to coÌ„demne vs. Seeing then that as by the disobedieÌ„ce of Adam many were made sinners so by the obedience of Christ many are made righteous Why came the lawe To this Saint Paul answereth that the lawe entred that sinne might abounde but where sinne abounded there grace hath superabounded The greater the sinne was the more plenteous was the grace of God in Christ in taking it away That as sinne had raigned vnto death so grace should raigne through righteousnes vnto life eternall by Iesus Christ Then the more that sinne abounded the greater is the riches of the grace of God in Christ that doth pardon it and so the greater is the praise and glorie of God All this is true Now hereupon the wisedome of the flesh doth argue thus If the more the sinne be increased the greater is the glorie of God in pardoning it then is it good for those which beleeue in Christe to continue still in sinne to commit all abundance of sinne that so God may haue the greater glorie This is a pleasant doctrine to mans corrupt nature and much followed in all places for albeit you shall not heare many vse the same words which S. Paule setteth downe to bolden themselues to continue in sinne yet marke iâ— well and you shall perceiue that there is the same reason in effect Great multitudes as you knowe doe professe Christ and they say they looke to haue all their sinnes forgiuen only be his death and bloudshedding Look vpon then liues and you shall finde that the greatest paâ—â— are eueÌ„ ouerwhelmed and lie as it were drowned in all manner of vncleane and abominable vices Deale particularly with any one and say but thus vnto him These foule sinnes which you continue in and daylie commit are such as God doeth threaten vengeance against will he not answere I know they be grieuous sins but I hope to haue them al forgiueÌ„ me through the bloud of Iesus Christ yea are there not many which will say I hope I shall call for mercie and pardon at the last This is the doctrine of the holy Ghost the grace of God which bringeth saluation hath appeared vnto all men teaching vs to denie vngodlines worldly lustes and to liue soberly iustly and godly in this present world Tit. 2. ver 11.12 Behold how contrary to the doctrine of GOD such men be He saith that the grace giueÌ„ vs in Christ doth teach vs to deny all wicked waies and to liue a godly â—â—fer and they say because there is pardon in Christ we will continue still in our wickednes and â—all for mercy at the last Al such men doth the holy Apostle heere quite cut downe proâ—â—â—g indeed that they haue no part in Christ they doe but deceiue themselues Also he doth heere meete with the Papistes which are enimies to the crosse of Christ and can by no meanes indure to heare that we haue our iustification only in Christ but they will haue mens owne good works and merites to iustifie them before God And thus they cry out against vs you open a gappe vnto all loosenes and licentiousnes of life you destroy all zeale and care of good works when you teach that men are iustified onely by faith in Christ for if a man shall haue all his sinnes forgiuen by the grace of Christ what wil he eare what sinnes he commit Also if a man shall be made righteous only by grace in Christ and not by his own good deedes who will care to doe anie This also I say doth S. Paul here meete withal shewing and proouing by strong reasons that all they which haue a true faith in Christ and so haue al their sinnes forgiuen by his bloude and haue also his obedience imputed vnto them and be fully iustified cannot but liue a godly life Iustification in Christ and true sanctification cannot be parted asunder first therefore propounding the question Shall we continue still in sâ—â—â— that grace may abound he reiecteth it with detestation saying God forbid as if he should say It is a thinge that ought not to enter into our thoughts And then he propoundeth the first reason in these words How shall we that are dead to sinne yet liue therein This is a principle in the light of natural reason so that if a man haue not lost the common vnderstanding he cannot deny it We all doe know that contraries cannot be together in the same subiect at one time in the same part and in the same respect but the one necessarily doth exclude the other and if the one be it is vnpossible that the other should also be And that is the cause why S. Paule saith How can we which are dead to sinne yet liue therein As much as to say it is vnpossible for to be aliue to sinne and to be dead to sinne at the same time which are so flat and perfect contraries cannot be He that is aliue is not dead and he that is dead is not aliue Thus now the matter standeth wee that is all true Christians are dead to sinne howe can wee then liue to sinne And so if it bee vnpossible for a man which is a right Christian and therefore dead to sinne yet to liue in it how should wee continue still in sinne that grace may abounde Well may