hearing so if the raine fall on the rocke it moistneth it nothing at all neither softneth it and this is onely through the hardnesse of the rocke euen so fareth it betwixt the law and vs for that the law is depriued of the power to saue is not for any defect in it selfe for it is holy perfect righteous iust heauenly spirituall eternall but the fault is in our flesh for we are all weake blind deafe stony-harted not able to receaue any impression of obedience at all Againe the scripture speaketh of the law two maner of waies First either as giuen by the hand of God wrot with his finger in tables of stone which is the ten commandements Secondly or else it speaketh of that is proper to the law that is of the effects of the law The first which is the ten commandements it is double For it commandeth the good and forbiddeth the euill for the second the effects are also double for it rewadeth for the good and condemneth for the euill So as the law hath these foure things it commandeth and forbiddeth it rewardeth and condemneth he then that is not able to fulfill the law is a dead man I speake in respect of the law onlie and not of Christ for Christ himselfe said speaking to one that sought life by his workes If thou wilt haue life euerlasting keepe the commandements which is not possible for man to doe no more is it possible for the law to saue yea it is not onely vnable to doe this but by reason of the law we are made more sinfull for as Rom. 3.20 By the law commeth the knowledge of sinne and chap. 4.15 The law causeth wrath and 1. Cor. 15.56 The strength of sinne is the law So as first it conuinceth vs of the good we do our hearts being of themselues rotten and the root being vnsound so must the tree be the body being corrupt so must the members be and the fountaine being vnclean so must the streames be Secondly it conuinceth vs for not doing good in one thing is straiter then all the lawes of nations condemning our straying thoughts and chargeth vs not simply of sin and transgression but of voluntary treason and rebellion against our God And thirdly it dischargeth vpon vs not onely all the curses of this life from our conception to our death but also of damnation in the life to come so as in respect of the law onely we haue already the sentence of death pronounced against vs and doe eate talke buy sell and such like but as prisoners repriued and staied a while from execution And this is the quality and condition of the tenne commandements inse perse in it selfe and by it selfe separate from all other things for I speake not of the whole doctrine of the law as it was taught by Moses for that as Dauid saith Psal 119. is perfect and conuerteth the soule and giueth wisdome to the simple and teacheth vs faith to lay hold on Christ when wee are ready to sinke in our selues and draweth vs to repentance by commanding the good and forbidding the euill by rewarding the good and threatning the euill But the law as it is a bare letter bidding vs doe such a thing and giuing vs no strength to performe it losing it strength by the strength of our corruption sheweth in what a desperate case they stand that depend vpon the Law for their saluation for weighing our selues in this ballance we shall be lighter then the shickles of the sanctuary if we looke in this glasse we shal be wretched and deformed and trying our selues by this touch stone we shall be no gold but drosse To make this plainer and that our blood may bee vpon our owne ands and the law remaine vnblameable we must 〈◊〉 stand there are two sorts of lawes The one is the substantiall and naturall law the other is an accidentall or occasionall law mentioned by this Apostle Rom. 7.8.9 where we must obserue that sinne receaued no occasion from the law for then occasion had beene giuen but tooke an occasion not of the law but by the law that is because the law forbiddeth therefore we will doe it Now betweene a cause and occasion there is great difference The substantiall law of God which is the morall law of the tenne commandements hath two parts it forbiddeth impiety and vncleanenesse and commandeth sanctification and holinesse but the law occasionall proceedeth out of the first which is substantial for if the law had not said Thou shalt not lust thou wouldst not do it but being by the law restrained thou art in thine owne corruption prouoked vnto that sinne so that heere are two flat contrarieties met together the law and our nature the one commanding the other rebelling the one forbidding the otherser that cause embracing so as but for the law our sinne would not so much appeare for example wee are able to eate more in winter then in sommer by reason in winter there meeteth two contraries the outward cold and inward beat which being driuen into the body encreaseth the appetite which is not so in sommer for then rather heat meeteth with heat which abateth the stomacke euen so the Lord hath set his law as a bull-worke to keepe in sin that it breake not forth of the breast Now when sinne findeth such resistance as it cannot rush through this law then it reboundeth backe againe into our bosome and there kindleth a greater fire of concupiscence then it did before yet is the law holy pure righteous heauenly and spirituall the rule of obedience and of a sanctified life but out nature is impure vnrighteous corrupt and from the earth earthlie the law proceeding from God and our nature from the diuell who powreth this poison into our hearts for euen the law of nature which was the booke for all men and whereby the eternall power of the God-head was discerned that hee might be glorified we see how Rom. 1.20 he was thereby dishonored they turning the glory of the incorruptible God to the similitude of a corruptible mam which proceeded onely from their vaine thoughts and foolish hearts full of darknesse but their end was reprobation so for the law written where it pareth off the dead flesh that we may see how sorely we are smitten by sinne that by this meanes we might run to Christ who is a ready Physitian skilfull and pitifull in healing all wounds we still keepe at home and run backe into our selues as if thereby we could be cured where in truth our disease by this negligence is the more increased nothing being able to heale but the bloud of the son of God so for the Gospell whose end is to make peace between God and man and betweene man and man shewing there is but one God one spirit one faith therby we but one mans childrē euen Gods which should be the power of saluation to vs and the bond of loue among vs through the malice of sathan and
spoken but I will speake no more for I cannot answer one for a thousand and Chap. 9.15.20 If I were righteous yet would I not plead with thee but make supplication to my Iudge for if I would be perfect he shall iudge me wicked and Dauid often confesseth his vnworthinesse by entring into the meditation of the law of God and Easay 64.6 saith our best actions are but as a menstrous cloth the Hebrew word signifieth a filthy clout vsed by the Surgians to take vp the rottennesse of the flesh and Paul Rom. 7.23 by his owne confession was a captiue to sinne which sheweth it impossible to challenge eternall life by the obseruation of the law and to this end is the song of the Angels in the Reuel 19.1 which giueth all glory to God and none to men for our best workes sway nothing in the ballance of desert nay the grace of Christ maketh not the worke perfect because it is defectiue by concupiscence and is accepted onely in mercy for iustice can accept of nothing as meritoâ—â—â—â— which is not as perfect as Christ himselfe Heere then may be demanded why God gaue the law since there is no maner of proportion betwixt our abilities to performe and the straitnesse of the law to command and hee that laieth a condition of impossibility commandeth vnprofitably This we answer foure waies First by our creation we had power to haue done it and we are onely by our owne disobedience disabled for Adam in his integrity might haue fulfilled it and therefore it is no iniustice with God to giue vs this law which we had strength to beare and haue now made burdensome to our selues being weakened through