Then he addeth further Euerie one that loueth him which begate loueth him also which is begotten This must needes be so for it is as a principle in nature whereby it is euidēt that whosoeuer loueth not the childrē of God he loueth not God for he that entirely doeth loue the Father cannot but for his sake loue the children which are begotten of him Then it is thus hee that loueth not the children of God is not borne of God and therefore hee hath not the true faith in Christ And he that is borne of God hee loueth God and therefore also he loueth his children and by this he saith we know we loue the children of God when we loue God and keepe his commandements The triall that men loue Gods children is from hence that they loue God and the triall that we loue God is if we keepe his commaundements for so hee affirmeth in the third verse where he also saith that the commandements of God are not grieuous or heauie According as Christ willeth vs to take his yoke vpon vs adding further That his yoke is easie and his burthen light Math. 11.29.30 Is the law then easie to be kept Surely there is nothing more grieuous to the vnregenerate man thē the law of God for as S. Paule saith the law is spirituall and wee are carnall soulde vnder sinne Rom. 7.14 There is such a disagreement betweene the heauenly puritie of Gods law and our corrupt and defiled nature that when they meete wee are so farre off from hauing anie power to fulfill the lawe or any part of it that by it the lusts of sinne worke in our members to bring forth fruite vnto death Rom. 7.5 Not that the law is to be blamed but as the Apostle there disputeth at large sinne taketh occasion by the law It is not then S. Iohns meaning to teach that the commandements be not grieuous or light and easie to the naturall man for sure to him they bee grieuous How then the commaundements are not grieuous to the spirituall man to the regenerate man euen to him that is borne of God for so S. Iohn applyeth the matter and rendereth a reason in these words Because whatsoeuer is borne of God ouercommeth the world By the world is meant what soeuer either within vs or without vs is corrupt and contrarie to Gods will as chap. 2. ver 16. of this Epistle hee doth expound the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life to be in the world and of the world Then looke how far a man is regenerate and borne of God so farre hee ouercommeth and subdueth all vncleane lustes he hateth the remnants of them and delighteth in the law of GOD. Rom. 7.15.22 How then can the commaundements be grieuous vnto him The lustes of sinne are sweete to the natural man and therefore the lawe which condemneth them is grieuous vnto him But can they that are borne of God then perfectly fulfill the lawe and so become righteous in themselues In no wise For then should such as are borne of God be without sinne but in the first chapter of this Epistle ver 8. he saith If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. In many thinges we sinne all Iam. 3. ver 2. There is no man saith Salomon which sinneth not 1 King 8.46 Yea no man can tell how often Psal 19. Wherefore Saint Peter saide thus vnto such as would haue men iustified by the lawe Now therefore why doe you tempt God to laye a yoake vpon the necke of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we are able to beare Acts 15.10 Well to proceede Saint Iohn commeth neerer and saith This is the victorie that ouercommeth the world euen our faith There is then a marueilous excellencie in faith for by it we ouercome the world euen all the vncleane lustes of sinne and by it we ouercome Sathan the prince of the world who hath no power not authoritie but by those lustes But now wee must vnderstand that this faith is onely the instrument of our victorie for the whole matter and power of our victorie is in Christ whome the faith layeth holde on Wherefore he saith Who is it that ouercommeth the world but he which beleeueth that Iesus is the sonne of God And then he sheweth that there is the fulnesse of victorie in Christ because he came both by water and bloud In the time of the lawe there was figured by bloud and by water the full satisfaction and the full purification or cleansing from all sinne both these are performed by Christ he hath by his blood made full satisfaction of and hee doth sanctifie and purge his chosen from all vncleannesse Therefore in him is a full victorie For the curse of the lawe being satisfied and then we washed and sanctified from all spotte what power can Satan or death haue ouer vs This being a matter so great and waightie and faith bearing vp the whole waight of it most necessarie it is that the faith it selfe haue a mightie sure ground worke or foundation to rest vpon That which beareth vp so mightie a building must not rest vpon a foundation that is from any creature And therefore S. Iohn sheweth that faith which is our victorie is grounded vpon the