into a good body but if the Patient bee froward and will not be ruled or his body bee distempered hee is not the better by it Now the fault is not in the Physician nor in the Physick they be both very good but the fault is resident in the party that was not prepared for it or that would not receive it and convert it to that use for which it was given him So the Law of God of it selfe is a light unto our feet Psal 119.105 and a lanterne to our paths and the light of life it selfe if we be able to follow it but because of our owne indisposition it comes to passe that the Law which should pull downe sinne gives strength unto it the Law that was made to kill sin it gives life unto it as the Apostle tells us at large Rom. 7. Rom. 7.9 hee saith That sinne was dead untill the Law came in For where there is no Law there is no transgression and sinne was dead untill such time as the Law came in place but when the Law came then sinne revived then sinne began to hew and hack then it began to kill and slay and to leade into captivity which is a worthy point for our consideration and therefore I must stand a little longer upon it How should it bee that the Law of God which is so pure and so holy in it selfe that it should give any life or any strength unto sinne which it hates and condemnes I say it comes to passe upon occasion of our weaknesse and sinfulnesse which takes not the Law of God for that end which he gave it for but to a contrary end The first reason why the Law by occasion becomes the strength of sinne is this Chrysost as Chrysostome saith that it makes our sinnes manifest a man that is detected growes the more desperate as long as he can keepe himselfe quiet and be secret and unseene hee is more modest but when hee comes once to be opened when he comes to be discovered to the knowledge of Gods Law and to the knowledge of men then hee begins to ruffle with God and with the Law and he will approve and make a defence for those things that are damnable the Apostle doth insinuate the reason Rom. 8.9 Rom. 8.9 where hee saith till the Law of God came he did not know concupiscence except the Law had said thou shalt not lust This you know by experience that there is great difference betweene a foolish and an understanding servant The Lord Iesus saith the understanding servant that knowes his masters will and doth it not shall bee beaten with many stripes As long as sinne is not knowne it lies hid it is asleepe it workes faintly but when the Law comes and gives light to a mans understanding that he knows himselfe that hee knowes God and the promises of the Gospel now sinne multiplies there is no such sinner as a wise sinner there is no such sinfull person as the learned person because his knowledge makes his sinne apparant and makes him detected of the world and so inrageth him to maintaine and make that good which is evill and naught in it selfe A simple ignorant man although he carry the Devill about him yet hee is not troubled so much he sinnes more easily he hath weak passions hee sinnes within compasse hee sinnes as bruit beasts doe which seldome or never transcend the limits of nature and they exceed mankinde in many respects in moderating their lusts and concupiscence but when the Law of God comes in place it rouzeth a man from his ignorance which would damne him and shewes him the good will of God it shewes him the acceptable yeare of the Lord and what the hope is which he is called unto and what are the treasures of the Gospel It shewes himselfe to himselfe and now the rage of sinne is more impetuous and violent then before For now hee lives hee was dead in those former times when he was ignorant he was quiet When the strong man keepes the house all is quiet but when a stronger comes to thrust him out then there is an uproare and tumult in the house S. Chrysost Againe another reason is saith St. Chrysostom in this that God doth stretch forth his prohibition the nature of man is alway to desire and long after that which is forbidden and there is nothing that inflames his affections so as the prohibition of the things hee desires Would you have a booke sell well get it prohibited the onely way to make a woman to be a blabb is to bid her keep counsell it is the nature of man still to affect things unlawfull and interdicted and so much the stronger the interdiction is so much the more they are inflamed in the desire they have to accomplish it To conclude this point because we cannot endure that our free-will should bee curbed and restrained it comes to passe that the Law of God by occasion is the reviving and increasing of sinne for we cannot indure the liberty of our will should be curbed and checked but we would live as we list every body and this wee see was in the first temptation of our first parents Satan comes to them What hath God made you to live as slaves under governement doth he keepe you under the rodde doth hee keepe you within the pale hath hee forbid you one fruit of the garden As if hee should say because he had forbidden them one it was as good as if he had forbid all so our first Parents they could not indure this they could not abide to bee kept under to bee made boyes and children to be under a Pedagogue to bee under a Tutor governour as it were not to make choice of their owne affections if God had made them to their owne choice well and good but now the Lord hath made them under the governement of others he hath made them under a Law and they cannot abide that And so it continues in the mind of man still he will have his owne mind though it be contrary to the will of God and though he hinder himselfe he will have it if it be to the damnation of his owne soule if hee get hell for his will yet he will have his will This poyson being in our nature makes good the doctrine that we speak of that sinne revives for the Law of God beats upon our sinnes and makes us say and confesse if wee will follow the guidance of it Not my will but thine be done Let me not seek after mine own will which is base and corrupt but after thy will which is holy and just The Law of God would teach a man to say thus but contrariwise that which flowes from a mans selfe it seeks it selfe and seeing hee cannot please God norman he will please his own soule As the Poet saith Delight thy owne soule care not what other men speak or doe or think against thee This is