corruption for when he that can see perfectly pulleth out his owne eies who is to be charged with his blindnesse but himselfe or if he that is rich wasteth his goods with the prodigall sonne none can be blamed for his pouerty but himselfe Or if he that knoweth by climing he must fall will yet clime so high till he fall and hurt himselfe he can cry out of none for his hurt but himselfe or if hee that is comelie become misshapen by lewd companie and diet is anie to bee found fault with for this deformity but himselfe So who can charge this law to bee become impossible but out selues and how came it thus to be but through our sinne in Adam and if we had beene in his stead we had done as he did so as we are the cause of our owne blindnesse nakednesse weakenesse deformity in climing to the fruit of the forbidden tree whereby we lost the power and comelinesse of Gods image after which we were made And shall a Prince therefore lose his iust right and power to command because a company of wicked rebels will not be drawne to obey God forbid Secondly this law thus deliuered is not simply impossible because all the elect haue fulfilled it in the person of Christ Thirdly it shall not be alwaies impossible in our persons partly by our obedience to it in this life and when sinne shall be abolished and our sanctification finished by our absolute performance of it in the life to come Fourthly if God had proposed no other end in giuing it but the obseruing of 〈◊〉 in our corruption then had it indeed beene impossible but it was giuen of the Lord for foure ends first to be conuinced of our shame and filthinesse by looking into the law as into a mirrour which sheweth vs our infirmity and deformity secondly that when heerby we were all shut vp vnder damnation and the conscience conuinced of our Apostasie we might then be stirred vp to seeke remedy in Christ thirdly that being brought to Chrst we might in deepe meditation behold the excellency of the Lords righteousnesse that this might be a great prouocation to make vs striue to come as neere the perfection required as may be the first being before our conuersion the last after our conuersion to keepe downe the rebellion of our flesh to shake off the sluggishnesse of our nature which is most vnapt to enterprise any thing might please God fourthly it was giuen for the reprobate that they should absolutely fulfill it or else be damned for it laieth open their sinnes and the torments of hel ready to seaze vpon them with a despaire of all grace the Lord iustly leauing them in their bloud so as the fire that burneth by the breath of the Lord beginneth in them in this life and though they seeme to men to haue quiet consciences because they sleepe as it were in the top of the mast yet they haue the flames of Gods wrath scorching them within whereas to vs that be elect it laieth before vs our hurt our debt our leprosie our pouerty and our nakednesse that we may runne to Christ to haue our wounds healed our debt released our leprosie cleansed our nakednes couered with his fine linnen Reu. 3.18 and our pouerty enriched with his refined gold and graces so as we see it was not giuen in vaine though it be vaine for vs to seeke life in it Now for the second point namely from whence this disability in the law to saue vs doth proceed and that appeareth in the text to be through the weakenesse that is in our flesh and not through any imperfection in the law Oh say the Papists but there is no man so weake but hath some strength neither is there such weaknesse in the law but it hath some strengh to saue We answer by Scripture 1. Cor. 15.43 The body is sowen in weaknesse where the Apostle speaketh of a dead man in whom is no strength no more is there in the law besides the word signifieth such a weaknesse as is vtterly depriued of all strength so as the reason why the law is thus disabled is through the deadnesse that is in the flesh of man whether we speake of a meere naturall man or of a regenerate man as long as there is flesh in him And in this respect the world is said to be dead three manner of waies though they know the law for first some doe know their sinnes by the knowledge of the law and yet are they dead because they know onely the law and not the true vse of it secondly some by the law do know only their sinnes which bringeth them to despaire and they be miserable dead men Thirdly some by the knowledge of the law doe know their sinnes and also grace for them in Christ and yet said to be dead as Paul Rom. 7.13 confesseth himselfe to bee in respect of the greatnesse of his sinne which wrought death in him by that which was good meaning the law Make it plainer by similitudes when the sunne shineth the blind cannot behold it the fault is not in the sunne but for want of sight in the party so when it thundereth the man that is dease cannot heare it which is no defect in the thunder but through his defect of
to Moses to be read to the people and to be left for vs their posterity it would teach vs how to be the friends of God as Abraham was for therein is both life and death set before vs Deut. 5.33 it is as a line and plummet to square our liues by and to measure our steppes to heauen in it is the reuealed will of God for vs and the secret for himselfe Deut. 29.29 in it are contained promises for obedience and a whole volume of cursings for breaking it so that if wee will be saued wee must please God and how wee shall doe this is set forth vnto vs in his law and if we separate our selues from the vse of this law then shall it become a killing letter to vs that is as oft as we read it we shall read our owne damnation as appeareth 2. Kin. 22.11 But if we study it to make it the rule of our obedience and as a light to direct vs through the darkenesse of this life then doth it conuert the soule condemning sinne in the flesh and freeing the flesh from sinne that if we fall we fall but in the armes of Christ for hee is the way wee are directed to walke in by the law So as in a word learne that the Apostle wil measure thy loue of God by thy loue of the law of God euen as an earthly Prince will discerne thy affection of him by thy subiection to his scepter Secondly obserue hence that of all the creatures of God the rebellion of man is greatest nay he only swarueth from the course of his first creation for heere we see how farre he is degenerate that being made after the image of God to glorifie him in his subiection to his law now he turneth the heele against him and hath framed a law to himselfe which he doth follow namely the lusts of the flesh denying any obedience to the law of his maker and not onely disarming himselfe of all possibility of subiection but putting on the armor of Gods enemy flatly opposing himselfe and standing in contradiction with the law of God But now the rest of the creatures of God they keepe the end of their creation the Sunne giuing her light for which she was made the Sea keeping her bounds wherin she was set the water yelding her power to cleanse for which she was ordained the earth bringing foorth her fruit as she was commanded euery beast of the field liuing in the ignorance of his strength and in his acknowledgement of man to be his head as he was at first enioyned whereas if they should alter their naturall course as the sunne to bring darknesse the watâ—â— to defile the earth to miscarry and cast all her fruit out of her wombe before it were ripe and the rest to peruert their ends for which they were giuen vs wee would count it as monstrous as for a man to goe vpon his head with his feet vpward and yet is the case of man more monstrous for where God made him a liuing soule hee hath made himselfe a dead carkase and a damned creature and where he had his reason sanctified to all good and knew no euill he hath now all the powers of his vnderstanding polluted that nothing but weeds and sinnes doe grow vp in him and where he had a law giuen him to bridle and keepe him in from ranging he hath taken the bridle in the teeth and wrung himselfe by his concupiscence out of the hands and protection of God nothing being able to curbe or keepe him in till he had cast himselfe out of the saddle