owne selues publike priuate secret open inward outward in prosperitie and aduersitie in the Church or familie or abroad in mens conuersation Alas we can discerne but a glimpse of that sinne and guiltinesse that is in vs by nature and this is the increase of their misery in all their sinnes they are dead in them Dead There is a fourefold death A fourefold death temporall corporall spirituall eternall The state of man being in misery he is dead temporally a Esay 26.19 The body of man being in the graue he is dead corporally The soule of man lying in sinne is dead spiritually And both soule and body being cast into hell are dead eternally Death to sin for sinne and in sinne The Colossians were dead spiritually there is a death to sinne and a death for sinne and a death in sinne a death to sinne and so the godly die by mortification a death for sinne and so malefactors die by execution and a death in sinne and so euery naturall man kills himselfe by enliuing his sinne What spiritual death in sin is The spirituall death in sinne is an vnutterable losse of the life of God by which the sinner is senselesse and carelesse in extremitie of misery vnto his owne euerlasting ruine if the Lord preuent it not by regeneration Now that men are in this case by nature these Scriptures proue Eph. 2.1 2. Math. 8.22 Ioh. 8.25 Rom. 8.10 Luk. 15.32 Reuel 3.2 Iud. 12. 1 Tim. 5.6 Neither let any deceiue themselues about their estate for a man may be dead in sinne and yet be aliue in the flesh yea thou maiest be a wise man in the flesh b Rom. 8.7 or a prince of this world c 1 Cor. 2 9.14 yea thou maiest haue a name that thou liuest spiritually d Reuel 3.2 and yet be starke dead Now this spirituall senselesnes is called a death because it is a priuation of spirituall life from the soule as the naturall death is from the body 2. because it tends to eternall death The vse may be fourefold 1. For information No wonder wicked men can come and goe from the word of God and not be touched alas they are dead men and so is it with them in respect of the iudgements of God alas if thou couldest rowle a mountaine vpon a dead man he would not feele so is it with a man dead in sinne and further we may heere obserue that to liue yea to die quietly is no signe of a man in a happy case for if this death in sin be not cured thousands of people may die quietly because they die senselesly they feele no more of the feare of hell or iudgement or Gods anger then if they were already dead in their bodies they would feele outward extremities I know that God many times can lay terror vpon the flesh of wicked men and make their spirits drinke in of the bitter anguish arising from the feruencie of Gods burning displeasure but I say if God let them alone vsually the most would die in a wretched senselesnes and inconsideration being neither able nor willing to entertaine the thoughts of what must presently and necessarily befall them 2. This may serue for confutation and so 1. of the Papists about their freewill How can there be this free will in a dead soule we are dead in sinne and therefore of our selues mooue not vnto life till God quicken vs by his word and spirit 2. Of the carnall Protestant that beares himselfe so strongly vpon his supposed couenant with death and hell his agreement must be disanulled nay his very securitie imports his vnauoidable destruction if it be not remooued by the power of Christ 3. For instruction art thou a man that hearest this that hast liued all thy time without remorse for thy sinnes and neuer yet entertained the care of reformation of thy life be heere warned of thy miserie let it bee enough thou hast been dead in sinne doe not lie still rotting in the graues of iniquitie but rise so soone as thou hearest the trumpet of the Gospell the voice of Christ sounding in thine eares and piercing thy heart 4. Lastly here is consolation implied vnto weake Christians If thou canst feele thy miserie and struggle in any measure of true constancie against the corruption of nature and the transgressions of thy heart and life thou art not dead there is some breath of life in thee there is motion and therefore life Thus of their actuall sinnes Their miserie in respect of originall sinne is exprest in these words And in the vncircumcision of the flesh These words be diuersly interpreted some thus In the vncircumcision of the flesh that is in the flesh which is vncircumcision that is a thing hatefull vnto God Some make these words to bee the signe of their death in sinne as if hee would say your very vncircumcision that is in your flesh which are Gentiles is a token that you are strangers from the life of God Some thus And you hath hee quickned which were dead in respect of your sinnes and carnall life which ye liue in the vncircumcision that is in your estate of Gentilisme Some make these words expresse the cause of their death in sinne Thus in the vncircumcision