displease God as God and doth carrie the Deuils stampe vpon it though it were neuer so small though neuer so profitable or pleasurable vnto vs though God did not see and iudge and the Deuill would not execute wee would not willingly commit it Behold this is our cutting off without hands Oh my beloued Christians now enter into your hearts and I hope that by this signe you shal see your selues to be in Christ If when you compare your selues with them that walke in naturall courses and see that you are cut off from them in iudgement in heart and in conuersation you can in simplicitie and godly purenesse say Lord thou knowest that our care hath not beene only to haue holinesse to the Lord without but to reforme our hearts and to dresse them vp for thee according to those spirituall abilities which thou hast giuen vs. Thou knowest Lord that we haue complained sighed and prayed vnto thee against the bodie of sinne and death and because thou louest the soule best we doe account all the sinnes of the soule most fearefull and therefore haue laboured against the blindnesse vanitie and carnall wisdome of our minds against the deadnesse and securitie of our hearts and the like It is not hid from thee our God that we haue beene and are vpright with thee Psal 18.23 and haue kept vs from our wickednesse not so much because it hurt vs as because it dishonoured thee not so much because it displeased vs as because it displeased thee and was contrary to thy most holy Law and Nature in the inâ—oyment of the communicable glorie whereof standeth our ioy and happinesse If it be thus with our soules at the least according to the desires purposes and endeuours of our hearts and if we doe groane vnder the want of that full measure of it which we might attaine vnto then we may comfort our hearts with this perswasion that we are in Christ The second Signe of our being cut from the first Adam is taken from the effect of it which is tendernesse of heart and conscience We know that a thing newly cut is tender as we may see in the example of Sychemites Gen. 34. newly circumcised And this was the reason why the Israelites were not circumcised in the wildernesse because through tendernesse they might not be vnfit for warre or trauell Now you must know that this our cutting off from Adam which being so done as it is alwaies doing till death is still fresh and bleeding new doth breed a double tendernesse First an inward tendernesse which is discouered by a sensiblenesse of our owne estate Secondly an outward tendernesse which is manifested by our sensiblenesse of anothers touch Wee are inwardly tender ouer our owne estates when with quicknesse we can apprehend the sinfulnesse of our natures Thus it was with Paul Rom. 7.18 when he professed to know that in him that is in his flesh dwelt no good thing This will fill vs with godly sorrow with a base opinion of our selues with Christian watchfulnesse and with a care to our power and in our places to preuent sinne in others and not willingly to admit of any thing that may kindle any lust or increase the practise of any sinne We are outwardly tender vnder anothers touch either in respect of euill or good In respect of euill when it is death and daggers to our soules that God should be dishonoured As in respect of our selues if sinne doe but touch our eares eyes tongues hands or thoughts we doe speedily turne them ouer to Gods vses desiring God to protect them and make them weapons of righteousnesse vnto holinesse so in respect of others like Iosephs irons it entereth into our soules that God should be dishonoured by them It was thus with Moses who Exod. 32.32 when he saw how greatly God would be dishonoured if hee should destroy a people whom he had so newly deliuered by his mightie power was so tender of that euill that he desired God rather to rase him out of the Booke of life You can parallele this with Paul his example also Rom. 9.3 Oh how excellently had they profited in Gods Schoole and learned to manifest their cutting off from the old stocke by their tendernesse vnder the touch of sinne Wee shall well imitate them when we can make all the rest of the petitions in faithfulnesse and truth to follow Hallowed be thy name In respect of good also wee are tender vnder anothers touch when we startle at the touch of God If God touch vs with his threatnings we must be as sensible as hee that said Psal 119. My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am afraid of thy iudgements If he touch vs with his promises we must hide them in our hearts and be so rauished with them that wee can feelingly say How sweet are thy promises to my mouth Psal 119. 