I am who shall deliver me from the bodie of this death and good reason for these spirituall evils of errour in judgement hardnesse of heart securitie seared conscience and the like they leade us the assured way to damnation as it is said in the words following whose end is damnation Contrarily outward crosses being sanctified to us they bring us to heaven as it is 1 Cor. 11.32 Wee are chastened of the Lord that we should not bee condemned with the world For those crosses are occasions of good affections purging the heart from deadnesse and fleshly trust they draw us to God and therefore spirituall danger is the proper object of pitie It is otherwise with us wee lament Christian bloud-shed but how many soules are carried into error dayly turned to Poperie and no remorse no pitie There is great need thereof both in the Magistrate and the Minister that they should bee moved to provide remedies against such mischiefes And let us be farre from envying such as are in ill courses let their outward pompe be never so great rather lament their miserie alas poore soules how are they hurried nay doe willingly runne to destruction while they are blinded with those idle shewes of vanitie But much more miserable is their estate that draw on others to mischiefe that are brethren in evill what other end can they looke for but to bee as tares bound up and cast into the depth of hell being guiltie of as many mens deathes as they are of ill examples in their passed life But for our selves let not our soules come into their secrets le ts mourne at the lewdnesse of some and the danger of all and to this end let us consider duly of the afflictions of Ioseph taking heed of sensualitie which as Hosea saith taketh away the heart Hos. 4.11 Moses saw the miserie of his brethren and pitied them so should we consider of the danger of Popery of Schisme and rebellion and this will breake our hearts and cause us with Ieremie to mourne in secret for the sins of the times Ier. 13.17 VERS 18. They are the enemies of the Crosse of Christ. IN these and the following words is a description of these in ordinate walkers which the Apostle speaketh of they are described by their disposition First outwardly that they are enemies to Christs death Then inwardly their bellie is their God they glorie in their shame and they minde earthly things Then by their end which is damnation They are pointed out and described to us to the end wee might take notice of them by the Crosse is not meant the signe of the crosse as the Papists fondly imagine but Christs death on the crosse whereby was made satisfaction and redemption and reconciliation The enemies of this crosse are first such as added thereto the ceremoniall obedience to the law and their owne satisfactorie workes Secondly such as are carnall denying the power of Christs crucifying in not crucifying their affections Thirdly such as could not indure of suffer for the testmonie of Christs crucifying and therefoe to avoid persecution they pressed circumcision with Christ and so were enemies to his crosse Gal. 6.12 Such were the enemies thereof then and such have wee now of the Papists let them brag never so much of their esteeme and reverence they give to the signe thereof while they seem to kisse it they betray it Iudas like For while they teach merits satisfaction in purgatory indulgences the like they make the crosse of Christ of none effect whic his onely and wholly sufficient in it selfe And whereas they say they doe adde they take nothing from the sufficiencie of Christ I answer circumcision was added here by these who are notwithstanding condemned for as to joyne poyson with wholesome meate takes away the nourishment of the meate so if we be circūcised Christ shall profitus nothing and grace is no grace where there is merit Rom. 11.6 Againe consider the equitie thereof in naturall reason can it be thought likely that God should become man to doe any thing which lies in the power of man to patch up and make good or else its unsufficient shall finite corrupt man be able to make an infinite worke perfect no God will not give his glorie to another and will he part with his glorie in this great worke which propounds his glorie as the maine end thereof Ephes. the 1.6 and 12. verses Fourthly there are another sort of enemies such as cast not themselves on the merits of Christs crosse those whose consciences were never convict of sinne abundance there are who glorie in their proud presumptious swaggering courses shewing that they are either blinde or starke mad they wilfully runne to perditiō they wil not heare nor be controuled Others that see their fore-passed life how wicked it hath bin they are so far from casting themselves on Christs merits as they despair grow more more obstinate therein even to their own destruction either by not seeing the merits of Christ or through want of confidence on thē though they see his righteousnesse to be above their sins