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
without it Thus we shall resemble that man after Gods owne heart Psal 84. whose soule longed and fainted for the Courts of the Lord. Fourthly we must desire the word by supernaturall instinct By instinct Babes in desiring the dugge doe not respect the profit the pleasure the goodnesse and nourishment of it but are carried vnto it by a naturall instinct so we must be addicted vnto the word not for eloquence learning law or times sake but by a supernaturall instinct and spirituall inclination to seeke nourishment from thence from whence we receiued our being in grace Let these foure be tokens of our nâ—w â—irth which if wee finde in our soules yea but in desire prouided there be a purpose and endeuour to increase let me then say vnto vs all with ioy that if we care a while we shall be for euer safe Secondly we may know that we receiue motion from Christ our head How wee may know that wee receiue motion from Christ our head if our heads and hearts be not moued to the world as the world but as it may be in any of the kindes of it a testimonie of Gods loue and a necessarie supply for our pilgrimage in this vale of teares It is true â—hat Agar may be in the familie for seruice but Sarah must be mistresse Abraham may build a Groue for his delight Gen. 21.33 â—ut hee must not forget God but call vpon the Lord the euerlasting God there The things of this world are but left-hand blessings and they must be vsed accordingly We all feele to our griefe that naturally we are carried to the earth but Christ swayeth his members another wâ—y For as it is wiâ—h the waters of the Sea though by their naturall course they follow the Center yet by obedience to the Moone they are subiect to her motion As it is conceiued and resolued by the wise men of nature and so turne and returne ebbe and flow and are kept in continuall motion to keepe them from corruption so is it with Christs members though by their owne motion they are carried to the earâ—h yet by obedience to Christ their first mouer they seeke the things that are aboue to keepe themselues from corrupting Lastly we may know that we as members doe worke for Christ How wee may knoâ— that wee worke for Christ our head if we seeke to aduance the honour of Christ in all things but especially in our selues If we looke into our owne soules wee shall finde that there is a cursed carnall wisdome which will worke a glorying in our worldly happinesse and an aduancing of our owne righteousnesse and moralitie together with a drawing vs to pride our selues in the many graces which God hath giuen vs. But if wee can wisely separate the worke of Christ from our owne working and when we feelingly consider our selues cry out with that holy Martyr Gehennah sum Domine I am hell Lord I am hell and with the blessed Apostle I am the least of Saints I am the chiefe of sinners and notwithstanding all the graces that are in vs to say in humble wise with the same Apostle I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 7.25 and againe thanks be to God for his vnspeakable gift then with a holy confidence in the merits of our Sauiour wee may write our selues members of Christ Thus I hope that through Gods goodnesse I haue in some measure satisfied the first demand and made it appeare vnto vs how wee may discerne our selues to be the members of Christ What are those gifts of members which we doe receiue in our ingrafting into Christ The second question may be this What are those gifts which we doe receiue in our ingrafting into Christ by which it may be manifested vnto vs that we are new creatures and in Christ I answer that there are many gifts which God bestowes vpon vs at that time but I shall onely speake of those that are most sensible in their working as being most manifest discouerers of our new estates in Christ These gifts are two The first is the death of sinne the second is the life of grace Sinne must die and by degrees perish Grace must liue and by degrees flourish in vs if we be new creatures in Christ First sinne must die in vs. This the Apostle expresseth by mortifying our earthly members Mortification by crucifying the old man with the lusts thereof and by casting off concerning our conuersation in times past Col. 3.5 Gal. 5.24 Eph. 4.22 which is corrupt through the deceiueable lusts For the effecting whereof I would haue you distinctly conceiue these two points First what we must doe against sinne Secondly what we must suffer for the death of sinne As for our doing against sinne we must imitate the crucifying of Iesus Christ What we must doe against sinne which is an exact patterne of Gods iustice against sinne First wee must attache sinne by not suffering it freely to doe that mischiefe which it hath done It hath conuersed formerly in our soules without controll but now we must begin to thinke that it is possible for sin to be our enemie We must suspect it of felonie and treason against God therefore we must lay hands vpon it and resolue that it shall not haue that liberty to play its prancks as it hath had This counsell Paul giues to the Romanes when he saith Let not sinne reigne that is Rom. 6.12 13. call the authoritie of it into question giue not your members as weapons vnto it call in your forces from it and put it in hold that it may be forth-comming to answer that which shall be laid vnto its charge Secondly We must arraigne sinne by bringing of it vnto a iudiciall triall before the barre of our consciences as before Gods deputie We must examine it vpon the dishonour which it hath done to the God of mercy the wounds it hath made in our soules and