was touching his body he willingly retayneth this tearme of body both here and in the sixt verse The meaning then is this let not corruption or naturall concupiscence raigne in your selues but keepe downe the power of it both in your soules and bodyes Now for the word raigne it signifieth here an absolute rule in commanding without resistance and opposition such as kings haue in a kingdome where the people are subdued vnder them and doe freely execute and doe their will and pleasure Thus the Apostle himselfe expoundeth it in the next part of this verse where it is said That ye should obey it in the lusts thereof whereof the meaning is that then sinne raigneth when that which sinne lusteth willeth or commandeth is readily obeyed done without controulement The Apostle likeneth sinne to a Monarch or Emperour whose lusts are lawes and commands the yeelding whereunto by ready obedience is the suffering of sinne to play the Rex There are foure steps whereby sinne climeth into his throne that it may raigne in a man The first is ignorance of the commandements which shew and reueale sinne when any doe not know what is displeasing to God and what will please him eyther because they are not taught ot care not to learne or if they haue some knowledge of the law it is confused and without application of the former it is true which is commonly said the blinde eate many a flye and of the latter that is verrified As good neuer a whit as neuer the better The second step is distrust of heart or vnbeliefe when God is not belieued and credited in his word of threatning and promises and in respect of these two blindnes of mind and incredulitie the kingdome of sinne is called a kingdom of darknesse sinne may doe any thing where Gods word is distrusted Let faith of the word be shaken out of the heart then looke what sinne will commaund it is presently done whereof there is lamentable experience in the fall of our first parents when they were once won to this but to doubt of Gods threatning ye know what followed they became vassals to sinne and Sathan The third step is custome in sinne whereby the sense of sinne is lost Physitions say that diseases not lookt to in the beginning doe afterwards in time grow incurable and desperate Phylosophers teach that custome is another nature and that of many actions there ariseth an habit and Deuines affirme that by often practise of sinne the very feeling of sinne is taken away when men are blinded by ignorance and vnbeliefe and withall hardned by custome of sinne it will be as easie for sinne to lead such whither it will as it was for Elisha to lead the armie of the Aramites whither hee thought good being stricken with blindnesse 2 King 6.19 The fourth step is securitie whereby the danger of sinne is neyther feared nor suspected as in such men who haue made a league with death and a couenant with hell and when it commeth to this then is sinne in the roofe and at the height for such as once waxe secure in sinne and though they sin often and grieuously yet are they without all feare of Gods threatnings and iudgements presuming and bearing themselues bold vpon his goodnesse and lenitie they will excuse sinne in themselues and defend sinne in others they neyther in themselues resist sinne nor can abide others to reprooue their sinne but hate them rather yea and appoint praises and reward to sinners as Rom. 1.31 they sinne and fauour such as doe it Thus wee see what it is for sinne to raigne in our bodyes and how it commeth to his kingdome And here this is first of all to be noted that the Apostle saith not let not sinne be in you but let it not raigne in you for it is impossible that sin should not at all be in vs for besides the testimonie of euery mans conscience against himselfe accusing him of sinne and the manifold iudgements of God against all sorts of sinners in this life wee haue the Scriptures in very many places affirming that none can be without sinne in this world our blessednesse standing not in being voide of all sinne but in hauing our sinnes forgiuen vs Psal. 32.1 and hee being the best man not that hath no sinne but the fewest sinnes This exhortation then is like to that prayer of the Prophet Dauid in the 19. Psalme Lord deliuer me from presumptuous sinnes let them not raigne ouer me Also like to that other prayer of his in the 119. Psalme Let not sinne get dominion ouer me And to that petition in the Lords Prayer which is not Lord tempt vs not but Lord lead vs not into temptation that is giue vs not vp to be carryed away as captiues to sin and Sathan So here we are exhorted not to cleare and quit our selues from sinne but that we suffer it not to raigne ouer vs to hold vs as vassals subiect to his beck It may be thought that this exhortaion is superfluous because in the regenerate sinne cannot raigne and in the vnregenerate it cannot but raigne The answere hereunto is first generally that the whole word of God is inspired from aboue and is profitable to teach c. 2. Tim. 3.16 and secondly for this exhortation a part of the word it is behouefull for all sorts of men for touching the vnregenerate which yet are vnder the power of sinne if they be not elect this and such like exhortations will take from them all excuse so as they shall be vnable to alledge for themselues that they were not called vpon to resist sinne and for such vnregenerate as be of the elect this exhortation will serue to prouoke them to abstaine from the outward act and work of sinne which is in their
