whose corne and wine and oyle increase We shall stand againe before the God of our consciences for though he seeme to frowne and send afflictions and crosses and diseases and death Esai 38.3 yet as Hezekiahs Iurie gaue way to that comfortable prayer O Lord remember I beseech thee how I haue walked before thee with an vpright heart so will ours giue way to our comfortable grasping of God and his promise that we perish not in trouble Thus wee haue viewed these reasoning thoughts as a witnesse propounding the truth A Iudge within vs. and as a Iurie applying it to the parties to be tried we come now vnto it as a Iudge concluding Conclusion without all which three there can be no perfect reasoning Whence I offer this point to consider that Wee haue also in our selues vnder God our Iudges For hence is it that we are said to haue reasonings because as a Iudge wee both open the law that the witnesse may propound fit truths and as a Iudge we determine accordingly in the conclusion As it is with Princes and Kings who are the high Iudges of their kingdomes they haue Iudges vnder them by deputation to whom they commit their iudgements of God and allot their seuerall circuits so though God be the high Iudge of heauen and earth ouer the hearts and consciences of all men yet doth hee depute these inferiour Iudges in the circuit of euery mans brest to passe the conclusion and sentence of God Hence is it that Saint Iohn doth couple God and conscience in the selfe-same action of a Iudge 1 Iohn 3.20 If our hearts condemne vs God is greater then our hearts and knoweth all things To condemne wee know is an action of a Iudge and how good cause wee haue to account our consciences our Iudges will appeare if wee consider these three points First That sentence which is giuen by conscience is confirmed by God wee see that so soone as Adam had sinned though no man pursued him no Angell reproued him and the Lord was not yet come hee found himselfe condemned by the inward Iudge and when God came he ratified the same sentence But wee cannot thinke that God would confirme the sentence of a rebell who hath set himselfe in Gods throne to iudge without God Secondly Such is the maiestie and authoritie of conscience that it stands against all the world Looke as a good Iudge though all the world doe pleade against the truth yet he is for it and will not reuoke his iudgement so is it with conscience Therefore doth the Apostle set the sentence of conscience against the calumnies of all men saying 1 Câ—â—â—â— 4 I passe very little to be iudged by you or of mans iudgement no I iudge not my selfe for I know nothing by my selfe and so forth as if hee should say Yee are very forward in censuring mee both in respect of my gifts and faithfulnesse in my place I weigh your censures little though I will not be the preacher of my owne praise yet I tell you I know nothing by my selfe Thus conscience of his faithfulnesse did beare him out against the slanders of false Apostles Thirdly where conscience terrifieth no creature can comfort the pleasures of Paradise auailed not Adam when he was driuen to hide his head in a bush the pleasures of Canaan did Dauid little pleasure when he was driuen to cry out My sinne is euer before me All the delights of Babylon could not raise vp Belshazzars heart when the hand wrote Gods sentence against him on the wall and in his conscience If the Iudge condemne who shall absolue Excellent is that similitude which an ancient makes to this purpose A man condemned to die trieth his three friends to procure his pardon one saith I haue no grace with the King and therefore I can promise thee no such kindnesse yet this will I doe I will buy thee meat and drinke garments and musicke thou shalt want nothing that may giue thee content while thou art here All this is good and yet it contents not because the poore man wanteth a pardon The second answereth I know not how to get to the King but this I will doe I will bewaile thy miserable hap weepe for thy losse and attend thee to the court gates All this is good kindnesse and yet it contents not because the poore condemned man would haue a pardon The third saith Rest vpon my kindnesse I am one of the Kings fauourites and he will deny me nothing I will goe to the court and before the day of execution I will surely bring thy pardon sealed This is he this is the friend that will make the poore man out-face all his trouble because he answereth to the point indeed Behold the case is ours we are poor condemned wretches who must to hel without our pardon our three friends are the world wife children and kindred and a good conscience The world will prouide all necessaries for our bodies but not a pardon this is not purchased with a corruptible price of siluer and gold Wife and children will lament our losse and goe sighing and sobbing to the graue with vs but they leaue vs to our owne shifts for a pardon But a good conscience will make vs outstand all dangers it will procure our peace and our pardon As the world cannot helpe where conscience hurteth so the world cannot hurt where conscience helpeth Vse Thus wee haue considered this iudging power of conscience Oh that wee had hearts to doe our office to conscience and to presse our consciences to doe their offices to and for vs neither can bee done without our care yet we must doe both We must doe our office to conscience three waies First by praying to God for it Ye know that we must pray for them that are in authoritie ouer vs and shall conscience be neglected God forbid When there was no King in Israel ye know what disorders happened surely lesse or fewer doe not happen where conscience is not in full power Miserable is the condition of the inhabitants of Brasile Sine fide Sine lege Sine rege who are said to bee without religion without law without a King and they are no lesse wretched who are without this religious Iudge and gouernour conscience Therefore let vs pray for it that God would giue it that God would keepe it and keepe it tender that so wee may liue a quiet and comfortable life vnder it Secondly wee must doe our dutie to conscience by giuing it good words Yee know the Word of God Thou shalt not curse the ruler of thy people Oh that we could alwaies remember it in the case of conscience hee that buies with conscience sells with conscience rules with conscience obeies with conscience is commended euen of men that haue no conscience yet if conscience rule in any in the seruing of God and make them tremble at Gods precepts promises or threatnings and the like hee is but
