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
vnfruitefull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ but hee that lacketh these things is blinde and cannot see farre off and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sinnes 2 Pet. 1. ver 5.6.7.8.9 Heere is the way prescribed and by this men shall attaine to the certainty of their saluation which S. Pet. there expresseth in verse 10. and 11. after this manner Wherefore brethren giue the more diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you doe such things you shal neuer fal And by this meanes an entrance shall be ministred vnto you abundantly into the euerlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ What can be spoken more clearly for the certainty of saluatiō and that by meanes degrees men rise vp vnto it Doth he not teach that by those things men shal make their calling and election sure What is that but that they shall thereby know assuredly that GOD hath called them and chosen them vnto eternall life For doing those thinges he pronounceth that they shall neuer fal What is it thē which maketh men to doubt that they shall not be saued Is it not the conscience of sinne which is in them Is it not that their heart is full of vncleane vices and that the holie vertues are wanting Now where the vices haue their full power and doe raigne there is a whole doubting and worthilie for men may assure themselues that in such an estate they cannot be saued Then where the worke of the spirite is begunne so that the vices are somewhat suppressed and the vertues beginne to budde and growe vp there ariseth some comforte and assurance there the spirite the water and the bloud beginne to beare recorde This is a true recorde but yet it seemeth not so cleare because the remnants of sinne are verie strong and plenteous and the vertues are as I may say tender and weake Now as knowledge and faith and the power of the spirite increaseth as the deedes of the flesh are more and more mortified and subdued so the testimonie of the spirite of the water and of the bloud is more cleare and strong The more godly the heart the minde groweth the more assurance we haue that we shall be saued Many say O what a blessed thing it is if a man attaine to the knowledge and assurance of this saluation How willingly will that man loue and obey God how chearefullie wil he beare all troubles and afflictions I feele sometime great ioye and assurance of Gods loue towardes me but through mine owne negligence I haue so many sinnes as that they take away my comforte and make me doubt Then consider what waye we are to ouercome such doubtes and to come to that happie and blessed assurance Mortifie the deedes of the fleshe by the spirite What is it that depriueth thee of this happie estate and maketh thee to doubte Is it not through the want of the cleere testimonie in thee of the three which beare recorde in earth Thou hast many sinnes in thee which thou seest not and it may be very great ones as loftines of minde vaine-glorie couetousnesse selfe-loue vanitie of minde contempt of spirituall thinges and such like Yea further it may be that sundrie thinges which thou deemest in thy selfe to be vertues examine them wel by the light of Gods worde and thou shalt finde them to be vices So long as it is thus there will be doubting for where is the testimonie of the spirite with the water and the bloud Mortifie the vices by the spirite vse all diligence with feruent prayer and all other good meanes and giue not ouer although thou seemest sometimes to labour in vaine for in continuance of time thou shalt gaine much and great peace shall arise in thy consc ence and the same springing more and more as thou shalt purge it from dead workes O beloued this is the way of saluation enter into it and giue not ouer it is worth the labour The Lorde blesse vs that we may be founde constant euen to the ende Amen The end of the second Sermon THE THIRDE Sermon Hebrewes 12. 16 Let there be no fornicator or prophane person as Esau which for one portion of meate sould his birthright 17 For ye knowe that afterward when he would haue inherited the blessing he was reiected for he found no place for repentāce though he sought it with teares ALl wise men do account it a friendlie parte when any doe forewarne and shewe vnto them how they may preuent and eschue some great danger that was comming towardes them I trust therefore that you will be the more attentiue to this scripture in which not a mortall man but the holy ghost the spirite of wisedome and trueth doth set before vs a most horrible daunger and such as if we fall into it we are vtterly vndone for euer without all recouery Now that I may make it the more plaine and easie vnto you to beholde we may deuide it into three partes The first is a precept or warning giuen vnto vs to take heed there be no prophane person It is in these wordes Let there be no fornicator or prophane person I doe omitte to speake of the fornicator who is here ioyned with the prophane person The second parte propoundeth an example with the facte whereby he sheweth himselfe to be prophane that wee may see what the sinne of prophanesse is or whom the scripture calleth prophane men and it is in these wordes as Esau who for one portion of meate sould his birthright The third and last setteth forth the seueritie of Gods iudgement and wrath vpon him which is the horrible daunger that I spake of into which they fall with him that followe Esau in prophanesse The wordes be these For ye knowe that afterwarde also when hee would haue inherited the blessing hee was reiected for he found no place for repentance though he sought it with teares Come then to the precept Let there bee no prophane person It may be demanded whether this bee giuen to euery priuate and particular man or to the Pastors guides of the flocke or to both Doubtlesse to both For as the shepheards are to watch ouer the whole flocke to teach to exhort to admonish to rebuke euen euery particular man as need shall require so is euerie priuate man to haue a singular and speciall care to take heede to himselfe that he become not prophane otherwise what shall all the diligence of the teachers preuaile Yea moreouer all men are inioyned to cōsider one another to prouoke vnto loue good workes and to exhorte one another as we reade in the tenth Chapter of this Epistle to the Hebrewes ver 24.25 For hee that shall see his brother his friende his neighbour or familiar acquaintance grow prophane and so running into that daunger of Gods heauie displeasure here set forth in the example of prophane Esau and shall not be moued therewith nor touched with care and loue
