though the tongue be silent therefore our blessed Sauiour in the Gospell sayeth the workes which the Father hath giuen me to doe the same workes Iohn 5. 36. that I doe beare witnesse of mee Like as Cyprian sayeth good workes professes that there is a God so euill workes say in their owne kinde that there is no God nor knowledge of the most high Thus it is a most fearefull sinne for them to walke after the flesh who professes that they are in Iesus Christ For no sinne can be committed of them without horrible Sinnes of men professing Christ are not committed without sacriledge sacriledge euery worke of the flesh though done by a Pagan is a transgression of Gods law which shall be punished vnto death but the same committed by Christians are not onely sinnes but sacrilegious sinnes and that of the highest degree then came the sinnes of Belshazar to the Dan. 51. hight when to all his former sinnes hee ioyned the abuse of those vessels which were holy to haue drunke intemperatly for the honour of his Idol in any vessell was a fearefull sinne but to doe it in the vessels dedicated to the honour of the true God was a double sinne Yet is this sacriledge More fearefull than Belshazars small if it shall be compared with thine who professing Christ liues profanely hee abused dead vessels of gold siluer but thou erects a temple for the liuing God in a temple for Idols thou defilest the sanctuary of God with all vncleannesse those vessels which by Baptisme the marke of God were seperate and sealed to his holy seruice thou abusest to the seruice of Sathan by profession thou art militant vnder the banner of Christ wearing his badge but by action art a seruant to his aduersarie like as Iudas thou doest kisse Christ with thy mouth and with thy hand thou betrayest him Let carnall professors looke to him and they may see that a more fearefull iudgement abides them than the open enemies of Christ Iesus himselfe became his owne executioner Neither Caiphas nor Pilate nor the false witnesses nor the people who cryed crucifie Iudas punished sooner than Caiphas were so sodainely iudged as Iudas let men therefore learne either to make their liues in some measure answerable to their Christian profession or else if they will walke after the flesh let them leaue off any more to vsurpe the Christian name We haue here further to learne that it is not an easie A Christian life cannot be led without a battell worke to lead a Christian life but most hard considering that it cannot be led without a continuall battell betweene two parties the Flesh and the Spirit of so contrarie a disposition that the flesh lusts alway against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh it is not possible we can walke after the one the Spirit vnlesse continually we resist the other the flesh And this battell is so proper to the Christian In naturall men there is also a battell but not betweene the Flesh and the Spirit that none in the world can fight it but hee onely It is true that in men vnregenerate there is a battell betweene Reason and Affection Reason oftentimes refusing that for some worldly respect which Affection commaunds and in like manner a battell betweene a naturall conscience and naturall affection an example whereof we haue in Pilate the light of his conscience forbidding him to condemne Christ naturall affection feare of Caesar compelling him to doe the contrary But these battels in the vnregenerate are not battels betweene the flesh and the spirit but betweene flesh and flesh for in an vnregenerate man there is nothing but flesh it being true in them all which is spoken of those in the originall world I will striue no more with man for hee is Gen. 6. 3. but flesh But in the Christian the contrary parties are the new man and the olde the flesh and the spirit nature regenerate fighting against nature vnregenerate with such restlesse oppositions that there shall be no perfect peace till the one haue extinguished the other the life of the one being the death of the other Onely happy are they who in this life are exercised in this battell these are the good souldiers of Iesus for whom is prepared the Crowne As for others who fight it not though they be at quietnesse within themselues yet their peace is wicked and peruerse their being in them an agreement of all their powers to rebell against God Vbi enim non est bellum ibi pax peruersa Aug. ser 12 where there is not this Christian battell there is a miserable peace the end whereof out of doubt shall be more miserable perturbation what hope can those vvretches haue that at length they shall ouercome and obtayne the Crowne who haue neuer done so much as beginne to fight But to returne the difficultie of this Christian battell The difficultie of the Christian battel wherin it appeares appeares the more if wee consider that it is without intermission that our aduersarie is not externall neither such as stands alway vpon circumstances of time and place and exteriour obiects to i 〈…〉 ugne vs but being internall and domestike inuades vs with restlesse assaults euen then when the outward occasion serueth not The flesh saith Bernard Bernard is an enemie hostis quem nec fugere possumus nec fugare circumferre illum necesse est which we can neither flye nor yet chase away from vs a necessitie lyes vpon vs to carrie it about with vs we cannot flye from it Non enim post nos sed Ambrose de paeniten lib. 1. cap. 14. in nobis nos sequitur for it followeth vs saith Ambrose not after vs but in vs. A besieged Citie is sooner betrayed by secret enemies within then suppressed by open enemies without it is not the plain battel ordered before vs which we haue so much to feare as the traines secret ambushments of our aduersarie if we ouercome his power which is within vs his forces shal be soone enfeebled which is without vs. O what neede haue wee therefore in all the actions of our Seeing there are in vs two parties let vs help that which we would haue to preuaile life to walke circumspectly wee haue neede of eyes within and without vs that we may discerne the inward desires of the Spirit from these of the Flesh and may looke rightly on those outward obiects which may cherish the one and suppresse the other In a battaile betweene two euery man assists that partie which he would saine haue to be victorious for the help of the one saith Basil is the ouerthrow Basil serm 2. de iciunio of the other so is it in this combat betweene the Flesh and the Spirit the Flesh being strengthened by outward allurements and carnall exercises quencheth the Spirit and bringeth it in subiection but the more the body be subdued by
heart toward God that the affection which this day is behinde coldest in the loue of God slowest to obey him should the next day be made formost In hac enim vita non progredi est regredi cum nihil Bern. ser de ordine c. adhuc in eodem statu permaneat for in this life nothing standeth in one state it is most certaine that hee that goes not forward goes backward yet I would not so be vnderstood as if the Christian had not his owne fainting and falling in the way of godlinesse yet blessed be God who keepes our soules in life we so â—aint that we reuiue we so fall that wee rise againe of our former follies wee learne to be wise of the experience of our weaknesse wee gather strength wee walke the more warily because so oft wee haue stumbled and fallen of our sinnes we make vantage verus poenitens semper est in dolore timore he who is truly penitent walkes alway in sorrow and feare in sorrow because be hath fallen so oft in feare least he should fall againe And thus much concerning the generall proposition Verse 2. For the law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the law of sinne and of death HItherto we haue heard that generall proposition 2 Confirmation of his Proposition of comfort belonging to the Christian Now followes the Confirmation thereof hee hath said there is no condemnation to them whâ— The Apostle confirmes his generall proposition are in Christ Now he proues it There is in Christ Iesus a liuely working power which â—reeth all that are in him from the law of sinne and of death therefore to them who are in Christ there can be no condemnation for wee being freed from sinne what can condemne vs How Christ hath freed vs from the law of sinne he explaines in the next two verses there is in sinne a twofold law that is a twofold power first a commaunding power secondly a condemning power but in Christ there is a law that is a power of the liuely spirit or a liuely spirituall power deliuering vs from them both For first from the condemning power of Shewing how we are deliuered both from the commaunding and condemning power of sinne sinne hee shewes we are deliuered by the merit of Christs death and suffering in the flesh whereby he hath condemned sinne which merit imputed to vs that are in him doth so free vs that sinne hath no force nor power to condemne vs in iudgement and this he handleth in the third verse Secondly he shewes how we are deliuered from the commaunding power of sinne by the liuely vertue of Iesus Christ which being communicated vnto vs quickneth vs and maketh vs to begin to fulfill the righteousnesse of the law so that refusing to walke after the flesh we endeauour to walke after the spirit and this he handles in the fourth verse shewing that the end why Christ hath condemned sinne in his flesh is that he might sanctifie vs to the obedience of his holy law whereunto at the last he shall make vs fully conformable Thus you see how that former ground of comfort is confirmed vnto vs howsoeuer by nature wee were vnder the law of sinne and consequently vnder damnation yet now by Christ we are freed from all law of sin and so freed also from condemnation The phrases vsed here by the Apostle makes his purpose Phrases vsed by the Apostle expounded seeme to be the more obscure therefore will we first explane them This phrase the spirit of life in Christ is more significant than that well it can be expressed in so few effectuall termes The Apostle was sent a Doctor to the Gentiles yet doth he labour earnestly to conuert the Iewes for both their edifications hee so tempers his stile that speaking to the Gentiles in the Grecian language hee keepes the Hebrew phrase which as I said makes his speech appeare the harder The spirit of life in Christ then is no other thing but the life of Christ like that Reuel 11. 11. Againe the law of the spirit of life in Christ is no other thing but that forcible working liuely power which is in Christ for it is customable to the holy Apostle to vse the word law to expresse any thing wherein there is a commaunding or working power so he hath ascribeth a law to sinne a law to his members a law to death and now very properly hee oppones vnto them a law of the spirit of life in Christ which is more liuely and powerfull to saue to free and to quicken then any law that hath contrary power can be able to destroy captiue or slay them who are in Christ Thus the words being expounded the first lesson will arise Our aduersaries Sathan sin and death are strong but our Sauiour is stronger out of the Apostles manner of speech who ascribing to sinne and death a law which may condemne and destroy ascribes to Christ a more powerfull law to iustifie and preserue Most sure then is our estate who are in Iesus Christ for there is a power in our Lord which shall bring euery contrary power of man and Angell in subiection to him Comfort that tyrant sinne hath indeede oppressed and ouer-ruled many a one but our Lord Iesus the valiant conquerour hath a mighty power able to disanull the law of sinne and Sathan is that strong one who by nature possesses the heart of man as his owne house but Iesus is that stronger one who will dispossesse him and cast him out of the hearts of all such as are his The God of peace shall shortly tread Sathan vnder our feet and therefore suppose we be weake in Rom. 16. 20. our selues yet we will reioyce in the strength of the Lord Iesus Secondly we learne here that without Christ we liued In what a vile bondage wee liued by nature in a vile seruitude and bondage of all seruants those are in worst case who are sould and of those who are sould they are worst who must doe seruice in prison and of them who are in prison most lamentable is their estate who are chayned and bound in prison yet such seruants were we by nature before Christ made vs free we were not onely the seruants of sinne and sould vnder sinne as witnesseth the Apostle but more also we were as saith Esay captiued and bound with chaines in prison the Iaylour whereof is infidelitie for we were all shut vp vnder vnbeliefe a Iaylour so straite and tyrannous as permitted vs not so long as we were in his keeping so much as to lift vp our head or looke vp to heauen for deliuerance from him from whom onely comes our helpe Our oppressors in this bondage are Sathan and Sinne and sinnes of so many sorts as doe miserably distract the soule Pride one while vsurping dominion ouer vs Auarice another while vendicating a seat to her selfe with power to commaund
