need to feare hell yea heauen is their due notwithstanding they are conuinced in conscience that they are sinfull yet they know no other sinnes that they haue then some small sinnes which they hold to be veniall and those they thinke are so few in number that they need not to make any doubt of their saluation and in the meane time they forget that howsoever they carry it outwardly there is a whole body of death in them which maketh them accursed before God and lyable vnto eternall condemnation this they consider not but say in their heart I am no thiefe no murtherer no drunkard no cheater no whore-monger I can go to Church with my neighbours I need not hide my head for any man and why should they tell me then that I shall not come to heauen as well as another And in the meane while poore men they thinke nor what God hath to say vnto them and what he can alledge against them they weigh and consider not that there is a body of death in them which maketh them to be damnable and accursed before God yea though while they liue they should neither moue nor stirre and doe neither good nor bad But O thou poore man that art thus minded how lamentable is thy case Thou hasf a whole body of sinne with in thee and that as thou liest and sleepest there is a moustrous deformitie in thee which maketh thoe most abominable before God and being not couered will certeinly bring thee to hell thy naturall corruption possesseth thy soule killeth it and maketh it stinke before God Psal 53.2 It destroyeth thy body also for from whence thinkest thou doth it come that thy body is subiect vnto so many paines and difeases that it so decayeth and consumeth away commeth it not from this inward bodie of sinne which hath in it selfe the sting of temporall and eternall death 1 Cor. 15.56 So then yee need not be a thiefe or a murtherer or an adulterer or a drunkard or a deceiuer or an vsurer thou mayest chuse whether thou wilt take so much paines for to goe to hell remaine the same that thou art by nature and thou shalt not escape it continue still an olde wife vnto the olde Man as by nature thou art and thou canst not be saued thou must perish Luc. 13.3.5 if so be thou art not renewed in the spirit of thy minde if the hand of God come not vpon thee if his spirit worketh not in thy heart and create in thee a new heart and a new spirit if hee causeth not the light of his grace to arise in thy heart that thou mayest no longer remaine darkenesse but mayest be light as the day beginning to breake if this I say be not wrought in thy heart it is not possible that thou shouldest euer enter into the kingdome of heauen or inherite eternall life for thou hast a bodie of death in thee which will bring thee into euerlasting death except thou begin to kill the works of this body which thou canst not doe but thorough the spirit which by nature thou hast not neither canst haue but from God alone O what a lamentable thing is it that the naturall man is so blockish and dull that hee not so much as once thoroughly considereth this admonish and exhort these men to marke Gods word diligently to repaire to the Congregation of the faith to watch and pray to redeeme the time and to worke out their saluation with feare and trembling they cast it in the wind they see no reason why they should so trouble themselues they suppose it standeth well enough with them because they are not so openly scandalous and offensiue in their conuersation as others and peraduenture somewhat better then some of their neighbours of whom they report that there is no goodnes in them when as they themselues know not yet what it meaneth to be renewed in the spirit of their minde and what it is to mortifie the deeds of the body thorough the spirit Thirdly let this serue to exhort all the people of God to put farre from them this opinion and conceite of worldly and carnall men let vs giue out selues no rest till we finde that we are renewed in the spirit of our minde and that wee haue some power thorough the spirit to mortifie the workes of this body of death let vs also take heed that we be not so foolish as to seeke our iustification in our selues or in our owne works nothing but that which is perfect can stand before the judgement of God but wee haue a body of sinne in vs which hinders vs from perfection therfore let vs seeke it onely in Iesus Christ our Lord. Fourthly this may moue vs to humilitie shall we be proud and insolent which beare about vs and in vs a body of death which are condemned men vpon whom by the law of God the sentence of death hath already passed Is it a seemely thing that persons condemned and readie to be executed should be proud and arrogant shall we then be high minded and grudging shall we be enuious and malicious shall we be wanton and carelesse which haue in vs a body of death whereby we are lyable vnto eternall death Shall wee in the pride of our hearts make of our body of death a body of insolencie and murmuring a body of voluptuousnesse and mirth a body of wantonnesse and iesting let that be far from vs humilitie becommeth condemned men Abraham was humbled because he was but dust and ashes Gen. 18 27. and shall not we be so too which are nothing els but an accursed lumpe Iob was humbled because the fores had ouer-runne his body but the naturall corruption hath runne thorough all the parts and powers of our soule and body and shall we not be humbled shall a man be cast downe for a disease in the body and shall wee that are so deadly sicke in soule not be cast downe at all Fiftly here is matter of comfort and encouragement to all good hearts who knowing that there is a body of death in them are therewith vnfainedly grieued and troubled and earnestly busied and exercised in mortifying and killing the same by the spirit doe notwithstanding feele in themselues the prickes of the flesh and the continuall buffetts and assaults of this body of sinne Behold my beloued brothers and sisters bee not dismayed and thinke not therefore that you are Bastards among the sonnes of God No as you haue before heard it is the lot of all the Children of God marke in all the foregoing verses of the seuenth chapter to the Romanes what the Apostle himselfe had to doe with his naturall corruption be not then discouraged but stand to it stoutly and although the Deuill goes about to perswade thee that thou art no child of God because thou feelest the pricke of the flesh so strong in thee yet know for certaine that in as much as thou striuest manfully with thy corruptions
