The consideration whereof serveth, First, to discover the hypocrisy and spiritual guile of many, who think they may live in some one sin or other, & yet be Gods servants still: this is the conceit of drunkards, adulterers, covetous persons, & such like; for even while they live in these sins, they will come to Gods worship, to the word, and prayer often, and to the Sacraments, at least once a year: which they would not do, but that they think God hath respect unto them herein, like to the wicked Jews, Jer. 7. 9, 10. But they deceive themselves, for no man can serve two masters: while a man lives in any sin the servant of the devil, he can never be accepted of God for his servant. Secondly this1 2shows, that the servant of God is so far forth delivered from sin by regeneration, that no sin reigns in him; for so he should serve two masters, for every reigning sin is a Lord and master: Rom. 6. 16. Know ye not, that to whomsoever you give your selves as servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether it be of sin unto death, &c. and he that committeth sin, is the servant of sin, Joh. 8. 34. This therefore is a sure ground, that no regenerate person lives in any sin. Thirdly,3 hereby every one is taught to consecrate both his soul and body to the Lord, endeavouring to serve him with all the powers & parts thereof; for God is our only Lord and master, and therefore let all that is within us bow the knee to him: Rom. 6. 22. The servant of God is one freed from sin, who hath his fruit in holiness, & the end everlasting life. The fQueen of Sheba pronounced Solomons servants happy, that stood before Solomon to hear his wisdom; how much more then are they happy, who in soul and body are Gods servants, who for bounty and wisdom infinitely surpasseth Solomon? Here some will say, I would gladly serve God alone, & I desire I might do it with all my heart; but the corruption of my nature is such, that it makes me to rebel against the commandments of God, and I cannot do the good I would, but the evil which I would not do, that do I; so as I fear I serve two masters. Ans. This is the state of Gods children in this life; but herewith5 they must stay themselves: when they fail in obedience, they must consider whether they do so freely and willingly, or against their wills;
The consideration whereof serueth, First, to discouer the hypocrisie and spiritual guile of many, who thinke they may liue in some one sinne or other, & yet be Gods seruants stil: this is the conceit of drunkards, adulterers, couetous persons, & such like; for euen while they liue in these sinnes, they will come to Gods worship, to the word, and praier often, and to the Sacraments, at least once a yeare: which they would not do, but that they thinke God hath respect vnto them herein, like to the wicked Iewes, Ier. 7. 9, 10. But they deceiue themselues, for no man can serue two masters: while a man liues in any sinne the seruant of the diuel, hee can neuer bee accepted of God for his seruant. Secondly this1 2shewes, that the seruant of God is so farre forth deliuered from sinne by regeneration, that no sinne raignes in him; for so he should serue two masters, for euery raigning sin is a Lord and master: Rom. 6. 16. Knowe ye not, that to whomsoeuer you giue your selues as seruants to obey, his seruants ye are to whom ye obey, whether it be of sinne vnto death, &c. and he that committeth sinne, is the seruant of sinne, Ioh. 8. 34. This therfore is a sure ground, that no regenerate person liues in any sin. Thirdly,3 hereby euery one is taught to consecrate both his soule and bodie to the Lord, indeauouring to serue him with all the powers & parts therof; for God is our onely Lord and master, and therefore let all that is within vs bow the knee to him: Rom. 6. 22. The seruāt of God is one freed from sin, who hath his fruit in holinesse, & the end euerlasting life. The fQueene of Sheba pronounced Salomons seruants happie, that stood before Salomon to heare his wisedome; how much more then are they happy, who in soule and bodie are Gods seruants, who for bountie and wisdome infinitely surpasseth Salomon? Here some will say, I would gladly serue God alone, & I desire I might doe it with all my heart; but the corruption of my nature is such, that it makes me to rebell against the commandements of God, and I cannot doe the good I would, but the euil which I would not doe, that doe I; so as I feare I serue two masters. Ans. This is the state of Gods children in this life; but herewith
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- 2No sin reign h•• Gods children.No sin raigne h•• Gods children.
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- f1. Kin. 10. 8
- 5A comfort to them that are troubled with corruption.A comfort to thē that are troubled with corruption.