of the flesh that is for your fleshly vices which caused that death in sinne But I thinke with those that vnderstand by the flesh originall sinne and by the vncircumcision their miserie in respect of it implied in the allusion to the circumcision literally taken Originall sinne is called flesh Why original sinne is called flesh because the flesh is the instrument by which it is propagated 2. Because it is the subiect in which it is 3. Because it is the end it driues vs to viz. to satisfie the flesh and to seeke fleshly things This originall sinne heere called flesh is a spirituall kinde of disease gall What originall sinne is leauen and poyson which daily diffuseth it selfe throughout the whole man and still infecteth it though this bee not the whole nature of the sinne for to speake distinctly in originall sinne there are three things 1. 3. Things in originall sin The guiltinesse of Adams fact deriued vnto vs by iust imputation 2. The want of that originall iustice was in vs in the creation 3. The deprauation and corrupt disposition of our natures Our misery in respect of originall sin Here the word vncircumcision imports our miserie in respect of our very corruption of nature for it imports 1. That we are hatefull to God children of wrath 2. That we haue no portion in the heauenly Canaan 3. That wee haue no fellowship in the communion of Saints 4. That wee haue no part in the promised Messias for all these were shadowed out by the want of circumcision in the time of the Law Vses The vses follow First from hence wee may enforme our selues in diuers things as first we may see why the faire works
5. and the reasons v. 6.7 Diuision of the verse In the fifth verse there are 2. things First the proposition of mortification in these words mortifie therefore your members that are on earth Secondly a catalogue of vices to be mortified or the enumeration of certaine speciall sinnes a Christian should be carefull to keepe himselfe from viz. fornication vncleanesse c. The necessity of mortification The generall consideration of the whole exhortation to mortification should imprint this deeply in our hearts that vnlesse we doe repent of those sinnes haue been in our natures and liues and be carefull to flee from the corruptions that are in the world we shall neuer haue comfort that we are accepted with God We should bring to the particular opening of all the verses a mind resolued of the generall And to quicken vs a little the more to the respect of this doctrine and to enforce the care of parting with our sins I will briefly touch by the way some few reasons why we should bee willing to entertaine all counsell that might shew vs any course to get rid of sin First our vices are the fruits of our corrupted nature They arise not from any noble or diuine instinct but are the effects of base flesh in vs. And we should carry the thoughts of it in our minds Gal. 5.19 when wee are inclined or tempted to vice wee should say within our selues this euill proceedes not from any thing that might declare greatnesse or true spirit in a man what is passion or lust or couetousnesse but the base worke of the filthy degenerated flesh Secondly our vices are the onely things that defile vs and make vs loathsome before God and men T is not meane clothes nor a deformed body or a poore house or homely fare or any such thing that makes a man truely contemptible no no it is only sin can defile Å¿ Mat. 15.19 and bring that which is true contempt Thirdly the bond and forfeiture of the law or couenant of workes lieth vpon the backe of euery man that liues in sinne without repentance For the law is giuen to the lawlesse and disobedient as the Apostle shewes to vngodly and sinners to whoremongers and liers to all that liue in any sinne contrary to wholesome doctrine t 1 Tim. 1.9.10 Fourthly are not strange punishments to the workers of iniquitie is not destruction to the wicked u Ioh. 31.2.3 what portion can they haue of God from aboue and what inheritance from the almighty from an high the hearts of holy men that haue considered the fearefull terrors of God denounced in scripture against the vices of men haue euen broke within them and their bones haue shaken for the presence of the Lord and for his holy word x Ier. 23.9 Fiftly Christ will be a swift witnesse y Mal. 3.7 against all fearelesse and carelesse men that being guilty of these vices or the like z 1 Cor. 6.9 Eph. 5.6 make not speed to breake them off by repentance Lastly know yee not that the vnrighteous shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen be not deceiued for these things the wrath of God commeth vpon the children of disobedience Now I come to the words particularly Therefore This word caries this exhortation to something before If it be referred to our rising with Christ v. 1. then it notes that we can neuer haue our part in Christs resurrection till we feele the vertue of his death