vpon thy bodie otherwise soule and bodie both shall perish the house shall fall downe and the man that lodged in the house shall bee destroyed Remember then Life and Death are not matters to bee scorned withall they are not wordes nay nay Thinke grauelie of them and before thy soule bee dislodged looke that thou bee prepared for a better life Looke that thou finde the LORD of Life CHRIST IESVS by His Spirit working the death of mortalitie in thee and the beginning of the Life that shall last for euer The LORD by His Spirit worke these thinges in your heartes To whom bee all Praise Honour and Glorie for euer and euer AMEN THE SECOND SERMON II. COR. CHAP. V. verse 5 And He that hath created vs for this thing is GOD who also hath giuen vnto vs the earnest of the Spirit verse 6 Therefore wee are alwayes bolde though wee knowe that Whilst wee are at home in the bodie wee are absent from the LORD verse 7 For we walke by faith and not by sight verse 8 Neuerthelesse we are bolde loue rather to remooue out of the bodie and to dwell with the LORD BRethren yee that were present the last day hearde what was the purpose of Paul in this place First hee beginneth to comfort himselfe and all others that are to die and to be dissolued against death the terrours of death He as he saith in the chap. preceeding 18. vers is looking vp to Heauen and whilst he is looking vp to Heauen to see that end that he was once to attaine to there cometh in betwixt his sight and the light of that glorie and life a cloude of death to haue caught away out of his eies if it had bene possible all too-looke to life euerlasting The remedic against it wee shewed you was Faith and a constant Hope with a sharpe earnest and stedfast looking euē to pierce in throrow death and that cloude of death and thorow death to get a sight of that life and light of glorie which lieth hid vp in Heauen beyond death We know saith the Apostle and are assured that our bodies and the earthlie house of this tabernacle shall bee dissolued yet wee shall get a building for an house a building that is from God not made with mens hands but an eternall building that is situated in the Heauens aboue the carth When hee hath set down this remedy he beginneth to comfort himselfe and others by a sure Faith that after death he shall liue againe after the dissolution of his mortall bodie hee shall receiue a glorious bodie The first argument of his assurance is from the desire hee had of life sighing with an earnest desire of that Kingdome which is from Heauen This desire neuer disappointed man Neuer was there anie man that had an earnest desire of life glorie and had the true knowledge and meane to attaine to this glorie that was disappointed of his desire but who euer desired most earnestlie to be glorified most certainly they liue now in Heauen and at this houre they are glorified there and none there shall be that shall haue this desire and striue to throng into Heauen violently Mat. 11. 12. but they shall enjoy Heauen after their departing Now in the Text which we haue read we followe out the assurances and warrandes which the Apostle hath of the glorie of the life to come The second assurance and warrand of the life to come is in the first words Hee saith the Apostle that hath created vs for this thing is God c. The argument of the life to come in these words is from the ende of our creation GOD hath created vs to this ende to wit That in the ende this mortalitie wherewith wee are clothed might bee swallowed vp of Life therefore liue must wee in Heauen This is the ende of our creation therefore it cannot faile but wee must bee glorified Learne then The maner of our glorifying is this It is GOD not man that hath made vs and created vs to this ende It is impossible that GOD can be disappointed of the ende which He setteth before Him of His worke man may bee disappointed for hee will begin a worke for some purpose but oft times hee will bee disappointed of that purpose Hee will build an house to dwell in but it may be hee neuer dwell in it another will dwell therein GOD when He worketh a worke to anie ende it is impossible that Hee can bee disappointed All the world if they would stand vp and oppone to GODS worke they cannot hinder it That worke that GOD worketh in vs is such a worke that tendeth to Life as to the ende thereof Who shall condemne vs saith the Apostle it is God that justifieth vs Roman 8. 33. Will Hee justifie thee all the world shall not bee able to condemne thee Will Hee saue thee all the worlde shall not bee able to make thee perish So is it of His whole Church in generall Suppose all the worlde were conspired against His Church He wil haue it safe and wonderfully worketh He the saluation of His Church euery member thereof through death He bringeth them to life so that it is folly to men to striue against the works of GOD. Yet looke to the wordes Hee that hath created vs to this end is God What creation is this that he meaneth of Is this that first creation of Adam and Eua of euery one of vs in them that was at the beginning Not so that creation failed Indeede wee were first created to liue and thorowe that first creation euerie one of vs got a certaine right to liue for euer but that right wee lost in our owne default wee are fallen from that right of our creation in the fall of Adam So we must seeke another creation or else wee shall neuer see Life for wee haue no right to that first creation which was in all Holinesse according to the image of GOD Ephes 4. 24. If thou sticke to that first creation and olde birth-right thou shalt neuer see Life Then the Apostle meaneth of another What other making or creating of vs is this It is our regeneration or renewing againe which is nothing else but as it were a newe birth and begetting from the which we are called new creatures 2. Corin. 5. 17. Then Brethren wouldst thou haue a sure argument that thou shalt liue after this life wo to thee if thou liuest not after this life woe to them that euer sawe this worlde and they get not a life after this life for this life will away Looke if thou art regenerated and renewed looke if thou art sanctified and findest a slaying of thy lusts within thee Looke if thou findest the life of God by his Spirit working within thee not this naturall life but this Heauenly and spirituall life begunne in thee not by nature but by grace If thou hast this thou hast a warrand that thou shalt liue and albeit