and iniquitie of our sinnes I say for the transgression iniquitie of our sins because they are contrary to the will of God and do displease him the children of the world which are dead in sinne can mourne and lament enough for the punishment which is or they feare will come vpon them by reason of their sinnes but it is the propertie of the children of God to sorrow and grieue because by their sins they haue offended and displeased their good and gracious Father so then goe forwardes thus must it be with you if you will haue it be well with you step one step further with the Apostle and as with him you mourne because of the wickednesse of your sins so cease not and giue your selues no rest till with him also you finde your selues to bee deliuered both from the guilt dominion of sin thorough Iesus Christ our Lord whereof by his assistance wee purpose to speake in this part of the Text which now followeth HEre the Apostle wisheth to be deliuered from the bady of death O miserable man sayth he who shall deliuer me from this body of death Now we are deliuered from the body of death in this life for therunto hath the Apostle respect as it appeareth in the verse following when in this life we are saved from our sinnes Mat. 1.21 namely when we haue not onely obteined forgiuenesse of our sins but are also strengthened against the power of sin more and more set free from the bondage therof Ioh. 8.32.36 thus the Apostle wisheth here that the power of his corruptions might more more be broken and decayed Moreouer the Apostle here wishing asketh who shall deliuer him which we must not vnderstand as though he did not know thorough whom hee should be deliuered for he declareth in the verse following that he knew it well enough but here he asketh the question onely to let vs vnderstand that in himselfe he found no meanes whereby he might be deliuered Like Iosaphat being enuironed with his enemies seeing no way to escape cryed vnto God for helpe 2 Chron. 18.31 Or as the sea-faring men who in time of storme and tempest when their owne art and industrie cannot helpe them doe cry vnto the Lord Psal 107.28.29 So the Apostle cryeth here as out of great miserie and affliction vnto God for helpe knowing that it must come onely from him for sinne maketh man so miserable that nothing but the almightie power of God can deliuer him for by sinne we are cast vnder the feete of Sathan we lie condemned vnto eternall death and the wrath of God is incensed kindled against our soules for which who knoweth in himselfe any remedy Iudas finding none ran vnto the tree but Paul runneth vnto Christ vers 25. For it is the sonne of God alone which can deliuer the wretched sons of men from the misery of their sinnes But some man may aske how commeth it to passe that the Apostle Paul which was none of the greatest sinners yea which was alreadie in a great measure freed from the might of sinne yet wisheth thus earnestly to bee deliuered more and more from it whereas the children of the world which lie euen drowned therein and are very slaues vnto it yet speake not once of this deliuerance Beloued it came from this that the Apostle had a feeling and experimentall knowledge of the misery that ariseth from sinne and therefore hee wisheth to be deliuered from it this the children of the world doe not feele and therefore they thinke not of deliuerance he that can feelingly and vnfainedly complaine that he is miserable because he is sinfull he will also heartily cry out and wish to be deliuered from sinne from hence followeth this obseruation The true sense and feeling of the misery which sinne bringeth vs into causeth vs vnfainedly to seeke our deliuerance out of sinne by Iesus Christ This we see manifestly in the Apostle Paul For this cause was it that our Lord Iesus Christ according to his infinite wisedome sent Iohn the Baptist before him as a forerunner to prepare the way for him by teaching men to know their misery whereinto they were brought thorough sin to the end that they might seeke their deliuerance out of sinne thorough Christ Mat. 3. For this cause also is the law preached that me◠being thereby brought to the knowledg of their misery through sin Rom. 7.7 might the better be driuen to Christ in which respect the Law is called our leader to Christ Gal. 3.24 In this regard also Christ sayth that those that are whole haue no neede of the Physitian but those that feele their maladies they call and cry for him And the reason is because it is by nature ingrafted into all Creatures when they are in distresse and misery to seeke ease and deliuerance as the young Rauens in the wood when they are hungry doe cry vnto God Psal 147.9 And the greater the misery and affliction is the greater is the desire to be deliuered Now there is no smart like vnto the smart of sin vnto a feeling conscience and there is no affliction like vnto the affliction of the conscience for as wee sayd before the more noble and excellent that member is which is affected with any sore the greater is the griefe and paine thereof So the soule being the most worthie and eminent part of Man and in misery and distresse the sorrow and griefe must of necessitie be great and the desire to be deliuered from it equall thereunto Vses First this serueth for to discouer vnto vs from whence it commeth that there are so many which notwithstanding they are miserably possessed with this body of sinne and polluted with all manner of impious transgressiōs the damnable brood thereof yet neuer seeke for their deliuerance truly it commeth onely from this that they know not the misery wherein they are by sin yea from whence commeth it that many a man goeth vnder the curse of God because of his sinnes and neuer thinkes of his deliuerance passing along as it were with an easie gale in a smooth Sea without any perturbation at all and many also who knowing that they are sinfull and being ignorant of the meanes whereby they may be deliuered yet are not a whit troubled aske them haue you not sinned against God they will answere yes then aske them whether they by their sinnes haue not deserued eternall death euen as others they confesse that also aske them then what meanes they know whereby to be deliuered from the body of death they answere that God is mercifull and they trust that he will not cast them away because of their sinnes but will saue them for his mercies sake Demand of them then whether God saueth all and condemneth none they must needs acknowledge that the way is broad that leadeth into destruction and many there be that enter into it and that there be goates as well as sheepe then come