killing sinne in vs. If it be referred to the meditation of heauenly things then it notes that we can neuer set our affections on things that are aboue till we haue mortified our members that are on earth The corruption of our natures and liues are the cause of such disability to contemplate of or affect heauenly things And as any are more sinfull they are more vnable thereunto If the word be referred to the appearance of Christ in the former verse then it imports that mortification is of great necessity vnto our preparation to the last iudgement and will be of great request in the day of Christ Mortifie To mortifie is to kill or to apply that which will make deade The Lord workes in matters of grace God vvorkes by contraries in the iudgement of flesh and bloud by contraries Men must be poore if they would haue a kingdom a Mat. 5.3.4 men must sorrow if they would be comforted Men must serue if they would be free b Ioh. 8. And here men must die if they would liue Gods thoughts are not as mans but his waies are higher then mans waies as the heauens are higher then the earth c Esay 55.10 Which may teach vs as to liue by faith so not to trust the iudgement the world or the flesh in the things of God But the manifest doctrine from this word is this that true repentance hath in it the mortification of sinne And so it implies diuers things First that we must not let sinne alone till it die it selfe Note but we must kill sinne while it might yet liue It is no repentance to leaue sinne when it leaueth vs or to giue it ouer when we can commit it no longer Secondly that true repentance makes a great alteration in a man Thirdly that it hath in it paine and sorrow men vse not to die ordinarily without much paine and sure it is sinne hath a strong heart it is not soone killed it is one thing to sleep another thing to die Note many men with lesse a doe get sinne asleepe that it doth not so stirre in them but alas there must be more ado to get it dead by true mortification Fourthly true repentance extinguisheth the power of sinne and the vigour of it It makes it like a dead corps that neither it stirs it selfe nor will be stirred by occasions perswaâ—ions commandements or stroaks It is a wonderfull testimony of sound mortification when we haue gotten our old corruption to this passe and constancy in prayer and hearing and daily confession and sorrow for sin will bring it to be thus with vs especially if we striue with God and be earnest with spirituall importunity watching the way of our owne hearts to wound sinne so soone as we see it begin to stirre Yet I would not bee mistaken as if I meant that a Christian could attaine such a victory ouer sinne that it should not be in him at all nor that hee should neuer be stirred with the temptations or enticements or occasions of euill But my meaning is that in some measure and in the most sinnes a Christian doth finde it so and in euery sinne his desire and endeuour is daily to haue it so And his desire is not without some happy successe so as sinne dyeth or lyeth a dying euerie day But heere a question may arise Quest Did not the Apostle grant they were dead before and if they were dead to the world they
Our Sauiour shewes that this is no sufficient excuse by bringing in the man that had bought his fiue yoake of Oxen then which what could be more needfull seeing hee could not follow his Husbandrie without Oxen Secondly a second Error letting Faith is a close opinion of merit which stickes fast in our nature Thirdly Faith is hindered when the minde is fore-stalled with an opinion Psal 50. Esay 1. that an outward seruing of God will serue to bring them neere enough to God If they heare Seruice and Sermons and receiue the Sacraments c. they haue done so much as they thinke is enough Fourthly many therefore neuer labour to get Faith because they thinke it is impossible to take any such course that they should get any assurance of the remission of their sinnes in this life or if it be possible for others yet it is not for them Lastly others thinke it possible to be had and it is good to bee humbled so farre as to seeke it with teares and prayers and they thinke they doe well that will not giue ouer till they haue comfort that way but yet they thinke all this adoe vnnecessary and that they may be saued without it In the Heart Faith is letted fiue wayes Le ts in the heart First when men nourish the secret euills of their hearts both in thoughts and affections and make not conscience to repent for them An euill heart is alwaies an vnfaithfull heart Heb. 3.12.13 therefore men are exhorted to take heede of being hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Secondly Wordlines is a great let of Faith when men suffer their thoughts and affections to be continually taken vp with minding of things here below though they cannot be charged with any great couetousnesse Thirdly there is in mens affections an