and faggot If it be thought that yet this need not bee feared amongst vs I know it well yet we may see by the former considerations what is like to be the successe and we are not quite without experience in those disputes betwixt Mounsieur de Moulin and the Iesuites of France with whom he had to doe who had still the vpper hand in the report of their faction when time soone after hath brought other truth to light Fourthly though they dispute not by proclamation yet they dispute by print for their bookes doe daily flie abroad and they are occasioned in this kinde to doe more than they doe As B. Abbot D. Whitâ— Parâ—râ— c. while they suffer themselues to be beaten backe after their first assault and leaue our champions triumphing in the field Thus we must watch for those things which they plead against vs that so we may preserue our doctrine next wee must watch for those things which they plead for themselues which otherwise may shrewdly shake vs and moue vs in our minds before we are aware But what are these Marke I pray you They will tell you of their Scripture What the Papists plead for themselues Walsingh search out of the defence of the censure holinesse humilitie learning miracles dangers and other wonderfull conueniences of their religion And oh how plausible are these in the sight of a naturall man First they wâ—ll tell you that they haue expresse Scriptures for a great number of their doctrines which they hold against vs which wee cannot auoid without glosses Scriptures and wee haue no expresse Scripture against them And how faire doth this appeare to him that is willing to rule his conscience by the word of God therefore watch I pray you Concerning the supremacie of Peter and so of the Pope they will tell you that Christ said to Peter Marth 16.18 Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my Church But these words are not plaine to that end for hee doth not say Thou art rocke and vpon thee rocke I will build my Church but Thou art Peter and answerable to thy name which signifieth a stone thou hast made a confession of Christ which shall be and is a rocke whereupon I will build my Church But as for vs we haue plaine Scripâ—ures against that proud supremacie 1 Cor. 3.11 for other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid which is Iesus Christ And if it be said that Peter and the Pope are successiuely ministers and supporters in the same foundation then the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 12.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that there are diuersities of administrations but the selfe-same Lord and for matter of ministerie wee haue it plainly that the Church of God is built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Ephes 2.20 as well as vpon Peter that is vpon their doctrines and confessions Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone For their breaden-god in the Sacrament they will tell you that they haue expresly the words of Christ Matth. 26. saying This is my bodie Yet our Sauiour doth not say This is my naturall bodie which was borne of the Virgin Marie or This is my bodie as it shall be when I am glorified because we know that he had his mortall bodie sitting at the table with his Disciples which had not yet suffered death But as for vs though we need not any such phantasticall place as should say This is the signe of my bodie because we doe beleeue that in those words of promise Christ doth expresse his plaine meaning according to the nature of the thing that he hath in hand which is the Sacrament and that hee had not spoken so plainly and so fitly if hee should haue said This is a signe of my bodie because he was to represent in those words vnto his Church that in the faithfull receiuing of those signes and seales they should haue whole Christ with all his merits conueyed and setled vpon them Yet this wee haue in plaine words against Christs corporall presence that the heauen must containe him till the time that all things be restored Act. 3.21 Againe for their iustification by works they will tell you that they haue expresly the words of Iames which say that of workes a man is iustified Iam. 2.24 and not of faith onely Which yet are not so expresse as they dreame for by works the Apostle must needs vnderstand the cause with the effect or a liuing and working faith made manifest by works both because otherwise the Apostle would neuer bring in the Scripture which proueth iustification by faith and say Vers 23. that the worke of his offering vp of his sonne was the fulfilling of that Text which speaketh of faith as also Gen. 15.6 because otherwise it would be an absurd inference to say that because Abraham beleeued God Vers 24. therfore ye see that man is iustified of workes and not of faith onely Any man may see that the Apostle to cut the combes of Securitanes who rested in a naked idle and vnprofitable faith saith that we cannot be saued but by that faith which worketh out our saluation Phil. 2. or proceedeth in the way to heauen by loue because it is onely such a faith that iustifieth vs which of necessitie goeth before saluation But for vs wee haue plaine words which tell vs euen when the Apostle speaketh of purpose of iustification that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Law