a man is looking to heauen he will not be without temptation no not Paul himselfe nor none other man nor woman that haue their conuersation in heauen And the special temptation of him who wold faine haue life is death and the dreadfull sight of death and death is euer in his eye Hee was neuer borne but death will tempt him death wil be terrible to flesh and blood and when hee is looking vp to that light and glorie in heauen it will come in betwixt his eye and the sight of heauen as it were a terrible blacke cloude and sometime will sunder him and that sight of Heauen As when a man is looking vp to the Sunne a cloude will come euen suddenlie and take the sight of the Sunne from him Euen so when a man is looking vp to the Sunne of righteousnes CHRIST IESVS that cloude of death will come in and catch the sight of CHRIST from him This is our estate here there is none acquainted with Heauenlie things but hee will find this in experience as PAVL did But what is the remedie In the first word of the Text that we haue read he sâ—ieth Wee knowe and wee are assured for the worde importeth a full assurance and faith and a full perswasion Then the remedie against this temptation of death is onelie Faith a full perswasion and light in the minde of the knowledge of the glorie of GOD in the face of CHRIST with a gryping and apprehension thereof this is the onelie remedie The man that lyeth in ignorance and hath not this knowledge hee is oppressed by death So euer seeke and seeke earnestlie for light CHRIST is light and let your pleasure bee in light for death is darkenesse and smootheâ—â—th the soule except it bee lightned with this light that commeâ—h from the face of IESVS But to bee more speciall what light and knowledge must this bee what assurance must this be Thou must knowe and bee assured not that thou wilt bee free from death naye beguile not thy selfe die thou must and therefore resolue thy selfe to die so it must not be such an assurance as to be perswaded that thou shalt not die opponing thy self to death saying I wil not die I shal not die Then what assurance knowledge must this be Euer this that after I am dead I shall rise againe to life It is true O death thou shalt cease vpon my bodie and thou shalt not leaue it till it bee dissolued into dust but when thou hast gotten this body dissolued I shall recouer a new glorious bodie There is the meeting of this temptation assure thy selfe of life after death Seeke this assurance and labour to pierce with the eye of Faith thorow the clouds of temptation to see that life in Christ which is hid vp aboue those cloudes Seeke that eye of Faith to pierce in through those cloudes to shew thee that life and the Sunne of righteousnes Christ Iesus Nowe the wordes would be weighed particularly and first marke a description of this death and of the temptations that woulde separate thee from that life eternall The words are these If our earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolued Then what is death a dissolution and loosing of a thing that was joyned together a dissoluing and scattering of the partes of it it is not an vtter destruction of it the thing that it dissolueth it destroyeth not vtterlie It lyeth not in the handes of death to destroye the thing it dissolueth it may well loose it and cast it asunder but it cannot destroye it Then death is a dissolution and not a destruction a dissoluing whereof not of the soule it lieth not in the power of death to loose thy soule or sunder the parts thereof thou hast that aduantage Death will dissolue and loose thine house the lodging that thou dwellest in that is this bodie which clotheth thy soule Thou art termed by thy soule and the soule properlie maketh a man to be a man it is y e chiefe part of man and the bodie is called the lodging of the soule and the soule dwelleth in it as in an house So death is the dissolution of the bodie of the house which it looseth into powder yea it wil loose all the members and parts of the house O! but marke when it commeth to powder and asshes it lieth not in the handes of death to destroy the powder and ashes of the bodie but that powder and ashes in despite of death will be gathered and set together in a more glorious forme of bodie than euer it was before Yet looke howe the Apostle describeth this house First from the matter secondlie from the forme thereof As for the matter he calleth it our earthlie house This bodie is but claye euen a lumpe of that claye and earth whereupon thou goest esteeme of it as thou wilt yee see the matter of this bodie is vile and contemptible as for the forme thereof it is an house not an house that hath a foundation or builded on a ground-stone but a tabernacle and flitting tent it is set down here to day tomorrow taken vp and set downe in another place thy body is a pauilion that men transport hither and thither as they please Then thou seest that thy bodie is a thing litle worth whether thou looke to the matter whereof it is made of the earth or to the form thereof an vnstable tent or pauilion Now marke this well brethren who speaketh this it is Paul how speaketh he it by faith speaketh the bodie this no what then the soule that dwelleth in the bodie as in a lodging speaketh it The soule is speaking of the bodie the faithfull soule of Paul is speaking of his fraile bodie Then learne how little faith counteth of death Learne also how little the faithfull soule counteth of the body yea euen then when it is dwelling in the bodie it will lightlie the lodging thereof it will call it a lumpe of claye a tabernacle a tent a fraile house it will count no more thereof than a glorious king will count of a cottage he hauing manie faire palaces We 'l brethren it is faith that doth this it is not the soule alone that can count so lightlie of death or of the fraile body if thou hast onely the soule in the bodie and want this faith the soule will thinke the bodie sweet to dwell in It is faith and the faithfull soule that doeth the turne and there is not a better argument than this to see if thy soule bee faithfull or not Looke what estimation thou hast of thy bodie and carcasse what account thou makest thereof I saye to thee if thou hast thy chiefe pleasure in esteeming of thy body decking and feeding it following thine appetite wallowing in the lust thereof if thou liuest in such estimation of thy body I say thou hast a faithlesse soule remaining within thy bodie Woe to that faithlesse man that hath none other pleasure not can gripe
