Selected quad for the lemma: sin_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sin_n	apostle_n	law_n	transgression_n	5,619	5	10.4785	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A55754	Sun-beams of gospel-light shining clearly from severall texts of Scripture, opened and applyed. 1. A heavemly [sic] treatise of the devine love of Christ. 2. The Christians freedome. 3. The deformed forme of a formall profession. 4. Christs fulnesse, and mans emptinesse. By John Preston, doctor in divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to King James, Mr. of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher at Lincolnes Inne.	Preston, John, 1587-1628.; Preston, John, 1587-1628. Two treatises, viz. The Christian freedome, and The deformed forme of a formall profession.; Preston, John, 1587-1628. Plenitudo fontis, or, Christ's fulnesse and man's emptinesse.	1644 (1644)	Wing P3307A; ESTC R219005	93,300	192

containing 17 Sermons upon divers Texts 2. Foure Treatises viz. 1. A remedy against Covetousnes upon Coloss. 3. 5. 2. An Elegant and lively description of spiritual life death upon Iohn 5. 25. 3. The Doctrine of selfe deniall upon Luke 9. 23. 4. A Treatise of the Sacrament upon 1 Ioh. 5. 14. 3. The Saints daily Exercise or a a Treatise of Prayer upon 1 Thess. 5. 17. 4. The New Covenant in 14 Sermons upon Gen. 17. 1. 2. Vnto which is added 4 Sermons upon Eccles. 9. 1. 2. 11. 12. 5. The Saints Qualification containing viz. 1. A Treatise of Humiliation in 10 Sermons the first 9 upon Rom. 1. 18. The tenth Preached before the common house of Parliament upon Numb 25. 10. 11. 2. Of Sanctification or the New Creature in 9 Sermons upon 1 Cor. 5. 17. 3. Of Communion with Christ in the Sacrament in 3 Sermons upon 1 Corinth 10. 16. 6. The Doctrine of the Saints Infirmities upon 2 Chron. 30. 18. 19 20. 7. The Brestplate of Faith and Love containing 18 Sermons upon three severall Texts viz. Revel 1. 17. 1 Thes. 1. 3. Gal. 5. 6. 8. Five Sermons Preached before his Majestie viz. 1. The New Life upon 1. Ioh. 5 15. 2. A sensible demonstration of the Diety upon Esay 64. 4. 3. Of exact walking upō Eph. 5. 15. 4. The Pillar and ground of Truth upon 1 Tim. 3. 15. 5. Sam. Support of sorrowfull sinners upon 1 Sam. 12. 20. 21. 22. 9. Two Treatises of Mortification and Humiliation upon Col. 3. 5. Ephes. 2. 1 2 3. Together with the livelesse life A Treatise of Vivification 10. His Remaines containing 3. excellent Treatises viz. 1. Iudas's Repentance 2. The Saints Spirituall strength 3. Pauls Conversion 11. The Golden Scepter with the Churches Mariage being three Treatises in one volume 12. The Fulnesse of Christ upon Iohn 1. 16. 13. A Heavenly Treatise of the Divine Love of Christ in Five Sermons upon 1 Cor. 16. 22. THE CHARISTIAN FREEDOME OR THE CHARTER OF THE GOSPEL SHEWING THE PRIVILEDGE AND Prraeogative of the Saints by vertue of the Covenant ROM 6. 14. For sinne shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the law but under grace THese words are brought in thus the Apostle exhorts them not to sinne but to give their members as instruments unto righteousnesse and to move them to this hee tells them that sinne was not their Lord now as it was heretofore and that it shall have no more dominion over them and therefore he bids them strive against it and then he adds a reason of this because they were not under the law but under grace now Christ hath changed their hearts for while a man is under the Law sinne hath dominion over him it tells him what to doe but gives him no power to doe it but you have the grace of sanctification to change your hearts and enable you to every good word and work so that you delight in the Law after the inner man albeit you see another law in your members warring against the Law of your minde and bringing you into captivity to the law of sinne which is in your members as it is said Chap. 7. ver 23. Whence wee may learne That hee that is in the state of grace lyeth in no knowne sinne no sinne hath dominion over him Now sinne is said to have no Dominion over a man three manner of wayes viz. in regard 1. It hath no right to rule over him it is no more our Lord but is as a servant that hath no dominion but is said to offer violence to us as if the King of Spaine should rule over us hee hath no dominion over us 2. In regard it is not obeyed for there it hath dominion as a Prince may have right to a Kingdome yet if hee be not obeyed hee hath no dominion 3. In regard though it strive against us yet it never gets the victory for though it assault us yet if it get not the victory it hath no dominion over us this is proved by three Similitudes which must be explaned viz. First it was our Master and we its servants but now wee have changed our Master and are become the servants of righteousnesse ver 18. Secondly it is said that we were married to sin and it had dominion and command over us as the husband over the wife but now it is dead and there is a divorce betweene us and now wee are married to Christ and hee commands us and wee obey Thirdly it is said we are dead to sinne and alive to God ver 11. and therefore we cannot live in sinne for command a dead body to goe about a businesse and he cannot because he is dead Now the reasons of the point be these The first is taken from Christ wee are ingrafted into Christ and into his death and into the similitude of his resurrection verse 5. We are grafted as a graft into Christ and all the old sap is taken away and wee have new sap and bring forth new