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
Iaakob that he must be blessed Then did Esau cry out with a great an exceeding bitter cry crauing that he might be blessed And as we reade after in that Chapter He lift vp his voyce and wept But yet Isaake doth not alter there is no place for repentance Isaake saw now that the matter was of God so confirmed it vnto Iaakob and so Esau was reiected Thus may you briefelie see how the matter stood but now it shall not be impertinent to open the circumstances more at large in all these foure persons Isaak Rebecca Iaakob and Esau First touching Isaake it is a thing that may bee wondred at how he should be so blinded with naturall affection that he could not espie the prophanenesse of Esau but loued him better then he loued Iaakob who was an exceeding godlie and a verie reuerend holy man It is more to be wondred at that he was so caried in his affection for a worldly commoditie for Moses chap. 25. noteth the cause expressely why Isaak loued Esau euen because the venison was in his mouth He was led here-vnto by the sweetnesse of that meate which Esau hunted But in deede it is most of all to be wondred at that he was so farre blinded in his natural affection as that he would contrary to the oracle of God Chap. 25. which said the greater shoulde serue the lesser seeke to deriue the blessing vnto Esau Here we may see that the holy Patriarkes were not without their frailties imperfections they had not the flesh so farre mortified in them but that the remnantes thereof did remaine and now and then beare a great stroke It was by grace and free pardon of their sinnes that they were saued Looke vpon Lot looke vpon Ahraham the father of the faithfull looke vpon Dauid and you shall finde the same As wee may hereby on the one side take comfort when we beholde our owne corruption which doth so often leade vs awrie so on the other side it ought to shake of all securitie and stirre vs vp to prayer and watching least we be ouertaken by our corrupt nature and fall into those things which dishonour God and prouoke him to plague vs. For thus we may reason if the holy Patriarke Isaake a man so highly replenished with the spirite of God had notwithstanding such corruption of the flesh remaining in him which did so daungerously blind him and carrie him awrie what shall become of vs if God doe not by his grace and holy spirite preuent vs which are full of the strong remnantes of so many noysome lustes in the flesh Whither shall we fall if we bee but euen a little left vnto our selues Are not we in daunger of falling so deepe as neuer to rise againe Also if so holy a man as Isaake was blinded in his sonne with naturall affection and for so small a commoditie How are other to feare that they bee not also blinded in their children when they bee prophane and so doe not correct nor by wholsome admonition withdraw them from the way of perdition Now touching Rebecca she loued her sonne Iaacob shee would haue the blessing to come vpon him Doubtlesse she had good cause so to doe for Iaacob was an holy man and the Oracle of God was for him Thus farre Rebecca was right but now that she deuiseth a sleight to deceiue Isaake and sendeth Iaacob her sonne with a lye vnto him therein appeareth her frailtie shee can not bee excused She had indeede as I said before the Oracle on her side before the children were borne God preferred the yonger this shee did belieue but now to bring it to passe shee will helpe God She heard Isaake tell Esau that hee would blesse him and shee seeth no way how this should be altered but by a cunning deuice We may behold the like in Sarah the mother of the faithfull God made his couenant with Abraham that in his seede all the nations of the earth should be blessed shee belieued this promise but shee began to wax olde she grew toward fourescore shee had beene barren all her youth it seemed a difficult matter how it should be brought to passe therefore she doth deuise how to further it She had an handmaide named Hagar shee giueth her vnto Abraham that he might haue a childe by her This turned to her owne griefe for when Hagar saw shee had conceiued shee became so proud that she despised Sarah Surely when our inuentions are brought in to further the workes of God they doe often times turne to our griefe although this deuise of Rebecca tooke effect And nowe touching Iaacob that so much desired the blessing euen as an holye man that preferred heauenly things before earthly how can he bee excused in this his deede that he must faine and lye There doth remaine Esau now what fault can be found in his doing touching this action He obeyeth his father who willed him to goe hunt him some veneson hee prepareth it and bringeth it and craueth of his father to blesse him Isaake as we haue seene was led awrie by naturall affection when hee minded to blesse Esau Also Rebecca shee had her fault in that she deuised such a sleight to deceiue Isaake and so to haue him blesse Iaacob when hee thought hee had blessed Esau Iaacob was in the same fault with his mother Onely Esau at this time dealeth so as he cannot in this thing be blamed The other three are deare to God and Esau is reiected What may wee note in this Surely that it is not the outward doing of some one action or of a few which declare a man to bee righteous before God for this prophane man can not bee blamed here in his one outwarde deede And so let men knowe that all worldlings and prophane dispisers of holy things doe not that which is acceptable before God when they make a glorious shewe of some goodly deedes for before the fruite can be good the tree must be good before the actions can bee such as shall please God the heart and conscience within must be sincere euen purged from prophanesse and filthie vncleanesse What is all the Pharisaicall almes fasting and prayer of hypocrites Mat. 6. What if a man should giue all his goods to the poore and haue not loue 1. Cor. 13. Againe we may marke on the other side how where the heart is sanctified with a liuely faith wher there is the true loue of God the thankefull imbracing of his spirituall blessings there the particular errors slippes and defects doe not cast such out of the fauour of God or make them not to bee holy and righteous men Then from hence let vs be wise in discerning Esau was not an holy man for his vpright cariage in one action Neither were Isaake Rebecca and Iaacob vnholie for swaruing in some particulars At this day you shall beholde in those which from their heart loue and imbrace the Gospell sundrie imperfections take euen the
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