testimonie of sixe great witnesses of which three are in heauen and the other three in earth The three which beare record in heauen are the father and the worde that is the sonne and the holy ghost These three are one that is they doe all testifie one thing or agree all in one For what the father from heauen witnessed of his sonne the same did the sonne witnes of himselfe the holy ghost also did confirme it This is a most cleare place of scripture against those heretikes which denied the distinction of persons in the godhead for if the father were not a distinct person from the Sonne and so the Sonne from the holy Ghost howe could he say there bee three which beare record in heauen Then faith hath the witnesse of God the father of GOD the sonne and of God the holy Ghost to rest vpon Here is that sure foundation which can not faile They bee seducers which teach their schollers to ground their faith vppon men as the Papistes which draw men from grounding their faith vpon the testimonie of God the father the Sonne and the holy Ghost expressed and deliuered vnto vs in the scriptures and will haue them rest vpon the authoritie of the Pope and his popish clergie This testimonie of their owne they proclaime to be sound and infallible boasting that they can not erre the voice testimonie of God in the holy scriptures they charge to be darke doubtful and vncertaine most blasphemous wretches Then he addeth that there be also three which beare record in earth the spirite and the water and the bloud and these three agree in one Where first it may be demanded
euer How then can the olde man once crucified euer recouer life againe Or how can the new life the life of God being once begun be vtterly extinct in any Seeing the Apostle doth argue vpon this ground that as Christ can not alter so they that bee in Christ can not alter How then shall they that bee in Christ and so dead to sinne yet liue therein Howe can any true Christian man continue in sin that grace may abound but especially consider how contrarie they be vnto this place which holde that a man may be regenerate in Christ and vtterly fall from it By the doctrine of those the olde man may be crucified and slaine in a man and liue againe and so againe he may bee slaine if they leaue place for repentance and liue also from that Also by their doctrine the life of God may in a man be extinct and so he doth not in Christ liue to God Why then doth S. Paule here make such a comparison between Christ and his members which are grafted into him But let these passe and returne againe to the former S. Paul now draweth from hence an exhortation vnto all Christians that seing their professioÌ„ figured by baptisme is so as they must die with Christ to sinne and rise also with him vnto the new life that therfore they would not let sinne raigne in their mortal bodies c. If sin be slaine in you then you must not let it raigne in you for is that meet that a dead thing should raigne And shall men obey the lustes of that which is slaine Surely if sinne raigne sinne is not slaine if any man doe obey the lusts thereof it is aliue still in him Such a man without all controuersie is not in Christ but now marke how the blessed Apostle doeth frame his speeches in this exhortation He doth not say thâ—â— let not sinne remaine at all in you or see that in no wise you bee found to sinne for then all are lost if none be in Christ if none bee dead and rysen with him but such as are quite voide of all sinne But let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodie Here is all that the faithfull are called vpon for while they liue here namely that they obey not the lustes of sinne and so giue vnto it a kingdome and a dominion in them He sheweth plainely by this that the slaine body of sinne remaineth still in them and the lustes thereof be in the minde but wee must not obey them Also he saith Let it not raigne in your mortall body What doth hee by this giue alowance that sinne may raigne in the mind Surely that were a small reformation if sinne should bee restrained onely in our bodies and retaine the full force still in the mind But seeing it can not be but that the motions of sin wil arise in the mind he doth aduertise that yet wee should restraine our bodies from performing those lusts It is the like speech when S. Paul saith Be angrie but sin not Hee speaketh not there of an holy anger which indeede is not sinne for then he woulde not will vs to cut it off saying Let not the sunne goe downe vpon your wrath but he doth thereby insinuate that man is so prone vnto anger and it doth arise so suddainely oftentimes euen vpon euery occasion that it can not bee auoided neuerthelesse hee doth aduise that we shoulde not performe the cruell deedes which anger doth leade vnto Seeing it can not bee but that the filthie motions and lustes of sinne will arise in the minde yet resist them so this is his councell that they raigne