namely the paradise of God and not resting thus foiled with his fall he stands now in armes against the Lord as if he threw him downe whereas alas the Lord tooke pleasure in the worke of his hands seeing it was very good and hee ouerthrew himselfe in pride and infidelity which stil encreaseth as his age increaseth and maketh him so rebellious as he is The consideration whereof this being the condition of the best of vs as we lie in the wombe ought exceedingly to humble vs and wound vs at the heart that what wee would condemn in the insensible creatures that we senselesly run into and yet the obedience wee see performed by them cannot draw vs to the subiection whereto we are tied which shewes vs to be farre more brutish then they and therefore what recompence of reward can we expect if we continue thus vntamed but as Salomon saith Prou. 1.31 to be filled with our owne deuises and cap. 5.22 to be holden with the cords of our owne sinne till destruction come like a whirle wind and carry vs away without recouery Againe learne hence who they be that loue and who they be that hate God such as keepe or keepe not his commandements according to the saying of Christ If ye loue me keepe my commandements and as is comprised in the end of the second commandement that mercy shall bee shewed to them that loue him and keepe his commandements but those that hate him and wil not haue Christ raigne ouer them but cast his yoake far from them he will pursue them with his wrath to the fourth generation And heere we are to iudge of two sorts of men the one that sinne of too much presumption the other that sinne of good intention the first are blasphemers profaners of the labbath drunkards adulterers vsurers such like that thinke all time lost which is not spent vpon their lusts dare braue the heauens as if there were no vengeance reserued for them these men chacing and hunting vp and downe to get new occasions of sinning not masking or dissembling but openly proclaiming the poison in their hearts by the scabs and vicers in their liues doe shew from what head they spring for making no conscience of sinne they are the brood of the serpent Ioh. 8.44 Ioh. 3.8 For he that is borne of God sinneth not that is he that laboreth to mortifie his flesh daily and to purge himselfe by repentance but he that will set fire to his affections that are already enraged and study how to inuent mischief he is of the diuel For the other sort they are such as will serue God after their fancies but this will not suffice for though they meane no hurt or that their conscience be perswaded that they doe is right yet heere wee see wee must not frame the law of God according to our conscience but bend our conscience according to the law of God to worship him as hee hath prescribed in his word for if good purposes or good intentions would haue serued then had the Iewes as great cause to be accepted of God as any for though they went about to establish their owne righteousnesse through workes yet heerein they did no more then they were taught by the Scribes Pharisees which were their leaders yea and they liued strictly as was commanded by the law of Moses and had a zeale
giuen vp Rom. 1.24 to serue their owne lusts that profited not by that one light of nature whereby they were constrained to acknowledge a superiour power that made that excellent frame of heauen and earth If the Pharisees were thus sharpely charged and reprooued for not amending their liues at these few sermons of one Iohn Baptist much more may wee feare lest wee be swallowed vp of present destruction that haue had so many sounds of the Lords trumpets and yet haue not retired from our owne waies that after so much dressing and pruning and lopping haue brought foorth nothing but briers that haue deuoured so many full yeares of peace and yeeres of preaching and plentie and yet continue leane and ilfauoured in the course of our liues for now at the time of the Gospel as we see heere beginneth iudgement Secondly learne how faithfully Iohn executed and performed his ministery which stood in two parts as was foretold by Malachy chap. 4. to preach mercie and iudgement both which he performed in this one sermon Heere the Iesuits take occasion to say that we should dehort men from euill for feare of hell and exhort them to doe well in hope of heauen We say with Paul who is our patterne and forerunner that we haue weapons for all those that shall despaire after the obedience of Gods Saints fulfilled but we preach not onely to worke well in hope of heauen for as we are seruants we deserue nothing but as children wee are receiued to an inheritance bought for vs before we were so we striue not that men should keepe themselues from sin onely for feare of hell for the Lord will neuer account of such a soule as will doe nothing but for feare of the whip for hee loueth a free giuer and hateth constrained subiection and it is not the horror of damnation but the commemoration of the Lords mercie shewed toward vs in giuing his owne Sonne to so ignominious a death to ransome vs from that curse wee had incurred This is that containes vs within the bounds of obedience for if the heart bloud of the Lord Iesus will not make thy heart to relent and thy hands to tremble to put them forth to wickednesse then art thou in a desperate case Shall the feare of the gibber or the ghastly shew of death make one that was a traitor and now pardoned and aduanced vnto high place by the meere mercie of his Soueraigne shall this make him afraid to commit treason againe and nothing else nay the grace of his Prince shall rest alwaies before his eies and shall most forcibly perswade him to perseuere in his loialtie For this is the most effectuall of all others to mooue vs in the bowels of the mercies of Christ to keepe our selues cleane and washed because wee are already purified in his bloud and not for feare of falling into the pit againe Thirdly note that if any man will escape and auoide damnation he must of necessitie liue wel for he must be a tree bringing foorth good fruit Where first consider what is good fruit which is implied in the text it cannot bee good except the tree be good as Christ saith If the casting out of a diuell be a good worke why am not I a good man Matt. 12.28 Ioh. 7.21 So as first the person must be accepted before the worke be accepted and no person can please without faith that purifieth the heart and there is no such heart where religion dependeth not vpon the true worship of the law of God and by consequent there is no good faith where the heart is not cleansed by the spirit of God Since then a man must first be good before he can doe good it is impossible that anie man erronious in religion should produce a good worke Externall righteousnesse and the morall vertues of the Papists is a vizard that bleares manie mens eies and wee say that they are honest as well may we say it of them that hanged vp the Lord Iesus thinking he had spoken blasphemie because being but a poore wretch to see to he challenged himselfe to be the Sonne of God and in this doing they thought they had done God an excellent peece of seruice And for Paul before his conuersion who could except against his life nay as he testifieth of himselfe Philip. 