1 Sam. 3. yea sweetâ—r than honey to my mouth If he touch vs with his precepts we answer with Samuel Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth and our hearts can eccho as Dauids did to this precept Psal 27.8 Seeke yee my face saying Thy face Lord will I seeke What shall I now say I will call vpon all our soules to apply this signe Let vs examine our owne hearts vpon our beds Psal 4. and be still Assure our selues of this that if we would fiâ—de our selues to be cut off from Adam wee must finde our selues tender Psal as I haue said Me thinks I heare you say that your sinfull estate is a burthen too heauy for you to beare that daily you groane to God vnder the sense of it as Paul Rom. 7. Wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death That you are grieued when God is dishonoured and because he is dishonoured daily therefore the very thought of it doth daily make you sigh Me thinks you say that you heartily desire that your eyes could gush out riuers of waters because men keepe not Gods law Psal 119. and that you quickly apprehend the touch of God in all his word or at the least if you cannot that your soules are filled with godly sorrow and that you doe desire God to circumcise the fore-skin of your hearts Deut 30.6 If it be thus then feare not but that you are in an vndoubted way to your being in Christ But if otherwise that our hearts are hard and senselesse of our owne miseries and Gods touch then woe woe woe vnto vs we are farre from being new creatures and so farre from Christ and so farre from heauen and happinesse T he second generall way whereby we may proue our selues to be new creatures We must be grafted into the new stock is by our ingrafting into the new stocke for before we are in Christ we must be grafted in Now in this ingrafting which is by the power of faith whereby we are through Gods ordinance made one with
to rowle themselues and to doat vpon the partie loued Thirdly they are practicall for the obtaining of what they desire Those desires that are not practicall but vanish without endeuours to bring them to perfection neuer possessed the soule wherein they were for good as wee may see in Balaam for good desires looke to the meanes and will doe any thing to accomplish them and not rest vntill in some measure they haue embraced the desired good Now call ouer what hath beene said againe Vse concerning this constancie and practicall disposition of gracious desires and compare it with ours I warrant you it will discouer vnto vs the vanitie of our desires which goe vnder the name of good and yet are blasted before perfected and doe end in shadowes There is nothing more comfortable vnto vs than to be brought within the compasse of the couenant of grace A posteriori we know that none can conclude their interest in it but such as haue faith and repentance When we fall to the examining of these things we comfort our selues with this That they are blessed who hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Matth. 5. for we by the power of our consciences assuming that we are as hungrie after them as DAVID and his souldiers when they eat the Shew-bread and as thirstie as Sampson after his fight who cried out Giue me water I die for thirst doe conclude that we haue faith and repentance Seeing therefore that we doe rest vpon our desires is it not fit that wee should trie them Yes surely Lay then then to DAVIDS and we shall finde that his were officiously constant and ours are negligently fickle Doe wee desire faith If our desires be gracious we will not only doe it for a fit as a jade will goe vpon speed for a plunge but as a woman is at deaths doore till she haue her longing we will be heart-sicke till we haue it Oh how we pant to God Lord that I may beleeue Lord increase my faith How doe wee presse vpon the meanes and will neuer giue rest till we finde Iesus Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith there killing sin and quickening grace Doe we desire repentance If our desires be gracious we will neuer rest till in some measure we finde it yea when we enioy it in a lesse measure we will not suffer our selues to be at peace till we finde it in a greater yea wee will feare alwaies lest wee haue not repented enough and therefore we will rowle our repentance together and renew it daily Thus should our desires be constant and as heauie things doe naturally tend downeward to the Center Plutarch so should our desires tend to practise and perfection But as one doth write of young Marius that by reason of the stoutnesse of his talke and gesture hee obtained to be called the sonne of Mars but when hee came to proofe hee gained a new name and was called the sonne of Venus so may wee write of our desires that by our words they appeare gracious but by our actions they are led by our soules which liue in our senses to be too basely effeminate and fickle As we are wise-hearted Christians let vs be carefull not to be deceiued in them To this end let vs neuer forget their offices both for choice and constancie that when they are brought vnto their triall before the iudgement seat of God we may