be in Christ we are new creatures as I haue cleared what then must be our care but only to proue our selues to be new creatures that so we may assure our hearts that we are in him How we may proue our selues to be new creatures Yea but now you will say vnto mee How may I proue my selfe to be a new creature I answer Wee may doe it two waies First if we be cut off from the old stocke Secondly if we be grafted into the new 1 Wee must be cut off from the old stocke Ephes 2. The old stocke is Adam corrupted in whom we are by nature and in which condition wee are the children of wrath as much as the most cursed wretch in the world as he is borne and so dead in sinnes and trespasses Now from this stocke we must be cut off for as a sience must be cut off from one tree before it can be concorporated into another so we must be cut off from the wilde Oliue before wee can be planted into Christ If therefore wee can finde our selues to be cut off from the naturall root wherein we are by birth then we may secure our selues that wee are in a good way to be in Christ Perhaps you will say that heere is difficultie still for how shall I know that I am cut off from the old Adam I answer that through Gods blessing I shall giue you two manifest signes of it The first signe is taken from the cause of it 1 How we may know that wee are cut off from Adam Col 2.11 Dan. 2.45 which is God only As our circumcision is made without hands as Paul speaketh so must our cutting off be As our Sauiour Christ is that Stone which was cut out of the mountain without hands as Daniel speaketh so wee that are his members must be cut from the quarrie of Nature Of his owne will begat he vs by the word of truth saith Iames Iames 1.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 3.9 and we that are borne of God are borne not of blouds the highest prerogatiues that births can afford vnto vs cannot make vs more pretious with God nor of the will of the flesh all humane obseruation and outward righteousnesse attained vnto by the power and policie of man Phil. 3.6 7. can stead vs little with God nor the will of man heroicall gifts of wisdome valour noble spirits in which respect men of old haue beene called the sonnes of God which is translated The Sonnes of the Mightie cannot make vs any thing sooner deare to God but we are borne of God saith Iohn Psal 29.1 1 Cor. 1. Iohn 1.13 There are many men seeme to be cut off when they desist from the outragious sinnes of nature who yet are not in Christ because they are cut off with hands for the meanes to restraine them are some of these Sometimes their complexion pulleth them in cholericke Saul finding his opportunitie threw his jaueline at Dauid he would haue writ the malice of his heart in bloud but sanguine Dauid though hee had his opportunitie tooke but Sauls water-pot Speare and lap of his garment and that iustly with touch of Conscience also Though Dauid fell into murther in temptation thinking so to couer his sinne Sometimes Natures impotencie pulleth them in to some sinnes are required the courage of a Lion to some the craft of a Fox to some comelinesse to some strength to some the heat of youth to some the experience of age and the like In any of which when Nature is defectiue there is a restraint Sometimes they are pulled in by knowledge when a man is not giuen vp to a reprobate minde hee seeth dutie and comelinesse and is restrained from thence As some know their masters will and doe it not so there are others that do it not because they are ignorant whereas if they had knowledge but according to that light which Nature can afford it would be a bridle Sometimes they are pulled in by prosperitie He that hath enough will not steale and if he sometimes doe steale by oppression bribery vsury or the like so much the greater is his sinne by how much more violently God pulled him baâ—ke by taking away the cause Sometimes they are restrained by aduersitie Hee that is poore cannot exercise the outward acts of pride he cannot ordinarily ambitiously climbe to honour hee cannot be actually couetous in keeping seeing he hath not what to keepe So that in these cases his pouertie is a bridle Sometimes they are held in by Education and imployment A Citizen will carry himselfe more grauely in habit complement and conuersation than a Courtier for his credit sake and who seeth not that imploiment doth hold backe from many sinnes Vellem si non of sem imperator Scipio could say when an Harlot was offâ—red vnto him I would haue her if I were not a Gouernour Sometimes they are restrained by the power of naturall conscience for though it bee much wounded and weakened in the offices of it yet euen naturall men cannot be rid of those blowes which it doth giue in secret In which respect they haue beene and are kept from many sinnes made knowne from the light of nature Sometimes againe they are restrained and pulled backe by policie because they might the better conceale and couer their aimes and intentions Thus was Iezabel restrained from the open murther of Naboth and of Haman it is said Hester 5.10 that though he was full of indignation yet he refrained himselfe All these bridles we may obserue to be in the hand of Nature to restraine Or thus These eight kniues are in Natures pocket to cut vs off from the old stocke But all this is but a seeming cutting off for it doth but cut off from the outward practise of sinne it weakneth not the root one iot The habits of sinne are no lesse powerfull the will no lesse willing the affections no lesse vehement and the desires no lesse violent Vnder all these Nature sinneth not either because Nature cannot or because Nature dare not and not because there is disabilitie either in the seeds and spâ—wne of sinne or in a willingnesse to sinne if it either could or durst Durst I say because naturall conscience may plie a man with club-law and awe him from that which with all his heart he would be doing But now on the contrarie when our cutting off is wrought without hands and is such as Nature with all her bridles and kniues cannot reach vnto then we doe not only desist from the practise of sinne but we doe weaken the power of sinne wee doe not only not commit sinne bâ—cause we cannot or dare not but because we will not And though sometimes through the power of the flesh fighting against the spirit in our mindes wills affections and desires we are against our wills ouer-taken with sinne yet because sinne doth defile vs who are the temples of God and doth