3. â— hee walked according to all the ordinances the law prescribed yet after hee was called he accounted all his morall righteousnesse but as the excrement of a dogge And if religion do not distinguish betweene men the heathen shall condemne both vs and them who by the meere instinct of nature liued in the hatred of grosse sinnes and walked soberly without exception and yet are they already damned For first we must be good by grace and being adopted into Christ then we doe good and of all the trees of the forest as Ezec. 15.3 there is none but is better then the vine if it beare not grapes for the oake is good for timber and euerie tree may serue for some good vse but the farments of the vine if it be not clustered is fit for nothing but for the fire The Papists are good as okes to build monasteries and to set vp houses and places of religion but an vnfaithfull and vnfruitfull Protestant and Professor is good for nothing being but a rotten bough or branch of a fruitlesse and barren vine but to be burned So that to iudge a worke to be good it must bee good both quo ad fontem quo ad finem proceeding from an honest heart and driuing to a right end the glory of God to whom I owe honor Further to come to the true knowledge of good fruit let vs know what bad fruit is which is double first sinnes in substance such as are contrarie to the expresse commandement of God as adulterie is absolutely a sinne in Dauid as wel as in any other secondly sinnes by circumstance as giuing of almes Matt. 23.5 onely when the trumpet sounds to be seene of men or to come into the sanctuarie with a purpose to pray and presently to returne to his vomit againe for the Lord abhorreth what himselfe commandeth Esay 66. if it be not doâ—â— with that heart he commandeth The sacrifice of a sheepe is 〈◊〉 his sight as the bloud of a man not that he hateth the action but the hypocrisie in the action which staineth the whole a Hagg. 2.13 if an vncleane person touch the holy flesh the flesh it selfe is vncleane but holie flesh maketh not other flesh holy which was not so before Further obserue where it is said Euery tree that bringeth 〈◊〉 foorth good fruit shall be hewne downe that it is not enough not to doe euill but it is damnable not to do good for he doth not say the tree that brings foorth no fruit but that brings not forth good fruit For it is not enough for Zacheus Luk. 19 after his conuersion to be no poller or robber of
made more plainâ— Paul Rom. 7.18 said hee knew no good thing dwelling in his flesh and heere he saith he is freed from the law of sinne and of death so as it may be thought these two places and speeches doe not agree The answer is Paul was carnall sold vnder sinne and thereby made a slaue to Sathan euen as a slaue that is sold in the market is to his master but this was onely in respect of the spirit of life which was in himselfe but now he speaketh of the spirit of life which is in Christ and applied vnto him by the vnion betwene Christ and him and so may boldly say hee is now no flesh but all spirit and doth the good he would To make it plainer 1. Ioh. 5.6 it is said that Christ came by bloud and water signifying thereby that as his bloud washeth away the guiltinesse of our sinnes so his water washeth away the filthinesse of our sinnes and that as his bloud doth iustifie vs in heauen so his water doth sanctifie vs heere on earth with which water of his because it answereth to the spirit of life which is in vs we had neede daily to be washed for as the skinne cleaueth fast to the flesh and the flesh to the bones so doth sin to our corrupt nature that we haue need continually to be cleansed by the holy Ghost which is the spirit of life of Christ in vs. And this is that water spoken of Ioh. 3.5 Except a man be borne of water and of the spirit he cannot be saued meaning thereby our regeneration and so Ioh. 13.10 where Christ alluding to them that comming out of Bathes had neede wash their lower parts because the filthinesse descendeth to the feet perswadeth vs thereby to a daily increase in a sanctified course because some corruption will hang at least at our singers end according to that Iob 9.30.31 If I wash my selfe with snow water and make my hands most cleane yet my owne clothes shall make me filthy so as though wee haue the spirit of God in vs yet our best actions are sinfull for as it is said Esa 64.6 our righteousnes is as filthy clouts the originall signifieth such clouts as come from children newly borne or such as Surgians vse to make cleane vlcers or such as beggers finde vpon dung hils to patch their ragged cloakes withall or such as are not once to be named as the Ancient writers of the Iewes doe make mention to whom this was chiefely spoken the Prophet in that place alluding to the manner of purifying in the ceremoniall law For we reade Leuit. 15.19 that vncleane things were separated both from the seruice of God and from the vse of man which being then but ceremoniall both in bodie and soule and thereby vnfit for Gods seruice and is really and morally in vs for we are vile and polluted not worthy the society one of another for feare of infecting each other and yet these are our best actions as Esay speaketh meaning thereby both the greatnesse of the number of them and the greatnesse of the excellency of them for they are all accursed before God I meane in respect of the spirit of Christ which is in vs not that the spirit causeth this vncleanenesse but through the lust sensuality and corruption of our natures euen as faire water from a cleere fountain is made filthy by running thorow vnclean channels the cause wherof is that concupiscence which through the serpents temptation entred into our first parents when they transgressed this being the first sinne that liueth and the last sinne that dieth euen as the heart is in the body of a man and this lust causeth and forceth vs to commit the euil we would not and to omit the good wee would and if it cannot preuaile this way with vs then it will entice vs partly to commit the euill and partly to omit the good by the consent of the heart onely and if it â—â—â—le in this it will cause such a crossing and corrupt thought to come in the way to poison the good we do that though we do it yet it deserueth death because wee are commanded to loue God with all our thoughts which if any one be ranging we doe not This is vrged the more that we may see and acknowledge how far our best actions which are in highest price and estimation with vs and which runne from the cleerest part of the wel-head are from deseruing any thing which we may yet see as in a glasse more plainely Gen. 6.5 where it is said concerning the naturall man that the mould of the desires of the thoughts of a mans heart are euill only euill and euill euery day and for euer 〈◊〉 may bee spoken of the best childe of God leaning out but this word onely For the spirit of Christ which is in vs begetteth some good thoughts and bringeth forth some good fruits that they are not onely euill though in respect of our corruption and that they taste of the vnsauory saltnes of our nature they may be said to be nothing but euill for in the choisest child of God there is the seed of the sin against the holy Ghost of apostasie of all sins but that by the working of the spirit they are so choked and weakened as they are not able to breake foorth hobeit by the remainder of sin abiding in vs all our actions are so infected poisoned as they are lothsome in the sight of God which must teach vs to humble our selues before him to craue pardon euen for our praiers which are polluted with many by-thoughts then wil he as Mal. 3.17 spare vs as a man spareth his sonne that serueth him for the Lord regardeth rather the good affection than the good action the holy fountaine from whence it procedeth rather then the effects of the fountain that it runneth thorow some corrupt veine of this earth and flesh of ours and this is in respect the spirit of life of Christ is in vs. But now if we speake of the spirit of life which is in Christ himselfe then we may boldly say we are all spirit and not flesh that Christ by his satisfaction hath taken away the accusation can come against vs for any sinne and the imperfection can be laide against vs for any action for all we doe is accepted of God in him and we can be charged with nothing for Christ maketh intercession for vs and as Eph. 2.1 God in Christ hath quickned vs that were dead in sinnes and as Heb. 2.9 Christ hath tasted death for all men So as if we speak of the spirit of life which is in Christs person we may well conclude wee are freed from the law of sin and of death Secondly obserue hence that they that will take comfort by the life of Christ must be able to apply the power of his death to the crucifying not onely in generall but euen of euery particular sinne in them as the