nearer vnto them and demand of them vpon what ground they hope that God will be more mercifull vnto them for to saue them from hell and bring them to heauen then he is to many other whom he casteth into destruction then they are at a stand not knowing what to say or doe or it may be run vnto their workes for to seeke their saluation there or els answere you that it is too high a question for them and that they are not so deepely learned and albeit they are conuinced that they are ignorant of the meanes wherby they may be deliuered from eternall perdition yet they let it sticke there troubling themselues no further but goe on carelesly and securely not so much as once asking or inquiring of that man of God which hath so conuinced them how and which way they may be deliuered but let it so remaine being negligent of their eternall good and this their fearefull miserable blockishnesse and dotage ariseth onely from this that they haue no sense nor feeling of the miserable estate wherein they are by sinne but onely prate and discourse of it because they heare others doe so thinking that men must say so and because for the present they haue their bodily health and the things of this world at will and feele no smart in their consciences for they are dead in sinnes and trespasses and consequently without feeling therefore are they secure and seeke not to bee deliuered from their sinnes but liue taking their pleasure and delight therein for they haue neither true knowledge nor feeling of the misery and wretchednesse whereinto their sinnes haue brought them how their soule is depraued and corrupted and what a curse hangeth ouer them but this securitie of theirs is like vnto that of a condemned person who sleeping before execution is secure no longer then his sleepe dureth for from this that worldly men are ignorant of the misery wherein they are thorough their sinnes ariseth it that they are so negligent and carelesse not troubling not themselues with the Apostle about their deliuerance nor yet once looking after Christ Iesus vnfainedly and heartily whereas had they learned tightly to know and vnderstand the misery wherein they are by reason of their sinnes they would with all earnestnesse and vehemencie haue sought their deliuerance from the body of death as the Apostle did Secondly this sheweth how necessary it is that the Law should be thoroughly Preached to the end that men being made thereby to know the miserable and woefull estate whereinto their sins haue brought them might the better be driuen to seeke their deliuerance thorough Iesus Christ For it is most certain that neither the deliuerance is heartily sought after nor Iesus Christ the Physitian worthily esteemed there where the hate fulnesse of sinne and the greatnesse of the misery by reason of sinne is not thoroughly knowne Goe tell a man which feeleth no griefe and thinketh himselfe to be well and in health that he should seeke for helpe and goe vnto the Physitian for to be cured and he will mocke and deride you but one that findeth his disease and feeleth the paine thereof will thanke you for your counsell so vntill such time that men haue learned thoroughly to know their misery Iesus Christ the Physitian is not respected nor accounted off according to his worth and desert and although the Ministers of Christ come vnto them praying and beseeching them in the name of Christ and entreating them for the loue of Christ to carrie themselues so and so yet these men which know not their misery regard it not at all but set light by all the requestes and entreaties of Christ and suffer his Ministers to pray and entreate as much as they will passing away their time without any care or thought at all and no maruayle for they feele no want of Christ neither finde they any more sweetnesse in the Lord Iesus then in a dry Wort-stalke But on the contrary side those that haue learned truely to know their misery and which giue vp their hearts soules vnto Christ for to be deliuered thorough him those esteeme and count of all things as dung and drosse for the excellencie of the knowledge of Iesus Christ whatsoeuer is required of these in the name of Christ as soone as they truely know it to bee his will they fashion themselues according vnto it they onely being those that honour and esteeme of Christ according vnto his worth and excellencie as daily experience maketh it vndeniably manifest for this cause we see it to be most necessary that men should learne to know their misery by the preaching of the law to the end that they may come vnto the Gospell for their deliuerance in and thorough Iesus Christ Thirdly This serueth to admonish all those which seeke to be deliuered from the bodie of death that they willingly and gladly suffer the reproofe and reprehension of their sinnes and the discouery of the filthinesse and hatefulnesse of them but men are impatient of this auoyding shunning it as the death yet without this they cannot be deliuered from the body of death some when they heare sinne sharply reproued cry out that it is the way to preach men to destruction but truely they know not what they say are they those that thinke to bee deliuered by their owne workes that they cannot suffer to haue it truely declared vnto them that the very best of them according to the tenor and strictnesse of the Law hath by their owne actions deserned no lesse then hell and damnation But if they be wise right minded Christians let them be willing to heare their owne insufficiencie and vnworthinesse discouered and layd open vnto them that they may the more reuerence and esteeme of Iesus Christ and learne not in their owne workes but in his worthines and merites to seeke their deliuerance and saluation and to acknowledge and follow him not from the teeth outwardes like hypocrites but vnfainedly and from their hearts as the onely Physitian and sauiour of their soules Therefore most commendable is the practise of those Ministers of God which are carefull earnest to lay open before mens eyes their insufficiencie vilenesse and cursed estate by nature endeuouring by that meanes to bring men highly to esteeme of Christ whom the end of all our preaching is to make knowne vnto them for by experience we finde and the truth it selfe maketh it cleare that our Lord Iesus Christ is worthily esteemed and honoured of none but of such as by the feeling of their misery are brought into the estate of the Apostle when he cryed out O miserable man who shall deliuer me from this body of death Fourthly this serueth to admonish vs whensoeuer we finde our selues wanting in our loue and due estimation of Christ and feele that wee haue not such a heartie and grounded affection vnto him and such a hungry desire and longing after our deliuerance from the
