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
PAVLS COMPLAINT AGAINST HIS NATVRALL CORRVPTION WITH THE MEANES HOW TO BEE DELIVERED FROM the power of the same Set forth in two Sermons vpon the 24 verse of the 7. Chapter of his Epistle to the Romanes Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death By me WILLIAM TEELINCK Preacher of the Word of GOD at MIDDLEBVRGH LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Iohn Bellamie 1621. TO THE WORSHIPFVLL HIS VVORTHIE FRIEND M r THOMAS NICHOLAS Esquire As also To the vertuous Gentlewoman M rs IANE NICHOLAS his wife Grace and peace in this life with perfection of glory and happinesse in that to come WORSHIPFVLL The consideration of the dutie which euery Christan is in Conscience bound to performe namely To aduance the glory of God by whom he was created and vpon whom he wholy dependeth and also to further the good of his Brother the Image of God and fellow member with him of the same misticall bodie of Christ compelled me to take in hand the Translation of these two Sermons following as being the good which I hauing opportunitie of time and place to accomplish might in no wise omit They were first preached and published in the Netherlandish Dutch for the benefit of the people of God in those parts which being also my desire in this place I according to my slender ability haue translated and published them here and as a token of the respect I beare vnto your worth and of the thanks I owe vnto you for the many fauourable fruites of your loue am bold to tender them vnto your acceptance and commit them vnto your Patronage They may fitly be tearmed the Anatomizing of the body of sinne a touch stone for a Christian or a Receipt for a sicke soule for they ioyntly containe matter suting vnto these three titles and vse full for all sortes of men as well those that have a name to be aliue but are dead hauing a shew of Religion but want substance as those that are Christians indeed and in truth Whose prayse is not of men but of God But being loath to be too troublesome vnto you with abundance of words I referre you vnto the booke it selfe which being iealous of mine owne errors and insufficiencie I submit vnto your judicious censure euer consecrating my selfe vnto you for your seruice in all that I am or shal be able to performe and my prayers vnto God for your safetie and protection in bodie and soule and thus I humbly take my leaue euer remaining your Worships to be commanded in whatsoeuer C◠HARMAR ¶ The Author his Epistle to the Reader ALthough in all the holy Scripture the word of truth it be found to be most true that in the world there is nothing more hatefull and fearefull then sinne yet daily experience teacheth that there are very few which are grieued and troubled therewith there are to bee found in this cursed world multitudes of them that mourne for their temporall losses and crosses the fruit of sinne one complaineth pittifully of his pouertie of the losse and damage he hath susteined another of his sicknesse of the griefe and paine that he hath suffered a third of the shame contempt disgrace or iniurie which this or that man hath offered vnto him but few consider that sinne is the mother of all this mischiefe yea when they are free from the foresaid inconueniences though they lie plunged and smoothered in sinne they are neuer touched therewith but passe away their time carelesly and securely Let them care that care will onely some few whose eyes God hath opened for to see the mysteries of his kingdome doe make their sinnes their greatest trouble and griefe and not without good cause for it is most certaine and true that he shall neuer see God with ioy hereafter in heauen which commeth not to see his sinnes with a holy and godly sorrow here vpon earth In this sense those that mourne are called blessed of our Sauiour himselfe Therefore for to moue men unto this godly sorrow for their sins and to stirre them vp vnto an holy zeale against all sinnes I haue published these Sermons following wherein I haue shewed how we may be deliuered both from the condemning and commanding power of sinne unto our eternall comfort whereby if any man reape benefit I shall highly reioyce in my labour herein bestowed Farewell in the Lord. Middleburgh the 21. of Iuly 1620. Thine in the Lord WILLIAM TEELINCK PAVL HIS COMPLAINT AGAINST HIS NATVRALL CORRVPTION WITH THE MEANES HOW TO be deliuered from the power of the same Set forth in two Sermons vpon the 24. verse of the 7. Chapter of his Epistle to the Romaynes O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this body of death THE Apostle Paul hauing declared at large in the foregoing verses the cumbersome contention he had with his flesh and naturall Corruption the which was alwayes in his way and exceedingly hindered him in the seruice of his God and now finding himselfe dangerously beset with this enemy he cryeth out for helpe as it were with a loud voyce saying O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death