mans heart are sinfull and not sinfull but onely sinfull and not onely and altogether sinfull but sinfull euery day and continually in which place Moses speaketh of the naturall man therefore the former being the thoughts of nature are in themselues sinfull damnable The second degree are those when a man by a certain pronenesse and readinesse to sinne hath some corrupt thought in his heart but it is presently suppressed and this is more sinfull then the other The third degree is when the heart hath hatched some sinnefull thought and suffereth it to rest with him for a time pausing vpon it and pleading with himselfe on both fides whether he should cal his heart to consent and yet at length by the speciall worke of God it perisheth and these are more sinfull then the other But the fourth degree are woorst of all when a man not onely casteth forth a wicked thoughâ— but dandleth it in his brest and not solliciteth the heart alone but vpon aduice presseth importuneth the soule to ioine hand in hand that they may with greater strength breake foorth inâ—â— the members and this is the high way to bring vs to actuall â—â—nne Now notwithstanding all this some of the Schoâ—â—e-men hold these thoughts to be no sinne except the heart steâ—â—s to consent defining sinne to be a voluntary thing done witâ— consent of the â—eart and with a resolute purpose to bring it inâ—â— action against the law and commandement of God alledging for proofe of their opinion Iames 1.15 where it is said But euery man is tempted when he is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is entised then when lust hath conceaued it bringeth foorth sin and sinne when it is finished bringeth foorth death But that these thoughts are sinne of themselues without the addition of the heart is proued by the definition of sinne in the scripture for it is said 1. Iohn 3.4 that the transgression of the law is sinne then the law commanding continuall purity and thou hauing a thought whereby God is not honoured dost therein transgresse the law and therfore in that thou sinnest And for the place cited out of Saint Iames the Apostle there speaketh not of the sinne in the heart betweene God and man but of the actuall sinne betweene man and man because one man knoweth not the heart of another as God doth who searcheth the reines Howbâ—â—t to answer them with their owne place the Apostle verse 14. speaketh of the originall sinne from whence this actuall sinne which is the monster doth proceed he speaking there first of the concupiscence of the heart for from hence which is foetus peccati the first birth of sinne proceedeth fomes peccati the nourishing of all sinne and out of which lust doth conceiue and when it is conceiued it must needes bring forth sin and then sinne when it is finished draweth on death not meaning heereby that no sinne deserueth death but actuall sinne for all sinnes besides deserue the same as Rom. 6.23 The wages of sinne is death So then to cleere the former place let vs goe by degrees backward What bringeth forth death Sinne when it is finished What is the cause of sinne which is finished The lust that conceaueth And what is the cause that lust conceiueth The concupiscence of the heart So as all proceedeth from originall sinne and the rest that branch from this roote are sinnes of sinne for as a woman enterâ—ining a thought of her desire to strange flesh sinneth so longâ—s it receaueth entertainement euen so is it with the thoughts of men swarue they neuer so little from the seruice of God Since â—hen the law ouerwhelmeth vs with the full rigour of Gods wrath by the excellency and purity of it which bindeth vs his creatures â—o be like our maker exacting heerein of vs no more then to be answerable for that we first receiued not seeking aduantage heerein by increase but yeelding him onely the same talent of holâ—â—esse honor and obedience wherewith all we were trusted in ouâ— creation and we haue exceeded the impiety of that vnfaithfull seruant condemned in the Gospell not only not hiding iâ— where we might haue it again as he did but corrupting and wasting it that the Lord cannot now know vs to be his come we haue so defaced his stampe and superscription which he set vpon vs sending forth in few houres so many legions of vnclean cogitations and polluted actions what harbour thinke we can we finde vnder this couert of the Lords law to rescue vs from damnation Nay if we appeale to it for succour in this strictnesse precisenesse and puritie of it it will be the first to arrest and draw vs before the seat of iustice and so much the sooner and the sharper by reason of the second points which hinder vs from this perfection in obedience which is the extreame impurity of our nature for such is the frailty of flesh and blood and we are so farre from being able to performe the law as it is rather a prouocation vnto vs to greater sinne doing it the more eagerly because the law forbiddeth it euen as the prescript of the Physitian is to the impatient patient who more greedily desireth that would breed him most danger which appeareth 1. Cor. 15.56 The law is the strength of sinne and Rom. 7.8 Sin did turne the law to an occasion to sinne To perswade this by naturall reason of contraries actiue and passiue we see the fire enuironed by the cold aire in the winter so that the operation of the fire cannot passe out by the resistance of the cold heereupon there is made a reflexion of the heat which is beaten backe by the cold that it will not suffer it to come forth whereby the heat is doubled by the opposition of the contrary as experience teacheth vs the fire scaulding more in winter then in somer euen so is it betweene the law and the heart of man which is a fire of lust and the law of God beating it backe into the breast which would faine come forth in action it goeth into the heart againe and is there more forcibly inflamed then before whereupon there growes such an enmity as what Gods loues man hates and what is highest in estimation with him is basest in opinion with vs and our nature taketh occasion to bee more sinnefull by the restraint of the Commaundement and as in diseases men seeke what most hurteth them as in a plurisie wine in a phrensie to watch in a lethargie to sleepe so falleth it out with vs that what is most wholsome to cure our corruption we refuse and the oyle that will soonest set it on fire we embrace which experience can teach vs better than the voyce of an Angell euery mans conscience being priuy to their seuerall and speciall infirmities And to illustrate this by the example of the diamond and best Saints of God Iob. 39.37 maketh protestation O Lord I am vile once yea twice haue I
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
the naturall powers of this life decrease by age and by infirmities but so it must not bee in our spirituall life for in this we must neuer neither stand still nor goe backward nor grow downward but still be stedfast in faith and walking on in loue like men alwaies running a race till wee haue attained the prize which prize is glorie Againe consider for this spirituall life that as the body whiâ—â— it hath the soule is but a naturall bodie spending like oile in the lampe and cannot but in the end die yet after this life shall be called a spirituall bodie not in substance but because in the resurrection it shall be quickned by the spirituall power of the holy Ghost so a man that hath but a soule if hee haue not the soule of the soule that is the spirit of God to quicken it he is but a naturall man and must needs be damned Againe as a bodie raised vp and quickned by another power can neuer die so the soule being a spirituall soule and hauing once receiued the earnest of the spirit and the power of sanctification from the holy Ghost can neuer die And in this respect we are exalted to a greater priuiledge than Adam had in his creation and it fareth better with vs than it did with him for it was aâ—btrarie with him and rested in his will to die or not to die whereas we hauing once drunke of the water of life and once tasted of this spirituall life we may neuer thirst and as S. Iohn saith 1. Iohn 3.6 we cannot sinne Ioh. 6.54 that is not to sinne but that we purge our selues vpon reproose and recouer our selues when we fall Further obserue hence that there is a double death and a double life first there is a death in the present corruption of sinne whereby in this life we deserue damnation Now that there is a death in this life is prooued 1. Tim. 5.6 the widdow that liueth in pleasure is dead while she liueth and Ephes 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and Reuel 3.1 it is said of the Church of Sardis Thou hast a name that thou linest but thou art dead Secondly there is a death in the perpetuall condemnation for sinne which is first inflicted vpon the soule at the separation from the body and at the last day shal be laid both vpon the soule and body in a fearefull and full measure Answerable to this is life the first kind whereof is the grace of God vouchsafed vs in this our pilgrimage the second is the glory of God giuen vs in the life to come Now the life of the spirit hath three degrees first at the regeneration when we are renewed in our affections and do feele a change of mind within vs secondlie at the separation of the soule from the body when being as in were released out of the setters of this life she takes her flight to heauen for then doth the soule liue more excellently than it did before being freed from the bufferings of Sathan and the allurements of the flesh Thirdly at the generall resurrection when the world with the Iustes thereof shall passe away like a cloud and be wrapped vp like a clout for then both soule and body shall enioy the presence yea more than that shall liue the life of God for euer Euen so death in the reprobate hath three degrees first in the contagion of sinne secondly in the separation at the doore of death as it were when the soule alone goeth to the diuell thirdly at the resurrection when the body is reunited to the soule to receiue the fulnesse of their endlesse torment Againe the reprobate in this life and in the life to come haue a double misery coupled to their double death for first in this life they want the grace and fauour of God and bee euen like Cain Genes 4.14 afraid lest euery man should kill them Secondly they haue resident in them the diuell who being the God of this world hath and doth carrie them away daily in the power of darknesse Then in the life to come Iohn 16.11 they haue first a priuation or losse of the presence of God secondly a suffering and enduring of all torments 2. Thes 1.8.9 where there cries shall neuer bee pitied nor their paines euer bee eased Proportionable to these haue the children of God double comforts which may bee gathered from the contrarie of the former For first they haue the countenance of the Lord alwaies smiling on them and the strength of the Lord alwais supporting them in this life Secondly which is more they haue the true spirit of comfort dwelling in them and the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost doth continually feast with them while they liue heere And when we fall a sleepe for nothing else is death to the Saints as we may see in Stephen 2. Cor. 3.17.18 Act. 7.60 then doe we first stand alwaies in the sight of God and behold him face to face neither doth his glory then any whit amaze vs as it did when the veile was before our eies but it doth reioice vs and we glory in it Secondly we are filled with ioies vnspeakable and haue the full accesse and fruition of all that the heart can desire or seeke for Now the way to know that this life of God is in vs must be by the amendment of our liues and by the leauing of our sinnes for regeneration beginneth at repentance and repentance at leauing of sinne in which point euerie man must examine himselfe wisely for if thou hast not brideled thy tongue from bitter and blasphemous speech if thou hast not taught thy hands to worke truely without deceit and hast not brought thy heart to pray feruently without hypocrisie then hast thou no part in this regeneration and by consequent no fellowship in the life of God For righteousnesse sake That is as much as if the Apostle had said reformation of life and religion is the badge and euidence of the spirituall life we leade heere The cause of this is the righteousnesse of Christ which resteth in these two things first in satisfying the iustice of his Father for our sinnes as the Prophet Esay speaketh Esay 53.5 Hee was wounded for our transgressions and by his stripes are we healed secondly in fulfilling the law which he performed foure waies first by teaching it precisely secondly by obeying it exactly thirdly by suffering for our breach thereof meritoriously fourthly by sanctifying vs to doe it effectually But this kinde of righteousnesse is onely resident and inherent in the person of Christ howbeit the righteousnesse heere spoken of by the Apostle is a signe onely and a token that we are sanctified by the flesh of Christ and that Christ hath purchased saluation for vs and that we sighing vnder the burden of sinne Rom. 7.25 walking in a reformed life and waiting for the glorie that shall bee seene we shal be as
vs to mingle with our good thoughts euill thoughts And heerein wee must first know what we are by nature and before our conuersion namely wee are bound both hand and foote as it were with the chaines and irons of sinne that wee cannot mooue to any good and so long we are the slaues of Sathan who whips vs with our owne corruption and so hardeneth our hearts through vse and custome of sinne that we are led into the wrath of God before we see it but when the Lord doth strike vs on the sides as he did Peter and open our hearts as he did the heart of Lydia that we doe see the riches of his mercy Act. 12.7.16.14 and doe feele our irons somewhat vnloosed that is our corruption abated whereby we get some liberty to doe that is good though it be not done with that perfection that is required yet let vs assure our selues that our purpose and desire to walke with God and to doe good is accepted of him for he regardeth the heart and dispenseth with the imperfection of the outward man To which purpose Saint Paul saith Phil. 3.13.14 I forget that which is behind and endeuour to that is before and follow hard toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ In which obserue three things First we must know our marke at which we must 〈◊〉 that is Christ and vnto the comming of this marke wee must be absolutely resolued Secondly we must not looke behind vs not forbidding vs to look backe vnto our former estate but nothing must hinder vs from going to this worke as whoredome vsury flattery deceit idolatry and such like grosse sinnes Thirdly we must so striue as in the end we may attain this marke which is Christ and so we come thither it skilleth not whether we creepe or goe by steppes and degrees answerable to that 1. Cor. 9.24 So runne that yee obtaine that though wee haue many stops in the flesh yet if our eies bee still vpon God it sufficeth Lastly that we may be abashed at the shaking of sinne and may grow into perfect hatred and detestation of it we see heere the miserable estate of them that are subiect to the prince of the world and are at league with hell that howsoeuer their life is varnished ouer with a little temporall prosperity yet they feede themselues but for their slaughter for being out of Christ and disclaiming holinesse of life their glory shall be their shame and their end is but damnation it being impossible as Salomon saith Prouer. 12.3 for a man to be established by wickednesse If therefore thou seest his barnes full let not thy soule enuy it for in the reuenues of the wicked there is trouble because they tend to sinne and the Lord casteth away his substance If thou seest him tall and proud as the Cedar blesse thou thy selfe in thy humility for the curse of the Lord being in his house though his excellency mount vp to heauen and his head reach vp to the clouds yet shall he perish for euer like his dung his rootes shall be dried vp beneath and aboue his branch shall be cut downe If thou seest him seated and waxing old in his outward happines let it nothing trouble thee for his bones are full of the sinnes of his youth and it shall lie downe with him in the dust at length his eies shall faile and then shall his candle be put out his refuge shall perish and then fearefulnesse shall driue him to his feet If thou seest him eate and drinke and rise vp to play desire not thou to taste of his ioy for his reioicing is short and but a moment and though wickednesse be sweet in his mouth yet God shall draw 〈◊〉 out of his belly yea affliction followeth sinners and feare shall be for the workers of iniquity such a one consumeth like a râ—â—â— thing God shall run vpon him and his arme shall be broken 〈◊〉 shall destroy him as the vine her sower grape and cast him off 〈◊〉 the oliue doth her flower for he that is not planted in Christ his branch cannot be greene but brimstone shall be scattered in 〈◊〉 habitation and his hope shal be indignation and sorrow of miâ—â— ROM chap. 8. vers 2. verse 2 For the law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the law of sinne and of death IN this verse the Apostle insisteth to proue that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ which he doth by two arguments First because we are freed from the law and dominion of sinne Secondly because we are freed from the law and domination of death Against these tâ—â—o the conscience opposeth two things First how are we freed from the law and power of sinne since we haue so many vncleane thoughts so many raging affections and so many vile and naughty actions that passe from vs in the course of our liues secondly how are we freed from the law and sting of death since we die daily and suffer so many afflictions and miseries in this life which are the merits and deserts of sinne These two obiections that might skare and trouble â—â—e tender conscience and inward peace of a Christian he answereth to the end of this chapter In this verse to the end of the 〈◊〉 he sheweth how far we are deliuered from the law of sinne 〈◊〉 from the 19. verse to the 17. how far we are freed from the law of death which was the first punishment for sinne as appeaâ—â—th Gen. 2.17 In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die 〈◊〉 death and from the 17. verse to the end of the Chapter he â—â—eweth how far we are freed from the miseries and calamities of 〈◊〉 life Now in this verse as it deuideth it selfe we are to consider two â—â—â—ing First how and by what meanes wee obtaine this freeâ—â—me â—â—â—ly by the spirit of life which is in Christ Secondly â—â—things from which we are freed which be two first from the â—â—â—son of sin secondly from the power of death For the first we must learne to make a difference betweene the spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus and the spirit of life of Christ which is in vs the one being absolute and inherent in Christ the vertue wherof imputed vnto vs brings perefect absolution from the tyranny of sinne and bitternesse of death the other being but poured into vs through the grace of Christs spirit abiding in vs doth but qualifie and temper the heat of sinne and the violence of death which otherwise would rage ouer vs. And therefore if we speake of the spirit of life which is in vs wee may well crie out with Saint Paul Rom. 7.24 O wretched men that we be who shall deliuer vs from the body of this death But if we speake of the spirit of life which is in Christ then may wee boldly say wee are already deliuered from it That this may bee