vs Concupiscence most commonly challenging vs to doe her seruice as our soueraigne Sic certant in me de me ipso cuius potissimum esse videar thus Ber. hom 4. doe they striue within me saith Bernard about me to which of their dominion I should appertaine That which hee confessed of himselfe all the Godly may feele in their owne experience innumerable are those tyrants that striue among themselues but all of them striue against vs to haue domination ouer vs but indeed these are vncouth Lords and such as can claime no title nor right ouer vs wee are the workemanship of God the redeemed of the Lord and are bound to doe seruice to none but to him alone O Lord therefore come downe and possesse thine owne kingdome erect a throne to thy selfe in our hearts that thou by thy Spirit may raigne in vs as our King and make vs free from these tyrants that would oppresse vs. But that we may the better perceiue how abhominable Three things to be considered in this bondage this seruitude is let vs out of the Apostles words marke these three things first how this dominion is tyrannicall secondly how the commaundements of these tyrants are all wicked and thirdly are all deadly these three he toucheth shortly when he saith that Christ hath freed vs from the law of sinne and death First then he ascribeth vnto sinne How a Law is ascribed vnto sinne a Law not as if sin proceeded by a Law properly so called or that there were any lawfulnesse in sinne but onely to poynt out the tyranny thereof for as Rulers ordayned by God haue their owne Lawes by which they gouerne their Subiects in iustice so hath also tyrannous vsurpers their owne commandements to the obedience whereof they enforce such as are vnder them And this tyrranny the Apostle here ascribe vnto sinne A tyrranny lawlesse and most intollerable for where 1 Sin is such an intollerable tyrant as neuer suffers his Subiects to rest as any other oppressor will sometime giue rest to such as are vnder his bondage Euen in Egypt vnder Pharaoh the Israelites had license to refresh themselues with meate and drink and sleep this spirituall oppressor giues no rest to his miserable captiues but whether they eate or drinke or sleep hee alwaies exacts the seruice of sinne from them so that he doth in such sort lye in wait to snare the children of God Vt faciat aliquando dormientibus quod non potest vigilantibus August ser de temp that sometime hee doth that vnto them when they are a sleepe which by no meanes hee is able to doe when they are waking And if so he doe to the Saints what meruaile if he turmoyle the minde of his Captiues vncessantly with vncleane cogitations When Sathan had once put it into the minde of Iudas to betray Iesus did hee suffer him to rest till he had performed it no indeed hee permitted him not so much as to eate his meate but hastned him from the Table to accomplish his sinne hee had intended and Ammon being once entised to defile his sister Thamar was so vexed that his flesh melted away and his minde had no rest O how intollerable oppressours are mans inordinate affections where they haue dominion ouer him â—lye therefore saith the Apostle the lusts of thy youth noysome lusts they 1. Pet. 2. 11. sight saith Saint Peter against thy soule they are enemies 2. Tim. 2. 22. to our peace and to calling vpon the name of the Lord with a pure heart Libido est furiosa domina si semel te comprehenderit Amb. de fuga seculi cap. 4. nec die nec nocte sinet te requiescere Lust said Ambrose is a furious mistresse who if once she comprehend thee shall not suffer thee to rest neyther night nor day Secondly in this seruitude all the Commandements are alway vnlawfull the most vnreasonable tyranny that 2 All the commaundements thereof are vnlawfull euer was sometime hath had a reasonable commaund but the Law of sinne commaundeth and enforceth alwayes the transgression of the Law of God Sore was Israell oppressed when they were compelled in Egypt to worke in brick and clay a seruice vnseemely in a holy people made free by the Lord but was it comparable to Sathans tyranny which he exercised ouer vs when we were strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that was in vs and not content with the euill he hath done vs still hee vsurpes ouer vs euen now when the Sonne hath made vs free The Lord put in our mindes to know how slauish and vnreasonable Sathans bondage is that our hearts may be confirmed to resist him 3 They are all deadly Lastly the commaundements of this tyranny are all deadly for the Law of sin subiecteth to the Law of death the commaunding power of sinne if we yeeld vnto it deliuers Iam. 1. 13. vs vnto the condemning power of sinne for sinne when it is finished bringeth out death And herein Sathan bewrayes himselfe to be a shamelesse and faithlesse traitour not onely he promiseth life when his purpose is to inflict death but where first hee entises man vnto sinne he doth next accuse man to God for those same sinnes which man hath done by his entisement Be assured of this thou who art led captiue of Sathan to doe his will that he who now without ceasing is a tempter of thee to sinne shall shortly after this be a tormenter of thee without intermission because thou hast sinned And if this cannot yet mooue vs to become weary of A threefold godly meditation profitable to make vs weary of the seruice of sin this bondage let this threefold meditation helpe vs. Consider first what we haue beene secondly what wee hope to be thirdly what euen now wee may be in regard of the present occasion and we shall see that it is most vnseemely 1 If we consider what we haue bin by creation for vs to liue any more seruants to so vnkindly vnreasonable and intollerable Maisters Remember first thy originall glory O thou man of God thou wert made to the image of God inuested in this dignitie to be Lord and ruler ouer the creatures Animales O homo principatu decoratum Basil hexam hom 10. vt quid seruis affectionibus quamobrem tuam ipsius dignitatem abijcis teque ipsum seruum peccatâ— constituis quare te ipsum facis captâ—â—uÌ„ diaboli Princeps creaturarum constiâ—â—tâ—s es dignitatem naturae tuae proijcis O man thou art a creature adorned with princely power by thy first creation why then seruest thou affections why dost thou cast away thine owne dignitie and makes thy selfe a captiue of Sathan thou wast placed Lord of the creatures thou wast appointed to rule ouer the fish of the Sea and euery beast of the field what shame is it then that thou shouldest be ouer-ruled with those beasts which are within thee Secondly
forth and nourished free men vnto Iacob but remayned themselues in the state of bond women from this vnhappie condition the Lord deliuer vs and make vs partakers of that mercie and grace whereof hee hath made vs Preachers and professors From the Law of sinne and death Heere the Apostle shewes from what it is that we are deliuered Dauid saith many deliuerances giueth the Lord to his annoynted he spake Psal 18. 51. it of himselfe and it is true of all the Children of God By a great deliuerance he saued Noah in the deluge Lot in the burning of Sodome Israel out of Egypt Ioseph in the prison Daniel in the denne the three Children in the sierie furnace but all these are small if they be compared with this deliuerance from sinne and death Where first we learne how the Apostle conioynes these Sinne death God hath conioyned who shall seperate them two sinne and death if we be deliuered from the first wee shall also be deliuered from the second but if wee abide in the first we shall be sure not to escape the second if therefore Sathan say vnto vs as he did to our first Parents though yâ—u eatâ—â—f this forbidden tree yee shall not dye let vs answere him he hath proued already a shamelesse lyar and we are not any more to credit him that same penaltie lyes vpon euery sinne which was layd vpon the first if ye doe it ye shall die God hath conioyned them and who shal seperate them though the Lord speake not instantly to euery sinner as he did to Abimelech behold thou art but dead because Gen. 20. 3. of this sinne yet is it true of euery sinne when it is finished it brings out death So soone as Ionas entred into the Sea saith Chris hom 5. ad popu Ant. Chrisostome the storme rose to teach vs that Vbi peccatum ibi procella where there is sinne specially committed with rebellion there will not faile to arise a storme of the wrath of God It is true indeed the sinner in committing of sinne doth What a deceiuer Sathan is in tempting to sinne not perceiue this being blinder than Balaam he walkes on in an euill course and sees not the sword of Gods vengeance which is before him but imagines alway to reape some good either of profit or pleasure by committing of sinne for these are Sathans two baites vnder which hee couers his deadly hookes It is therefore a point of singular wisedome to decerne betweene the deceit of sinne present and the fruit of sinne to come betweene that which Sathan promiseth and that which we finde in experience performed He promised to our Parents that they should be made like vnto God but in very deede hee made them miserable like himselfe And if thou wilt also obserue that which thou findest in thy owne experience what fruit hast thou of a Rom. 6. 11. sinne when thou hast committed it doth not darknesse arise in thy minde heauinesse in thy heart terrour feare and accusing cogitations in thy conscience Euery man may finde it who list to marke it by moe then a thousand experiences in himselfe that Sathan is a shamelesse deceiuer yea more deceitfull then Laban who promised to giue to Iacob Gen. 34. beautifull Rahel but in the darke he gaue him bleare-eyed Leah be assured he will change thy wages promise thee one thing and pay thee with another As Hamor spake to his Sichemites so doth Sathan to his blind-folded Citizens he perswaded his people that if they would be circumcised all Iacobs substance and cattell should be theirs but indeed the contrary ensued for the goods of the Sichemites befell to the house of Iacob and they themselues perished by the sword Let vs therefore beware of the inuenomed tongue of the Diuell mentitur vt fallat vitam pollicetur vt perimat Cypr. lib. 1. Epist. 8. he lyes that he may deceiue he promiseth life that he may inflict death say he what he will let vs beleeue the word of the Lord confirmed by dolefull daily experience the wages of sinne is death God hath knit them together and who shall seperate them So oft then as Sathan by the deceit of sinne would beguile Sinne seemes sweet but the fruit thereof is bitter thee remember that though sinne seeme to be sweet the fruit thereof is exceeding bitter if thou feare not sinne feare that end whereunto sinne leades thee dulce peccatum sed amara mors sinne is sweet but death is bitter remember that the wages which Sathan promiseth and man would haue hee shall not get but the wages which God threatneth and man would not haue shall assuredly be payed him for this is the miserie of those who walke in their sinnes illud propter quod peccant hic dimittunt ipsa peccata Aug. hom 42. sâ—cum portant that for which they sinne they leaue it behinde them and carrie their sinnes away out of the world with them So that in the end when they shall gather the profite of all their former sinnes into a summe they shall find no other but that fore-told by the Apostle What profit Rom. 6. 21. haue ye now of all those things whereof ye are ashamed surely there is no fruit but shame and death to be pluckt from the forbidden tree of sinne But heere it may be obiected by the weake conscience Comfort for the godly who are troubled with the tentations of sinne of the godly how can this comfort be ours that wee are freed from sinne who find our selues so continually assaulted yea oftentimes oppressed of sinne For answere let vs marke that the Apostle saith not wee are fully freed from sinne in this life but we are freed from the law of sinne that is both from the commanding and condemning power thereof Sinne doth not now raigne in our mortall bodies as before neither hath it power any more to detaine vs vnder death But as for the temptations of sinne there is no sort of men more troubled with them then they whom God hath begunne to deliuer from the Law of sinne for Sathan being impatient of his losse seekes daily to recouer his former dominion From the time that once the Gibeonites made peace for themselues with Ioshua all the rest of Ioshua 9. the Kings of Canaan made warre against them and so soone as we enter into a couenant with the Lord Iesus Sathan shal not faile the more hereely to assault vs seeking to recouer his old possession yet if as the Gibeonits did we send speedily messengers to our Iehosua to shew him how wee are troubled for his sake hee shall not with-draw his helping hand from vs. Our deliuerance from sinne is begunne now but not Our begun deliuerance from sinne the Lord shall perfect 1. Cor. 1 8. Phil. 1. 6. perfected but we know that our God is faithfull by whom we are called hee shall also confirme vs to the end Euen hee who