this naturall life shall bee taken from thee thou shalt get another life euerlasting in glory but if thou findest thy self not renewed by the Spirit of grace take this life from thee thou shalt not get life euerlasting in glorie So looke if thou be a newe creature thou hast gotten a greater grace than to be borne to an earthly kingdome if so be thou mayst assure thy selfe of lif euerlasting What is this newnesse in the new creature This newnes that is in the new creature is nothing els but that same life which we shall liue in Heauen and is begun here This newnesse is only this new life of regeneration which life so long as thou liuest heere from the time that thou hast gotten a sponke thereof piece and piece eateth vp the olde and cankered nature The life of God within thee will consume euen as thou consumest the meat thou eatest the olde corruption which lieth in thy nature and in the ende in the glorious resurrection of the dead it shall bee altogether abolished This life then which is begunne heere it shall open the mouth and swallow vp death and death thereafter shall haue no more place This life is onely eating vp by little and little death heere but at that time it shall swallowe it vp wholly and thou shalt say with Paule Death is swallowed vp 1. Cor. 15. 54. So well is the soule that hath a warrande of his new creation whether he die in his bed or out of it he shall die with joy Then my counsell is seeing death is daylie threatned let euery one striue to get this assurance of this new life begun in him heere that it may swallowe vp death Woe bee to them that haue not this assurance This is the second assuraÌ„ce of life euerlasting I pray you marke these assurances for Paule had such an earnest desire that hee sought all assurances and warrandes of this life and hee is reigning now in Heauen So thou who thirstest after life learne at him Nowe resteth the thirde warrande in the next wordes Who also hath giuen vs the earnest of the Spirite Learne the words for al the doctrine riseth of the words Then the third warrand is the Spirit of Christ Iesus in thee If euer thou mindest to haue life hereafter thou must haue Gods Spirit in thee not onlie thine owne Spirite but Gods Spirite flowing from God through Iesus Christ entering into thy bodie soule Beholde the liberality of God when Hee by His Spirite hath renewed thee Hee will not take that Spirite from thee as a man will doe when he hath builded a worke hee will take his hand from it stand if it will or not But the Lord doeth not so Hee hath renewed thee by His Holie Spirite which Hee putteth within thee O how the Lord putteth the third person of the Trinitie in thee and maketh Him an earnest-pennie to thee of Life euerlasting Because thy regeneration is vnperfect and thou hast not yet attained to that Life therefore Hee letteth His Spirit abide in thee assuring thee as an earnest-pennie that whatsoeuer God hath promised He shal perform it to thee and thou shalt not bee disappointed of a jot thereof Such is the infidelitie of our nature that all the promises all the othes which He maketh to confirme His promises all His SacrameÌ„ts which Hee hath joyned to His promises cannot perswade vs. But looke to this thirde warrande Hast thou the Spirit of God if Hee bee in thee He will bee quicke working joye with sighs He cannot be idle Hee will be working the worke of regeneration both day and night Then anger Him not Ephes 4. 30. Away with filthie cogitations away with euerie rotten worde away with euerie euill deede labour to pleasure Him day night and striue to keepe Him and thou shalt hauea warrande of life in thy bosome and when thou art dying thou shalt find such sweetnesse in death as is wonderfull to tell None euer had the Spirite of God but in death they had vnspeakable joye Then seeke to bee in Christ and get His Spirite within thee and hauing gotten this Spirite keepe Him diligently and powre out thine owne spirite but never Gods Spirit for then in all distresses thou shalt have comfort Now to resume all Yee who take great pleasure in your Charters the Evidences of your inheritance and land take heed to this Your inheritance is in Heaven and thou art a foole who thinkest that thou hast an inheritance in earth For either shalt thou be pulled from it or it shall bee pulled from thee Nay looke as ever thou wouldest be an inheriter that thine inheritance be in Heaven Thou art the foolishest begger and the poorest that ever was if thou bee a King if thou thinkest thine inheritance to be in earth Having laid this count with thy selfe Mine inheritance is in Heaven then next looke that thou have thine evidence For thou shalt never possesse Heaven except thou have the evidence thereof laid up in thy charter kist Now thine evidences are the same euidences that Paul had and the same kind of evidences serve for all it is an inheritance that all men must get one sort of charter must serve for one inheritance What then can be the charter and evidence Canst thou sigh for that Heavenly inheritance Canst thou have a desire of it There is thy first evidence Then findest thou thy selfe to bee renewed Findest thou CHRISTS life in thee The life of Iesus is manifest in me saith Paul 2. Cor. 4. 10. Findest thou the wicked life of this world reformed There is the second evidence Yet more findest thou the worker of the desire and the worker of thy regeneration the Spirit of Christ within thee then keepe him well There is the best evidence of all the evidences of thine inheritance having these assure thy selfe of Heaven but wantest thou these or any of them thou shalt never get that inheritance in Heaven As these three are three evidences of thine heavenly inheritance so they are three props of Faith that gripe this Heavenly life They are the three pillars that hold up Faith which is builded upon them cut one of these pillars away and thou shalt lose Faith and Hope But here it may be asked Are all these three of the nature of the life to come I answere As for the desire sighing and sobbing for that heavenly inheritance it endeth with this life and in that life to come all weeping shall bee taken away REVEL 21. 4. Mourne and groane in time then heereafter shall come ioy aud pure ioy A troubled ioy is â—eere in this life but heereafter there shall bee a pure and solid ioy and nothing but ioy So this mourning ceaseth then and is not of the nature of the life to come but as to the new creature and regeneration it is of the nature of the life to come and it is the beginnning and first part of that heavenly glorie so that our