soules let vs watch and these things shall not moue vs. For first we depend not vpon any priuate man or spirit for that doctrine which we allow but vpon the publike Spirit of Iesus Christ speaking in the Scriptures We embrace not the Scriptures for mans sake as the Papists doe so farre as the Pope approueth but man and his opinions for the Scriptures sake and so farre as we finde them agreeable to them so farre we consent vnto them Secondly we may not thinke it strange that Luther and other gracious reformers should be railed at by his and their enemies who felt his priuie and powerfull blowes to the shaking of the Popish Monarchie It is ordinarie to faithfull Teachers to be subiect to the disgracings of their aduersaries both in respect of their persons and doctrines Tertullus said of Paul Acts 24.5 Ierem. 18.18 Seâ— for thiâ— also these places Iohn 8 48. Iohn 10.20 Acts. 6.11 Act 10.20 21. Certainly we haue found this man a pestilent fellow a moouer of sedition Ieremiahs enemies say of him Come and let vs imagine some mischiefe against him come and let vs smite him with the tongue Why vpon what ground will they deale thus with Ieremie Surely they doe not say because the Pope for whom we work cannot erre and the Church whereof wee are members cannot want the spirit to guide it yet they speake something like it when they say For the Law shal not perish from the Priest nor Counsell from the wise nor the Word from the Prophet So that we may not thinke it a new thing that learned and resolute Luther should when he is with God be thus trampled vpon by men Thirdly it is very likely yea in its kinde certaine that a As certaine as those things whiâ—h come vnto vs by humane relation Luther was a reuerend and holy man For though his professed enemies such as Coclaeus Parsons and the rest of the Iesuites are doe declaime against him yet in his daies he had the testimonie both of God and man Of God in that miraculous successe which he had in his preaching for the spreading of the truth against the power and policy of the Emperour and Pope and what euer other enemies he had which were neither few nor of small place and respect in the world Dr. White his Way Caâ—sa Regia Couent Liâ—hf Episc cap. 3. sect 16. pag. 119. Of man in the testimonie of Erasmus which is often laid on the trencher of our aduersaries and cannot be wiped off Notwithstanding which testimonie we doe freely acknowledge both that his many oppositions and multiplicitie of troubles made him more pettish and rash in words than hee should haue beene as also that hee had two other faults as Erasmus is said wittily to passe his iudgement concerning him to the Duke of Saxonie to wit That he medled with the Popes Crowne and with the Monkes bellies Fourthly put case that Luther and the rest of those godly Reformers were wicked shall we not haue the same libertie which the Church of Rome hath When we obiect the horrible and outragious wickednesses of many Popes who were for the time Heads of their Church vnder Christ to conuey spirituall life into the whole bodie they doe answer in effect that we need not take so much paines as to cast it in their teeth for they doe of their owne accords acknowledge it and are not ashamed to make the most brutish and cursed villanies of the Popes Bellarm. in his Preface to his Bookes De Pontif a proofe of the excellencie of that Chaire and of the prouidence of God ouer it If then they proue the holinesse of their Religion from the vnholinesse of their Popes why should they proue the impietie of our Religion from the impietie of Luther if it were true Fiftly as for Luthers learning from the Deuill I answer two things distinctly First put case that Luther had said that the Deuill did preach vnto him the true doctrine of the Sacrament Is it any newes that the Deuill should preach the truth to disgrace it Doth nor Iesus Christ for this cause hinder the Deuil from saying that he knew him Marke 1.34 because he needed not his testimonie though he was readie enough to giue it which could doe him no good And did not the woman who had the diuining Deuill say of Paul and Silas Acts 16.17 That they were the seruants of the most high God shewing the way of saluation In which the truth was spoke and yet saith the Text it grieued Paul because by this meanes it might seeme that the Deuill and the Spirit of God taught one doctrine So that we may conclude that the Deuill will preach the truth for his owne aduantage But secondly the truth is that this is but the slander of an enemie For all of vs that haue beene vrged with it as we cannot thinke Luther such a foole as to bewray his owne secrets and openly to professe that the Deuill was his master to the so great disaduantage of his cause So vpon diligent search we can finde but this to be the vpshot of what he saith in this kinde namely that he hauing learned the true doctrine of the Sacrament in the Schoole of Christ the Deuill vrged it strongly against his former practise of Massing to draw him to despaire because he had so often dishonoured God Lastly concerning our refusall as they please to tearme it of disputation with them First we see their pride in boasting of their learning among their blinded disciples as if it were so great that our side were afraid to looke â—hâ—m in the faces Secondly we cannot thinke ouâ— cause to be â—he worse because we do not dispute with them for the garland Who knoweth not that a quicke wit a nimble tongue a confident spirit and a bold face will goe beyond a good cause at such a time Doe we not see that a wrangler will haue the last word what euer his cause be and I am sure it had beene better with Eue if she had neuer disputed the case with the deuill and it would bee better with all of vs if in arguments against the truth wee could attaine to Pauls Logicke Rom. 3.4 5 6. to hold the conclusion whatsoeuer the premises are Thirdly the world hath beene well acquainted with Popish disputations and vpon what aduantages they haue beene vndertaken Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prage and Luther can witnesse against whom there was more power than arguments and wee cannot forget how holy Bradford coâ—plained that they would dispute with him Fox his Maâ—tyrol Abstâ— by Mâ—sâ—â— to wit that hee should dispute against the things which they had alreadie determined whereby it appeared that they sought not the truth but his destruction and their owne glory yea and wee see still that where the Popish power reacheth whatsoeuer be the propositions the conclusion is the Inquisition and the mercy of those holy Fathers by fire