own son Sonne to distinguish him from all others who are his sonnes by adoption onely Christ is the Sonne of God by nature by that diuine inutterable generation whereof Esay saith Who can expresse it Thus is hee Gods owne sonne that is Esay coeternall and coessentiall begotten of the Father before all time by the full communication of his whole essence vnto him in a manner that cannot be expressed And in the fulnesse of time he became man God being manifested in the flesh and in regard of his humane nature which was conceiued of the holy Ghost and vnited in a personall vnion with his diuine he stands in the title of Gods owne sonne after so singular a manner that he admits no companion The last of these two the Apostle makes the first point Christs diuine generation a great mysterie 1. Tim. 3. 16. of the misterie of Godlinesse God manifested in the flesh wherein he bridles our curiositie for if his manifestation in the flesh that is his incarnation be a mysterie that goes beyond our vnderstanding what shall we say of his diuine generation a mysterie to be indeed adored not to be enquired an article proposed to be belieued not to be disputed The Arrians seeking to search out this vnsearchable mysterie with naturall reason by infinite degrees more foolish then if they had presumed to number the starres of heauen or measure with their fist all the waters in the Sea they stumbled Mans curiosity restrained from searching it and fell being neuer able to comprehend how the son that was begotten should be coeternall and coessentiall to the Father who begot him therefore the worthy Fathers of the primitiue Church to represse the presumption of these arrogant spirits drew them down from the dangerous speculation of these high mysteries farre aboue their capacitie to consideration of things which are in nature Si in Creatura genitum inueniri potest coaeuum genitori an non aequum August est concedas posse ista in creatore coaeterna inueniri if in things created that which is begotten may be found equall in time to that which begat it why should it be denyed that in the Creator the begetter and begotten are equall in eternitie When a candle saith Augustine is first lighted at once there are two things the fire the splendor or light if it be enquired whether the fire come from the light or the light from the fire all men will agree that the splendor or light comes from the fire but if againe it be demanded which of them is first or last in time it cannot be determined But wherefore shall we vse these similitudes as the Creator is aboue the creature so is that mysterie aboue all the secrets of nature no similitude can be found in nature so much as shadow that most high and supernaturall mysterie yet is the endeuor of these godly fathers commendable who haue laboured to bring downe men to the exercising of their wits in things which are below like vnto themselues leauing curious inquisition of higher secrets which as I haue said are to be receiued with faith reuerenced with Rom 11. 20. silence not searched out by curiositie O man be not high minded but feare Christ came like a sinfull man but without sinne In the similitude of sinnefull flesh We must not so vnderstand these words as if Iesus had onely the similitude of a naturall bodie no he was very man made of the seed of Dauid he hath taken our flesh indeed yet was he not a sinfull man but separated from sinners A holy One from the first moment of his conception conceiued of the holy Ghost A stone cut out of the mountaine without hands The Dan. 2. 45. Cant. Flower of the field that groweth without mans labour or industry 1. Cor. 15. The second Adam very man as was the first but not begotten of man So then the word similitude is not to be ioyned with the word Flesh but with the word sinfull He tooke on mans nature without sin yet subiect to those infirmities mortalitie and death which sin brought vpon vs he appeared like a sinfull man being indeed without sinne in the shape of a Seruant content to be made inferiour not onely to Angels but to men of the vilest sort sold for thirtie pieces of siluer not so worthie to liue as Barrabas ranked with Theeues on the Crosse and reputed as a Worme of the earth thus being voyde of all sinne yet was hee handled as a sinner and most wicked malefactor Wherein we are to consider so farre as we may though How deerely the Lord loued vs perceiue by the price he hath giuen for our ransome we cannot comprehend it that wonderfull loue which the Lord hath shewed vs in this worke of our saluation how deere and precious our life hath beene in his eyes perceiue by the greatnesse of that price which he hath giuen for vs for who will giue much for that whereof hee esteemes but little it was not with gold nor siluer nor any corruptible thing that the Lord hath redeemed vs but with the precious blood of his owne Son Iesus as of a Lambe vnblemished and vnspotted If Dauid considering the goodnesse of God towards man in the work of creation fell out into this admiration O Lord what is man that thou art mindfull of him Psalm 8. or the Son of man that thou doest visite him how much more haue we cause so to cry out considering the riches of God his wonderfull mercies shewed vs in the worke of redemption It was a great kindnesse which Abraham shewed to Lot when he hazarded his owne life and the liues of his familie to recouer Lot out of the hands of Chedarlaomer but not comparable to that kindnesse which our kinsman the Lord Iesus hath shewed vnto vs who hath giuen his life to deliuer vs out of the hand of our enemies The Lord shed abroad in our hearts more and more abundantly the sence of that loue that we may endeauour to be thankfull for it by this threefold dutie first of thanksgiuing secondly of seruice thirdly of loue toward those who are beloued of him As for the first our life should be a continuall thanksgiuing Our thankfulnes againe should be testified by this threefold dutie and worshipping before him who hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his blood When the children of Israell had passed the red sea suppose they had a vast wildernesse betweene them and Canaan yet they praised 1 Continuall thanksgiuing God with a song of thanksgiuing and the Lord appointed an yeerely remembrance of that benefit If smaller mercies are to be remembred with thanksgiuing what shall we thinke of the greater As for the second which is seruice Zacharie teacheth 2 Seruice vs that for this end God hath deliuered vs from all our enimies that all our dayes we should serue him in righteousnesse Luke 1. 74.
pannell before the Iudge to vnder-lye the law which craued that our sinnes should be punished to the death The decree according to the law is executed death yea an accursed death as the punishment of sinne is laide vpon Christ whereupon there followes of equitie an absolution of all those for whom the Lord Iesus suffered as Cautioner their sinne is condemned and made of no force to condemne them hereafter The other generall iustice court 2 In the second the persons of all the wicked shall be condemned will be holden in the last day wherein all flesh must appeare before the Lord as their superiour and in that supreame and last Court of iustice shall be condemned the persons of all those whose sinnes were not condemned before in Christ Iesus onely therefore blessed are they who are in Christ He that heares my words and belieues in him that sent me hath Ioh. 5. 24. euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life And lastly we may obserue here what a powerfull Sauiour Christ did greatest works when to mans iudgement he was weakest wee haue when to the iudgement of man hee was weakest then did hee the greatest worke that euer was done in the world hee was powerfull in working of miracles in his life but more powerfull in his death for then he darâ—ened the Sunne he shooke the earth hee made the rockes to cleaue he rent the vale of the temple a sunder and caused the dead to rise Mortuum Caesarem quis metuâ—t sed morte Cyp. de duplici mâ—rtirio Christi quid efficacius if Caesar be once dead who will feare Christ euen when he is dead is terrible to his enemies nothing can be more effectuall then his death By it he did a greater worke than was the creation of the world by it he brought in new heauens and a new earth by suffering death he destroyed him who had the power of death when hee was condemned of man he condemned sinne that it should not condemne man passus est vt infirmus operatus vt fortis August de temp ser 7. Macar hom 11. he suffered as a weake man but wrought as a strong one â—icut serpens mortum c. As that Serpent without life erected by Moses in the wildernesse ouercame the liuing Serpents that stung Israell so the Lord Iesus by suffering death hath slaine that serpent that liuing in vs had stung vs Chris hom 2. in Math. vnto death Hic vides mortem morte peremptam maledictum maledicto extinctum per quae Diabolus iam antea valebat per ea ipsa tyrannidem ipsius esse destructam here thou seest saith Chrisostome death slaine by death and the tyrannie of Sathan destroyed by those same meanes by which before most of all he preuailed O wonderfull worke surely the weakenesse of God is Christ a powerfull Sauiour stronger then Sampson yea stronger then that strong one stronger then man he is that strong One indeed stronger then Sampson When the Philistines thought they had him sure within the ports of Azzah he arose at midnight and tooke the doores of the gates of the Cittie and the two posts and carried them away with the bars thereof on his shoulders vp to the top of the mountaine which is before Iudg. 16. 1. Hebron but our mighty Conquerour and deliuerer the Lord Iesus hath in a more excellent manner magnified his power for being closed in the graue clasped in the bands of death and a stone rolled to the mouth of the graue the Sepulcher sealed and guarded with souldiers he rose againe the third day before the rising of the Sunne he carried like a victor the bars and posts of death away as vpon his shoulders and vpon the mount of Oliues he ascended on high leading captiuitie captiue Like as therefore wee receiued before great comfort Christs power yeelds vs great comfort through the consideration of Christs incomprehensible loue toward vs so is it now confirmed by the meditation of his power Let Sathan boast like Rabsache that the Lord 2. Reg. 18. 35. is not able to deliuer Ierusalem out of his hands hee is but a blasphemous Lyar the Lord will rebuke him and will shortly tread Sathan vnder our feete it is the curse of the wicked he shall be oppressed and there shall be none to deliuer Deut. 28. 29. him but blessed be the Lord who hath prouided a strong deliuerer for vs who certainly shall set vs free from our enemies and destroy all the oppressours of our soules Psal 143. 12. Glory therefore be vnto him for euer Verse 4. That the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in vs who walke not after the Flesh but after the Spirit THe Apostle hauing taught vs in the former 2 Here followes the second member of the explication wherein hee shewes how we are deliuered from the commanding power of sinne Ephes 5. 26. verse how the Lord Iesus hath freed vs from the condemning power of sin doth now let vs see how wee are freed also from the commanding power of sin for he sets downe this to be the first and neerest end of Christs death in respect of vs the renouation of our nature and conformity thereof with God his holy law which he expresses more cleerely in another place when he saith that Christ gaue himselfe to the death for his Church that he might sanctifie it and make it to himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blame This is the end which Christ hath proposed vnto himselfe and whereof he cannot be frustrate as he hath begun it so he shall finish it he shall conforme vs to the law the righteousnesse thereof shall be fulfilled in vs there shall not be left in our nature so much as a sinfull motion or desire but hee shall at the last present vs pure and without blame to his Father This righteousnesse of the law I vnderstand to be that How the riâ—hteousnesse of the law is fulfilled in vs. perfect obedience to the Commandements thereof which the law requires flowing from the perfect loue of God and our neighbour and it is fulfilled in vs two manner of wayes first by application or imputation of Christs righteousnesse vnto vs he is our head and we his members and are so vnited with him that now we are not to be taken as sundry but as one body with him By vertue of the which communion it comes to passe that that which is ours is his that which is his is ours so that in our head wee haue fulfilled the law satisfied Gods iustice for our sinnes Secondly it will be fulfilled in vs by our perfect sanctification though now we haue but begun obedience and in part the Lord Iesus at the last shall bring it in vs to perfection The Iesuites of Rhemes in their marginall
vs good effects by it we are made more humble more feruent in prayer more abundant in teares the hard heart by this holy hammer of God being made soft so that sanctified trouble by the Lords wonderfull working becomes a meane to establish our peace Corda electorum aliquando concussa melius Greg. moral in lob lib. 2. solidantur the hearts of the elect are best setled after they haue beene shaken with crosses All the children of God sindes this by experience that their inward troubles are preparatiues to inward consolations as he who goes to build a house the higher he intends to raise it the deeper he layes the foundations thereof so the Lord humbles them lowest with their terrours to whom he purposes to communicate the highest measure of his consolations As his sufferings 2. Cor. 1. 5. abounds in vs so shall our consolation abound through him wee will therefore that peace which we haue in Christ which he hath left vs none shall be able to take from vs. Verse 7. Because the wisedome of the flesh is inimitie against God for it is not subiect to the Law of God neither indeede can it be THe Apostle proceeds and giues the reason why he called the wisedome of the flesh death because it is inimitie with God He proues it is inimitie with God because neither is it nor can it be subiect vnto the law of God Of this manner of reasoning vsed by the Apostle wee Our life stands in peace with God first learne that our life consists in our peace with God and that our death is procured by our inimitie with him Compare sinfull Adam with innocent Adam and this shall be made manifest so long as hee stood at peace with God hee liued a ioyfull life familiar with his maker but from the time he began the inimitie by transgression of the commandement not onely was the presence of God ioyfull to him before terrible now but hee became such a terrour to himselfe that it was a death to him to liue in that state of life Oh that alway wee could remember this that wee cannot offend the Lord vnlesse wee slay our selues all our rebelling against the Lord is but a kicking of our heele against the pricke the losse is our owne we depriue our selues of life but cannot spoyle the Lord of his glory It is written of the Stdonians that when Herod intended How foolish man is when he entertaines inimitie with God warre against them they made friendship with Blastus Hereds Chamberlaine and besought him to make peace for them the reason was because their lands were nourished by the King therefore they were not able to beare his inimity Alas that we cannot be as wise in a greater matter both our lands and our selues are nourished by the King of heauen wee are not able to endure his anger if he please hee can make the heauen aboue vs as brasse and the earth beneath vs as iron if he take his breath out of our nosthrils we fall like clay to the ground and are turned into dust how then is miserable man so bewitched that hee dares liue in that state of life which is inimitie with God Doe yee prouoke the 1. Cor 10. 