should haue thoght shame to registrate as it were his own shame to y e posteritie to come so that I may say Paul thou wast of none estimatioÌ„ euery one may see in how smal acouÌ„t he was amongst these people There is none of vs all if there be anie infirmitie in vs but wee would haue it hidden but a man hauing a good conscience and discharging a faithful part of duetie is nothing blotted by the speaking of the world nor the registrating of their speaches is nothing to his shame But the shame pertaineth to the people their words and deeds towards the Pastor remaineth in his memorie and in the memorie of God and shall continue vntill the day of Iudgement except they repent yea euen these same wordes spoken against Paule shall meete them in the teeth at the day of Iudgement Yet I see in these wordes a sharpnesse and rebuking mixed with lenitie to let vs see that when we haue to doe with wicked men lenitie and meekenesse should not be corrupted but tempered with sharpenesse that vngratefull men may be brought to a sense and feeling of sinne and miserie Lenitie alone will not serue the turne but with sweetnesse sowrenesse must be mingled that the word spoken may be the more effectuall and forcible who when I am present among you am base c. The worlde and the men of this world account of nothing but of that which hath a faire shew and that they esteem highly of although it were neuer so litle worthie The ground whereof is this All men and women by nature are hypocrites painted bodies no soliditie in them all are visorned folke hee commeth out shee commeth out all masked and disguised For what is an hypocrite but a false showe Nothing surely And therefore because there is no soliditie in themselues they can account nothing of soliditie as hee is himselfe such is his estimation of others as shee is her selfe such is her estimation of others O! would to God euery man and woman could disâ—enâ—â— into themselues and know their owne nature Amongst all things in the world this Ministery is the vilest it is the basest thing vnder the Sunne to the eye of man Other callinges will haue some outward glory a king will haue an outward glory but this Ministery hath none outwarde glory and yet there is no calling vnder the Sunne that hath so precious a subject as the calling of the Ministerie Yea the moste solide thing in the worlde is vnder it eueÌ„ that which maketh men and women solide and without it no soliditie but all is aâ— chafâ—e before the winde The Apostle 2. COR. 4. 7 compareth IESVS CHRIST and His graces which are reuealed in the Gospell to a treasure and the Apostles themselues to lame vessels But wee haue saieth hee this treasure in earthlie vessels that the excellencie of that power might bee of GOD and not of vs. There the most glorious thing in the worlde is in the basest vessels and weakest instrumentes What maketh the worlde to contemne and disdaine this treasure of the Gospell but the weaknesse of these vessels the basenesse of these sillie men whome GOD hath put into this seruice Indeede I maruell not howbeit I see the contempt of this Ministerie and surelie there is nothing more vilder in the eares of men of SCOTLAND than to heare the name of a Minister but I wonder rather that euer man or woman should be altered by this Ministerie the one is of nature the other is of grace Wonder neuer at nature but wonder to see a man or woman altered by grace Alas this is to bee pitied men lose their part of these vnsearcheable riches in IESVS CHRIST because they stumble at the baâ—enesse of this Ministerie For hee that esteemeth not of this Ministerie neuer tasted of the sweetnesse of IESVS CHRIST he that esteemeth not of the lame vessell hath no part of the riches which are in the lame vessell In the words following But I am bolde towardes you whilest I am absent I see they were compelled to see and feele some boldnesse in Paule though not in his presence yet in his absence though not by his words in speaking yet by his writing There is none so senselesse in the world none so dead none so hard hearted against the power of this Ministerie but either by word or writing either by absence or els by presence they shall bee compelled to feele the force of iâ— Yea this Ministerie shall either bee the sauour of life to life or els the sauour of death to death vnto them And this I require you that I need not to be bold c. In this next verse we haue his request expressed in few words which is as much in effect as if he wold say Seeing I am the Apostle of Iesus Christ I beseech you to acknowledge of me as of an Apostle The argument is If ye count not of mee whilest I am absent when I come if there be anie power in me I shall make you knowe it and vtter it against you ye shall finde me bolde and not base ye shall finde sowrnesse and not meeknesse sharpnesse and not lenitie Here he telleth by a comparison what kinde of boldnesse hee will vse When I come to you I shall vse the same boldnesse towardes you that I vse towardes the false apostles and as concerning y e false apostles I shal thunder out against them shame and confusion ignominie so that they that couÌ„teth not of me that I am the Apostle of Iesus Christ shall finde my power Wee may see here Paul would bee counted by these Corinthians to be the Apostle of Iesus Christ is he therefore seeking his owne honour and glorie No hee is seeking the weale of the people It is the weale of the people to count of the seruant of GOD for when they count not of him they cannot account nor accept of his doctrine and when the doctrine is not well accepted of then goeth the building slowlie forward Alas this euill esteeming of men in the Ministerie is the cause that so fewe are edified and so manie to remaine faithlesse for where the man is lightlied the doctrine is contemned and where the doctrine is contemned there can be no faith no edifying so that it is a greater matter to contemne the Ministerie than men thinke it to be Marke these wordes That I neede not to be bolde Heere wee see plainlie that lenitie and meeknesse is required in a Pastor The Pastor is euer bounde first to beginne with lenitie and meeknesse seueritie shoulde onelie come vpon necessitie when lenitie and meeknesse is contemned and cannot serue Reade in y e 1. epist to the Cor. chap. 4. vers 21. Take your choâ—se whether I shall come to you with a rodde or in loue and in the spirite of meeknesse meaning that hee woulde come in seueritie if lenitie would not serue And 2. Cor. 13. 2. when hee seeth that they caÌ„not be won with lenitie