therefore by faith onely Rom. 3.28 Rom. 4.5 and that we must renounce in this case euen the works of righteousnesse which we haue done Tit. 3.5 Ephes 2.9 10. and those workes whereunto we are built in Christ Iesus that we should walke in them Againe for the keeping of the Law they will tell you that they haue the plaine words of Paul which say Rom. 2.13 that the doers of the Law shall be iustified which yet are not so plaine as they pretend because they speake no other but with vs that the Law containeth a patterne of perfect righteousnesse and that if we could doe it we should be iustified by the deed Suppositivè But for vs we heare the Scriptures speake plainly that in many things we sinne all Iam. 3.2 1 Iohn 3.4 and that if we sinne we doe transgresse the Law Againe for that proud and cursed doctrine of merit they will tell you that the Scripture often saith plainly Rom. 2.6 that God will reward euery man according to his works Rom. 4.4 yet we see plainly that there is wages counted by fauour as well as by debt in which respect Gods reward may argue Gods free loue and mercy and promise and not our desert especially considering what Christ who teacheth vs not to lie doth teach vs to say that when we haue done all things Luk. 17.10 which are commanded
in praying with him yea though his tongue be the pen of a ready writer Truly none in it selfe but as the sighes and grones of the heart are linked together in loue to knocke at the gates of heauen to talke with God to binde and open his hands to goe into Gods treasury and fill our selues of Gods dainties or at the least to view them and by confidence to craue and enjoy them What beauty is there to heare a company of people to cleere their throats and to chant out a Psalme or song yea though spirituall None in it selfe but as by the voice the graces of the spirit in the heart are exercised as faith in promises feare in threatnings loue and joy in mercies humility in arguments of power and the like When melody is thus made to God in the hid man of the heart this is beauty indeed These are also the beauty of the Lord in our Assemblies saue that now they are more beautifull because knowledge abounds as the waters of the Sea Es 11. in a more plentifull and seasoning manner as also now the sacrifice is more excellent being that one once for all appearing before God for vs and presenting his merits to God as a perfect and sufficient attonement in our behalfe in the highest heauens where is glory for euermore Vse 1 Seeing therefore that the house of God hath such beauty in it let vs looke vpon it and so carry our selues that it may not be wronged by vs but that it may haue the best aduantage to doe vs good To presse this I come first to you my fellow labourers in Christ intreating you in the bowels of our common Sauiour not to besmeare this beauty of the Lord to make the people out of loue with it You know that once the sonnes of Ely made the people to abhorre the sacrifices once was too too often God forbid it should be so againe It is true wee ordinarily complaine of our people and truly wee haue too just cause it being the fault of most to seeke their owne and not either Gods by giuing him his duty or ours by giuing vs our due but be we sure that the blacke coale be not in our own hands It is truly said that our fancy first wrought a face in the Moone from the vnequall enlightning of her vnequall substance and that afterward it was thought that the Sunne had a face too as it may seeme because it should not be outfaced of the Moone God forbid that we who should be as the Sunne in glorious presidents amid this crooked generation should haue our blots and spots because they are to bee found in the Moone and other sublunary creatures within the cope and compasse of our lots our earthly heauens It will condemne them not helpe vs if they bee worse than wee Let them goe alone yet with our compassions teares prayers preachings and examples following to reuoke them but for vs take wee heede that we lay not the least blot vpon the beauty of Gods house either by our Preaching or by our Practice We may doe it by preaching when wee doe discouer either Idlenesse or Pride in preaching Sometimes Idlenesse spewes in the face of this beauty when wee speake whatsoeuer commeth next hand and making a shift to out-runne the houre-glasse with some verball discourse neuer aime before we shoot to pierce and batter the throne of Satan that Christ may dwell in our peoples hearts by faith Sometimes pride creepes vp into the Pulpet and doth so ruffle in false colours that the humble hearer cannot see God in his ordinance Hence is it that euery word shall be so marshalled and euery sentence with its apt fall shâ—ll lie in such aequipage as if the owner were cousen German to that proud man of sinne whose name is six-hundred-sixty-six 666 Hence is it that some are content to borrow their preachings from his Chaplaines as Cowesta Bercorius and a rabble of his croaking Postillers wherein they onely magnifie Player-like conceits and Frier-like elegancies and so make themselues like tinckling Cymbals tickling the eare but not turning the heart vnto God Hearken my brother what Zerubbabel answered to the enemies of Iudah who offered their seruice craftily to