fruit and have no other because we grow in another tree and we live to God yet we may commit sinne though wee allow not our selves in it for they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lasts thereof if therefore there be any lust reigning in us we are not in Christ. Againe if any man be in Christ hee is a new creature and therfore he doth not wallow in his old sins so saith God I will give you a new heart and all things are become new and old things are done away therefore wee cannot lve in any knowne sinne Againe whosoever is in Christ hath received of his fulnesse and grace for grace in him we are able to doe all things and therefore if we cannot strive against old sinnes wee are not in Christ. Secondly because wee have the Spirit of God ruling in us and therefore we walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh now if we lye in any known sinne we have not the Spirit and therefore are not in the state of grace if any man have not the Spirit of grace he is not the Sonne of God now if he walk after the flesh hee hath not the Spirit for the Spirit gives him ability to strive against all sinnes Thirdly he is borne of God now he that is born of God sinneth not that is sinne ruleth not over him for a man is said to sinne that favours wickednesse and setteth his heart to sinne hee sinneth not because he is like God as a sonne is like his father and therefore a wicked man is like the devill because he is his Father and his wickednesse is in him and therefore the devill is called the father of the wicked and so every regenerate man hath all the righteousnesse of Christ though not in the same degree he hath perfect holinesse of parts though not of degrees now then he hath no member of Satan in him that is no

it doe not raigne in the Saints yet doth remaine and dwell in them for proofe whereof see this place of Scripture If any man thinketh saith Saint Iohn that he hath no sinne hee is a lyer and there is no truth in him The truth whereof will be seene in these things clearely 1. Because our knowledge is imperfect and therefore every grace is imperfect as our faith and so our love and therefore much sinne must be in a man in as much as his grace is not perfect 2. The flesh lusteth against the spirit therefore it is plaine there is sinne in us yea so much that often times it even captivateth us 3. Wee have in this life but the first-fruits of the spirit now when wee shall have it in fulnesse we shall have no more than enough therefore having now but the first-fruits of the spirit Mortification and Sanctification sinne is not wholly abolished in the Saints in this life but doth dwell in them The reasons hereof are 1. To humble us and to make us see what is in our hearts and to make us know that the Lord bringeth us to the holy Land therfore God sometimes left the Israelites to try them and so hee troubled Hezechiah to know what was in his heart and so he sent a Messenger of Satan to buffet S. Paul lest hee should be exalted above measure through aboundance of Revelations and so the Lord doth deale with every Saint 2. That Christ may be acknowledged for if wee had no sinne in us we should not acknowledge the benefits of his mediation so much as now wee doe All are shut up under sinne that he might have mercie upon all Rom. 3. 9. 11. 32. that is that it might be manifested and declared that they are saved meerely by the mercie of God in Christ as is said Rom. 3. 26. Otherwise wee should not rightly value our justification and sanctification but seeing him subduing pardoning our sinnes wee see what need we have of him how that we are lost without him 3. That wee might exercise our faith 1 Ioh. 3. 2. Wee are the sonnes of God but it doth not yet appeare what wee shall be c. So God hath hid his children under basenesse that their faith might be exercised for things we see we may easily beleeve but faith is of things not seene therefore God doth as men doe hide Jewels under base places where men would looke least for them wherefore wicked men stumble and are offended at this because they doe not beleeve it and therefore it is made an article of our faith that we need and beleeve the remission and forgivenesse of sinnes But let us apply it 1. This should teach us not to be discouraged for those infirmities that are in us for there are such in every Saint Sinne is a guest to evill men but a theefe to the godly which they would not have come in their hearts so it is one thing to weare a chaine as an ornament and another as a fetter to restraine them therefore the godly ought not to be discouraged but to assure themselves they are under grace 2. Wee must not censure men for the slips and falls wee see in them for wee must remember that sinne dwelleth in them we must not presently judge them to be hypocrites Be not many masters saith S. Iames that is censure him not for he standeth or falleth to his owne Master Rom 14. 4. 