That hee was a Iew a Pharisee his father a Pharisee of the Tribe of Ben-jamin none so zealous of the Lawe as hee c. manie aduantages and great prerogatiues but after that hee once commeth to CHRIST and getteth Him hee sayeth All is but dung in respect of that excellent knowledge of that aduantage of IESVS CHRIST As I counted much would he say of these earthlie aduantages before I knew Christ euen so after that â— once had gotten a sight of Him I counted them nothing but dirt and dung And therefore hee telleth out the aduantages and gaines that hee founde in Christ That saith he I may be found in Him that is not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Lawe but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnesse which is of God through faith There is the first aduantage Thou art justified before the Tribunall of GOD. What king can giue thee that aduantage to set thee vp as a free-man before the Tribunall of God And albeit thou hadst gotten all the aduantages that kings can giue thee if thou gettest not this aduantage to stand before that Tribunall cloathed with Christ thou shalt goe to damnation Then hee addeth to another aduantage That I may knowe Him and the vertue of His resurrection and the fellowship of His afflictions and bee made conformable vnto His death if by any meanes I might attaine to the resurrection of the dead There is the second aduantage thou art made like vnto Him in holinesse and both in suffering and in glory thou art comformed vnto Him Well is y e man that can get this aduantage to be glorified What are all aduaÌ„tages to be couÌ„ted of that can come to thee in this life in respect of this aduantage that when thou art lying a vilde bodie in the graue Christ shall take thee vp and set thee in that glory which is prepared for the sonnes of GOD. Alas if men coulde see the aduantages which are in CHRIST For all faileth for fault of sight If men got but one blink of CHRIST they woulde not giue that sight for all the kingdomes in the earth Wee want spirituall eyes and senses These spirituall aduantages in CHRIST are seene onelie with a spirituall eye and for fault of that spirituall sight wee see not the aduantages which are in Him There is nothing which wee shoulde more desire than these spirituall senses wherewith wee maye get a sight and fore-taste of these thinges which are in IESVS CHRIST Nowe in the next verse taking occasion of the wordes that CHRIST was aduantage to him both in life and death hee beginneth to doubt whether it were better for him to liue or die And whether saieth hee to liue in the flesh were profitable for mee or what to choose I knowe not I thinke I woulde bee dead to see mine aduantage which I will get in death for my gaine which I get liuing is nothing to that aduantage which I will get in death But I am straited whether to liue in the flesh or to goe out of the bodie Then he bringeth in the reason It is better for mee to bee loosed and to bee with CHRIST I will bee at Him yet hee saieth I am in doubt and not resolued Neuerthelesse to remaine in the flesh is more needefull for you For albeit it bee better for me to be dead yet when I looke to you it is worse for you After this doubting and reasoning hee concludeth I will liue then and the LORD will keepe mee for your weale Then Brethren I will marke heere one or two thinges and so I shall ende Yee see a doubting in PAVL whether hee shoulde liue or die which distracteth his minde This doubting is common to manie For sometimes wee woulde liue and other whiles wee woulde bee dead But looke to the cause that distracted PAVLES minde and made him to doubt whether hee shoulde desire to liue or die Some men woulde die because there is nothing in this worlde but miserie Some men woulde die for other causes because of sicknesse some because of shame following some offense for the life is tedious to a miserable bodie the life which shoulde bee comfortable is tedious in distresse But howe manie commeth to this point To desire to bee dissolued for the glorie that is with IESVS and saieth If I were away I woulde get this aduantage of glorie Who woulde be awaye for the glorie of Heauen and aduantage that is laide vp there It is a rare grace to get this desire No question thinke as yee will infinite joy glorie and passing aduantage is in Heauen Againe some men woulde liue wherefore because they are fresh greene and able men they would passe their time yet Some men would liue because they haue wife and children and woulde care for them I condemne not lawfull care but all this desire is vaine Where wilt thou get that man that would liue to help the poore Church of CHRIST with his labour How manie will come on with this to liue onelie for the weale of the Church of CHRIST I desire such a Pastor who is minded to liue for the care y t he hath to leade manie by the hand to Heauen ere he goe away that he may winne manie soules to CHRIST that hee may bee the welcomer when hee commeth there himselfe He is happie It is the sight of that Heauenlie glorie that maketh men to haue this foresaide desire Howe manie seeth that Heauenlie glorie Fie on vs seeing such a glorie laide vp in Heauen for vs that yet will not make a meane to get it wee perish for fault of sense There is â—o lacke of aduantage in CHRIST but the lacke is in me in thee I haue no desire of that glorie thou hast no desire of that glorie and so wee perishe Therefore get this sense of glorie in time or else thy soule shall bee drawne out of thy bodie Doe accordinglie Wouldest thou haue it sweetlie loosed Then get in time a sense of this glorie Wouldest thou haue it pulled out by force TheÌ„ neglect the sense and sight of this glorie Obserue another thing of the care of Paul He counted nothing of all these afflictions in respect of the care which he had of the Church of God I wonder at this care of his considering now our carelesnesse For if euer care was dead out of the hearts of men it is now dead Farewell the care of the Church of God in Scotland for fault of y e zeale of Gods glory the care of the Church of God I see this Land and the Church of GOD therein decaying Learne another thing of PAVLES resolution Yet he resolueth to liue that for the weale of the Church of Christ Marke it There is none of vs but wee should desire to haue the fruition of the glory and joye that is in the face of Iesus yet we who may profite in the Church of God in this life are bounde to