pleade Lord we haue carried and spent our desires according to thine assignement Thus we passe from their office to their obiect as it is set downe in this place namely the house of God which is to be considered two waies 1. In the type that is as that place which God did then ordinarily allow for his publike seruice 2. In the truth that is as the true Church of God the body of Christ whereof this house of God whereof DAVID speakes in this place was but a shadow If we consider it as the Tabernacle which was the place whither the Saints of God did assemble for the publike worship and seruice of God then in the obiect of DAVIDS desires I would haue you to obserue this point That The godly mans heart is caried after nothing more vehemently than after the house of God The Hebrewes had a prouerbe Blessed is he that dusteth himselfe in the dust of the Temple by which out of the height of their desires they bare witnesse to DAVIDS speech Blessed are they that dwell in thy house Psal 84.4 and shewed that they were glad with him when others said vnto them We will goe into the house of the Lord. Psal 122.1 It is true indeed that DAVID did earnestly desire life at Gods hand when hee saith Returne O Lord deliuer my soule But why was it For in death saith he there is no remembrance of thee Psal 6.4 5. in the graue who shall praise thee Marke I pray that which set DAVIDS desire on float was not the kingdomes and glories of the world but that hee might praise God after the manner of the liuing with them that keepe holy day He doth as it were set his owne glory vpon one hand and the worship of God in the assembly of the Saints on the other and his heart was more violently carried after this than after that Thus also was it with Paul though he desired to be dissolued and to be with Christ yet when he saw his place in the house of God and the vse which the Church would haue of him he knew not what to choose Phil. 1.22 Hence is it also that the Church in the first and chiefe place crieth out to Christ Cant. 1.1 Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth You will aâ—ke me what are these I answer There are two sorts of kisses betwixt Christ and vs First those which we giue to Christ that is obedience and subiection whereof the Psalmist speaketh Psal 2.12 Kisse the Sonne lest he be angrie Secondly those which Christ giueth to vs which are not the kisses of his lips as if ordinary outward and bodily Prouerbs but of his mouth what are those God hath a wisdome which is also sometimes called Ioh. 1.1 The Word and this is the Christ the Sonne of the liuing God He hath a word to signifie it and this is the Scripture which is therefore called the signe of his good pleasure to vs Voluntas signi and hee hath a mouth to declare and expresse it which is the Ministery of the Word in the Church therefore the Prophets vsed this phrase Esay 1.20 The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it This then was that which the Churches heart was so violently carried after that God would intimate and manifest his dearest loue vnto her in his garden of Spices in his Wine-seller in the assembly of the Saints by the Ministery of the Word Vse Oh that this might quicken our dead and dull hearts to the house of God in
eternall wrath Ezek. 36.31 Marke the words of the Prophet Yee shall remember your wickednesse and your deeds which were not good and shall iudge your selues worthy to haue beene destroyed for your iniquities and abhominations Thus the Prodigall iudged himselfe not worthy to be called his fathers sonne Luk. 15.19 Most of vs iudge our selues better than we are because we compare our selues with our selues and with them that are worse some iudge themselues worse than they are as some few poore afflicted soules who being ouer-borne with the violence of temptation cannot see themselues in Christ but in the Law but we must passe righteous iudgement and that without repeale Fiftly we must execute sinne and to this end we must doe three things First wee must make a crosse for it by crossing and thwarting all the slights and fetches of sinne whereby it would gaine vpon vs. And this must be by caring and speedy paines-taking in our soules both after the pardon of sinne 2 Coâ— 7.11 and after power against it by apologie or clearing of our selues and vomiting the poyson of sin vp by hearty confession so soone as it is committed by indignation in renouncing all friendship with sinne and being angry with our selues that we should be such varlets as to commit it by fearing lest we should fall into it againe by desiring spirituall communion and fellowship with God in Christ in the vse of such meanes as God hath appointed for our strengthning by Zeale burning vp and consuming all fleshly loue and desire after sinne and all sluggishnesse to the practise of contrary graces by reuenge depriuing it of that which doth maintaine it