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. /…

My grace is sufficient to keep thy corruption from reigning over thee, though I will not keep it from dwelling in thee: My grace is sufficient to keep sin from damning of thee, though I will not yet keep it from molesting of thee. Here is comfort for thy poor soul therefore, that art burdened and grieved with the sense of thy corruptions: As the Lord resolved, that he would not for a time drive out the Canaanites from among the people of Israel, but yet they should be Tributaries to them, and acknowledge them for their Sovereign: so the Lord hath resolved, that sin shall dwell in thee, but yet it shall be a Tributary, it shall never sway the Sceptre, it shall never wear the Crown, it shall never set on the Throne of thy soul; and not prevailing to reign over thee, it shall never prevail to damn thee: Be of good comfort therefore, God will deliver thee from all dominion of sin, yea, he hath done it already. Oh how did Saint Paul cry out, Rom. 7. 24 Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Here is a true sign of Gods child: they that have not this are none of Gods; by reason of the remainders of corruption, which is as death in him, (therefore the Apostle here calleth it, the body of this death, he meaneth original corruption, but calleth it, a body of death, because it is a death to him, and he had rather suffer death then have it in him) by reason of this he counteth himself miserable and wretched, Oh miserable and wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death; he would give ⟨p. 100⟩all the world if he had it, but to be delivered from the presence of sin: this is the state of Gods children, nothing in the world burdeneth them so much as the presence of their corruptions; they are not pleased when they break Gods Commands; they do not make it their trade to commit sin, it is the greatest grief, and shame, and wound their soul hath. Well, how doth Saint Paul comfort himself against the remainders of corruption in him? I thank God (saith he) through jesus Christ our Lord: As if he should say, why do I thus dismay my self: sin is in me, but yet notwithstanding, sin shall not have dominion over me, by Christ I am delivered from the reign of sin, Oh thanks be to God, through jesus Christ.

My grace is sufficient to keep thy corruption from reigning over thee, though I will not keep it from dwelling in thee: My grace is sufficient to keep sinne from damning of thee, though I will not yet keep it from molesting of thee. Here is comfort for thy poor soule therefore, that art burthened and grieved with the sense of thy corruptions: As the Lord resolved, that he would not for a time drive out the Canaanites from among the people of Israel, but yet they should be Tributaries to them, and acknowledge them for their Soveraigne: so the Lord hath resolved, that sinne shall dwell in thee, but yet it shall be a Tributary, it shall never sway the Scepter, it shall never weare the Crown, it shall never set on the Throne of thy soule; and not prevailing to reign over thee, it shall never prevaile to damne thee: Be of good comfort therefore, God will deliver thee from all dominion of sinne, yea, he hath done it already. Oh how did Saint Paul crie out,