and I pray God they may see it from true mortification and reformation of heart For doe but consider that either they doe not know or will not know the right enemie wherewith they should fight to this end that is the cursed Flesh which is in our bosomes For when the Scripture speaketh of the lusts of the flesh which we must mortifie they doe sometimes vnderstand our bodies and therefore for the suppressing of it Vnderstand me not as if I did condemne Fasting and other laudable bodily exercises but onely as shewing by these principall weapons what principall aduersarie they fight against to wit the bodie Ephes 5.28 29. they doe presse vpon bodily exercises as Fastings whippings Haire-cloth bare-foot visitings of Temples Shrines and the like whereas the bodie and the spirit may well goe hand in hand as the Apostle saith No man euer yet hated his owne flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it euen as the Lord the Church to wit so farre forth as it may be done without making Nature either proud or wanton Sometimes againe they doe vnderstand the brutish and inferiour facultie of the soule whereby it affecteth and desireth profits pleasures as meats drinkes cloathing and procreation But euen this also in it selfe cannot be said to be our enemie which being well manned is of so good and necessarie vse in the life of man that without it there would neither be preseruation of particulars nor kindes Nature would neither preserue it selfe nor the succession thereof in its like In both these they misse the marke and shoot at a friend in stead of an enemie In which respect a man may goe to the height of their taught deuotion and yet be as arrant hypocrites as euer were But as for our Church the whole bent of it tends to perfect our sanctification in the feare of God 2 Cor. 7.1 It makes the flesh to be the corruption of our whole nature both in our bodies and soules The corruption of our mindes by enmitie and ignorance of our consciences by stupiditie and furie of our cogitations by vanitie of our wils by rebellion of our desires by disorder the like So that we teach and presse that the minde must goe to the pot as we say as well as the appetite yea the wisdome of it whereby we exalt our owne righteousnesse and set vp our holinesse and other worth as cursed idols as well as the brutish folly that is in our carnall desires We doe not flatter the minde with an aptnesse to spirituall wisdome or the will with an aptnesse to will good if it be excited by the Spirit that so we may dishonour Gods worke of grace and make our selues something when we are nothing but as we doe giue the greatest glory of good as it is wrought in and by vs to the minde sanctified for which cause the whole worke of our conuersion as it is well obserued is called the changing of the minde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 3.2 so in sinning we make it the arch-rebell in yeelding it selfe so freely to thinke of wickednes so fully to discourse of the profit pleasure and honour of it so friendly to parly with euery suggestion which offereth it selfe to our corrupt hearts that it is euen basely bribed and blinded to giue way to the consent of our wills to the greedinesse of our desires to the swift mouing of our affections and to the eagernesse of our actions to doe those things which are wicked in the sight of God and man Oh how doth this make vs to denie our selues and flie vnto him that is made wisdome 1 Cor. 1.30 righteousnesse sanctification and redemption to vs while the Popish Church liuing in a seeming holinesse in some of her choise members doth yet vnholily rest vpon her owne wisdome though it be to the tolerating of Stewes to the filling of Rome it selfe with the cries of Sodome But say they what are their vnholy Stewes more than our vnholy Vsury For if Stewes be collerated amongst them to preuent a greater mischiefe so is Vsury amongst vs. But stay a while As Leontines pointing to his gray haires said to the Antiochians Hac niue liquefacta multum erit luti When this snow is thawed there will be much dirt so when this blister is pricked may we say there will appeare much vlcerous matter For the clearing therefore of our Church in this point of Vsury that the Stewes of Rome may the more stinke in the nostrils of good men consider two Questions First whether England doe permit Vsury as the Church of Rome doth the Stewes Secondly whether if wee did it might stand in equall ballance with a Stewes To the first I answer two things First that England doth not permit Vsury but restraine the abominable griping that was brought in by the Iewes For if you looke into the Law you shall finde it called a Statute against Vsury yea it calleth Vsury a vice and sinne and saith it is detestable as you may see in tâ—e Statutes at large where the Prefaces are yea I haue heard as I take it men skilfull in the Law say that if it can be proued by bond that a man doe but take ten shâ—llings in the hundred for Vsury hee forfaits the whole summe Therefore the Vsurers are so craftie as to make their Creditours vpon the lending of an hundred pound to become debtors to them for an hundred and ten or eight or seuen or the like by bond and not to binde them to giue ten pounds for the meere vse of an hundred Secondly England dealeth not with Vsury as Rome doth with the Stewes for shee doth blanch and excuse it and therefore sometime they say that it is but a permission of a lesse euill to auoid a greater as Sodomy Buggery and the like when yet vnder this cloake Ely might without blame haue suffered the sins of his sonnes in the porches of the Tabernacle to preuent more hainous sinnes and further degrees of Sodomy Sometimes againe they tell vs that they doe not permit them without meanes to reclaime them both by punishments and preachings as if it could excuse them to permit houses of sinning that they may exercise their censures they are mad men that build houses for theeues and burne them downe when they haue done Sometimes againe they will tell vs that the rents and pensions so gotten are imployed to maintaine penitent harlots as if God delighted in the price of a harlot or it were lawfull for vs to doe euill that good might come thereof Thus would the Church of Rome like a harlot put a beautifull complexion vpon an vgly face yea from such like and other filthinesse euen in their holy Fathers the Popes See Bellar. in his preface to his bookes De Pontif. Rom. they can draw an argument of glory and renowne to Peters chaire as being a signe of Gods speciall hand that it hath endured so long But as for vs we are readie to condemne
