IT is a thing worthy the standing on, to consider how the Apostles out of God his promise,1 deduce arguments of obedience, as among many, 2. Corin. 7. when the Lord having promised, that whether we abide in our houses, he will dwell with us, or whether we will go abroad, he will walk with us, or if we be afflicted, he will receive us: out of this promise the Apostle bringeth a conclusion, that we should therefore cleanse our selves. This would see me a strange consequence, that seeing we are cleansed, we should cleanse our selves, for some have made a clean contrary conclusion, laying, we are cleansed, let us defile our selves, seeing grace doth abound, let us sin. 1. Corin. 7. The Apostle in the person of the godly, reasons thus: the time is short, let us therefore use this world, as though we used it not. The same Apostle out of the same premisses, in the person of the licentious liver, frameth a clean contrary conclusion: as 1. Corin. chap. 15, Tomorrow we shall die, therefore let us eat and drink, let us use the world, because we have it, let us stuff our selves with pleasure, because our time is not long. So runs the tenor of their conclusions. Because God hath mercy enough in store, and Christ his blood cleanseth us from our sins, therefore faith the carnal Gospeller, least the blood of Christ should want matter and metal to work upon, let us wallow in sin, for Christ hath blood enough to cleanse us. Well the Apostle, I say, reasons in a contrary manner, Christ hath washed us, let us not therefore defile our selves again, and that which is more strange, he deduceth fear out of the promise. Wherefore for our use we must learn, whether in reading and hearing the promises of God, the same mind be in us, which was in Paul, when he said, and said truly, that he had the Spirit of God in him, and nee that draweth out this conclusion of the promise of God; We are raised, therefore, we will raise our selves, let that man know he is of the same spirit, that the Apostle was. But he that concludes on the other manner: We have promises, let all go where it will, that man must suspect his estate, he makes not a good conclusion. And as that, so this is true, the nature of God his promises, is not to be a placard to sin, but a persuasion, a motive, an inducement to holiness of life, and to the fear of God.
IT is a thing worthie the standing on, to consider how the Apostles out of God his propromise,1 deduce arguments of obedience, as among many, 2. Corin. 7. when the Lord hauing promised, that whether wee abide in our houses, hee will dwell with vs, or whether wee will goe abroad, hee will walke with vs, or if we be afflicted, he will receiue vs: out of this promise the Apostle bringeth a conclusion, that wee should therefore cleanse our selues. This would see me a strange consequence, that seeing wee are cleansed, wee should cleanse our selues, for some haue made a cleane contrarie conclusion, laying, wee are cleansed, let vs defile our selues, seeing grace doth abound, let vs sinne. 1. Corin. 7. The Apostle in the person of the godly, reasons thus: the time is short, let vs therefore vse this world, as though wee vsed it not. The same Apostle out of the same premisses, in the person of the licentious liuer, frameth a cleane contrary conclusion: as 1. Corin. chap. 15, Tomorrow we shall die, therefore let vs eate and drinke, let vs vse the world, because wee haue it, let vs stuffe our selues with pleasure, because our time is not long. So runnes the tenour of their conclusions. Because God hath mercie enough in store, and Christ his blood cleanseth vs from our sinnes, therefore faith the carnall Gospeller, least the blood of Christ should want matter and mettall to worke vpon, let vs wallow in sinne, for Christ hath blood enough to cleanse vs. Well the Apostle, I say, reasons in a contrarie manner, Christ hath washed vs, let vs not therefore defile our selues againe, and that which is more strange, he deduceth feare out of the promise. Wherefore for our vse we must learne, whether in reading and hearing the promises of God, the same minde be in vs, which was in Paul, when hee saide, and saide truely, that hee had the Spirit of God in him, and nee that draweth out this conclusion of the promise of God; We are raised, therefore, wee will raise our selues, let that man know hee is of the same spirit, that the Apostle was. But he that concludes on the other manner: We haue promises, let all goe where it will, that man must suspect his estate, hee makes not a good conclusion. And as that, so this is true, the nature of God his promises, is not to be a placard to sinne, but a perswasion, a motiue, an inducement to holinesse of life, and to the feare of God.
- 1The promise of God ought to spur to obedience.The promise of God ought to spurre to obedience.