The summe A mournefull Lamentation or Complaint against that naturall corruption wherwith the Apostle found himselfe oppressed The parts are these 1. Against what hee complaineth against the body of death 2. Who complaineth The Apostle himselfe I miserable man 3. How he complaineth Two manner of wayes First he declareth himselfe therefore to be miserable in that he hath this body of death about him secondly he wisheth to bee deliuered from it 1. Of what he Complaineth He complaineth of the body of death by which we must vnderstand as it appeareth in the former Verses our naturall corruption which makes vs in our selues vnapt to any good and prone and readie to all euill euen that originall sinne wherin we were conceiued and borne concerning which the Apostle formerly testifieth that it worketh death Ver. 13. And in another place is termed by him the body of sinne Rom. 6.6 in which respect also he declareth himselfe to be carnall sold vnder sinne ver 14. and witnesseth that it is in him a Law in his members whereby he is greatly hindered in the performance of obedience vnto the Law of God ver 22.23 But we shall better iudge of the meaning of this manner of speech if so be we obserue the reasons why originall sinne or naturall corruption is called a body yea a body of death Our naturall corruption is named a body for these reasons following 1. As a body hath many members so also hath this naturall corruption it is a coniunction or knitting together of many euill members or rather it spreadeth it selfe through all the powers and parts of the whole man therefore it is not onely called a body but also a Man even the olde Man Ephes 4.22 Implying that there is nothing in man which
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
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
and hast thou no holy indignation with thy selfe when thou hast broken the law of God Behold it is a signe thou art in a bad case Furthermore canst thou being poore and needie lament and bewayle thy state and cry out O miserable man and canst thou not because thou art sinfull cry out vnfainedly O miserable man Then it is greatly to bee feared that thou art not onely poore in body but also accursed in thy pouertie and want if so be thou remainest the same in soule as thou art Againe if thou hauing spoken a lye beene angry or peraduenture drunke the last night canst easily disgest it and goe on frolickly without once being touched at heart with any sorrow for it behold it is a lamentable signe that thou art dead in sin and art blind not hauing an eye to see the hatefulnes of sinne that thou hatest not sinne as thou shouldest nor iudgest of it as God doth yea that thou art altogether in sinne and sinne in thee is in its owne place And to be short it is an infallible signe that if thou cryest not out because of thy sinnes O miserable man who shall deliuer me Thou thy selfe art one of the most miserable men that liueth vpon the earth Secondly here is great cause of mourning and lamentation For is it not a miserable thing that sinne which is so common in the world among name-bearing Christians and hath so many lamentable effects is so little complained of by men and yet the want of being troubled with it is such an infallible signe of a miserable soule Hath not sinne as a sea ouer-flowne all places goe vnto the houses shopps markets counsells Courts Consistories Churches or any place els and if it bee full of men you shall finde it to be full of sinne also but where shall you finde the holy complaint and outcry of Paul against sinne Where shall you find those that from their hearts hold themselues to be miserable because they be sinfull and make the sorrow for their sinnes to exceed all their other sorrowes as the Saints of God were wont to doe Nay are there not multitudes to bee found which harden themselues in sinne and are so far from any remorse of Conscience for sinne that they reioyce and take pleasure in it and are at no time so much grieued as when they cannot bring their sinfull intents to effect not making a meale but it must be with sinne to whom it is not enough that they eat and drinke but they must eat and drinke sinfully or els they cannot bee merry there are also those that plough iniquitie Hosea 10.13 that are inuenters of wicked things Rom. 1.30 Workers of vnrighteousnesse practitioners in sinne whose will and vnderstanding are onely imployed to plot and deuise iniquitie to couer extenuate and defend it with subtle Arguments or so cunningly and cleanly to carry their sinfull and vngodly proiects that they may not be perceiued There are likewise those that liue onely in sinne whose meate and drinke it is to worke iniquitie Pro. 4.16 There are also those that build their houses and hold them open in sinne as those wicked and filthy Alehouses and worse yet all these will giue themselues out for true Christians and appropriate vnto themselues the comforts and prerogatiues of the Children of God when remaining as they are they haue no part