Apostle saith heere he was freed from the law of sinne for Christs body was not onely crucified for our sinnes our sinnes being the very cause of his crucifying but hee was also crucified to sinne that is to crucifie and kill sinne in vs which are his members so that except we finde the spirit of God daily working and striking at the roote of sinne to weaken it and at the branch of sinne to cut it off at the first blossome we cannot conclude he was crucified for sinne because he is not crucified to sinne in vs so as we must measure the life of Christ in himselfe no further to pertaine to vs then we finde the power of sinne abated in vs. And therefore if we walke after the Prince that ruleth in the aire and that worketh in the children of disobedience and haue our conuersation in the lusts of the flesh then hath not the life of Christ freed vs from the law of sinne and then are we in the state of condemnation if God be not rich in mercy to vs heereafter For howsoeuer the Lord is contented so farre to dispence with the rigour of his iustice as to suffer â—â—e Sunne to shine both vpon the iust and vniust yet doth the Soâ—â—e of righteousnesse neuer arise vpon any that is holden with â—â—e cords of his owne sinne making as Salomon saith Prouerbesâ—â— 12.13 a signe with his eies signifying with his feet and instructing with his fingers to haue those leude things which luâ—ke in his heart countenanced and performed both by himselfe and others by his entisement Let vs therefore labour to haue our spirits raised vp from the dead in the body of Christ or through the life of Christ till when we are not freed from the law of death for so long as we remaine naturall men we are dead both in the punishment of sinne and also in the pollution of sinne of the latter we 〈◊〉 in this life as 2. Cor. 5.15 If one be dead for all then were we all dead The other is reserued for the life to come and is called Reue. 20.14 the second death when carnall and fleshly minded men shall be cast into the lake of fire We must know then that vntil the spirit hath raised vs from the dead we are but dead men though we seeme to liue and so long as we are thus dead we are separated from the grace of God that is the grace of God is dead in vs and we are liuing vnto all sinne and so not freed neither from the law of sin nor of death Our spirits then are said to be raised from the dead two waies First when it reuiueth and renueth that which is dead in vs And secondly when it slaieth and mortifieth that which is quicke in vs that which is dead in vs is the grace and fauour of God that which is quicke in vs is sinne as concupiscence lust sensuality and such like so that till this spring-time come that the grace of God be seene to flower and bud forth in vs our estate is no better then that of the damned soules for as they at the last day shall be separated for euer from the presence of God so as long as we remaine carnall and vnsanctified men we are at this day separated from the fauour of God and as the damned in their separation doe liue in torments for euer being dead in the punishment of sinne so are we carnall men inwardly tormented in conscience for being dead in the pollution of sinne that is we commit those sinnes for which the damned are tormented and in some respects the damned are better then carnall men for they can sinne no more though theâ—â—gnash their teeth and sâ—et at the iustice of God whereas the wicked and vniust doe still commit sin adding sin to sinne whereby heaping the more dishonour vpon God they drawe the heauier condemnation vpon themselues Further where the Apostle saith He was freed from the law of sinne we must not vnderstand it as if there was any law or commandement to sinne but as Rom. 7.11 that sinne tooke an occasion by the commandement to deceiue vs and to slay vs there being accompulsary and an vnchangeable necessity in vs to sinne as long as we are holden of the flesh that will we nill we we cannot but sinne we being by sin deceiued fiue waies First by concupiscence and lust as was Euah Secondly through infidelity Thirdly by blindnesse of iudgment Fourthly by particular ignorance And lastly by the malice of the heart and if the hart come once to be little worth as Salomon â—â—â—â—â—eth Pro. 10.20 and as it is in all carnall men then is the â—â—â—â—â—antiall law of God which otherwise in it selfe is holy iust and righteous to such men but a law of sinne that is sinning the more because the law forbiddeth it and a killing letter as 2. Cor. 3.6 First in respect naturall men are but flesh sold vnder sinne Secondly in respect hee reading it readeth his owne damnation and a seducing letter inticing them therefore to sin because they are restrained from sinne yea to them as Rom. 3.20 it is the power of sinne and as Rom. 4.15 it is the law of wrath and as 2. Cor. 3.15 it is as a vaile laid ouer their hearts to blinde them and as 1. Tim. 1.9 it is said not to be giuen to the righteous but to the disobedient and as Peter calleth it Act. 15.10 a yoake which neither they nor their forefathers were able to beare meaning thereby what it is to the carnall man and what it was then made by the Scribes and Pharisees who preferred the law before Christ which being but a schoole-master to bring vs to him was by them made a master aboue him to teach him 〈◊〉 it is no maruell though to such as would liue by the law without the life which is in Christ that it proue to them a law of sinne and of death for by the law shall neuer any bee iustified but through faith in the life of Christ must we attaine saluation ROM chap. 8. vers â— verse 3 For that that was impossible to the law in as much aâ— it was weake because of the flesh God sending his owne sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh HEere the Apostle proceedeth to make the matter formerly deliuered more plaine and easie wherin obserue two materiall points First that he taketh away all the power of the law to saue Secondly that this power is giuen onely to Christ who tooke vpon him not the similitude of flesh but of sinfull flesh to condemne sinne in the flesh by whose grace we are only saued without the workes of the law For the first obserue two things first that it is impossible for any to be saued by fulfilling the Law because none can exactly and perfectly doe it secondly from whence this disabilitie proceedeth not from any defects in the law but from our corrupt nature
For the first of these the Papists say it is meant that none can be saued by the works of the ceremoniall Law that it is not to be vnderstood of the morall law Which is most false as is proued Rom. 3.20 By the works of the law shall no flesh be iustified for by the law commeth the knowledge of sin He doth not say by the knowledge of the ceremoniall law and 2. Cor. 3.7 where he calleth the law the ministration of death written with letters and ingrauen in stones we all knowing there was no law written with the finger of God and ingrauen in stones but the law of the tenne commandements and Gal. 3.21.22 the Apostle maketh an opposition between the law and the promise that if life should bee giuen by the law and by that meanes should iustifie then should it abolish that iustification promised to Abraham and â—o his seed by faith which cannot bee vnderstood but of the mâ—â—all law and Rom. 7.7 He had not knowen sinne but by the laâ—â— for he had not knowen lust except the law had said Thou shaâ—â— not lust and this is the law of the ten commandements Howbeit the â—uestion between the Papists and vs is not whether we performing the precise rule of the law may challenge eternall life as merit for there is no question but wee may the commandement being as Rom. 7.10 ordained vnto life as appeareth Deut. 5.33 If you walke in all the commandements of God ye shall liue and Mark. 10.17.18 vpon the question asked how he should possesse eternall life answer was made by Christ by keeping the commandements but the question is whether any child of God euen in the highest degree of regeneration can doe it in that maner and measure as he ought And this can he not doe and that for two reasons First because of the singular purity of the law Secondly because of the extreme impurity of our nature For the first consider that the law is proportionable to the law-giuer which bindeth not onely the hands from petie larce the tongue from ribauldry and the life from incontinency but commandeth the eie and speaketh to the heart And in the nine first commandements whersoeuer there is an affirmatiue expressed there is the negatiue implied and where the negatiue is expressed there is the affirmatiue implied that is where any duty is commanded there the contrary vice is forbidden and where the sinne is inhibited there the contrary duty is required for if we must not kill our brother then must we by all meanes seeke to preserue his life and if his life must be pretious to vs then must we not hate him for this is a sinne that will beget murther But the tenth commandement is the key that is able to discouer the cabinet of the heart this entreth betweene the marrow and the bones and howsoeuer wee may refraine in action and may bee staied in affection yet this striketh dead extending but to the motion though the heart impugne it and this is the sharpest corasiue to eate forth our proud flesh when we shall see our selues arraigned but for a thought which we would haue withstood and if any man will looke himselfe in this glasse he shal see as foule filthy an Adâ—â—â— as can be And this was that awakened Paul out of that dead â—â—eepe wherinto he was cast by nature namely the knowledgâ— of concupiscence to be sinne for he knew the action and the resolution of the heart to vncleannesse to be sinne aswell by the law of nature as by the law written but that the thoughts should be hedged in and inclosed so precisely he did not conceaue before the excellency of the tenth commandement had reuealed it to him howbeit though not to extenuate and lessen any sinne whereby the maiesty of God is violated so offended we must not imagine the thoughts conceaued by a suddaine motion or sight and quickly suppressed againe to be so sinfull for the thoughts meant here are those of the heart which haue an inclination and pronenesse to sinne proceeding from corruption of nature suffering them to rest with vs for a time though they bee after pressed downe by the speciall worke of God and if we could but register the thoughts of this kinde doe passe from vs in one day wee should finde them abominable in Gods sight and onely pardonable in Christ For though they be hid from men yet do they appeare before God the searcher of the heart and shall receaue their reward which is death if they be not passed ouer in Christ And though some haue thought that thoughts without the consent of the heart are not sinfull yet it is certaine they be so for Salomon Pro. 24.9 saith The wicked thought of a foole is sinne and so may it likewise bee proued by three speciall arguments First whatsoeuer hindreth the absolute and perfect conformity of the power of the soule to the liuely image of God wherein we were at first created is sin but thoughts without consent of the heart doe hinder this our conformity to the image of God because the thoughts being admitted in there must needs be excluded therefore they are sinfull Secondly Adam in his innocency could neuer haue any such by-thoughts being created to the absolute image of God Since then we haue lost this perfect image by his fall and haue such thoughts arise in vs they must needs hinder vs from comming to that perfection againe wherin he stood at first while he walked with God in paradise and therefore they are sinfull Thirdly God hath redeemed all the parts both of our body and soule and therfore we ought to honour him with all parts and the thoughts are some parts which he hath redeemed therefore wee must honour him with them but many one thought be wandering and ranging out of the way there â—ants the honour of that thought to God therefore they are sinfull for where it is said in the law we must honor God with all our heart with all our minde with all our soule Christ Luk. 10.27 expounds it we must also loue him with all our thoughts then so many thoughts as tend not to loue God must needes be sinfull Now as concerning thoughts therâ—â—â— foure degrees one more sinfull then another but the least damnable in the reprobate pardonable in the elect The first are when a man thinketh on some childish toie or on a thing that is not which oft commeth into a mans minde by some occasion or other offâ—ed to the sense and represented to the fancie but soone vanisheth away although the thing offered to the imagination be not sinfull yet the very thought of it is sinfull because it possesseth vs for the time and being idle and vnprofitable for that time be it neuer so short so much of Gods image was thrust out of vs the whole man was not takeÌ„ vp for him as it ought and therefore Genes 6.5 it is said all the thoughts of a