power to do euen by the strength of restraining grace the which preuaileth in many naturall men not onely to keepe them from externall euill actions but to the staying somewhat of the inward rage of sinne though they cannot kill it at the roote for lack of reforming grace And least of all may this exhortation be held vnprofitable for such elect as be already regenerate who are greatly holpen to the mortification of sin by the work of the spirit through this word of exhortation Wee are taught from the word that such as once receiue the grace of regeneration though they may grieuously fall yet that it is vnpossible they should fall away because the seed whereof they are begotten anew is immortall and permanent 1. Pet. 1.23 And Christ Iesus which prayed for Peters perseuerance in grace hath prayed for the stabilitie of all true beleeuers Iohn 17.20.21 Yet that exhortation in Rom. 9. Let him that standeth take heede least hee fall and that Phil. 2. Worke out your saluation in feare and trembling is not in vaine for them because it may moue them to feare and vvatchfulnesse which is one meane whereby they stand In like manner albeit sinne cannot euer haue dominion in the elect being once effectually called and turned to God yet it is good for them to be called vpon to resist and striue against the raigne of sinne because by such exhortations being blessed from heauen and put in practise the course of sinning is stopped in them and the strength of sinne daily lessened and abated till it be wholy abolished and brought to nothing Moreouer obserue from this exhortation of our Apostle that it is the dutie and part of euery faithfull man and woman to take paines to preserue and encrease their owne mortification and that they may not looke that Christ and his grace will beare and carry them through against all assaults of their sinfull lusts without their owne care trauaile and endeauour and this is the very thing which is here called for that they be helpers to the grace of Christ in the suppressing of sinne for howsoeuer in our first conuersion wee are meere patients not working any thing toward it onely suffering the spirit to worke that blessed change and conuersion of our soules to God and howsoeuer it is the grace of God which still doth all our workes for vs the beginning middle or end of our sanctification being from grace which both beginneth and finisheth yet the grace of God worketh not in those which lye asleepe and snort in their sinnes being carelesse and idle but in them which put to their owne care and diligence as in husbandry all the encrease is from God the earth fructifieth by his blessing yet God vseth the hand of the husbandmen in plowing sowing and manuring the ground and albeit in warre the victory dependeth vpon God yet as Paul said in the Acts Except these Mariners stay in the shippe we cannot be safe so men may say in time of battaile Except the warriours doe their parts wee cannot looke to ouercome Thus it is here howsoeuer the power which beateth down and keepeth vnder the strength of sinne be diuine and it is Gods grace that doth all the power both to will and to do is from him without whom wee can doe nothing yet so as we are not to expect that Christ should giue vs victorie ouer sinne if wee sit still and doe nothing here is that true Hee that made thee without thee doth not saue thee without thee Hence it is that wee are so often exhorted in sundry formes of words to put to our hand and helpe as to giue all diligence to labour to stirre vp the grace of God To mortifie our earthly members To cast away from vs the works of darknesse To put on the armour of light c. and here let not sinne raigne in you to admonish vs that our God though himselfe effect all good in vs and hinder all euill yet hee is pleased to vse vs as fellow workers with his grace as instruments and meanes of our owne good and keeping of euill things from vs for though in our regeneration we are meer patients non agimus sed agimur yet in the practise of regeneration wee must be agents agimur agimus After these things thus opened and deliuered wee are now to see and consider for what reasons all beleeuing christians stand bound to embrace this exhortation and as the Apostle Heb. 11. hauing alledged innumerable examples to shew the propertie and power of faith in the beginning of the 12. Chapter saith we are compassed about with a cloud of witnesses so I may say of this duety here exhorted vnto that it hath a cloud of reasoâ—â— to enforce it I meane to presse vs forward vnto the resistance of sinne to keepe it from exercising rule and kingdome in vs. These reasons some of them grow without the Text which wee will draw hither and some are bred within this our Scripture Of forraine reasons the first is the certaine hope of victory if wee resist sinne in the temptations thereof for certaine it is vpon the word of our Apostle verse 14. that sin cannot raigne if it be resisted Sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you for beleeuing Christians they are vnder grace both their sinnes past are gratiously forgiuen them for Christs death and they haue the grace and aid of his spirit to strengthen them against euill desires and lusts for the time to come so as if ye doe your owne best endeauour sin cannot raigne ouer you but you shall domineire ouer it Therfore as Souldiours doe fight more couragiously where they haue but likelihood and hope of victory this animates and whets their stomack to battell how much more ought yee to striue against sin being before hand assured to ouercome so ye striue lawfully How valiantly and resolutely did weake and young Dauid set vpon Goliah a mightie man being perswaded by the holy Ghost of an happy issue of the combat now Christians haue as much certaintie for conquering sinne so they â—ight as Dauid had the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you therefore were your sinnes as Goliah for strength and power and your selues weak and feeble yet setting vpon them with trust and confidence of Gods helpe yee cannot but prosper Especially sithens sin which ye striue against it is mortified and dead Rom. 7.6 that being dead in which we were holden sinne hath already receiued from the death of Christ such a deadly blow that though it draw breath and stirre yet it cannot recouer former strength but remaines as a man wounded to death Insomuch as it was easie for Dauid to kill Goliah to cut off his head when by the stone cast out of his sling hee had already amazed and â—â—unted or rather dashed out his braines so it will be no hard matter for you to destroy vtterly the body of sinne