not in your mortall bodies or giue not vp your bodies in action to performe such wicked motions Labor to haue the minde wholy purged from them but seing that can not bee fully attained let them not haue the raigne and dominion in your bodies And further in this exhortation hee willeth vs not to giue our members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne but giue saith he your selues vnto GOD as they that are aliue from the deade and giue your members as weapons of righteousnesse to God To vnderstand this you must consider that the holye Ghost likneth sinne vnto a mightie tyrant who hath his ministers and seruants attending and setting themselues in his presence to waite his pleasure what seruice he wil commaund them which then they execute And therefore hee vseth here the like phrase of speech willing vs not to set our members in the presence of sin as weapons or instruments or as it were ministers attending and ready to execute his pleasure This in deed is the miserable bondage that man is in by nature that all the powers and faculties of his soule with all the members of his bodie are euen willinglie prest and readie and doe euen present and set themselues as attendants in the presence of sinne readie to execute the lustes thereof This being renounced as it is reason S. Paule exhorteth that we should giue vp our selues to God as they that are aliue from the dead and our members as weapons of righteousnesse This is a goodlie thing which is here required and all thinges considered verie equall We haue shewed our selues very ready to the obedience of sinne wee haue set all our members as attendant to performe most willinglie the lustes thereof Shall we not now be as readie to giue vp our selues to God being raâ—ed vp from the death of sinne vnto the life of righteousnesse and shall wee not â—e as willing to set all our members as ministers and seruants to attend vpon righteousnes as we were to giue them to sinne Shal we not change our Lorde if it be from the worse to the better Or shall wee not serue the better Lord as willing as we serued the worse Consider I pray you what is the rewarde of those which are the seruants of sinne Is it not eternal death euen the torments of hell and yet how chearefully men performe that seruice Howe ready be they to obey the lustes of sinne What is the reward of those which serue righteousnesse Is it not promised that they shall haue eternall glorie and shall we not then be as willing and as ready to obey righteousnesse as we were to obey sinne And now to the last verse which I haue read vnto you For sin shall not haue dominion ouer you for ye are not vnder the law but vnder grace This is a most excellent comfort which S. Paule vttereth to harten to encourage all the faithful to resist sinne We heare of freedome from the yoke of our euill lustes wee are called vpon to renounce our obedience vnto sinne Also wee are willed to present all our members as weapons of righteousnes to God but in the meane time we doe feele our selues so oppressed with the tyrannous power of sin that it seemeth we shall resist in vaine Yea it falleth out in manie that the more they doe resist and striue against
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
best that you can finde For are any more holy then the great Patriarks were And from some of Gods elect in al times great offences haue broken forth take heede that for some such particular faultes we iudge them not as men reiected of God or ouer seuerely iudge them wicked and vngodly And on the other part you shall see the very enemies of the Gospell sundrie of them which make a goodly shew in outward deedes they bee prophane as Esau and all the shew of their workes is nothing before God Well now to the seuerity of Gods wrath vpon Esau for that is the principall matter which we haue in hand He vvas reiected hee found no place for repentance though hee sought it with teares What is this Esau had the repulse when he came and vvould haue inherited the blessing and then seeking euen vvith teares to obtaine it Isaake could not bee moued to alter that which he had done there was no place to repent him and so to call it backe againe from Iaakob who had got it by sleight For now was Isaake stricken with an exceeding feare and euen as it were awaked out of the error of his natural affection and saw that the thing came of God for that Isaake cannot alter the thing he had done nor repente it proceedeth from God Marke then the seueritie of God Esau had set light by the birthright so prophane he was that he loued the life present more yet when he doth consider of it more aduisedlie 〈◊〉 iudgeth it to be a great thing and wisheth so earnestlie to haue it that when he saw it taken from him he cried out bitterlie and wept but his crying and his teares doe not moue God 〈◊〉 shew anie pittie or compassion towardes him Therein now lieth the matter For God laide a great terror vpon