The Complaint of a Sanctified Sinner Answered, Title page – Dedication
THE COMPLAINT OF A SANCTIFIED SINNER ANSWERED: OR An Explanation of the ſeuenth Chapter of the Epiſtle of Saint PAVL to the ROMANS, deliuered in diuers SERMONS.
Preached by EDWARD ELTON, Bachelour in Diuinitie, and Preacher of GODS Word at Saint MARY MAGDALENS Barmondſey neere LONDON.
And now by him publiſhed, intending the common good and profit of GODS CHVRCH.
ISAIAH 57.19.
I create the fruit of the lips to be peace, peace vntounto them that are far off, and to them that are neere, ſaith the Lord, for I will heale them.
LONDON Printed by W. STANSBY, for ROBERT MYLBOVRNE, and are to be ſold in Pauls Church-yard at the ſigne of the Blacke Beare. 1618.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL, Sir WILLIAM GARDENER, Knight, Grace and peace be multiplyed.
TRVE it is (Right Worſhipfull) that there is not the like efficacy and force in the ſame things, written and read in priuate, as there is in them being vttered by liuely voyce in publike, breathing inſtructions are moſt effectuall and mouing, Gods owne quickning Spirit putting life into them according to his promiſe of more ſpeciall bleſsing thereunto made; yet things written hauehave this aduantage, they giuegive men leaue to conſider and to pauſe vponupon them, and oftentimes to reuiew them, and they reach further then things ſpoken: hee that ſpeaketh in the publike Miniſtery of the Word, being thereunto called, and diuiding the Word of Truth aright, 1. Cor. 14.3.ſpeaketh to edifying, to exhortation, and to the comfort of thoſe that heare him: but he that writeth profitable and comfortable things, reacheth out the profit and comfort of them to many more. This being thought on and conſidered by me, and thereunto adioyned a ſerious and due conſideration of mine owne inability, to profit the Church of God (as I am bound and as I deſire) by ſpeaking, and eſpecially that part of Gods Church to which I ſtand in ſpeciall relation as an vnworthy Ouer-ſeer, and to which my good will is to deale not onelyonly the Gospell of God, 1. Theſſ. 2.8.but mine owne ſoule for the good of it, hath moued me now againe to put pen to paper, and to offer theſe my poore and ſimple labours to publike view by writing, that in that kinde (if God bee pleaſed to adde a bleſsing thereunto which J heartily deſire and pray for) I may be more profitable, not, as though I were able in that or in any other kinde to profit Gods Church, as others of farre greater worth and ſufficiency, ſtretching my ſelfe beyond my meaſure, 2. Cor. 10. verſ. 14.but as willing and deſirous to vſe the best meanes of doing all the good I can, according to the meaſure of grace giuen vntounto me. In the examples of holy and ſanctified beleeuers, eſpecially ſuch Worthies as the bleſſed Apoſtle PAVL was, the Church of God hath ſenſible euidence of the comfort of Gods holy Truth; and no Truth of God, in my ſlender iudgement, is of more ſpeciall vſe and conſequence, and more needfull to be diſcouered and knowne, then that which may yeeld comfort to poore weary ſoules, right deare and precious vntounto God, cumbred with their inward and hidden corruptions, and complayning of them, and panting and groning vnderunder the burden of their owne ſinfull infirmities; this Truth is fully and excellently exemplified in the Apoſtle himſelfe in this Chapter, which through Gods gracious and ſpeciall aſsiſtance I hauehave paſſed thorow, in my ordinary courſe of preaching to my particular Congregation, all praiſe and glory be to his holy Maieſty for the ſame; My ſhallow braine is not able to reach the depth of that comfort that herein is compriſed; I hauehave onelyonly diued as deepe into it as I was able, and thence fetched out what ſweetneſſe and comfort it pleaſed God to communicate vntounto mee. And now (Right Worſhipfull) being willing to make theſe my poore labours more common, I am emboldened vponupon your ſpeciall and vndeſerued louelove and kindneſſe towards mee, euidenced by many infallible teſtimonies, to ſhrowd them vnderunder your fauourable countenance and protection, intreating that you will take in good part this poore token of my thankfulneſſe; not that it can anſwere that which I owe vntounto you, but ſhewing what I would if I were better able. Pardon (I pray you) my boldneſſe, and let it pleaſe you to affoord me the continuance of your wonted louelove and kindneſſe, and accept of that which here out of an heart vnfeynedly deſiring to be thankefull, I offer and preſent vntounto you. And ſo, I commend you to God, and to the Word of his grace. The Lord Almighty multiply the bleſſed fruits of his holy Spirit vponupon you, and grant you and yours all true peace and proſperity both temporal and eternall in the Lord Ieſus, Amen.
Barmondſey neere London, May VI. 1618. Your Worſhips in all Chriſtian duties to be commanded, EDWARD ELTON.
THE COMPLAINT OF A SANCTIFIED SINNER.
ROM. 7. VERS. 1.
