Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulness of sin. The life…Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulnesse of sinne. The life…

Having in the former Chapter set forth the doctrine of Justification, with those many comfortable fruits and effects that flow from it, he here passeth over to another head of Christian Doctrine, namely Sanctification, and Conformity to the holiness of Christ, the ground whereof he maketh to be our Fellowship with him in his death and Resurrection: for Christ carried our sins upon the Tree with him, and therefore we ought with him to die daily unto sin, and to live unto God. This is the whole ⟨p. 273⟩argument of the precedent parts of the Chapter, and frequently elsewhere used by the Apostle, and others, 2. Cor. 5. 14, 15. Gal. 2. 20. 3. 27. 5. 24. Ephes. 2. 6. Phil. 3. 10. Col. 2. 12. 13. 26. 3. 1. 4. Heb. 9. 14 1. Pet. 4. 1. 2. Now the words of the Text are as I conceive a Prolepsis, or answer to a tacit objection which might be made. A weak Christian might thus allege, If our fellowship in the death of Christ do bring along with it a death of sin in us, then surely I have little to do with his death; For alas sin is still alive in me, and daily bringeth forth the works of life. To this the Apostle answers, Though sin dwell in you, yet let it not reign in you, nor have its wonted hold and power over you. ^aImpossible it is while you carry about these tabernacles of flesh, these mortal bodies, that sin should not lodge within you, yet your care must be to give the kingdom unto Christ, to let him have the honour in you which his father hath given him in the Church, to Rule in the midst of his enemies, those fleshly lusts which fight against him. By ^bMortal body, we here understand the whole man in this present estate, wherein he is obnoxious to death, which is an usual figure to take the part for the whole, especially since the body is a weapon and instrument to reduce into act, and to execute the will of sin.