a by word among the multitude But blessed conscience incourage thy friends and discourage them that flout at thee with that true but fearefull saying Esa 66.5 Heare the Word of the Lord all ye that tremble at his Word your brethren that hated you and cast you out for my Names sake said Let the Lord be glorified but hee shall appeare to your ioy and they shall be ashamed Lastly we must doe our dutie to conscience by paying tribute to it and yeelding to it honourable meanes of maintenance Giue tribute to whom tribute belongeth shall wee haue a gouernour and will wee starue him for want of maintenance God forbid Decke therefore the table of thy conscience richly with the Word of God let thy conscience vse it as in the sight and presence of God attend with all the parts and powers of thy bodie and soule in state vpon this honourable gouernour and if thou canst not giue it entertainment answerable to its place weepe to God for more grace that as one said to Saint Augustines weeping mother Non potest perire tantarum lachrymarum filius A sonne for whom so many teares are shed cannot perish So thy conscience for which thou doest weepe to God may not be corrupted or want necessary meanes of maintenance Secondly Conscience as a Iudge must doe its office to and for vs both in our selues and to God for looke as a Iudge doth a double dutie a dutie of iustice in the country and a dutie of account in the Court so likewise hath the conscience a double dutie to performe In the Court within we must expect a fourefold action of a Iudge frō it The first is Remurmuration As a Iudge doth or should fret and grudge at euery euill cause that comes before him and cannot abide that any Gallio should either plead the excuse or defence of it so conscience must worke an inward repining when any of the aduocates of sinne doth blanch the least wickednesse The least sinne is hellish in its sight the greatest is ten times damnable The second is Instigation Looke as a Iudge doth or should prouoke to euery good occasion for the repressing of vice and encouragement of vertue so conscience must goad vs vp and stirre vs forward to take euery good opportunitie to doe good vnto our bodies and soules to the honour of God The Iewes who were as the swift Dromodaries were not more eager to commit wickednesse than conscience must be to doe that which is good in Gods sight The third is Condemnation Euen as a Iudge doth condemne the guilty and pronounce definitiue sentence against him whatsoeuer he be whether friend or foe rich or poore because he heareth causes speake and not persons so dealeth conscience yea euen against the owner of it if he doe offend Therefore the Apostle speaketh of those who are selfe-condemned Or looke as if a souldier demeane himselfe not well in battell the Iudge Martiall may cause his Escocheon to be pierced Euen so conscience must pierce the heart of the offender by a full pronouncing of the iudgements of its God The fourth is Absolution As a Iudge doth absolue the guiltlesse and when his innocencie doth once appeare doth make no delayes or demurres or the like to keepe him from the comfort of his cause so when conscience findeth innocencie it crieth out Well done good and faithfull seruant enter into thy Masters ioy Know thine office conscience And as thou wilt answer it to him from whom thou hast thy most immediate deputation see thou deale righteous-Iudge-like in all these particulars Secondly there is a dutie of account that the conscience oweth vnto God also Euen as a Iudge doth giue an account vnto his Soueraigne of the state of his countrey liues of his people and iustice of his inferiour Magistrates and the like so must our consciences giue an account to God what state our soules are in and how our wills and affections doe rule and obey within vs. See therefore O conscience that thou doe it faithfully Goe to the Court of heauen after euery daies Assize tell God how it stands with thee in the case of life and death Helpe O King I haue found rebellion in thy kingdome without thy pardon all will perish with thy pardon without thy wisdome to plant religion to order thy subiects and to preuent future mutinies all will come to naught Thus deale faithfully with thy soule And as good Iudges will not trust particular Iustices with the gouernment of the Countrey lest they should make their owne gaines and aime at their owne priuate ends more than at the publike good but will diligently search into their proceedings that so their account may be the more current so the good conscience will not commit the gouernment of the soule to the will and affections but will euery day search into their courses that so they may giue the more through and honest account vnto our God and King Thus hauing viewed the power of practicall conscience in these reasoning thoughts which are in vs 2 The abuse of the power of Conscience we come to the abuse of this power in iudging euilly and partially euen against conuiction Whence we may note That it is no newes that there is disorder and corruption in the iudgements of our owne hearts and consciences Yee know that Paul found out this wickednesse of old To withhold the truth in vnrighteousnesse Rom. 1.18 euen so is it still The prisoner to be tried within vs is Truth the case to be tried is whether Truth should be set at libertie to be a guide to our actions yea or no Truth pleades for her selfe as the cause of poore Christians in this place but the Iurie of will and affections heareth not they are corrupted with carnall wisdome pleasure profit or the like and therefore in commeth the fore-man Will and saith I will doe as I haue done and I will be perswaded as I haue beene perswaded and so Reason like a corrupt Iudge giueth the sentence that Truth must into prison and rebellion and wickednesse flourish If now you will aske me what are the reasons of this corruption in our inward iudgings I answer that I shall giue you foure reasons of it First the want of the loue of God If we loued God we would loue his honour if wee loued his honour wee would carrie an equall and vpright course in passing sentence yea though it were to the crushing of that which is most deare vnto vs. Deut. 33.9 Thus Leui is said to say to his father and mother I haue not seene thee neither knew he his owne brethren nor his children when hee was to execute the iudgements of God Secondly want of vnion in our selues An armie put to rowt cannot keepe order so neither can a man that is diuided in himselfe As it is in the cursed Alehouse businesse it thriues the better for a proud separation that is found amongst those that should helpe