3. This should teach us to be watchfull and not to think our labour is at an end when we are in the state of grace for sinne still dwelleth in us and though we have the victory over sinne one day it will fight against us the next day as in a garden the weeds will grow because the roots are not quite plucked up and taken away so sinne is in us and therefore we must think it will fight against us and vex us and therefore I say let us renue our strength Now for this we must doe these two things First weaken sinne Secondly pray to God to make us watchfull And so I have also done with the second doctrine Againe from the latter part of these words or reason of the promise made unto them in the former part of this verse that sinne shall not have dominion over them because they are not under the Law but under grace I gather this conclusion viz. That the way to overcome sinne is to get assurance of the love and grace of God and that it is forgiven them the reason why the Apostle promises them sinne shall not have dominion over them is because they are not under the Law but under grace that is they had assurance of Gods love and that their sinne is forgiven them this is proved from that Faith purifieth the heart and You repent and beleeve the Gospel Now the reasons hereof are these foure especially 1. Because it is the meanes to get the spirit without which no sinne is forgiven which commeth by faith for it is not recieved by the law for so saith the Apostle Received you the spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith Gal. 3. 2. Secondly it is the way to make us beleeve the promises to make us beleeve that wee are transformed into a heavenly nature for when wee beleeve the promises are true that works love in us and love transformeth us into the divine nature without which no sinne is overcome Thirdly because hereby wee are able to resist the tentations which are either for the enjoying of good or fleeing of evill so that these promises propound more good than sinne can harme sinne threatned the losse of outward things but the promises propound eternall life which is better than all things else in the world Fourthly because we doe delight in God for when wee doe beleeve in God that our sinnes are forgiven us in Christ then we looke at God as on a mercifull Father and then wee cease to delight in the world and we begin to delight our selves in the Lord. The use hereof is first for direction to teach us the way how to heale a sinne and that is to get assurance that it is pardoned and forgiven for legall terrours doe not heale a sinne but it is faith that purifies the heart and purifying pacifies it As a Traytor will not come in when hee heares a proclamation out for his death but when he heares he shall live and be pardoned this makes him to come in so we when wee onely fix our eyes upon the legall terrours shall not heale our sinnes but when wee beleeve they are pardoned this heales them But sorrow and a broken heart are required for sinners to be assured of their forgivenesse This sorrow is not so much commanded but it is that whereby God prepareth his servants hearts to make them see what need they have of pardon and so they may ask pardon but

1. Hence then to make some use of it wee may learne not to deceive our selves to think we are in the state of grace when we are not for if wee did truly beleeve our sinnes are forgiven us wee would be healed but if we have the same lusts and keepe the same company which we did when wee were not changed it is a meere delusion whatsoever we say or think And thus much for the third point too there yet remaines one more wherewith wee will conclude the whole text and that we may draw from the contrary to what the Apostle here saith and indeed it is implyed though not exprest for if sin have no dominion over them that are not under the law but under grace then on the other side must it needs be as true That Whosoever is under the law sinne hath dominion over him that is Hee that refraineth sinne onely for feare of the law and of judgements sinne hath dominion over him this is the case of them that refraine sinning onely for feare and for the salvation of their soules or for educations sake which have beene brought up in good families or such as repent upon some amazement like the bulrushes which hang downe their heads onely while the shower lasts And that First because all such as are not under grace but under the law have not received the spirit which commeth by hearing the Gospell and no creature can change one creature into another as lead into gold or a Wolfe into a Lamb unlesse it be by Gods spirit Secondly to such Gods service is burthensome and violent motious last not long they are weary in clambering up an hill all naturall motions are swifter at the last than at the first but these are like the Israe it es who after a time would have returned into Aegypt againe Now then to end all with the time let us 1. Be exhorted not to abstaine from any sinne for feare of punishment but consider whether thou wouldest serve God for Gods sake although there were neither heaven nor hell it must be our meat and drink which men would doe though there were no punishment for the omission of it Blessed is hee that hungreth and thir steth after righteousnesse 2. Hence we may learne not to deferre repentance till death sicknesse crosses or age comes then it may be you would not sinne though with Balaam you had your house full of gold and silver for it 's not the abstinence from sinne that God loveth but the change of the heart Amaziahs heart was not right though he walked in all the wayes of David There are men that have made a covenant with hell and death but God will disanull that covenant or it will be but equivocall many have sworne in their sicknesse never to commit sinne again which afterward they have committed again with greedinesse many have dyed in the same without repentance 3. Labour to see your selves doing duties with as much love as you can and with as little feare because perfect love casteth out feare And so beloved I have given you a briefe survay of the