declare our gratfull mindes to God the Sonne by whom we are redeemed and to God the Father to whom we are redeemed for none of vs can satisfie for that he hath broken onely Christ hath made vp the breach and broken downe the wall that parted God and vs and therefore when wee shall heereafter keepe all the lawes of God in heauen it shall not bee to satisfie for that we kept not in this life for by doing but that we ought then to do we cannot free our selues from that paine we deserued for that we did not before Here ariseth the difference betweene the law and the Gospell The Law commandes workes to merit saluation the Gospell because saluation is already merited that therefore bâ—◠〈◊〉 good works we should testifie that wee are bound and 〈…〉 to the Lord. Hereupon note that there is in the Gospel a double couenant the first of mercy the second of mortiâ—â—cation The couenant of mercy going first which is I will saue thee I will write my law in thine heart Ier. 31.31 My soule shall delight in thee Thou shalt be beloued and such like gratious words and promises Then followeth the couenant of mortification Thou art saued therefore liue well Thou art pardoned therfore â—â—fend no more so as first we must be forgiuen Iohn 5.14 and then wee become debtors Wee are not then saued because we doe good workes but we are saued therefore this mercy of saluation maketh vs fruitfull in good workes as Iohn 5.14 the sicke man was not healed because he should sinne no more but thou art healed therefore remember this mercy of the Lord that thou do sinne no more So Luke 14.23 who be they that come to the wedding Call saith the King the halt the lame and the blind So as such as are emptied of al opinion of all worthinesse in themselues and be starke beggars must come yet when they are come they must haue the wedding garment so as wee are bid to come not because wee haue the wedding garment but because wee are bid to come in the mercy of Christ being beggars wee must striue to get that garment that is a good conuersation So Luk. 19.4 Zaccheus was not saued because hee gaue halfe of his goods to the poore but Christ first spake inuisibly to his soule to make him clime vp to the tree being conuerted then he giueth as testifying a fruit of mercy to others for the mercy himselfe receiued So Lu. 7.41 in the speech of Christ of the two debtors they were both forgiuen but who loued most Peter could say he that had most forgiuen and what made the debt forgiuen but the meere mercy and good will of the creditor So as in that place of Luke not because the woman loued much Luke 7.47 therefore was much forgiuen her but much was forgiuen her therefore she loued much for where the mercy is great there must our labour in mortification be great also According to this it is said Mat. 11.28 Come vnto me all ye that are weary and laden and I will ease you But marke thâ—â—stipulation and indenting of Christ with them againe ver 29 â—ake up my yoke and learne of me to be meeke and lowly that is after this great mercy obtained of disburdning you of that yoke which pressed your soules with discomfort euen downe to hell returne this fruit of thankefulnesse to God againe deny your selues and your affections and be you yoked to the obedience of the Gospell Verse 13. For if ye liue after the flesh ye shall die but if ye mortifie the deeds of the bodie by the spirit ye shall liue Before the Apostle perswaded vs by the benefit of our redemption which is wrought in Christ to bee humbled and to acknowledge our selues indepted vnto Christ that as by him we are saued fâ—â—m Sathans tyranny and freed from his slauish seruice in acceptation of this liberty we should shew our selues to serue God in righteousnesse and holinesse of life Now because this would not sufficiently subdue the rebellious disposition of hypocrites and to stirre vp the dulnesse of Gods weake children he doth in this verse adde a reason to make the former perswasion more forcible first by a denunciation and peremptory speech to the hypocrites that besides the plague of God inflicted vpon them in this life at the separation of the soule from the body their soules shall bee caried to the damned ghosts there to bee reserued to the iudgement of the great day Iude 1.6 secondly by a prouocation to the faithfull wherein he proposeth to them the hope of immortalitie Vnderstand generally as all Scripture is earnest in perswading these two things first remission of our sinnes secondly repentance from our sinnes according to the speech of S. Iohn of bloud and water that is the grace that pardoneth and the grace that reneweth so S. Paul is more precise in those two than any other in vrging grace and meere mercy and nothing but faith in the point of our iustification before God and doth also vrge preâ—se mortification in our selues to shew by our sanctified liues that wee are sealed vp to the day of redemption that as Christ our Passeouer was sacrificed for vs 1. Cor. 5.7 so wee should keepe a continuall feast vnto the Lord in the vnleauened bread of a â—â—â—cere and sanctified life Now with these two hath the wisedome of the world beene greatly offended and hath deuised against them two errours first against meere mercy Sathan in his subtilty and enmitie to man hath stirred vp the heresie of Pharisaicall righteousnesse ioining merit with mercy and secondly against the strictnesse of mortification he raised vp the heresie of Libertines that is of them that maintaine worldly prophanesse and licencious loosenes so as one cries out if there be nothing but mercy then there neede no repentance and the other crieth out since it is done by mercy what neede such strictnesse and precisenesse in life But howsoeuer these be laid as blockes to stumble at Mat. 11.19 wisedome will be iustified of her children and the latter â—â—iâ—e shall not fall in vaine vpon the hearts of Gods chosâ—â—â— Yet whether the Gospell preach either of these or both of them together the hypocrites and prophane worldlings will take occasion of offence as Iohn Baptist is too precise preaching repentance so earnestly Mat. 11.18.19 And if Christ bee affable gracious and to bee conuersed with then is he a friend of vnrighteous persons At Iohn Baptist the Libertines at Christ the Pharises be offended so as whether Iohn weepe sorrow for sinne or Christ pipe deliuerance from sinne neither of these can please the itching humours of wauering minded persons In the words are comprehended first a commination or threatning to the wicked secondly a prouocation or encouragement to the godly by proposing a reward and both being set downe conditionall in the word if they compare contratie courses of life to contrary ends
to reprooue vs no more which is the next steppe to damnation or else our conscience will pursue and follow vs with Hue and Crie as not to leaue vs till wee bee taken for resistance and withstanding of our conscience is a cloud not easily ouerblowen a fire not easily to be quenched and an inditement hardly to be trauersed but our sinnes shall stare vs on the face and crie for vengeance Now if our conscience bee brought asleepe by our custome in sinne either we shall die in this benummednesse and dulnesse of heart a most fearefull signe of reprobation and after death it shall weepe it fill in hell or else if the Lord do shew vs mercy after the sense and feeling of sinne so long discontinued he doth it as it were by the burning feuer of desperation for that is the cure of a Lethargy and doth so presse vs downe vnder the weight and burden of sinne as that horror shall be without and terror within yea wee shall seeme to be cast into the deepe of deepes and euery small sinne shall seeme accompanied with the huge hammer of the Lords wrath to bruise vs in peeces Further obserue as the Lords spirit alone cannot bring vs that heauenly security and blessed assurance of our eternall peace we hope for nor our owne spirits alone cannot do it so it must be the testimonie of both these concurring and meeting together For some are merely morall without religion thinking by a ciuill cariage of themselues to winne the sight of God others haue either a true zeale of a false religion as Paul had before his conuersion Rom. 7.9.10 or else they may be religious in shew hauing a counterfeit zeale of a true religion as the Laodiceans had Reuel 3.15 and yet both these thinke in their conscience they shall be saued when in truth they are as farre from