is not defiled and polluted with this naturall corruption the vnderstanding is hereby darkened the will peruerted the affections disordered the members of the body fit and readie instruments and weapons of vnrighteousnesse c. yea the vnregenerate man which is nothing but flesh hauing not the spirit Iud. ver 19. is in regard of this naturall corruption named darknesse it selfe Eph. 5.8 And in the regenerate man himselfe which hath now receiued the spirit 1. Ioh. 3.24 and in that respect is called Light it selfe Ephes 5.8 yet this corruption spreadeth it selfe in such sort thorough all the parts and powers of his soule and body that it is as a Law in his members Rom. 7.23 there is no more difference herein betweene the regenerate and the vnregenerate then betweene the darke night wherein there is no light at all and the breake of the day wherein the light beginneth to appeare but is not wholly broken forth the light darkenesse being mixt together thorough the whole ayre For the vnregenerate are totally possessed with this corruption in all the parts and powers of their soule and body so that in them there is not any spirituall light and therefore they are called children of the Night and of Darkenesse 1. Thes 5.5 But on the contrary side the regenerate are onely so ouercome with this naturall corruption in all the parts and powers of their soule and body as the ayre is with darkenesse when the day beginnes to breake at which time the light and darkenesse doe as it were struggle together thorough the whole ayre in which regard the break of the day is called light and men are wont to say beholde it is day although that there bee much darknesse in the ayre and in this sence are the regenerate in the Scripture named light Eph. 5.8 And children of the light and of the day 1. Thes 5.5 although that there be much spirituall darkenesse in them and that they are not wholly free from the sinfull flesh but are in euery part polluted therewith and for this cause in the regenerate themselues is this naturall corruption called a body of sinne Rom. 6.6 For it is crept thorough euery part and power of their soule and body So then this naturall corruption is a body but it is a body altogether vgly and monstrous the parts whereof are wholly inuerted or rather peruerted as if the eyes stood in the place where the eares should and the mouth were set in the forehead and all the rest of the members were most deformedly mis-placed To be short it is a simple body of confusion and darknesse it is the image of the Diuell the draught and proportion of Sathan it is in euery degree contrary to the image of God wherein at first he made Man It is therefore idle and foolish that the Papists pretend who say that this naturall corruption or concupisence which lusteth against the spirit is not finne For there is nothing more abominable in the eyes of God then this body for there is nothing in the world more dissonant and contrarie to the will of God and the image that he himselfe hath made he seeth that the image of the Diuell is therein It is truely a monster mishapen in euery member with sinne yea when it worketh not but lyeth still without stirring or mouing it is altogether hatefull before God euen as a wolfe or a Beare is to vs when he lieth still and sleepeth and as we know the Diuell is abominable before God although hee lyeth bound in chaynes of darkenesse and sealed vp in the bottomlesse pitt Iud. 6. Reu. 20. Secondly this naturall corruption is called a body and likewise the flesh Gal. 5.17 because it lyeth and hangeth vpon vs euen as our owne bodie or flesh therefore it is called the sinne that hangeth so fast on Heb. 12.1 For whither we goe or stand we carry it with vs as we doe our owne body and flesh Yea when wee were conceiued formed had our being in our mothers wombe it receiued also forme and being with vs and in vs and sticketh in vs as it were in our marrow and bones and hangeth as fast vpon vs as the blacke skinne vpon the Moore and the spotts vpon the Leopard which doe spring of their owne nature Ier. 13.23 Hence it is that the restraining and bridling of our sinfull Concupiscence is termed in holy Scripture hands cut off and eyes put out it being as grieuous for vs to doe it as to dismember our selues yea we are as vnable of our selues to put away this naturall corruption as the Leopard his spotts and as we our selues are to plucke of our skinne and lay aside our flesh nothing but the hand of God is able to doe it Now it followeth that wee enquire why It is named a body of death and for that there are these reasons First it is so called because ir worketh the death both of the soule and body of man This naturall corruption no sooner entereth vpon the soule but it killeth it spiritually leauing it no more power to doe the will of God then a bodie without a soule hath to performe the office of a man yea it maketh it stinke like a dead karkase in the nostrills of God Psal 53.2 There is no carrion that hath lieu long stinking in a corner cralles so full of filthy Maggotts and wormes as the soule of that man in whom this corruption hath had vndisturbed possession but a little while Hence it is that the Scripture sayth of vnregenerate men that their throte is an open Sepulcher Rom. 3.23 Out of which corrupt and rotten conuersation proceedes