in them which is a thing altogether lamentable and miserable Thirdly this serueth to terrifie and affright all abstinate and hard hearted men which drinke in iniquitie like water and can without any sorrow or remorse of conscience commit and digest the most grosse and abominable sinnes which can lye sweare deceiue drinke drunke prophane the Sabboth or doe any wicked thing els and yet passe away their time in ioy and mirth yea and boast of their strong faith and that they are sure of the pardon of their sinnes and the saluation of their soules But the faith of these men is mad and foolish it is no Apostolicall faith it is not of the nature of the Apostle Pauls faith who being vpon good groundes assured that his sinnes were forgiuen yet was troubled and grieued with them euen as a maide who hauing slipt into folly and now liueth chastly mourneth and lamenteth all her life long because of the scandall reproach where with shee hath steined her selfe although shee be forgiuen of her friends and companions and as well respected and esteemed by them as she was in times past but the peace and securitie of those idle and vaine boasters ariseth not from the strength of their faith but onely from this that they haue a dead and benummed Conscience and are still in their naturall state where sinne being as in its proper element is not heauie and grieuous But looke before thee thou wretched man behold there shall a judgement come and then thou shalt know that this thy idle ioy and mirth is nothing els but the seede of thine eternall paine and torment vnlesse thou doest in time turne and repent for it is most certaine that thou must either temporally here or els eternally hereafter lament and bewayle thy sinnes Fourthly this serueth to reproue those large Consciences which when they see the Childe of God humbled and grieued for his sins are wont to maruaile and say they know not wherefore one should be so troubled for sinne for God is mercifull say they Christ is dead and all things are well but did not the Apostle know what hee did when he cryed out so earnestly because of his sinnes O miserable man who shall deliuer mee But these men doe not know that it is the property of the childe of God to mourne and grieue because he hath displeased his good and gracious Father by his sinnes although with the Apostle he be confident that they be remitted euen as a good natured childe when he hath committed a fault will be sorry that he hath offended his Father although he hath forgiuen him Lastly here is matter of comfort and encouragement for all those which out of the sense and feeling of their sinnes and corruptions are vnfainedly grieued and troubled with them complaining and crying out from their harts with the Apostle O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death Oh my beloued brethren and sisters be not dismayed because you find sinne to be so heauie a burthen behold it must be so if you wil be eased of it the more light a man thinks it is the more heauie and grieuous it shall fall vpon him it is a signe that you are in a ioyful estate if your greatest sorrow be for your sins a wound being full of dead flesh smarteth not but then it is the more incurable it is a liuing and quicke conscience that feeleth the smart of sin this corruption is not felt by corruption it is a signe that there is spirituall life in vs when we can mourne for the transgression
and iniquitie of our sinnes I say for the transgression iniquitie of our sins because they are contrary to the will of God and do displease him the children of the world which are dead in sinne can mourne and lament enough for the punishment which is or they feare will come vpon them by reason of their sinnes but it is the propertie of the children of God to sorrow and grieue because by their sins they haue offended and displeased their good and gracious Father so then goe forwardes thus must it be with you if you will haue it be well with you step one step further with the Apostle and as with him you mourne because of the wickednesse of your sins so cease not and giue your selues no rest till with him also you finde your selues to bee deliuered both from the guilt dominion of sin thorough Iesus Christ our Lord whereof by his assistance wee purpose to speake in this part of the Text which now followeth HEre the Apostle wisheth to be deliuered from the bady of death O miserable man sayth he who shall deliuer me from this body of death Now we are deliuered from the body of death in this life for therunto hath the Apostle respect as it appeareth in the verse following when in this life we are saved from our sinnes Mat. 1.21 namely when we haue not onely obteined forgiuenesse of our sins but are also strengthened against the power of sin more and more set free from the bondage therof Ioh. 8.32.36 thus the Apostle wisheth here that the power of his corruptions might more more be broken and decayed Moreouer the Apostle here wishing asketh who shall deliuer him which we must not vnderstand as though he did not know thorough whom hee should be deliuered for he declareth in the verse following that he knew it well enough but here he asketh the question onely to let vs vnderstand that in himselfe he found no meanes whereby he might be deliuered Like Iosaphat being enuironed with his enemies seeing no way to escape cryed vnto God for helpe 2 Chron. 