some man say This is a cleare case that such contraries as these to be aliue and to be dead cannot stand together but how shall thâ—â— appeare that a true Christian of necessitie is dead to sinnâ— for S. Paule hath but affirmed that we are deâ—d to sinne and therefore in the 〈◊〉 words he proueth it for the death to sinne being proued the life to sinne is thereby of necessity excluded Knowe ye not sayth he that all wee which haue beene baptized into Iesus Christ haue beene baptized into his death Loe heere is his proofe and this is a plaine a strong and an inuincible demonstration that euery true christian is deade to sinne and so by consequence cannot possibly be aliue to sinne It is drawen from the vse of Baptisme or from that which Baptisme doth represent vnto vs. It representeth that we are ingrafted into Christ therefore he saith Knowe you not that wee which haue bene baptized into Iesus Christ Beeing then baptized into Christ the holie Baptisme doth represent vnto vs that wee are washed in his bloude and so haue the free remission of our sins but also that in him wee haue the new the spirituall and the heauenly birth Now the death of Christ is as it were the fountaine of this regeneration therefore the Apostle putteth vs in minde that wee are baptized into the death of Christ He that is baptized must remeÌ„ber that hee is baptized into Christ crucified and therefore into the death of Christ To what end then was the death of Christ Not onely to make satisfaction for sinnes but also to destroy and vtterly to abolish sâ—nne in his mistical bodie which is the Church 〈◊〉 Iohn
what spirit this is which is ioined with the water the bloud as a witnes vpon earth Is it not the holy Ghost one of the three witnesses from heauen This is out of all doubt controuersie that he speaketh againe of the holy Ghost The spirite then is a double witnes he is one of the three from heauen and hee is one of the three vpon earth If any shall demaund how can this bee Let them know that the holy ghost doth two waies beare witnes of Christ first together with the father and the sonne from heauen in the highest authority of the Diuine Maiestie hee did beare recorde of Christ and confirmed his doctrine which he had taught with signes and wonders and manifold gifts And then by his worke and grace in the hearts of men when he lighteneth them and applyeth vnto them the efficacie of the death and resurrection of Christ Let it not seeme strange then that the holy Ghost is brought in as a double witnes first as one of the three from heauen and then as one of the three in earth that is in the hearts of men for if there were no more but the testimony of those three from heauē Christ should not profite vs at al because we are not capable of our selues and therefore the holy Ghost also as a witnes in earth applyeth vnto our hearts the power of the water the bloud by which Christ came that is the sanctifying and satisfying power of his death for he sprinckleth the harts of the beleeuers with the bloud of Christ The water the bloud and the spirite then witnes one thing in the heart euen that the whole satisfaction for sinne and al true holines is from Christ crucified Hereby we may perceiue that the efficacie and power of Christs bloud in vs is a witnes vnto vs of a true and liuely faith and so of eternall life because the Spirite and the water and the bloude beare witnesse in earth Then he proceedeth to set forth the stablenes of the credite of these witnesses which he doth by a comparison saying If we receiue the witnes of men the witnes of God is greater This is grounded vpon a cleare principle which none can deny for God in stedfast truth far exceeds men We giue credite to a matter when two or three men which are reputed honest doe vpon their solemne oath affirme that they did heare or see it done if other mē make doubt whē such as they haue sworne they hold thēselues much iniured for shal we not receiue or giue credite to the testimony of honest men vpō their oths How much more iniurie doe we to the God of all truth whose witnes is greater then the witnes of all men when we do not giue credite to the witnes which hee witnesseth of his Sonne For the testimony of God is that which he hath witnessed of his son I neede not stand to open this for it is meere brutishnes not to yeelde vnto it And here I pray you beholde againe the great and horrible wickednes and filthy blasphemy of the Pope and his shauelings which would make the testimony of men yea euen the testimony of themselues being wicked men greater then the testimony of God For what is the testimony of God by which he doth beare record of his sonne but his written word deliuered vnto vs by the Apostles Prophets And where can wee haue the testimony which God witnesseth of his son but in those sacred Bookes Search the Scriptures saith Christ for they beare record of mee Iohn 5. Now when the Papists do affirme that the Scriptures