Ephes 4.29 And from whence is it thinke you that this noysome stench of sins breakes forth thorough the whole world but from the soules of men which lie dead and stinking by meanes of this naturall corruption And looke what it hath done no the foule the like also hath it done to the bodie it eates and consumes that as a moath doth a Garment Psal 39.12 It is like a wolfe or a beare which hauing taken a man by the throte still suckes his bloud and neuer leaues till all be vp From whence comes it thinke you that man being such an admirable peece of worke decayes consumes and with eâ—s away in such short space as wee see It ariseth originally and principally from this naturall corruption which is in our bodies as a moth in a garment eating them and consuming them by a little and a little whereby it plainely appeares that this sinne is the sting of death both of soule and bodie 1. Cor. 15.56 The lamentable experience hereof had our first Parents Adam and Eue who as soone as by their disobedience they had pluckt vpon themselues this corruption for it is the very same wherwith they were polluted from whom it is descended vnto vs they felt in themselues the sting of death Foreuen then their soules vtterly lost their spirituall life and their bodies
and doest not studie to obey and please them but seekest by the spirit to mortifie and kill them know I say that thou art a childe of God continue therefore in thy spirituall combat fight valiantly and put on all the Christian armour of proofe and let this serue to make thee long and desire to be deliuered from this body of death and to be with Christ and in the meane time be humbled in thy selfe and patient toward thy brother out of the sense of thine owne imperfections and striue not onely against this or that sinne according to the manner of worldly men whereby it appeareth that their heart is not vpright with God but with the Apostle fight against the whole bodie of sinne vsing the meanes that God hath ordained whereby thou mayest ouercome and auoiding all occasions that may make thee fall and so doing be assured in thy selfe that thus to striue against thy naturall corruption is an infallible marke that thou art a Childe of God and a sure ground of vnspeakeable comfort ⸪ ⧠The second Sermon Thirdly How the Apostle lamenteth ouer the bodie of Death The Apostle his lamentation is two-fold first he declareth himselfe therefore to be miserable secondly he wisheth to bee deliuered Of both which wee shall speake by Gods assistance and first of this that the Apostle declareth himselfe to beo miserable because he had the bodie of death in him O miserable man sayth the Apostle who shall deliuer me It is very strange the Apostle lamenteth here after this manner in other places he affirmeth and that confidently that hee reioyced euen in the greatest tribulations 2 Cor. 4.8 c. 2 Cor. 6.4 c. How doth he here then so mournefully complaine Did he speake from his heart when he said O miserable man Was he not then a man blessed of the Lord Was he not then assured of his saluation How commeth it then that he calleth himselfe miserable Without doubt the Apostle speaketh here in good earnest for he was then in a hot skirmish and had little time or cause to dally or lest yea he spake not onely in earnest but also vpon good groundes for the other afflictions wherein hee sayth he did glory and reioyce were outward afflictions wherein in truth hee might well reioyce but here he speaketh as wee haue heard before of his naturall corruption of the sinne that hanged fast vpon him and of the olde man which he began to behold in all the parts and members thereof The which made him lament and complaine in good earnest as being a thing out of which he could draw no comfort at all in which regard he might instly account himselfe to be miserable For this body of death considered in it selfe maketh a man truely wretched and miserable the which may sufficiently be gathered out of the first part of our Text whereunto wee will briefely adde that the body of death in respect of which the Apostle so earnestly complaineth hath these miserable and cursed effects which follow First it defaceth and depraueth the Image of God the which is a thing altogether lamentable and miserable If a man doth breake a leg or an arme how doth he cry out and complaine of his misery What cause then is there of mourning and complaint when the soule of man is broken to peeces and made vnfit for euery good vse When the most noble and eminent of man is â—â—terly depraued and corrupted Wee see that in a mans body when any member is wounded or afflicted with any griefe the more worthie and excellent that member is the greater is both the griefe and danger of the sore prick a man in the arme or the legg with the point of a Needle and he will both feele it complaine of it but pricke him in the apple of his eye and that shall pierce him to the heart and make him cry out If it bee so with the eye of the body how great is the paine and griefe when the eye of the minde is not onely prickt but wholly put out When the most noble and precious soule is wounded and that to death this is it that made the Apostle cry out O miserable man Secondly Man thus depraued in soule by originall corruption is by nature a childe of disobedience and a child of wrath Ephes 2.2.2 