the hurt it hath done to all which wee are and haue want of this it was that God complained of by Ieremy when hee hearkened and heard and no man spake aright saying What haue I done That is Ier. 8.6 no man betweene God and his owne soule called his sinne to an account Thirdly wee must indite sinne by making the accusation of it as large as the flying booke of Zacharies curses As if we should say O my God Zach. 5.2 this rebell sinne dishonoureth thee defaceth thy image makes me like the deuill hides thy fatherly countenance from me grieues thy spirit and wounds my conscience Luk. 15.17 18 19 and the like Thus the prodigall laid to the charge of sinne that he died for hunger that he had sinned against heauen that he departed from his father and that he was not worthy to be his sonne 1 Cor. 11.31 Fourthly we must condemne sinne by iudging of it out of measure sinfull and our selues for it worthy of
eternall wrath Ezek. 36.31 Marke the words of the Prophet Yee shall remember your wickednesse and your deeds which were not good and shall iudge your selues worthy to haue beene destroyed for your iniquities and abhominations Thus the Prodigall iudged himselfe not worthy to be called his fathers sonne Luk. 15.19 Most of vs iudge our selues better than we are because we compare our selues with our selues and with them that are worse some iudge themselues worse than they are as some few poore afflicted soules who being ouer-borne with the violence of temptation cannot see themselues in Christ but in the Law but we must passe righteous iudgement and that without repeale Fiftly we must execute sinne and to this end we must doe three things First wee must make a crosse for it by crossing and thwarting all the slights and fetches of sinne whereby it would gaine vpon vs. And this must be by caring and speedy paines-taking in our soules both after the pardon of sinne 2 Coâ— 7.11 and after power against it by apologie or clearing of our selues and vomiting the poyson of sin vp by hearty confession so soone as it is committed by indignation in renouncing all friendship with sinne and being angry with our selues that we should be such varlets as to commit it by fearing lest we should fall into it againe by desiring spirituall communion and fellowship with God in Christ in the vse of such meanes as God hath appointed for our strengthning by Zeale burning vp and consuming all fleshly loue and desire after sinne and all sluggishnesse to the practise of contrary graces by reuenge depriuing it of that which doth maintaine it that is not onely the lusts of pleasure and profit but the garment spotted by the flesh together with all occasions which may either draw on sinne or incourage it to be the more bold or take new hold vpon vs as excesse in our Christian libertie either in the vse of our meats drinks or cloathing Of these parts is the crosse of sinne excellently framed to bring it vnto death Secondly wee must number sinne amongst theeues before wee will execute it Wee vse not to execute any but those which are malefactors to this end therefore wee must account sinne so and reckon it to be as odious as may bee For thus wee shall both keepe our selues from danger when the very thought of the greatnesse of it doth affright vs as also we shall manifest our hatred of sinne when all the rhetoricke and eloquence we haue is little enough to set out the deformitie of it Thirdly for the executing of sinne wee must die with Christ for by faith we must set our selues in his roome and feele so neere an vnion betwixt him and vs that his death may really be ours and wee virtually die in him Then shall we haue our iust plea against all allurements to sinne How shall we that are dead to sinne liue yet therein Rom. 6.2 We cannot and be in Christ too for he that hath suffered in the flesh saith Peter hath ceased from sin 1 Pet. 4.1 2. that he hence-forward should liue as much time as remaineth in the flesh not after the lusts of men but after the will of God Thus deare Christians haue I taught you what wee must doe against sinne that sinne may die which because it cannot be without our passion and suffering therefore in the second place consider what wee must suffer for the death of sinne My hope and desire is that as your soules haue gone along with me hitherto so they shall still hold out vnwearied in such sauing points of diuinitie We must suffer for the death of sinne some things that goe before it some things that come with it and some things that doe follow after it First yee know that ordinarily sicknesse goeth before death so we must be sicke of sinne As a man that is stomack-sicke can haue no ease till the humors be abated one way or other so must it be betweene vs and sinne till sinne be abated Looke vpon Dauid 〈…〉 and you shall see that his bones were troubled his soule was vexed his heart fainted his eies were dimmed his bed was washed his couch was watered and all because he knew his iniquities and his sinne was euer before him Pâ—â—l â—1 â— When Dauid was thus sicke of sinne there was hope that the graue should be digged for it ere long meane while the spirit within him compelled him to goe to the Physitian of his soule and say O Lord heale mee for my bones are vexed And againe O Lord deliuer my soule that the bones which thou hast broken may reioâ—ce Secondly yee know that two things come with death namely decay of senses and pangs of death so these two things also we must suffer for the death of sin Our sense of sinne must decay our eies must feebly behold the obiects by which â—inne is nourished See â—y Sâ—râ—on vpon Gal. â— â— We must turne them away from