fore-father hee payed his tithe as vvell as Abraham did Euen so vvee beeing euerie one of vs in the loynes of Adam vvhen hee sinned vve made all defection from the LORD and sinned in him Vpon this defection there followed a guiltinesse wherethorow there is none of vs but vvee are obliged to die euerlastinglie And if there vvere no more sinne in all this vvorlde but that first Apostasie only there is matter enough of thine euerlasting damnation thou needest not to heape sinne vpon sinne there is thine obligatioÌ„ to thine euerlasting death and to damnation This is the first part of originall sinne The second part of originall sinne is the effect that followeth vpon the first a foule and horrible corruption that entered in the whole nature of man so that from the top to the toe of man there is not so much whole as one intch Man is a vile leprous creature there is not a whole intch neither in bodie nor soule but all is infected for Brethren that first defection past not away so but it brought with it a fearefull ruine and wracke to mankinde and it leaueth behinde it a foule stinke and terrible darknesse and that came of the just judgement of GOD punishing sinne by sinne And this corruption of nature bringeth with it the owne guiltinesse obligation to eternall death so that sundrie wayes we are guiltie of death The Apostle Paul Ephes 2. 3. setteth downe this guiltinesse when hee saâ—eth Wee were all children of wâ—ath This second part of it Is it that Christ calleth heere flesh in another place it is called the olde man for by flesh we vnderstand not this fleshlie and bodily lumpe which wee cary about with vs nor yet as the Papists call it a concupiscence in this lumpe and nothing in the soule No no but this flesh is a corruption both in soule and bodie and in all the powers and faculties thereof So that there is neuer an intch free from that pest The Lord who made man Genes 8. 21. expresseth the worke and the force of the flesh after the fall where it is saide that after Hee looked and sawe this corruption He saide that the whole in aginations of the cogitations of the heart of man are wicked and euill continually which wordes import that man from his youth yea euen from his mothers wombe could doe nothing but imagine thinke and forge euill wickednesse and all sortes of mischiefe And when Hee sawe this Hee vttered a sadde and an heauie voyce It forthinketh mee that euer I made man Genes 6. 6. And it was no small thing no question that made the Creator to repent that He made man What is man nowe but a filthie creature and a pest to infect Heauen and earth if it were possible But that yee may the better vnderstand the incomparable greatnesse of this euill which is in man I shall let you see howe it hath spred it selfe thorowe the whole power of the soule of man for as for the bodie I speake nothing of it it is true indeede it neuer leaueth that bodie till it resolue it in earth againe which otherwise was made to bee immortall and in the meane time till death come it maketh the body to bee subject to many great and fearfull sicknesses and diseases Where from come these biles the feuers the palsie the pest the leprosie and other diseases but from this corruption But I speake nothing of it I will let you see howe it hath spred it selfe in the soule of man Brethren there is neuer a power nor facultie in the soule but all is infected This pest it hath not only infected the inferiour appetite as the blinde Philosophers thought and as the Papists doe this day affirme But where beginneth it What is the most excellent power of the soule It is the vnderstanding the minde and this is it that we call reason This corruption it hath so entered into the soule of man that when as that vnderstanding should be as a light going before to direct all our actions motions and thoughts the right way according to Gods worde and ordinance It doeth nothing but fight and repine against the wisdome of the God of Heauen It is an hard matter y t God hath created this vnderstanding and yet it fighteth against Him Paul saieth Rom. 8 7. that the wisdome of the flâ—sh is enemie against God that is the very vnderstanding of man which is the most excellent thing in man is enemy to God let bee the inferiour appetites And therefore Ephes 4. 23. hee desireth not onely that the inferiour appetites should bee renewed but that regeneration should begin at that which is most excellent in the soule euen that they may bee renewed in the Spirite of their minde Then yee see this vnderstanding of man is altogether corrupt and that light of the minde is turned vnto terrible darknesse and that this wisedome fighteth directly against God for this reason of man fighteth not onely against the wisdome of GOD set downe and declared in the law but chiefly against that which is more against His wisdome manifested in the Euangell He esteemeth it naturally to bee but meere foolishnesse that euer a man shoulde get saluation by a crucified man 1. Cor. 1. 18. And to goe fordward This pest ceaseth not here nor resteth not in the minde onely but it entereth into the rootes of the heart into the will and affections of man it hath entered so into his vvill that when as this will of ours this power of our soule that we call the will should haue chosen that which is good and refused that which is euill according to the reason going before informing what is to be chosen and pursewed and what is to be refused and eschewed it fighteth not onely directly against that most holy wisedome and will of God but euen against that sponke of knowledge light and reason that is left in man for when man fell in Adam the Lord tooke not all kinde of light from man but Hee left in His great mercy in man some sponke of light and knowledge of the Majestie of GOD the Creator whereby hee might in some measure knowe his Creator And Hee left in man also some knowledge judgemeÌ„t of politike things coÌ„cerning our coÌ„uersation dealing with our neighbors what is just what is vnjust what is reasonable what is vnreasonable he left in him also some judgemeÌ„t discretioÌ„ of naturall things whereas He might haue set vp man as brutish as a dogge or an asse Notwithstanding of this the raging corruption of the malicious will repineth against this sponke and striueth to blotte it out that it should neuer vtter it selfe to reformation and to glorifie God and to discharge a duetie to man in such sort that it were a just judgement of God that they should be made as brute as beasts as it went with the Gentiles Rom. 1. 24. whome Hee gaue ouer vnto reprobate mindes so that