and some are so detestably wicked as because they see no salve for them they run desperatly into a custome of sin continue therin to their death As we would desite to avoid this fearfull estate and condition so let us take heed of custome of sinning for that wil make us senselesse and will move God to give us over And therefore let us take heed that we receive no the grace of God in vaine it being so freely proffered to us And to this end know that so far as we suffer our lusts to over rule us we not crucifie them so far we are enemies For while we know and consider Christ as crucified for our sins it will make us if we have any grace think of sin as of a thing that deserves to be crucified and hate that that caused the death of our deere Savious for they were the cruell tormenters of Christ. And if we embrace Christ we shal have the same affectiō to sin that Christ had for Christ wil not lodg but in a hart humbled for sin And the estate of those men is miserable that are so farre from crucifying lusts as they thrust themselves upon all occasions of temptation and sinne and esteeme them as their onely enemies that tell them of their unchristian courses Surely however they may daube for a time yet their outward profession will never administer sound comfort to them but they shall finde bitternesse at their latter end There are yet another sort of enemies namely such as will indure nothing for Christ who notwithstanding bore his crosse and bids us take up our crosse of reproach for religion some will indure any paine travaile danger and watchings for riches or ambition but dare not speake a word or appeare in Christs cause are not these enemies Shall Christ out of his love come from heaven to the basest
them from evill in the world and not that thou shouldst take them out of the world Ioh 17.15 If we be under crosses if this spirit and power of Christ be in us it will enable us to beare all patiently it will keepe us from murmuring and fretting It will also convince us of our naturall estate so as wee shall see evident necessitie of Gods almighty power to change us this made the Apostle Paul and the Iaylor to looke about them for helpe Lord what wouldest thou have me to doe and thus it will make us never to give God rest nor Christ respite till that power that shall raise up our bodies doe raise up also our soules and he shine in us by his spirit that did bring light out of darknes and fashion us as in his wisedome shall be most meet In the next place the consideration of Gods Almightie power should teach us not to be dejected or cast downe at the reports of the afflicted state of the Church abroad it should bring us rather to God to rely upon his goodnes and power for God is ever God almighty and the same mercifull God that ever he was and therfore we should pray for the Church the more instantly that God would give them beautie instead of ashes wee should urge him with his promise of building up and defending of his Church and destroying of Antichrist and let us make the resurrection of the body a ground to strengthen us in the beleefe thereof as the returne of the children of Israel from Babylon was sealed by the resurrection of the dry bones Ezek. 37. as also the Apostle from the resurrection of the dead gathereth that God by that power hath and will deliver him 2 Cor. 1.9 10. Furthermore when wee are oppressed with any extremitie though never so great by continuall meditation of his promises wee should strengthen our selves and apply them to our present estate and condition knowing that he that raised us out of dust will not suffer us to bee buried in miserie but will with the triall give us a gracious issue at the last by raising up our bodies at the last day by his almighty power which made also the Patriarch Abraham to hope above hope what though our helpes be few its no matter what the instrument is so as Christ is the chief worker In the next place This should incourage us to stand out sted fast in a good cause for the truth do not think with our selves alas I am but one and a weake sillie man what can I doe against a multitude let not such thoughts discourage thee thinke of Luther a poore Monke who alone set himselfe against the whole world and wrought that effect that wee have all cause at this day to honour the memorie of him it is not thou but God in thee that is able to confound all thine enemies and therefore with Moses behold him that is invisible Yet further this should bee observed by a Christian as a ground of his perseverance to the end for when wee know we are Christians what can bereave us of our blessings what can make our faith faile its Gods power that will keepe us to salvation and he that beleeveth shall have life and shall not come into condemnation Ioh. 6.39 40.44.47 and many other places and Christ by his almighty power swayes all our life to our building up to salvation and therefore in contraries we should beleeve contraries that death will worke life miserie happinesse corruption incorruption and this vilenesse glorie for its Gods order to worke by contraries that his power might the more appeare And at the houre of death then behold him that is thus able and all-sufficient that shall presently glorifie our soule and at length will raise up our bodie also and unite it to our soule to partake with it in glorie and happinesse that will then quit us of all sinne corruption death change all our enemies shall bee troden under our foote and all this by his almightie power whereby he is able to doe farre above that wee are able to think and therefore let us with a holy admiration thereof say with the Apostle Ephes. 