That is vnfit for the seruice of God liable to the curse of God both which are miseries beyond comparison First he cannot doe the workes of God for he is as a broken tooth which serueth for no vse at all and as a broken arme wherewith a man cannot worke As soone as a man beginnes to frame himselfe vnto the seruice of God hee findeth his corruption euer to be in his way so that the good that he willingly would doe he cannot doe as he would With this are the children of God greatly moued howsoeuer the children of the world which put not forth their strength to the seruice of God feele no inconuenience herein euen as one that hath a broken legge and lyeth still feeleth not the smart thereof so much as he that is euer assaying to walke and therefore they complaine not neuerthelesse this exceedingly grieueth the seruants of God and they account it as a great misery that they can no better performe their dutie to God Secondly the naturall man is liable to the curse of God Deut. 27.26 He that destroyeth the image of God him will God destroy This is it that did cast many of the Angells out of heauen into hell this droue Adam out of Paradise and maketh all the sonnes of men subiect vnto eternall death and from hence doe arise all the plagues and punishments which are inflicted vpon man now as a man hauing committed murther being come to himselfe accounteth himselfe to be miserable in regard of the offence which maketh him worthie of death although he be neither apprehended nor condemned to die euen so it is with the children of God who notwithstanding that they are deliuered as the Apostle was from the feare of death thorough our Lord Iesus Christ Heb. 2.15 yet because they know that their sinfulnesse causeth God to hide his cheareful countenance from them Esay 59.2 Which is vnto them as bitter as death it selfe therefore they cry out vnfainedly because of this bodie of death O miserable man Now in that the Apostle himselfe which had alreadie in a great measure mortified and subdued this body of death 1 Cor. 9.27 yet neuerthelesse so pitifully complaineth against it whereas there are many thousands that goe frolikely along being neuer touched much lesse troubled therewith yet are as it were wrapped and plunged ouer head and cares in sinne and iniquitie from thence followeth this Doctrine The more sanctified and holy that a man is the more sensible is he of his corruptions and the more troublesome are they vnto him This is manifest in that the Apostle that was none of the
filthy monster so that they cannot sleepe till such time as they haue giuen it its fill of disobedience and iniquitie when they once thorough some stirring of their conscience come to haue their eyes opened whereby they beginne to perceiue the terriblenesse of this monster they become hatefull and fearefull vnto their owne selues and oftentimes murther themselues hoping thereby to get out of the sight and presence of that grim hellish monster which now they begin to see in themselues whereat they are affrighted as it came to passe with Iudas and many others Now the reasons for which originall sinne or naturall corruption may truly be held to be such an hatefull and deadly monster may besides that which shall be hereafter spoken be taken out of those reasons which we haue already giuen in the opening of the Text wherein wee shewed wherefore this naturall corruption is termed a bodie of death And if so be that it bee a monstrous thing when in a bodie the members are all mishapen and misplaced and moreouer in themselues exceedingly depraued so must this naturall corruption needs be held to be a monstrous thing wherin the vnderstanding which should be gouernour and leader of the will and fleshly lustes and affections not onely lieth subdued vnder them both but also is in it selfe vtterly obscured darkned and the will and affections in themselues altogether peruerted and disordered Furthermore if the death and pollution of body and soule if a deadly broode of all manner of haynous and deadly sinnes nay if eternall death and damnation are most odious and terrible things then this naturall corruption must needes be judged to bee a hatefull and fearefull thing which occasioneth and bringeth forth all these things as was made manifest before in the opening of the Text Wherefore we conclude as wee beganne that the naturall corruption wherein we were all conceiued and borne and which we all brought into the world with vs from our mothers wombe is a most vgly deformed body of death a fearefull and deadly monster Now let vs see what Vse we can make of that which hath beene spoken and in the first place here is great cause of mourning and lamentation even because that although this body of death our naturall corruption which in euery place is knowne by the name of brittle weake and corrupt flesh bee such an abominable and deadly monster as that it deserues and ought to bee of euery one persecuted and hunted euen to death yet is so generally serued and obeyed in the lusts thereof as at this day it is Behold and marke the course of the world and consider well the actions of the most part of men and you shall finde that they tend chiefely to the fulfilling and satisfying the desires of this horrible monster their corrupt flesh to the susteyning and supporting of it and to the giuing