vnto him then if thou takest no care of the purging of that corruption which hee hath contracted from thy loynes that same pest shall bee laide to thy charge in that great day Therefore nowe hauing spoken something of the fleshe and the generation thereof let vs nowe speake shortlie of the Spirite and His generation What is meaned by the Spirite This Spirite is the Spirite of the LORD IESVS this Spirit is y â— Spirit of Regeneration who reneweth men women of olde and sinfull creatures maketh them new and holy againe For as soone as a sinfull man beginneth to laye holde on the Lord Iesus by a true and liuely faith so soone findeth hee power and grace conuoyâ—d by His Spirit into his soule to renew it Then to speake of Christ because this Spirit is His Spirit As Iesus Christ is our elder Brother so is Hee also our Father Hee is called the Father of Eternitie Esai 9. 6. He is called the second Adam Rom. 5. 14. He is our spirituall Father who begetteth vs by His Holy Spirit Nowe compare the naturall parent with this spirituall parent Our naturall parent is not onely culpable and guilty of that first defection but also of innumerable sinnes and transgressions following thereupon Our spirituall parent Christ is culpable of no sinne at all but is full of all kinde of obedience for Hee was obedient to the Father to the death euen to the death of the Crosse Our naturall parent is altogether naturally corrupt yea a lumpe of sinne but Christ our spirituall parent is not only cleane in nature from all spot of sinne and perfectly holie as Hâ—e is man but also Hee is Holinesse it selfe because He is the Sonne of God from all Eternitie and what can bee cleaner than Cleannesse it selfe Now to come to their generation The naturall parent begetteth by the force of nature there is a force in nature to beget our spirituall parent Iesus is farre more able to beget by the power of His Spirit who is the author of nature The naturall parent by the force of nature will beget flesh a corrupt masse a sinfull creature yea the image of the deuill this will hee giue to his childe but our Heauenly parent the Lord Iesus by His Spirit begetteth the Spirit that is a spirituall man an holy cleane man who hath no delite nor pleasure in sinne for Sainct Iohn saith in his 1. Epistle Chap. 3. verse 9. Hee that is borne of God sinneth not that is sinneth not as the worldlinges doe with pleasure and delight sinne reigneth not in him why sinneth hee not because saieth hee the seede of God remaineth in him that is His Spirit by whom as a liuely seede wee are begotten and made newe creatures And what saith he more He saith such a man cannot sinne that is he cannot sinne that is he cannot sinne as the naturall and vnregenerate man sinneth hee cannot follow the course of this worlde and wallow in the puddle of sinne as they doe And why can he not sinne so because saieth hee he is borne of God It is a marueilous force that the Spirit of GOD hath Hee maketh a man that he cannot sinne all the worlde will not make him to sinne The naturall man can doe nothing but sinne all his actions are sinnes but hee that is borne of God cannot sinne Nowe this generation of the Spirite is called Regeneration which word albeit it be commonlie in many mens mouthes yet fewe vnderstand what it meaneth therefore wee shall set downe the nature and definition thereof and touch some particular circumstances which may serue for the better vnderstanding thereof Then what is Regeneration It is an alteration and changing of the whole nature of man accomplished and performed by the powerfull operation of the Holie Spirite When I call Regeneration a changing of nature I meane not that there shoulde be any change of the substance essence it selfe either of the soule or of y â— bodie as if that by Regeneration the olde substance were quite abolished and a newe substance brought foorth but I meane that there is a change and alteration of the qualities which are in the substance I will let you see this in the powers and faculties of the soule as in the minde and reason in the will and in the affections In the minde and reason there must bee a change of the vvisedome of the flesh into the vvisedome of GOD nothing is a greater enemie to GOD and His glorie to thy selfe and thy saluation than the vvisedome of the flesh And therefore if thou wouldest be saued this wisedome must be mortified thou must become a foole that thou mayest bee wise as yee maye reade in the first Epistle of S. Paule to the Corinthians the 3. Chapter and the 18. verse In stead of this vvisedome must bee powred into the minde the wisedome of GOD. In the vvill and affections there must bee a change of the frowardnesse and wicked inclination into holinesse and a good inclination Whereas before there was nothing in them but frowardnesse LORD that man is a froward creature when GOD commandeth him to goe one waye hee will goe the plaine contrarie that must be mortified and slain and in stead of it there must bee wrought in the heart a propension and willingnesse in some measure to pursue and to doe that which the LORD commandeth and hath pleasure into Nowe howbeit I call Regeneration a change onelie of the qualities yet it is not so light a matter and so easilie performed as men would think for it is a greater worke to renewe man than to create him In the beginning GOD created all thinges with His word but before man could bee renewed the Sonne of God behooued to become the sonne of man and suffer shame and ignominy die an accursed death euen the death of the Crosse It is an easie thing for thee to saye I must bee changed ere euer I see Heauen But Brethren it is not so soone done it is the moste difficill thing vnder the Sunne to gette the heart of a creature changed And they who haue found this vvorke sensiblie to haue beene begunne in them haue found howe harde it is by their owne experience for I tell thee that before thou bee renewed thou must denie thine owne selfe CHRIST saieth Thou must renounce thy selfe and take vp thy crosse daylie and followe Him LVKE Chapter 9. verse 23. If the LORD had onelie bidden vs renounce our friendes our father our mother our riches our landes and such other thinges as are without vs we would haue thought it a matter hard enough and scarcely would we haue bene induced to giue obedience as ye see in the young man in the Gospell Matth. 19. 16. But when the Lord commandeth vs to renounce our selues euen that thing that is moste excellent that which is moste wise this reason it selfe the wisedome of the flesh that furnisheth so many reasons to disswade meÌ„ either to