3.20 To him be glorie for evermore Amen FINIS Loâ—uere ut videa 1 Cor. 8.5 Animus â—ujusque is est quisqueâ— 1 The Appellation 2 Exhortation 3 Limitation Meanes to get Ioy. Answ. 1. Ob. Answ. Psal. 120.5 Doctr. 1. Doct. 2. Note 3. Doct. 4. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Reason 5. Reason 6. Vse 1. Vse 2. Rev. 1. and 2 3. Doctr. 1. 1 John 4.1 Quest. Answ. Ob. Answ. A threefold judgment to wit I Of Discretion II Of Directiâ—n III Of Jurisdiction Doctrine Quest. Answ. Rev. 22.15 Remedies against seducers Remedy 1. Remedy 2. Remedy 3. Remedy 4. Meanes and waies to mortifie sinne Three parts viz. 1 The Act Worship 2 The Object God 3 The most part viz. in Spirit Reasons why God must be worshipped in Spirit Vse Reasons why outward worship is so well liked and loved Ob. Answ. Signes of spirituall worshippers Helps unto spiritual worship Doctr. 1. Doct. 2. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Reason 5. Reason 6. Quest. Answ. Causes of true joy Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Answ. Signes of true Christian joy 1 Signe 2. Signe 3. Signe 4. Signe 5. Signe Quest. Answ. Doctrine Ob. Answ. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4 Reason 5. Quest. Answ. Signes of fleshly confidence St. Pauls prerogatives Obj. Quest. Answ. Obj. Answ. Wherein and how the knowledge of Christ exceeds humane knowledge Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Quest. Answ. Obj. Answ. Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. Signes of the choice of Christ. Quest. Answ. Obj. Answ. Answ. The meanes how to be united to Christ. Vse 1. Signes of mortification Quest. Answ. Obj. 1. Obj. 2. Ob. Answ. Doctrine Vse 1. 1. Direct 2. 3. 2. Hind 3. Hind Direct 1. Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. 1. 2. 3. Hind 4. Hind Doctrine Vse Doct. Vse 2. Doctr. Vse Doctr. Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. Vse 1. 1 Signe 2. Signe 3. Signe 4. Signe Vse 2. Quest. Answ. Doctrine Doct. 1. Signe 2 Signe 3. Signe 4. Signe 5. Signe 6. Signe 7. Signe 9 Signe 10. Signe Meanes unto perfection Motives to the use of the meanes and unto perfection Doctrine How to walk according to the Rule Ob. Answ. Doct. Wherein imitation consists Why examples are laid downe in Scripture Vse 1. 1. Dir. 2. Dir. 3. Dir. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Who were enemies to Christs crosse Gal. 5.4 A threefold judgment Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. Reason 1. Helpes Remedies against vaine-glory Rules Signes Doctr. Quest. Answ. 1. Dir. 2. Dir. 3. Dir. 4. Direct 5. Dir. 6. Dir. Obj. Answ. 7. Dir. Ob. Answ. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Vsâ— Object Answ. Quest. Answ. Doctrine Doctr. 1. Quest. Answ. Vse Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse Quâ—st Answ. Obj. Answ. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Vse 6. Vse 7. Doctrine 1.
a wing yet is she as surely the fowlers as if her whole body were bound so if we favour or like and imbrace but one sinne though we thinke not thereof there is a floud of sinne comes in at that gate he that is guiltie of one sinne is guiltie of all But the weake Christian will object are wee not yea the best of us troubled with our personall secret infirmities what shall then become of us I answer feare not for its true though the best child of God be thus troubled yet hee pleades against it he hates it he undermines it and strives against it and thus opposing it it is not accounted to him by God But if hee forsakes all sinne in heart but one the devill will suffer it and indure it well enough for he knows he is sure enough The fifth note is That such an one can be content to be at some cost yea losse and paines for the Word for the field wherein this pearle is hid hee that is not of this minde cares not for the word It is not that men can speake well and commend it for many will doe so yet afterward make a mocke of it especially being in some company but he that esteemes it once will ever esteeme it and in all company wil extoll it Herod a very reprobate may seeme well affected where there is no temptation or while the word is preached can this be a plea to God at the last day who searcheth and knowes thy heart many dream they have this