severall points contained in this portion of holy Scripture wherefore if you know these things happy are yee if yee doe them FINIS THE DEFORMED FORME OF A FORMALL PROFESSION OR The description of a true and false Christian either excusing or accusing him for his pious or pretended conversation Shewing that there is a powerfull godlinesse necessary to salvation and that many have the forme but not the power thereof In handling whereof These three things are plainly and powerfully explained and applyed 1. What godlinesse is 2. What the power of it is 3. What be the reasons why some have but the forme thereof together with the meanes and marks both how to attaine and to try our selves whether we have the power thereof or not By that late faithfull and worthy Minister of Iesus Christ JOHN PRESTON Doctor in Divinity Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Majestie Master of Emanuell Colledge in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher of Lincolnes Inne Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of Heaven but hee that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven Math. 7. 21. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the fatherlesse and widowes in their afflictions and to keepe himselfe unspotted of the world James 1. 27. Printed 1641. THE DEFORMED FORME OF A FORMALL PROFESSION 2 TIMOTHIE 3. 5. Having a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof OUR Apostle S. Paul doth in these words give us a part of a description of wicked men in the latter times he bringeth them in by way of prevention or objection or answer to an objection as if some should wonder that there should be such kinde of persons in the Church as hee in the former verses had described Covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents unthankfull unholy c. doe these live as the Church do's Doe these retaine the Sacraments and the like Yes saith the Apostle they doe wee cannot denie it only this They have a forme of godlinesse but c. So that the point of doctrine arising from hence doth plainly appeare even at the first sight to be this viz. That there is a powerfull godlinesse necessary to salvation and that many have but the forme not the power thereof Now there be three things to be explained in opening of this doctrine to shew 1. What godlinesse is 2. What the power thereof is 3. The reasons why many have no more but the form therof For the first that you may the better conceive what Godlinesse is I will first shew you what it is not First then it is not bare nature but that godlinesse which God requireth of all men is more then so God indeed hath commanded nature yea even corrupt nature to bring forth many fruits of godlinesse as much abstinence from pleasure much patience much temperance and such like which are all very beautifull in their owne Spheres but because they come not from God nor his Spirit of sanctification or because they have no respect of God therefore they are not godlinesse neither doth God regard them Secondly it is not the act of religion proceeding from selfe-love though offered to God in regard that men see that God is the governour of the world that he hath the keyes of heaven and earth and men may doe much to God for such respects using him as a bridge to get to heaven by making themselves their utmost ends and therefore this is not godlinesse but what is it then you will say Thirdly it is a divine grace infused into the soule by God whereby a man followes God loves him magnifies him sets him up in his heart above all and manifesteth this in his life and the whole course of it doing all for him and to him and it is thus wrought When the creature

the eye see hee that made the eare heare shall not hee that gave these perfections to the creatures have them in himselfe more eminently This perfection of his beauty is that which causeth the Angels so much to admire and adore him to bee taken up in the admiration of his excellencies Observe that in any man whom you love there is something not to bee beloved But CHRIST is wholly delectable there is nothing in him not fully to bee beloved See how the Spouse describes him in the Canticles how shee sets him forth in every part of him most to be desired If you could but see the Lord. If it did but please him to shew himselfe unto you as hee promised to shew himselfe unto him that loves him Iohn 14 21. If the Lord I say would give you a glympse of himselfe if by the light of the Spirit you could see him you would acknowledge him worthy of your love And this is the reason that some love him and others doe not because hee discovers himselfe to some and not to others As he did to Moses where let us see a little his expression of himselfe The Lord the Lord Exodus 34. this is but the Casket the Iewell is within If Gods Spirit should open these words unto you you would see him the fairest of ten thousand Iehovah Iehovah Of every creature you may say somewhat it was that it is not and samewhat it is that it will not be But God is unchangeable Iehovah in him is no alteration he is not a freind to day and none to morrow and such a friend you would desire to chuse as this Name signifies his immutable being so his omnipotency he is Almightie Now what a Loadstone of love is this All the power in men enableth them but to doe some things as patience enables them to beare injurious acts But the Lord hath all abilities all ornaments all excellencies all is comprehended in this Almightie So that well may such a friend bee desired