he must sauour of death which cannot be proued by this The wisedome of the flesh is enmitie to God but he that is borne of God cannot be Gods enemy on the other side hee that walketh in the wisedome of the flesh obeieth not the law of God and by consequent saith the Apostle cannot but sinne Whereupon it followeth that they that liue after the inclination of the heart of man cannot please God and so cannot bee saued now hee that is in Christ cannot but please God because he cannot but performe his will Another reason that being a true Christian a man cannot but amend his life is taken out of Rom. 6.5 Whosoeuer is made partaker of Christ is made partaker of the death of Christ then is he dead to sinne proued thus Christ by his death deserued not onely remission of our sinnes but also to haue the holy Ghost in those that bee his to mortifie their sinne and this spirit cannot bee idle but worketh and his worke is to dâ—â—troy oâ—â—â—nemie that is sinne Lastly it is proued thus Whosoeuer is in Christ hath the spirit of Christ he that hath this spirit liueth in the spirit for the life of the spirituall man is the Lord Iesus euen as the life of the bodie is the soule and hee that hath a soule must needs breath and walking Galat. 5.24 in the spirit hee cannot fulfill the lustes of the flesh for the flesh and the spirit bee contrary And vers 24. it is said They that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections thereof and who these bee appeareth 1. Peter 4.2 such as suffer in the flesh and these be they that cease from sinne Now then for thee to say thou art flesh and blood is not a shelter pleadable when thou art reprehended for sinne for he that is a good Christian cannot but forbeare it and if thou art all flesh and blood then hast thou not the spirit of God which is proued 1. Corinth 6.16 Do you not know how he that coupleth himselfe with a harlot is one flesh with her and hee that is one flesh with a harlot cannot bee one spirit with Christ Iesus Euen so for wrath toward thy brother thou saiest thou canst not loue him Consider that if the Lord should iudge thee out of thine owne mouth thou couldest not bee saued Thou wilt say the iniury is so great as no man can put it vp but hee that is more then a man can doe it and if thou beest all man Christ Iesus will neuer put vp thy name among the Saints Looke 1. Ioh. 5.3 Hee that is borne againe counteth all the commandements of God light so as if thou be of God it is an easie matter to forgiue the brother If he repent not of the wrong done vnto thee leaue the vengeance to God Rom. 12.20 and heape thou coles of fire on his head and if he do repent and seeke reconcilement it is the easier to forget it and flesh and blood doth pity the case of the suppliant For the third point which is the way how to assure our selues to be the sons of God wee must learne that there is no so certaine a marke to discerne a man to be of God as holinesse of life not but that Gods children may fall most grieuously and blemish their profession most foully but that if Sathan happe to blindfold them that they goe astray yet with the lost sonne they will returne with double sorrow and vnfold to their shame their owne sinne Example wâ—â—ere â—f wee haue in Dauid who though he was ingaged to the Lord by his many benefites that tooke him from the sheepe-hooke and gâ—â—e him a Scepter that by his protection had made him escape the snares of his enemies and by his mercy had freed him from many tribulations yet did he fall into great vncleannesse euen the sinne of adulterie 2. Sam. 11.4.5.6.7 which by the law of God deserued depriuation of this humane life When he had done this hee glauered and flattered with the womans husband and bad him goe home to refresh himselfe with his wife seeking thereby to father the bastard on him When this succeeded not he thought to make him drunke that he might thereby bee more irritable to lust and so to haue gone to his wife And though Vriah answered hee could not doe it because the Arke of the Lord was in the field which had not Dauid beene desperatly sicke in his soule how could he haue beene so forgetfull of the Lord as to haue dealt so with him that was no Iew but a conuert to religion heereby to make the name of the Lord euill spoken of Yet when this preuailed not hee went further and vnto adultery hee added murther that hee might make his sinne knowen and his vnholy life to appeare both to God and man and carry as the greefe of it in his heart so the shame of it in his fore-head And in this hee wrought worse then Iesabel for hee made Vriah the instrument and messenger of the letters for his owne execution yea hee sent them to Ioab who had himselfe beene a murtherer which might harden his heart in that sinne seeing Dauid that was the King not onely a fauourer but the cause of such bloody actions And after what manner should this be done namely that hee should fall by the sword of the vncircumcised a most ignominious and shamefull and grieuous death for so Christian a Gentleman and that hee should so murder him as to colour the grieuousnesse of his fault not hee alone but many other should die innocent and that hee should continue senslesse in this sinnefull course by the space of a yeere yet when it pleased God to cure his disease of hypocrisie and to cleare his eyes that hee saw not his sinne but his chaine of sinnes beâ—â—â—â—â—im then he calleth himselfe not a man of blood but of bloâ—â—â— â—nd then â—is conscience is open to grieue for it and then with his teares he washeth away his vncleannesse and wallâ—â—â—â—â—s a man cleansed and purged from his filthinesse So as if aâ—y bee a whoore let her remember the teares of Mary Mâ—gâ—alene if a persecuter of the Saints let him repent with Paâ—â— Luk. 7.38 Gal. 1.15 Mat. 26.75 if a murtherer let him soundly confesse his sinne with Dauid and if he be Apostasied weepe with Peter for these be the workes of righteousnesse whereby they are knowen to be of God And seeing others deliuered from the pit wee must learne as Dauid saith Psal 56.3 to feare and to trust so as wee must alwaies feare to fall into the sinne before being fallen we can trust to bee deliuered for this is one part of the righteousnesse of Gods children to tremble at the sight of sinne and then shall wee neuer swallow it without remorse Secondly from hence learne that a man may know in what state another man is If I see thee a despiser of religion a profaner of the Sabbath a butcher to the poore and an vncleane liuer what shall I beleeue thee to be but the child of the diuell for this may I know by thy fruites Why but loue biddeth you hope the best 1. Cor. 13.7 and beleeue the best True it is loue biddeth me beleeue all things but not a sow to bee cleane wallowing in the mire or a dogge not to bee filthy that is regorging vp his stomacke Mar. 6.44 or that grapes can grow vpon brambles or that mercy can bee found in the heart of an vsurer or that thornes may bee touched and will not pricke For as loue bids mee not to determine too soone so not to bee abused too late and God bids me looke vpon the tree to iudge of the fruite I may say thou art in the state of damnation for by thy snarling I know thee to bee a dogge Mat. 7.6 and I see thy heart through thy hands but whether thou shalt be finally damned I leaue thee there for the Lord may haue mercy on thee vpon thy repentance I may come to the tree and say heere is no fruite or here is small fruit or heere is bad fruit but I cannot say Neuer fruit grow on thee heereafter as Christ did Mark. 11.13 And it is not the commers to Sermons but the doers of Sermons
soberly weighed doe confute those foure maine heresies risen heeretofore in the Church concerning this great mystery For the first that there be two natures in Christ is plainely expressed by Saint Paul Rom. 9.5 First he was according to the flesh of the seed of the Iewes secondly he is God ouer all blessed for euer And Esa 9.6 A child is borne and his name shall be the mighty God Heere then first is confuted the heresie of Martian who said Christ was God but not man but had onely an heauenly body of an imaginary substance and alleageth Phil. 2.7 for his ground where it is said he was made like vnto men and was found in shape as a man therefore no man indeed By the same reason he might haue concluded aswell hee had not beene God for in the same place vers 16. it is said he was in forma Dei in the forme of God But the Apostle there fully proueth his humanity vers 8. by his obedience to the death of the Crosse for if he had not taken true flesh he could not haue died nor yet haue satisfied for our sinnes And Gal. 3.16 it is said the promises were made to Abraham and to his seed which seed is Christ and Gal. 4.4 When the fulnesse of time was come God sent his Sonne made of a woman which proueth that he was truely man Secondly heere is confuted the heresie of Arius who denieth the diuinity of Christ and saith that onely in his humaine nature hee had participated vnto him some diuine thing and some heauenly vertue For as wee see heere he must be Iehouah not an inferiour God or a God by participation of some diuine excellency but he must be Deus ex seipso filius à Patre a God of himselfe a Sonne by reference to his Father And so much is expressed by S. Paul Rom. 9.5 for when he saith hee was borne of the Iewes according to his flesh he implieth he had somewhat else he had not of them set downe in the words following Who is God blessed for euer which word God howsoeuer in the Scripture it be taken essentially and personally essentially when it signifieth the whole Trinity absolutely as Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God onely and Act. 4.19 It is better to obey God then man yet in this place it is spoken personally of the Sonne as it is also 1. Tim. 3.16 God is manifested in the flesh Now there be foure arguments to proue Christ God equall to the Father and to be Iehouah coeternall in the Godhead as the Father first by the property of of his person secondly by the property of his essence thirdly by the power of his diuine workes and fourthly by the diuine worship that is due vnto him For the first hee is proued to be God by his generation for he was begotten of God whereby is vnderstood that he was of the same substance with God euen as hee that is begotten of a man is a man and therefore hee is called the proper Sonne of God which he is not as he was conceiued of the holy Ghost for then Mary hath a part as he was borne of her And this is proued by the Scripture that when we call him the Sonne of God wee vnderstand that he is God as his Father is Iohn 10.20 I and my Father are all one and Ioh. 5.17 I worke the same works and after the same manner that my Father doeth meaning that he was God as well as he And so the Iewes vnderstood him speaking in their language which made them goe about to kil him For the second it is proued he is God by the property of his essence which standeth in these foure things first eternity secondly infinity to be in all places thirdly by his knowledge of all things fourthly by his omnipotency For the first that he is from all times is proued Reu. 1.17 I am that first and that last spoken by Christ himselfe and lest this should haue beene vnderstood of the futher he saith ver 18. and am aliue but I was dead For the second which is his infinity it is said in Ieremy that God filleth all places and Psalm 139.7 Whither shall I flie from thy presence If I goe into heauen thou art there if into the deepe thou art there also And Christ saith of himselfe Iohn 3.13 hee being on the earth No man ascendeth vp to heauen but he that came downe from heauen that sonne of man which is in heauen and in an other place he saith Where two or three be gathered together in my name I will be in the midst of them Math. 18.20 For the third which is his knowledge of all things Reu. 2.18 it is said that the Sonne of God hath eies like a flame of fire Ioh. 2.24.25 Math. 9.4 and verse 23. All Churches shall know that I am the searcher of the reines and hearts and in another place it is said hee durst not trust the Iewes because hee knew their hearts For the fourth which is his omnipotency it is proued by sundry examples in the Scripture that hee was able to raise vp the dead by his owne vertue and Iohn 5.17 he doeth the same works which his Father doeth and Phil. 3.21 Christ shall raise vp our bodies by the same power whereby he subdueth all things For the third which is the power of his diuine workes as himselfe saith Iohn 5.17 I doe the same workes my Father doth all which are of three sorts the first concerning the creation the second of miracles extraordinary the third that tend to the saluation of his church For the first of these it is said Iohn 1.3 by him all things were made and nothing was made without him and Col. 1.15.16.17 he is the inuisible forme of the father for whom and by whom all things were created and in him all things doe consist And likewise for sustaining them being made we haue Heb. 1.3 He beareth vp all things by his mighty word For the second that is for miracles he raised vp dead men euen as his Father did without any inuocation to any other which the Apostles did not but by calling on his name whether it were for raising the dead or dispossessing the diuell as I command thee in the name of Iesus to come forth Act. 16.18 but Christ saith of himselfe Iohn 11.25 I am the resurrection and the life and Iohn 10.37 I doe the workes of my father Now for the third which are the works he did for the saluation of his church they are principally siue first election Eph. 1.4 God hath elected vs in Christ and 1. Cor. 1.5 In all things we are made rich in Christ and Ioh. 3.17 through him we are saued and in another place he saith Iohn 13.18 I know whom I haue elected The second is vocation now to enlighten the heart of man must needs bee the worke of God Math. 16.17 as it is said in Saint Mat. flesh and
bloud hath not reuealed this to thee but God and in another place it is said when his Disciples were going to Emaus he opened their hearts And for the ministery which is a meanes to call men 1. Cor. 12.6.8 it is said to be the worke of God and Eph. 4.11.12 it is said Christ gaue some to be Apostles some Pastors c. for the worke of the ministery and the repairing of the Saints Thirdly remission of sinnes and iustification is the worke of God as it is said Esa 40.29 It is that holy one that giueth strength vnto him that fainteth that is it is God that forgiueth sinnes and Mat. 9.6 the some of man as sonne of man hath this power to forgiue sinnes and Stepheâ— Act. 7.60 praieth Lord Iesus lay not this sinne to their charge Fourthly sanctification is onely the worke of God Iohn 1.13 We are not borne of the will of man but of God and vers 12. As many as receiue him he giues prerogatiue to bee the sonnes of God and Mat. 3.11 Christ will baptize you with the holy Ghost and againe himselfe saith Without me you can doe nothing which is true onely of God and Ephes 5.26 Christ gaue himselfe for his Church to sanctifie it and Heb. 10.10 We are sanctified by the offering of the body of Christ Fiftly to giue glory is the worke of God and this doth Christ as appeareth by the speech of the theefe vpon the Crosse Luke 23.42 Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome and Iohn 10.28 I doe giue eternall life vnto my sheepe Now for the fourth that he is knowen to be God by the diuine worship is to be giuen vnto him and worship is due onely to Iehouah Prov. 16.4 the Lord hath made all things for his owne sake And for this worship first it is not lawfull to serue any so much as God now Christ is to bee serued only for as himselfe saith I have the keyes of life and of death Secondly it is not lawfull to beleeue in any but God and Iob. c. 5. c. 6. Christ saith He that beleeueth in we hath eternal life Thirdly â—im whom we ought to loue aboue all things is God Christ Mat. 16. saith Loue me better then thine owne soule Fouthly â—hom we ought to obey in all things is God and Mat. 17.5 〈◊〉 is said This is my beloued Sonne heare him speaking of Christ â—iftly it is not lawfull to sweare by any but by God and S. Paul â—â—m 9.1 sweareth by Christ and saith I say the trueth in Christ 〈◊〉 not Sixthly inuocation or praier is for none but God as Daâ—id saith Psal 50.15 Call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will heaâ— you and Stephen Act. 7.60 when he was stoned praied to Christ Lord Iesus receiue my soule and with praier to Christ end most 〈◊〉 S. Pauls Epistles Seuenthly Iehouah onely must be blessed foâ—euer and S. Paul Rom. 9.5 saith Christ God blessed for euer anâ— in the Reuelation it is said Reuel 19.7 All praise and glorie be to the Lambe and 2. Pet. 3.18 Grow in the grace of Christ to whom be praise fâ—â—euer Eightly God onely is to be bowed vnto and it is said 〈◊〉 Christ Heb. 1.6 Phil. 2.10 Let all the Angels in heauen adore him and by S. Paul Hâ—â— hath a name giuen him whereat euery knee must bow And thus bâ— these many parts of Gods worship it doth appeare that Christâ— God equall with the Eather For the second point which is the reall distinction of theâ—â— two natures wee say they be not confounded against the thiâ—â— heresie of Eutiches who held that the person eternall of the woâ—â— of God was turned into flesh for by this it followeth that â—ther there must bee an abolition of the Godhead or a permiâ—â—â—â—â— of both the natures both which were blasphemous but 〈◊〉 say according to the scripture Phil. 2.6 that Christ became thâ—â— he was not before namely man and retained that he was befoâ—â— namely God and he was man not that it was transfused inâ—â— his Deity or any property of the Deity transfused into his hâ—manity but by assuming the flesh and so by personall vnion bâ—came both and albeit the humanity of Christ be much magnaiâ—â—ed by the Diuinitie yet is the Diuinitie nothing altered by 〈◊〉 humanity For the third point which is the personall vnion of both the natures from hence hath arisen that fourth heresie of Neftâ—â—us who sayd that Filius Maria was not onely Aliuâ— but Aliâ—â— that is that as there were two natures in Christ distinct so 〈◊〉 there also two persons We say that the same person that 〈◊〉 the sonne of Mary was the sonne of God so as the greaâ— matter heere iâ— whether Christ be one person wherin let vs â—â—derstand these two things first what a personal vnion is seconâ—ly what is the fruit and effect of this vnion For the first 〈◊〉 is a person in Christ Is it a thing compounded of Deity 〈◊〉 humanity God forbid Nay Christ by his humane nature â—â—perly considered is not a person but the Diuinity assuming his flesh his humanitie subsisteth and staieth it selfe in his Diuinity for his humanity neuer vpheld it selfe till it was vnited to the Diuinity It was a nature before but no person his Diuinitie was both a nature and a person before so as out of them neither compounded nor confounded doeth arise Christ Iesus out Emanuel And as in the Trinity there be three persons and but one nature so in Christ there is but one person and two natures vnion of nature in the vnity of his Deity For the second which is the fruit and effect of this vnion it is two folde first the exaltation of his humane nature by being ioyned to his Deitie secondly the communication of his properties For the first that the Deity that vnited the flesh did so glorifie the flesh that by vnsearchable degrees it hath made it farre aboue all Angels is proued by three priuiledges which it hath first by the dignity of his personall vnion as he was the sonne of man he was naturally the sonne of God and he that was God was borne of the woman for Christ is one sonne of God in two respects first by generation eternall secondly according to his humane nature not as man nor by adoption for hee was neuer the sonne of wrath but by personall vnion for he was the sonne of God The second priuiledge is that all gifts that can be in any of the creatures Col. 2.9 are powred without measure vpon the flesh of Christ namely all that can be giuen to any creature or to any nature that keepes it a nature still and doth not defie the creature for as hee is man hee knoweth not the day of iudgement Mark 13.32 nor is not in euery place for these bee essentiall to the Godhead but his humane nature was so beautified by the Godhead dwelling in it bodily as that Heb. 1.6