vnwillingnesse to part with worldly pleasures and delights and they are loath to loose their credit with their carnall friends which they say they must doe if they take this course Fourthly the world is full of common hope and presumption of Gods mercy men say God is mercifull when they haue neither comfort from the Promises of God nor ground of assurance nor witnesse of the spirit of adoption Fiftly Faith is letted and men are kept from vsing the meanes to get Faith and to seeke God while hee may be found onely through a feare least if they should examine themselues and search whether they had a true faith or not they should finde they had none and then they should be troubled and driuen into Melancholy despaire c. Lastly Le ts in conuersation there are some things in mens carriage which greatly let and hinder Faith First a prophane contempt of the word of God either men will not heare or but by starts or they attend not or not apply it to themselues or not meditate of the doctrine afterwards or not labour for the power of it in practise c. Secondly the example of the multitude hinders much a Math. 7.13.14 Luke 13.23.24 especially the example of wise men and great men in the world b John 7.45 to 50. Thirdly some when they go about the duties of mortification and Faith they are turned off before they get Faith either because they finde hardnesse of heart or are ouer charged with temptations or doubts of audience and acceptance and that God will neuer looke after such broken desires c. or else because they haue not comfort presently they grow desperate and say they shall haue none at all or else are vanquished with thoughts of Atheisme iniected which many times preuailes so strongly that they can hardly bee recouered againe to any care to labour for Faith till either bitter crosses or feare of Death or Hell awaken them Lastly Closenesse is a great cause of want of Faith when people will not discouer their doubts and feares especially to their Pastors being wise and mercifull and yet know not what to doe and cannot get information from publike hearing Here may be taken vp a iust complaint of the strangenesse betweene the Shepheards and the Flockes the one thinking hee hath done enough if he preach to them and the other if they heare him There remaines two Vses of this Doctrine of Faith Vses First seeing there are diuers sorts of Faith and that many benefits may be had by a true Faith and seeing that on the other side there are wofull effects of the want of Faith c. It should teach vs to try whether wee haue Faith or no and that this may be knowne we must vnderstand First that before Faith can be wrought the heart must bee mollified by afflictions The signes of Faith by the continuall dropping of the word of God by the knowledge of our miserie by Legall feare or lastly by terrors from God Secondly before Faith can appeare Repentance will shew it selfe and that especially in two things First in godly Sorrow for sinne past Secondly in the change of the thoughts affections and life As for godly Sorrow it may not be denied but that it may be without terrours in some but neuer so easie in any but these three things are true 1. That they grieue because they cannot grieue 2. They hate their speciall sinnes 3. They reforme both inwardly and outwardly Thirdly Faith after the softning of the heart and Repentance shewes it selfe in sixe things First in an honourable opinion ready to belieue all the word of God though it make neuer so much against our pleasure or profit Secondly by the Combate betweene the flesh and spirit Thirdly by the holy Desires after remission of sinnes and holinesse of life witnessed by constant Prayers and diligent Vse of the meanes Fourthly by a fixed Resolution reposed vpon the way of God though they finde not comfort presently Fiftly by the forsaking of the world and pleasures of sinne c Heb 11 25. Lastly by the purging out of the euills of the thoughts and affections d Math 5.7 Acts 15.9 As for Ioy Peace Thankefulnesse Admiration Loue and desire to conuert others c. they belong to Faith growne not so apparantly to Faith begunne Vse 2 Lastly here might iustly be taxed the defects and wants that are found in the common Protestant The defects of the common Protestants Faith The Faith of the Protestant at large is faultie First because hee knowes no time of spirituall birth and yet he can tell to a day when he was borne in nature Secondly they seeke not vnto the meanes spirituall to get Faith Thirdly they rest in other things in stead of Faith as Knowledge Hope c. Fourthly their Faith is commonly either Historicall or Temporarie for either it is enough to beleeue that Christ died for sinners or else if they beleeue the Articles of the Creede to be true and bee no Papists but sound in the matter of Iustification and receiue the Sacrament especially when they are sicke all is well or if they