True will the poore soule say he is well worth the having But hee will not match with such a match as I am Oh yes he is wonderfully pittifull and Mercifull as great a Prince of pitty as of any thing else Mercifull but I have no beauty no grace in me no worth no repentance But God is exceeding gracious Kings are said to be gracious because ther is supposed such a difference betweene them and their Subjects that they can deserve nothing of them So God is gracious hee doth not looke for any deservings in thee But I have provoked him by sinning and sinning often This will make him put mee off No he is of great forbearance But if he doe receive me I must carry my selfe well pray and doe that which I shall never bee able to doe Why no hee is very kinde Looke what a kinde Father a kinde Husband would doe to a Child or a Wife they are carefull to give content the like may you expect of the Lord. Hee will winke at many infirmities if your desires be found Though he say so how shall I know that he will doe it To confirme this He is true he keepes covenant and hath given ensamples of his mercy on thousands of them that feare him Oh but still my sinnes are many and great Be it so yet he forgives iniquities transgressions and sinnes originall sinnes sinnes of weaknesse and sinnes of wilfulnesse This glory God shewed to Moses This is the description of himselfe such a one is Iesus Christ O ye daughters of Ierusalem and is hee not worthy to be beloved When thou hast considered the worth that is in himselfe consider that hee sues to thee for thy love Suppose a Prince should come and aske this at thy hands wouldest thou deny him The weake should sue to the stronger but here the Lord God comes to thee for thy love This is that O Israel which hee requires of thee that thou love the Lord thy God Deuter. 10 16. When such a God shall aske thy love sue for it shall he be denied We the Ministers are but Christs spokes-men to wooe for Christ. See who it is that requires this it is thy Soveraigne Lord that might have required thee to sacrifice thy children thy life thy goods for his honour and can he not have thy love Now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to feare him to love him as if he should say the Lord hath done great things for you and might require great things of you againe This may melt thee then that hee requires nothing but thy love Againe consider he hath planted this love in thy heart shall hee not have his owne then when hee requires shall not hee which planted the tree eate of the fruit shall not hee which gave this fountaine of love taste of the waters of it Againe on whom would you bestow it if you will not give it to the Lord It must be bestowed on somewhat and it is the best thing you have to bestow It swaies commands al in you Doth thy wealth deserve it Do men deserve it Why they are not to bee compared to the Lord. Can any man doe for thee that which he doth besides he forgives thee thy sinnes day by day Thinke of his excellencies Againe you are engaged to love him you are married to him you have given up your names to him in your baptisme so that now well may I call you an adulterous generation if you love him not Yee are witnesses against your selves this day saith Ioshua Ioshua 24. if ye serve not the Lord. Hee takes great advantage of their promise that they had made to serve the Lord ye are now witnesses against your selves if you doe it not So all that heare me this day are witnesses against themselves For in their baptisme they tooke the Lord for their God Is hee not your Master where then is your feare is he not your Father where then is your reverence is he not your Friend where then is your love Againe he hath bought us yea he hath over-bought us If you should see a flocke of sheepe and heare that such a man hath paid such a price for them farre beyond their worth you will bee ready to say let him have them he is well worthy of them And shall Christ be denied that which he hath so dearely bought he hath bought you from the world from the power of the devill yea and from your selves so that they are not to set us on worke Wee are not our owne 1 Corinthians 6. wee are therefore to doe a mothers businesse and that is Christs who requireth love Besides all these generals thinke of the particulars which worke most upon us See all his passages to you how kinde he hath beene toward you See how he hath dealt with you from your youth hitherto Consider all his kindnesses bestowed

as to be in fine apparell it 's certaine sinne reigneth in him and so he is in the state of damnation as a Scholer that wholly aymes at vaine glory and how to get honour and credit that sinne reigneth in him But there were many which seemed religious men which had these infirmities in them in the Scriptures True and many therefore not truly regenerated but seeming only so now many make a faire show under the meanes when falling into temptations they fall away but if they be not commanded or think not of it great faults may stand with true grace but if they be admonished by their conscience or others and told they must not doe it then their estate is not good for true grace cannot stand with these failings Now the signes whereby we may know whether we live in knowne sinnes or not are these 1. Living in a knowne sinne is of two sorts 1. Knowne when men sell themselves to commit wickednesse before the Lord as Ahab did when he powreth out himselfe to vanity as when a man shall give up himselfe to drink or to company or to commit