body of death thorough this Prince of life as we should that then we betake our selues vnto a serious and due consideration of the manifold and wonderfull hatefulnesse and vilenesse of our sinnes how miserably the image of God is thereby depraued and defaced in vs how vnfit it maketh vs for the seruice of God how fearefully by it the wrath of God is kindled against vs how thereby wee haue deserued eternall death and damnation and consequently what great neede we haue of the mediation of Iesus Christ and this will make vs aboue all things vnlesse we are dead in sinne seeke our deliuerance from this body of death thorough Iesus Christ our Lord as the Apostle did Now in that the Apostle thus earnestly and aboue all things in the world as here it is manifest wisheth desireth and longeth more and more to be deliuered and freed from the power of sinne and in as much as he elsewhere requireth vs to be his followers from hence ariseth this instruction that it behooueth vs aboue all things in the world with all diligâ—nce to endeuour more and more to be deliuered from the power of sinne We see here in our Text that it is the practise of the Apostle and his example being good we ought to make it our rule This hath euermore beene the opinion and practise of all the seruants of God as it is here the out-cry of the Apostle Who shall deliuer me from this body of death Such is Dauids wish Psal 119.5 O that my way were directed to keepe thy statutes and it hath not onely beene the longing and desire of the seruants of God but also their daily practise and endeuour to attaine vnto it as the Apostle Paul witnesseth of himselfe that he desired in all things to walke honestly Heb. 13.18 Yea that it was his daily occupation his greatest exercise and endeuour to haue alwayes a cleare conscience toward God and towardes men Act. 24.16 And Dauid also testifieth as much of himselfe that he refrained his feete from euery euill way that he might keepe Gods word Psal 119.101 First This must be the endeuour of euery one that will serue God because true Religion and vndefiled before God euen the Father is to visite the widdow and fatherlesse in their aduersitie and to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world Secondly If so be we were in slauery vnder the Turkes should wee not by all meanes labour for our libertie If we were griped in the clawes of a Lyon should we not desire and striue to come forth If we were in danger of some fearefull fire or ouer-flowing of water should we not make the best speed we could to escape Now the bondage the tyranny the brunt the flood of sinne is worse then the bondage of the Turkes the crueltie of a Lyon or the vnmercifulnesse of fire or water for these fasten onely on the body and but for a short space but the other on the soule and that for euer Therefore vnlesse wee will make it appeare that we be vnbeleeuing contemners and mockers of the Doctrine of heauen and hell and whatsoeuer appertaineth thereunto accounting it as meerely verball and vaine babbling Let vs aboue all things in the world labour and endeuour more and more to be deliuered and freed from the bondage of sinne Vses First Here is matter of mourning and lamentation euen that there are so few that labour and exercise themselues in this notwithstanding it be matter of such necessitie and consequence You shall find men that are plunged vp to the eares in sinne yet neuerthelesse take no paines at all to get out of it yea they are so farre from vsing any diligence of themselues to worke out their libertie and freedome from the bondage of sinne as that they cannot suffer any man to admonish them of their sinnes or to lend them a hand to pluck them out of them being in madnesse and folly like vnto him which being possessed with a deep sleepe and hauing an Adder creeping vpon him is angry and taketh it in ill part when his friend awaketh him to the end that he might auoyd the present danger so truely is it a miserable and lamentable thing and yet common that worldly men which doe lie in wickednesse 1 Ioh. 5.19 as a beast lyeth in hay for so the word there signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are so farre from stirring and rousing vp themselues to rise out of their sinnes and to harken vnto the voyce which cryeth awake thou that sleepest stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light as that they had rather goe seeke some bodie to set a cushin vnder their elbow to the end that they might sleepe the more easily and soundly in their sinnes but it shall be with them as the Lord protesteth Ezech. 13.18.19 Secondly let this moue vs to stirre vp our selues aboue all things according to the manner of the Apostle to labour and endeuour to haue our selues deliuered from the body of death and set free from the power thereof for we see that we are altogether and wholly in the captiuitie and bondage of sinne therefore to endeuour to get our libertie must we preferre before all our workes and especially seeing the glory of our good and gracious God and the eternall well-fare of our owne soules doe stand vpon it yea it is most certaine that whosoeuer setteth not himselfe against his sinnes for to be freed and deliuered from his sinnes shall die in his sinnes Iohn 8.24 For this body of sinne shall peirce him with the venemous and cursed sting thereof which shall bring him not onely to temporall but also to eternall death 1 Cor. 15.56 For as those that die in the Lord are blessed and rest from their labours and enioy eternall happinesse Reuel 14.13 So those that die in their sinnes are certainely accursed and shall haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Reuel 21.8 Therefore must wee make it our chiefest worke to get our selues deliuered from the power of sinne vnlesse we be willing thereby to bee brought into eternall condemnation But if we find our selues to bee alreadie truely deliuered from the power of sinne so that it hath no dominion ouer vs howsoeuer it remaineth in vs Rom. 6.12 yet we must with the Apostle Paul earnestly labour and endeuour more and more to be freed from it because the comfort of our souls and the peace of our consciences doe stand vpon it for it is most sure and certaine that we can no further reioyce comfort our selues in our faith and good conscience then we refraine our selues from sinne and endeuour in all things to walke honestly Psal 119.101 Heb. 13.18 Here may some man demand What are we to doe to the end that we may be deliuered from the power of sinne and more and more set free from the bondage thereof To the end that we may be set free from the power