without wauering t Iam. 1.6 The properties of the man stedfast in faith Now for the second there are many excellent properties and praises in a stedfast faith for a man that is indeed settled and stedfast in his faith knowes both the truth and the worth of the loue of Christ u Eph. 3.17.19 hee is able to contemne and denie the allurements examples customes and glorie of this world * 1 Ioh. 5.4 Gal. 6.14 hee can beare aduersitie with singular firmnesse of heart without hasting to euill meanes x Rom. 5.4 Isa 26.16 or limiting God for the manner or time or instruments of deliuerance hee can stand in the combat against frequent and fierie tentations and goe away without preuailing infection he can beleeue without feelings y Rom. 4. The promises of God are not yea and nay z 2 Cor. 1.18.19 but alwayes a sure word and vndoubted He hath a kinde of habituall peace and contentation in his conscience with easefull delights and refreshings in the ioyes of Gods fauour Hee hath a kinde of spirituall boldnesse and confidence when hee approacheth to God and the throne of his grace Lastly he can looke vpon death and iudgement with desire to be dissolued The causes of vnsettlednes And for the third thing the reasons why many men shew not this vnmoueablenesse and stedfastnesse are diuers some haue not faith at all a 2 Thess 3.2 some haue not a true iustifying faith but either rest vpon common hope or an historicall or temporarie faith In many the presumption of certaintie doth hinder stedfastnesse it selfe Some want powerfull meanes that should establish them and some hauing the publike meanes are iustly blasted in their faith because of their daily neglect of the priuate meanes And this reason may be giuen also why some of the better sort are not yet stablished namely because they are so hardly excited and perswaded seriously to trie their owne estates by the signes of Gods fauour and markes of saluation And for the worser sort they shun triall because they know before hand their state is not good and besides they liue in some one master sinne or other which they cannot be perswaded to forsake and therefore resolue at least for a time to liue at a venture and referre all to the vnknowen mercy of God The means of stedfastnesse 4. If we would be established in beleeuing 1. we must be much in the meditation of the promises of God 2. we must be much in prayer and the acknowledgment of secret sinnes obseruing the comforts of Gods presence and keeping a record of the wonders of his presence and striuing to retaine constantly the assurance we sometimes feele in prayer 3. wee must cast about how to be more profitable in well doing An orderly life especially fruitfullnesse in our places doth maruellously though secretly establish and settle a mans heart in faith 1. Cor. 15.58 whereas it is almost impossible that a barren life should haue much stedfastnes of assurance againe would wee yet further know how it comes to passe that some men get such a stedfastnesse aboue many others Obserue then and you shall finde that when they finde the pearles of grace and the meanes they will sell all to buy them Now the loue to the meanes is like death or Ielousie that cannot be resisted there is in them a constant coueting of the best things with a true hunger and thirst after them and if they offend God they cannot be quiet till they returne and confesse their sinne and get fauour they will not liue dayes and weekes in a voluntarie neglect of communion with God and therefore reape this unmoueablenesse as the fruit of their daily conuersing with God Thus of stedfastnesse in it selfe Now in the contrarie concerning an vnstedfast faith I propound two things to be considered 1. The effects or consequences and concomitants of it And then the kinds of vnsetled faith Not Scripture onely but vsuall experience shew the many inconueniences that attend such as are not stablished in the faith 1. They want the many comforts the stedfast faith feeleth The inconueniences of an vnstedfast faith 2. They are disquieted with euery crosse 3. They are tost with the winde of contrarie doctrine yea the very truth is sometimes yea with them and sometimes nay sometimes they are perswaded and sometimes they are not 4. They finde a secret shunning of the ordinances of God when any aproach should be made vnto God 5. The feare of death is almost inseperable 6. They are sometimes frighted with feares of perseuerance besides their daily danger to be foyled by the baits of Sathan and the world Vnstedfastnesse may be considered three wayes Vnstedfastnes of faith three vvayes 1. as faith is weake 2. as faith is weakned 3. as stedfastnes is lost For the first in the first conuersion of a man vnto God while they lye yet in the cradle of godlinesse They are assayled with much doubting and many feares c. Quest But what might some one say Hovv vveake faith may be discerned How can faith then be discerned in the midst of so many doubts and