beholding vanitie with pleasure our eares must not endure to heare of it as I haue said before Our senses abused are the Deuils cinque-ports both to let out that wickednesse which is bred in our hearts Mâ—â—â—m 〈◊〉 〈…〉 and to let in that which by the aduersarie is sowed in the field of Gods creatures when therefore we doe challenge them from the Deuill Iâ—b 31.1 and sense them for Gods vses as Iob when he made a couenant with his eyes and Dauid when hee would hearken what the Lord will say and the like then doe â—hey decay and perish from sinne and from vncleannesse Againe we must finde to the griefe and vâ—xâ—tion of our naturall estate that our sinnes doe struggle and striue as for life and are vnwilling to die The Deuill finding his kingdome in sinne to be diminished must then or neuer bestirre himselfe as a she Lion robbeâ— of her whelpes We know by common experience that the birth of a childe naturall cannot be without paine so neither can the birth of the new man that hid man of the Heart Was it not a paine to the Israelites to be called out of Aegypt and in the wildernesse to be fitted for fellowship with God by thunderings lightnings earthquakes and the like It is no lesse to all Gods Sonnes whom he calleth out of the Aegypt of sin whereof Pharaohs Aegypt was but a type and shadow Therefore was Dauid cast into the deepe Psal 130.1 out of which hee called vnto God and when Ionas was of a prodigall to become a conuert he cried vnto God out of the belly of hell Ionas 2.2 Thirdly yee know that two things also follow after death to wit coldnesse and putrâ—faction euen so these two things also we must suffer for the death of sinne for first sinne must be cold in vs Before it was as it were our life bloud in our account without which we could not liue If euer we shewed any
the good Word of God which is able to saue our soules As wee doe wry our mouthes with the new borne babe after the dugge of Gods Word so with the growne man we haue a good stomacke and appetite vnto it The huskes of mans wisdome and humane traditions are hunted after of those of whom the Apostle saith Beware of dogges Phil. 3.2 but the man of God hungreth to heare God speake And because he knowes that he is borne againe for the kingdome of God therfore though when he meets with the things of this world he doth thankfully embrace them vse them as if he vsed them not yet he seekes after the things aboue Col. 3.1 aboue the world the Church aboue nature grace aboue the fauour of Princes the grace of God aboue sinne a Sauiour aboue earth heauen If therefore it be thus with our soules that as all creatures do seek their meats sutable to their natures the Lion flesh the Horse grasse the Fowles Wormes the Catts Mise and the Bees hony so we doe hunt after these things then haue we entred into this life Secondly Those helpes that doe respect our enemies are our naturall vigilancy and watchfulnesse against that which doth thwart and oppose life And from this head I shall commend vnto you two signes of life The first is Sensiblenesse of the least degree of death or opposition of life He that is in an irrecouerable estate 2 Sensiblenesse of death findes not the least degrees of death creeping vpon him and when hee is readie to die saith He is well whereas he that is well is sensible of the least distemper but if a man be dead he doth not feele death it selfe he heares no alarum to battaile sees not the approach of any enemy nor smels the stinke of any wound So if we be in a spiritually-dead estate we feele not killing sinne to approach Prou. as Solomon saith of the foole Hee casteth fire-brands arrowes and mortall things and saith I am not in iest So we make sport vnto our selues in the committing of sinne and say Doe we not liue Yea if we be dead let God send one letter of defiance vnto vs after another for our sinnes we heare and heare not we know and vnderstand not and though from â—he crowne of the head to the sole oâ— the foot there be no part whole 〈…〉 nothing but botches and blaines full of corruption yet wee smell not the stinke of the corruption of our wounds we runne not to the bâ—lme of Gilead wee desire not the good Samaritane to helpe vs but if wee are aliue oh how doe we scud from death as the fearfull Hare from the greedie Hound How doth the least approach of this death by the least sinne make vs cry out with Paul Wretched man that I am Rom. 7. who shall deliuer mee from the bodie of this death Poore Christians who are deiected and cast downe at the fearefull fight of their owne guiltinesse the more sensible they are of the death of sinne the more they cry out of themselues as of dead men whereas if they would passe righteous iudgement they should conclude that the spirit of life is in them 3 Fiâ—hing against death The next signe of life is fighting against that which would take it away The liuing worme being trod vpon will turne vp the taile Heare O worme Iacob so wilt thou if thou haue any life in thee When the worme feeleth the earth to be shaken presently it commeth running out of the earth fearing the approach of the mole so if thou liue when thou feelest the shaking of the cabbin of thy ease and securitie thy bodie I meane by paineâ— acheâ— and diseases then thou dost presently startle come to the doore to see what newes meet thine enemy death disarme him and pull out his sting that at the last â—he conquest may bee thine Againe is there life in vs then the Spirit of life doth fight against the flesh â—om â— â— lest wee liuing after it do die Oh how doe liuing men striue against the whole bodie of sinne and death How doth the spirit lust agaâ—nst the flesh