that is not onely the lusts of pleasure and profit but the garment spotted by the flesh together with all occasions which may either draw on sinne or incourage it to be the more bold or take new hold vpon vs as excesse in our Christian libertie either in the vse of our meats drinks or cloathing Of these parts is the crosse of sinne excellently framed to bring it vnto death Secondly wee must number sinne amongst theeues before wee will execute it Wee vse not to execute any but those which are malefactors to this end therefore wee must account sinne so and reckon it to be as odious as may bee For thus wee shall both keepe our selues from danger when the very thought of the greatnesse of it doth affright vs as also we shall manifest our hatred of sinne when all the rhetoricke and eloquence we haue is little enough to set out the deformitie of it Thirdly for the executing of sinne wee must die with Christ for by faith we must set our selues in his roome and feele so neere an vnion betwixt him and vs that his death may really be ours and wee virtually die in him Then shall we haue our iust plea against all allurements to sinne How shall we that are dead to sinne liue yet therein Rom. 6.2 We cannot and be in Christ too for he that hath suffered in the flesh saith Peter hath ceased from sin 1 Pet. 4.1 2. that he hence-forward should liue as much time as remaineth in the flesh not after the lusts of men but after the will of God Thus deare Christians haue I taught you what wee must doe against sinne that sinne may die which because it cannot be without our passion and suffering therefore in the second place consider what wee must suffer for the death of sinne My hope and desire is that as your soules haue gone along with me hitherto so they shall still hold out vnwearied in such sauing points of diuinitie We must suffer for the death of sinne some things that goe before it some things that come with it and some things that doe follow after it First yee know that ordinarily sicknesse goeth before death so we must be sicke of sinne As a man that is stomack-sicke can haue no ease till the humors be abated one way or other so must it be betweene vs and sinne till sinne be abated Looke vpon Dauid 〈…〉 and you shall see that his bones were troubled his soule was vexed his heart fainted his eies were dimmed his bed was washed his couch was watered and all because he knew his iniquities and his sinne was euer before him Pâ—â—l â—1 â— When Dauid was thus sicke of sinne there was hope that the graue should be digged for it ere long meane while the spirit within him compelled him to goe to the Physitian of his soule and say O Lord heale mee for my bones are vexed And againe O Lord deliuer my soule that the bones which thou hast broken may reioâ—ce Secondly yee know that two things come with death namely decay of senses and pangs of death so these two things also we must suffer for the death of sin Our sense of sinne must decay our eies must feebly behold the obiects by which â—inne is nourished See â—y Sâ—râ—on vpon Gal. â— â— We must turne them away from beholding vanitie with pleasure our eares must not endure to heare of it as I haue said before Our senses abused are the Deuils cinque-ports both to let out that wickednesse which is bred in our hearts Mâ—â—â—m 〈◊〉 〈…〉 and to let in that which by the aduersarie is sowed in the field of Gods creatures when therefore we doe challenge them from the Deuill Iâ—b 31.1 and sense them for Gods vses as Iob when he made a couenant with his eyes and Dauid when hee would hearken what the Lord will say and the like then doe â—hey decay and perish from sinne and from vncleannesse Againe we must finde to the griefe and vâ—xâ—tion of our naturall estate that our sinnes doe struggle and striue as for life and are vnwilling to die The Deuill finding his kingdome in sinne to be diminished must then or neuer bestirre himselfe as a she Lion robbeâ— of her whelpes We know by common experience that the birth of a childe naturall cannot be without paine so neither can the birth of the new man that hid man of the Heart Was it not a paine to the Israelites to be called out of Aegypt and in the wildernesse to be fitted for fellowship with God by thunderings lightnings earthquakes and the like It is no lesse to all Gods Sonnes whom he calleth out of the Aegypt of sin whereof Pharaohs Aegypt was but a type and shadow Therefore was Dauid cast into the deepe Psal 130.1 out of which hee called vnto God and when Ionas was of a prodigall to become a conuert he cried vnto God out of the belly of hell Ionas 2.2 Thirdly yee know that two things also follow after death to wit coldnesse and putrâ—faction euen so these two things also we must suffer for the death of sinne for first sinne must be cold in vs Before it was as it were our life bloud in our account without which we could not liue If euer we shewed any