22. Lord vnto anger are yee stronger than he No no assuredly if thou walke on in thy sinnes the Lord shall crush thee Psal 29. with a Scepter of iron and breake thee in pecces like a Potters vessell so vnequall shalt thou finde the match if thou Psal 50. 22. contend with thy Maker Oh consider this yee that forget God least he teare you in peices and there be none to deliuer Shall the Sidonians intreate for peace when Herod proclaymes warre and shall man continue in inimitie when God from heauen proclaymes his peace farre be it from vs that we should so doe Away with this wisedome of the flesh which is inimitie with God Perceiue againe how the spirit of God in such sort describes No good in mans nature before it be renued against the Semipelagians of our time the nature of man vnrenued by Grace that no good is left in it out of which the Semipelagians of our time may draw their workes of preparation or merits of congruitie for where as in the Soule of man there are but two faculties the Vnderstanding and the Will the spirit of God so describes his Vnderstanding that not onely he saith the naturall man vnderstands not the things that are of God but as if that were not sufficient to expresse mans miserable estate he addeth neither indeed can he vnderstand them because A minde that neither sees nor can see 1. Cor. 2. 14. A will that neither is subiect to God nor can be they are spiritually discerned And againe his will hee so describeth it that it is not subiect vnto the Law of God and hee addeth this neither indeed can it be What more can be said to abase the naturall pride of man he hath such a minde as neither vnderstands nor can vnderstand the things of God he hath such a will as neither is subiect nor can be subiect to the Law of God This is the iudgement of Gods spirit concerning the corruption of our nature we set it against the vaine opinion of all those who to magnifie the arme of flesh and the merits of man dreames of a good in our nature without grace which cannot be found in it Neyther let any man inferring more of the Apostles The praise of Gods power and grace is the greater because it reformes nature it being so farre peruerted speech then himselfe concludes think it impossible that our rebellious will should be made obedient the Apostle takes not away this hope from man onely he denyes that nature is able to doe it Nature without grace may encrease the inimitie but cannot make reconciliation but that which is impossible to man is possible to God The nature of beasts birds and creeping things hath beene tamed by the nature of man saith Saint Iames but the tongue of man though Iam. 3. 7. the smallest member in the body yet so vnruly an euill that no man is able to tame it We cannot change one haire of Mat. 5 36. our head to make that white which is black farre lesse can wee change our hearts to make them holy which are vncleane What then shall we be out of all hope that which wee are notable to doe shall wee thinke it shall neuer be done Let vs not so conclude though no man can tame the nature of man the Lord can Paul who was a rauening Wolfe in the Euening the Lord made a peaceable Lambe in the Morning Naturalists haue written that the bloud of the Goat causeth the hard Adamant to breake but the holy Scripture hath more surely taught that the bloud of Iesus hath vertue to turne a stonie heart into a soft where it pleases the Lord of stones to raise vp children vnto
spirit of God vseth threatnings is an argument of our rebellious nature taken from honestie and dutie vvere sufficient to moue vs but in that the spirit of God doth also threaten vs with death is an euident argument of the froward rebellion of our nature The word of GOD is compared not onely to milke but also to salt we haue neede of the one because of our infancy that being nourished therewith wee may grow and because of our corruption wee haue neede to be The vvord should be vsed as milk to some as salt to others seasoned with the other to both these ends should Preachers vse the vvord of GOD to some as milke for their nourishment to others as salt for their amendment But these are the times foretold by the Apostle wherein But now men cannot abide the rebuke of Gods word 2 Tim. 4. 3. Amos. 5. 10. 1 King 22. 8. the itching eares of men cannot abide wholesome doctrine they hate him that rebukes in the gaâ—e as Achab hated Micaiah to the death because hee prophecyed no good vnto him that is hee spake not according to his phantasie but warned him faithfully of the iudgement which afterward came vpon him so the hearers of our time can abide no teachers but such as are after their owne lusts but alas they are foolish for are not my words good to him that walkes vprightly Micah 2 7. Aug. ser 1. sayth the Lord. Aduersarius est nobis quamdiu sumus ipsi nobis quamdiu tu tibi inimicus es inimicum habebis sermonem Deâ— the word of God is an aduersary to none but such as are aduersaries to themselues neither doth it condemne any but such as assuredly shall be condemned of the Lord vnlesse they repent Stop thine eare as thou wilt Zach. 7. 11. from hearing of the threatnings of the word yet shalt thou not stop that iudgement which the word hath threatned against thee There is a cry that will come at midnight and will waken the dead but blessed are they who in time are wakened out of the sleepe of their sinnes by the cryes of the watch-men of God for vndoubtedly a fearefull and painfull consumption shall torment them for euer who now cannot suffer that the salt of the Word should bite their sores to cure them The opposition made here by the Apostle warnes vs Either we must slay sin or sin shall slay vs. that a necessitie lyeth vpon vs to mortifie our sinfull lusts it stands vpon our liues vnlesse wee slay sinne sinne shall not faile to slay vs. It is like a Serpent in our bosome which cannot liue but by sucking out that bloud whereby we liue here is a wholesome preseruatiue against sinne if at euery occasion wee would carry it in our minde wee would make no doubt to put sinne to the death that our selues might liue For alas what pittifull folly is this wee hate them that pursues our bodily life wee eschew them by all bodily Aug. detemp serm 29. meanes wee hate the oppressours that spoile vs of worldly goods onely wee cannot hate Sathan to the death who seekes by sinne to spoyle vs of eternall life That same Commandement which was giuen to Adam Euery sin is to vs the forbidden Tree and Euah if yee eate of the forbiâ—den Tree yee shall dye is in effect here giuen to vs all if ye liue after the flesh ye shall die let vs not make an exception where God hath made none euery sinne to vs is as that forbidden Tree to Adam if wee meddle with it we shall finde no better fruit then that which Men seeke on it that fruit which they shall not finde and finde on it that fruit which they would not haue Adam found on it before vs there is a fruit vvhich man seekes vpon the Tree of sinne and hee shall not finde it to wit profit or pleasure and there is another fruit which God hath threatned and Sathan saith it growes not on the Tree of sinne but man assuredly shal finde it Bitter death groweâ— vpon the pleasant Tree of sinne for the wages of sinne is death albeit there came no word from the Lord to teach this former experience may confirme it for what fruit haue we this day of all our former sinnes but a guilty conscience which breeds vs much terror accusing thoughts and anguish of Spirit It is therefore a point of great wisedome to discerne betweene Great wisdome to discerne betweene the deceit of sin and fruit of sinne the deceit of sinne and fruit of sin before the action Sinne is Inâ—micus blandienâ— a slattering and laughing enemie in the action it is dulcâ— venenum sweet poyson but after the action it is Scorpâ—opungens a pricking and biting Serpent Hee that would rightly discerne the face of sinne when it stands before him to tempt him let him looke backe to the taile of a sinne which hee hath committed alreadie and of the sting vvhich that sinne hath left behind it let him learne to beware of the smiling countenance of the other which will no lesse wound him the second time vnto death if so be he embrace it Most properly may the pleasures of sinne be Sinfull lusts compared to the streame of Iordan compared to the streames of the riuer Iordan which carryeth away the fish swimming and playing in it delighted with such pleasures as are agreeable to their kind euen till it deuolue them into the salt sea where incontinent they die euen so in the vvicked inordinate concupiscenâ—â— is as a forcible streame which carryeth away vvith it impenitent men playing and delighting themselues in their lusts till at length they fall into that lake vvhich burneth vvith fire and brimstone out of the which there is no redemption for them The perishing pleasures of sinne are payd home with And to the lâ—custs with womans haire Lions teeth Scorpions taile Basil in verb. Mos attende tibi euerlasting perdition it is done in a moment but when it is finished it bringeth out death and breedes the Worme that will neuer dye paruum ad horam peccatum longaeua autem est ex â—o aeterna verecundia it is the deuouring Locust of the bottomlesse pit which hath haire like a woman teeth like a Lyon and a tayle like a Scorpion miserable are they who are blinded with it they may sleepe in their sinne but their Cirill catech 2. damnation sleepes not though their heads be laid downe like the Kine of Bashan to drinke in iniquity like water yet 2 Pet. 2. 3. their iudgement is not farre off and they are but like vnto Oxen fed for the slaughter Wee perceiue here further that euery mans state and condition in this life is a prediction of that state and condition which abides him when this life is gone Hee that soweth Gal. 6. 8. to the flesh of the flesh shall reape corruption but hee that soweth to the Spirit shall reape immortality
how lamentable it is 125 Seruant of seruants is hee who is not Christs seruant 160. by what bands wee are bound to be Christs seruants 161. how wee are both swoâ—ne and hired and haue receiued wages in hand 162 Seruants should we be to Christ 169. how other Lords would haue vs seruants to them 168. it is a shame for man to seeke seruice from his inferior and refuse it to his superiour 161 Seeke God what comfort they haue who doe so 237 Sinne suffered to remaine in the godly and why 7. sinne is in the christian but he walkes not after it 43. any seruice he giues to sinne is by compulsion 43 Sin hath a two-fold power 1. to command 2. to condemne 49. A Law how ascribed to sinne 51. it seemes sweet but it is bitter 59. sinne and death are inseparable 57. how sinne is condemned by Christ 71. cursed are they who nourish it seeing Christ came to destroy it Sinne multiplyed how it should humble vs 98. 99. how it causes the Lord disauow his owne creature 120. a sinner impenitent murthers himselfe 128. if wee slay not sinne it will slâ—y vs. 171 Sinne is the forbidden tree 171. men seeke fruits on it which they shall not finde and findes on it that which they would not haue 172. how the fruit and the deceit of sin are to be distinguished 172. sinne vnder secrecie 308. is great folly 309 Sinnes multiplyed how they grow into a treasure 337. Sinne for giuen breeds great ioy 414. Sinne euil in the affection but good in the memory 420 Sions beauty and Sinaies terrour how they should moue vs. 408 Soule immortall 132. two-fold life of the soule 133. compared to Abrahams house 107. life of it flowes from Christ his righteousnesse 137. it is Gods Temple how it should be dayly swept and kept cleane 113. it should neuer want morning and euening sacrifices in it 13. the soule is first restored and then the bodie 143. See Temple Sonnes of God are not now reuealed 252. no man should iudge of them by their present estate 253 Sonnes of God how all of them are his heyres 213. and hath his Spirit 187 Sheepe how the godly are compared to sheepe both by God and by wicked men 446. 447. Spirit how hee is said to depart from the godly 109. his two-fold operations 117. his threefold notable operation in the godly 118. how he is Gods seale his witnesse and his earnest 119 Spirit his operations vniuersall 181. speciall of sundry sorts 182. how hee leades his children monendo monendo 182. 