1. Know yee not, Brethren, (For I ſpeake to them that know the Law:) that the Law hath dominion ouer a man as long as he liueth?
IN this ſeuenth Chapter the Apoſtle bends his force againſt an aſperſion and foule imputation, The generall purpoſe and drift of the Apoſtle in this Chapter.that ſome either wicked, or weake, either did, or might caſt vponupon him (namely) this; That hee ſhould vilifie and abaſe the Law of GOD, too much and more then was meete.
In that he ſaid Chap. 5.20. that the Law did increaſe ſinne: That the Law entring, ſinne abounded, vponupon occaſion of that ſpeech of the Apoſtle, ſome haply thought, and it may be ſome did not ſticke to vtter it, that the Apoſtle did wrong the Law, and did too much abaſe it: and therefore in this Chapter he cleeres himſelfe, from doing any wrong at all to the Law, and ſhewes how his ſpeech may be vnderſtood, and how it may receiue a right and good conſtruction, and not be in any ſort preiudiciall to the Law. The generall matter of this Chapter.And in this Chapter, for the generall argument and matter of it: the Apoſtle ſhewes how true Beleeuers are freed and deliuered from the Law, and vponupon occaſion of that, he meets with ſome cauils and calumnies that might be brought againſt the Law: commending it, and ſhewing the true vſe of it, and withall ſets forth in his owne example, the combat and fight that is betweene the Fleſh and the Spirit, in ſuch as are truely regenerate. In theſe things ſtands the ſumme and ſubſtance of this ſeuenth Chapter.
Now the parts of it are theſe three.The parts of this Chapter.
The firſt, is a declaration how true Beleeuers are freed from the Law, from the beginning of the Chapter to the ſeuenth Verſe.
The ſecond, is a cleering of the Law, from ſome foule blots that haply ſome might ſeeke to blemiſh it withall, and a commendation of the Law, with a manifeſtation of the true vſe of it, from verſ. 7. to the 14.
The third and laſt, is a troubled complaint of the Apoſtle: that though he were regenerate, and had receiued a great meaſure of grace and ſanctification, yet through the reliques of ſinne ſtill abiding in him, he was far from the ſpirituality (as I may ſay) of the Law, and that hee was euen carnall in reſpect of the ſpirituall nature of the Law: and ſo ſetting forth in his owne particular an example of the combat betweene the Fleſh and the Spirit in them that are truely regenerate, from verſ. 14. to the end of the Chapter.
Now then to come to the firſt part of the Chapter: The firſt part of it ſhewing how true Beleeuers are freed from the Law; we muſt know that it hath reſpect to that which the Apoſtle had ſaid verſ. 14. of the former Chapter, That true Beleeuers are not vnderunder the Law, but vnderunder Grace. For from that Verſe to the beginning of this Chapter, the Apoſtle hath beene buſied in refuting a certayne Obiection that ſome might bring againſt that Propoſition of his, and hauing remoued that Obiection, The ſumme of the firſt part.hee returnes to that he there propounded, & doth here proue that true Beleeuers are freed from the Law: ſhewing how they are freed from it.
His argument to that purpoſe is, from the ſtate and condition of true Beleeuers, namely, this:
That true Beleeuers are dead to the Law, and thus the Apoſtle reaſons; Dead men are not held vnderunder the Law, they are freed and they are deliuered from it. But ſuch are you, and ſuch are wee, as many as truely beleeue in Chriſt are dead to the Law: and therefore we are freed and deliuered from it.
The firſt Propoſition of this Argument is in the firſt Verſe, not in expreſſe termes, but eaſie to be gathered from thence.
The ſecond Propoſition is in Verſe 4. and theſe two Propoſitions being conceaued, the Concluſion muſt needs follow vponupon them.
Now both the firſt and ſecond Propoſition of this Argument, The amplification of it by a ſimilitude, wherein are three proportions.are further ſet forth by a ſimilitude taken from the Law of Matrimony, wherein there be three proportions, as,
Firſt, like as a woman is free from her husband when he is dead, and is not any longer bound to that man, by the Law of Marriage, Verſe 2. and
Secondly, as her husband being dead, ſhee may take another husband, and ſo doing is no Adultereſſe, Verſ. 3.
And the third, is implyed, that as ſuch a woman may bring forth children by another husband.
Then followeth the reddition and correſpondent parts anſwerable to theſe three, Verſe 4. that ſo true Beleeuers are, firſt, dead to the Law; and, ſecondly, that they are married to Chriſt; and, thirdly, that they may bring forth fruit to him.
And that third correſpondency is further amplified in the 5. and 6. Verſes, by a compariſon à paribus. That as when true Beleeuers were vnderunder the Law, and as it were married to the Law, they brought forth fruit to death: So now, being freed from the Law, & married to Chriſt, they ſhould bring forth fruit to God.
And ſo we briefly ſee the generall ſcope of the Apoſtle in the firſt ſixe Verſes of this Chapter.
Come we to the handling of them in order.