the good Word of God which is able to saue our soules As wee doe wry our mouthes with the new borne babe after the dugge of Gods Word so with the growne man we haue a good stomacke and appetite vnto it The huskes of mans wisdome and humane traditions are hunted after of those of whom the Apostle saith Beware of dogges Phil. 3.2 but the man of God hungreth to heare God speake And because he knowes that he is borne againe for the kingdome of God therfore though when he meets with the things of this world he doth thankfully embrace them vse them as if he vsed them not yet he seekes after the things aboue Col. 3.1 aboue the world the Church aboue nature grace aboue the fauour of Princes the grace of God aboue sinne a Sauiour aboue earth heauen If therefore it be thus with our soules that as all creatures do seek their meats sutable to their natures the Lion flesh the Horse grasse the Fowles Wormes the Catts Mise and the Bees hony so we doe hunt after these things then haue we entred into this life Secondly Those helpes that doe respect our enemies are our naturall vigilancy and watchfulnesse against that which doth thwart and oppose life And from this head I shall commend vnto you two signes of life The first is Sensiblenesse of the least degree of death or opposition of life He that is in an irrecouerable estate 2 Sensiblenesse of death findes not the least degrees of death creeping vpon him and when hee is readie to die saith He is well whereas he that is well is sensible of the least distemper but if a man be dead he doth not feele death it selfe he heares no alarum to battaile sees not the approach of any enemy nor smels the stinke of any wound So if we be in a spiritually-dead estate we feele not killing sinne to approach Prou. as Solomon saith of the foole Hee casteth fire-brands arrowes and mortall things and saith I am not in iest So we make sport vnto our selues in the committing of sinne and say Doe we not liue Yea if we be dead let God send one letter of defiance vnto vs after another for our sinnes we heare and heare not we know and vnderstand not and though from â—he crowne of the head to the sole oâ— the foot there be no part whole 〈…〉 nothing but botches and blaines full of corruption yet wee smell not the stinke of the corruption of our wounds we runne not to the bâ—lme of Gilead wee desire not the good Samaritane to helpe vs but if wee are aliue oh how doe we scud from death as the fearfull Hare from the greedie Hound How doth the least approach of this death by the least sinne make vs cry out with Paul Wretched man that I am Rom. 7. who shall deliuer mee from the bodie of this death Poore Christians who are deiected and cast downe at the fearefull fight of their owne guiltinesse the more sensible they are of the death of sinne the more they cry out of themselues as of dead men whereas if they would passe righteous iudgement they should conclude that the spirit of life is in them 3 Fiâ—hing against death The next signe of life is fighting against that which would take it away The liuing worme being trod vpon will turne vp the taile Heare O worme Iacob so wilt thou if thou haue any life in thee When the worme feeleth the earth to be shaken presently it commeth running out of the earth fearing the approach of the mole so if thou liue when thou feelest the shaking of the cabbin of thy ease and securitie thy bodie I meane by paineâ— acheâ— and diseases then thou dost presently startle come to the doore to see what newes meet thine enemy death disarme him and pull out his sting that at the last â—he conquest may bee thine Againe is there life in vs then the Spirit of life doth fight against the flesh â—om â— â— lest wee liuing after it do die Oh how doe liuing men striue against the whole bodie of sinne and death How doth the spirit lust agaâ—nst the flesh Yea Gal. 5.17 how doth the liuing spirit get the vpper hand and sight more manfully euery day than other especially against that sinne which doth most crosse it I haue kept me from my wickednesse saith Dauid that is Pâ—â—l 18.23 that sinne whereunto hee was most inclined euen so must we if we haue this new life This is the way to finde all liuing grâ—â—es to increase all sin to be in a decaying estate For we know that there is no equall match betweene the old man the new as God smites the enemies of his people on the checke bone that is Psâ—l 3.7 hee deales not with them as with men but as with boyes in stead of opposing them with swords and stauâ—â— hee sends them away with a boxe on the eare so will the liuing spirit deale with the dying flesh it will master it at the last as a growne man would a childe and ouercome it with lesse difficultie though not without all danger to it selfe Secondly Where there is the life of grace there will be an imployment of our strength in the acts of life The actions of liuing men are proper