Yea Gal. 5.17 how doth the liuing spirit get the vpper hand and sight more manfully euery day than other especially against that sinne which doth most crosse it I haue kept me from my wickednesse saith Dauid that is Pâ—â—l 18.23 that sinne whereunto hee was most inclined euen so must we if we haue this new life This is the way to finde all liuing grâ—â—es to increase all sin to be in a decaying estate For we know that there is no equall match betweene the old man the new as God smites the enemies of his people on the checke bone that is Psâ—l 3.7 hee deales not with them as with men but as with boyes in stead of opposing them with swords and stauâ—â— hee sends them away with a boxe on the eare so will the liuing spirit deale with the dying flesh it will master it at the last as a growne man would a childe and ouercome it with lesse difficultie though not without all danger to it selfe Secondly Where there is the life of grace there will be an imployment of our strength in the acts of life The actions of liuing men are proper to men that are aliue so are they to these new men From this head therefore I shall giue you further two sorts of signes either such as doe concerne a mans owne indiuiduall person or those which are shewed for succession in propagating their kinde They which doe concerne a mans person are two 4 The breath of the new man First if we can freely draw the breath of the new man It is a signe of life to men of the world if wee can freely draw that breath which God doth offer for the prolonging of naturall life so likewise is this a signe of this new life if wee can freely draw the breath of Gods mouth which God doth breathe vnto the hid man of the heart And what breath is this but the Spirit of the Lord in the Scriptures Marke therefore if wee can draw in the Word of God to the cooling comforting and refreshing of our weary hearts which pant vnder the burden of sinne and if we can put it out againe both to coole the violence and fierie courses of sinfull men and to heat and warme the lukewarme and frozen hearted sonnes of men this will assure vs that we liue the life of God 5 Seruice of God The second signe which doth concerne our persons is this If wee doe put ouer our whole bodies and soules to the seruice of God For as then wee doe liue a naturall life when we doe imploy all our strength to the seruice of nature and as then wee doe liue a loyall life to our Soueraigne when wee are wholly taken vp for his honour and maintenance in good so then wee liue the life of
is able to receiue it for the nourishment of his soule which communion doth in this differ from a bare spirituall communion Signis adhibitis vel non that all sacramentall communion is spirituall but all spirituall is not sacramentall because this is in the lawfull vse of Gods signes to this purpose So we haue a spirituall fellowship with Chirst when the spirit of God doth apply Christ vnto vs by faith and doth so bring home and concorporate him vnto vs that from the fountaine of his holinesse in whom all fulnesse dwelleth we finde our selues inclined and quickned to all holy obedience and can feelingly say That in that we forsake sinne it is from the power of Christ and in that wee purpose and endeuour good it is by the same power also And of this spirituall communion doth the Apostle speake in this place The fourth phrase is in these words I liue in the flesh He doth not say that he liued of the flesh or after the flesh as if he danced after natures pipe but In the flesh As all are not Israel that are in Israel so all are not of the flesh or after the flesh that are in the flesh What therefore is it to liue in the flesh It is to liue in the body for as flesh is taken for corrupted man when the Apostle saith That flesh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdome of heauen and for the corruption of man as when the holy Ghost saith The flesh lusteth against the spirit so is flesh taken for the body of man by an elegancy of speech when a member is taken for all the parts integrall or for the whole And thus it is taken in this place I liue in the body The fifth hard phrase is in these words I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God What doth he meane by this I liue by faith which doth its right office to spie out to run vnto and to receiue the Sonne of God For whereas vpon the former speech that Iesus liued in him it might be said Must not the heauens containe him Yes saith the Apostle for he liueth in me by faith not by sight But you will say why is it called the faith of the Sonne of God Not because wee should conceiue that faith which Iesus Christ had in himselfe but that faith in vs whereby he is had and possessed of vs and is so called for three reasons First because the Sonne of God hath purchased it for vs. The Father would not haue willed it vs the Holy Ghost would not haue wrought it in vs if Christ had not bought it for vs. Secondly because only the Son of God in Christ doth make our faith to be lawfull and laudable As Christ is man he is a creature and we must not flie to any creature for life and saluation and therefore not beleeue in him This then is it which makes our faith in him to be warrantable that hee is the onely Sonne of God Thirdly because it is not beleefe in any other person in the diuine nature that doth conueigh life vnto vs. As veines arteries sinewes muscles and the like doe not conueigh life sense and motion into the parts of a mans body but as they doe receiue them from their owne proper head and heart from whence they are shot so faith doth not conueigh spirituall life but as it doth receiue it from