build the Temple Ezr. 4 3. It is not for you but for vs to build the house vnto our God So let vs say vnto Popish Authors We need none of your helpe to instruct in righteousnesse and to conuert and comfort our brethren that they may be temples of the holy Ghost Doe we not know that it is a Iesuiticall brag that we are not able to stand before them for learning and eloquence and that all Europe is beholding to their Church for her knowledge Do we not see how ready they are to feede our humors by printing and reprinting such moth-eaten Bookes of theirs as the * Such as think that a pâ—ore Amos plaine Preacher is not worth the hearing Amaziahs of the time doe most hunt after Shall wee thus seed our enemies humors and in magnifying our selues make them swell who are too proud already God forbid I know that there may bee vse of Popish Writers to shew that true mens siluer may be in a theeues purse to confute themselues and to shew the confusions of Babel as is told them to their faces while they are driuen to say through want of sufficient answers wee are wounded with our owne weapons saue that they haue this poore and silly sleight Pâ—â—sâ—â—js â—eunis coâ—sigâ—inâ— that all their diuisions in opinion are compounded in the vnity of their monstrous head before whom they will lay their hands vpon their mouthes when he shall determine yet to lay our foundation in them as too too many doe in Aquinas his Schoole and to build our congregations by them with such poore and powerlesse conceits as are spunne out of the word of the spirit by their wisdome of the flesh doth deforme the beauty of Gods house Secondly we may besmeare the beauty of the Lord by practise to wit partly by ordinarinesse partly by worldlinesse and partly by wickednesse First wee may doe it by ordinarinesse when we doe too much frequent the company of our people It is true that Paul himselfe vpon occasion met his friends at the three Tauernes where no doubt there was much passage much people but seldome hath some sauour in it especially in sports and recreations when mirth breeds familiarity and familiarity contempt Oh how much honour doth bowlings cardings dicings and the like steale from the persons and seruice of the Tribe of Leui who willingly forget that all things are lawfull but all things are not expedient whereas seldomnesse doth make the young men when they see vs to hide themselues the aged to arise and stand vp the Princes to stay talke Iob 29.8 9. and lay their hands vpon their mouthes as Iob speaketh of himselfe Secondly it may bee done by our worldlinesse If with Iudas
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
it to wit when what one Iustice sets vp another pulleth downe and what one pulleth downe another setteth vp so is it with these cursed disorders within from that iarre betwixt Reason Will Affections and Desires that is found in vs. Thirdly selfe-loue For as in the Common-wealth many persons of vile conditions are maintained or some profit which is reaped from them and many houses of notorious disorder are vpheld as if they were the very life-bloud of societies wherein we liue for the greatnesse of that rent which they may bring vnto vs so is there much disorder in our inward iudiciall proceedings because wee loue our selues too well All our Logicke is too little to conclude for our selues and all our reason imployed to bring sackes to our owne mills for the time by profits pleasures honours and the like and for after times let come what can come we care not Fourthly skilfulnesse in subtill euasions for as it is in the Common-wealth because almost no bond lease conueyance or will is so sure but a cunning head can finde a hole to make worke for vncharitable persons and because no cause is so good but an innocent man who is confident in his cause and carelesse in the meanes to cleare it may by subtiltie be ouerthrowne therefore there are many disorders in Courts of outward Iustice so because there are infinite subtilties to daube ouer the conscience for a time there are many disorders in the inward court of our hearts Religion did neuer thriue worse than when the Schoole-men had perplexed euery part with varietie of questions and multitudes of quaeres whereby Religion was drawne from the heart to the head and the kinde worke of conscience neuer went on lesse to our comfort than since we healed the hurt of it with sweet words and stopped vp the mouth of it with politicke euasions Vse These and all other causes of this fault of corrupt reasonings in our selues must be rooted out what though we can please our selues for a time in the want of the loue of God discord in our selues selfe-loue and cunning trickes which are the cause of it yet one day neither all these any of these nor any others shall order our consciences from roaring the truth in our eares In the Proâ—ince of Cottie in Scotland We reade of a stone in Scotland about thirteene foot in height which if we may beleeue it wil so dampe the roaring of a Cannon that if it be shot off on the one side the report cannot be heard on the other But we shall finde no such defence from the cries of conscience when before the iudgement seat of God the secrets of our vnderstandings memories wills affection Rom. 2.16 and bodies yea all secrets shall