the thing it selfe as they are neere to the conceit of it Another sort there is that deceiue themselues most grossely â—â—â—ken of Prouerb 30.11 There is a generation pure in their owne eies and yet they are not washed from their filthinesse that is from their open and enormous sins So as besides the opinion we must haue of our selues that we stand in Gods fauour wee must shew the seale of the Lord that is his spirit or else there is no sound ioy or any comfortable security that we shall be saued 1. Iohn 5.10 And for our actions euery of which must haue the allowance of our conscience wee must marke that a good intent will not make a good action for they that condemned Christ did it because he made himselfe equall with God Iohn 19.7 Iohn 5.18 which was expresly against the law written and therefore thought they had in this done God high and honorable seruice but Christ crieth Luk. 23.34 Father forgiue them they know not what they doe So Peter when Christ foretelleth of his death had an earnest desire to aduise his master to spare himselfe and therefore Mat. 16.22 he tooke Christ aside rebuked him but Christ vers 23. looking backe with an angry countenance bids him get him behind Sathan as being onely worldly wise and not vnderstanding the things that are of God So as we must know to the performance of a good worke the allowance of the heart and the warrant of the word of God must go together Verse 17. If we be children we are also heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him This is inferred by direct consequent to that that went before as vers 13. where the Apostle exhorting to reformation of life doth it by a double contrary so as they insue and follow one another thus They that mortifie the deeds of the flesh are led by the spirit by being thus directed by the spirit they are assured that they are the sons of God by being his sons that they shall haue an inheritance therfore they that liue a holy life must needs be saued And because it might be ouestionable how this title of being Gods children is giuen vnto vs he hath resolued it befoâ—â— vers 15. by a double argument because the Lord in the Goâ—pell doth offer vs such grace as we may come freely and boldly to him as to a father and we stand not now in that terror that was in the deliuery of the Law but we are freed from that bondage The second argument was vers 16. because the spirit doth seale this euidence vnto vs that as our heart doth know what is in vs so doth the spirit also and this spirit doth witnesse that we are children and being children then we be heires which is the scope the Apostle driueth at in this 17. verse When the Apostle saith We are heiâ—â—s of God he setteth down what manner of inheritance it is that we shall haue heereafter not an earthly but a kingdome and a possession of eternity as that the Lord will neuer leaue vs till he hath lifted vs vp to that celestiall place where Christ himselfe sitteth Psal 84.10 It had been great fauor if we might haue been as Dauid speaketh but doore-keepers in the kingdome of heauen nay it might well haue satisfied vs if only our sinnes had beene pardoned or if we had been but the Lords friends or of his acquaintance so as any way hee would haue respected vs considering our rebellion but besides all this to be restored to our former honour nay to haue greater priuiledge then euer Adam had in his first integrity and to be aduanced to the Lords owne throne if all the hearts of men were one heart the full measure of this ioy and the depth of this the Lords loue could not once enter in nor be conceiued And fellow-heires with Christ This is to set forth the certaintie of the place of our inheritance God hath life for he is the fountaine of it but he dwelleth in fire Esay 33.14 and in a place not to be attained vnto therefore the Apostle setteth downe heere heâ—â— we come to it namely in Christ as it is 1. Iohn 5.11 God hath giuen vs eternall life and that life is in the Sonne and by his mediation is conueied to vs. Secondly in that we are fellow-heires with Christ note the excellency of the Lords fauour not only to giue vs life and to place vs with Angels but euen with his owne Sonne Whereby we see that his eare was open to the praier of Christ which he made â—â—ttle before his agony Iohn 17.20 I pray saith he for all that thou hast giuen me that thou wouldest Father 〈◊〉 them with the same loue thou louest me and crowne thâ—â—â— with 〈…〉 glory thou crownest me 〈◊〉 of this ariseth two comfortable priuiledges which the â—â—â—t haâ—e first if wee be heires with Christ in heauen much more are we heires of the transitory blessings of this life and being heires with him wee haue
for shee set them out at a window a thing done without mutinie or any fraudulent purpose to escape and therefore iustifiable euen as the letting downe of Paul in a basket was Acts 9.25 And in this whole worke shee sinned nothing but in making of a lie which though some excuse and extenuate because it was Mendacium officiosum an officious and dutifull lie yet it is no way excusable for no lie to saue a soule is lawfull Wherein wee obserue that euen the Saints of God in their best purposes haue in some things followed their mother wit and their owne corruption Withall note the louing kindnesse of the Lord that this particular blemish in the worke doth nothing derogate from the excellencie of her obedience no more then Rebecca Genes 27.8 who notwithstanding she subscribed to the oracle of God that Iacob should ouercome Esau yet shee by indirect meanes sought to preuent this worke of God which the Lord in mercie did winke at in respect of her generall resolution to be obedient The like may bee saied of Abraham who because hee thought the feare of God was not in the house of Abimelek and that they would haue slaine him for his wiues fake Genesis 20.2 dissembled Sarah to bee his wife and caried her vnder the name of his sister which infirmitie the Lord passed by because in other his actions hee was faithfull Heere some to debase this worke of Rahab may say Why was this such a matter to haâ—◠〈◊〉 few messengers of the Lord and why should this commend her faith since she neuer came to triall to auouch this worke We answer that the resolution she admitted was very great since it might haue cost her the greatest torment that could bee and shee might so haue stunke in the sight of the people by thus betraying them and their countrey as either the people in a mutiny or the King in iustice might seuerely and cruelly haue executed her so as by this it argueth that she was perswaded that the God of Israel was onely to bee worshipped and the seede of Abraham onely in the world to bee esteemed and heereupon shee did practise the rule of our Sauiuor Christ euen to hate her owne nation Mat. 11.20 and tooke her life as it were into her hands to saue theirs that were the seruants of God So as though in the former example the Ramme onely was sactificed and not Isaak and in this example Rahab safely deliuered and her parentage reseued yet the resolution of them both was nothing lesse and so the speech of Christ true that they that for his sake forsake all Mat. 10.37 shall haue more comfort in that little that is left hauing peace of conscience then of all the former store nay that they that suffer for his sake shall bee free when their persecutors shall bee fettered as appeareth Ieremie 39.11.15 Ieremie that was in desolation and in prison was safe when the King himselfe had his eyes put out and Ebedmelech the Kings counsellour was promised not to perish when the rest should fall by the sword because hee had made the Lord his arme Further this example of Rahab to stand so resolutely for the deliuerance of the Lords messengers conuinceth all those that howsoeuer religion twang vpon their tongue that they can prate of it yet proue that they haue nothing in them but the Laodicean luke-warmth Reuel 3. in that they so professe it as they shrinke in the day of triall and dare not aduenture to harbour the Lords Embassadors and to succor them as Rahab did Yea and this example condemneth others who are so farre from forsaking lawfull things as wife possessions life c. for the