when indeed they have naught but the shell How few can say in truth I have denied this or that commodity and refused my profit for Christs sake Those that have done this let them know they have a most rich gaine and the best gain of all others they have an universall gaine that will comfort at all times riches and honours cannot cure the troubled minde neither can they deliver in the day of wrath Then in the next place let them know they have an everlasting gaine that will comfort us for ever and ever In the last place such as have wonâ—e Christ they have such a gaine as makes them that have him truly rich and noble and good other riches without grace doe corrupt us the Image of God is the true and intrinsecall worth Let this incourage us to labour to get Christ to attend the meanes that lay his riches open and thereby shall our love bee so stirred up and our judgement so sanctified as wee shall bee of St. Pauls minde to account all other things losse in regard of him and therefore it s no wonder that those that have not the benefit of the meanes want this esteeme VERS 9. And be found in him SOme reade the words actively thâ—â— may finde Christ but the phraâ—e is in the originall varying from the former and therefore it is better translated as we have it passively But when is it that St. Paul desireth to be found in Christ Ever no doubt but especially at the houre of death and day of judgement The Phrase implies first that there is an estate in Christ Secondly an abiding in it and Thirdly to be found abiding in him For the handling whereof wee will first explaine the phrase Secondly we will shew what doctrines it doth cleere then we will come to some instructions arising therefrom The phrase to be in Christ is taken from plants which are grafted into stocks or from the branches which are said to be in the tree thus are we in the vine it s Christs owne comparison and of this union with Christ there are three degrees First we are in Christ and in God first loving us and so wee were in him before wee were he chose us from all eternitie Secondly when Christ died then we were in him as a publike person Thirdly we are said most properly to be in him now when we beleeve in him and thus principally is the sense understood in this place and thus we are in Christ not as the manhood is in Christ but mystically not as friends in one another by love but by faith wee are ingrafted as truly as the branches are in the vine so are we one But Christ is in heaven wee are on earth how can we be united to him that is so farre distant from us I answer if a tree did reach to heaven and have its roote in the earth doth this hinder that the branches and the roote are not united In no wise So Christ he is in heaven and we on earth yet are we united to him by his spirit and receiving influence from him of all grace and goodnesse Now le ts see what doctrines are cleared hereby first it cleares the point of justification by Christ For if the question be how wee are saved by Christs righteousnesse I answer Christ and we are both one doth not the eye see for the bodie are not the riches of the husband and wife all one yes and even also whatsoever Christ hath is ours he is our husband he is our head In the second place it cleares the matter of the sacrament the Papists would have the bread transubstantiated into the bodie of Christ that it may be united to us I answer how is the foot in the head is it not by spirituall vigour passing to and fro through the body but chiefly in the head it is not therefore necessary that there should bee any corporall union Nay Christ comforted his Disciples more by his spirit when he departed from them than he did by his corporall presence We say also that the mysticall body of Christ is invisible because the spirit whereby we are made one is invisible This should comfort us at all times and in all estates before we were in Christ we were in an estate of horrour in an estate of damnation now to be reduced to Christ what comfort is it to be one of a politique body it s but for life or to be in any mans favour it s but at will this is a most excellent glorious and eternall being that mans nature should be so highly advanced as to be unitâ—d to the Godhead yea our persons are mystically united to Christ. Secondly In all crosses or losses what though we lose other states here is a state cannot bee shaken Thirdly in the houre of death wee are in Christ and blessed are they that dye in the Lord death that separates the soule from the body cannot separate eyther from Christ. Fourthly after death can it go hard with me that am in Christ that am his spouse I am in him in whom is fulnesse of comfort Fifthly in all wants here I have him to supply all hee will give what is necessarie if we should have fulnesse of grace here we should not desire to be in heaven hereafter Sixthly in persecution all my hurt redounds to him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me that which thou dost to my members thou doest to me