being but the herbinger and the person of Christ whose comming he proclaimed yea so great as he was not worthy to do him the basest seruice so much as to pull off his shooes this being a prouer be taken from those countries where trauelleâ—s going in the heat all day did accustome at their iourneies end to haue a seruant attendant to plucke off their shooes and to wash their feete In the speech there are two parts to be obserued first the abasing of himselfe and his office secondly the magnifying of the ministery of the Messias Here first note that Iohn doth not compare the baptisme hee administred with that the Apostles should afterward minister nor his outward signe of water with theirs as being any difference betweene them but he compareth his owne person with the person of Christ and that which he worketh visibly with water with that which Christ worketh supernaturally cleansing the conscience They therefore are deceiued that thinke 〈◊〉 baptisme lesse effectuall then this of ours drawne from the 〈◊〉 postles for in the substance there is no difference but onelyâ— the manifestation and perspicuity of it that as Iohn was plaâ—â— then the Prophets so were the Apostles and after Minister more plaine then hee which was signified by that speech a Christ Mat. 11.11 Hee that is least in the kingdome of God is greater then Iohn Baptist this being meant of their ministeries for the Sunne is the same both in the morning in his weaknesse and at nooâ—â— daie in his strength and there is the same humane nature is a child as in a man and no other baptisme in substance now then this of Iohns being both instituted by the same Lord. But the Iesuites challenge the Caluinists for making Iohns baptisme comparable with the Apostles for Iohns say they did not remit sinnes but he onely baptized them vnto amendment of life Wee answer first in neither of their baptismes there is any remission of sins this onely being in the power of Christ the institutor as in circumcision the cutting of the flesh in it selfe aâ—â—led nothing but the effieacy was in sealing to the conscience the beliefe in the Messias to come for many had outwardly that signe whom the Lord abhorred and if that did but secure the soule vpon an inward beleefe much more is baptisme now but a seale of righteousnesse vnto vs. Againe if their baptisme vnder the cloud was the same with Iohns so was that of the Apostles and could any of them giue any more then the external ministerie But Iohn say they baptized onely to amendment of life We answer as it is Marke 4. Iohn baptized to repentance and remission of sinnes and can there be any repentance without remission No for being promised both together they are receiued of the person both together Againe if this baptisme of ours and that of Iohns be not the same in substance then did not Christ sanctifie our baptisme in his flesh which is false for man can giue but the outward element and Christ alone doth purge the soule Secondly learne what power there is in the outward ministerie of men and in the outward seales for howsoeuer the Scripture doth magnifie outward means and the men as instruments as that Paul is said to saue soules and to haue begot Onesimus in the faith Philemon 2. Cor. 3.6 chap. 1. and our ministerie is called the ministerie of the spirit yet when the scripture will shew what either the men or the meanes separately and apart can do in their owne nature and that all is the worke of God onely then either the meanes are not at all mentioned or else they are woonderfully debased as Paul can but plant Apollo can but water but it is God that giueth the increase Heere Paul is nothing 1. Cor. 3.6 for the blessing is onely from the Lord the internall being opposed to the external for whensoeuer these be either opposed by comparing or compared by opposing then all is in God for God dealeth otherwise in disposing of things that nourish to eternall life then of those that helpe to the conseruation of this present life As there is some power and as it were an inherent vertue in bread to nourish in it owne nature and there is power of generation in man to beget but to awake the conscience and to clense the heart there is no power that remaines in the Ministers person or in the seales of Baptisme and the Lords Supper the Minister separately hee speakes and it is but a perishable breath as the voice of another man though they be the words of God Act. 16.14 for otherwise why should Lydiaes heart bee opened more then any of the rest of the hearers there was the same voice of man sounding into the same eares of men by nature And in Baptisme for himselfe the Minister can doe nothing but powreon water and the water is but naturall which can but wet the body and there is no power appropriate to it that of it selfe it is able to conuey any security to the conscience But doe not the words of institution worke something and bee they not operatorious to worke some change As the words bee pronounced with the organ and instrument of the mouth it cannot make the bread to alter the substance but the words haue this power to declare what the Lord will worke first for our selues that we must breake bread for the people that they must eate it This is my body shewing what the Lord will doe that wee must not be amazed in beholding the signes but lift vp our eyes vnto the Lord that giueth Christs bloud to the heart of euery beleeuer for there is no flesh in the bread nor vnder the bread nor with the bread These therefore haue no power to conney any grace to the soule for if they had then were all regenerate that receiue them and sometime regeneration preceeds and goeth before baptisme as in Cornelius Acts 10. sometime it followeth baptisme as in children And againe if there were any power in water of it selfe or by the words of institution then after the sacrament the water should euer remaine sanctified which we see contrary for it doth putrifie like common water And no more doeth the Sacrament depend vpon the intention of the giuer and consecratour then it doth vpon the intention of the receiuer for it was as true a sacrament and as effectually offered to Simon Magus and to Iudas as to the other of the Disciples for the same Sunne shneth to all though some doe shut their eies Further obserue and beware that we doe not make duos totos baptismos two whole baptismes one of Iohns another of Christs but onely of one whole baptisme two parts as of one whole man we make two parts body and soule one is as in the law a circumcision with the hand cutting the flesh the other cleansing the conscience by faith in Christ Neither do we make them two thâ— God
For if we rather desire the flesh pots of Egypt then the Manna in the wildernesse and being drawen a little from the custome of sinne by the impulsion of the spirit wee make more haste to returne backe to our vomit then to follow hard toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ then is not Christ in vs nor wee in him and being out of him there is nothing but condemnation Phil. 3.14 and we are alreadie in the iawes of the Lion Out of the first obserue that saluation is not appointed for all men for all pertaine not vnto Christ as himselfe saith Luk. 12.32 mine is a little flocke and Iohn 10.26 those that beleeue not are not of Christs sheepe but those that be his heare his voice putting a difference betweene beleeuers and those that are in truth no better than Infidels which is more liuely expressed by the reward verse 28. I giue them that is my sheepe eternall life and they perish not What becommeth then of the other They are as Iude 6. reserued vnder darknesse vnto the iudgement of the great day and the cup of vengeance and condemnation cannot passe by them because the wrath of God was neuer satisfied for them so much also is signified by Christ Mat. 7.13.14 There be two waies in the world fitting with the two fold condition of men the one strait and narrow the other wide and broad those that in this life loue not to be pinched and crouded but to haue their walkes easie and their roomes large their feete leadeth them to destruction and of this kinde saith hee there be many Let vs not therefore vainely nozzle our selues in this opinion that heauen shal hold vs all for Christ as Iohn 10.9 is that straite dore by which wee must enter and though goates may heere feede with sheepe and tares may grow vp with corne yet when we come to the fold and to the harnest our shepheard knoweth who are his and giues them onely entrance and our Lord who is the husbandman gathereth only the graine and scattereth the chaffe as before the wind for condemnation is the inheritance of all such as haue not Christ for their head and he is head to none that haue not their life from him and none liue in him but they that are ruled by him and hee ruleth none but by the scepter of his word within the reach whereof few desire to be drawen but all almost doe seeke how to slip the collar as if the patient should onely dislike that medicine which would rid him of his disease yet such are most in the world that hate to see Christ in the glasse of his word wherein he is most perfectly to be beholden and therefore no marnell though condemnation as a cloud doe couer so many Secondly let vs obserue and as it were with teares of thankfulnesse acknowledge and reuerence the speciall and spirituall loue of God Mal. 1.5 that hath so magnified himselfe vpon the borders of vs Christians that when wrath had ouerspread the earth and the curse of God for disobedience had runne through the end of the world and that we were besmeared and misshapen with sinne as vgly as the Ethiopian and condemnation as due to vs as to them that alreadie hang in hell yet hath the Lord preserued vs not from a bodily death as Exod. 1.17 the midwines did the yong Israelites but from the spirituall fire of hell which should haue tormented our soules and this meerely through Christ that loâ—eth vs for though the first and originall cause of our saluation hee the loue of God yet this is conueied to vs through his sonne the Lord being as tender to vs as a father is to his childe onely through the obedience of that child and Sonne of his the Lord Iesus and therefore most fitly hath the Apostle deliuered heere this bridge of condemnation to bee broken downe that wee haue now no passage to hell through the forme and vertue of our liuing and being in Christ for there being but two impediments to our saluation first the destroying of Satans power in vs through sinne secondly the appeasing of Gods anger towards vs for sinne Christ hath remoued both these First in breaking the Serpents head Gen. 3.15 and himselfe possessing the hold which Satan kept namely the Temples of our bodies And secondly in treading the wine-presse of the wrath of God Reue. 14.19 that what possibly could in iustice be exacted of vs that himselfe paied in his owne body and person suffering for the time the paines and pangs of hell therefore there can no condemnation remaine for vs our debt being already paied to the vtmost farthing which ought to stirre vp our hearts to the praise and thankfulnesse of so good a God that passing by thousands that lay polluted in their blood no worse then wee hash thus gratiously visited and receiued vs to mercy For the second which is the meanes whereby we are fenced and freed from this condemnation namely through Christ we are to note two things First how we are said to be in Christ and Christ in vs Secondly what profit we receaue by this coniunction For the first it is such a mystery as mans imperfect wisdome and shallow reach cannot sound the bottome nor come to the depth of it but shall heereafter better be knowen by our fruition of it then now it can be by the description of it howbeit so far as this secret of God is opened vnto vs in the booke of God so farre may we seeke and no further Now this vnion betweene Christ and vs is expressed in the Scripture two waies first plainlie secondly by way of comparison the first is set foorth by Christ himselfe the master of all truth First as a thing to be felt and discerned euen in this life as Ioh. 14.20 At that day saith he shall ye know that I am in my father and you in me and I in you that is though yee shall lose the comfort of my presence bodily yet I will leaue you such a spirituall pledge of our coniunction namely my spirit as you shall know and perceiue I am onely absent from you in the flesh but am still with you to aide and succour you secondly it is plainely set foorth as a thing to bee perfectly inioyed in the life to come as Ioh. 17.23 where Christ maketh it part of his praier for all beleeuers That as thou O father art in me and I in thee so they may be also one in vs I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one which places proue the vndoubted truth of this point that Christ and we are ioyned together for otherwise it had not stood with Gods iustice to haue punished Christ in our flesh nor to haue accepted our obedience in Christs person if wee had not beene in him and he in vs for it was not possible for the flesh of man so wilfully sinnig
vpon earth then doe we seeke Christ on earth when we know hee is gone into heauen But from whence hath he deliuered vs From hell Then must we take heed we doe not the workes of hell and of darknesse And then whither hath he brought vs Where he is that is in heauen Then if we will say we are married to him Ioh. 14.2 and that he was crucified for our sinnes and hath crucified sinne in vs and freed vs from sinne Sathan and condemnation let our conuersation be where his body is for where the dead corse is thither will the Egles resort and where the husband is thither will the wise haste to see him and to liue with him so that as Christ died in body so must we die in spirit that his spirit may haue his full worke in vs to raise vs vp to heauenly meditations Thirdly we must learne that betwixt the corporall and spirituall marriage there is great difference for the woman for certain causes may be diuorced from her husband and he being dead she may as lawfully keepe herselfe a widow as marry againe but in this our spirituall marriage there is neither diuorce nor widowhood for as soone as we are diuorced from the flesh and the lusts thereof we must not stay and remaine a widow but we must presently marry with the spirit of God and the fruites thereof and he shall remaine our husband for euer Howbeit we must know we haue no liberty to marry with our second husband the Lord Iesus vntill we be deliuerd from the whole body of sinne and the powers thereof as lust sensuality and such like and the meanes of this our freedome and deliuerance is in the body of Christ so as vnlesse the body of Christ hath destroied sinne in our naturall bodies we are not conioined vnto him We must then consider what there is in this bodie of ours which is a body of sinne Rom. 6.6 And in this body of ours there are three things First condemnation for sin Secondly disobedience by sinning Thirdly the corruption of nature which causeth this disobedience In the second place we must consider how we are deliuered from these three and how they be taken from vs. The first which is our condemnation is taken away by the satisfaction of Christ for our sinne the second which is our disobedience is taken away by the righteousnesse of Christ free from sinne and these things are without vs but the third which is the corruption of our nature is taken away by the powerfull working of Gods spirit within vs so that except we haue this third thing the spirit to abolish sinne in vs we are not yet flesh of his flesh and so none of his spouse For as for Christs satisfaction for condemnation and his obedience for our rebellion the very Turkes may hope for their saluation as well as we therefore it must be the slaying of sinne by the spirit that must assure vs of our coniunction and marriage with Christ for if corruption remaineth whence springeth disobedience then there remaineth