it the fill of whatsoeuer it requireth if it will haue men eat till they surfet and drinke till they be drunke you shall find multitudes of them that will doe it although they should eat and drinke vp goods bodies and soule and all if it lusteth after wantonnesse you shall find those that fit and addresse themselues for that also by lurking here and there in corners gazing and staring out at Windowes and doores and frequenting dishonest places or by vsing idle and immodest exercises as lasciuious dauncing wanton sporting amorous songs corrupt and rotten communication stuffed with vaine and vnfruitfull iestes and prophane passages and that vpon the Sabboth day the which although some seeme to obserue and keepe by resting from the workes of their calling and seruing the world yet you shall haue the same men prophane and violate that blessed day which God hath set apart for his own seruice by doing the workes of their corrupt flesh and toyling to serue it in the lustes thereof as in taking their carnall sports and such pas times as their base and sensuall affections shal lead them vnto when they should be best employed in spirituall exercises Wheras if they saw their spirituall estate and were sensible of the wants thereof they would thinke one day too little for them to spend in bewayling their sins miseries in prayer meditation reading and hearing the word of God or if they did but know and duely consider the wonderfull bountifulnesse mercy patience and long-suffering of God who hath so safely protected them so carefully prouided for them and so mercifully spared them notwithstanding their sinnes vnworthinesse they would thinke that time rather too short then too long for them to blesse him and prayse him enough and to spend in godly and sanctified discourse and conference vpon those things which appertaine and tend to Gods glory and their owne mutuall comfort and edification in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Furthermore how many doe wee see whose daily practise and trade of life is to fulfill and satisfie the lustes and desires of this vile and vgly monster their corrupt flesh in lying deceiuing vsury seeking vnlawfull and vngodly gaines slandering and backbiting their neighbours vndermining for offices and places of dignitie by a thousand vngodly and sinister meanes and deuises and infinite wayes els which would be too long here to be repeated so that it is a thing most lamentable and neuer enough to be bewayled that Man that excellent creature which at first was created to serue the Lord his God in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of his life to his euerlasting comfort should be found to be so base as to sell himselfe to be a slaue and a drudge to his corrupt and sinfull flesh and to serue it in the vile and contemptible lustes and appetites thereof to his euerlasting woe and destruction yea I say that it is a thing altogether lamentable that this bodie of death this pernicious and deadly monster our naturall corruption should be thus diligently obeyed and serued notwithstanding the wages thereof be death eternall both of soule and bodie when in the meane time the seruice of our good and gracious God is vtterly neglected and yet the reward which hee offereth is euerlasting ioy and happinesse In the second place this serues to warne and admonish all the children of men that they take good notice of this cruell and deadly monster which keepes all this quarter in the world and which they all haue brought with themselues into the world When some noysome beast is discouered to be in a Countrey the people of the same are not a little moued therewith how doe they bestirre themselues consult and lay their heads and helpes together to chase it or ensnare it that they might by some meanes bring it to death how shall we then behaue our selues which haue receiued such credible and certaine information that such a pernicious and deadly monster as the corrupt flesh is risen vp amongst men shall we be idle and secure shall wee not bestirre
flesh then beginne they to iustifie themselues and to say we haue all drunke of one cup he that is without sinne let him cast the first stone at me haue I my imperfections Another hath his I am not alone I hope I shall get into heauen as well as another and so they set themselues in equall degree with the true Children of God they themselues being no other then fleshly men and children of the world But thou miserable man which speakest after this manner vnderstandest thou not or wilt thou not vnderstand that there is a great difference betweene hauing the sinfull flesh in one and fighting with it and hauing it in one and louing and seruing it in the lustes thereof Is there no difference betweene chast Ioseph who being set vpon by Potiphars wife and tempted to commit folly ranne away and betweene the light and wanton woman who sought to draw him vnto it Is there no difference betweene a modest and chast Matron who hauing a Ruffian in her house resisteth him striueth against him seeketh by all meanes to driue him out and cryeth out earnestly O wretched woman that I am who shall deliuer me from this wicked villaine and betweene a lasciuious woman which reioyceth and is glad that the Ruffian is in her house which maketh a bed for him and solaceth her selfe with him