the naturall sonne in whom is no blemish should suffer and the adopted sonnes who are the causes of all offence should goe free It is equitie that we having taken Christ for our husband he should bee accompanied by us in sicknesse and in health in dishonour as in honour Thirdly it is long agoe decreed of God and predestinated and therefore cannot bee avoyded Rom. 8. â— 9 Whom hee did fore-know them he predestinated to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne Fourthly its equall that if hee were conformed to us we should be conformable to him now he was conformed to us in that hee suffered that which wee should have suffered and did that for us which we were to do and could not he having drunke deepe of the cup prepared for us let us therefore at the least taste of it Yea let us suffer any thing with an undaunted courage when we are called thereto for Christ he will come with comforts he is not emptie he will make us like him hee will prepare us hereby for glorie feare not therefore God will turne all thy troubles to thy good And thus we doe fill up the measures of the afflictions of Christ in our flesh Col. 1.24 And are made partakers of Christs sufferings 1 Pet. 4.13 We have the like exhortations hereunto 1 Pet. 2.21 1 Pet. 3.14 to 18. Thus did Paul 2 Cor. 4.10 hee carryed the dying of Christ about with him Let no Christian therefore promise to himselfe immunitie from crosses he that will be a Christian must be conformable to Christ and he that will be like to him in glorie he must be like to him in drinking the Cup hee dranke of while hee was here in the flesh VERS 10. If by any meanes I might attaine to the Resurrection of the dead BY Resurrection of the dead he meanes the glorious estate after this life whereas the resurrection is but the beginning and the words sound as much in effect as if the Apostle had said I know I shall be happie at length but betweene this time and that I know I shall meet with troubles with many crosses yet let the way be never so difficult I passe not by any meanes to come to such an excellent end as the resurrection of the dead is in which words wee will First consider that there is a happie estate reserved hereafter which begins with the resurrection of the bodie whereby wee are farre more happie than the Angels that fell and also more happie than we were in our first estate in Adam which we lost and therefore our hearts should be inlarged with thankes to God that respects us above the Angels whom hee hath left without hope of recoverie In the next place consider that the beginning of our blessed estate hereafter is at the resurrection which is called the day of restoring of all things and a time of refreshing Acts 3.19 It s a day when all good shall be perfected and all evill shall cease all griefe of minde all trouble of body and death it selfe shall be swallowed up into victorie But why are we not happie before our resurrection I answer because our bodies and soules are partakers of miserie and sinne here and therefore cannot partake of fulnesse of happinesse before they be united together again God will have us to stay while all his familie of blessed Saints shall meet together as well us that are now alive as our seed and posteritie after us In the third place observe that the Apostle makes resurrection of the dead the last thing establishing thereby an order that there must be meanes to the resurrection and then the resurrection it selfe Ought not Christ to suffer these things and so to enter into his glorie Math. 28. And if we suffer with him we shall also reigne with him the second resurrection must begin with the first we are sonnes and Saints hereafter but so we must also be here onely a difference there will be in degree of holinesse this resurrection doth not follow every manner of life although men ordinarily expect a crowne without crosses and never looke for justification and sanctification but thinke they shall be in heaven at an instant without them But we must suffer with Christ in Mount Calvarie before wee come with him to the Mount Olivet In the fourth place wee may likewise note that its hard to come to heaven because of this order established by God not in comparison of the end for that surmounteth in excellencie the hardnesse of the meanes but in respect of the meanes some by faire death with many crosses in their life some not by many outward crosses yet have store of inward troubles of the minde by reason of their inward corruption that doth trouble them others by violent deathes and by martyrdome the wayes are so many and the meanes so diverse as there is no certainty which way wee shall passe As St. Paul knew not the meanes so he cared not what the means were for he was content to go thither by any meanes let the cup of affliction be never so bitter the glorie insuing will sweeten all Away therefore with all idle and secure