Ver. 3. the Epiffle to the Romans. but a generali affent to the Scriptures, without particular affiance in the pro - mile ofChrift. T r sa. From what thing are roe delive- red by Chri fl? S I L. From [Sinne,] that is, from our unregenerate nature,as it is corrup- ted by Sin.Death alto is joyned to it,be- caufe it makes us guilty of, and fubjea to death and delru &ion, which fol- lowes all kind of fin, as the night fol- lowts the day,and fhadow the body. T I M. What meaneth bee by putting this word,[Law ] untofinne? S e L. Becaufe the guilt of our finfull nature, is as a bond to make us bound unto eternal' death.Secondly,becaufe in fuch as are not regenerate, it doth ex- ercife a mortiferous tyrannical] power and government. T t M. Now thew us what benefit wee may male of this whole verfe, thus expoun- ded? S t L. It affords us an inflru &ion,a comfort,reproof, and confutation.The inftru&ion is, that not only Chrift his obedience in this life, and the fufferings in his death,but the fan&ification of his humane nature is ours, and is as verily belonging to the faithfull,as if they had been bornewithout finne. Secondly,the comfort is that fuch as are in Chrift, may in all their temptations in life and death, comfort themfelves with this af- furance, that their finnes neither oftheir a&ions,nor of their nature,fhal l ever be imputed to them.Though they may of- tentimes feel their wicked and rebellious nature, ftir and refift Gods Law, yet fuch as doe refift the motions of finne, yeelding themfelves obediently to the motions of the Spirit, are fecured and made certain that their remaining fin (hall never condemne them ; becaufe Chrift bath freed and delivered them from it perfeetly, allowing them his own fanEtification to be theirs. It is a marvellous comfort to them that have need of it, and ca n apprehend it.Third- ly, this doch reprove the ignorant dif- folute Chriftian , who never thinks what an evil' his corrupt nature is, nor is ever troubled with thole evil] moti- 247 ons and defires that fuddenly fpring from it : full little do they confider that the Sonne of God mutt defcend from heaven, and humble him felfe to become a man, that hee might free us from the impurity of our humane nature. And la[c]y, it doth confute our blind erring Papifts, of whom the very wifeft of them never camelo far as to know that naturali concupifcence is a fin in the re- generate,& hands in need of a Saviour. DIALOGUE III. Vert 3 . For that that wasunpoffihle toth'e Lain, in as numb as it was weak, becaufe of the flefh, God finding his own Son in the firm /itude of finfull flefh, and for fine, condemned fin in the fief,. Tim() Tuna s. WHat is the drift of this Text? S IL. It renders a reafon ro prove,that the molt perfe& holineffe of Chrifts humane nature ( called in the former verfe, the Spirit oflife) being imputed unto beleevers, loth free them from fin and death, that is,from the re- mainder of finne licking hill in their nature, and the pun ifhment of eternali deftru&ion due to it. This reafon is ta- ken from the end of Gods purpofe in fegi0ing his Sonne to take mans nature into the fellowfhip of his perfon;for he was lent to take flefh upon him, to help and fuccour the infirmity of our flefh.Or more plainly thus, Chrift was Pent of his Father to take the nature of man in the womb of a Virgin,free from finne, by the worke ofthe holy Ghal to thisend,that he might reftore our na- ture unto fuch a perfe &ion of righte- oufneffe,as the exaaneffe. of Gods Law doch require. For though the Law did teach a perfe& righteoufneffe both of usture and a&ions,yet it is very unable to bring us thereunto, becaufe we doe lacke flrength and power to performe and keep it both before and after our regeneration. frdm whence doth fol- low, that feeingby the ftrength of the Lawwe cannot attaine perfell r ghte. Y3
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