so is there great difference betweene you which let sin raigne in your mortall bodies that you might obey it in the lusts thereof Rom. 6.12 and betweene the seruants of God which wrestle and fight with it and labour to beat it downe and bring it in subiection 1 Cor. 9 27. Yea there is so great difference marke it well that you with your sinfull flesh shall be cast into Hell where you shall eternally be tormented if in time you repent not where on the contrary side the Children of God shall be freed and deliuered from their sinfull flesh and be exalted into Heauen yea behold there is so great difference betweene you two that the one shall be damned and the other saued the one goe to heauen and the other to hell But although this naturall corruption is not alike in all men yet it is truely in all men and that in the very best as daily experience teacheth for who is there among the most holy and sanctified that liue which feeleth not in himselfe the pricke of the corrupt flesh and findeth not something to be in him which standeth in his way keepeth him from doing the good which he would doe greatly hindering him in the seruice of the most high First this serueth to incite and stirre vp euery one to walke warily and circumspectly seeing that we carry about vs and in vs such a bodie of sinne and of death such a deadly and deceitfull monster as the flattering flesh which alwayes lieth in ambush to entrap the soule and is conspired with the Diuell to bring it vnto destruction Shall we not then stand vpon our gard Shall wee not watch and pray and put on all the Christian Armour of proofe to defend our selues withall how can a poore man escape destruction and condemnation if he looketh not well to himselfe seeing he is so beset on euery side within and without with such dangerous and cruell enemies Admit that a Frontier towne be straightly besieged with a strong Army without and hath within it mutinous souldiers which alwayes seeke their opportunitie to betray and deliuer it ouer into the enemies handes how can such a Towne bee safe if good watch be not kept Must it not of necessitie be wasted and ransacked vnlesse the Citizens doe take more then common care and diligence to secure themselues We see it is bad enough with a Cittie in such a case let it doe the best it can and euen thus standeth it with vs the Diuell runneth round about vs seeking to deuoure our soules the corrupt flesh is within vs readie to betray our soules into his hands how then can wee auoid destruction if we be secure and negligent For this cause sayth the Scripture If the righteous shall scarcely be saned where shall the sinner and vngodly man appeare 1. Pet. 4.18 If that the Apostle Paul was thus troubled and grieued with the sin that cleaued so fast vnto him which was then vpon his guard and stroue manfully with it which had then denied himselfe and made it his continuall practise and trade to beate downe and kill this bodie of sinne 1. Cor. 9.27 What will then become of secure and negligent men that take no more care for their noble and precious soule then as though there were no deceitfull Sathan alwayes seeking his aduantages to enter vpon it nor any corrupt flesh and body of death to kill and putrifie it It shall surely come vnto them as the Apostle sayth when they shall say peace and safetie then shall come vpon them suddaine destruction as the trauayle vpon a woman with childe and they shall not escape 1. Thes 5.3 vnlesse in time they preuent it And it is most certaine that all this securitie which is in worldly and carnall men ariseth onely from this that they neither thinke nor consider that there is a whole kingdome of darknesse and all the power of hell vp in armes for to destroy their soule and a whole bodie of death and of sinne within them which is euermore readie to betray them into the hands of the destroyer this ignorance is the cause and ground of all their securitie for did they but see how mighty and cruell their enemies are and what deadly and poysonous concupiscences they carry in their bosomes they would surely be affrighted and tremble and cry out with the Apostle as if they were in some great exigent O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death Wherefore we must suffer our selues to be admonished euermore to stand vpon our guard to pray to haue God alwayes before our eyes and often to heare read and meditate on his Word and to follow his will reuealed therein those that are subiect to any disease in their bodie as the stone the gout or the like when they beginne to perceiue any signe of their old griefe they presently make their moane and complaine of it and liue more carefully respectiuely auoiding whatsoeuer may further and encrease their disease vsing all meanes to haue it cured so must we also doe for our soules vnlesse by giuing ouer all care of them we brand our selues with the marke of men reprobated and giuen vp of God In the second place this serueth for the iust reproofe of the exceeding great blindnesse and sottishnesse of many worldly and carnall men who because they lead an outward ciuill life among their neighbours paying euery man his owne and defrauding no man of a penny as their manner of speech is are therefore accustomed to iustifie themselues before God and beare themselues in hand that they haue no