Dauid had smitten Goliah to the ground hee presently runne vpon him drew out his sword and beheaded him likewise Christ hauing subdued vnto vs our sinne by his vertue let vs doe our part fall vpon it take it by the throate stifle and choake it neuer leaue it till wee haue driuen out the breath of sinne It was the fault of the Israelites that God hauing put them in possession of a good land and destroyed many of the inhabitants daunting the rest they by their negligence and cowardise did not prosecute these good beginnings but suffering the Cananites to liue amongst them they proued thornes in their sides and prickes in their eyes euen so it will come passe if you foreslow the continuall mortifying of sinne which Christ hath already conquered in you and disarmed if ye make way and giue place to remayning lusts and euill affections they will proue tedious and perillous therefore let not sinne raigne Finally this must encourage vs to flye the seruice of sinne and mightily to striue against it because our bodyes being mortall that is subiect to mortalitie and death the strife against sinne will quickly be at an end And surely this may encourage any good Christian to resist sinne seriously to consider that we are mortall here where sinne doth assault vs and that there wee shall be immortall where wee shall be free from sinne as wee would not be mortall then when sinne shall not hurt vs so we would not be immortall here where we are subiect to sinne Let this meditation then helpe vs against the lusts of sinne that wee are not like to wrestle long with it for our yeares may lack moneths our moneths may lacke weekes our weekes may lacke dayes our dayes may lacke houres our houres may lacke minutes Doe wee not know by Scripture that death stealeth vpon vs as trauaile vpon a woman or as a theefe in the night which giueth no warning and experience sheweth the truth of this plentifully Hee in the Gospell that boasted of store for many yeares was threatned to haue his soule taken from him that night two in London dyed sodainely as they walked in the streets also one found dead in the fields at Allington who went well out of his house at Douer likewise one dyed in his sleep who went well to bed in the citie of Canterbury one well and abroad at eight of the clock and dead by tenâ— and euen in this Church one fell downe dead betweene the great gate and the porch the Kings court is not free from such examples of suddaine death Now seeing that that which falleth to any one may fall to euery one it is wisedome for all men to make a short account and so much the more to labour mortification of sinne by how much this mortalitie is certaine and the time vncertaine and yet such dulnesse is in vs that wee are so far from thinking of the sodainnesse of our death and shortnes of life as that wee seldome remember that wee shall dye wherein our forgetfulnesse is more blame worthy because euery thing serueth to put vs in mind that our bodyes which we beare about vs are mortall for euen on our table wee haue monuments of death for we eate not the creatures till they be dead our garments are eyther the skins or excrements of dead beasts we often follow the dead corps to the graue and wee often walke ouer their bodyes and in this place especially men that vse to walke here shall do well to remember that they tread vpon the dead and others shortly must tread vpon them Moreouer wee in this Citie haue almost euery day death roung in our eares the deadly knell telling vs that dust we are and to dust we must goe Lastly our nightly sleepe being to vs a shadow and resemblance of death yet for all this men liue as if they were immortall drowned in worldly pleasures and carnall delights because they doe not seriously remember their last end which if it were carefully thought vpon it would mightely preuaile to keepe men from doing amisse causing them to imitate that good seruant in the Gospell who knowing his maister would come yet not knowing at what houre in the night hee girded his loynes and kept his lampe burning that hee might be found ready when his maister should come wherof we haue a good example in this Gentlewoman our sister to whom as it pleased God in the weaknesse of body to giue her a remembrance of her mortalitie and end before it came so shee receiued grace to make true vse for dying to sinne and liuing to God shee spent her time during her sicknesse as I haue beene credibly certified in reading praier and good meditations and at her end as my selfe was a witnesse she applyed the sentences and promises of Scripture to her owne soules comfort praying with the Church Lord Iesus come quickly come quickly And with Dauid professing that as the Hart panted after the riuers of water so her soule longed after God and laying hold on Christs promises that shee should be satisfied because shee mourned for her sinnes assuring her heart according to that that was pronounced to Paul that howsoeuer she was weake yet the grace of Christ should be sufficient for her and that by the power of his might shee should ouercome and finde death to be her aduantage Thus continuing in holy motions and good speeches till her soule remouing from her earthly tabernacle was receiued into the heauenly inheritance as we may trust there to raigne with Christ for euer Thus farre of the exhortation not to suffer sinne to raigne the first part of our Text. That yee should obey it in the lusts thereof THese words contain the second part of our Text which is the explication declaring to vs how this may be brought to passe namely by withdrawing obedience from the lusts thereof Where first of all there be two words to be interpreted Lusts and Obedience Lust of sinne Lust is that stirring of our naturall corruption egging and soliciting vs against the will and Law of God or the first motion of our sinfull corrupt nature for it is here distinguished from sinne to shew that here lust is not the roote but the fruit Whereas he speaketh in the plurall number not lust but lusts it is because the motions or desires of our depraued nature are of sundry kindes some are the will of the minde so called Eph. 2.3 as errours heresies false opinions wicked conceits euill imaginations corrupt reasonings wicked counsels deuises and thoughts eyther against God or men or our selues some are the will of the flesh thus tearmed in the former place Ephes. 2.3 whereby is meant all the euill affections which be in our vnreasonable part in our will appetite and senses as anger pride couetousnesse enuy reuenge contention and such like And 2. Cor. 7.1 these lusts are deuided into lusts of the flesh and the spirit where flesh