our spirituall head Christ Iesus Thus you may see our faith Relativè Obiectivè Instrumentalièr called the faith of Christ in respect of that relation which is betwixt him and it he being the sauing obiect of it and that being the instrument to conueigh life from him to euery beleeuer Thus we haue the seuerall phrases of the Text which in their totall sum make vp the Apostles meaning to be thus much Summe of the Text. Doe not thinke that by the doctrine of Iustâ—fication by faith alone in Christ I doe abolish the doctrine of Sanctification by the same Christ for by vertue of my vnion with Christ by faith I doe finde that from the fountaine of his holinesse out of whose fulnesse I doe receiue grace for grace my sinful lusts are crucified and I perceiue my selfe so quickned in the inner man translated from one glory to another into the Image of God that I dare say It is not I that now liue but my Sauiour who liueth in me by faith whereby hee purifieth my heart to make mee a peculiar Christian to himselfe chosen vnto good workes We hauing now stayed long enough vpon the sense may it please you from the seuerall deductions to desire further benefit And to this end in these words let vs consider two things First Paul his method which is this He was first killed and then he was made aliue Secondly Paul his matter in which he doth in his owne person set downe a double estate of ours First our estate in nature which is implied and may â—e thus expressed that vntill we haue faith we are but dead men For if wee liue only by faith in Christ then before we haue it we are but dead men Secondly our estate in grace which is expressed and may be set downe in three chiefe points of doctrine First that wee haue communion in the death of Christ Secondly that by vertue of this communion we liue by Faith Thirdly that it is from the vertue of Christ that we are quickned vnto all holy obedience To come first to Pauls method we are to obserue that as Paul saith He is crucified before he liueth So We must die before we can be made aliue I might here distinguish betwixt death naturall death ciuill as it is termed in Law death spirituall and death eternall that so I might signifie what death I meane but that it is plaine enough without that labour Only remember that it is one thing to die for sinne as malefactors who are put to death another thing to die in sinne as finally impenitent sinners and another thing to die vnto sinne as the godly In which sense we must die before we can be made aliue As it is with the bodie we must all die or all be changed 1 Cor. 15. before we must liue for euer which the holy Ghost maketh plaine by the similitude of Wheat or some other graine so is it with the soule Hence is it that God doth both exhort vnto this death Coloss 3.5 when he saith Mortifie your earthly members and also promiseth life vpon that death when hee saith Rom. 8.13 If yee mortifie the deeds of the bodie by the Spirit yee shall liue Neither may we wonder at this truth whether we consider the goodnesse of grace or the malice of sinne First if we respect the goodnesse of grace it is expressed by two effectuall words for this purpose For sometimes it is called a Resurrection Apoc. 20.6 Iohn 5.25 as Iohn saith Blessed are those that haue part in the first Resurrection And
of the Priests Court and whoso was found perfect and fit was clothed in white and accounted worthy To what end should the care of God and man concurre in this if it were not necessary You haue learned how to apply deeper things I will therefore end this rule with that speech of Ierome to Nepotian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sors Talem se exhibere debet vi ipse possideat dominum pos ideatur a domino Ministers are therefore called Clergie-men either because they are the Lords lot or because the Lord is their lot and portion Now he which either is the Lords part or hath the Lord for his ought to carie himselfe that both hee may possesse the Lord and bee possessed of him The last rule which I would commend vnto you to be obserued that you may proue your selues to bee sent of God is to be in a readinesse to giue your Master an account of your seruice For this is an argument of faithfulnesse and faithfulnesse of a diuine Sender who before he sends can try the heart and reines Put case therefore that now yee heard that voice of God Arise ye dead and come to iudgement that now the earth did vomit vp her dead that Saint Peter stood vp with his conuerted Iewes and Paul with his Gentiles that Iohn came in with Asia Thomas India and Titus Creta What would ye doe What would ye do I say Could ye say Lord I tooke thy person vpon me to feed thy Sheep of conscience not of couetousnesse to build vp thy kingdome not to inlarge my owne praise and purse I haue walked before thee with an vpright heart in the middest of thine house and now Lord behold I am ready to giue thee an account of my sinceritie though not of my perfection If it be thus my Reuerend and beloued Brethren giue me your hands and let vs with comforts goe together and trade into heauen by prayer studie and meditation for the best commodities that in Gods stead we may enrich his people and present such as belong to him as chast Virgins to God in the day of Christ What shall I now say I will humbly beseech you to measure with loue what I haue said and to supply some of the defects in particulars with what I could say in the throng of my businesses in the Sermon following which I offer vnto your eyes as I haue for the most part vnto your eares at our last Visitation as ye freshly remember and with it I present you with the prayers