to men that are aliue so are they to these new men From this head therefore I shall giue you further two sorts of signes either such as doe concerne a mans owne indiuiduall person or those which are shewed for succession in propagating their kinde They which doe concerne a mans person are two 4 The breath of the new man First if we can freely draw the breath of the new man It is a signe of life to men of the world if wee can freely draw that breath which God doth offer for the prolonging of naturall life so likewise is this a signe of this new life if wee can freely draw the breath of Gods mouth which God doth breathe vnto the hid man of the heart And what breath is this but the Spirit of the Lord in the Scriptures Marke therefore if wee can draw in the Word of God to the cooling comforting and refreshing of our weary hearts which pant vnder the burden of sinne and if we can put it out againe both to coole the violence and fierie courses of sinfull men and to heat and warme the lukewarme and frozen hearted sonnes of men this will assure vs that we liue the life of God 5 Seruice of God The second signe which doth concerne our persons is this If wee doe put ouer our whole bodies and soules to the seruice of God For as then wee doe liue a naturall life when we doe imploy all our strength to the seruice of nature and as then wee doe liue a loyall life to our Soueraigne when wee are wholly taken vp for his honour and maintenance in good so then wee liue the life of
risen with Christ Col. 3.1 Eph. 2.6 and wee sit with him in heauenly places His debased estate also is ours as his birth suffering vnder Pontius Pilate his crucifying his death his descension into hell For hence is it that we are said to be buried with Christ Rom. 6.4 5 6. and to be grafted with him into the similitude of his death yea and to haue the old man crucified with him as in this Text. If now you will inquire Why wee are said to haue fellowship in his death I answer For three causes especially First Because of that sacramentall vnion which wee haâ—e with Christ Rom. 6. Wee are baptized into the death of Christ We are buried with Christ in Baptisme Baptisme doth seale vnto vs and giue vs interest in that communion which we haue in his death For as the dipping in the primitiue Church so the sprinkling of the water now doth signifie and seale our death and buriall with Christ Secondly Because what Christ did as Mediator of the Church hee did it not as a priuate person but as the head of the Church and in the roome and stead of all his elect Hence is it that hee is called our sponsor or suretie Heb. 7.22 For as the debt which a suretie payeth hee payeth not onely for himselfe because hee hath willingly made himselfe a debtor but for the partie also for whom hee is bound so Christ payeth for vs. Thirdly Because when wee truly turne from all sinne vnto God as we do with all our hearts make a deed of gift to conueigh our selues vnto God that so in all distresse we may plead as Dauid Psal 119. I am thine saue mee for I doe put my trust in thee Esa 9.6 so God doth make a deed of gift of whole Christ to conueigh him vnto vs. As therefore we account to haue right to that which is giuen vs as freely and as fully as if wee had purchased it or had it by inheritance euen so wee ascertaine and assure our selues of Christ crucified with all his benefits Vse 1 This therefore being a truth that we haue fellowship in the sufferings of Iesus Christ is of excellent vse both to procure the hatred and the mortification of sinne For the first we should grow in eternall enmitie with it when we doe but thinke that the Lord of life was crucified for it but if we set our selues in Christs roome and feelingly apprehend his paine as ours when hee conflicting with his Fathers wrath cried out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee When his soule was heauie vnto death and he being rosted with the fire of Gods wrath did in a cold season sweat drops of blood if wee shall account his invâ—terable losse to be ours to wit that our sinnes made God to withdraw his louing countenance from vs good men to flie from vs our friends to deny vs our enemies to insult ouer vs the earth to quake the sunne to hide her light and the rockes to rent in sunder who will not now gnash his teeth at sinne and cry ouer it with a holy indignation as the Edomites ouer Ierusalem Downe with it downe with it euen to the ground Vse 2 As to the second to account our selues as crucified with Christ 1 Pet. 4.1 is an excellent meanes of mortification For he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sinne and if wee are dead to sinne Rom. 6.2 how shall wee yet liue therein Wee know that when a felon is executed hee is not onely freed from the imputation of sinne because he hath satisfied the law but from the practise of sinne also The same minde must be in vs that wee may