thoughts of sparing our selves Pitie thy selfe said Peter to Christ but was answered sharpely get thee behinde me sathan no the way is very hard we must come to health by physick the end is so amiable as it will sweeten all sowre meanes and therefore its good for us to be afflicted crosses bring at length the sweetest comforts Denie wee our selves therefore in Christs cause know no bodie looke upon God and Christs promises and promise wee ourselves no more than God promises it s beyond our knowledge what God will doe with us he promises no immunitie from crosses Nay the Saints and the Apostles chose crosses and afflictions rather than the pleasures of sinne who were wise and had triall of both kindes and yet accounts these momentanie afflictions not worthy of comparison with the glory that shall bee revealed they were but light 2 Cor. 4.17 Rom. 8.18 And if wee would truly beleeve this it would be easie for us to be resolved as St. Paul was to come to heaven by all assurances and to come to all manner of assurances by any meanes for no worldly thing can bring content like these heavenly assurances of the presence of the light of Gods love which the children of God will by no meanes lose Secondly in all crosses let us not looke into the state we are in so much as that we are going into we are going to a Pallace let us not bee dejected in the consideration of the narrownesse of the way that leadeth thereto God will not suffer this fierie triall to consume any thing but drosse and therefore let us with Christ suffer the crosse and despise the shame Heb. 12. Thirdly labour for a right esteeme of the things of this world they are but momentarie and fading yea our lives they are given to us by
their belly acted the part of a god in giving them lawes bidding them to doe proiect devise this or that undermine such and grounding them in this first fundamentall law Thou canst not live long neither wilt thou live well therefore while thou livest live for thy pleasure take thy ease and from thence inioynes them to use all meanes thereto take all acquaintance undermine all that crosse thee and all to this end that thou maist have thy ease As it was then so now is it with the Papists their successors all the differences in Religion betweene them and us are by them grounded on the bellie that is the Monarchie of the Pope and worldly pompe and Masses invented for idle Priests latine prayers little or no preaching onely that the people being ignorant they might more easily command them If their errors were not invested in gaine wee should soone accord their worship especially the manner thereof onely to delight the sense And among our selves many are not wanting that make profession of religion but denie the power thereof so long as religion and outward content doe meet and when Religion brings preferment all will be religious for they live by no rules but those that their lusts prescribes morning and evening taking care for the flesh how to bee rich how to live at ease and for this will sell their birthright in happinesse refusing the Word refusing good companie yea heaven it selfe And this justly comes as a iudgement for mans first rebellion when men will not serve God as they should they are iustly given over to the service of those that are no Gods But it may be asked may wee not seeke to content our flesh I answer wee may respect our bodies and there is a due honour that belongs to the outward man but we must so seeke for them as in the first place and principally we seeke the Kingdome of heaven and is righteousnesse and then God hath promised to cast these things upon us But when wee breake order and measure being first and principally carefull for our lusts the divell knowing our haunts offers baites fitting for our humours and wee like filthiâ— swine devoure our owne destruction And therefore to avoid this let us set the feare of God and damnation before our eyes and if we use not these things moderatly and soberly let that in Rom. 8.13 be as a flaming sword to keepe us from the way to destruction If we live according to the lusts of the flesh we shall die and therefore as strangers and Pilgrims let us abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule against our comfort here and our happie estate hereafter Secondly let us avoid the companie of condemned persons but looke on them with a kinde of horrour and detestation of them and and passe not for their wicked censures their end is damnation and their bellie is their God But because the best are drawne away by these pleasures let us observe some directions And first let us see the reasons why we are thus inveagled with them First these earthly contentments are present to our sense the other onely are present to faith which the carnall man lookes not after neither cares for Secondly wee nusle up our selves in an opinion of the necessitie of these things seeing the present use of them and wee see no present use of