as God hath made him which knew not sinne to be sinne for us that is he hath made him a sacrifice for sinne and hee was accounted a sinner as he was made sinne for us so this is the effect of this account and imputation of our sins upon him it shall be the imputation of his righteousnesse upon us as the holy Apostle saith 2 Cor. 6. He was made sin for us which knew no sin that we might be made the righteousnesse of God Now after this he hath shewed us the enemies he begins to shew us the use of all this he drawes to a conclusion and he saith God hath given us victory Thanks be to God that hath given us victory through Christ Iesus our Lord. As if hee should say if we had indeed the remnants of sin in us still wee were foolish to make any insultation over death for death would triumph over us for as long as sinne remaines death must needs ensue and as long as the law is put upon us to curbe and contradict us sin will be but now God be thanked that hath given us victory through Iesus Christ our Lord For he hath destroyed the one and hee hath fulfilled the other he hath destroyed the one by his gracious conversation and he hath fulfilled the law he hath appeased the wrath of God that now there remaines no more enemy but the field is cleare and we are masters of the field for ever Therefore God be thanked which hath given us victory through Iesus Christ our Lord. Wherein wee are to consider First the gift that is given It is victory Division of the Text into 5. parts an absolute and compleat victory over these fierce enemies Secondly whence this victory comes from God God hath given us victory It is from the whole Trinity Thirdly the manner how it comes by way of gift not by way of merit blessed be God that hath given us the victory Fourthly the meanes through whom it comes through Christ Thanks be to God that hath given us victory through Christ Iesus our Lord. It is by the arme of Christ Fiftly the end and use of all Thanks be to God For the blessings of God require thankfulnesse therefore the Apostle gives glory to him that glorifieth us he gives conquest to him that is a conquerour for us Thanks be to God that hath given us victory through Iesus Christ The sting of death is sinne the strength of sinne is the Law This former part of the Text describes the Adversaries extinct and vanquished that which hee speaks of a sting is diversly translated by Interpreters some call it morsum the biting comparing it to a serpent that poysoneth and infecteth and killeth by biting so sinne was represented to us in the garden by the serpent that gave the apple unto Eve Some take it for the sting of a waspe the Hebrew word Kota in Hosea 13. Hosea 13.14 signifieth that which is sharp as a stelletto a thing that makes a present impression and by the puncture it pierceth into the inward parts and brings sudden death So by divers Translators it is thus read I will be a plague unto thee oh death and I will be thy destruction oh hell Many and sundry wayes it is translated but it is sufficient for us to take that which the last and best translation affords and so we call it the sting because indeed death was never nor it could not be sharp unto us except it come to be armed with sinne nor there is no calamity in the world no misery that a man suffers but he suffers it willingly if he have a cleare conscience it being the onely rule of peace and quiet to be free from the cause and from deserving that thing that is imputed and cast upon a man But when miseries come not onely tedious of themselves but they come armed with the condignity of sinne that they have a certaine correspondence in commutative justice that he that hath done evill must suffer evill Now it becomes of all calamities the extreamest and most miserable Therefore it is said here The sting of death is sinne as though death it self were nothing unwelcome and harsh to the flesh of man but that it is inflicted for sin and as the wages of sin But here a man may very well make a stand and aske how can this be how should sin be the sting of death seeing it is rather contrary death is the sting of sinne for which is first was not sinne before death saith St. Austin in his 7. Tom. in his 3. S. Aug. Tom. 7. lib. 3. d◠peceat remiss Booke De peccatis remissione peccatorum saith he we sinne not because wee die it is no sinne to die because it is the fulfilling of the judgement of God upon sinne We sinne not in dying but we die for sinning for from that comes our death therefore seeing sinne was the cause of death and that death is a thing of nothing a thing that followes afte◠sinne it seemes therefore that sinne being first and sin being the cause of death it followes that it must use death as a sting unto it and not on the contrary that it should be a sting unto death But for this there is no great matter in the phrase for as St. Austin Aug. and the rest of Divines accord with him the Apostle calls sinne the sting of death not that death made it but that death is made with it and it is made by it so it is called the sting of death that is a deadly sting that brings death with it As a cup of poyson we call it a cup of death not as though death made the cup but because death is with it that he that takes that cup shall die with it So the tree of life and the tree of knowledge the meaning is not as though life were made by the tree or that knowledge were made by the tree but because the fruit of that tree would have brought life and would have brought the knowledge of good and evill This therefore is the meaning of the Apostles words that sinne by the just permission of God and by the deputation that God gave unto sathan to execute judgement upon sinners it comes upon every man armed and it is armed with death the most desperate weapon that can be that destroyes the very nature of man and brings him to his very foundation to a matter of nothing This is that sting that must prick us all at length as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth Therefore let us learne while wee are now in this world to prepare our selves for this sting that we doe not kick against the pricks as our Lord saith Acts 9. Acts 9.5 Saul Saul why persecutest thou me it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks Let us therefore never grumble against the necessity of sicknesse disease and miseries for alas these are nothing in comparison of death we