183. his threefold operation in the godly 188 Spirit is giuen and receiued by the word 190. how in his first operation hee is a Spirit of bondage to feare 189. wee haue in this life but the first fruits of the Spirit 268. why the Lord giues vs not the principall here 269. what comfort haue we through the earnest of the Spirit 270 Spirit why he appeared in the likenesse of a Doue and similitude of sire 294. how hee â—eares the burthen with vs 298. how hâ—e requests for vs. 301 Sufferings are no testimonies of Gods anger 223. all the godly are subiect to them 222. three things required to make our sufferings sufferings with Christ 224. the three persons of the blessed Trinitie suffer with the godly 224. all the sufferings of Christians are not for Christ 442 the causes of suffering 443. Euery suffering renders not glorie 231. time of our suffering is short 231. a necessarie obseruation in suffering 443. Simpathy in suffering with Christ See afflictions T Temperance 126 Temple of God should be more beautifull within then without 115. See soule Tentations to sinne are of the deceiuer 58. comfort in them 59. a good answere to Sathan in his tentations to sinne thou hast deceiued mee so oft why shall I beleeue thee any more 127. See Sathan Tentations by Sathan vnto sinne should chace vs to grace See Sathan Standing in tentations what comfort it renders 298 Thankefulnesse to God should be declared in a three-fold duety 69. 112. 267 Threatnings vsed by the Lord argues our rebellion 170 Tongue of the wicked is a sire furnace wherein the godly are tryed 416. tongues bended against the godly are accursed 305 W Walking from euill to good is the life of a Christian 44. What neede in this walking weâ— haue of a guide 184. how wee should follow our guide 185. how oâ—r way should be considered 45 Wicked men how they walke in a circular motion 44. How miserable they are 98. their rebellion exempts them not from subiection 97 Wicked men compared to open sepulchers 116. they dye miserably and why 138 139. With what Spirit are they led 186. 187. The wicked are left for tryall of the good 291. A wicked man is at his best when he is first borne 337. all workes for the worst vnto them 341. all creatures shall accuse them 421 Will accepted for a deede 444 Will contrarie to Gods will most miserable 100. all the strife betweene God and man is about this whose will should be done 99 Vbiquitaries improued 424 Vnion of a christian with Christ how strait it is 23. 24. Worldlings wrong estimation of a Christian 446. they loue immortalitie but seeke it the wrong way 142. No worldlings shall continue in the state wherin he stands now 456 Worldlings comfort is seene not so the Christians 285. his fectlesse obiection to the Christian 286. their rebuke 287. they are cursed with the Serpent 321. they speake of Gods word like Birds counter fetting mans voice 321. the paines they take on trifles should shame vs that take no paines vpon better things 340 World consists of two contrarie factions 401 Word should be applyed 103. by the word we receiue the Spirit 190. it is as milk to some as salt to others 170. rebukes thereof how not suffered 171 Workes wrought by God called our workes 177. our workes no supplyments of Christs merits 235. how workes of men regenerate doe not merit 393. workes both of the law morall and ceremoniall excluded from iustification 394 Worshippers of God in whatsoeuer part are all of one communion 438 Wrath to come will eate vp all present pleasure 235 FINIS
which our immortall husband Iesus Christ hath prouided for vs to sustaine vs that we saint not through our manifold tentations that compasse vs in this barren wildernesse We come then to the first part of the Chapter wherein Subdiuision of the first part the Apostle keepes this order First he sets downe a generall proposition of comfort belonging to the iustified man Secondly he subioynes a confirmation thereof Thirdly he explanes his reason of confirmation and fourthly applies it first by commination of them who walke after the flesh secondly by consolation of the godly against the remanents of the flesh thirdly by exhortation of both not to walke after the flesh In the proposition againe set downe Verse 1. first he points at the comfort Now then there is no 1 Proposition condemnation secondly he sets downe a limitation restrayning this comfort to them who are in Christ thirdly hee subioynes a clearer declaration of those persons who are in Christ to wit they walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Verse 1. Now then This is a relatiue to his former discourse Coherence of this Chapter with the former and is as I haue said a Conclusion inferred vpon that which goeth before Seeing we are iustified by Faith in Iesus Christ and are now no more vnder the Law but vnder Grace seeing we are buried with Christ by Baptisme into his death that like as he was raised from the dead by the glory of his Father so we also should walke in newnesse of life hauing receiued that spirit of Christ whereby wee fight against the Law of sinne in our members which rebelleth against the Law of our minde seeing it is so we may be sure that the remanent power of sinne in vs shall neuer be able to condemne vs. We see then that these words containe the Apostles glorying The Apostles former lamentation turned into a triumph against the remanents of sinne the sense whereof in the end of the last Chapter made him burst out into a pittifull lamentation and cry O miserable man who will deliuer me from the body of this death but now considering the certaintie of his deliuerance by Iesus Christ he reioyceth and triumpheth Wherein for our first lesson we marke the diuersitie of dispositions to which the Children of God are subiect in this life somtime so full of comfort that they can not containe themselues but must needs breake forth into glorious reioycings at other times so far deiected in mind that their ioy is turned into mourning and this ariseth in them from the variable change of their sight and feeling The Disciples on mount Tabor seeing the bright shining glorie of Christ were rauished with ioy but incontinent Math. 17. 2. when the cloud ouershadowes them they become afraid If the Lord let vs feele his mercies wee are aliue but if hee hide his face and set our sinnes in order before vs wee are Psal 50. 21. sore troubled As the troubles we haue in this life are not without comforts Blessed be God the Father of our Lord 2. Cor. 1. 3. Iesus the Father of mercies and God of all comfort who comforts 1. Pet. 1. 3. vs in all our tribulation so our ioy saith Saint Peter is not without heauinesse the one arising of the knowledge of that vndeserued inheritance reserued for vs in heauen the other of our manifold tentations to which wee are subiect here vpon earth it is these vicissitudes and changes which wrought in Dauid such different dispositions as appeareth in him in the Booke of the Psalmes and which all the godly may by experience finde in themselues Pascimur Bernard hic patimur for here we are so nourished with the comforts of God that we are nurtred with his crosses It is the Lords dispensation and we are to reuerence it resting assured that the peace and ioy which once the Lord hath giuen vs may be interrupted but can neuer vtterly be taken from vs the Lord who will not suffer the rod of the wicked for euer Psal 125. 3. to lie vpon the back of the righteous least they put out their hand to wickednesse will farre lesse suffer his owne terrours continually to oppresse our consciences least we faint dispaire Hose 6. 2. though he wound vs he will binde vs vp againe after two daies he will reuiue vs and we shall liue in his sight Weeping may abide in the Euening but ioy shall come in the Morning The chosen vessell of God shall not alway lament and crie woe is me sometime the Lord will put a song of thanksgiuing into his mouth make him to reioyce thus de aduersis Chrisost in Mat. â—om prosperis admirabili virtute vitam Sanctorum contexuit Deus The life of a Christian may be compared to a webbe so meruailously mixed and wouen of comfort and trouble by The life of a Christian is a mixed webbe wrought of trouble and comfort the hand of God that the long thread thereof reaching from the day of our birth to the day of our death are all of trouble but the weft interiected with manifold comforts And this haue we marked vpon the coherence of the beginning of this Chapter with the end of the former Now in these words it is to be obserued the Apostle saies Papist wrongfully collect here that there is no sinne or damnable act in them who are in Christ not there is no sinne in them who are in Christ but he saith there is no condemnation to them hee hath confessed before that he did the euill which he would not and that hee saw a law in his members rebelling against the law of his minde but now he reioyceth in Christ that sinne in him is not able to condemne him It is then a false exposition of these words which is made by Caietane and Aquinas Nihil Aquinas Caietane on this place est damnabile in illis qui sunt in Christo nullus actus quo mereamur damnari that in them who are in Christ there is nothing worthy to be damned no act that merits damnation for the Apostle condemnes these motions of sinne which he found in himselfe as euill and repugnant to the Law of God and if the holy Apostle was not ashamed to confesse this of himselfe what blinde presumption is this in them to exempt themselues or others from such motions as are worthy to be damned we shall still confesse our guiltinesse there remaines in vs of our owne which the Lord might condemne if he would enter into iudgement with vs and shall so much the more praise his mercie who hath deliuered vs from condemnation and further comfort then this the Apostles words do not afford vnto vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is no iudgement no sentence to be giuen against them who are in Christ Surely our righteousnesse in this life consists rather in the remission of sinnes then in the perfection
sinfull corruption which notwithstanding they allow not cherishes not followes not they walke not after it but rather endeauours all that they can to weaken and suppresse it Here then first is reproued that errour of the Papists This place erroneously expounded by Papists who writing on this place expound these words after this manner there is no damnation that is no damnable thing no act that deserueth to be condemned The Apostle saith not here there is no flesh that is no sinfull corruption in them who are in Christ but he saith they who are in Christ walke not after the flesh To maintaine this errour they vphold They maintain that concupiscence without consenting to it is no sinne Aquinas another for Thomas Aquinas writing on this place saith Primus motus concupiscentiae adulterij non est peccatum quia actus est imperfectus sed si accesserit consensus tunc est actus perfectus peccatum The first motion sayes he of the lust of adulterie is not sinne because it is an vnperfect act but if consent be giuen vnto it then it is a perfect act Coster Enchi and is sinne Coster in his little Enchiridion affirmes that concupiscence proceeds from sin and tendeth vnto sin but is not sin which he labors to expresse by this similitude he that hears saith he another man speaking filthie language and consents not vnto it but rather is angry at it and reproues it sinneth not but merits a greater reward euen so when our concupiscence sends out any sinfull motion if we consent not vnto it we sinne not And the Fathers of that counsell of Trent which haue as many curses as Canons haue decreed in this manner this concupiscence which sometime Con. trident the Apostle called sinne the holy Synode declares that the Catholike Church did neuer vnderstand it to be called sinne because it is truely and properly sinne in the regenerate but because it commeth from sinne and inclineth to sinne Now because this is a mother errour which brings forth Their errour disprooued and strenghthens many other errours we will shortly disproue it by Scripture reason and antiquitie In the end of 1 By Scripture the last Chapter the Apostle condemneth the motions of concupiscence for sinne euen when consent is not giuen vnto them for he protests of himselfe that he resisted these motions of sin but was oftentimes sore against his will captiued by them he condemnes them as euill albeit he gaue no consent vnto them for the Law as I haue said doth not onely condemne sinne in the branch but also in the roote there shall not be in thee an euill thought against the Lord thy God And this is also confirmed by reason Consent in it owne 2 By Reason nature is a thing indifferent if that whereunto I consent be good my consent is good but if it be euill my consent is euill if the first motion of sinne be not an euill thing in it selfe as they say then it is not an euill thing to consent vnto it for that which is not euill in it selfe by my consenting cannot become euill It is not then the consent following that makes the preceeding motion to be euill but it is the preceeding euill motion that makes the subsequent consent euill Now as for Coster his similitude it makes plainely against Costers similitude makes against himselfe himselfe for it is true indeed that hee who heareth euill spoken and reproues it is worthy of praise but it is also true that he who spake the euill hath sinned euen so albeit wee doe well when we consent not to the motions of concupiscence in vs yet concupiscence is not the lesse to be condemned because it hath sent out into the eare of our soule that voyce of a filthie desire which is not agreeable to Gods most holy Law And of this same iudgement with vs are also the ancient By ancient Fathers Fathers Cum concupisco quamuis concupiscentiae assensum non praebeam sit tamen in me quod nolo quod etiam non vult Aug. ser 5. Lex When I lust saith Augustine albeit I consent not to my lust yet that is done in me which I will not and which also the law will not And againe desiderium tuam tali debet Aug. ser de Temp. 45. esse ad Deum vt omnino non sit ipsa concupiscentia cui resisterâ— oporteat resistis enim non consentiendo vincis sed melius est hostem non habere quam vincere thy desire should in such sort be vpon God that there should not be in thee at all so much as concupiscence which hath need of resistance for thou resists and by not consenting thou ouercommest but it were better not to haue an enemie then to ouercome him With him agrees also Bernard Genus illud peccati quod toties Bernard nos conturbat reprimi quidem potest debet per gratiam Dei concupiscentias loquor praua desideria vt non regnet in nobis nec demus membra nostra arma iniquitatis peccato sic nulla est damnation his qui sunt in Christo sed non eijcitur nisi in morte That kinde of sinne saith he which so oft troubles vs Concupiscence and euill desires I meane may and should be repressed by the grace of God so that it raigne not in vs that we giue not our members weapons of vnrighteousnesse to sinne and that way there is no damnation to them who are in Christ yet it is not cast out but in death Thus doth Bernard cleerely agree with vs in the exposition of this place Of all which is euident that the motions of concupiscence are euill and sinfull euen when they are repressed and no consent giuen vnto them But now leauing further improbation of this errour wee come to obserue such instructions as are giuen vs in these A holy conuersation is an infallible token of our vnion with Christ Bernard words And first we see that a godly conuersation is recommended vnto vs as an infallible marke of our spirituall ingrafting into Christ Iesus Sicut enim corporis vitam â—x motu dignoscimâ—s ita siâ—â—i vitam â—x bonis operibus for as the life of the body is discerned by mouing so the life of Faith is knowne by good works We esteeme that body dead or at least neere vnto death which is not able to moue nor doe any action pertaining to a naturall life and so may we think that soule dead in sinne which walketh after the flesh hauing no delight nor power to execute any spirituall action It is not then a naked profession of Christianitie which will proue vs to be in Christ profession without the power of Godlinesse will helpe thee no mâ—re then change of garment Profession of Christ in prophane men is like Iosaphats garment on Achab. helped wicked Achab in the companie of good Iosaphat for through it the arrow