Gospels sake as they will not forbeare vnlawfull things no not to leaue off the least shew 〈◊〉 pride or the least profit in biting gaine Whereas by this example wee are taught to take vp our crosse and not to looke backe-like Lots wife Genes 19.26 for there is no tarying in Idolatrie or other profanenesse to fetch any thing from the house toppe Mat. 24.17 or to runne backe into the fields to take our garments though they bee necessarie for this life as our Sauiour speaketh in the Gospell But more iustly the example conuinceth them that row with the tide and professe with the parliament for he that doth therefore professe religion because he hath his protection from the Prince and State would with the State serue the diuell Nay in matters of religion wee must not ground vpon examples but vpon the trueth of the religion for as we must not follow a multitude to do euill so neither must we follow a multitude to do good onely because they do it Exod. 23.2 For it is not the religion of God which we enioy because the parliament enioineth it but therefore it is by parliament commanded because it is the religion of God and fearefull it is to thinke that a Prince can prescribe a law to the eternall God which is farre more disparagement then for a subiect to make a law how he will obey his Prince which notwithstanding is not sufferable But as Rahab was perswaded that the God of Israel that sent those men was the onely God and that the loines of Abraham for whom this land was to be gained were the true owners by the speciall promise of God and in this respect she regarded not her Prince nor her countrey nor her owne fathers house but that by speciall mercy they were exempted but she did most faithfully and in great obedience and in a most Christian resolution willingly resigne vp the countrey to them to whom the Lord had giuen the title Euen so must wee in matters of the Lords seruice alwaies preferre and stand for the will of God to be obserued rather then either to haue our countrey preserued or our Prince obeyed For as Peter saith Act. 4.19 It is better to obey God then man yet still so as we submit our selues to the power and authoritie of the higher powers vnder whose sword are our bodies though our soules be vnder the shadow of the Almightie Againe where it is said She receiued the messengers obserue the cause why she did it beâ—â—â—se she was perswaded the God of Israel sent them so that it was not to gratifie the men respecting the men sauing that religioâ—â— did constraine her and her loue to them arose in respect of her loue to God that had conuerted her Whereupon we noâ—â—â—â—at the world determineth wrongfully of good workes 〈…〉 man may be an honest man and liue well and doe good 〈◊〉 neighbor though he be not greatly religious for all actions wherein the glorie of God the loue of God in Christ the comfort of our consciences and the desire of the saluation of our brethren do not concurre those are not good so as a good action without religion can no more be good then a house without a foundation a tree without a root water without a
vs safe Heereupon it is that the Angels are called fierie in two respects First because they may stay vs in all our weakenesse and cherish vs in all infirmities to esteeme him as our rocke and the truth of his word as a most stable tower that cannot totter hauing this warrant from himselfe in this place to vrge him with his word and promise of deliuerance who as he faithfully performed it to Dauid so will he gratiously remember vs euen when we are most tossed in tribulation and in the least hope Feare not to take Mary to thy wife This is the first part of the message where the Iesuites obserue that Mary was Iosephs true wife yet he knew her not so as say they there may be true mariage where notwithstanding the parties vow to liue in continency We answer it was true in this example but this particular is not to be giuen in precept because though it be commanded in this singular person of Ioseph yet we finde no warrant for it in any generall place or commandement set downe in the Scripture Wee must therefore know that the Saints of God are not to bee followed in two things First in their infirmities as wee may not lie with Rahab Iosh 2.4 Gen. 26.7 c. Exod. 34.28 Mat. 14.29 2. King 1.10 nor dissemble with Rebecca Secondly in their personall and miraculous works as Moses in fasting forty daies Peter in walking on the Sea Eliah in calling fire from heauen nor Ioseph heere in a parpetuall separation from his wife for this example was altogether extraordinary and what flesh and blood durst touch that vessell the Lord by his spirit had taken vp for himselfe Otherwise that mariage cannot bee lawfull where the parties meane to separate themselues continually for as S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 7.5 man and wife may not defraud one another except it be first by consent secondly but for a time otherwise as 1. Pet. 3.7 they must dwell as heires together of the grace of life Secondly the Iesuites note this that where Christ vouchsased to be borne in mariage yet of a Virgin that in this he honoured both but principally Virginity We answer that mariagein it owne nature is better then virginity for God in the first creation Gen. 2.18 saw it was not good for man to be alone but euen in his innocency that he should haue the woman as a helpe before him And therefore Saint Paul 1. Cor. 7.26 is not to be vnderstood as enioyning virginity to any or as commending it before mariage but onely as perswading and praising it for the necessity of those times that were so troublesome as the Church of God could scarse finde rest in any place and therfore such as had no families were more free readier for the seruice of God otherwise continency is not better as a better ordinance of God but the betternesse of that came in by the disorder sinne hath brought in because mariage is clogged with so many cares as distracteth the minde much from religious exercises and men in their single estate be more emptied of cares and so more vacant for praier and other holy duties And where they say that virginity in mariage is better then society in mariage it is an accursed speech this example of Iosephs only excepted for it is a plant growing onely in this garden in respect the wombe of the Virgin was the bed of the Lord Iesus and yet if their owne speech bee true that virginity in mariage be better then virginity out of mariage it were good for their Priests and Nunnes to mary In that it is said Feare not obserue that all our security from feare standeth on the Lords word for flesh and blood auailed Ioseph nothing at all neither could his owne iudgement leade him to any stable comfort till the mouth of God had sent it Howbeit we see the blind boldnesse of the diuell who Gen. 3.4.5 would needes take vpon him to rid our first parents from all feare in their breach of Gods commandement but we haue found him a lier and the Lord true from the beginning let vs therefore qualifie our selues according to his prescript to tremble when he bids vs feare and to runne on reioycing when he saith Feare not for he hath alwaies the tempering of the cup. And in that there is a reason added why Ioseph should not feare we may beholde the tendernesse of the Lords compassion towards his children who will not onely haue them to stay vpon the maiesty of his commandement but in reliefe of their infirmities will giue them a reason of it that comprehending it in their iudgements they may the more safely lay hold on it Euen as our Sauiour Christ Luk. 12.32 comforteth his disciples and armeth them against the troubles to come saying Feare not Why for your Father will giue you a kingdome the power and yet the comfort of the commandement resting vpon the reason of it in this sort Those that haue a kingdome prepared for them neede not to feare but such are you therefore away with feare Out of the reason it selfe namely That which is conceiued of her is of the holy Ghost we note that his humanity was so sanctified that euen from the moment of Christs conception there was a setting apart of that nature from all vncleannesse so as Christ was borne the Sonne