saith hee therefore did I speake Psal 116. 10. Look to the Apostles with what faith assurance they speake of it because saith Paul 2. Cor. 4. 13. We haue the same Spirit of faith according as it is written I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken wee also beleeue and therefore we speake So when thou hearest or speakest of this grace of the Lord Iesus seek to haue this assurance in thine heart and saye Lord giue me Thy grace in speaking and hearing of the benefite of Christ that I may speake and heare with assurance And if ye take heede to the words of the preface he riseth vp in commending of this sentence that Christ came into the world to saue sinners and hee saieth not onelie This is a true saying that wee may assuredlie beleeue but likewise hee saieth and by all meanes worthie to bee receiued Hee welcommeth in a manner Christ Iesus comming into the world he embraceth that saluation that Hee brought vvith Him And would to God whether wee bee Preachers or hearers that wee coulde attaine to that measure of grace that so oft as wee name the comming of Iesus Christ that in speaking of it our hearts may be mooued to embrace Him and that life and saluation which He hath purchased for vs. So this preface serueth to confirme our hearts deepelie to imprint in them the doctrine of the grace of Christ of remission of sinnes of saluation through Him c. for by nature there is in euerie one of vs such a mistrusting doubting thereof y ◠albeit God wold a thousand times offer it vnto vs albeit Christ himselfe would teach neuer so much vnto vs yet are we euer still in doubt and questioning in our owne heartes whether it be so or not Against all this mistrusting and reasoning of our owne hearts we must bee armed with this preface of the Apostle as with a buckler that it is a true saying by al means worthy to be receiued But to come to the saying it self It reckoneth vp y e whole Euangell for what is the Euangell in fewe wordes The Lord Iesus the Sonne of God is come into the world by his manifestation in the flesh taking vpon him our nature and in it hee hath suffered the moste shamefull death of the Crosse for the sinnes of man and rising againe from death hath passed vp to glorie and all to this ende For the saluation of man There is the whole Gospell Alas if we took heed to these tithings our hearts woulde not bee carried after so manie vanities The Apostle 1 Timoth. 3. 16. calleth this the mysterie of godlinesse and a great mysterie That GOD is manifested in the fleshe justified in the Spirite seene of the Angels preached vnto the Gentiles beleeued on in the worlde receiued vp into glorie c. All this hee setteth downe here in a word Christ Jesus came into the worlde and hee telleth vs it was to saue sinners that wee who are sinners might haue joye and rejoyce at His comming for wee should neuer heare nor reade such sentences but with joye But the wordes woulde bee weighed hee saieth CHRIST came into the worlde to saue sinners What is this that hee calleth sinners there are two sorts of sinners in the worlde The first are they who thinke they haue no sinne they are so hardned in their sinne they neuer got their hearts opened to see their owne sinne and wretchednesse for an indured sinner feeleth no sinne but by the contrarie they thinke themselues just they are puft vp with a cōceit of their own righteousnes they thinke thēselues whole free frō the disease of sin and these are the greatest part of the world An example we haue in that proude Pharisie who would stand vp and justify himselfe before God say I thanke thee O God that I am not a sinner as other men extortioners vnjust adulterers or euē as this Publicane Luke 18. 11. But it is not for the saluation of those men that Christ came into the world no mercy belōgeth not to them they will neuer taste of any mercy of God in Iesus Christ and therfore Christ saith Mat. 9. 12. 13. The whole need not a Phisition that is they who are whole free of the sicknesse of sin in their own conceit I am not come to call the just that is indured sinners who think thēselues just because they are touched with no sense of sin and well had it bene for them if Christ had neuer come into the world for they want not only grace in Him but by the contrary by the contemning of the grace that is offered they heap on cōdemnation on their own heads There is another sort of sinners who haue a true sense of sin and grone vnder the burthen thereof who are sore grieued in their owne consciences for it and it is of these sinners that th' Apostle speaketh here for Christ sheweth mercy only on these sinners He came into the world to saue them only therfore He saith Mat. 9. 13. I come to call sinners to repētāce meaning these sinners who haue their consciences wakened with y e sense of sin these sinners only He inuiteth to come vnto Him to get grace refreshmēt Come vnto me saith He all ye that weary laden I will refresh you Mat. 11. 28. These sinners will get grace to heare the word and wil get their minds illuminated with it whereas indured sinners the more they heare the more are they blinded and therefore Christ saith Joh. 9. 39. I am come vnto judgement into this world that they that see not may see to wit the penitent sinners and that they see that is indured sinners may bee blinded if thou be an indured sinner thou canst not heare the word with profite thou canst not be inlightened thereby But albert thou be a blasphemer an adulterer an harlot the greatest sinner that is if thou harden not thine heart at the hearing of the word of God O how wonderfully will it worke in thy soule it wil bring thee to a sense of thy sin it will make thee to bee grieued for thy sin and to lament mourne vnfainedly for it it will make thee to runne seeke for grace mercy in Christ that thy sin may be done away an example of this ye haue in Dauid when he had committed adultery murther no sooner is y e word preached to him by Nathan but assoone his heart is pierced with the sense of his sin he confesseth acknowledgeth it hee is sore grieued for it hee crieth for mercy in the Messias to put away his iniquities as ye may see 1. Sam. 12. 13. Psal 51. Such like ye see in Paul who before was persecuting the Church assoone as he heareth the voyce of Christ his consciēce is wakened he trembleth he is astonied he humble intreateth for mercy hee offereth seruice to the Lord saieth Lord what wilt thou that I doe Acts 9.