of my heart that this my seruice may in this kind as it hath in another be accepted and also that it may some way be profitable to prouoke against all Antichristian abhominations So prayeth hee who desires euer to rest From my Studie this 9th of May 1625. Your faithfull fellow-helper in the haruest of CHRIST IESVS Robert Abbott DAVIDS DESIRES PSAL. 27.4 One thing haue I desired of the Lord that will I require that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his Temple WE haue often from this place This Sermon was preached at an Assise beene full fed and fatted with Sermons from Texts which haue put both Iudges and Iurers Lawyers Plaintiffes and Defendants in minde of such duties as God doth require at their hands If you will giue mee leaue this one time to digresse I shall striue to winde vp your hearts to heauen to kindle your affections to religion and religious duties knowing assuredly that if once we be good men we shall also be good Common-wealths men and doe nothing but that which is iust in the sight of God and Man We reade of the Bird of Paradise that shee hauing no legs neuer toucheth the earth but liueth in the aire with the vapors which arise from below till she dieth and then shee falleth to the ground and is discouered Many such birds of Paradise hath our God who though they sucke vpon earthly things for their necessarie releefe and maintenance yet haue their conuersation in heauen and are neuer discouered to be more earthly than when by death they are brought into the wombe and embracings of the earth their common mother Amongst the rest DAVID hath been famous in this kinde whose deuotions doe discouer such liuely graces such mortified lusts such a heauenly minde and such an anatomie of a good soule as the Psalmes are aptly called that as it was with Ierome when he had read the life and death of Hilarion he folded vp his booke and said Well Hilarion thou shalt be the Champion whom I will follow so it may be with vs when we reade the sweet precepts and godly patternes of deuotion in Dauid we may iustly cry out Well Dauid thou shalt be the champion whom we will follow Through the whole bodie of the Psalmes he hath discouered wonders in this kinde neither is this Psalme barren For ye may finde a threefold peece of deuotion in it The first is shewed by eleuation when by an exuberancie of speech he lifteth vp his heart and draweth it to cling close vnto God amid all his enemies Verse 1 2 3. as his light saluation and strength The second is shewed by admiration when he draweth his heart from all the world to loue those meanes wherein God doth communicate himselfe vnto vs. Verse 4 5 6. The third is shewed by petition whereby he draweth his heart to rest vpon God to be vnto him as he had said and to doe vnto him as he had desired Verse 7 8 c. We haue to doe you see with the second discouery of DAVIDS deuotion that is his admiration secretly implied in the frame of his whole speech Wherein by the heauenly disposition of his desires hee doth shew his dependance vpon God in his ordinarie course of offering grace For whereas the soules of men are considered either according to their vnderstandings or according to their desires and appetites reasonable sensitiue DAVID hauing exercised his vnderstanding in the beholding of God as he was to him and as he would be to his enemies doth here exercise his desires to Gods house Touching which desires these three things offer themselues to our consideration 1. The office of his desires which is shewed in two things 1. The first is their choise One thing haue I desired They chose one thing aboue the rest 2. The second is their constancie That will I seeke He doth prosecute his desires and will not let them vanish to no purpose 2. The obiect of his desires The house of God There was nothing after which his heart panted more eagerly than Gods house 3. The motiues of his desires which are two 1. The worth of Gods house in it selfe Beauty amenitie or sweet and amiable presentment which it offereth and holdeth out to the godly view 2. The worth of Gods house to DAVID To inquire in his
a good measure of attainment to the crucifying of sinne and liuing vnto grace and godlinesse In the feare of God let vs now returne into our owne hearts and examine our selues when we are still by these signes to see what proceedings we haue made in passing from death to life that so if we finde our selues to haue part in the first Resurrection we may be assured of our portion in glory to come Hauing thus brought home Paul his method vnto our consciences and knowing that these two things are speciall meanes vnder God to worke it vpon vs to wit the knowledge of our danger and the knowledge of our deliuerance therefore let vs goe on to consider Paul his matter in this Text. In which concerning our miserie implied we are to obserue That without faith we are but dead men If faith in Iesus Christ be our life then without it wee must needs be dead That which God said to Abimelech when he had taken away Sarah Gen. 20. Abrahams wife Thou art but a dead man may be said of all men before their conuersion to God Hence is it that Paul telleth the Ephesians That till Christ came they were dead in sinnes and trespasses Ephes 2.1.5 And the Colossians Col 2 13. That till God quickned them with Christ they were dead in sins and in the vncircumcision of the flesh In this respect those Hypocrites who neuer cast their natural hackle Iude vers 12. are said to be twice dead and plucked vp by the roots yea and for this cause Christ accounteth such no better than dead Iohn 8.24 both when he saith Except yee beleeue that I am he yee shall die in your sinnes As also when hee chargeth Sardi to be dead Apoc. 3.1 and biddeth that cold disciple to follow him Matth. 