their euill lustes the more furiously the same doe seeme to rage Whereupon some doe giue ouer striuing feeling theÌ„selues so yoked as that they thinke it vnpossible to winde out For this cause S. Paule saith Sinne shall not haue doâ—â—â—â—â—â— ouer you As if he should say be of good courage and faint not resist sinne with all the force ye can for albeit the motioÌ„s thereof do arise in you very strong and seeme often times euen to leade you away captiue yet it shall not raigne Why may one say doth not sin raigne in you where the motioÌ„s which ariseth in the minde doth take place so that a man is carried into some sinfull actes Surely we must iudge thus that where a maÌ„ doth that which he vnfainedly hateth and is drawen thereunto euen against his will he doth not obey sinne neither can it be said that sinne doth raigne in him But is not such a man in daunger that hee shall be ouercome No verily for marke what a reason the holy Apostle doth render For yee are not saith he vnder the law but vnder grace The summe of the reason is this sinne hath lost his force in you and is vnarmed and you haue obtained an inuincible power against it therefore goe on vâ—â—â—ntly in resisting for you shal assuredly obtaine the victorie and sinne shall not haue the â—ominion ouer you Now sinne hath lost his force by this that you are not vnder the lawe and you haue obtained your power in this because you are vnder grace Is not this a maruelous encouragement The tyrant is vtterly weakned and you are mightily armed therefore goe to resist he shal not preuaile agianst you This you shall see plainely if you did vnderstand what it is not to be vnder the lawe and what it is to be vnder grace The lawe was Moral Iudiciall and ceremoniall Here wee must needes take it of the lawe Morall But now how is this to be vnderstood that he saith we are not vnder the morall lawe They bee vtterlie awrie which take it absolutely as if we had no more to doe with the lawe of GOD. The lawe is the rule of holy life all vices are condemned onelie by it and alone it commandeth all vertues what then can be more absurd then that Saint Paul vrging godlie life should abolish the onely rule thereof We are stil vnder the lawe thus to haue our minde our will our affections our thoughtes our wordes and our deedes wholie framed according to the same It is therefore but in some respecte that Saint Paul saith we are not vnder the lawe Some doe take it to be meant that we are not vnder the curse of the lawe Most true it is that Christ hath deliuered his from the curse of the lawe as it is written Gal. 3. but that appertaineth vnto iustification S. Paul doth not here deale about iustification but as we see plainely touching sanctification that is the godlinesse which is begun in all the faithfull Here then it must be vnderstood so as it is to be applied to the conflict that is betweene the fleshe and the spirite in the regenerate And that is thus ye are not now vnder the lawe as it is the strength of sinne 1. Cor. 15.56 This matter is handled at large in the next Chapter where he doth cleare the lawe from all blame that it is the strength of sinne or that the natiue corruption in vs which as an husband hath force by the lawe in our members to bring forth children vnto death that is to beget and to bring forth wicked deedes in the faculties of our soules and bodies being as the wife For it is accidentarie to the lawe to doe this For the lawe being spirituall and requiring an heauenlie puritie and lighting vpon our nature which is carnall or vtterlie corrupt onely shewing our vncleanenes and not healing it concupiscence becommeth more raging in vs which without the lawe lyeth as it were dead He that is in Christ and so endewed with grace or that is led by the spirit of sanctification Which doth mortifie the deedes of the fleshe is not so vnder the lawe any longer as that sinne should haue strength thereby Thus the holie Apostle then dooth encourage and comforte all those that striue to mortifie their sinfull lustes telling them that the tyrant hath lost his force which he had by the lawe in our corrupt nature and that we are armed with the mightie power of grace to subdue him and therefore hee shall not haue dominion ouer vs. What greater comfort then this why should we not take heart The Lord increase his grace in vs and make vs strong in renouncing all obedience to sinne and in giuing vp our selues wholy to his seruice Amen FINIS
beareth record And S. Paul sayth that the same spirite witnesseth with our spirite that we be the sonnes of God If it be so as they would beare in hand that a man can not know whether he hath that holy spirit how doth he witnesse And touching the reason which they vse if we may giue the title of a reason vnto so absurde a speech marke it well I pray you Euerie kinde of heretike and likewise euerie sectarie doth boast that hee is led by the spirite of God therefore no man can tell which is the true spirit If men should trauaile from a farre part of the land towards London some knowing the way perfectly othersome not knowing it if they which doe not know it yet rashly presume that they doe and goe on out of the way shall we affirme thereupon that the other also cannot know it Were not this verie ridiculous And I pray you what other is the reason which the Papists here vse Heretickes are deceiued which in deede are rashly led with the spirite of Satan therefore they which are led by the spirit of God can not know for certaintie whether he be the right spirit S. Iohn in the 4. Chapter of his Epistle verse 24. saith He that keepeth his commaundements dwelleth in him and he in him and by this we know that he abideth in vs euen by the spirite which he hath giuen vs. How shall any man know that he dwelleth in God and God in him by his spirite that he hath giuen him if