mortifie the deeds of the flesh by such spirituall reasons as these are What am I not crucified am I not dead doe I yet worke the workes of darknesse as if I liued in sinne what is it that should make me rake together the dead bones of sinne to put new life into them I know that it is death to heare of such a dying Ah it is too true that wee loue our sinnes too well to let them be crucified with Christ But shall I tell you what we may doe to helpe all I remember that it was a law in Israel Dâ—ut 21.11 12. that if a beautifull woman should be taken captiue in warre and any man should desire her as his wife hee must shaue her head pare her nailes put off the garment wherein hee loued her that is take away all her ornaments and if hee then liked her let him take her into his house Oh that we could be wise to deale thus with sinne It hath many ornaments sutable to our corrupt natures which doe beguile the seduced and deceiued eyes of our soules Some sinnes are clad with profit some with pleasure some with honour and other some with fauour but shaue off this alluring haire fling away these tempting garments and then yee shall see that it defaceth Gods image dishonoureth God grieueth and quencheth the spirit woundeth the conscience and presseth to hell Now tell me whether ye like sinne yea or no Oh that this might be a forcible inducement vnto vs to let our crucifying with Christ haue its diuine force It may be you will inquire for some plaine direction for the crucifying of sinne If you doe I shall soone say by Gods blessiâ—g much in a little See these things more largely in my Sermon on 2 Cor. 5.17 Marke the degrees of Christs crucifying for vs and wee must imitate it in our crucifying of sinne for Christ Christ was apprehended put in hold indited condemned and executed so must we deale with sinne Wee must apprehend it by a through examination put it in hold by godly sorrow indite it by a heartie confession condemne it by a seuere iudging of our selues and execute it by faith and a good conscience The longer we delay the stronger sinne is and the harder to kill Heare therefore that your soules may liue Let not the deuill seduce you with vaine hopes of long life or time enough to repent in Fishes will not be caught with a bloudy net why will yee Remember when one commended the Popes Legate at the Councell of Basil Tamen Romanus est Sigismond the Emperour answered Yet hee is a Romane So let the flesh commend Satan in all his sugred allurements neuer so much yet let the spirit answer Yet hee is a deuill Let vs neuer forget and God giue vs vnderstanding in all things that he is the roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuoure Hauing thus led you through the fellowship of Christ in his death wee are come to that pipe which by the force of this our communion doth conueigh life through this death and that is Faith Touching which wee arâ— to obserue from hence That by vertue of this our communion with Christ wee liue by Faith It is not our faith absolutely considered that is our
make shew of performing a Vow at Hebron Herod of worshipping Christ and of another Herod hearing Iohn gladly Prou. â— yea the Harlot her selfe hath made her peace offerings and payed her vowes and Christ doth so discouer the rich Gluttons wickednes that we may yet see the religion of his linage saying They haue Moses and the Prophets Lâ—ke 16. What wicked man doth not frame a religion to himselfe in appearance and shew to stop the mouth of his conscience and gloze with the world None shall bow lower than he none shall looke more sowre in the day of fasting and in all the kindes of superstition none shall more glister with deuotion in the view of men especially in the day of affliction and houre of death Thirdly in shew euen false religion may imitate the true Let God haue a Temple so hath the Deuill yea where God hath his Church the Deuill hath his Chapell and Synagogue Apoc. 2.12 as his Throne in Pergamus and Antichrist with his apostacie in the Temple of God 2 Thess 2.4 If God answer from betweene the Cherubims the Deuill will haue his oracles Let him haue his Priests the Deuil also will haue Arch-flamines and Flamines his Druids Sophists Sacrificers and the like The Deuill and his instruments haue still beene seene to be Gods apes to imitate him so farre as it hath been permitted vnto them in the great workes of his creation and prouidence Fourthly in shew false religion may not only imitate but outstrip the true If true religion haue golden Priests and woodden Chalices false religion will haue with woodden Priests golden Chalices Let true religion haue a sacrifice of beasts the false will haue a sacrifice of men If the true haue washings the false will haue abundance of washings and other ceremonies which shall goe vnder the name of the traditions of the Elders In which respect they who reade the exceptions of Atheists