in dressing What euer they be the defects are mine what euer it be the good is Gods and for your with other of Gods peoples goods Let God haue your praise to whom it is due let me haue your prayers who need and craue them that I may still continue Your faithfull Shepherd wishing and striuing for your eternall good ROBERT ABBOT THE NEW MANS New Life GALAT. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ neuerthelesse I liue yet not I but Christ liueth in me and the life which I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God WE reade that the tombe wherewith the carkasse of proud Sennacherib was couered had this inscription Jntuens me aliquis discat essâ— piuâ— Let him that lookes vpon me learne to be godly Much more may a spirituall eye see this ingrauen vpon this golden saying of the Apostle Let no man dare looke vpon me except he resolue to be godly For the Apostle presenteth vs himselfe and all the children of God in his person vnder such an one as is dead vnto the world and sinne and liueth not the life of nature but of grace and godlinesse Neither is it needlesse for vs to behold such draughts in these dayes we being not onely cast asleepe through our securitie but dead in sinnes and trespâ—sses and buried vnder the clots of this world to the wofull miserie of our soules and the dishonour of our Maker How needfull therefore is it for vs to vse all meanes for a ioyfull resurrection and amongst the rest deeply to consider this speaking patterne of Paul in these words which in the naturall language of them doe make some such out-cry as this Lift vp your heads yee gates and be yee lift vp yee euerlasting doores that the King of glory may come in and dwell in your hearts by faith To which that we may haue the more hearing eares and from which that by the blessing of God wee may reape the more comfort let vs with humble hearts carry along with vs the context sense and seuerall obseruations setled by application vpon our soules Context As for the context and coherence with the words foregoing conceiue it thus The Apostle being to dispute against the Galatians Galat. 1.6 who had made a defection from the doctrine of the Gospell to iustification by works doth plainly set downe this proposition That we are not iustified by the works of the Law Galat. 2.16 but by the faith of Iesus Christ Which being proued by a reason drawne from the feeling iudgement and conscience of the best Iewes in these words we know as also as it is thought by this testimonie Psal 143.2 that by the works of the Law no flesh shall be iustified in Gods sight he fore-seeing that this doctrine of free iustification without our works might by false Apostles be charged with carnall libertie doth propound an obiection to that purpose Is Christ the minister of sinne and doth with a secret detestation answer it God forbid As if he should say Farre be it from the doctrine of the Gospell to giue libertie vnto sinne for as I will at no hand build againe iustification by workes which I haue destroyed because I can finde no comfort in the Law I being dead vnto it and it driuing mee to Christ so I doe know that Christ is not onely my price but my purger that Christ doth not onely say Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee but sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto thee For I account my selfe crucified with Christ neuerthelesse I liue yet not I but Christ liueth in mee and the life which I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God Thus I haue brought you vnto the Text. Sense In the consideration whereof I would next intreat you to stay a while vpon the meaning of the words lest the hard and difficult phrases thereof like Asahels body 2 Sam. 2.23 doe hinder the passing of the people by The hard phrases are fiue The first is when he saith I am crucified with Christ for how can this be true when hee was not conuerted to Christianitie before Christs ascension was past For the opening of this you must know that thâ—re is a double crucifying spoken of in the Scriptures The first is Actuall and so according to a double custome it may signifie two things for according to the custome of the Iewes it is to be stoned to death Alsted in Theol. Catech. and aâ—terwards with cords to be bound vnto a crosse and to be set vp as vpon a gibbet for a terrifying example to the like offendors but thus neither Paul nor Christ was crucified Ioh. 18.31 for it was nor lawfull for the Iewes at that time to put any man to death But according to the custome of the Gentiles it is to bee racked and fastned to a crosse with nailes driuen through the hands and feet of a liuing man and so to continue vnto death Thus Christ was crucified but not Paul or we The second is a virtuall crucifying and thus the children of God are said to bee crucified with Christ when they by vertue of that communion and fellowship which they haue with him in his sufferings and death as the members of him their head doe behaue themselues as those that are dead to their corruptions and finde no sauour in the courses of sinne and vanities of this world but spend all their liuelihood in denying vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and liuing vnto God And of this crucifying doth the Apostle speake in this place The second phrase or manner of speech is in these words I liue I liue not How can both these bee true I answer they may both be true in diuers respects I liue the life of grace and godlinesse I liue not the life of sinne and corrupted nature As if hee should say It is true indeed I haue the same naturall organs or instruments the same head tongue hands and feete but as there is great difference betweene a well-tuned Cymball and a loud Cymball so is there betweene all my parts when they doe receiue actiuitie from God and from nature As the gracious life is a death in respect of the glorious life which is the cause that that life which wee shall haue in glory is for excellencie sake called Life so the naturall life is no better than a death in respect of the life of grace The third phrase is in these words Christ liueth in me that is Christ is my life If you aske me how that can be I answer that it is by vertue of that communion and fellowship which we haue with him For as wee haue a naturall fellowship with him by his assuming and sanctifying our natures and becomming flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone and as we haue a sacramentall fellowship with him when in the Sacrament Christ is exhibited and giuen to the faithfull receiuer as he