for this disobedience condemnation for euery sinne committed by them that are regenerate is as it were the bringing foorth of a bastard vnto God which we know how much he abhorreth Sixtly this our coniunction with Christ is set foorth Ioh. 15.5 vnder the parable of the vine to which Christ is compared and we to the branches for as the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe vnlesse it grow vp with the stocke no more can we except we grow vp in Christ and as the branches receiue sap from the root whereby they fructifie so we being ingrasted into Christ receiue life from him whereby we are fruitfull in good workes and as the branches seuered from the body of the tree doe fall away and perish so if we once wither away and the graces of God decay and wax cold in vs drinking in the raine and yet not bringing foorth herbes meet for the dresser then are we neere vnto cursing and our end is to be burned Out of which learne that if thou cariest in thy life onely leaues as it were of thy profession Heb. 6.8 as the figge tree did that seemed greene a farre off and goodly and art not fruitfull in thy conuersation to walke as one redeemed out of darknesse thou art but as a branch broken off and as a blade that withereth before the time of haruest for as Rom. 11.16 If the roote be holy so are the branches and if the ground of thy heart be seasoned with the graces of God it will spring foorth into all thy members The Seuenth comparison is Ioh. 6.56 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in him Where Christ is compared to flesh and bloud which we must not vnderstand of materiall but of spirituall eating which is comprehended by faith wrought in vs by the spirit reuealed to vs by the Sonne of God deliuered to vs by the word of God and sealed vnto vs by the Sacraments Since then our feeding on Christ doth draw such fruit after it bring such efficacy with it let vs labour to meet him in those meanes himselfe hath ordained namely in his word and sacraments the one being the store-house of his promises the other as it were a patent of confirming them to vs vnder the seales left vs by the King of heauen that as these infirme bodies of ours cannot be supported without the stafes of bread and drinke the one to kill the hunger the other to stanch the thirst wherewith our natures are assaulted so we may perswade our selues that our soules for their cherishing and refreshing doe require the like necessity to be sed with the flesh and bloud of Christ that we may grow vp perfect men in him and be freed from the scorching heat of desperation whereinto we may easily fall through that streame and current of sin wherewith we are carried in the whole course of our liues and from which wee cannot be saued but through the sprinkling of that blood which was shed for vs vpon the Crosse Now for the second point which is the profit and benefit we receiue by this Coniunction it is twofold first that Christ hath taken our sinnes and the punishment of our sinnes vpon him for he being without sinne was made sinfull for vs was wounded for our transgressions and as 1. Pet. 2.24 bare our sinnes in his body on the tree that by his stripes we might be healed secondly that by his death we are made partakers of his obedience and the reward of his obedience which is eternall life and of his graces and the glory for his graces which is eternall glory Touching the first profit it is double First he tooke our sinnes vpon him Secondly the satisfaction of our sinnes which is death the first by imputation the second really and sensibly for being clothed with our flesh and appearing in our persons he became the child of wrath subiect to
these for all that were before him and shall come after him being true beleeuers thirdly the graces of Christ doe farre exceed the sinne of Adam else would Saâ—â—â— in perswade thee thou art halfe saued and halfe damned for if the vertue thou hast by Christ were but equall with the corrupâ—â—on thou hast by Adam it could not produce so incomprehensible a worke as thy saluation is and therefore Rom. 5.17 it is said If by the offence of one death raigned through one much more shall they which receiue that superfluity or superabundance of grace raigne in life through one that is Christ thereby shewing that the righteousnesse of Christ made ours by grace is of greater power to bring life then was the sin of Adam to bring death to his posterity Therefore seeing through faith God reuealeth to thee these riches laid vp for thee in Christ bend thine eie toward him and he will so supply thee with spirituall wisdome as thou shalt answer with ease and comfort the sophistry and deceits of Sathan who willingly would plunge thee into terror and trouble of conscience Which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Vnto such as thus walke there is no condemnation and this is the third thing spoken of at first namely that a sanctified life must be the sure euidence of our ingrafting into Christ for howsoeuer the spirit which is within vs testifieth thus much that we are Christs and Christ is ours as 1. Cor. 2.10 The things which God hath prepared for them that loue him he hath reuealed to vs by his spirit and vers 12. We heaue not receaued the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God yet because through selfe loue no man will say but he hath the spirit therefore steppes in the other testimony of holinesse of life and this is visible reall vndeceiuable and true as 1. Ioh. 3.6.8 Whosoeuer abideth in him sinneth not and he that committeth sinne is of the diuell which place we must not vnderstand simply of sinners for all of vs are so but of such as fauour themselues in their sinnes blesse their soules in them make a trade of sinning and persist in it so as we that are made mystical members of Christ must labour to extinguish the life of any grosse sinne and not to make them the members of an harlot of an vsurer of an Idolater of a flatterer and such like for being ingrafted into Christ it is as odious in Gods sight for vs to commit these sinnes as if Christ should commit them and by them without repentance we doe rend our selues from Christ for the Sonnes of God are led by his spirit Rom. 8.14 And they are led by it that liue in it Gal. 3.25 And this life is knowen by the effects that is by walking in the spirit And they walke in it that fulfill not the lusts of the flesh Gal. 5.16 And they fulfill them not that haue crucified the flesh vers 14. And they onely haue done this that cease from sinne 1. Pet. 4.2 with a full purpose of heart to liue better for as the dead body hath no breath so must sinne haue no strength in vs and he that doeth not this is a reprobate I speake not of a finall reprobate but of a reprobate for the time for such stand in the state of condemnation But if we labour to liue godly as neere as we can after the example of Christ and make holinesse of life as the load star whereby we may be seen to direct our iourney toward heauen then this doth knit vs in the persawsion of our vnion with Christ prouided alwaies that there be speciall repentance for speciall sinnes extraordinary repentance for extraordinary sinnes great repentance for grosse sinnes and daily repentance for daily sinnes Threfore let euery of vs examine our selues what sinnes remaine in vs vnrepented and what vnsubdued what be blushing and shamefast and what be crying and insolent sinnes and let vs take the same course with them all cast them from vs and purge our selues cleane of the leauen of Sathan for a sinne supprest and not destroied will at lengh breake forth to the hinderance of our walke in the spirit and if we be stopt in this course then so long do we stagger in the assurance of our being one with Christ which is the only helmet of our saluation Secondly obserue hence the order the scripture setteth down namely that first we must be in Christ which is the cause and then we shall walke after the spirit which is the effect euen as iustification goeth before sanctification our ingrafting into Christ being our iustification and being so it causeth holinesse of life so as both must goe together making no difference betweene faith and a godly life in the person but onely in the properties and maner and therefore if it be asked who shall be saued Such as leade a sanctified life But if how we shall be saued the answer is by the merits of Christ apprehended by faith so as by faith wee are saued for the fruit maketh not the root good but the root the fruit the streames are not the cause of the fountaine but the fountaine of them and the streames are but the effects euen as breathing is the effect of life so we are not saued because of our workes and walking in the spirit but because of our faith for workes are the fruits of faith yet we shall receiue according to our workes 2. Cor. 5.10 and shal be recompensed for them not for the dignity of the worke but in the benignity of the Lord who hath accepted our persons in Christ and therefore Tit. 2.11.12 the Apostle doth not say Because we deny vngodlinesse therefore the grace of God hath brought saluation but saluation being offered in the Gospell we must thereby learne to be profitable schollers in holinesse of life So Mat. 11.28 Christ doth not call vs to ease vs of our sinnes because we liue godly after his example but faith being wrought in vs by the power of his calling vs we then liue godly euen as the thiefe vpon the crosse Luke 23.40 was no sooner called but he brought foorth fruit his confession being a token of his faith So we must first be within the couenant of God and then we shall walke in the couenant as Gen. 17.1 God said to Abraham I am sufficient therefore walke before me so that he made not his couenant with him to be his God because he walked before him but first he made his couenant with him that being assured of his protection he might more chearefully walk before him euen so fareth it with vs we are first made members of Christ and then being vnited to his body we must shew forth the life of Christ in our coÌ„uersation And here we must further learne to answer two obiections First the carnall man will say Christ hath satisfied for his breach of the law and supplied the imperfection of his
which we no sooner feele but being warned by this spirit we gather our feete the more close together to stand fast Since then this spirit of God hath set vp his rest in our soules let vs as liuely stones in this spirituall building cleanse polish our selues from all corruptions that it may take delight to continue with vs for if he come to suruey thy heart to see what roome thou hast for him and he finde euery chamber there full of some sinne and seeth that as fast as he emptieth it with one hand thou fillest it vp with another reâ—sting the power of him as if he came to torment thee he will take his flight from thee and thy sinnes shall breake out as the plague-sore vpon thee to thy vtter confusion but if thou submit thy selfe to his worke suffering him to mine and vndermine euery veine in thy body and to cleanse euery corner in thy soule and being emptied of thy corruption wilt labour in sanctification to keepe thy selfe cleane so beating downe thy fleshly thoughts and carnall desires as they shall not so much as sleepe with thee and if they chance to creepe into thy bed thou wilt spurne them out as a chaste louer wil a harlot then shal the spirit take vp thy body as his house and thou entertaining him he will keepe out all thine enemies that may disturbe thy peace with Christ Lastly where he saith But he that hath not the spirit of Christ is not his obserue that by an argument drawne from a naturall man he prooueth that as many as haue the spirit of Christ are sure of their saluation for as a naturall man who hath not the spirit is not Christs so long as hee remaineth a naturall man so consequentlie it followeth that they that haue the spirit are Christs and being his it were an absurd thing if they should not be saued for the conscience being pacified that God will accept vs in Christ we are not now perplexiuely to doubt of our saluation or how to auoid damnation for if we should doubt of our ROM chap. 8. vers 10. Vers 10 And if Christ be in you the bodie is dead because of sinne but the spirit is life for righteousnesse sake IN this verse the Apostle maketh the preuenâ—â—â—â— of a doubt which might haue risen out of the former doctrine for hee hauing before prooued that the spirit of God the spirit of Christ and Christ himselfe are in vs that are elect wee might make question of the trueth of this seeing we haue a large remnant of sinne and of the corruption of nature abiding in vs To this the Apostle answereth in this verse and those that follow First granting that so long as wee carrie about vs this bodie so long shall we carrie about vs sinne in our bodie part whereof is alreadie mortified in this life the rest can not be but by mortalitie But then in the second place that wee might not be too much deiected with this clogge of sinne we draw after vs he would haue vs with this occasion we haue to humble vs to ioyne withall the consideration of the spirit of Christ which is in vs to raise vs vp againe assuring vs that if our faith by her visible fruites can appeare in our liues that though we haue a portion of sinne which can not die but by death yet we haue the spirit of God the spirit of Christ and Christ himselfe-dwelling in vs the fruite whereof is euerlasting life in glorie obtained by the righteousnesse of Christ for vs applying himselfe in the latter part of the verse to comfort the weakenesse and to cheere vp the faint hearts of the faithfull labouring to relieue them with some spirituall consolation that notwithstanding they cannot shake off the sluggishnesse of the flesh but are taken as it were with a palsey halfe dead on the one side being compassed about with many infirmities in this life and hauing many grudgings and resistances of this earthly lumpe which is the bodie against the worke of our sanctification yet for all this the faithfull and elect may know and be assured that they are not trained foorth to fight and haue the foile nor that they are called to any doubtfull combate but to such a field where our hands shall be held vp if wee faint Exod. 17.12 as were the hands of Moses and where wee shall preuaile not onely against the Amalekites as did Ioshua which are enemies without vs but euen against the hidden enemies of our heart the rebellion of the flesh and the corrupâ—â—â—â— of nature which is contained in these words But the spirit is life so as the verse standeth on two parts First hee granteth part of the obiection namely that sinne cannot fully be shaken off Secondly to the full satisfaction of our consciences he answereth the other part of the obiection namely that notwithstanding this remainder of sinne in vs we need not be perplexed or doubt of our saluation Heere first wee are to consider of the three speciall kindes and phrases of speech the Apostle vseth in the former verses and in this concerning the spirit of God which is in vs the spirit of Christ which is in vs and Christ himselfe which is in vs. Whereby we are taught to beleeue that the whole Godhead and Trinitie dwelleth in euery Christian Howbeit concerning the spirit of God wee must know we cannot attaine vnto it but by the spirit of Christ for as the waters that boile in the earth cannot be conueied vnto vs but by wels and pipes by which we receiue of the fountaine it selfe so the spirit of God is the fountaine of life but a Well too deepe and the place too high for vs to reach to hee dwelling in a place vnaccessible and not to be approched vnto and for this cause the spirit of Christ is the well-spring and pipe which passeth this life to vs and by this we are made partakers of that life in glory so that in this respect the spirit of God is said to bee in vs and also the spirit of Christ which spirit could not be conueied vnto to vs but by the flesh of Christ God and man to reconcile vs to his Father and yet all this is but one God and one spirit as 1. Ioh. 5.7 which prooueth these two things first that Christ is God secondly that the holie Ghost proceedeth both from God and Christ because they both are but one and the selfe-same spirit is but one And in that Christ is also said to be in vs it is but the same in effect that the spirit of Christ is in vs yet are wee verily to beleeue that verie Christ is really in vs indeed yet inuisiblie and this must bee vnderstood supernaturally and therefore they that hold they are onely partakers of the graces and benefits of Christ but not of Christ himselfe cannot beleeue that Christ shall saue them for Christs benefits are so inseparablie vnited to his person as