neighbourhood of men we are to imagine that some know God and feare him though some do neither Therefore let us labour to make much of Vse and to keepe this admonition and reprehension that the children of God that do well may not bee discouraged and that others may not bee permitted to do evill nor suffered to go on in their foolishnesse But that there may be a difference made and yet no particular set down For here the Apostle doth not name them but he leaves it to their owne breasts to consider of He chargeth them not maliciously to make them scandalous to the world for that way hee might have made them desperate but he leaves them to God that knows them The Lord knows that all are not alike among you that there is a company among you that are of the same profession that are not equall to the rest in the knowledge and feare of God But he doth not name them because he would leave them to repentance to commune with their owne hearts Psal 4 4. that every one might examine his owne conscience whether he were the man or no. And lastly he concludes all with which I will consider I speake this to your shame That is I desire not any way to destroy you but to build you up whatsoever I can do or whatsoever I am appointed to do in the Lords worke it must be to edification and not to destruction There is a certaine shamefastnesse whereby a man is wonne to God It is an excellent beauty in a man or woman to be modestly shamefast to blush at that which is unseemely to be afraid of that which is unhonest The forehead being the seat of shame and the cheekes the testimony What is received from the Rainbow above appeares in colours beneath and is reflected on the lower clouds These testifie for God of the temper of the heart and affections God hath put a law of difference within men whereby they are able to discerne betweene good and evill And this shamefastnesse if it were well mannaged it would bring a man by the grace of God to loath sinne and to be circumspect of his wayes But wee take a course in the world to overwhelme this shamefastnesse and to make this modest shamefastnesse meere clownishnesse There is no man so farre from brave and Courtly behaviour as a blusher those that have shamefast affections those that have a divine touch and tincture of holinesse in their face there are none accounted so base as these And men now will prescribe certaine ages how long men may be ashamed and after that they thinke it is a shame to bee ashamed It is true that it is a shame for a man to do that which is shamefull but never to be ashamed for it for as long as there is shame in man there is hope of grace there is hope of conversion that he will turne it shewes that he cannot endure the burthen of that that is shamefull A man that blushes would faine be out of the roome where he is he would faine quit the company he would not heare such things as he he areth nor see such objects as he seeth for a man is loath to bee noted for one that is conscious in any kinde Therefore the grace of God seconding this naturall affection if wee bee carefull to maintaine it in our selves it would bring us to a happy condition to be one spirit with the Lord. For so we are when wee hate that which hee hates and when wee love that which he loves when we would not have that in our selves or in our friend or in our company which â—od likes not of It is a gracious complexion which is to be maintained and cherished the grace of God would bring it to this perfection if it were maintained in us But this impudent looke this base behaviour and such as the devill hath devised to take away shame from men it is this that hath brought men from all their glory and made them to fall as bruit beasts into all manner of sinne without shame or conscience I speake this to your shame And I hope there is shame and grace left in you that you will not despaire for I speake it to winne you not to destroy you Let this shamefastnesse put you in minde what you ought to have beene and make you ashamed of what you are in respect of what you should be and so let it be a meanes to reduce you As the wise man saith there is a certaine shame and confusion of face that brings a man to the grace of God Almighty namely when he is ashamed of himselfe and his courses and opens his wants and confesseth his sinnes unto God that he is not able to indure his wants There is another shame unto ruine when men do that which is evill and harden their foreheads and have sinnowie and steely necks such as are without feare or compunction As the Lord speakes of his people that they had made their faces of brasse Jsa 48.4 and their necks of steele When there is such a fearful conclusion as this it makes a man or woman the sonne or daughter of shame and confusion Therefore let us intreat the Lord God to worke these naturall affections in us and to sanctifie them to us and they will teach us many things These nâ—turall affections of feare and joy and sorrow and shame these naturall things being in us if God rule them if God sit on them and ride upon the asse they will carry him into Ierusalem by the mercy of God Let us take heed that we maintaine these things that we may have the knowledge of good and evill shining in our consciences that accordingly we may beare it in our countenance For when a sinner is ashamed he comes naked and confesseth his fault before God and his brethren and entreats the mercy of the one and the love of the other that God may take away his afflicting hand and that his shame here may keepe him from eternall shame in the world to come Which the Lord grant FINIS 1 COR. 15.35 But some man will say how are the dead raised with what kinde of bodies do they come Foole that which thou sowest is not made alive except it dye THis is the question of an idle and ignorant man to which the Apostle frames an answer Foole that which thou sowest c. Here begins that marvellous part of this Chapter Which containes a plaine declaration of the rising of the dead from naturall arguments So that all the body of nature doth preach a resurrection to us and there is no one change or vicissitude in the things of this world but it hath some steppe of this doctrine in it This is that which the Apostle declares throughout to the end of the Chapter And as Austin saith all the frame of nature doth make open proclamation of the certaintie of this doctrine Aug. if we attend to the voyce