8.22 and let the dead burie the dead that is let those who for want of faith are spiritually dead in sinne attend vpon the funerals of those who are corporally dead for sinne Neither is this obscurely signified by the Ancients when they doe compare a sinner who goeth on in his naturall course to Lazarus who had beene dead foure daies The first by the lust of sinne the second by consent to sinne the third by the practise of sinne and the fourth by custome in sinne Consuetudo peccandi tollit sensum peccati when vse in sinning doth take away the sense of sinne as in a starke dead man We will not wonder that without faith we should be in no better case if we shall consider the fit resemblances betweene faithlesse and dead men which may be set downe as so many reasons in forcing this truth First because as in dead men naturall heat is extinguished so that if you bring them to the fire put strong waters into their mouthes rub them chafe them yet no heat appeareth so where there is no faith there is no zeale for heauenly things In their owne quarrels they doe with Nebuchadnezzar heat the fornace seuen times hotter but in the quarrels of God they are key-cold as we say and are frozen vpon the dregs of their owne secure hearts as vpon the Icie Sea Secondly because as dead men are so senslesse that their eyes see not their eares heare not their hands touch not their pallats taste not and their nosthrils smell not so in them who are void of faith their eyes see not from whence they are fallen or into what miserie and danger by sinne and punishment their eares heare not the voice of God that they may be saued God calleth out Awake thou that sleepest stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light but they heare not the voice of this charmer charme he neuer so wisely Thirdly because as dead men smell earthly and are carried downeward to the center without any aptnesse to rise and eleuate themselues so where there is no faith men sauour of nothing but the earth according to that of the Prophet O earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord and are carried downeward like moles and muck-wormes and would be beholding to God if they might alwaies liue here in ease singing Peters song vpon the Mount Master it is good for vs to be here Fourthly because as dead men though they haue no life or sense or motion in them yet they haue their eyes looking vp to heauen except as in Iaacobs case some Ioseph close them so faithlesse men will haue an eye to heauen and lookes to that purpose as Balaam when he desired to die the death of the righteous though they are like the writings of liuing men vpon dead mens tombes or a scrole of Scripture going out of the mouth of a man painted in a Church window or on a wall Fiftly because as dead men are subiect to corruption which made Augustine when he beheld Caesars corps in his sepulchre at Rome say to his mother Monica Behold Caesar fallen to rottennesse his belly burst with swarmes of wormes in the hollow of his head where his christ all eyes stood two hungry toads are feeding his teeth appeare for want of lips to couer them and then he crieth out Where is thy magnificence O Caesar so the faithlesse are corrupt like an apple rotten at the coare like an old doating tree perished at the heart Psal 14. according to that of the Psalmist Corrupt are they and are become abhominable in their wickednesse there is none that doth good no not one Vse 1 Thus we haue taken a view of our miserie in this point and may easily receiue from it both matter of doctrine and practise First for doctrine wee may learne three points First what is the reason that so many heare the word and so few are benefited Truly herein lieth the cause because men want faith and so are dead Call and hollow and whoope in the eare of a dead man pinch and pull him yet he ariseth neuer the sooner and we doe not wonder because he is dead so neither can we wonder that those who are dead in sinnes and trespasses doe not heare the voice of God and liue because they are dead Secondly we learne that we haue no disposition in our selues to faith and goodnesse Alas wee thinke that wee haue faith to please God withall at an houres warning therefore we presume to goe on in sinne till the houre of death But can a dead man command faith in the houre of need I know that when God hath inlightned the vnderstanding and reuealed Iesus Christ the obiect to be receiued and rested in and sanctified our soules by giuing vs the spirit of faith which taketh away our naturall death then we are co-workers with God according to that old and true saying The will being first wrought vpon Voluntas acta agit doth together worke with the first mouer but take a man in his first abilitie and possibilitie to helpe himselfe and the bodie is not lesse able to helpe it selfe without