those better things Thirdly these things are bred up with us and wee are acquainted with them from our infancie and so they pleade prescription and when we are thus taken up before Religion comes after and very hard it must needs be to keepe our mindes lifted up and yet is it most necessarie to be for lusts doe drowne men in perdition 1 Tim. 6.9 But for helpes in this estate of ours observe first with due consideration the nature dignitie and excellencie of the soule that it is a spirit of an excellent beautie adorned with understanding and judgement not made to cast off the crowne submitting it selfe to the rule of every base lust which indeed is the onely happinesse of the beasts nay if happinesse consist in pleasing the senses beasts are more happie than we for they have neither sâ—â—me without nor conscience within to disquiet them in the injoyment of their pleasures And know also that this bodie of ours being of that excellent temper is a fabricke which was not made onely for to be a strainer for meate to passe through The qualitie of the braine in man the structure of the eve doe testifie man was made for divine meditation to contemplate of the workes of God which it doth behold with the eye as through a glasse Secondly wee must know by giving our affections to these things we are made like the things we affect for the soule is placed in the middest as it were betweene heaven and earth and as it affects the one or the other so is it fashioned if we love the flesh we are flesh if wee follow the spirit wee are transformed to its likenesse Thirdly consider that God is better than the worshipper else is hee mad that will worship it but the bellie is baser than our selves reason teacheth us the pleasures of this life end in death when our soules must still continue after all now to seeke such pleasures as cannot continue with us is madnesse as appeares even by the light of reason and therefore are of more power with naturall men than pure religious truthes but for those that are called The Scripture puts them in minde of the last day of judgement and telles them that they are made for heaven and such are therefore to set their mindes on things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Col. 3.1 and when they begin to grow worldly and to follow their belly it calles them backe with a but know for all this God will bring thee to judgement which duly pondered cannot but be as a hooke in our jawes to bring us back to a more diligent watch over our wayes VERS 19. And whose glorie is in their shame A Second part of the inward disposition shewing that they glorie in that which brought shame to them for circumcision was a ceremonie given to the Church when it was but in the infancie and for them that were borne in the strength of the Church being well growne to glorie in such beggerly rudiments was shamefull in the words first consider the affection second the object or end for the word implyes both and in the first consider the sinne then the cure The sinne that is reproved in them is vaine-glorie that is glorying in a thing not to bee gloried in and it is grounded upon pride which is a desire of excellencie in vaine things and it is for the most part in vaine injuditious men who ordinarily doe glorie in things that tend to shame These Philippians saw that Paul was now committed the doctrine hee taught they thought was not good
hunger fulnesse And base wee are because wee are upheld by inferiour creatures We enter into the world by one way but goe out by divers deaths some violent some more naturall and by divers sicknesses lothsome to the eyes to the nosthrils and especially when wee are nearest our end when as our countenance is pale our members tremble all our beautie is gone But after wee are departed so lothsome is this our carcasse it must bee had out of sight yea though it bee the body of the Patriarch Abraham Gen. 23.4 For as the bodie of man is the best temper so the corruption thereof is the most vile the best countenances of the greatest personages are the most ugly gastly objects of all others by so much the more by how much they were the more excellent so much the greater is their change And yet are wee not to conceive of this bodie so as though there were no glorie belonging to it for first its Gods workmanship therefore excellent and so excellent as the heathen man Galen being stricken into admiration at the admirable frame thereof breakes out into a hymne in praise of the maker And David could not expresse it but sayes I am wonderfully made God made this his last worke as an Epitomie of all the rest Secondly we are told that we owe glorie to our bodies and therefore we are bidden that wee should not wrong our bodies and the Scripture speakes infamously of selfe-murtherers as of Iudas Saul Achitophel they are branded with a note of shame and reproach And God to shew the respect we owe to our bodies hath provided to every sense pleasing