The saints dignity and duty· Together with the danger of ignorance and hardness. /…The saints dignitie and dutie· Together with the danger of ignorance and hardnesse. /…

Consider of it, for this I assure you, that there are none whom Christ hath redeemed from Iniquity, but he doth put into them such a spirit, that they shall for ever after be careful to keep themselves from iniquity. The Lord Christ would not be at so great cost to give himself for an end that should be frustrate, he hath bought our redemption with the price of himself, therefore he will make it sure that it shall be effected. If therefore you find your hearts bold to run into any sin, and ready to put your selves into all iniquity, you are not those that are redeemed by Christ. Consider for the proof of this, these places, James 1.27. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. Observe it, where there is a true Religion, there men keep themselves from the spots of the world. And you shall find this also excellently and plainly laid down in 1 John 3. from the 6. verse to the 11. Whosoever abideth in him (that is, in Christ) sinneth not, whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him; Little children, let no man deceive you, he that doth righteousness is righteous, but in v. 8. He that committeth sin, is of the devil. Observe these Phrases of the Scripture: And in v. 9. Whosoever is born of God, doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him, and be cannot sin, because he is born of God: And in v. 10. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil, whosoever doth not righteousness, is not of God. In few words, here is a plain trial who are Gods, and who are the Devils children; whoever sinneth, whoever doth not righteousness is of the Devil, is not of God: Take notice of it, I beseech you, they are the very words of the Spirit of God. And to this you may add that in the fifth Chapter of the same ⟨p. 37⟩Epistle of John v. 18. We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not, but he that is begotten of God, keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. All these places plainly prove, That whosoever Christ hath redeemed from under iniquity, he so works with them, that they shall never return to iniquity again; for Christ gave himself to free them from it, and he will never buy a thing at so costly a rate but it shall be done. Not, but that they that are redeemed, sin;