and seruitude of sin we must be made partakers of Iesus Christ for his death is the death of our death and by his wounds are we healed his bloud being the medicine of our soules Esay 53. Heb. 9.14 Now that we may be made partakers of Christ we must beleeue in him for it is faith in him that maketh vs free Ioh 8.31.32.36 Which the Apostle hauing in the verse following our text he thanketh God through our Lord Iesus Christ namely for this that he thorough the Lord Iesus Christ was deliuered from the body of death Therfore thus speaketh Christ of himselfe Ioh 8.36 If the sonne make you free you shall be free indeed thus doth Iohn also testifie euen that wee thorough faith in Christ doe ouercome the world Iohn 15.5 But we finde by experience that the faith of many men consisteth onely in words being nothing els but an idle conceit swimming in their braines for there be many who when they vnderstand that men by faith are made free from their sinnes and blessed doe presently perswade themselues that they also beleeue whereas alas they know not what it is truly to beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ nor yet what is the nature and vertue of true faith Wherfore let euery one in few words vnderstand that whosoeuer would be found truely to beleeue in Christ must make it appeare that he beleeueth and holdeth for good all the words counsell of Christ consequently must practise the same Ioh 3.36 Luc 6.46 Or els let him know that his faith is nothing worth and that he shall not be saued although he suffers himselfe a thousand times to be perswaded that he shall obtaine saluation and happinesse thorough Iesus Christ For as we know it is not enough for one that would be cured of some perillous disease onely to beleeue that such an expert Phisitian can and will cure him but if he will be holpen he must follow the aduise of the Phisitian and vse the medicines which shal be prescribed vnto him or els he is like to be neuer the better So it is not enough that a man to the end that he might be cured of the body of death by the onely Phisitian of the soule Iesus Christ Mat. 9.12 perswadeth himselfe that Christ can will helpe him but he must also follow the counsell of Christ if he will be cured by him according to that which the holy Scripture so expressely declareth euen that Christ is the author of saluation vnto all that obey Heb. 5.9 In which sense also speaketh Iohn the Baptist most plainly He that beleeueth in the sonne hath eternall life but he that obeyth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Ioh 3.36 From whence it may fully be gathered that that faith which maketh not vs obedient to the sonne is not that faith wherby we can be healed so Iames also confidently affirmeth that that faith is dead and nothing worth which maketh not vs as well followers as beleeuers of the words and will of Christ For it is most certaine that wheresoeuer true faith is there is also the practise endeuour of obedience vnto the will of Christ Now what the will of God is in this that men might thorough our Lord Iesus Christ be deliuered from the body of death very much might be spoken thereof but my purpose is here briefly in a word to touch the most necessary things and so to cōclude because I haue largely handled it in another place and that wretched and sinful man might be deliuered from the body of death through our Lord Iesus Christ the Prince of life be more and more set free from the power of sinne he must practise and endeuour these three things according to the will and counsell of Christ First he must forsake himselfe He that will follow me sayth Christ namely that will be led healed by me let him for sake himselfe Mat. 16.24 that is let him cast away and renounce his owne vnderstanding judgement let him breake himselfe of his owne will and affections let him in nothing yeeld vnto his sinful flesh nor take any care to obey it in the lustes thereof Rom. 13.14 And let him not please or vphold this body of sin by giuing it any of those deadly pernicious things it lusteth after but let him herin circumcise himself let him deale harshly and roughly with this body of sin keeping from it and denying it of euery thing it would haue so shall the strength therof decay for as it was the meat of Christ to do his Fathers will Io 4.4 So is it the nourishment strength of the corrupt flesh to doe against the will of God by committing sin from which we must bridle it if we will kill it Behold this is the counsell of Christ speaking after the manner of a Phisitian who when he taketh a man in hand to cure him requireth of him that by all meanes he would keepe a good dyer refraine to eate those things which nourish feede his disease the which the Christian man must doe that willingly would be cured of the body of death for we find it to be a common and familiar thing that those which be sicke in body doe most desire those things that doe them least good So is it also with men that are sick in soule they euermore desire lust after sinne which is most hurtfull vnto them therfore those that would be cured in their soules must deny themselues according to the prescript rule of Christ yea they must renounce and forsake the whole body of death as the Apostle cryeth out against the whole body of death not only this or that part or member thereof as some doe who to be cured forsake striue against some sins retaining stil other some pleasing beloued ones whereby they become the more incurable continue sick euen vnto the death as the scripture teacheth vs Eze 18.31.32 for although the very best so long as they remaine here are not free from all sinnes yet euery one that would be cured healed of his sinnes must striue and fight against all of them Iob 20.12 But this is very grieuous vnto a naturall and corrupt man to weane his lustes of their desires and to depriue himselfe of those thinges with which his heart is most in loue Oh it is as death vnto sinfull man it is as if he should put out his eye or cut off his hand as Christ himselfe giues vs to vnderstand Mat 5. Neuerthelesse it must be done as he that cannot lye teacheth vs in the same place vers 29.30 And looke by how much the more this body of death that hatefull monster the corrupt flesh doth flatter and embrace vs for to entice vs to serue it in the lustes thereof by so much the more must wee set our selues against it and seeke to subdue it and bring it vnder 1 Cor. 9.27 For