hee can not for certaintie knowe which is the true spirite But how can this spirite be knowne for certaintie He is known by his efficacie by his working hee goeth not without the word hee testifieth together with the water the bloud by which Christ came Hee applieth the mightie power of the death and resurrection of Christ vnto the heart of the belieuer both touching remission of sinnes and sanctification He that doth beare himselfe in hand and boast that hee hath the spirite of God and hath not the bloud and the water by which Christ came doth but deceiue himselfe and is arrogantly puffed vp for the three witnesses in earth the spirite the water and the bloud doe goe vnseperably together Therefore by the power of Christ crucified vnto righteousnesse and true sanctification a man doth know that hee is led by the holy spirite of God S. Paul doth set forth the same matter but with other words For when he saith The spirit himselfe beareth record with our spirite that we be the soâ—â—es of God Rom. 8. ver 16. Hee leaueth him not as a spirite at randon but a little before expresseth his operation by which in deede he is knowne If yee liue after the flesh saith he yee shall die but if by the spirite you mortifie the deedes of the fleshe you shall liue For as many as are led by the spirite of God they are the Sonnes of God What shall we say to this How shall a man know that it is the holy spirit of God by which he is led Doth not S. Paule tell you that he is a spirite which doth mortifie the deedes of the flesh There is no spirit which doth moritfie or indeede which can mortifie the deedes of the flesh but the spirite of Christ who doth it by applying the power of the death of Christ And wheresoeuer he goeth he hath that worke so that where the deedes of the flesh are not mortified there is not the spirit of Christ And he that hath not the spirit of Christ as it is written hee is none of his That man committeth sinne and therefore as this Apostle saith He hath not seene Christ nor known 〈◊〉 1. Ioh. 3. ver 6. To come neerer then to the â—â—â—â—l that a man is led by the spirite of God and â—o assured of his saluation What be those deedes of the flesh and what is it to mortifie them All the lustes of sinne which are in our nature all vncleannes and al the wicked actions which spring from the same be called the workes 〈◊〉 the deeds of the flesh Saint Paul saith The deeds of the flesh are manifest which are these adulterie fornication vncleannesse wanâ—onnes worshiping of images witch craft hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions sectes enuyings murthers drunkennes gluttonies and such like Gal. 5. ver 19.20.21 It was not his purpose to reckon vp all and therefore he addeth this clause and such like For there is pride ambition vaine-glory couetousnes periurie and many other To mortifie these is not onely to suppresse the outwarde deedes but to kill and to roote out the power of them in the heart As for example man being proude the spirite of the Lorde doeth kill that euill vice it changeth the heart and maketh it humble and lowlie Also a man is couetous and earthly minded the holy ghost doth worke in his heart a contempt of worldly thinges a 〈◊〉 â—ust in God and the loue of heauenlie thinges If he be full of wrath of rage of crueltie and such headdie passions so that he is euen as a fierce and sauage beast by nature the spirite of grace doth subdue and roote out these and make him gentle and meeke as a lambe Where vncleane lustes of whoredome and fornication doe burne and boile in the heart the heauenlie spirit doeth quench them and maketh the minde chaste and pure What should I stand to repeate many particulars you may by these see what it is in all the rest This is that which Christ said to Nicodemus Except a man he borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God This is it which the holie Apostle S. Paul calleth the putting off the olde man and putting on the newe Yea this is that which the scripture calleth repentance Can any man haue this worke in him not knowe assuredly that he is led by the spirite of God The papistes in deede doe vtterly condemne this because they be vtterly voide of it and can not tell what it is For how can they which denie condemne the true doctrine of salâ—ation in Christ be partakers of the spirite which doth assure the faithfull of eternall life But yet they haue a further obiection and which in deede they deeme to be vnanswerable let it be say they that a man doth knowe he hath the spirite of God that he is regenerâ—â—â—â—â— and is in the state of grace yet is he sure he shal stand to the end and not loose that spirite and fall from grace or is he sure he shall not sinne Is not this great presumption Verily it were great presumption according to the Popish doctrine for any man to assure himselfe that he shall stand to the ende for they teach that a man standeth by free will So I graunt it were fowle presumption for any man to presume vpon his owne strength but it is no presumption for a man to rest vppon the infallible certainty of Gods promise the testimonie
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