be iudged by Iesus Christ according to the Gospell Oh therfore ye that are witnesses to propound the truth looke vnto conscience speake the whole truth and nothing but the truth for conscience sake Let not malice ill will priuate gaine make you to offend conscience for a world Yee that are the Iurie to apply this truâ—h according to law take heed that yee incline not to the looke to the word to the profit to the pleasure of any man whatsoeuer what or who can doe you good when your consciences are wounded when yee are called to an account for the breach of the peace of your consciences Then surely as Seneca when he came to his Farme and saw the house which he had builded decayed a tree which he had planted rotten a Boy which hee had brought vp with gray haires Quocunque oculâ—â— conuertoâ— deo documentance aetatis said whithersoeuer I looke I behold the monitors of my age so yee shall see on euery side the remembrancers of your woe Your honours the Iudges watch ouer the peace of your consciences in your conclusions Ye may often reade and thinke of that Iudge whom your Fortescue mentioneth Saepius ipse mihi fassâ—es est quâ—d nunquam in 〈◊〉 iâ— animum cius de hoc sacto â—pâ—purgaâ—et who hauing condemned a Gentlewoman to death for the murther of her husband vpon the bare accusation of her man which was afterwards found false Often confessed vnto him that hee should neuer during his life be able to purge or cleare his conscience of that fact And to conclude that conscience may be the better furthered in all others we that are men of God men of conscience looke we to conscience Haue we another way to heauen than we teach others that we should teach them to keepe a good conscience and neglect it our selues In the feare of God please we our consciences and not our passions or the lusts of your youth and as Seneca willed Lucilius to doe all things as if graue Cato were present so let vs doe all things as if our consciences looked vpon vs yea as Hierome whether he did eat or drinke or walke and so forth he thought he heard that fearefull voice Arise ye dead and come to iudgement so let vs heare the voice of conscience We presse our people to walke in the presence of their consciences at the least once a day but for vs as at the bankes of Euboia the sea doth ebbe and flow seuen times a day so let vs doe it seuen times a day also Oh how would this as the Prophet speaketh make vs Priests after Gods owne heart How would it kill pride passion contention selfe-loue couetousnesse and the like which make vs many times lesse profitable to Gods people yea and to account them which haue many graces the scum of our assemblies Is not this to be iudges of euill reasonings Well let all of vs thinke how this power of conscience abused will pay vs home at the last Call to minde the example of Iames Abbes the Martyr Fox Acts and Monuments who being drawne by craftie reasonings to fall from the Gospell was pitiously vexed in conscience and could haue no rest till he went and told the Bâ—shop that it repented him that euer he had consented to their wicked perswasions Remember Thomas Whittle who being constrained through imprisonment to yeeld to the Bishop of London afterwards felt such a hel in his conscience that he could scarcely refrain from destroying himselfe and could be at no rest till he was vnder the crosse againe Forget not also that which we reade of Archbishop Cranmer who writing for feare of death contrarie to truth was more troubled in conscience for it than for all that euer he did and therefore because his hand writ contrary to his heart he would burne that first The like wee reade also of William Sparrow who after submission to Popish Idolatrie went with a troubled soule and could not be quiet till hee had preached against it and professed that if euery haire of his head were a man he would burne them all rather than goe from the truth againe Let vs alwaies haue fresh in our memories these and the like examples
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
beare with the weake and pray for all to be praied for Visito poto â—ibo redimo tego colligo condo There are many who doe visit the sicke giue drinke to the thirsty feed the hungry redeeme the captiues cloath the naked reduce the wandring and build houses of reliefe for the aged and impotent There are many and many such I say and I pray God that there may bee more knowledge of the Lord Es 11.6 7 8 9. euen as the waters that couer that sea that the Lions may eat straw that is that the cruell oppressors may not liue vpon rapine but innocently and that the Wolfe the Lion the Leopard and the Beare may bee lead by the little childe that is that the meanest of Gods Ministers may finde those that are most cruell by nature so obedient to the doctrine of Iesus Christ that they may be altered and lead to workes of mercy in such kinds as the Gospell requireth that so the mouthes of them of Gath and Ashkalon may be stopped and they may euer be ashamed to barke against vs againe Thirdly who are these that except against vs I am sure we haue more iust cause to except against the Popish works of mercy because whatsoeuer they doe it is in pride and vaine-glory to merit an eternall estate Their works proceed not from faith neither are they sanctified