recreations as flowers for the smell light for the eyes musicke for the eare to be briefe hee made all things for the bodily use of man Thirdly these bodies of ours are members of Christ redeemed and sanctified Temples of the holy Ghost as well as our soules And therefore we must take heed when wee read of the base termes that are given to the bodie that we doe not mistake For it is true in regard it keepes the soule from heaven it is the grave of the soule but indeed it is the house the temple and instrument of the soule but being misused it proves an unto ward darke house an unweldie instrument Wee are to take heed therefore of the error of those who afflict it by writing and declaiming against it or by whipping of it when alasse it is the sinne of the soule the unruly lusts and affections that are the causes of all rebellions in us and if the body doth rebell as often it doth come to passe since the fall this proceeds from the corruption of the soule yeelding to the bodie ayde to serve the lusts and God hath appointed a religious abstinence as a meanes to tame such lusts and weaken them which it were to be wished were used oftener than it is But it will be said are the bodies of Christians base for whom Christ shed his most precious bloud I answer while we live here we are in no better condition than others as concerning our bodies Hezekiah is sicke Lazarus hath his sores David and Iob troubled with lothsome diseases and thus its fitting it should fare with us For first Christ laid us this example he tooke our base ragged nature on him hee hungred and thirsted was pained and death had a little power over him and shall we desire a better estate than our master our head had or doe we ever thinke to partake with him in happinesse that will not partake with him in his mean estate the decree of God is that to dust wee must as all the rest of our fellow Saints and servants shall Secondly hereby God doth exercise our faith and hope causing us to looke and expect a better resurrection and by this meanes are our desires edged to a better life for else would we set up our rest here and make this our Paradise Thirdly as yet there is sinne in us from the danger whereof though wee be deliuered yet there is a corruption that remaineth behinde in us and by this hee will teach us the contagion of sinne and teach us to see how the divell hath deceived us by the effects thereof bringing paine torment and lothsomnesse Forthly it shewes Gods wisedome in vanquishing sinne by death which is the childe of sinne for by it shall we be purged from sinne from corruption both of bodie and minde and thus is our base estate made a way to our excellent estate hereafter Wee must therefore moderate our affections to the best things of this life health is changeable and will not continue beautie is a flower of a stalke the flower quickly fades away and perisheth the stalke that is more base continues longest flesh is grasse either cut downe by violent deart or if by age the longer it lives the baser it is and increases continually therein till death when as it is most base It is therefore foolish for any to swell because of beautie or strength which at the best are but curious excellencies of a base bodie and farre more sottish are they that thinke to resist old age and Gods decree by trimming up and painting a withered stocke this is not the way to conquer vilenesse But if we will be rid thereof labour for the meat that perisheth not Ioh. 6.27 But that which maketh us indure to everlasting life is with Marie to chuse the better part that shall not be taken away meat for the belly and the belly for meate but God shall destroy both the one and the other And let this be as a cooler to quench the base wild-fire of love and conâ—ider what is it wee so affect it s but beautifull dust a painted sepulchre a body that after death will bee vilenesse it selfe that while it breathes its full of rottennesse the matter of wormes supported it may be by a carrion soule that whether it willeth or nilleth must leave it and goe into a farre worse place And contrarily in the last place it should teach us to be at a point cheerefully to honour God by sacrificing our selves to him when hee calles for us count it no shame with David to be vile in the eyes of men for Gods cause if the worst could be imagined which cannot be we had as good perish with usage aswith rust But this is the onely way to be glorious to avoid vilenesse even to sacrifice our bodies and all in a good cause what though the world esteem vilely of us as good for nothing but the shambles Rom. 8.36 shall wee feare them no feare him that can destroy both body and soule it s better to goe to heaven without a limbe than to goe to hell with a sound healthfull bodie therefore men temptation of the world doe begin to provoke thee say to thy flesh with Bernard stay thy time the time is not yet to be happie And therefore conclude our soule is but a stranger