law to saue vs appeares in two things things first it craued that of vs which we had not to giue namely perfect obedience vnto all the Lords commandements and that vnder paine of death which albeit most 1 It craues that which now our nature cannot giue iustly it be required of vs considering that by creation we receiued from God a nature so holy that it was able to doe the law yet now by reason of the deprauation of our nature drawne on by ourselues it is impossible that wee can 2 It giues not that which our estate now craueth performe it Secondly the law could not giue that vnto vs whereof we stoode in neede namely that the infinite debt of transgressions which wee had contracted should be forgiuen vnto vs this I say the law could not doe for the law commands obedience but promises not pardon of disobedience yea rather it bindes the curse of God vpon vs for it And againe we stood in neede of a supernaturall grace to reforme deformed nature and this also the law could not doe it being a doctrine that shewes vs the way to life but ministers not grace vnto vs to walke therein but all these which the law could not doe Iesus Christ by whom commeth grace and life hath done vnto vs. Where first we haue to marke the pittifull estate of those Miserable blinde are they who seeke liâ—e in perfect obseruance of the Law who seeke life in the obseruance of the law which here the Apostle saith is impossible for the law to giue they seeke life where they shall neuer finde it The Apostle in another place calles the law the ministerie of death and condemnation and that because it instantly bindes men vnder death for euery transgression of her commandements so that he who hath eyes to see what an vniuersall rebellion of nature there is in man vnregenerate to Gods holy law yea what imperfections and discordance with the law are remanent in them who are renued by grace may easily espie the blinde presumption of those that seeke their liues in the ministrie of death Yet so vniuersall is this error that it hath Yet such are all the children of Adam by nature ouergone the whole posterity of Adam nature teaching all men who are not illuminaâ—ed by Christ to seeke saluation in their owne deedes that is to stand to the couenant of works But the supernaturall doctrine of the Euangelist teaches vs to transcend nature to goe out of our selues and to seeke saluation in the Lord Iesus and so to vse the law not that we seek life by fulfilling it which here is impossible but as a schoole-master to leade vs vnto Christ in whom we haue remission of our sinnes sanctification of our nature acceptation of our imperfect obedience benefits which the law could neuer aford vnto vs. Inasmuch as it was weake because of the flesh The Apostle doth in such sort ascribe to the law an impotencie to saue vs that hee blames not the Law but the corruption of The impotencie of the law comes not of the law which is good but of our owne corrupted nature our fleshly nature being not able to fulfill that righteousnesse which the law requireth yea as the Apostle hath taught vs before so farre is our nature peruerted by our Apostasie from God that we are not onely vnable to doe that which the good and holy law of God requires but also we become worse by the law for by the commaundements of the law sin reuiues in our nature and takes occasion by the law to become more sinfull and so like a desperate disease it conuerts that medicine which is ministred to cure it into a nourishment and confirmation of the sicknesse it selfe It is Our nature becomes worse by the law the nature of contraries that euery of them intends the selfe to expell another whereof it comes that there is greatest cold in the bosome of the earth euen then when the Sunne with greatest vehemencie shines on it to califie and heat it euen so our corrupted nature doth neuer shew it selfe more rebellious and stubborne than when the law of God beginnes to rectifie it As an vnruly and vntamed horse the more he is spurred foreward the faster he runnes backward so the peruerse nature of man nititur semper in vetitum is so farre from being reformed by the law that by the contrary sinne that was dead without the law is reuiued by the law and takes occasion to worke in vs all manner of concupiscence The Apostle is not ashamed to confesse that he found this in his owne person Augustine also examining Aug. lib. 2. confess cap. 4. his former sinful life doth hereby aggrauate his corruption that in his young yeeres hee was accustomed to steale his neighbours fruit not so much for loue of the fruit for he had better at home as for sinfull delight he had to goe with his companions to commit euill so that where the law should haue restrained his sinfull nature it was so much the more prouoked to sinne by the law Let therefore the Semipelagians of our time say to the contrary what they wil let them magnifie the arme of flesh to diminish the praise of the grace of God and dreame that mans nature vnregenerate can bring forth merits of congruitie or workes of preparation yet doth the Lord herein greatly abase man when he telleth him that not onely he cannot doe that which the law requireth but that also the more he is commaunded the more he repines vntill Grace reforme him God sending his owne Sonne The Apostle proceeds and How Christ hath done that which the law could not let vs see how the Lord by Christ hath wrought that saluation which the law could not Wherein first it is to be marked that the Apostle saith not we sought from the Lord a Sauiour but that the Lord sent him vnto vs vnrequired Surely neither man nor Angell could haue euer thought of such a way of Saluation the Lord hath found it out himselfe in his incomprehensible wisedome a way so to saue man that the glory both of his mercie and iustice shall be saued also Most properly therefore is he called Pater non iudiciorum sed misericordiarum Father not of iudgements but of mercies for both the purpose and the Why God is called father of mercie not of iudgements meanes of our saluation are from himselfe he hath found causes without him moouing to execute his iustice he hath beene prouoked thereunto by the disobedience of apostate Angels and men but a cause mouing him to shew mercie is within himselfe this praise is due to God it is the greatest glory that can be giuen vnto him Abhominable therefore is that errour of fore-seene merites by which the aduersaries doe what they can to obscure the praise of the bright shining glory of Gods mercie His owne Sonne Iesus Christ is called Gods owne How Christ is Gods
silly hope of immortall fame of their affection to their country It was saith Augustine the silly comfort of the Gentiles against the want of buriall Coelo tegitur qui non habet vrnam and as comfortlesse is the comfort of many bastard Christians which stands onely in a fayre Sepulcher prouided before hand for themselues in an honourable buriall commanded expected of them before death and in abundance of worldly things which they leaue to theirs behinde them all which as saith the same Father viuorum sunt solatia non mortuorum are comforts to them that liue behinde but no help to them who are dead I note this that considering the magnanimitie of these Ethnicks in suffering of death notwithstanding the weake and small comforts which they had to sustaine them we may be ashamed of our pusillanimitie who hauing from Christ most excellent comforts against death are afraide at the smallest remembrance thereof An euident argument that albeit Tit. 1. 16. many proâ—â—sse him yet few are pertakers of his power life and grace that many hath him dwelling in their mouths in whose hearts he dwelleth not by his spirit The body is dead Hee sayes not the body is subiect to Our bodies are not onely mortall but deâ—d death but by a more significant manner of speech he saith the body is dead There is a difference betweene a mortall body and a dead body Adams body before the fall was mortall that is subiect to a possibility of dying but now after the fall our bodies are so mortall that they are subiect to a necessity of dying yea if wee will here with the Apostle esteeme of death by the beginning thereof our bodies are dead already The Officers and Sergeants of death which are dolours infirmities and heauie diseases hath câ—ased already The Officers of death hath bound vs already vpon our bodies marked them as lodgings which shortly must be the habitation of death so that there is no man who is not presently dead in some part or other of his body Not onely is the sentence giuen out against vs thou â—rt dust and to dust thou shalt returne but is begun to be Gen. 3. 19. executed our carkasses are bound with cords by the Officers of death and our life is but like that short time which is graunted to a condemned man betweene his doome and his execution all which the Apostle liuely expresses when he sayes the body is dâ—ad 1 Thereâ—ore should we liue in the body vnder feare 1. Pet. 1. 12. Phil. 2. 12. Whereof there arises vnto vs many profitable instructions and first what great neede wee haue as wee are commaunded to passe the time of our dwelling here in feare working out our owne saluation in feare and trembling seeing our sinnes haue cast vs into the hands of the first death shall we not cry without ceasing that we may be deliuered from the power of the second Alas it is pittifull that man should so farre forget himselfe as to reioyce in the time of his miserie to passe ouer the dayes of his mortall life in vanity and wantonnesse considering how the first death is already entred into his carkasse nor foreseeing how hee may be The pittifull securitie of carnall professâ—rs deliuered from the second but liues carelesse like to the Apostates of the old world who in the middest of their sinfull pleasures were sodainly washed away with the waters of the wrath of God and their spirits for disobedience sent vnto the prison where now they are and like those Philistims who banquetting in the platforme of their house of Dagon their God hauing minde of nothing but eating drinking and sporting not knowing that their enemie was within were sodainely ouerthrowne and their banquetting house made their buriall place so shall it be with all the wicked who liuing in a dead body cares for nothing but how to please themselues in their sinne the pillar of their Psal 58. 9. Psal 73. 19. house shall be pulled downe destruction shall come vpon him like a whirlewind and in a moment shall sodaine desolation ouertake them 2 Death entred into the body should represse our naturall pride And let this same meditation represse in vs that poyson of pride the first sinne that euer sprung forth of our nature next to infidelitie and last in rooting out Wilt thou consider O man that thou art but dead and that thy body be it neuer so strong or beautifull is but a lodging of death and what cause shalt thou haue to waxe proud for any thing Bernard that is in the flesh quid tu superbis terra cinis si superbientibus Angelis non pepercit deus quanto minus tibi putredo vermis what hast thou to doe to be proud O dust and ashes if God spared not the Angels when they waxed proud will he spare thee who art but a rotten creature yea Vermis crastino moriturus a worme that must dye to morrow Au. ser 21. If so was done to an Angell saith Bernard what shall become of me ille intumuit in coelo ego in sterquilinio he was pust vp in heauen and therefore was cast downe from the place of his abhomination if I waxe proud lying in a dung-hill shall I not be punished and cast downe into hell So oft therefore as corrupt nature stirreth vp the heart of man to pride because of the flowers of beautie and strength that grow out of it let this humble thee thy flowers O man cannot but wither for the roote from which they spring is dead already And lastly is the body dead then learne temperance and 3 Should learne vs temperance and sobrietie sobrietie what auaileth it to pamper that carkasse of thine with excessiue seeding which is possessed by death already if men tooke the tenth part of that care to present their spirits holy and without blame vnto the Lord which they take to make their bodies fat and beautifull in the eyes of men they might in short time make greater progresse in godlinesse then they haue done but herein is their folly Carnem preciosis rebus impinguant c. they make fat their Bernard flesh with delicate things which within few dayes the worms shall deuoure Animam vero non adornant bonis operibus but beautifies not the Soule with good works which shortly is to be presented vnto God Let vs refraine from the immoderate pampering of this flesh Meates are ordained for the belly and the belly for meates but God will destroy them 1 Cor. 6. 13. both We haue here moreouer discouered vnto vs the shamelesse Sathans shamelesse impudencie discouered impudencie of Sathan who daily tempting man to sin promiseth vnto him some good by committing of it as boldly as if he had neuer falsified his promise before He promised to our Parents in Paradise that if they did eate of the fruit of the forbidden tree they should become like vnto