in minde exhort or intreate them all which are to be done in deede but he saith commaund them Heere we may see that the Preachers of the Gospell ought to be farre from flattering the rich and great men of the world They must charge and commaund them in the name of the Lord that they be not high minded nor trust in vncertaine riches c. Noblemen haue their Chaplaines which attend vpon them in their houses shall they commaund their Lords the things which S. Paule heere willeth Surely if they be faithfull to Christ if they haue a syncere care to aduance his glorie they must needes do it for their Lords haue neede to be charged in the name of the most high God but if they seeke themselues and their worldly preferment then will they flatter and be afraide for to displease not caring much whether their Lords go to heauen or to hell so they may serue their owne turne and get liuings and dignities And now come to the two vices which they must be charged to eschew that haue the goods of this present world namely loftines of minde and trust in riches what shall we say of these are they so heinous Surely they be two vices so horrible so pestilent and so detestable in the sight of Almightie God as none almost can be more They be vices which are most iniurious not only to men but also to the high maiestie of God and which he doth in deede highly accurse and condemne How then is it possible that they should be saued in whome these vices do raigne It may be said are not men of poore or meane estate subiect to these vices Yes verely but the rich are more subiect they be in greater danger and more hardlie drawen from them True it is that pride ambition vaine-glorie and loftines of minde was that which the Serpent did ouercome Eue withall bearing her in hand that eating of the forbidden fruite Adam and she should be like God Genes 3. We all euen by inheritance haue receiued the poison thereof conueied vnto vs it sticketh most deepely in our nature and is euen with the last sinnes which are cast out Which may appeare by that which S. Paule writeth of himselfe who being taken vp into the third heauen euen as he saith into Paradise yet least he should be lifted vp or swell through the abundance of reuelations there was giuen vnto him the prick in the flesh the angell of Satan to buffet him 2. Cor. 12. All then are by nature high-minded but the rich men are more subiect vnto it and more hardlie brought from it because the corrupt nature of man taketh occasion by riches to be lifted vp further in pride and to swell with loftines of minde Riches and worldlie dignities are not of the essence of man they be but adiuncts or things accidentarie and yet they that possesse them are so lifted vp in their minde vntill they be renued by grace that they do euen as if they were of another blood contemne and despise others that haue them not The words of men do manifestlie bewray this their pride and contempt for if men be poore and in meane estate though rich in faith and the image of God shining in them they terme them the base rascall sort But what do I mention the iniurie which the loftie minde doth offer vnto men seeing it is lifted vp farre higher euen against God himselfe For marke what the Prophet saith Psal 73. when he hath noted the prosperitie of wicked men he addeth that pride is euen as a chaine vnto them and they set their mouth against heauen they stick not to blaspheme God and their tongue walketh through the earth The loftie minde also arrogateth to it selfe that which is due to God alone for it doth not render glorie to him but glorieth in it selfe Wherefore it is no meruaile that the scripture speaketh of pride and loftines of minde as of a thing most detestable in Gods sight Euery one that is of a loftie minde saith Salomon is an abomination to the Lord Prouerb 16. ver 5. God resisteth the proude saith the holie Apostle and giueth grace to the lowlie 1. Pet. 5. ver 5. Then let those which are rich in this world if they haue any care at all in them to be saued receiue this charge heere giuen by S. Paul that they be not high minded Let them imitate holie king Dauid who saith of himselfe Lord I am not high minded I haue no prowde looke c. I am as a wained childe Psal 131. And let them also remember what our Sauiour saith in the Gospell Except ye conuert and become as children ye shall not enter into the kingdome of God And now to the other vice that they trust not in vncertaine riches A vice most foule and abhominable which all men are prone vnto likewise but the rich men most in danger and not so easily drawne from it as poore men may This vice is somewhat more close then loftines of minde I meane the vglines of it is not so apparant vnto men yet it is not inferior thereunto yea it is euen the roote from whence that other doth spring and grow vp For what lifteth vp the minde of the rich but this that they haue such wings to mount vp aloft withall aboue others such feathers to trust vnto Their riches are their strong hold of defence by which they imagine themselues happie and in safetie But how foolish they are and how vaine this their confidence is the holie Apostle noteth by calling them vncertaine riches They forsake that which is certaine and infallible euen the liuing God in whome whosoeuer trusteth shall neuer be confounded and trust in that which is vncertaine and deceitfull That they which trust in riches forsake the liuing God it is euident for Christ saith No man can serue two maisters but he must cleaue to the one and forsake the other or c. you can not serue God and riches Math. 6. And touching the vncertaintie of riches for that is the Apostles phrase it doth arise partlie from the nature of the riches themselues and partly from the state and condition of those that do possesse them The vncertaintie that ariseth from the riches themselues is noted by Christ Math. 6. ver 19. where he vseth it as a reason to disswade men from the inordinate loue of riches saying lay not vp for your selues treasures in earth where moth and rust do corrupt and where theeues breake through and steale And Salomon doth as it were compare riches to a bird that getteth out of the cage and flieth vp past mens reach saying trauaile not too much to be rich but cease from thy wisedome Wilt thou cast thine eyes vpon it which is nothing for riches taketh her to her wings as an Eagle and flieth vp into the heauen Prouerb 23. ver 4.5 Riches are subiect vnto many casualties who can assure himselfe that he shall hold that the next yeare