A10659:607
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…
Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulness of sin. The life of Christ. Being the substance of several sermons preached at Lincolns Inn: by Edward Reynolds, preacher to that honourable society, and late fellow of Merton College in Oxford.Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulnesse of sinne. The life of Christ. Being the substance of severall sermons preached at Lincolns Inne: by Edward Reynoldes, preacher to that honourable society, and late fellow of Merton Colledge in Oxford.
London: printed by Felix Kyngston for Robert Bostocke, 1631
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Secondly, hereupon consequently we are delivered from the rigour of the Law, which consisteth in two things: first it requireth perfect obedience: secondly,1 perpetual obedience. We must do all things that are written in the Book of the Law, and we must continue to do them. Now from this we are delivered, though not as a Duty, yet as such a necessity as brings death upon the fail in it. When a mans conscience doth summon him before Gods tribunal to be justified or condemned;2 he dares not trust ahis own performances, because no flesh can be righteous in Gods sight. Though the Gospel both command, and bpromise, and cwork holiness in us; yet when we go to find out that to which we must stand for our last trial, by which we resolve to expect remission of sins, and inheritance with the Saints, there is so much pollution and fleshly ingredients in our best works, that we dare trust none but Christs own adequate performance of the Law, whereby we are delivered from the rigour and inexorableness thereof. That inherent and habitual exactness which the Law requireth in our persons in supplied by the merit of Christ: that actual perfection which it requireth in our services, is supplied by the incense, and intercession of Christ. And though we are full of weakness, all our righteousness as a menstruous cloth, many rags and remnants of the old Adam cleave still unto us, and we are kept under that captivity and unavoidable service of sin which he sold us under: yet this Privilege and Immunity we have by Christ, that our desires are accepted, that God spareth us as Sons,6 that Christ taketh away all the iniquity of our Holy things; that when we faint he leads us, when we fall he pities us, and heals us, when we turn and repent he forgives, accepts, welcomes, and feasts us with his compassions.
Secondly, hereupon consequently wee are delivered from the rigor of the Law, which consisteth in two things: first it requireth perfect obedience: secondly,