Disciples condemned and iudged worthy of stripes stand as so many examples to confirme vs that we faint not when we are condemned of men yea with the Apostle we must learne to passe little for mans iudgement and striue in a good conscience to be approued of God for sure the Lord will not peruert iudgement it is farre from the Iudge of all the world to doe vnrighteously he will at the last plead the cause of his Seruants and bring their righteousnesse to light This condemnation then from which wee are deliuered But from the condemnatory sentence of God is the sentence of God th righteous Iudge by which finding man guiltie of sinne for sinne he adiudgeth him vnto eternall damnation from this all they who are in Christ are deliuered He that beleeueth in him who sent Iohn 5. 24. mee hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life In this condemnation Three sundry times the Lord keepes against the wicked in the processe of their condemnation Psal 50. 5. the Lord proceeds at three sundry dyats against the wicked First he condemneth them in the Court of Conscience Next in the day of their particular iudgement Thirdly in the day of generall Iudgement First I say the Lord holdeth a Iustice Court against the wicked in his owne Conscience For the Lord iudgeth the righteous and him that contemnâ—th God euery day After 1 The first is kept against them in the Iustice Court of their owne Conscience sinne committed by him there ariseth in his Conscience accusing thoughts and there is a sentence within him giuen out against him The Apostle speakes it of Heretikes one sort of vvicked men and is it true in them all they sinne being damned of their owne selues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by themselues Iudgement is giuen out against themselues which sentence albeit euery wicked man doe not marke the voyce of their disordered affections sometime being so loud that they heare not the condemnatorie voyce of their Conscience so clearely as it is pronounced yet doe they heare as much as makes them inexcusable and breedes in them a certaine feare and terrour which is but a fore-runner of a more fearefull iudgement to come which howsoeuer in time of their securitie they labour to smoother and quench by externall delights yet at the length affection shall be silenced and Conscience shall pronounce sentence against them with so shrill a voyce that their deafest care shall heare it This I haue marked that we may learne not to esteeme lightly the Iudgement of our Conscience but that so oft as wee are condemned by it wee may make our refuge to the throne of Grace to seeke mercie For if Conscience condemne 1. Ioh. 3. 20. vs God is greater then the Conscience and will much more condemne vs. Ascendat itaque homo tribunal mentis suae Aug. hom 50 si timet illud meminerit quod oportet eum ante tribunal Christi exhiberi Let therefore a man saith Augustine goe vp to the tribunall of his owne mind in time if he feare it let him remember that he must be presented before a greater tribunall The second time of iudgement which the Lord keepes 2 The second is kept against them in the houre of death against the wicked is in the houre of death wherein the Lord doth not onely repeat their former sentence of condemnation and that in a more fearefull and iudiciall manner but proceeds also to execution adiudging their bodies vntill the day of last iudgement to the prison of the graue to vnderly that curse pronounced on man for his Apostasie and condemning their spirits to be banished from the presence of God and cast into vtter darknesse Let not therfore the wicked man nourish himselfe in sinne with a vaine conceit of the delay of iudgement wherefore wilt thou put farre from thee the euill day what suppose the day of generall iudgement were not to come for many yeares is not the day of thy particular iudgement at hand vnto which thou shalt be drawne sodainely and perforce in the midst of thy deceiuing imaginations thou shalt be taken away in an houre wherein thou thought not to dye more miserable than that rich glutton who hauing stored his head with false conclusions dreaming of many dayes to come when hee had not one was that same day taken away to iudgement And this shall moue vs the more if we doe remember that such as we are in the day of death such shall wee be found in the day of iudgement In quo enim quemque Aug. epist ad Hesych inuenerit suus nouissimus dies in hoc cum comprehendet mundinouissimus dies quia qualis in die isto quisque moritur talis in die illo iudicabitur and euery man in the last day shall be iudged to be such as he is when he dyeth It would waken vs all more carefully to thinke vpon our end that so we might prepare our selues for this second dyat of iudgement But the third dyat of iudgement shall be most fearefull 3 The third dyat shall be kept against them in the day of generall iudgement when all the wicked being gathered together in one shall be condemned in that high and supreame court of iustice which the Lord shall hold vpon all that euer took life then shall the full measure of the wrath of God be powred vpon all those who are not in Christ Iesus both in soule and body they shall be punished with euerlasting perdition This iudgement shall be most equitable for when that Ancient of dayes shal sit down vpon his white throne before whose face heauen and earth shall flee away and Dan. 12. 6. when the Sea and the Earth hath rendred vp their dead then the bookes shall be opened according to which he shall Reuel 10. 8. proceed vnto iudgement And the bookes are two the This iudgemeÌ„t shall proceede by the bookes of Law and Conscience booke of the law which shewed to a man what he should doe and the booke of Conscience which shewed him what hee hath done by those shall the wicked man be iudged and he shall not be able to make exception against any of them against the booke of the law hee shall be able to speake nothing for the Commandements of the Lord are Psal 19. 9. pure and righteous altogether And as for the booke of conscience thou canst not denye it the Lord shall not iudge thee by another mans conscience but by thine owne that booke thou hast had it alway in thine owne keeping who then could falsifie it neither is any thing written in it of things thou hast done but that which thine owne hand hath written how then canst thou make any exception against it Thus the bookes being opened the iudgement shall How the wicked shall be conuicted by the booke of the Law proceede in this manner The Law shall pleade
for transgression of her precepts requiring that the wicked may be put to death for their most vnreasonable disobedience her commandements for number being but ten and so not burdenable to the memorie for vnderstanding plaine written in the heart of euery man â—or equity not contradictable for the Law craueth nothing of man but that which by the holinesse of his nature receiued by Creation hee was able to performe neither doth the law command any thing profitable to God who gaue it but vnto man who receiued it And for holinesse euery precept of the law when God proclaimed it on mount Sinai was assisted with a thousand of his Saints as witnesses of the holinesse thereof all these circumstances doe aggrauate the waight of that iudgement which the law shall giue out against the transgressors thereof Then from the Law iudgement shall proceede How they shal be conuicted by the booke of conscience to Conscience and Conscience shall witnesse against them of their transgressions against euery precept of the law wherein they shall be so cleerely conuinced that their particular sinnes with the circumstances thereof time and place though now they haue cast them behind their backs shall then be set in order before them and so iustly euery manner of way shall iudgement goe out against them Eliphaz spoke it faslie to Iob thy owne mouth and not I Iob. 15. 6. condemnes thee but most iustly shall the ruler of the world lay it vpon the wicked out of thy owne mouth I iudge thee Luke 19. 22. O thou euill and vnfaithfull seruant the voyce of thine own conscience and no other shall condemne thee And as this condemnation will be most righteous so This iudgmeÌ„t shall also be most terrible shall it be also most fearefull not onely in regard of the manner of the Lords proceeding in that last iudgement but chiefly in regard of that irreuocable sentence of damnation Exod. 19. 16. which shall be executed without delay The Law Moses trembled for feare at the giuing of the law what will the wicked doe at the execution therof was giuen with Thunders and Lightnings and a thicke cloud vpon the mount with an exceeding loud sound of the Trumpet so that all the people were afraide yea so terrible was the sight that Moses said I feare and quake The lawes of mighty Monarches are executed with greater terror then they are proclaymed what then shall we looke for when the God of glory shall appeare to iudge the world according to his law the Heauens shall passe away with a Reuel 6. 14. noyse the Elements shall melt with heate the Earth with the workes which are therein shall be burnt vp the Archangell shall blow a Trumpet at the voyce whereof the dead shall rise If Moses the seruant of the Lord quaked to heare the first Trumpet how shall the wicked condemned in their owne conscience tremble and quake to heare the second Then shall the Kings of the Earth and the great men and the Reu. 6. 15. rich mâ—n and the chiefe Captaines and the mightie men hide themselues in the Dennes and among the rockes of the Mountaines for what strength is there in man who is but stubble to stand before a consuming fire and or euer their doome be giuen out they shall crie Mountaines and Rockes fall vpon vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the Throne but when they shall heare that fearefull sentence Depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared Mat. 25. 41. for the Diuell and his Angels O how shall the terror thereof confound their spirits and presse them downe to the bottome of hell O fearefull sentence depart from me what shall the creature doe when the Creator in his wrath commands it to depart and by his power banishes it from his presence O man wilt thou consider in time who shall receiue Remembrance of this last iudgment is a preseruatiue against sinne thee when God casts thee out from his face or who shall pittie and be able to comfort thee when God shall persecute thee with his wrath assure thy selfe euery creature shall refuse her comfort to thee if a drop of cold water might be a reliefe vnto thee thou shalt not get it Happie therefore are they who in time resolue themselues with Peter Lord whither away shall we goe from thee thou hast Math. 10. the words of eternall life For they who doe now goe a whoring from the Lord wandring after lying vanities shall in that day receiue this for a recompence of their errour Goe to the Gods whom ye haue serued Your whole life was but a Iud. 10. 14. Math. 25. 41. turning backe from me now therefore depart from me and whither into fire and what fire euerlasting fire and with whom with the Diuell and his Angels thou hast forsaken me thou hast followed them goe thy way with them a companion of their torment O fearefull sentence Quae Augustine cum ita sint bene nobisâ—um agâ—râ—tur si iâ—m nunc sic nos paeniteret super malis nostris qâ—omâ—do tunc sine vllo remedio paenitebit It were good therefore sayes Augustine if now all men could so repent of their sinnes as it is certaine in that day they shall repent without any remedie for then the wicked will shed teares aboundantly but they shall be fruitlesse And if all this cannot waken thee to goe to the Lord The day before the last iudgement Mercie shall be offered but none after it Iesus vpon the feete of faith and repentance that in him thou mayest be deliuered from this fearefull damnation yet remember that seeing this iudgement is supreame and the last from which will be no recalling most foolish art thou if in time thou doe not foresee and prouide how thou mayest stand in it Now if thy conscience condemne thee thou maist get if thou seeke absolution in Christ but in that day if the Lord condemne thee thou shalt neuer be absolued the day before the Trumpet sound mercy shall be preached to the penitent and beleeuers by the Gospell but from the time that once the sentence is giuen out there shall neuer be more offering of mercie the doore shall be closed though the wicked crie for mercie and with Esau seeke the blessing with many teares yet shall they neuer finde it Of all this now it is euident what an excellent benefit By Christ wee haue deliuerance from this threefold condemnation wee haue by Iesus Christ in that wee are deliuered from this three-fold condemnation For first being iustified by faith we haue peace with God in our consciences that holy spirit of adoption testifying vnto vs that our sinnes are forgiuen vs whereof arises in our heart an vnspeakable and glorious ioy which ioy notwithstanding cannot be full nor perfect vntill the former sentence of our absolution be also pronounced in the other two iudgements that in the