haue no authority nor credite vnto vs but as their Pope and they do giue it or commende them to bee beleeued what doe they but set the witnes of men aboue the witnes of God I will not stand here to rehearse at large but euen a little touch some of the vile and execrable speeches of those foule mouthed Papists which to hold vp the Popish religion deface the cleare testimony of God in the Scriptures which are flat against them for beeing pressed with the manifest voice and testimony of God in his worde they cry out there is no certainty in the Scriptures they be like a nose of waxe which you may turne which way you will they be a dead letter and a dumbe Iudge and but that the Church commendeth them no more credite were to be giuen to the Scripture then to Aesopes Fables O most vile wretches shall the testimony of God which is greater then the testimony of men haue no force but as it receiueth from them And then he addeth Hee that beleeueth in that son of God hath the witnes in himselfe As he spake of the greatnes of the testimony of the Father the word and the holy ghost which is from heauen in the former verse so now he sheweth that who soeuer beleeueth that testimony from heauen hath the testimony of the three witnesses which beare recorde in earth within him What is that this it is he that doth beleeue the witnes that GOD beareth of his sonne the witnes that Christ beareth of himselfe and which the holy Ghost hath also witnessed which is all indeede but one testimony the same hath the witnes also of the Spirite of the water and of the bloud within him Marke then how these sixe witnesses doe meete together to assure vs of one and the selfe same thing euen this that God hath giuen vnto vs eternall life and that the same life is in his Sonne For when the spirite of adoption as S. Paule calleth him Rom. 8. beareth witnes with the spirite of a man that he is the sonne of God he doth it by making him feele the efficacie of the water bloud by which Christ came that is the efficacie of his death and resurrection in satisfaction for his sinnes and in sanctification Euerie one then which beleeueth aright hath the spirite of God in him the liuely power of Christ crucified which do witnes vnto him that through Christ he is made the childe of God and shall be saued From hence we may learne what the nature of the true liuelie and iustifying faith is and whereby it is distinguished or discerned from the historicall and dead faith for if a man doe assent and beleeue that all those things are true which the father the Sonne and the holy Ghost haue testified of Christ in the scriptures and yet bee voide of the spirite and power of Christ vnto sanctification as many that are euen learned men are it is a manifest declaration that his faith is but a dead faith and not that which S. Iohn speaketh of here when hee saith He that belieueth hath the witnesse in him selfe And it followeth hee that belieueth not God hath made him a lyer because he belieueth not the record that God witnesseth of his Sonne as I noted before Men which are reputed honest if they testifie vpon their oath in a matter
also liue with him 9 Knowing that Christ being raysed from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion ouer him 10 For in that he dyed he dyed once to sinne but in that he liueth he liueth to God 11 Likewise thinke yee also that yee are deade to sinne but are aliue to God in Iesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sinne raigne therefore in your mortall body that you should obey it in the lustes thereof 13 Neither giue yee your members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne but giue your selues vnto God as they that are aliue from the deade and giue your members as weapons of righteousnesse to God 14 For sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you for yee are not vnder the law but vnder grace IN the former part of this Epistle froÌ„ the 16. verse of the first Chapter vnto the ende of the fift S. Paul hath disputed of iustificatioÌ„ and now in the beginning of this sixt Chapter he entereth into a discourse touching sanctification These be two principall pointes of doctrine most necessarie for all Christians to be well instructed and grounded in I suppose that some doe not vnderstand the difference betweene iustification and sanctification it is requisite therfore that I touch that first Christ as the Apostle saith Is our righteousnesse and our sanctification 1. Cor. 1. ver 30. Our righteousnes is our iustification so that by that Scripture it is euident that iustification and sanctification be two seuerall things In deede the Papistes doe confound them or make them both one while they make our sanctification or righteousnesse inhaerent to be our iustification To bee iustified is to be made righteous from al guiltinesse of sinne and so to be acquite and cleared from the curse and penaltie thereof To bee sanctified is to be