by faith because they tend to maintaine idlenesse and pride against God and Christ in Monasteries of perfection as they dreame which God doth not allow Ob. Yea but you will say herein doth the mercy of their religion appeare that in the daies of Poperie good house-keeping did more abound Sol. I answer first to the persons who doe obiect it and secondly to the obiection it selfe To the persons that plead thus I answer two things That such are either idle vnprofitable and ale-house drones who could be content for the most part to liue vpon other mens costs and to be maintained at other mens tables or else that they measure God and religion by the belly like the vnbeleeuing Israelites who because they had not plenty in the wildernesse where they were in the way to libertie would returne into Aegypt againe to their flesh-pots with Idolatrie To the obiection it selfe I say Put case that there were better house-keeping and greater plenty of all things is this a note of the true religion or of the mercy of it No surely For first plenty of all things is giuen to godlesse persons Psal 73.3 4 5. It was Dauids temptation that the foolish had no bands in their death but were lustie and strong and were not in trouble like others neither plagued like other men It was Iobs trouble Iob 21.7 8 9 10 11 c. that the wicked did grow in wealth that their houses were peaceable without feare that their bullocke gendred and failed not that they sent forth their children like sheepe well clad and their sonnes danced c. It was Ieremies griefe Ier. 12.1 2 c. that the way of the wicked did prosper and that they were in wealth who did rebelliously transgresse Secondly greater plenty may be in the times of Idolatrie than when true Religion is practised and embraced Neuer forget that of the Prophet Ieremie Ier. 44.16 17 18 19. Full. Misâ—eâ—â— lib. 1. cap. 13. He bringeth in the Idolaters who had gone a whoring after Ashteroth the queene of heauen that is the Moone pleading thus that they would burne incense to the queene of heauen and powre out drinke-offerings vnto her because when they did so they were well and had plenty of all things and felt none euill but since they left it they had scarcenesse of all things and were consumed with the sword and with famine Thirdly they who are void of loue may be good house-keepers and liberall persons This Paul seemes to imply when he saith 1 Cor. 13.3 Though I feed the poore with all my goods and haue not loue it profiteth me nothing and wee know that vaine-glory and the praise of men doe ordinarily produce these effects euen in Pharisies Matth. 6.1 2. Lastly we may not wonder that there should be worse house-keeping now than in former times of Idolatry For the poore receiue the Gospell and the things of this world which are the matter of hospitalitie are more generally giuen as the rewards of this life to them that haue no assurance of a reward in heauen There are many conuinced of the truth of the Gospell but few are conuerted and so they are not filled with mercy and compassion as they should be And yet wee are not to blame our religion which is mercifull but such hard-hearted persons that doe not make that vse of it which they should but had rather spend their estates in garish pompe pride and prodigalitie than in releeuing the Saints of God Loe thus doth it still stand good that our Religion rather than Poperie hath this marke of mercy vpon it notwithstanding these shewes The last ground which I propounded to be considered from hence is this that Pure religion will keepe vs from open and professed tainture This is that which the Apostle implieth when he saith that it keeps our selues vnspotted of the world to wit if wee hearken and yeeld vnto it for the ruling of our hearts For otherwise it will doe vs no more good than physick which is presently vomited vp againe Religion in the very essence of it is a doctrine of liuing well called 1 Tim. 3.16 The mysterie of godlinesse 1 Tim. 6.3 and the wholsome words of our Lord Iesus Christ and the doctrine which is according to godlinesse The knowledge of it is of the truth which is according to godlinesse Tit. 1.1 Tit. 3.8 and the fruit of it is a carefulnesse to shew forth good workes all which doe imply that where true religion is it will keepe vs from open and professed tainture So long as Nicholas and Iezabel were ruled and swayed by true religion they were not spotted of the world but when they fell from that then was the one the founder and the other the protector of that cursed sect of the Nicolaitanes Psal 45.8 All Christs garments smell of Myrrhe Aloes and Cassia saith the Psalmist It may be he would signifie thus much vnto vs from the nature and vse of these three things named that those garments or ornaments wherewith he couereth vs his bodie in the sight of his Father are Comfortatiue Compurgatiue and Conseruatiue that is that the riches of Gods glorious grace which are communicated to vs from Christ will comfort vs against the guilt of sinne will purge vs from the filth of sin and will preserue vs from the dominion and power of sinne In which respect God speaketh vnto the religious not only as to those that are comforted 1 Ioh. 5.21 but to those that are purged Flie from Idols 2 Cor. 6.17 and goe out from