Selected quad for the lemma: grace_n
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A01725
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Foure sermons vpon seuerall partes of scripture, preached by George Gyffard, preacher of the worde, at Maudlin in Essex
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Gifford, George, d. 1620.
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1598
(1598)
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STC 11859; ESTC S117695
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68,936
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149
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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
reward of eternall glorie in the heauens but also cast themselues into a double calamitie the one in depriuing themselues of eternall glorie the other in destroying their worldly estate for if their riches doe stand and continue with them for their owne life which sundrie times falleth out otherwise because God doth accurse riches so gotten yet do their children scatter and consume them at least within a few generations as dayly experience sheweth in a number and so you may see their double miserie Well may some man say doth not this make for the Popish doctrine of merite and iustification by mens owne workes when aâ— men deedes to the poore doe lay vp in store a good foundation against the time to come tâ—â—t they may attaine eternall life when bouÌ„tifull giuing doth make bagges full of treasure which shall neuer wax olde and when compassion to the needie doth make friendes that shall receiue vs into euerlasting habitations are not men then iustified by these their works or doe not their good deedes deserue or merite eternall glorie These good workes are the testimonies of a true liuely and iustifying faith being plenteously and rightly done they shew that the doer is a liuely member of Christ Iesus who is our righteousnesse 1. Cor. 1. being led by his spirite And touching merites of workes there bee no deedes so excellent as that they can deserue so great glorie so great reward is of the meere mercie and froÌ„ the free grace of God who hath promised such reward vnto good workes This foundation against the time to come these bagges that neuer waxe olde and the friendes that wee must make by almes deedes are all such workes of mercie as doe testifie a true and liuely faith being the vnseperable fruites thereof which God will plentifully reward with glorie and immortalitie The doers of these being not forgetful hearers but doers of the worke shall as the holy Ghost saith be blessed in their deede 〈…〉 It may be here demanded seeing works do not iustifie before God but are the fruites of those which are iustified Christ being our righteousnes when we haue the full pardon of 〈◊〉 sinnes in his bloud and are clothed with 〈◊〉 obedience imputed vnto vs whether men shall haue the greater glory according to the greatnes and multitude of their good workes I answere that according to the measure of Faith which a man hath so are his works the greater his faith and his works be the greater shall be his rewarde in glorie If this were not so how should S. Paule say They which sow sparingly shall reape sparingly and they which sow plenteously shall reape plenteously 2. Cor. 9. Yea howe should he say in this place that he woulde haue those that bee rich in this worlde charged to do good and to be rich in good works If there be not a more plenteous reward to the greater and more plenteous good workes how should any more theÌ„ others be said to be rich in them It is strange wonderful that rich meÌ„ can not be brought to see this and to vse their riches to their best aduantage but doe indeede let slip their happines They can willingly bestowe great cost in building faire houses it doth not grieue them to bestow very much also in gorgeous apparell and they recken not what they lay out in delicate fare both vpon themselues and vpon others that bee wealthie but to bestow a little more then ordinarie vppon those that be poore and in miserie is very greeâ—ouâ— because they doe account that to be lost or cast away whereas in verie deede there is nothing which can be laide out to anie great profite but that which is spent vpon the poore for houses apparel and meates doe perish with their vse they be transitory and vaine but the reward promised by the Lord is a treasure that shal neuer come vnto an end Those former do appertaine but vnto the satisfying of carnall lustes but mercie shewed to the needy heapeth vp glorie in the Heauens There is a verie great difference betweene these two but men are led by sense and not by sounde wisedome and that causeth them to make so bad a choice They feele the sweetnes of riches for the present time they are sure of those goodly pleasures which they enioy by them But to be rich in good workes and so to lay vp a good foundatioÌ„ against the time to come that they may attaine eternall life this is not perceiued by sense this they can not skil of and therefore they doe little trouble themselues about it At the day of iudgement this time to come shall be present and then this inuisible foundation shall be seene when Christ shall say to those on his right hand Come ye blessed of my father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world For I was a hungred and ye gaue me meate I thirsted and you gaue me drinke I was a stranger and ye lodgedâ—â—â— I was naked and ye clothed me I was sicke and yeâ— visited me I was in prison and ye came vnto me Then shal the righteous answere him saying Lord wheÌ„ saw we thee an hungred fed thee or a thirst gaue thee drinke And wheÌ„ saw we thee a stranger and lodged thee or naked and clothed thee Or when sawe we thee sicke or in prison and came vnto thee And the king shall answere and say vnto them Verely I say vnto you in as much as ye haue done it vnto one of the least of these my brethren ye haue done it to me Math. 25. ver 34.35.36.37.38.39.40 And goe ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the deuil and his angels For I was an hungred and ye gaue me no meate I thirsted and ye gaue me no drinke c. In as much as ye did iâ— not to the least of these ye did it not to me a wonderfull thing to see the blindnes in which men are Who doth not accompt it the most happie thing that can befall a man to giue to Christe when he is hungrie or thirstie or naked or sicke or in prison Againe who is he that will not confesse it to be a most vile wretchednes when a man doth set more by his riches then by relieuing Christe Now marke well are not all that beleeue the very members of Christes mysticall bodie Thou beholdest the poore that are sicke or lame thou seest poore fatherlesse childreÌ„ that pine and are readie to famish these for ought which thou knowest may be the true members of Iesus Christ If then thou doest neglect and despise them thou doest neglect and despise Christ Is not this a most cursed thing that any man should loue worldly trash euen for the filling of fleshly lustes more then he loueth God or Christ For if a man had any sparke of loâ—e in him vnto God he must needes loue Christe in his members he must needes loue his brother Whereupon Saint Iohn manifestly saith