and Heathen against the true religion shall â—â—nde this to be one that it was farre behinde the heathenish religion in the beauty of their Temples array of their Priests gestures and significant representations in their deuotions Thus let vs carry with vs these foure meditations and conclude from them thus much that seeing the religion of hypocrites and wicked men may equall and false religion may imitate and outstrip the true religion in shewes therefore we must iudge righteous iudgement wee must not chuse religion according to appearance and shewes but striue to be of that which doth most approue it selfe to God What vse shall we make of this point now but this to learne to cleaue to that religion which we shall finde to be more in heart than in shew I know that we must not neglect such shewes as God hath appointed as praying preaching hearing reading bowing the knees lifting vp the hands and eyes together with a decent course and cariage in Gods whole seruice Of these we say as Christ to the Pharisies These ought yee to haue done Matth. 23.23 yet the sincere seruice and glory of the heart ought not to be left vndone the principall end of a good religion being to approue the heart vnto God Gods seruice doth chiefly consist in the holy exercise and vsage of the vnderstanding and affections of the heart according to Gods will What hypocrite cannot draw neere to God with the lips What carnall wretch cannot make a crucifix or other image to be a mouer of fleshly deuotion Objectum motivam vehiculum devotionis and as it were a popish chariot of desires to the persons whom they doe represent What Idiot whose vnderstanding is idle cannot giue God a knee and a knocke vpon the breast at the Popish Latine seruice and Masse of humane inuentions Alas for them whose religion is in shewes If the shew and outside of religion were ordained by God yâ—â— as it might sometimes be omitted without sinne as Circumcision and the Passeouer yea and the feast of Tabernacles for a thousand yeeres together Neh. 8.17 if my Chronologer deceiue me not euen so also may it be practised of vs without grace Oh therefore beleeue not neither trust in shewes but cleaue vnto that religion whose grace and glory doth stand in inward worship which cannot be omitted without sinne nor practised without grace We draw neere to God with our hearts we heare the word with faith feare loue and full assurance we pray in the Holy Ghost yea though wee vse the helpe of others yet we make such prayers our owne by a thorow applying them to our wants and graces when we sing Psalmes we make melodie to God in our hearts and when we doe receiue the Lords Supper we doe it in remembrance of Christ and shew forth his death till he come yea like true worshippers we are so farre from delighting in shewes that as God said of old They shall say no more The Arke of the couenant of the Lord Ier. 3.16 for it shall come no more to minde neither shall they remember it neither shall they visit it so doe we willingly forget all the typicall rites and ceremonies wherewith the Church of Rome did Iewishly and heathenishly abuse our forefathers and doe striue to build vp the hid man of the heart and to worship God in spirit and truth Ioh. 4. not neglecting such outward expressments as are warranted either by generall or particular rules and examples out of the holy word But as for garish shewes let children and babies delight in such rattles We account our selues to haue iust cause to suspect the religion of Rome which is all for shewes They know right well that euery man would be accounted godly and that the wickedest wretch and wisest politician of the world would faine goe to heauen To this end therefore as it may seeme namely to please the wise men of the world and desperate sinners who know by nature that they must frame a kinde of religion to procure Gods fauour they haue patched together as the secure times of the world and their preuailing faction would giue them leaue an outward seruice glorious in shew to stop the mouth of conscience for a time Their faith is resolued into a glorious and pompous Church for shew Their repentance stands only in contrition confession and satisfaction by visible penances which being performed in shew receiueth an absolute forgiuenesse of sinne They boast of their altars sacrifices washings and anointings they adorne their altars images priests and temples They haue their Iubilees processions pilgrimages to their ridiculous Ladies vigils trentals diriges and requiems and all for shew still They haue musicke and chaunting for the eare without the exercise either of vnderstanding or heart They haue golden and veluet silken and taffatie Images for the eye They haue Incense or other sweet perfumes for the nose They haue iuncates and banquets on their falsly called fasting daies for their pallates though they will not ordinarily eat