A Golden Chain

The fourth point is, touching the persons in whom this combat is. Paul shows who they are, when he saith, So that ye can not, &c. where it appears, that such as have this combat in them must be as the Galatians, men justified and sanctified: and yet not all such, but only they that be of years: for the infants of the faithful, howsoever we must repute them to belong to the kingdom of heaven, and therefore to be justified and sanctified: yet because they do not commit actual sin, they want this combat of the flesh and spirit, which stands in action. As for those which be unregenerate, they never felt this fight. If any say that the worst man in the world, when he is about to commit any sin, hath a strife and fight in him. It is true indeed: but that is an other kind of combat, which is between the conscience and the heart. The conscience on the one part terrifying the man from sin: the will and the affections hailing and pulling him thereunto: the will and the affections wishing and desiring that sin were no sin, and Gods commandment abolished: whereas contrariwise the conscience with a shrill voice proclaims sin to be sin. This fight was in Pilate, who by the force of his conscience feared to condemn Christ; and yet was willing, and yielded to condemn him that he might please the people.

The fourth point is, touching the persons in whome this combate is. Paul shewes who they are, when he saith, So that ye can not, &c. where it appeares, that such as haue this combat in them must be as the Galatians, men iustified and sanctified: and yet not all such, but onely they that be of yeares: for the infants of the faithfull, howsoeuer we must repute them to belong to the kingdome of heauen, and therefore to be iustified and sanctified: yet because they doe not commit actuall sinne, they want this combat of the flesh and spirit, which stands in action. As for those which be vnregenerate, they neuer felt this fight. If any say that the worst man in the world, when he is about to commit any sinne, hath a strife and fight in him. It is true indeede: but that is an other kinde of combat, which is betweene the conscience and the heart. The conscience on the one part terrifying the man from sinne: the will and the affections hailing and pulling him thereunto: the will and the affections wishing and desiring that sinne were no sinne, and Gods commandement abolished: whereas contrariwise the conscience with a shrill voice proclaimes sinne to be sinne. This fight was in Pilate, who by the force of his conscience feared to condemne Christ; and yet was willing, and yeelded to condemne him that he might please the people.