our selues and looke about vs and ioyne all our forces together to kill and destroy this fell and cruell monster Seâ—ing it hath beene so manifestly and vndeniably made to appeare vnto vs that vnlesse we kill it it will kill and destroy vs and that eternally Rom. 8.13 And to the end that the Apostle might the more thoroughly make vs to vnderstand this and consequently the better deterre and affright vs from the loue and seruice of this our corrupt flesh which we so gladly and readily obey he calls it in our Text a bodie of death now there is nothing more terrible and fearefull to man then death yet there is nothing more pleasing vnto him then to obey his corruption in all its filthy lustes notwithstanding the Apostle declareth it how-soeuer it slatteringly laugheth and smileth vpon a man to be a deadly and destroying monster a body of death hauing in it selfe the sting both of temporall and eternall death wherwith it giueth the deaths-wound to euery carelesse and vnprouident person which serueth and obeyeth it euen as Ioab did vnto Amasa when he embraced him 2. Sam. 3. Wherefore euery one that loueth his soule must lay to heart the Apostles admonition Rom. 13.14 Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ and take no care for the flesh to obey it in the lustes thereof yea hee must set himselfe against his corrupt flesh which is no other thing then a most dangerous monster how sweet and louely soeuer it seemeth to be he must in nothing take care to please and obey it for then it will grow more strong and hurtfull but he must weine it of its lust and denie it of whatsoeuer it desireth and so crucifie it and by little and little as it were hunger-sterue it that he himselfe may liue What we are to know and doe further as touching this body of death shall be declared in the parts of the Text which now follow to be handled 2. Who it is which here complaineth against this body of death IT is the Apostle himselfe which complaineth against the body of death which was in him for in the verse following he speaketh of himselfe and sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I my selfe and thus speaketh he euery where not as being vnregenerate but as hauing an vnfained and sincere loue and delight in the law of God which flesh and bloud did neuer teach him in which regard also by the testimony of the Psalmist he may be knowne to bee blessed Psal 1.2 From hence followeth this obseruation The body of sinne and of death is in the best that is the naturall corruption which maketh man of himselfe vnapt and vnfit to any good and prone and readie to all euill is euen in the best and most holy of all This appeareth out of that the Apostle himselfe here complaineth that it was in him who without doubt was one of the best Christians in the world at that time and he further declareth vnto vs that the faithfull among whom he shuts himselfe also while they are here vpon earth how farre soeuer they are proceeded in the new birth doe know but in part 1. Cor. 9.10.11.12 And he sayth of the Thessalonians that there was something wanting in their faith 1. Thes 3.10 When in another place he witnesseth of them that vnto other Christians they were notable examples and patternes of true faith 1 Thes 1.7.8 Yea in this regard Elias himselfe was subiect vnto the same passions vnto which other of Gods children are Iam. 5.17 and all the children of God are sayd to haue in them fleshly concupiscences which striue against their soule 1. Pet. 2.11 The best as long as they remaine in this life haue alwayes somewhat in them which they must crucifie which they must mortifie thorough the spirit Whereby it manifestly appeareth that there is in euery one an euill eye which must be pluckt out and a bad hand that must be cut off Mar. 9.43 c. Here it may be asked why God doth suffer his best Children thus to be oppressed and cumbered with this body of death so long as they liue here vpon earth First God doth it for the greater glory of himselfe and of his children and the greater shame and disgrace of the Diuell for truely it tendeth greatly to the prayse and glory of God and to the honour of his children and to the shaming of the Diuell that he knoweth how is able to keepe and preserue such weake and feeble vessels against all the power of Hell and to make them conquerours ouer Sathan in that very flesh which is so polluted with sinne and was once depraued by the Diuell Secondly the Lord doth it because it is fit that there should bee a difference put betweene the cursed earth and blessed heauen to be without finne and free from combat with it is a prerogatiue and priuiledge belonging onely to the seate royall and court of heauen it cannot be that we should enioy it here vpon earth no we must long after the fruition of it in heauen It may be demanded againe that seeing the very best are polluted with this naturall corruption what difference is there then betweene the children of God and the children of the world betweene true beleeuers and carnall men There is as great difference betweene them as is betweene the darkenesse of the darkest night and the light of the morning at the breake of the day as we heard before yea the difference betweene the carnall and spirituall man in respect of this inherent corruption is great euery manner of way for in the vnregenerate man this monster of sinne sitteth as it were vpon a throne ruling and hauing dominion in his heart where it commandeth and is obeyed in euery thing For experience makes it plaine that there is nothing wherein worldly men doe take more delight and pleasure then in seruing their corrupt flesh in all its lustes whether it be in couetousnesse voluptuousnesse pride ambition or in any thing else whereunto their appetites carry them But on the contrary side in the children of God how s oeuer it hath place in them yet it sitteth not as vpon a throne ruling and commanding as a King but lyeth as it were stretched out vpon a racke where thorough the working of the spirit it is euery day more and more disâ—joynted weakned and mortified Furthermore the daily practise of the true Children of God is not to take care for the flesh to obey it in the lustes thereof as carnall men doe but to beate it downe and bring it in bondage to the will of God as the Apostle did 1. Cor. 9.27 Here by the way we may consider the exceeding sottishnesse of many poore and wretched persons which serue the flesh and liue in sinne who when they once heare that all men yea the very best are sinfull and that the most holy and sanctified haue their wants and defects and are clogged with the sinfull