any sinne of uncleannesse or giveth himselfe to spend all of his time in recreations this is evident to the world and to his owne conscience Againe when he plainely forsaketh God and good courses which he tooke before as Demas did this is plaine he lyeth in a knowne sinne Secondly the secret lying in sinne the signes whereof are these 1. When a man committeth it ordinarily this is that Paul saith that the Saints fall upon occasions as if a man be sailing into France a tempest driveth him into Spaine so the Saints face is towards heaven but a suddaine passion may drive them another way To commit sinne ordinarily is to commit it when temptation assaileth and occasion is offered and impediments removed then hee commits the sinne ordinarily for if there were such temptations alwayes hee would commit the sinne alwayes as Pharaoh was good by fits he was often restored and desired Moses to pray for him yet when temptation came hee would not let the people goe though before he had intended to do it So Saul when opportunity was offered would have killed David though he swore not to doe it and so Hazael this is committing of sinnes ordinarily Secondly When a man rejecteth admonitions and the reprover A poore childe is better than a foolish that is a rich King that will no longer be admonished for then his heart is evill for if a man be willing to have his lust mortified hee is well pleased with him that brings him a knife to cut it off because he doth as he would have him to doe but when men are purposed to lye in sinne they doe as a man doth with Physick that he loatheth he hateth even the very pot it selfe wherein it was so they hate them that admonish them even as dogs but if they can endure the company of good men it is a signe their hearts are good Thirdly Abstinence from occasions for many say their infirmities make them runne into such and such sinnes but if they were minded to leave their sinnes they would leave their evill company and all occasions To this adde the use of the meanes for hee that purposeth to forsake his sinnes will use the meanes as if a man that is a drunkard will keepe drunkards company hee hath not purposed to forsake his sinnes for then he would forsake and leave his evill company but if hee use the meanes for mortifying the sinnes hee loveth then it is a signe he is willing to leave sinne Now the meanes for mortifying sinfull lusts in us are these First to make a vow not to commit that sinne nor touch the occasions for then it is a signe our heart is sincere this is a comfort to those that have made vowes which should be more used not to make perpetuall vowes but for some short time Secondly to fast and pray for some lusts are not cast out but by these three Thirdly to use godly mens company for their practise and example helps them to forsake their sinnes to fast and pray Another signe of not lying in any knowne sin is whē a man prayes for admonitions that God would stirre up some to admonish him and can be content to search reasons out of the Scripture against it and is glad when he heares it reproved in the publique ministery Fourthly when we can be content to be deprived of many things which might further our lusts and to loath what sweetnesse might encrease them that is a sure signe that sinne rules not in us Fifthly when a man confesseth his sinnes particularly and plainely for this is a signe hee would forsake them this reason the Scripture doth show because then the conscience maketh such a noyse that he cannot denie it for when a man is purposed to continue in sinne hee will not confesse his sinnes no not to God it is said when they came to Iohn Baptist They confessed their sinnes Matth. 3. 6. So David saith I said I will confesse my transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sinne Psal. 32. 5. Sixthly When he is easily convicted but when men will not be convicted but seeke out distinctions to maintaine their sinne it is a signe it is prevalent in them Againe when they will not examine both sides but runne to commit it and stop their eares like a deafe adder which refuseth to heare the voyce of the Charmer charme he never so wisely and will not heare the reasons against that sinne least they should be restrained Therefore the righteous are said to ponder their wayes and consider their paths and to try everything and to take that which is good Now hee that will but heare reasons against the sinne he doth he is none of these but when he will not be convinced which is the first work of the spirit it is a signe he is under the dominion of sinne Seventhly when a man abstaineth from sinne not onely out of a naturall conscience but out of a spirituall for a naturall conscience may deceive him for there be three degrees of conscience First a prophane man hath some conscience Secondly a civill man hath more conscience yet both naturall Thirdly a godly man hath most conscience Paul speaketh of the heathen that they had a conscience that did accuse and excuse them but when a man doth not commit sinne being enlightned by a spirituall conscience which is when a man hath a love to the contrary grace and is carried with a certaine desire to doe it as men eat though there were no reward and hate the sinne and will not commit it this is a good signe that sinne hath not dominion over him but a man may have a restraint from a naturall conscience yet it may have dominion over him because it is as a barking dogge that keepes the theefe from robbing Eighthly when a man 1. Doth not purpose