drawne out of the yoke and bondage of sinne and sinfull lustes to the seruice of God in true holines But this is not enough to make it cleare vnto euery mans vnderstanding what the difference is betweene them I must therefore speake further in this matter First therefore concerning iustification S. Paul before in this Epistle calleth it the righteousnesse of God and saith it is reuealed in the Gospell from faith to faith Chapter 1. verse 17. And then sheweth that all men both Iewes Gentiles are of themselues grieuous sinners voide of righteousnesse The true belieuers are iustified or made righteous in Christ So the righteousnesse of God is that righteousnesse which God giueth vnto vs in Christ which is called the righteousnesse of faith because faith doeth apprehend it Chapter 3. ver 21.22 Wee may also say that it consisteth of two partes the one is the free forgiuenesse of sins through Christes bloud euen of grace Chapter 3. ver 24.25 For vntill there bee a satisfaction for sinne and so the guiltinesse thereof purged away there can be none iust before God Then further the other part is this wee are bounde to keepe the whole law which we breake and Christ in our nature hath perfectly fulfilled it and his obedience is imputed to those that do beleue in him wherefore hee saith as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many also bee made righteous Chapter 5. ver 19. Thus may we see what iustification is euen the purging away of all our sins and of all spot of sinne by Christes bloud and the imputation of his obedience in fulfilling the lawe Thus al that belieue are made righteous in Christe This is it which he writeth in another place saying he made him to be sinne for vs which knew no sinne that we in him might bee made the righteousnesse of God 2. Cor. 5. ver 21. Then sanctification is that which is called the newe birth repentance the putting off the old man and the putting on the newe The mortifying and putting off sinne and all sinfull lustes of the flesh the walking in the vertues of the spirit This is also called righteousnes it is the righteousnesse in Hereâ—â— oâ— that doth stick in the faithful the righteousnesse which consisteth in the godly deedes of men Of this the holy Apostle in the fiâ— Chapters disputeth at large And the summe of this matter is this that iustification in Christ and sanctification doe goe inseperable together There is no man which hath his sinnes pardoned by the bloud of Christ and that hath the obedience of Christ reckoned to be his but he hath also the grace of sanctification he hath vnfained repentance he renounceth vice and followeth vertue Manie doe parte these two asunder for they doe verie willinglie hearken to this that Christ hath by his bloud made satisfaction for our sinnes and that we in his obedience shall bee made righteous before God this is comfortable but when they heare that he hath redeemed vs that wee should denie our selues forsake our sinful lusts and leade a godlie life according to the rules of his holy will that is sower and vnpleasant Let such giue eare vnto S. Paul for hee dooth by two arguments in this Chapter which are drawen euen from two principles in reason proue that whosoeuer is not sanctified in Christ he is not iustified in him he may imagine that his sinnes shall be forgiuen him but they shall not a matter of verie great waightâ— let vs then come vnto it What shall wee say then faith S. Paul Shall wee continue still in sinne that grace may abound Here is the whole question here is the state of thâ—â—â—sse which is to be decided The wordes of themselues are so plaine that they neede no opening but onely in this to see how this question is made or dependeth vpon some matter vttred in the former Chapter You may see there how the Apostle at the 12. verse entreth into a comparison betweene Adam and Christ which are as two stockes or fountaines from the one that is from Adam there hath sprung and flowed sinne and death ouer all men from the other that is Christ there springeth and floweth righteousnesse and life Herein they be like that both of theÌ„ doe make those which are theirs partakers of that which they haue But herein they be vnlike that Adam deriueth sinne and that vnto death into all them that are his euen into all his posteritie by nature or by a naturall propagation for they haue all sinned in him Christ bestoweth his righteousnesse vpon those which be his vnto life eternal by grace by a free gift they haue it not as Adams children haue their sinne from him by a naturall spreading but by imputation Also there be other differences as namelie all are made guiltie and cast downe by one offence of Adam but Christ by his righteousnesse freely giuen vnto vs doth not onely absolue vs froÌ„ that one offcnee but from all other sinnes which we haue committed And the righteousnesse of Christe imputed by grace is of greater power to saue vs then the sinne of Adam was for