18.31 Or as the sea-faring men who in time of storme and tempest when their owne art and industrie cannot helpe them doe cry vnto the Lord Psal 107.28.29 So the Apostle cryeth here as out of great miserie and affliction vnto God for helpe knowing that it must come onely from him for sinne maketh man so miserable that nothing but the almightie power of God can deliuer him for by sinne we are cast vnder the feete of Sathan we lie condemned vnto eternall death and the wrath of God is incensed kindled against our soules for which who knoweth in himselfe any remedy Iudas finding none ran vnto the tree but Paul runneth vnto Christ vers 25. For it is the sonne of God alone which can deliuer the wretched sons of men from the misery of their sinnes But some man may aske how commeth it to passe that the Apostle Paul which was none of the greatest sinners yea which was alreadie in a great measure freed from the might of sinne yet wisheth thus earnestly to bee deliuered more and more from it whereas the children of the world which lie euen drowned therein and are very slaues vnto it yet speake not once of this deliuerance Beloued it came from this that the Apostle had a feeling and experimentall knowledge of the misery that ariseth from sinne and therefore hee wisheth to be deliuered from it this the children of the world doe not feele and therefore they thinke not of deliuerance he that can feelingly and vnfainedly complaine that he is miserable because he is sinfull he will also heartily cry out and wish to be deliuered from sinne from hence followeth this obseruation The true sense and feeling of the misery which sinne bringeth vs into causeth vs vnfainedly to seeke our deliuerance out of sinne by Iesus Christ This we see manifestly in the Apostle Paul For this cause was it that our Lord Iesus Christ according to his infinite wisedome sent Iohn the Baptist before him as a forerunner to prepare the way for him by teaching men to know their misery whereinto they were brought thorough sin to the end that they might seeke their deliuerance out of sinne thorough Christ Mat. 3. For this cause also is the law preached that me◠being thereby brought to the knowledg of their misery through sin Rom. 7.7 might the better be driuen to Christ in which respect the Law is called our leader to Christ Gal. 3.24 In this regard also Christ sayth that those that are whole haue no neede of the Physitian but those that feele their maladies they call and cry for him And the reason is because it is by nature ingrafted into all Creatures when they are in distresse and misery to seeke ease and deliuerance as the young Rauens in the wood when they are hungry doe cry vnto God Psal 147.9 And the greater the misery and affliction is the greater is the desire to be deliuered Now there is no smart like vnto the smart of sin vnto a feeling conscience and there is no affliction like vnto the affliction of the conscience for as wee sayd before the more noble and excellent that member is which is affected with any sore the greater is the griefe and paine thereof So the soule being the most worthie and eminent part of Man and in misery and distresse the sorrow and griefe must of necessitie be great and the desire to be deliuered from it equall thereunto Vses First this serueth for to discouer vnto vs from whence it commeth that there are so many which notwithstanding they are miserably possessed with this body of sinne and polluted with all manner of impious transgressiōs the damnable brood thereof yet neuer seeke for their deliuerance truly it commeth onely from this that they know not the misery wherein they are by sin yea from whence commeth it that many a man goeth vnder the curse of God because of his sinnes and neuer thinkes of his deliuerance passing along as it were with an easie gale in a smooth Sea without any perturbation at all and many also who knowing that they are sinfull and being ignorant of the meanes whereby they may be deliuered yet are not a whit troubled aske them haue you not sinned against God they will answere yes then aske them whether they by their sinnes haue not deserued eternall death euen as others they confesse that also aske them then what meanes they know whereby to be deliuered from the body of death they answere that God is mercifull and they trust that he will not cast them away because of their sinnes but will saue them for his mercies sake Demand of them then whether God saueth all and condemneth none they must needs acknowledge that the way is broad that leadeth into destruction and many there be that enter into it and that there be goates as well as sheepe then come