of God for Christ-man was neuer adopted to be the Sonne of God for adoption presupposeth wrath but his manhood was personally euen at the first vnited to the Godhead and was no person of it selfe as shall appeare afterward Now the third thing Ioseph was enformed of by the Angell was to name him Iesus with a reason of the name Wherein consider two points first from what he shall saue from sinnes Secondly whom he shall saue his people and these be very few as himselfe saith Luk. 12.32 Mine is a little flocke For the first in sinne consider these three things first the disobedience to the law secondly the originall corruption thirdly the condemnation for this corruption and disobedience The first of these is double either in breaking the law or not fulfilling it the second is the originall cause of this disobedience which is the euill inclinations of our heart and our corrupt affections and the third is the punishment of this disobedience namely hell fire These be three running sores satisfied and cured by three running streames in Christ for our rebellion to the law is satisfied in Christ who not onely paied for that wee had broken but actually fulfilled euery point of it For the second which is our originall corruption wee haue the holinesse and sanctification of his nature who was euer seperate from all vncleannesse so as in Christ wee are better then Adam was in his first estate for though hee was made good yet it was changeably good but wee in Christ are absolutely good and as the stoutest mountaines that cannot be stirred For the third wee haue Christ
by his passion to deliuer vs from condemnation euen as in the sacrifice vnder the law the bloud of the innocent beast was shed for him that had sinned to lay before his face the punishment he had deserued Leuit. 16.15 that so worthily his throat might haue beene cut and more iustly then was the throat of the beast so we by the shedding of Christs most innocent blood are purged from the guilt of our sinne And as by the beholding onely of the Brasen Serpent lifted vp in the wildernesse Numb 21 9. as many as looked vpon it were made whole so we hauing our eies annointed with the eie-salue of the holy Ghost that wee can behold the Lord Iesus exalted on the crosse shall be freed from all the firy stings of Sathan wherewith hee had stung vs to damnation For the second whom he shall saue obserue not all but his people Therefore they deceiue themselues that thinke Christ died for all men for there are but two parts of his priesthood the first to supplicate or to pray the second to sacrifie Now it is certaine he neuer sacrificed for them for whom he neuer supplicated and Iohn 17.9 he excludes the world out of his praier therefore for the world hee neuer died but hee praied onely for beleeuers and that they might be sanctified that is set apart wholly for Gods seruice the word sanctified being a metaphor or borowed speech taken form the Temple wherein the first fruites the flesh the garments the vessels and all things else were holy so called because none might vse them to worldly purposes So as if we will be his people we must keepe our selues onely for one husband the Lord Iesus and like a iewell peerelesse as if we were peculiarly laied vp for him as S. Paul speaketh Tit. 2.14 And he that cannot assure his soule of this for him Christ neuer died for if we be Temples onely to set vp in them the idols of our affections Christ neuer dwelleth there Now euery man will assume to himselfe to bee a Christian If a woman that had two children should sweare shee were a maide or he that had the plague should say and face vs downe he were sound or one reeling in the chanell that he were sober would they not be spectacles of shame to all that saw and heard them And for an vnseemely and filthy liuer to challenge this honour to bee caried in Christs bosome and to be remembred to his Father in his praiers and to apportion part of Christs death to himselfe is as absurd as the other and this his fained repentance shall leade him but into a fained hope against the latter day which will deceiue him For such kinde of boasters bee they spoken of Prouerb 30.12 that are pure in their owne eies and yet they be not washed from their filthinesse that is that are as filthy in their soules as is his body that lieth in his owne excrement Can out of thornes come grapes or can a sinfull wretch be a sober liuer It is certaine there is no saluation without faith no faith without repentance no repentance without amendment of life nor any amendment without forsaking of sinne the conclusion whereof is that no euill liuer hath part in Christs passion but the markes of Gods vengance are yet vpon thee and thou venturest thy saluation peremptorily by deferring thy repentance for what knowest thou whether to morrow shall euer come Dally not therefore thus with God till the diuell take thee in the lurch for as Christ came to saue vs from the damnation of sin so also to free vs from the dominion of sinne and as to destroy the diuell so likewise to destroy the workes of the diuell And as none shall be saued by the law 1. Iohn 3.8 without fulfilling the law so none shall bee saued by the Gospell but such who as God hath couenanted with them to remit their sinnes so haue they couenanted with him to amend their liues It is therfore an intolerable absurdity for them that being slaues to sinne doe notwithstanding vaunt themselues to be the seruants of God and who being as prophane as Esau and haue solde their birth-right Gen. 25.33 Math. 25.26 will yet claime their birth-right when they haue no more interest then the dogges in the bread of Children MATH chap. 1. vers 22 23 24 25. verse 22 And all this was done that it might be fulfilled which is spoken of the Lord by his Prophet saying verse 23 Behold a Virgine shall be with child and shall beare a sonne and they shall call his name Emmanuel which is by interpretation God with vs. verse 24 Then Ioseph being raised from sleepe did as the Angell of the Lord had enioyned him and tooke his wife verse 25 But he knew her not till she had brought forth her first borne Sonne and he called his name Iesus THIS is the fift thing formerly pointed at that this testimony of the Prophet is alleaged for the further confirmation of Ioseph and his better incouragement in this matter that if hee should not rest in the maiesty of the Angell for the truth of the message yet that he should not thinke that strange which was recorded so long before Wherein consider first what cause the Prophet had to speake this It may be gathered out of Esay chap. 7. where the king of Iuda being cast into feare of the ouerthrow of his kingdome by the combination and ioyning together of the two armies of Syria and Israel thinking it impossible to be rescued from their strength the Prophet Esay was sent to offer him a signe in that consternation and trouble of his minde either in the depth beneath or in the height aboue that thereby he might be a certained the Lord would deliuer Ierusalem from that army the King measuring all by policy refuseth to aske any particular signe whereupon the Prophet seeing this descended to the generall signe the couenant made Gen. 3. that the seed of the woman should breake the serpents head that is not onely performe a temporary deliuerance but an euerlasting freedome from the siege of Sathan and this couenant was especially made to Abraham Now the Prophet speaketh to him by way of exprobration in this sort How canst thou O King mistrust this small matter and that the power of the Lord is not able to performe this since he hath promised to doe the other which is farre greater Hence generally learne how excellent and needfull a thing it is to be acquainted and familiar with the Scripture which is as the store-house of comfort when wee bee distressed and a guide to direct our thoughts when they bee distracted For if Ioseph had well compared the times spoken of by the Prophets and had called to minde this speech of Esay heere mentioned it might much haue staied him in his perplexed discourse with himselfe the Angell himselfe intimating so much in alleaging the prophecy and yet concealing the Prophets