and doest not studie to obey and please them but seekest by the spirit to mortifie and kill them know I say that thou art a childe of God continue therefore in thy spirituall combat fight valiantly and put on all the Christian armour of proofe and let this serue to make thee long and desire to be deliuered from this body of death and to be with Christ and in the meane time be humbled in thy selfe and patient toward thy brother out of the sense of thine owne imperfections and striue not onely against this or that sinne according to the manner of worldly men whereby it appeareth that their heart is not vpright with God but with the Apostle fight against the whole bodie of sinne vsing the meanes that God hath ordained whereby thou mayest ouercome and auoiding all occasions that may make thee fall and so doing be assured in thy selfe that thus to striue against thy naturall corruption is an infallible marke that thou art a Childe of God and a sure ground of vnspeakeable comfort ⸪ ⧠The second Sermon Thirdly How the Apostle lamenteth ouer the bodie of Death The Apostle his lamentation is two-fold first he declareth himselfe therefore to be miserable secondly he wisheth to bee deliuered Of both which wee shall speake by Gods assistance and first of this that the Apostle declareth himselfe to beo miserable because he had the bodie of death in him O miserable man sayth the Apostle who shall deliuer me It is very strange the Apostle lamenteth here after this manner in other places he affirmeth and that confidently that hee reioyced euen in the greatest tribulations 2 Cor. 4.8 c. 2 Cor. 6.4 c. How doth he here then so mournefully complaine Did he speake from his heart when he said O miserable man Was he not then a man blessed of the Lord Was he not then assured of his saluation How commeth it then that he calleth himselfe miserable Without doubt the Apostle speaketh here in good earnest for he was then in a hot skirmish and had little time or cause to dally or lest yea he spake not onely in earnest but also vpon good groundes for the other afflictions wherein hee sayth he did glory and reioyce were outward afflictions wherein in truth hee might well reioyce but here he speaketh as wee haue heard before of his naturall corruption of the sinne that hanged fast vpon him and of the olde man which he began to behold in all the parts and members thereof The which made him lament and complaine in good earnest as being a thing out of which he could draw no comfort at all in which regard he might instly account himselfe to be miserable For this body of death considered in it selfe maketh a man truely wretched and miserable the which may sufficiently be gathered out of the first part of our Text whereunto wee will briefely adde that the body of death in respect of which the Apostle so earnestly complaineth hath these miserable and cursed effects which follow First it defaceth and depraueth the Image of God the which is a thing altogether lamentable and miserable If a man doth breake a leg or an arme how doth he cry out and complaine of his misery What cause then is there of mourning and complaint when the soule of man is broken to peeces and made vnfit for euery good vse When the most noble and eminent of man is â—â—terly depraued and corrupted Wee see that in a mans body when any member is wounded or afflicted with any griefe the more worthie and excellent that member is the greater is both the griefe and danger of the sore prick a man in the arme or the legg with the point of a Needle and he will both feele it complaine of it but pricke him in the apple of his eye and that shall pierce him to the heart and make him cry out If it bee so with the eye of the body how great is the paine and griefe when the eye of the minde is not onely prickt but wholly put out When the most noble and precious soule is wounded and that to death this is it that made the Apostle cry out O miserable man Secondly Man thus depraued in soule by originall corruption is by nature a childe of disobedience and a child of wrath Ephes 2.2.2 That is vnfit for the seruice of God liable to the curse of God both which are miseries beyond comparison First he cannot doe the workes of God for he is as a broken tooth which serueth for no vse at all and as a broken arme wherewith a man cannot worke As soone as a man beginnes to frame himselfe vnto the seruice of God hee findeth his corruption euer to be in his way so that the good that he willingly would doe he cannot doe as he would With this are the children of God greatly moued howsoeuer the children of the world which put not forth their strength to the seruice of God feele no inconuenience herein euen as one that hath a broken legge and lyeth still feeleth not the smart thereof so much as he that is euer assaying to walke and therefore they complaine not neuerthelesse this exceedingly grieueth the seruants of God and they account it as a great misery that they can no better performe their dutie to God Secondly the naturall man is liable to the curse of God Deut. 27.26 He that destroyeth the image of God him will God destroy This is it that did cast many of the Angells out of heauen into hell this droue Adam out of Paradise and maketh all the sonnes of men subiect vnto eternall death and from hence doe arise all the plagues and punishments which are inflicted vpon man now as a man hauing committed murther being come to himselfe accounteth himselfe to be miserable in regard of the offence which maketh him worthie of death although he be neither apprehended nor condemned to die euen so it is with the children of God who notwithstanding that they are deliuered as the Apostle was from the feare of death thorough our Lord Iesus Christ Heb. 2.15 yet because they know that their sinfulnesse causeth God to hide his cheareful countenance from them Esay 59.2 Which is vnto them as bitter as death it selfe therefore they cry out vnfainedly because of this bodie of death O miserable man Now in that the Apostle himselfe which had alreadie in a great measure mortified and subdued this body of death 1 Cor. 9.27 yet neuerthelesse so pitifully complaineth against it whereas there are many thousands that goe frolikely along being neuer touched much lesse troubled therewith yet are as it were wrapped and plunged ouer head and cares in sinne and iniquitie from thence followeth this Doctrine The more sanctified and holy that a man is the more sensible is he of his corruptions and the more troublesome are they vnto him This is manifest in that the Apostle that was none of the