hath begunne this good worke in vs will performe it vntill the day of Christ As the Angell who deliuered Peter out of prison appeared to him with a shining light in the darke prison smote him vpon his side and wakened him out of his sleepe made his chaines to fall from him and caused him to arise and follow him went still before him to leade him in the way through all impediments and departed not from him till he had entred him within the Cittie of Ierusalem so the spirit of our Lord Iesus who hath once come downe vpon vs in this prison and hath lightned our darknesse wakened vs out of our dead securitie and loosed the chaines of our sinnes wherewith we were bond shall abide continually with vs gouerning vs with his light and truth till he haue entred vs within the portes of heauenly Ierusalem Blessed be the Lord where before we were the captiues of sinne now the course of the battell is changed sinne is become our captiue through Christ it remaineth in vs not as a commander but as a captiue of the Lord Iesus it is true the boltes of sinne are yet vpon our hands and feet to admonish vs of our former miserable thraldome we draw as yet the chaines of sinne after vs which makes vs indeede goe forward the more slowly but are not able to detaine vs in that bondage wherein we lay before And as concerning our deliuerance from death wee are How we are deliuered from death both first and second to know that death is two-fold the first and second the first is a separation of the soule from the body the second is a separation of them both from the Lord. Mors prima Aug. de ciuit dei li. 21. ca. 3 pellit animam nolentem de corpore mors secunda detinet animam nolentem in corpore The first death expels the soule against the will out of the body the second death compels the soule against the will to abide in the body for vnto the greater augmentation of their paine as they were companions of sinne so shall they be compelled to abide companions of punishment This second death hath three degrees the first is when Second death hath three degrees the soule by sinne is separated from the Lord the second is when the body by the power of that curse due to sinne is turned into dust and the soule is sent to hell the third is when both soule and body being ioyned together againe in the resurrection shall be banished from the presence of the Lord and cast into vtter darknesse And it is called the second death because it is executed vpon the wicked after their first death otherwise the first death that euer came into the world was the first degree of the second death Mors Aug. de verb. Apost ser 33. animae praecessit anima deserente Deum mors corporis sequâ—ta est anima deserente corpus deseruit Deum volens anima coacta est deserere corpus nolens the death of the soule went before the soule departing from God and the death of the body followed the soule departing from the body How Christians are exercised with terrors of conscience which in the owne nature are forerunners of the second death the soule departed from God willingly therefore is compelled vnwillingly to depart out of the body Now from both these deaths wee are deliuered by the Lord Iesus for our soules being freed from sinne are reconciled with God and so exempted from that wrath which is to come For albeit the deere children of God be sometime exercised with inward terrours of conscience which in their owne nature are fore-runners of these paynes prepared for the wicked and are as the smoake of that fire which afterward shall torment them yet vnto the godly their nature is changed they are sent vnto them not to seperate them from the Lord but to draw their hearts neerer vnto him and to worke in them a greater conformity with Christ And as for the first death wee are so deliuered from it The nature of the first death changed to the Christian that albeit in the owne nature it be the Centre of all miseries and a fearefull effect of Gods curse on man for sinne yet to the godly the nature thereof is also changed so that now it is not the death of the man but the death of sinne Amb. de bono mort cap. 4. in the man mors est scpultura vltiorum death saith Ambroâ— is the buriall of all vices As the worme which is bred in the tree saith Chrisostome doth at last consume it so death which is brought out by sin doth at the length consume and destroy sinne in the children of God Finally death is the progresse and accomplishment of the full mortification of all our earthly members wherein that filthie fluxe of sinne is dryed vp at an instant It is a voluntarie sacrificing of the whole man soule and body to the Lord the greatest and highest seruice wee can doe to him in the earth for where in the course of our life we are continually fighting against our inordinate lusts and affections to bring them in subiection to Christ by death as it were with one stroke they are all smitten and slaine and the soule is offered vp to God in a sacrifice of full and perfect obedience Verse 3. For that that was impossible to the Law in as much as it was weake because of the flesh God sending his owne Sonne in the similitude of sinfull â—â—â—sh and that for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh THE Apostle hauing set downe in the first 3 Explication of the confirmation Here followes an explication of the confirmation of his generall proposition Verse a Proposition of Comfort belonging to them who are in Christ and confirmed it in the second he proceedeth now to the explication of the Confirmation declaring how it is that Christ hath freed vs from the law of sinne and first he shewes how Christ hath freed vs from the condemning power of sinne in this verse namely that he taking vpon him our nature and therewithall the burden of our sinnes hath condemned sin 1 He shewes how we are freed from the condemning power of sinne The law could not saue vs. in his blessed body and so disanulled it that it hath no power to condemne vs. And this benefit he amplifies shewing that by no other meanes we could obtaine it for where without Christ there is but one way for men to come to life namely the obseruance of the law he lets vs see it was impossible for the law to saue vs and least it should seeme that he blamed the law he subioynes that this impotencie of the Law to saue vs proceedes from our selues because that wee through fleshly corruption which is in vs cannot fulfill that righteousnesse which the law requires This impotencie of the Law appeareth by these two Impotencie of the
and holinesse the reason why the Israelites bound 2. Sam. 19. 9. themselues to giue subiection and obedience to Dauid was that he had deliuered them from the hand of the Philistins the same reason Ezra vsed to the Iewes returned from captiuitie to make them obedient to the Lord Seeing thou O Ezra 9. 13. Lord hath giuen vs such deliuerances shall we returne any more to breake thy Commaundements but much more should it binde vs to doe seruice to our Lord Iesus seeing hee hath made vs free by his blood shall we againe make our selues the seruants of sinne The Lord neuer shewed a greater Professors conuinced that serue him not mercie on man then this that he gaue his sonne Iesus Christ vnto the death for vs and there can be no higher contempt done to God by man then if after so great a loue shewed vs wee shall still refuse to be his seruants much will be required of him to whom much is giuen those Gentiles to whom the Lord reuealed himselfe in goodnesse onely as their Creator because they did not glorifie him the Apostle saith that the wrath of God was reuealed from heauen vpon them and what wrath then maist thou looke for to whom the Lord hath manifested himselfe in mercy also as thy Redeemer in Christ and yet thou will not glorifie him thou receiuest not him whom thy Father hath sent vnto thee neyther wilt thou liue vnto him that gaue himselfe to dye for thee but by thy wicked life thou crucifiest againe the Sonne of God and treadest vnder thy feet the blood of the new couenant certainely Sodome and Gomorrha shall be in an easier estate in the day of iudgement then the wicked of this generation For in this last age the Lord hath spoken to vs by his Son he hath none greater to send after him those labourers of the vineyard that slew the Seruants of the great King were not for that instantly punished but when the Sonne came and they had murthered him also then was their iudgement no longer delayed It was not written for the Iewes onely in whom it was first accomplished but for vs also to whom the Father in this last age hath sent his owne Sonne and by whom hee hath spoken vnto vs from himselfe if we despise him there remaines no more but a violent looking for of iudgement The third dutie is that for Christs sake we loue vnfainedly Loue to those whom he hath bidden loue for his sake those whom hee hath recommended vnto vs our goodnesse cannot extend vnto the Lord neither haue wee him walking with vs vpon earth that we may minister vnto him may wash his feete and annoint his blessed bodie with precious oyntments therefore should our delight be vpon those his excellent ones that are vpon earth When Ionathan was dead Dauid for Ionathans sake shewed kindnesse to Mephibosheth our Ionathan is not dead hee liues and raignes in heauen yet can we not declare our kindnesse to himselfe let vs seeke some Mephibosheth some of Christs little weake and impotent children of whom he hath said what ye doe to one of these little ones for my sake is done to me and let vs shew kindnesse vnto them for the great loue which the Lord Iesus hath shewed vnto vs. And that for sinne These words containe the end of Christ came to destroy sin cursed are they who nourish it Christs manifestation in the flesh which is that in our nature he might beare the punishment of our sinnes satisfie the iustice of God and so abolish sinne Sanit Iohn makes this cleare when he saith that he appeared to destroy the workes of the diuell that is sinne for sinne being remooued there is nothing in man but the workmanship of God By this it is euident how highly they offend God who abuse the death of Christ to nourish themselues in their sinne being the bolder to commit sinne because Christ dyed for them surely this is to turne the grace of God into wantonnesse The Lord came to abolish sinne not to nourish it 1. Pet. 3. 18. Christ once suffered the iust for the vniust not that we should still abide vniust but that he might bring vs to God Thou therefore who continuest vniust mayst say as thou hast heard that there is a Sauiour come into the world but can not say in truth that there is a Sauiour come to thee For where Christ comes he worketh that worke for which hee came namely he destroyes the worke of the diuell that is he enfeebles and abolishes at the last the power of sinne Condemned sinne Sin by a metaphor is said to be condemned How Christ hath condemned sinne for as thy who are condemned are depriued of all the liberty power and priuiledges they had before and haue no more any place to appeare in iudgement so hath the Lord Iesus disanulled sinne that it hath now no power to commaund and condemne vs hee hath spoyled principalities and powers and triumphed ouer them in the Crosse Colos 2. 24. and hath nayled vnto it the obligation of ordinances which was against vs and so sustulit illam quasi authoritatem peccati Ambrose in hunc locum qua homines detinebat in inferno hath taken away that power and authoritie of sinne whereby it detained men vnder damnation This hath he done most lawfully and in iudgement as we shall heare bearing our sinnes in his blessed bodie on the Crosse he hath suffered that punishment which the law required to be inflicted on man for sinne and that in the flesh that is in the same nature of man which had offended For this word of Condemnation imports a iust and lawful Two head or chiefe iustice Courts holden by God proceeding of a Iudge in iudgement which that we may the better vnderstand let vs consider that there are two generall and head iustice Courts which the Lord hath set vnto men the one is holden already the other is to be holden 1 In the first the sinnes of all Gods elect are condemned in the first the sinnes of all the elect are lawfully condemned that themselues may be absolued in the second the persons of all the reprobate shall be iustly condemned In the first by the ordinance of God the Father our sinnes were laid vpon the backe of Iesus Christ and a law imposed to him which was neuer giuen to any other neither Angell or man to wit the law of a Mediator that he should make vp peace betweene God and man loue God in such sort that he should by suffering preserue the glory of his Fathers iustice and yet make manifest the glory of his mercy that he should loue his brethren in such sort that hee should take the burden of their transgressions vpon him which as by the Father it was enioyned vnto him so did he willingly vndertake it And therefore hauing our sinnes imputed vnto him he presented himselfe for vs vpon the Crosse as vpon a