God can haue no roome to dwell in such a soule Further from the Metaphor or borrowed speech dwelleth note that there is a residence of the holy Ghost in all those that be his so as it must not be a so iourning of the Lord with vs to come like a stranger for a night or for a meale and away againe but he must be a houshold guest to go in and out with vs so that we must know it is not euery pang of conscience or fit of prayer or hanging downe our heads for a day whereby we are sometime perplexed and wringed with sorrow that is the dwelling of the spirit in vs no more then was that fit of Balaam Numb 23.10 when he praied that his soule might die the death of the righteous and that his last end might be like his Neither is this spirit knowen to bee in thee by doing many good things for Herod Mark. 6.20 did many things at the perswasion of Iohn Baptist yet was he a most cruell incestuous bloudy tyâ—ant nor yet by leauing many euill things vndone for the very Heathen had many morall vertues which made them decline from many viâ—â—â— â—ut by this shalt thou know that thou hast this spirit if aâ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—â—osseth and repugneth thy affections if thy affections â—â—e â—â—t against it but that in the meditation and purpose of sin thou please thy selfe and take part with thy affections against God to fulfill it as Balaam did when by the proffer of riches Num. 24.13 he would faine haue cursed where the Lord had blessed it is certaine this spirit of God abideth not there but the diuell Lastly obserue since there is no hope of the resurrection but so farre as wee are sealed in this life to that glory wee shall haue heereafter by the earnest of Gods spirit giuen vnto vs we may truly say of the wicked whom the Son neuer kissed Psal 2.12 that when they die they go to the damned for he that hath not his part of this spirit in this life vnlesse the Apostle be a liar which were blasphemy to thinke that man shall neuer haue the glorie of the life to come And therefore such as do scorne and scoffe at the seruants of God as Ishmael did at Isaac Gen. 21.9 calling them Men of the spirit they do commit most sacrilegious scurrilitie and in this state wherein they stand they are as surely the diuels as the diuell is not Gods yea in this they do with their owne mouths pronounce and subscribe to their owne damnation for the Apostle saith we must haue this spirit else it is impossible to bee saued Heere it may be said Since there is only ioy and peace in the spirit how is it that the wicked runne on in the course of their life prosperously and in the end of their daies go away quietly whereas the godly walke through many snares and are in their life scratched as it were with many thornes and in their death oft times are much troubled and depart in great agonies True it is the wicked may perhaps die quietly and to the sight of man comfortably hauing as Iob speaketh no bands in their death Iob. 21.13 Psal 73.4 but looke thou iudge him no more by his death than by his birth for many women haue had more easie trauell of a reprobate than an elected child of God especially the cause of their quiet being because hypocrisie hath put their consciences to silence heere that they may soone after roare out in hell and there is such a crust growen vpon their hearts 1. Tim. 42. that they rot and fester within and feele it not whereas in the elect the 〈…〉 is kept alwaies open and wee cannot feele the least bâ—◠〈…〉 Lords displeasure but we are anguished neither can wee 〈◊〉 that we euer feare enough which tender heart of a Christiâ—â— is like the Adamant to draw the oile of comfort into his soule and to hasten and quicken the life of the spirit in him Let vs all therfore earnestly pray for this spirit hauing obtained it let vs cherish and welcome it so as it may take delight in vs for wee all know it must one day come to this In manas tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit and it is now at this In manas tuas homo commendo spiritum meum Into thy hands O man I commit my spirit And therefore as we will haue the Lord gratious to our spirits at the latter day so let vs well vse and entertaine his spirit in this acceptable time which vouchsafeth to dwell with vs. ROM chap. 8. vers 12. verse 12 Therefore we are debters not to the flesh to liue after the flesh VPon that which went before the Apostle inferreth a most vehement exhortation to this effect that seeing Christ hath saued them and freed them not onely from the condemnation of sinne but also from the power of sinne therfore the Lord doth indent with them and in them with vs all not to merit saluation but because saluation is already merited for vs to be engaged and obliged to the Lord and that since he hath taken the hand writing away from Sathan Coloss 2.14 and hath cancelled it in Christ that therfore we should be debters not to the flesh but to the spirit Hâ—â—reupon obserue that the greatest argument to perâ—◠〈◊〉 rather to inforce vs to good workes is taken from 〈…〉 of our redemption as appeareth by Saint Paul who 〈◊〉 â—â—â—t argument Rom. 12.1 I beseech you by the mercies of God that you giue vp your bodies a liuing Sacrifice vnto the Lord that since the Lord hath beene so mercifull vnto you as not to looke vpon your nakednesse but as you are cloathed in Christ you would therefore returne vnto him conformitie of obedience in sacrificing your selues vnto him After the same manner doth Saint â—eter perswade 1. Pet. 2.11 I beseech you as stangers and pilgrimes abstaine from fleshly lusts As if hee should say Since you are now a chosen generation and a people set at liberty by the death of Christ and by this meanes made Citizens of heauen walke according to the lawes of that heauenlie citie Heere are they condemned that say If by doing good works we can deserue nothing what heart can we haue to doe them And since we are bought already why should the Lord be twife fatisfied Whereto we answer that though we can deserue nothing Luk. 17.10 yet by this meanes we shew our thankfulnesse in doing as much as we can and though in all things we are vnprofitable seruants yet must wee bee thankfull for that which Christ hath done for vs. And since Christ hath fully satisfied for vs it is not further required that wee keepe the law to satisfie it but to testifie our obedience and thankes that wee are made partakers of such grace and haue receiued so great a pardon And so by this our working we
man deceiue you he beginneth with a preoccupation to possesse their minds before hand He that doth righteousnesse saith he is righteous not he that can discourse and talke of righteousnesse and therefore one saith truely Tace lingua loquerevita talke not of a good life but let thy life speake This the Apostle there proueth by the contrary for he that committeth sin is of the diuell that is he that committeth fâ—â—â—â— the world doth and doth not purge himselfe for the Apostle opposeth sinning to purging and he that is of the diuell cannot please God For therefore was Christ sent to destroy the workes of the diuell so as if these workes be not destroyed in thee and his building pulled downe Christ was neuer sent vnto thee Againe he proueth it by the contrary He that is borne of God doth not sinne for he hath the seed of the spirit therefore it is as if he should say when such wicked men shall bee saued the diuell shall be saued This is further proued by the words which Christ himselfe spake in the flesh Ioh. 8.34 He that so sinneth as to make a trade of it he is the seruant of the diuell vers 44. and if no chastisements nor benefites can reclaime you ye are the diuels for the lusts of your father ye will doe Lastly adde to this that of the new couenant made with Israel and so with vs Ier. 31.31 I will write my law in their hearts vers 33. And I will be their God and they shall bee my people So as if God pardoneth any hee doth promise him grace to amend his life and if that grace be denied him he neuer couenanted to saue him The couenant then implieth thus much If thou hast not grace to abstaine from grosse sinnes thou shalt be damned and if thou hast the grace of sanctification giuen thee thou shalt be saued But if ye mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit c. This is the second proposition which the Apostle layeth downe namely that a good course of life leadeth to a good end Wherein first is questionable whether it standeth in the power of the heart of man to subdue the corrupt desires and affections of his nature as well as it doth to fulfill the lusts of the flesh for 2. Tim. 2.20.21 Paul shewing how that in a great house there be vessels some for honour and some for dishonour some for base and some for higher seruices which house he meaneth to be the Church of God saith that if any man purge himselfe hee shall be a fit vessell for Gods house and 1. Ioh. 5.18 He that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe from that wicked one which is the diuell that he touch him not Which places may seeme to attribute the purifying and cleansing of our selues to our selues by our owne inclinations and wils but it must be vnderstood that the Scripture in these and such like places setteth not downe the cause of this cleansing but the execution of it For the cause of this our mortification appeareth Ezech. 36.26 I saith the Lord will giue you a new heart and a new spirit so as there it must be had euen of God but it must be in vs otherwise we pertaine not to the Lords election Hereupon the Scripture vouchsafeth vs that honour to say we do it because notwithstanding the reforming of our iudgements and the changing of our affections is wrought by the supernaturall power of the holy Ghost working in vs yet this holy Ghost doth worke in vs as the subiects and by vs as the instruments as when it is said I will write my law in your hearts the spirit writes but the heart is the place and whatsoeuer is written in our hearts is ours To make this more plaine by a naturall proportion As a man that rectifieth and guideth the hand of a child to write the writing is said to be the worke of the child and not of him that directed him though without such direction the child could not haue done it euen so the Lord doth guide vs in all things we doe well and what doth hee guide but our wils so as the worke proceeding from our wils is ours yet without the guide of the spirit we could not doe it And in this working there is not a double effect one of the holy Ghost and another of our selues but we doe it euen as before there were not two writers though the child was directed but the child onely writ it Secondly where it is said If ye mortifie c. ye shall liue it may be demanded whether by the same reason we deserue saluation by this mortifying of our fleshâ— as by walking in the flesh we deserue damnation It is certaine vnlesse we doe well we can not be saued yet the holy Ghost sheweth that there is not the same perfection to doe well in our natures as there is in vs agilitie and dexterity to follow wickednesse For by our fall we are throughly corrupted as the Prophet Esay speaketh chap. 1.6 From the sole of the foot to the top of the head there is nothing but wounds and swelling but by our regeneration in this life we can neuer perfectly bee renued It sufficeth we haue obtained the blessing of Iacob Gen. 32.28.29 to haue such power from God as to be lame in sinne all our life long So Paul Rom. 6.23 saith The wages of sinne is death but the gift of God is eternall life through Christ whereby appeareth that the contraries themselues are not perfect for sinne of it selfe deserueth death but being good of it selfe deserueth not life for it is the gift of God and so the consequents of these two cannot be perfect and agree together Againe it is one question to aske who shall be saued and another to aske how we shall be saued for true it is that none shall be saued but they that mortifie themselues if they liue and for children they are changed in a moment by a supernaturall power of the Lord. As it is said Esa 33.14 Who shall dwell with the deuouring fire He that walketh in iustice and speaketh righteous things refusing the gaine of oppression shaking his hands from taking of gifts stopping his eares from hearing of blood and shutting his eies from seeing of euill And Dauid Psal 15.1 asketh the question and bringeth in the Lord to answer it Who shall dwell in thy tabernacles He that walketh vprightly he that taketh no reward against the innocent and such like as it followeth there as if the Lord should say Such and none else for the words haue an exclusiue nature So if it be asked who they be that shall be set at the right hand of God in heauen Mat. 25.34.41 it must be answered They that visite the members of Christ in affliction and leade their liues answerable to their religious profession And if Who they be that shall be set on the left hand the answere is They that refuse to releeue the
recouered the vse of all the creatures wee lost in Adams fall so as wee haue interest in them all how euer the Lord in wisedome hath seuered and distinguished them in a property yea we haue such interest in them as the world should not stand not the Sunne shine but for the elects sake And all the wicked in the last day shall answer for euery crumme of bread that they haue eaten for they doe but vsurpe vpon the Lords creatures in as much as being excluded from the tree of life they are thereby excluded from all things that should maintaine life and though now the Lord permit them to abound in these earthly treasures yet they shall haue double torment for their single ioy for they are neuer in their owne house but when they are in hell as it was said of Iudas Mat. 27. 5. Act. 1.25 when he hanged himselfe that he went to his owne place The second priuiledge wee haue is this that being heires with Christ these is nothing but shall be made by God to further our saluation euen as Saint Paul being rauished as it were with the constant hope of this inheritance in the conclusion of this chapter giuing the challenge in this spirituall conflict to see if there be any thing can bee able to separate him from the loue of God for we are Lords of all the creatures sauing of Angels and our fellow heire Christ Iesus is head of Angels and they â—â—e but ministers for our good As for the wicked they shall be as well able to saue themselues without God as to hurt vs hauing God and the worst they can do is but to send vs to God And as for Sathan his darts hee casteth at vs they are turned aside in the armour of Christ and the floods he casteth foorth to deuoure vs shall neuer come neare vs Reu. 12.15 2. Cor. 12.8 and his buffettings are preseruatiues against presumption as Paul witnesseth of himselfe If wee suffer with him This is a transition or passing ouer of the Apostle to perswade vs to affliction for wee would haue the head crowned with thornes and the members clad with veluer but it may not be so for there must bee a conformity and resemblance with the head and the members Now this is the second reason the Apostle vseth to make vs sure of this heauenly â—â—keritance namely that wee must first be afflicted The cause why this is brought in is this Paul vers 1. had giuen the greatest comfort to a Christian that could be when he said There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Now there are two things that make the very elect to demurre and stay vpon this whether there be any condemnation to them or no first the apprehension of their many sinfull infirmities as if they should say Is it possible the life of God should be in mee that I should be shapen after Gods image that Christ should bee my sanctification and yet that I should be subiect to so many grieuous infirmities To this the Apostle answereth True it is there bee in them many things graciously qualified by the prefence of the Lords spirit yet during this our seafare and pilgrimage in this life there must bee a combat and a strife betweene the deceit of sinne and the strength of grace howbeit by patience and perseuerance we shall ouercome not some part of the world but euen the whole world and our owne concupiscence 1. Ioh. 5.4 which is stronger then death not but that there shall be left some fragments and reliques of corruption in vs for Paul heere doth not say There is no matter of condemnation left within vs but that vncleannesse is so washed away in Christ and we are so sanctified by his spirit as there remaineth for vs no condemnation God being satisfied in his Sonne Sath an being vanquished and the powers of our sinful flesh being tamed and subdued The seâ—◠〈◊〉 thing that maketh vs to doubt whether condemnation 〈◊〉 not due to vs is the apprehension of our many afflictions wherewith we are tossed and encumbred in this life as when wee shall consider that we are made blessed by Christs curse and healed by his stripes then we breake foorth into this And is it possible that I am one of these and yet am so miserably intreated in this life Hath Christ â—â—â—â—e through the sorrowes and agonies of this life Hath he booke in sunder the bands of death and all to make me way to that glorie wherein he now sitteth and shall lâ—et be so burdened and so sore oppressed with anguish of spirit and griese of bodie This cogitation and thought worketh and ingendreth a feare in the weake soule lest God should be angry and much displeased with them because he feedeth them with the water of sorrow and bread of affliction and maketh them as the spirit speaketh passe through fire and water that is through many miseries diuers in kind and extreme in measure But thus the holy Ghost to proue the first verse of this chapter true sheweth this to be the high and beaten way to heauen and that there is no way but that which Christ hath gone before vs for somewhat for godlinesse we must be persecured Ioh. 5.17 Heb. 12.6 and being chastised of the Lord it is certaine we are no bastards So as the bearing of this crosse must and ought to be another seale to assure vs of the inheritance which we shall haue and not to be dismaied though it goe hard with vs in this life for we must thinke it no disgrace nor disparagement to be of the honour of the same order our elder brother Christ was of that is appointed and set foorth daily for the slaughter laid open to the viperous tongs of many glorious and proud Pharisees but as Christ had his crosse as it were his ladder to lift him and carry him vp aboue the heauens as the Greeke translation is so must we looke by the same rounds to ascend to the same place Out of this therfore ariseth to all the godly double comfort first that we shall be no otherwise vsed of the Lord then Christ his naturall sonne was vpon whom the very sea of his fierce wrath did fall secondly that as we haue Christ a fellow and companion in our sufferings so Christ hath vs companions and partakers of his glorie If we suffer with him Heere are two things to be considered first the precise necessity and as it were a fatall kind of destiny whereunto God hath made all those subiect that shall be saued namely that they must taste of the cup of affliction and drink of the dregs therof expresly set downe in these words We are heires if we suffer The second is the double fruite and benefit we reape by this affliction first that Christ hath tasted more deepely of tribulation then we shall secondly that in recompeâ—â—ce of our sufferings we shall heereafter bee partners with him in â—â—â—â—state