Isaake and held his minde that although he loued Esau dearely yet he saw now that he might not giue the blessing vnto him What was there in all the world which Isaake loued so tenderly as hee loued his sonne Esau How can it be then but he must needes be moued much with the dolefull crie that hee vttered and with those teares that hee shed Why was not his wrath kindled against Iaakob Why did he not call for him and tell him that as he had no meaning to blesse him so he would now reuoke it and bestowe the same where he did purpose yea and thought he had bestowed it All men may easily perceiue that this did proceede from the seueritie of Gods displeasure Isaak like an holy man as a godly father had carefully instructed his sonnes in the couenant shewed vnto theÌ„ what incoÌ„parable treasures of felicitie were included therein Iaakobs minde was inflamed with a burning desire thereof but Esau though he vnderstood the doctrine yet set little by it and that is the cause why God was so angrie with him If anie shall thinke was this so great a cause to moue the Lorde so to wrath that he would neuer forgiue him Iudge of it thus If a prince offer vnto a subiect great honour and it bee dispised will it not be hardlie taken Now when the king of kings dooth set before miserable sinfull men the high dignitie glorie and felicitie euen to become his sonnes and heires with Christ of the eternall kingdome and they esteeme baselie thereof how can he but be exceedingly displeased at such a prophane contempt Let vs not then maruaile that this prophane man is reiected but rather take heede to our selues least we be like him and so be forsaken of God as he was If he cried and wept and could not be heard surely if wee take not heede we may so highlie offend that when we crie and weepe we shall not be heard There can no heauier iudgement of God light vpon a man then this The summe as it were a botomlesse gulfe of al miseries plagues is contained in it as when a man shal cal and crie out bitterlie with teares for the blessing of God and partaking of life eternall and be reiected Here is a pitte to fall into heere is a daunger vnrecouerable yea heere is a state and condition which may make vs all to tremble and quake to come nigh it For if men will quake when they looke downe from the toppe of an high tower to the ground If when there is daunger of falling how much more are we to feare at this There a man may fall so high that he dashe in peeces vpon the ground and so be depriued of this natural life but here is the losse of life eternall and that with the sustaining of endles sorrowes It may be some will take it to be an hard collection to gather from this example of Esau who cried to his father with bâ—â—ter cryings to haue the blessing and also sought it with teares and was reiected that therefore men may call and crie to God and euen with sobbing teares craue pardon of their sinnes and yet not be heard Esau did not pray to God but sought the blessing at the handes of his father and shall a generall doctrine be drawne from a particular example I haue shewed before that the reiecting came from God farre was it from the naturall affection of Isaake so to haue reiected Esau if it had bene in his own power Also we may see that the holy ghost doth propound this example in one man for a generall doctrine euen this that such men as like Esau prophanely dispise the graces of God shall afterward crie bitterlie and weepe and call for the blessing of God and yet bee reiected of him And to speake the trueth the holy worde of God doth teach vs this onelie by the example of Esau but deliuereth it forth in flatte and plaine tearmes as a generall doctrine In the first Chapter of the Prouerbes Salomon bringeth in wisedome preaching and calling vpon men to receiue her instruction And then shee complaineth that they dispise her counsell so vttereth a terrible threatning that shee will laugh at their destruction and mocke when their feare commeth She saith they shall call vpon her but shee will not answere they shall seeke her earlie but shall not fâ—â—de her With many moe speeches there this matter is set forth Christ is that wisedome of the father which calleth there vnto men to returne vnto him to imbrace his lawes and holy doctrine offering all spirituall blessings in heauenlie thinges but men set light by his counsell they be addicted to the worlde to the vaine pleasures of sinne so with profane mindes dispise the heauenly giftes and graces This doth moue his indignation so farre that he saith he will be so farre from pittying them is their calamitie that he wil laugh at their destruction and mocke them in their feare and distresse Yea he sheweth plainelie that they will call vpon him for helpe but hee will not answere they shall also earlie seeke him but not finde him
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
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