Christ The dead shall heare the voice of God and shall arise Both which places doe speake of a gracious arising from sinne As therefore the holy Ghost saith All must first die and then comes the resurrection to iudgement So all must first die to sinne or they shall neuer arise to liue godlily Sometimes againe it is called a Quickning Psal 119.25 as when Dauid saith Quicken me according to thy Word As therefore the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 15. O foole that which thou sowest is not quickned except it die So neither are our soules quickned except they thus die Secondly if we respect the malice of sinne it is such a deadly aduersarie that we cannot be deliuered from death in sinne but by the death of sinne if we doe not kill sin sinne will kill vs. As AZahel pursued Abner like a swift Roe so doth sinne vs euen vnto the graue and will neuer giue vs rest till it be quite vanquished in the perfect mortification of the bodie against the day of the Resurrection As therefore wee doe desire that grace may liue so wee must striue that this deadly enemie of grace may die Vse 1 We hauing thus considered the truth of this point may deriue from it both matter of doctrine and matter of exhortation As for doctrine it learneth vs that there must be a thorow change in all the children of God before they can be termed gracious Iohn 11. As when Lazarus who stunke in his graue was raised from death to life there was a thorow change in him a change in his parts essentiall and a change in his parts integrall in which respect a man might well haue said here is not the same man euen so is it with euerie one of vs when God makes vs gracious which change that we doe not conceiue to be substantiall we must marke as we are often taught that as there are three things to be considered in an instrument the bodie the strings and the harmonie wrought by the skill of the player So in man there is the bodie and soule the faculties and the worke of them Now touching this change the bodie soule and faculties remaining intire the change is made in the last when discord thorow the whole man is changed into concord and anomie in all the powers of man into conformitie to Gods will For this cause sanctification may be compared vnto our sense of touching If of blinde wee are made seeing there is a change but in the eye if of deafe wee are made hearing there is a change but in the eare if our smelling be restored there is a change but in the nose if our tasting be brought to vs againe there is a change but in the pallat but if our feeling be lost and restored there is a change in the whole bodie So is it with this spirituall Resurrection and quickning which worketh a change in the powers of the whole bodie and soule in putting them ouer to Gods vse There must be a new vnderstanding quickned to know Gods will a new heart quickned to incline vnto it and imbrace it new bodily instruments quickned to be weapons of righteousnesse vnto holinesse yea and the whole man 2 Cor. 5.17 or a new man or a new creation both in the whole soule and bodie and spirit to be kept blamelesse vntill the comming of our Lord Iesus 1 Thess 5.23 Thus in the first place let vs take notice of this point that so we entring into our selues and viewing the whole man may discerne by a change or no change whether we are sanctified and quickned yea or no. Vse 2 Secondly this point serueth also to exhort euery one of vs to a conscionable care to trie whether we haue life in vs yea or no. If we liue we can say as the father of his prodigall sonne This my sonne was dead and is aliue So I was dead yea I am dead vnto sinne and am aliue Wee haue no more assurance that we are aliue than we haue certaintie that we are dead If England and Ireland lay claime to one peece of ground the triall must be this Put a snake into it if it liues it belongs to England if it dieth it is Irish ground Right so if there be a controuersie betweene God and the Deuill whose possession man shall be the triall shall be thus Put the Serpent sinne into him if it liue he is the Deuils if it pine away and die he is part of Gods heritage Will you inquire then how we shall know whether sin die in vs yea or no I answer as a man may know whether another be dead vnto nature by the antecedent of death to wit sicknesse by the concomitants of death namely the decay of senses and pangs of death and by the consequents which are coldnesse and putrefaction So answerably we may know whether we are dead vnto sinne these three waies First by this antecedent which goeth before it namely See these three more largely in my Sermon on 2 Cor. 5.17 if we be sicke of sinne If as a man surcharged with grosse humours is neuer at ease till he haue abated them by vomit or purge so we oppressed with our sinnes can haue no rest in our soules till wee haue discouered sinne to our selues by examination opened it to God by confession executed reuenge vpon it by godly sorrow and purged it by faith in Christ then sinne is in a good degree to death Secondly by these two concomitants which goe with it First the sense of sinne must decay If therefore our eyes doe feebly behold vanitie and not with that vigour and content as before if our eares cannot endure to heare of it if we flie from the garment spotted of the flesh as from a Serpent if we finde no rellish and sauour in it but with an honest heart can say to it as to an vnprofitable thing Get thee hence then are wee in a second degree in the death of sinne But if secondly wee are come to the pangs of this death and doe finde that our sins through our lothnesse to forsake them haue striued and struggled as for life haue disturbed the peace of our soules haue sadded the flesh as those that mourne for the death of their friends haue comforted the spirit as those that reioyce at the death of enemies and so haue made the paines of the new birth the greater then are we a degree further in the death vnto sinne Thirdly we shall know it by these consequents which follow vpon it to wit coldnesse and putrefaction If therefore the heat of sinne be ouer Esay â— and the spirit of burning doe by degrees take possession of the place to consume it and if it rot and stinke in our account and make vs a burthen to our selues so long as it retaineth liuelihood in any corner of our bodies or soules then this is a fourth degree in the death of sinne and that which may assure vs of