exceedeth all number and it is not possible for our thoughts to reach or to conceiue any end of it For this glory is like God the giuer of it that must be embraced for the excellency of it and thirsted after for the eternity of it Now as the Apostle heere perswadeth the necessity and yeeldeth the reason for patience in our afflictions Heb. 10.35 by the eternity of the glory which waiteth vpon vs as the iust recompence of our reward so must we learne to disswade from the pleasures of sin by the greatnesse and continuance of the sense of torment that waiteth on them And this standch in two points the first is called sensus poenae the feeling and smart of punishment which is aggrauated and made heauier in three respects first in the vniuersalitie of it that no part shall be free from torment but euery ioynt in thy body and euery power of thy soule shall be pained and vexed which is not so in this life saue onely in a fellow-feeling of one member with another for neuer any man was tormented in all the singular parts of his body at one instant Secondly in the extremity of it that as they shall be tormented in all parts at one time and that continually so one damned spirit shall be vexed more then another for as there be here degrees of sinnes so shall there be heereafter degrees of smart and punishments as Christ speaking of Hierusalem said It shall be easier for Sodme then for this citie and yet Sodome was in hell Thirdly in the necessity of it Mat. 11.23 the greatnesse of this their torment being much increased in that they shall haue no meanes to ease and lift vp or releeue themselues for they shall be bound hand and foote that they cannot stirre as we may see by the vsage of him that came to the Lords feast without his wedding garment And for the eternity of their torment Mat. 22.13 if they should suffer no more yeeres then there bee creatures on earth it were some comfort because they might espie some light of deliuerance but when there shall be no more heauens and when God shall leaue to be God and to lose his glory then the damned ghosts shall be eased The second aggrauation of their punishment is in this damno loci in the losse of heauen for it shall not so much vex them that they be tormented as that they haue lost those ioyes they see the Saints of God enioy This shall make them murmure and gnash their teeth and vpon their apprehension and conceauing of that they haue lost shall follow the remorse and sting of conscience that in their life time they despised to labour in mortification and newnesse of life for there are none damned Reuel 20.12 but their owne hearts shall tell them they are iustly damned Vers 23. And not onely the creature but we also which haue the first fruits of the spirit euen we doe sigh in our selues waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of our body c. to the 26. verse The Apostle still enlargeth the weight of glory spoken of before prouing it to be so great that the very frame of heauen and earth and all other creatures doe waite for the restitution and deliuerance of mankinde at which time they shall receiue their originall excellency Now Paul vseth an argument from the lesse to the greater that if the beasts and other insensible things which be accursed and subiect to this corruption by reason of the bondage whereinto man by his fall was inthralled and cast into do labour as it were in trauell till men be glorified and themselues for our sakes restored then how much more should wee wait for the reuelation of this glory wee that are sealed with the first fruites of the spirit and which in the Gospell may behold as it were in a glasse a great glimce and shew of this glory sigh after and wait for this great and glorious day not that wee should wish simply to be vnclothed but as the Apostle speaketh 2. Cor. 5.2.3 to be clothed vpon with our house from heauen and not so much that our selues might die as that sinne might be extinguished and our sanctification perfected Howbeit in this affection of ours there must be two things the first sighing and groning the second a patient waiting for that we hope for Where consider what that is we wait for and sigh for the Apostle heere calleth it adoption that is the accomplishment of that glory whereto wee are in Christ adopted or as himselfe expounds it the redemption of mankind euen as Dauid was King when he was anointed but he staied long for the reall possession of it and as Abraham had the land of Canaan giuen him which was performed 400. yeeres after In waiting and expecting for this redemption obserue and hold it as a principle and ground that howsoeuer the Philosophers haue dreamed of a simple immortality of the soule alone yet that we know and learne that except the body which we beare about vs be restored also the immortality of the soule is abolished otherwise it were a lame and imperfect restitution and otherwise in vaine had Iob said chap. 19.26 Though after my skinne wormes destroy this body yet shall I see God in my flesh that is body and soule at the last day which is also plainely expressed heere by the Apostle in these words Redemption of the body Further obserue hence the dulnesse blockishnesse of man that is to take example and to be taught his duty euen of the insensible creatures who in their kind by the very instinct of nature can grone for the day of mans redemption and yet man himselfe though spurred on and prouoked can hardly be drawen to that duty which may teach euery one of vs to bee more watchfull in our Christian exercises that wee may learne to know and desire to approch neere the day of our redemption lest the creatures that want the vse of reason rise vp against vs to condemne vs for they faile nothing so much in their duties as man doth Pro. 30.25 nay Salomon sendeth the sluggard to the Ant and Pismire who by his sommer-labour prouideth for a hard and stormy winter Christ will haue vs learne innocency of the Doue and wisdome and prouidence of the Serpent and the Apostle heere will not haue a Christian man short of the creatures who traâ—ell in paine to bee deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God and therefore much more must we sigh for this redemption of our body wherein wee our selues haue the greatest interest Further in that the Apostle saith We doe sigh in our selues we learne that it is the dutie of euery Christian to be touched at the hart and to be prickt in his conscience as generally for the wickednesse of the whole world so particularly and more narowly for his owne sinnes for these be they whereby
nature but this is onely spoken in way of comparison by a figuratiue or borrowed speech speaking that of the dumbe creature which is onely to be applied to vs of vnderstanding for if there be such a feruent desire a longing a sighing and a mourning in these senselesse creatures for our deliuerance from this bondage of corruption vnder which wee are now held how much greater then should our desires willes and affections our sighings and mournings be who are sensibly and feelingly to be made partakers of this heauenly glorie and to this end is their feruencie brought in to stirre vs vp to the like or greater as a thing more neerely concerning vs. The like phrase of Scripture attributing life sense desire and affections to dumbe creatures is vsed in many places as Psal 114.3.4 When Israel went out of Egypt the sea saw it and fled Iordan was driuen backe the mountains leaped like rams and the hilles like lambes and vers 7. The earth trembled at the presence of the Lord the Prophet bringing in the creatures magnifying and reioicing at the maiestie of God in the destruction of his enemies and at his mercy in the deliuerie of his Saints that since these sensilesse creatures in their obedience in their kinde seemed to see this glorie and triumph at it much more should the people themselues that visibly saw it and sensibly felt it be rauished as it were with ioy at the so powerful presence of the Lord in making the sea as the drie land for their escape and rescue from the sword of their enemies After the like maner doth Dauid Psa 148.2.5 bring in the creatures in course as they were created praising the Lord in their kinde not in any forme or phrase of speech but the beautie of the Lord appearing in them by their obedience in obseruing that course wherein they are set heereby inuiting and stirring vs vp that haue sense feeling reason and vnderstanding to be more mindfull in our praise and thankesgiuing to God who are filled with greater plenty and haue a more spirituall and diuine beautie shining in vs than they haue So Esay the Prophet chap. 14.7.8.9 in derision of the tyrannie of the king of Babel bringeth in the whole world singing for ioy the firre trees and the Cedars of Lebanon reioicing and hell it selfe mooued at the death of so gold-thirsty an oppressor as he was as if it feared lest hee would trouble the dead as he did the liuing teaching vs by this that if the insensible creatures doe seeme to spread their boughes and bud foorth their flower at the destruction of tyrants as bringing rest and quiet to them how much more should we be affected at it that taste the smart of their crueltie and are kept but as a spoile and pray to saciate their bloudie and butcherly desires So Ionah 3.7 sackcloth must be put vpon the beasts and they must be kept from feeding as if they sorrowed for the affliction hung ouer their land not that they had sinned or could haue any affection of griefe in them but by this that the people might the more acknowledge their vnwoorthinesse as deseruing iustly not onely to be plagued of God in their persons but euen to be depriued of the vse and beenfit of the creatures whereby their present life was maintained And thus are the creatures brought in heere by the Apostle as inwardly smitten with sorrow for the sin of man and for his pollutions on the earth and longing after the aduancement of the sonnes of God to glory to set the sharper edge on vs who are to taste as it were the full cup of the Lords bountie and glorie in the highest heauens who will thus exalt the horne of his Saints Further vnderstand that by Creature in this place is meant all the creatures in the world as appeareth vers 22. where it is said that euery creature comprehending all doth grone with vs howbeit there are two sorts of creatures heere exempted namely Angels and men both elect and reprobate for the Angels elect they wait not as groning vnder vanity otherwise they desire it for the reuelation or triumph of Gods Saints in heauen because they alwaies stand before the Lord behold his glory Mat. 18.10 It is true indeed as Lu. 15.10 That the Angels of God reioice at the conuersion of a sinner because more glory is brought to God by his saluation but they need not this affection of groning or sighing heere spoken of because they are in paradise before the throne of God already Neither can it be meant of the reprobate Angels the brood of the diuell for first they wait not for vs vnlesse it be as Ren. 12.4 the dragon waited for the deliuerie of the woman to destroy vs neither doe they waite vpon vs vnlesse it be as Matth. 4.1 the tempter waited vpon Christ in the wildernesse Secondly they waite not for themselues for they feare nothing so much as the perfecting of Gods elect in number because that is the time of the perfefection of then torment at which they tremble Lames 2.19 the diuell euer thinking that Christ hasteneth too fast and commeth before his time to torture him Now for men it is not ment in this verse of the elect as appeareth by the words themselues for the waiting is not by them but by the creatures for them till they shall be restored to their libertie in glorie and so much is plainly set foorth vers 23. And not onely the creature but wee also that haue the first fruits of the spirit do sigh c. bringing the elect their waiting in by themselues not folding them vp in the general word creature Concerning the reprobate it is not meant of them for they are but of two sorts the one such as Peter speaketh of 2. Pet. 3.3.4 There shall come mockers which shall walke after their lusts and say where is the promise of his comming thinking because the Lord hath beene patient so long therefore the day of iudgement is but a tale to keepe men in awe So as these men cannot waite for Christs comming since they denie it and deride it the other are such as know there shall be a day of reckoning but feare it and put it farre off as loth to see it as their father the diuell because then they shall receaue according to that they haue wroughâ—â— the flesh which at that time shall turne to their sighing and groaning because they denied to themselues sorrow and griefe in the flesh So as all creatures but men and Angels are meant heere where we see the concordance and agreement as it were of the whole frame of heauen and earth not â—arring but ioining in one that they might be at the end of their labour and vanitie by their dissolution and change of their subiection into immortalitie Where it is said When the sonnes of God shall be reuealed we may vnderstand it fiue waies First that it is spoken in this