actiuitie it was in sinning we rushed into wickednesse as a horse into the battaile we drunke iniquitie like as the wilde Asse doth water But now our heat is much abated As it was with Iob when God had brought him to see himselfe hee was cold in his pleadings against God and said Once haue I spoken but I will answer no more Iob 39.38 yea twice but I will proceed no further so it is with all Gods people so that if euer they fall into sinne againe they are very buâ—glers at it they cannot hide it and colour it as they did before they cannot giue it the full strength and force of will and affections yea as there is great difference betwixt the naturall worke of a childe and of a man so is there no lesse difference betwixt sinne in the childe of God in whom it waxeth more cold euery day than other and in the wicked who is a man in sinning and in whom it is vigorous and like the Leuiathan in the sea in its owne proper element Secondly sinne must as it were stinke in our nostrils It must be like Lazarus in the graue Iohn 11. of whom it was said he stinketh alreadie As therefore Dauids enemies said to him Fie vpon thee fie vpon thee so must we with loathing say to sinne The Prophet speaking of those that should be true conuerts from Idolatrie Esay 30.22 saith Yee shall pollute the couerings of the Images of siluer and the rich ornament of thine Images of gold and cast them away as a menstruous clout and thou shalt say vnto it Get thee hence Thus muâ—t all true Conuerts deale with all sin If the righteous man can smell sin and iniquity euen in his holy offerings Exod. â—8 38 â—â—aâ—â—4 â— in which respect our righteousnes is as a menstruous and polluted cloth how much more must a penitent man smell hell in his sinne to make him to abhorre it for euermore Me thinkes now my beloued I haue laid a glasse before you wherein you may view your soules God make it to cause a comfortable â—eflexion vpon you that yee may see your owne pictures My hope is that the more yee view it the more yee shall see that it is none other but what yee feelingly and from experience finde to be wrought in you alreadie towards the eternall death of your cursed enemie 2 Viuification Yet yee must goe one step further as I haue told you for as sinne must die and perish so grace must liue and florish The second gift therefore which we doe receiue in our grafting into Christ 2 Cor. 4.10 â—pheâ— 4.18 1 Pet. 4.2 is a new life This is called the life of Iesus and the life of God and liuing after the will of God and Christs liuing in vs liuing vnto God â—al 2.20 Rom. â— â—7 and obeying from the heart vnto the forme of doctrine to which we are deliuered and the like Looke as when there shall be a new heauens and a new earth wherein righteousnesse shall dwell as Peter speaketh there shall be a new life â— Pet 3.13 and a new mâ—nner of liuing for wee shall not need the ordinarie supplies in this world for our necessities or infirmities when the Lambe shall be all in all vnto vs so when wee are new creatures in Christ Iesus wee doe receiue a new life and a new manner of liuing The old course of sinning cannot agree with this estate Rom. 8.1 He that is in Christ must not walke after the flesh but after the spirit Hence is it that Christ saith He that abideth in mee and I in him Iohn 15.5 the same bringeth forth much fruit And Iohn doth strongly second it saying If we say that we haue fellowship with him 1 Iohn 1.6 and walke in darknesse we lie As therefore when we looke vpon the Impes which we haue grafted and see them bring forth bud leafe and fruit we reioyce in the worke of our hands and say they take well so when we looke vpon our selues who are grafted into Christ Philip. 1.11 and see that wee bring forth the fruits of râ—ghteousnesse which are by Iesus wee may reioyce in the worke of Gods hands who hath wrought all our workes for vs and say that we take well Esay 26.12 The Spirit of Christ which in our grafting into him he conueigheth vnto vs is a Spirit of life it is an actiue and operatiue Spirit Rom. 8.2 in which respect the second Adam is called a quickening Spirit What must we doe now I will tell you 1 Cor. 15.45 Seeing those that are new creatures in Christ must liue a new life therefore euery one of vs must trie whether we haue this new life in vs yea or no. I know that the newest life wee can procure cannot deserue Gods presence and fauour yet by Gods gratious acceptation it giues a fit qualification for the entertainment of such a guest as God is For if to bring vs vnto Kings we must not be base and sordid in our persons and conuersations yea we must be acquainted with fit complements for such a presence for Mordecai might not enter into the Kings gate when hee was clothed with sackcloth Host 4.2 much more must we be furnished with fit complements and qualities for the presence of God in Christ and to haue communion and fellowship with him How wee may discouer this new liâ—e Lift we vp our hearts then and let vs consider whether we haue this life in vs yea or no. It may be you will say How shall we know whether we haue this new life of the new creature I answer that this may be discouered vnto vs two waies 1. By our aptnesse in procuring the helps of life 2. By our imployment of our strength in the acts of life First Where there is the life of grace there is an aptnesse to preserue it selfe by procuring the helpes of life Now these helpes doe either respect our selues Helpes of a new life or our enemies That which respects our selues is fit maintenance for grace Fit maintenance Grace thriues not where it cannot bee maintained and wheresoeuer it is it will seeke for more As I said before that in the very entrance of our new birth We will as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word so at that time when our ingrafting into Christ is more manifested vnto our consciences wee still ayme at meanes to maintaine and preserue it Oh how doe we pray to God That God would stablish vs by his free Spirit Psal 51. and not take his holy Spirit from vs How doe we pant vnto God That hee would grant vs according to the riches of his glory â—â—hes 3.16 17. that wee may be strengthened by the Spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith and that wee may bee rooted and grounded in loue How doe we hunger and thirst after