our sinfull flesh is like vnto a wicked Enchantresse which smileth vpon vs when she purposeth to destroy vs the pleasing and delightfull concupiscences thereof are like Ioabs kisses who killed Amasa when he seemed to kisse him 2 Sam 20.9.10 Therefore wee must not fauour and please this monster of sinne but we must in this thing denie our selues and kill our earthly members Col. 3.5 And crucifie our old man Gal. 5.24 If we will liue and be deliuered from the eternall crosse and the eternall death Neither must we shrinke or be afrayd to doe it for the lustes of our flesh which we are to cut off are as rotten members members of the bodie of death cankered and putrified members which if we cut them not off in time will corrupt and destroy our whole man yea and bring vs also into eternall death as the truth it selfe teacheth vs expressely testifying that if we fauour and make much of the members of this body of death that is our sinfull lustes and cut them not off we shall with them be cast into hell where the Worme neuer dyeth and the fire neuer goeth out Mar. 9.44 Secondly the man that would willingly bee more and more deliuered from the body of death thorough Iesus Christ our Lord must not onely denie and forsake himselfe but also with all his affections and the deepest desires of his heart make all possible speede to come vnto Christ that he may be cured of him as he himselfe teacheth namely that all that are wearie and laden must come vnto him and he will ease them Mat. 11.28.29 and Mat. 13.15 He then that would be healed by Christ and deliuered from the bodie of death must giue vp himselfe vnto him to be cured by him euen as a poore patient which hauing long beene possessed with a grieuous disease putteth himselfe into the hands of a skilfull Phisitian which by Gods helpe can cure him to be ruled and handled according vnto his will prescription Now the dyet the phisicke the receipts which Christ the onely Phisitian of the soule prescribeth vnto his patients that I may so speake for their curing are found onely in the holy Scripture Ioh 5.39 which is the Phisick booke wherein are plentifully conteined the words which are life to them that finde them and health vnto their flesh Pro. 4.22 Therefore the poore sinfull man that would haue helpe must order and gouerne himselfe according to the rule and true meaning of the holy Scripture wherein is comprehended the great wisedome of God and all the mysteries of spirituall Phisicke according to which whosoeuer truely frameth and carrieth himselfe shall certainely and vndoubtedly be healed Therefore it is the greatest folly and madnesse in the world and a sinne whereof very many stand guiltie before God that wretched sinfull men should be slacke and negligent to enquire and search after the wisedome and counsell of God and to frame and fashion themselues according vnto it notwithstanding the great wife and mercifull God hath reuealed vnto them in his word which he hath put into our handes how they should walke to the end that they may be healed of the bodie of death but run vnaduisedly after the blind conceipt of their owne head without once rightly considering what the Lord Iesus Christ the onely Phisitian of the soule hath prescribed and deliuered in the holy Scripture for poore soule-sicke man to practise and apply vnto himselfe to the end that he may bee cured yea the great stayne of this sinne of the godlesse children of the world shall neuer be purged from them vnlesse they amend therefore those that would bee deliuered from the body of death thorough our Lord Iesus Christ must so giue themselues vp vnto him to be cured of him as that they diligently search and learne out of his word how they must order and addresse themselues to the end that they may bee healed Thirdly He that would be deliuered from the body of death thorough our Lord Iesus Christ must by all meanes endeuour to beleeue and hold as firme and certaine that he thus denying and giuing vp himselfe vnto Christ shall truely bee deliuered and cured by him this did Christ require in the curing of bodily diseases Marc. 9.23 and else-where teaching vs thereby that this faith is aboue all things necessary and requisite vnto the curing of the mortall disease of our soules it being the Conduit which conueyeth vnto vs vertue from Christ whereby we are healed of our corruptions But the Diuell which setteth vp himselfe as a God of the world laboureth by all his might and pollicie to hinder and stop this for hee will eyther perswade a man that he shall liue and bee saued by his faith and beliefe in Christ when hee liueth in a course of perdition seruing the flesh wherein if he continueth it is not possible that he should be saued Rom. 8.13 or else hee will make him beleeue if he can that his sinnes are so great that he shall not obteine pardon and remission of God when he hath denied himselfe forsaken his sinnes laboureth to be conformed vnto the will of God and is heartily grieued because he cannot performe such obedience vnto him as hee should and as hee would but let vs take heede of both these Rockes let vs not presume of the mercy of God when wee are not fit Objects of mercie standing in open rebellion against God being friendes of sinne and let it also bee farre from vs to thinke that God will not haue mercy vpon vs when wee come vnto him for mercie with true sorrow and griefe because wee haue offended him for it is his glory to haue mercie and to haue respect vnto them that humble themselues but let vs wrestle with our vnbeleiefe and beleeue that thorough the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ wee shall bee saued Act. 15.11 This faith thus being founded not vpon an idle conceipt of our owne braynes but vpon the fore-named groundes the word and councell of Christ wee accordingly endeuouring truely to forsake our selues and to put our selues into his hands to be ruled and gouerned by him This faith I say is mightie and worketh wonders and there is no disease of the soule so mortall or incurable of which wee shall not bee cured if so be wee hold fast and continue in this our true and holy faith following the councell of Christ for then may wee expect the blessing of Christ more and more to bee deliuered from the bodie of death Then shall it bee done vnto vs according to the words of Christ Mathew the fifteenth Chapter and the twentie eyght verse Be it vnto thee as thou wilt Then shall wee be more and more freed from the power of sinne and assured of our Saluation to our great and neuer ending comfort ⸪ Laus honor gloria sole Deo FINIS The connection of the Text with the former verses The summe of the Text. The parts of the Text. Why our naturall