feares Answ The truth of their faith and grace appeares 1. By their earnest and constant desire of Gods fauoure 2. By the tendernes of the conscience in all their actions and their daily feare of sinning 3. By their frequent complaints of vnbeleefe and secret mourning for it 4. By the lowlinesse of their cariage even towards the meaner sort of those that truly feare God 5. By their desire after the sincere milke of the word Lastly by their indeuour to walke inoffensiuely Quest But seeing their faith is true Causes of the vnsetlednes of faith vveake what is the cause of the vnsetlednesse of it Answ They are vnsetled partly because they haue yet but a small measure of sauing knowledge and partly because they descerne not the consolations offered to them and partly for want of application of particular promises that belong vnto them and sometimes it is for want of some of the meanes and in some it is because they see a greater power in some of their corruptions then they thinke can stand with true grace Now for the remedies of this vnsetlednes Remedies for faith vveake This weake faith will grow setled more and more if they continue vpright in the vse of the meanes especially as their reformation and victorie ouer sinne increaseth and as they grow more and more confirmed in the diuorce from the world and carnall companie and they grow more expert in the word of righteousnesse especially after the Lord hath refreshed them with the frequent comforts of his promises and presence besides conuersing with the faithfull and established Christians And all this the sooner if they doe propound their doubts and by asking the way seeke daily derection especially if they resigne ouer their soules to the ministerie of some faithfull and mercifull man of
spirit of God and the effect of all is a heart inspired with heauenly ioyes and refreshings 3. As it begun in Christ and is continued in the life of a Christian so this triumph shall be perfected in death and consummate in the resurrection to the eternall dissolution and confusion of all wicked men and deuils Now for vse of this Vse what iust cause is there to take vp bitter lamentations for the wonderfull frowardnesse of the natures of the most men who had rather be miserable and serue the deuill still then be made glorious by conquest in repentance for their sinnes they had rather be his prisoners then such princes rather slaues to Sathan then sonnes to God rather dragged into captiuitie with the deuill then carried in the chariot of triumph with the Saints 2. If such honors be done to Christians and such ioyes had in a Christian estate oh then let it be the praier of euery godly man daily to God as Psal 106.4 Remember me O Lord with the fauour of thy people visit me with thy saluation c. Lastly how should it excite in vs a desire to walke worthy of such a victorie yea how should it inspire vs with spirituall magnanimitie to resist Sathan and with a holy scorne to disdaine his filthy tentations and in all estates to demeane our selues so as might become men that know and beleeue that Christ hath spoiled principalities and powers for vs c. 4. For the meanes of this victorie it is added in these words In himselfe So it is read in the Greeke and in the most Interpreters and this in himselfe either it notes his mysticall body or else it notes Christ himselfe alone and in this latter sense it is continually taken and so we may here learne that it is the Lord Iesus Christ alone euen himselfe alone that hath wrought this victorie for vs there was none other able to stand in the field against the aduersarie there is no name else vnder heauen by which wee can be saued and therefore we should giue all the glory to Christ alone and not to any man or Angels for they neuer fought for vs nor were they able to stand in this battell of our redemption VERS 16. Let no man therefore condemne you in meat or drinke or in respect of an holiday or of the new Moone or of the Sabboth dayes 17. Which are but a shadow of things to come but the body is in Christ HItherto of the seuen reasons of the dehortation The conclusion followes in these words and the rest to the end of the chapter and it hath three branches For 1. he concludes against Iudaisme in these words 2. Against philosophie vers 18.19 3. Against traditions vers 20. to the end In these words is contained both the conclusion it selfe vers 16. and the reason vers 17. and the drift is to shew that the ceremonies of Moses are abolished and therefore they should not receiue them or hold themselues bound vnto them This was foretold Dan. 9.17 it was signified by the renting of the vaile and these ceremonies were solemnly and publikely laid downe in the first Councell which was held by the Apostles at Ierusalem Act. 15. And they were then so laid downe that the Apostle after giues order to the Church that those ceremonies should neuer be vsed nor any other deuices