them that be halfe dead through cold euen so the holy Ghost not onely warmeth him that is benummed in his soule but quickeneth him that is starke dead in pleasures and other corruptions of the world and doth kindle in him a holy zeale to the Lords truth and raiseth him vp to the hope of eternall life being before though hee seemed to liue through the dulnesse and obstupefaction of his flesh drouping or rather dead in sinne Fourthly fire giueth light to them that before sat in darknesse and sheweth them the way how to walke so the holy Gost doth enlighten our iudgments and vnderstandings that we may be able to discerne and desire to thirst after that acceptable will of the Lord vnto saluation Secondly consider since the holy Ghost cannot be quenched but where he is how the Apostle writing to the whole Church of Thessalonica assumeth and taketh it as granted that they all had this spirit and this ought to be the generall iudgement of all men so long as a people conforme themselues to the outward obedience and sound of the Gospell to presume and hope the best of all For no doubt many in this Church were accompted Saints which were detestable hypocrites yet in respect of this mingling of the seede and tares together the Apostle medleth not with them leauing that to the last iudgement but signeth them all with this excellent badge of hauing the spirit for so ought it to be vnlesse their sinnes be enormous and notorious and that they sinne and offend with so high a hand as that they refuse the censure of the Church and to be thereby reformed for then they are vtterly to bee cut off and separate from the rest of the Saints And this intermingling of hypocrites and the elect together in the visible church maketh that oftentimes the Apostle in a generall stile disswadeth and dehorteth all from that which can be verified in the wicked onely as when he saith Heb. 3.12 Take heed none of you be so vnfaithfull as to fall from the grace of the liuing God which is true onely in the hypocrite and so doth hee sometimes generally exhort to that which is true onely in the elect as when he saith to the Philippians Worke fourth your saluation with feare and trembling Phil. 2.12 for all the Ministers of God must know that there will alwaies be one Iudas among the Disciples Mat. 26.22 whom Christ onely could discouer but for them that cannot see the heart they must offer the cup of grace to all for the tares cannot be seuered from the wheat till that great day of separation come when then the Lord by his Angels shall cut vs all downe and shall binde the tares in bundles by themselues to be cast from the Lords floore into perpetuall tormenting flaming fire Againe learne since the spirit must not be quenched that it followeth of necessity euery one of Gods children must haue it and think it so far from shame as they must esteeme it to be their onely victory and crowne that they do enioy it For first by this spirit there is made a distinction and differnce betweene vs and the reprobate and it is like the bloud Exod. 12.22 that was stricken vpon the doore tops which shall make the Lord to passe ouer vs and not to suffer the destroier to come neare vs when he goeth to smite the Egyptians and as Paul saith 2. Cor. 13.5 The spirit of God is in vs all except we be reprobates Secondly from this spirit we receiue direction whereby to guide the steps and actions of our life that we snarle not at the Ministers like dogs nor runne after the world like Demas 2. Tim. 4.10 Thirdly in this spirit we reape such comfort as all the lightsome pleasures of this life are but as shadowes and all the burdensome profit of this life of no value in respect of that ioy wee take to be transformed into the image of the sonne of God wherby the slanderous speeches and impious and sacrilegious scurrility of some is notably condemned who in scorne and derision doe call such as are fearefull to offend and doe tremble and quake at the name of sinne men of the spirit Puritanes precise and such like they themselues shrinking vp sinne in a narrow scantling as if none offended but they that lie in the goale But what is he that hauing a waspe about him will stay till he be stung and not auoide it at the first buzzing What is he when he hath roome inough that will ride vpon the edge of a pit and venture his falling Nay 1. Thes 5.22 it must be the wisedome of the Saints of God to flie as far from sinne as can be and as the Apostle saith to shun all apparence of euill and we must not be fraighted from the rule of conscience nor from walking in a strait course of religion by any such prophane and vngodly mouthes which carry the poison of Aspes vpon their tongues and the gall of bitternesse within their hearts and let them know that in this state wherein they stand they are as surelie the diuels as the diuell is not Gods for in whomsoeuer this spirit of God dwelleth not and worketh not that man shall assuredly be damned Now this exhortation not to quench the spirit is very weighty for by this the Apostle teacheth insinuateth of the feareful declinations of some that haue begun in the spirit and haue ended in the flesh that haee saluted Christ in the market place and yet neuer entertained him in their houses For that the spirit may be quenched Mat. 25.3 Mark 4.4 is proued by the fiue virgines that had their lamps but wanted oile and by the parable of the foure sorts of graine whereof only one shall be saued for therby is manifest that the Gospell may be receiued with ioy yea it may take root to grow vp to a stalke and from a stalke to a blade yea from a blade to an eare and yet shall neuer ripen but when it is gone so farre shall either be burned vp by the heat of persecution or choked by the thornes of this life and shall neuer come to perfection Againe that parable which carieth with it a reall truth of the spirit which being cast out of a man walketh in dry places for so much is Sathan cast out as wee are enlightned in our iudgements Luk. 11.24 but when he returnes he finds it more garnished then before that is after he hath once refused and troden vnder foote that light of knowledge which he had hee is possessed with such darknesse as hee is wholly left a prey for Sathan It is also proued that the spirit may be quenched by plaine places of Scripture as that of Ezechiel 18.24 the man that liueth in righteousnesse a long time after falling away shall bee iudged in his vnrighteousnesse and 2. Peter 2.22 the dogge is returned to his vomire and the sow that was washed
grace of God the second is the matter of instruction and this is to be considered two waies first by shewing what things we are to forbeare which is twofold first vngodlinesse in respect of religion secondly worldly lusts as furtherers to prophannesse Secondly by shewing what things we must incline vnto which be three first sobrietie of life secondly to liue righteously toward men for the duties of the second table thirdly to liue religeouslie in respect of the worship of God Last in verse 13 there is propounded an effectuall meanes whereby we may be the better affected and more earnestly prouoked 〈◊〉 follow this counsell which is an expectation or hoping for of a more excellent glorie which shall be giuen at the appearing of the Lord Iesus for hardly can a man throughly mortifie himselfe vnlesse he propound to himselfe a more excellent reward in the life to come For the first that is the grace of God which is the teacher this that is so called heere may be iudged and resolued to be the Gospell or the doctrine of the Gospell by the end of the tenth verse that yee may saith the Apostle adorne the doctrine of the Gospell which is called grace by the effect it worketh in the hearts of men namely because it bringeth vs to the grace of Christ through the remission of our sinnes in his precious bloud And therefore Paul Rom. 1.16 calleth the Gospell the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth whatsoeuer he bee Iew or Grecian and Eph. 1.13 sheweth how that by trusting and beleeuing in the word of truth the Gospel of our saluation we are sealed with the holie spirit of promise And 2. Thes 2.10 the reason is giuen why men are reiected and cast from Christ because they receiue not the loue of the truth that they might be saued For as S. Peter saith 1. Pet. 4.17.18 Where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare and what shall be the and of them that obey not the Gospell Secondly this grace of God doth perswade vs thus to liue as is heere prescribed by this token that it bringeth saluation so as obserue he doth not say simply The grace of God hath appeared and teacheth vs c. but that grace which bringeth saluation doth beseech and teach vs to reforme our liues because saluation is already purchased Euen so Christ and his forerunner Iohn Baptist Matt. 3.2 preached amendement of life for remission of sinnes because the kingdome of God was at hand that is the Gospell so called because none shall enter into that kingdome that hath not first entered into the kingdome of grace So Paul when he had folded and enwrapped all vnder sinne and had taught the points of our predestination Rom. 9.10 in the 12. chapter and 1. verse he beseecheth them by the bowels of the Lord Iesus to be renewed in their mindes and reformed in their liues And Rom. 6.12 he exhorteth them that sinne may not raigne nor haue dominion ouer them because they are called to the grace of the Gospell to bee iustified in the blood of Christ So Peter 1. Pet. 1.17 from our redemption draweth an exhortation to new life If saith he yee call God father passe your time in feare and Paul 1. Cor. 6.20 exhorteth to glorifie God in our members because we are his and not our owne being bought with a great price So as this is the most effectuall persawsion that can bee â— Cor. 7. â— because we are alreadie washed to keepe ourselues cleane Further obserue that the Gospell being brought in heere not simply perswading vs to purity cleannesse of life but as bringing saluation with it that as all benefites may perswade so there bee three sorts of benefites especially that may perswade most of which saluation is the greatest The first kind of benefite to perswade by is deliuerance from some great extremity the second is an aduancement from a base estate to some high dignity the third is a benefite that ioyneth both these together and this is most forcible How farre the first of these may preuaile Dauid sheweth 1. King 1.29 who when hee would assure Barsheba his wife that Salomon should succeed him in his kingdome to giue the best security he could he protested As the Lord liueth that hath deliuered my soule from aduersity thy sonne Salomon shall raigne after me as if he should say as hee was to bee thankfull and obedient to the Lord for these his deliuerances so he would pledge and gage this to her vpon the certainety of Salomons succession For the second sort when from a base condition a man is aduanced to some speciall preferment and how this preuaileth appeareth in Ioseph Gen. 39.8.9 who by the force of this argument beateth backe the assaults of his Ladie and Mistresse for he bearing in minde the speciall benefites of his master towards him reasoneth thus I Ioseph by my masters fauour am now the greatest in all his house being at first a bond-man there is nothing but he hath committed to my charge onely thee hath he reserued to him selfe how is it possible then I should commit such a villany to so kinde and bountifull a master making his owne aduancement as a bulwarke to driue backe the siege of his mistresse incontinency thereby euen to stoppe her mouth by appealing to her owne conscience that weighing how his master had dealt with him there could bee no excuse for him if hee should commit such a villany For the third wherein both these concurre what heart can bee so vngratefull as not to bee perswaded to yeeld obedience to him that hath performed both these If a man committing some criminall offence and when the stroke was euen ready to be giuen in that very instant of his anguished minde as for death it selfe so for so shamefull a death the King should send him a pardon and after aduance him to some honorable office therby to grace him for his former indignitie and to cleare him of his former blemish if this man should haue any suite recommended to him from his King which sute should carry with it some remembrance of his deliuerance were it possible for that man but to execute this commandement and to further this suite with great loyaltie Surely hee could not but doe it Let vs see then how farre the Gospell may preuaile with vs since it hath brought saluation which implieth and presupposeth that there was damnation before for wee were the heires of Sathan without Christ without light wrapped in the chaines of darknesse ordained not to the execution of the gibbet but to bee iudged after the passing of a few daâ—es in trouble and vanity to be tormented eternally with the damned from this hath the Gospell brought vs therefore when we are tempted to sinne we should say vnto our selues As the Lord liueth that hath deliuered my soule from death I will not doe it and haue this suite commended vnto thee not to wallow in the
in a holy conuersation Heere will be obiected since workes are so precisely vrged what say wee to the faith of the theefe vpon the crosse what workes did he and by this example many betray their soules in presuming of the like grace Wee answer that this was a particular priuiledge giuen to that theefe euen as a pardon may bee giuen to a man vpon the gallowes and if any embolden himselfe heereupon perhaps the rope will be his hire and it is not good to put it vpon the Psalme of Miserere and the necke-verse for sometime he proueth no Clarke And for this theefe the Lord neuer did it but to one that none might presume and yet hee did it to one and did saue one in the exigent of his life that none might despaire Secondly this was a worke reserued for the manifestation of the power of the Sonne of God that he should beleeue in his fellow sufferer and desire him to saue him that when the Pharisees denied him to be the Sonne of God yet a poore wretch and a theefe should confesse it Thirdly we must not regard the shortnesse of his confession but consider the time and circumstance when and before whom this confession was made euen then when no man durst defend the innocencie of the Sonne of God when the Pharisees left him when all his Disciples were scattered and when Marie his mother that stood a farre off and knew him to be the Sonne of God and yet spake nothing in his defence whereby she finned against the first table She was his mother and saw him put to death vniustly and yet would not testifie of his innocencie whereby she bore false witnesse against him so sinned against the ninth commaundement being her sonne she did not comfort him vpon the crosse and so sinned against the fift commaundement yet when all these either doubted of his diuinity or despaired the poore theefe did confesse him to be that Christ the Sonne of God who â—â—d Paradise to dispose Lastly know that he was such a wretch that he neuer knew God before and therefore was it no maruell though he committed felonie but as soone as the Lord knockt at his heart first he confesseth Christ to be God and to die an innocent Luk. 23.41 We suffer righteously but this man hath done nothing amisse wherein he wrought a worke of the first table secondly he reprooued his fellow who raned on Christ wherein he wrought a worke of the second table So as this example of the theefe is no warrant to deferre or trifle off our repentance till the last houre for hee wrought as soone as hee was called If therefore the Lord hath offered vnto vs the riches of his mercie let vs in the acceptable time embrace it and not abuse his long suffering by growing more leane and ill-fauoured by these many yeeres wee haue had of religious peace and plentie but let vs returne vnto him while he is in the way before darknesse too fast ouer-grow our soules and before death snatch vs away into the graue For the similitude which is vers 26. obserue onely that it agreeth not in all points for the soule is the cause of the life of the body but so are not good works the cause of faith but only an effect and fruit of it for faith giueth life to good works and faith worketh by loue in the person instified for we must as hath bene said first be good before we can do good and we are made good spiritually by our regeneration in Christ and we being ingrafted into him then we do good so as the meaning only of the Apostle is by this similitude to shew that when a dead man being dead can speake which is impossible then faith which hath no workes and so is but a dead faith shall iustifie and saue vs. 1. IOHN chap. 3. vers 9.10 verse 9 Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not for his seed remaineth in him neither can he sinne because he is borne of God verse 10 In this are the children of God knowen and the children of the diuell who so doth not righteousnesse is not of God neither he that loueth not his brother THE Apostle in the beginning of this chapter first setteth downe that God the Father by his euerlasting loue in his Sonne hath bestowed vpon the faithfull this priuiledge to be called the sonnes of God in the sonne of God Christ Iesus Secondly that this dignity to bee the sonne of God and so to be called is not to be discerned by the men of the world because they haue not knowen the Sonne hauing not his spirit for spirituall things cannot be discerned by them that haue nothing but fleshly policy Thirdly as this cannot be discerned of the world so it is impossible our selues should sufficiently conceiue of it while we remaine in the tabernacle of this life because there is another glory we expect vers 2. Fourthly he setteth downe an effect inseparable from this adoption As many as are the sonnes of God and haue this hope of future glory they striue to reformation of life not to be equally pure but to bee like pure to the Lord Iesus This hee prooueth first from the institution of the law God neuer ordained the law neither after our creation nor after our redemption but to bee kept and the reason is thus The breach of the law is a disparagement swinge and sinne it perfect strength Thirdly the godly eâ—e said not to sinne be 〈◊〉 he laboureth to walke in all the commandements of the Lord. Now he that walketh in the right way may somtime fall but if hee doe heâ— striueth to regaine it by greater carefulnesse and speedier passageâ— but the wicked goe cleane out of the way as if heauen stood at hell gate Lastly because in the godly there is a combat for there is two men in them in the inward man they would faine please God and by the outward as Saint Paul saith they are made captiue to sinne Rom. 7.23 but in a meere naturall man there is nothing but flesh and so no combat for where all is one there is no diuision and if there be any strife in him it is betweene his conscience and himselfe in iudgement conuincing him that it is sinne and not betweene his conscience and his affection misliking it as it is sinne for this is easily seene by his often relapse into the same sinne Now for the reason hee doth not sinne because the holy Ghost which is the seed of our second birth remaineth in him neither can he sin and this is proued by two places of scripture first Rom. 8.1 where the Apostle proueth these two graces inseparable iustification from sinne and sanctification from sinne thus There is no condemnation to him that liueth a spirituall man this is proued vers 5. by contraries They that liue after the flesh sauour the things of the flesh but he that is borne of God cannot doe so for then