God The third ground whereto the doctrine of this Text is referred is this that True Religion is a mercifull Religion It maketh vs saith Iames here to visit the fatherlesse and widowes in their aduersities Religion is as it were an order and seruice after Gods owne heart who is a God of loue and mercie When God promiseth to giue his people Priests who should pitie them and haue a mercifull care of them he calleth them Priests after his owne heart that is Ierem. who shall be mercifull as he is mercifull Religion therefore being an issue of Gods will and nature it must needs sauour of mercie and compassion Againe the fruits of Religion are Loue Ioy Peace Long-suffering Gentlenesse Galath 5.22 Goodnesse which all are either mother daughter members or companions of that which wee call Mercie And how can Religion be other which is the exercise of a mother The Church is called the Mother of vs all and we know Galath 4. from that ancient iudgement of Salomon that shee who had most affection to the childe was the true mother that the exercise of a mother is mercie Now from this ground I would inforce two things Vse 1 First that euery one of vs must striue to be mercifull as our heauenly Father is mercifull This is that which will assure vs that we are truly religious No mercie no religion God is immediatly mercifull to vs himselfe when he sends his Spirit into our hearts to teach vs correct and comfort vs according to our necessities and hee maketh all the creatures of heauen and earth to be liberall vnto vs and helpfull in some kinde or other and all to this end that we being knit vnto him by true religion may be prouoked to be mercifull also yea we must be so euen vnto the enemies of religion We see many times that no ciuill cause maketh a more seuere and cruel warre than Religion doth When the Reubenites Gadites and Manassites had set vp an Altar by Iordan their brethren thinking that it had beene to separate religion presently mustered their forces against them The Iewes and Samaritanes being of diuers religions euen Peter could smell of this naturall crueltie saying Master call for fire from heauen to consume the Samaritanes but Christ crushed it saying Yee know not of what Spirit you are Yea saith Christ speaking of them who shall take his Disciples to taske for religion sake They shall excommunicate you and kill you and in so doing they shall thinke that they doe God good seruice But we must striue against this crueltie and exercise mercie as the proper fruit of religion If we shall beleeue the declamations of the Iesuits they will tell vs that yet wee are not mercifull and therefore they crie out against our crueltie exercised vpon the Pope-holy Catholikes in tearing chopping and burning of them together with the making of their members a prey to the fowles of heauen and the like Is this mercie say they No surely as it is barely looked vpon without searching into the cause Yet when wee doe see many knowne Papists in the Land and none capitally punished but Traitors and when we doe see that such are punished no otherwise than traytours were punished when Popery vsurped vpon vs and when withall we doe consider that we haue no law to put any Papist to death for his conscience sake or if wee haue a law in that ancient Statute of their owne concerning the burning of Heretikes by vertue whereof they consumed vs that yet none of their bodies euer felt those flames when we doe see I say and consider these things we do reioice in our religion finding mercie in it and doe encourage our selues to goe on still both to proceed mildly against them to pitie and to pray for them and by walking holily before them to trie if yet God will haue mercie on them and bring them to know the Truth Vse 2 Secondly Wee learne also from the former ground that wee haue iust cause to suspect that the religion of the Church of Rome is not the true Religion We know that Rome is spirituall Aegypt Apoc. 11. and that shee letteth the corpses of the Saints lie dead in the streets We see that her instruments are fire and sword and that her meanes are power and policie by hooke and crooke as we say Euery time the fifth of Nouember returneth it calleth to our minde enough of this kinde if we could forget the Popes practises against the Emperours We know that their partie would haue destroyed our whole State euen the breath of our nostrils and creame of our Land at one blow Wee see also so farre as their close policie will giue vs leaue the crueltie of their Inquisitions They aske vs where is our religion saue in little nookes and corners of the world We answer that they might soone see if they would for it would burst out as the noone day in the midst of their darkest darknesse if their Holy-houses as they wrongfully call them did not deuoure the professors of it so soone as euer they looke out We see also how many men women young men and maids were by the cursed Idoll of the Masse brought to their buriall in their owne ashes They dare not for their liues lay this their crueltie aside lest liuing so like open and innocent Doues as we doe in respect of their Iesuited Papists they should soone bring their multitudes into a bunch or two after the Vintage or a gleaning after the haruest As therefore Iaacob said of Simeon and Leui Gen. 49.6 7. in whose habitations were the instruments of crueltie so let vs say to Popery Into their secret let not my soule come my glory be not thou ioyned with their assembly Cursed be their wrath for it was fierce and their rage for it was cruell Ob. It may bee you will say Are they not full of workes of mercy in respect of vs Sol. It is true indeed that they are full in shew yet consider with me three things First If wee should neuer so much abound in them if we should exhaust our goods estates lands and liuings yet it would be nothing in their eyes They account them but morall and not religious workes euen such as Heathens doe worke and all because we are not Papists No maruell therefore though they cannot see what good we doe See Doctor Will. Cat. of good W. in the end of his Synop Heb. 6.10 Secondly Blessed be God there are thousands amongst vs of whom according to their abilities we may say as the Apostle to the Hebrewes God is not vnrighteous that hee should forget their worke and labour of loue which they haue shewed toward his name in that they haue ministred to the Saints and yet minister There are many I say whose bowels of mercy doe carry them to counsell the giddy Consule castâ—ga solare remitte fâ—r ora correct the obstinate forgiue the penitent comfort the wounded