but such as might be to edification order and decencie and were without offence The ceremonies named in the text are the difference of meats and drinkes and the obseruation of times concerning which hee writes more sharply Gal. 3.1.3 4.10 5.9 6.12 In the Law there were three sorts of meats that legally were required 1. The meat offerings 2. The shew bread 3. The cleane beasts The meat offering was a type of Christ our nourishment The shew bread was a type of the Church in her mysticall vnion And the cleane beasts knowne by chewing the cud and diuiding the hoofe were types of the Christians both meditation and discretion in the meanes of his holy conuersation And for the confirmation of this place the Apostle elsewhere shewes euidently that the difference of meats is taken away 1 Tim. 4.1.2.3.4 The difference of times in the Law is here said to be threefold of dayes of moneths of Sabbaths In respect of an holy day The originall and most translations word for word haue it thus in part of an holiday but in diuers senses some say in part of an holiday that is in partition of a festiuall day from a not festiuall day as well in dayes as in moneths or Sabboths Some say in part for they could not obserue all ceremonies being absent from Ierusalem Therefore the Apostle would haue them to receiue none at all seeing they could not receiue them all Some say in part of an holiday that is in that part of them which concernes dayes c. But it is more plainly as it is here rendred Or of the new moone They did obserue the Calends or first dayes of euery moneth Or of Sabboth dayes There were diuers sorts of Sabboths of dayes of yeeres or seuens of yeeres The Sabboths of dayes were either morall viz. the seuenth day which God did chuse or ceremoniall the ceremoniall Sabboths were either more solemne such as were the three great feasts Passeouer Pentecost tabernacles or lesse solemne such as were the feasts of blowing the trumpets a Leuit. 23.24 and the feast of expiation b Leuit. 16.32 33.34 The Sabboth of yeeres was euery seuenth yeere c Leuit. 25.4.5.6 to 11. The Sabboth of seuens of yeeres was the Iubile which returned euery fiftie yeeres We see here then that the Apostle shewes that wee are deliuered from the bondage of the obseruation as before of meats so now of Sabboths Obiect But is the Sabboth day that was morall abrogated Sol. No the Apostle speakes here of the ceremoniall Law not of the morall and of ceremoniall Sabboths not of the morall Sabboth the word is in the plurall number The manner of propounding the conclusion is to be obserued Let no man condemne you These words may be referred either to Gods children or to false teachers In the first sense it is thus Let none condemne you that is doe not shew such loue to these ceremonies hereafter that thereby you incurre iustly the blame and censure of Gods children And if they bee referred to false teachers then it is thus let no man whatsoeuer perswade you that you are condemned or iudged of God for omitting the obseruation of the ceremonies care not for their censures neuer trouble your consciences about it Which are shadowes of things to come Here the Apostle with full saile driues into the hauen by shutting vp with this vnauoidable argument These ceremonies are but shadowes of that substance which now we haue and therefore it is a foolish thing to striue about the shadow when we haue the substance Ceremonies were shadowes in diuers respects
aske it of him Thirdly if the contention be yet secret follow Salomons counsell say nothing of it to others but debate thy cause with thy neighbour himselfe and discouer not thy secret to another c Prou. 25.4 peace might soone be made with many men if the discord were not made so publike Now for auoiding of contention and malitious discords there are diuers rules of great vse I. Meddle not with the strife that belongs not to thee d Pro. 26.17 II. Contend not with fooles thou shalt neuer haue done if thou meddle with foolish persons for whether they rage or laugh there is no rest e Pro. 29.9 III. Let nothing be done through vaine-glory f Phil. 2.3 IV. Speake euill of no man g Tit. 3.2 V. Be courteous and tender-hearted h Eph. 4.31 32 VI. Wrong no man but follow that which is good both amongst your selues and towards all men i Thess 5.11 Lastly pray for a couering loue for hatred stirreth vp strife but loue couereth all sinne k Pro. 10.12 The vse of all this may be both for reproofe for instruction For reproofe of many men that are fearefully sowred with this leauen they doe not onely let the Sunne goe downe vpon their wrath but they let the Sunne goe his whole course and can finde no time from the one end of the yeere vnto the other to compound and lay aside their discords Nay so hath malice seated it selfe in some dogged and spightfull natures that it seemeth to proclaime it will neuer loose possession till the deuill the father of malice hath full possession both of soule and body But let euery godly minde be perswaded to auoide this monstrous sinne yea let vs striue to auoide the very beginning of it or if nature haue such corruption that for the present we cannot get our hearts rid of all secret poyson of dislike let vs be sure we be but children in malitiousnesse it is a monstrous wickednesse to haue a head that is exercised to strife and a heart that hath a kinde of sinfull dexteritie in framing and plodding for malitious courses And thus much of malice Cursed speaking The word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blasphemie Now blasphemie or cursed speaking it is a sinne either against piety or against righteousnesse As it is against piety it is blasphemie to reproch or reason against the person or nature of God or against the prouidence and works of God or against the worship of God and the meanes thereof and so it is cursed speaking and a kinde of blasphemie to repine at Gods works m 1 Cor. 10.10 to reproch Gods sabboths n Lament 1. or messengers o 1 Cor. 16.16 or his word Also there is a cursed speaking which is against righteousnesse in the second table and thus it is cursed speaking When subiects curse the King p Eccl. 10. vlt. When Masters threaten their seruants q Ephes 6.9 When Parents prouoke their children r Ephes 6.4 When Husbands are bitter to their Wiues ſ Colos 3.19 When wiues brawle and chide with their Husbands t Pro. 25.24 When great men lord it ouer the poore u Prou. 13.8 and the like Cursed speaking is either before the face and so it is strife of words or behinde the backe and so it is backbiting or whispering * 2 Cor. 12.20 It is cursed speaking to mocke and scorne it is cursed speaking to iudge and censure it is cursed speaking to slander and disgrace it is cursed speaking to be euer complaining in all places Finally it is cursed speaking when men speake euill of any man and there is a speciall kinde of it in speaking euill of godly men and this properly is blasphemie in the second table for the Lord for the honor he beares to his people is pleased to afford the name of blasphemie to their reproches as importing that he takes it as if he were reproched himselfe We should all of vs take heede of cursed speaking of what kinde soeuer for it ariseth of ill causes as enuie or malice and it hath effects for it is certaine thou werest as good pierce others with a sword as smite them with thy tongue And therefore a bitter and cursed tongue is often compared in the scripture to the stinge of adders and to a sword yea a sharpe sword to a razor and to arrowes and the like besides the hurt it doth to thy selfe for if thou bite and deuoure take heede thou be not deuoured x Gal. 5.15 And it is iust with God thou shouldest be iudged and censured that accustomes thy selfe to iudge and censure y Matth. 7.1 And though thou speake euill neuer so secretly yet God doth many times wonderfully discouer the shame of it before others and if man would not iudge thee for thy euill tongue yet it is certaine God will z Jam. 5.9 And it is many times seene that men and women of distempered and spightfull tongues are made a very abhomination amongst men a Prou. 24. so as all men are weary of them and shun them Lastly scornefull and cursed speaking proues a notable hinderance to the successe of the word b 1 Pet. 2.1 2. and that these kinde of people might obserue when they come to heare they receiue not a blessing and why but because blessing is so farre from their lips as they loued cursing so it commeth to them The vse of all may be to exhort vs to put away far from vs a froward mouth and peruerse lips c Prou. 4.24 and that nothing be done through strife but rather that all things be done without murmuring or reasonings or brawlings or reuilings And herein such as feare God should striue to giue good example seeing they are as lights in the middest of crooked and peruerse people Q. Quest But what are the remedies of cursed speaking Answ Answ If we haue sinned through bitternesse Remedies we should obserue two rules 1. Let thy owne words grieue thee d Psal 56.5 that is labour by prayer and godly sorrow to beate downe the power of they peruersnesse without defending excusing or extenuating of thy frowardnesse 2. Keepe thy heart with all diligence e Prou. 23.24 Looke to the first risings of thy passions For bitternesse is first in the heart before it can come into the tongue Now for preuenting of euill speaking in others the only rule is to giue them no occasion either by words or iniurious and wicked life Ob. Obiect But they will raile and reuile without a cause Answ Answ Then obserue these rules 1. Betake thy selfe to prayer so did Dauid f Psal 104.2 3 4. 2. It is good oft-times to be as deafe man that heareth not g Psal 38.13 14 3. Be sure thou be carefull thou wrong not the names of others else though thou be innocent in the things imputed yet thou art iustly