heare read or think of these sufferings of Christ they may rather see cause for euer to abhorre the doctrine of merit seeing heerby we proclaim our selues to bee worthy of the very merits of Christ that can be so little affected with the thought of his suffrings Thus of the matter of Christ's sufferings The effects follow and the effects in respect of vs are named to be three First the death of sin secondly the life of grace thirdly the healing of our natures That we being dead to sin Men may be said to die diuers waies First in respect of nature when the Frame of nature is dissolued by the parting of the soule from the body Secondly in respect of God when God is departed from men with his grace and righteousnes and fauour thus wicked men are spiritually dead Eph. 2.1 and 4.17 1. Tim. 5.6 Thirdly in respect of the world when a man is ouerwhelmed with crosses especially such as are ioyned with disgrace in his reputation hee is said to be dead and his life to be hid vnder those afflictions being despised and forgotten as a dead man out of minde Col. 3.3 Esay 26.19 Fourthly in respect of sinne and so men either are dead for sinne as malefactors or dead in sinne as all wicked men or dead to sinne as the godly heer To take the soule from the body is the death of all men To take GOD from the soule is the death of all wicked men To take sinne from the soule is the death of all godly men To bee dead to sinne then is to be mortified in respect of sinne Sinne is said to be dead either in appearance or in deed In appearance onely it is dead in such as haue their sinnes onely restrained for a time either by God's owne strong hand or else by themselues kept downe for certain hypocriticall ends or else for want of occasion or temptation to stir the sin thus sinne was dead in Paul when hee was vnregenerate and reuiued when the Law came Rom. 7.9 Sinne is dead in deed in godly men but with a difference for though in this life they bee wholly rid of many sinnes yet some corruptions are not wholly remoued yet are they dead to them in the inchoation of it their sins lie a-dying but in the life to-come they shall be wholly and fully deliuered from all sin Thus of the sense There be many doctrines may bee hence obserued as Doct. 1. First it is euidently heer implied that all men by nature and out of Christ are aliue to sin or liue to sin and in sinning they may bee said to liue or be aliue or liue to it in diuerse respects 1. Because all the parts of their life are full of sinne sinne infecteth their persons and their works 2. Because they are in bondage to sin so as all their life they are at the command of sin they are seruants of sin Rom. 6. 3. Because they account sinne to bee the life of their liues they could not esteem life but for the hope of liberty and power of sinning It were a death to them to liue restrained of sinne as appeares when either by punishment or for other ends they are found to cease sinning 4. Because they doo not destroy sinne in letting it liue they are guilty of the life of sinne in them because they will not vse the meanes to subdue and mortifie sin that dwels in them but let it alone vnresisted 5. Because they haue most life or are most liuely when they haue most liberty to sin 6. Because they continue in sin they spend not an houre but it is in sinne yea they so sinne now that they desire to spend euerlasting life in sinne Vse And so from hence by way of vse men may discern whether they liue in sinne or not for hee that is a seruant to his corruptions and esteemeth them as the happinesse of his life and resists them not and hath a desire to sinne euer is without doubt aliue in sinne and dead to righteousnes And so contrariwise where these things cannot be found there the person is not aliue to sin Doct. 2. Hence is implied also that to liue in sin is but miserable liuing and therefore those whom God loueth he changeth from that condition and maketh them die to sin Now this may be shewed out of other Scriptures briefly for 1. Sinne infects a man and all he goes about it stains his very conscience and like the leprosie will pollute his clothes his flesh his house and whatsoeuer he toucheth almost Titus 1.15 It maketh all things impure 2. To harbour sinne is to harbour the diuell too who alwaies takes possession of the soule that is giuen ouer to sinne so as the heart of the sinner is the Fortresse of the diuell Eph. 2.2 2. Tim. 2.26 2. Cor. 10.5 Eph. 4.26 3. While a man liues in sinne he is in danger to be crossed and cursed of God in euery thing he doth he shall haue no portion from God nor inheritance from the Almighty Iob 31. ver 2. Good things will be restrained from him Esay 59.2 And he may finde himself cursed in euery thing he sets his hand to Deut. 28.16 17 18 c. His very blessings may bee cursed Mal. 2.2 His very table may be a snare For certainly God will bee reuenged of the sinnefull man that is aliue in sin Nah. 1.2 3 6. 4. His soule is dead within him while hee is aliue Eph. 2.2 1. Tim. 5.6 And how can it bee otherwise when God which is his life is departed from him and with God all spirituall blessings are gone from his soule too 5. The end of this life is to die miserably Rom. 8.10 and 6.23 Gal. 6. and to perish foreuer with the diuell and his angels Reu. 21.8 Mat. 25.45 And in a speciall manner it is a miserable liuing to be liuely and iouiall as they call it in sin such men are worse than the generall sort of sinners for these wretched men that are so liuely in sin haue a most miserable heart in them a heart like an Adamant like a very stone within them are senselesse and brutish like the very beasts that perish Psal. 49. vlt. Besides in many of these God scourgeth sinne with sinne and giueth them vp to such a reprobate minde that their wickednes oftentimes exceeds the wickednes of the wicked Ier. 5. Rom. 1.26 28. And further many times strange punishments light vpon those workers of iniquity Iob 31.3 To which may bee added that oftentimes such wretched creatures conclude in most wofull and hellish terrors so as they howle for vexation of heart while God's seruants sing for ioy of hart Esay 65.13 14. Reu. 6.15 16. But in generall of all that liue in sinne it is manifestly heer implied that they haue no part in Christ Christ in respect of them and as they are in their present condition died in vain Vse The consideration whereof should awaken men from that
heauy sleep in sinne vnto an earnest care to liue righteously it should warn men euery where to repent Eph. 5.14 and the rather because this very patience of God in bearing thus long with them and the mercy offred them in the Gospell will increase to greater wrath and condemnation if men will not be warned Rom. 2.4 5. 2. Thes. 1.8 9. Doct. 3. Hence also it is cleer that God's Elect before their Calling haue liued in sinne as well as others Eph. 2.3 Tit. 3.3 Col. 3.6 Which is fit to be noted for diuers vses For first it sets out the rich mercy of God and his free grace in election and manifestly shewes that we merit not the blessing Eph. 2.3 4 c. And secondly it should teach the godly diuers duties as first not to bee proud or high-minded but rather remembring what they were to make them the more humble all their daies Secondly to despair of no man but rather to shew all meeknes toward all men 2. Tim. 2.25 Titus 3.2 3. Thirdly to cleaue fast vnto Christ in whose onely propitiation they can bee saued from their sinnes 1. Iohn 2.1 2. God forbid wee should reioyce in any thing more than in Christ and him crucified Gal. 6.16 Lastly wee should think it more than enough that we haue heertofore liued in sinne wee should henceforth resolue to spend that little time that remaineth in a carefull obedience vnto God's will ceasing from sinne 1. Peter 4.1 2 3. Thus of the doctrines implied in the Text. The doctrines that may bee gathered more expresly follow Doct. 1. None but mortified Christians are true Christians It is manifest that none haue part in Christ but such as are dead to sin such men onely doth Christ acknowledge for hee is a Redeemer to none but such as turn from transgression in Iacob Esay 59.20 All that are in Christ are new creatures their old things are past and all things new 2. Cor. 5.17 None are Christ's but such as beare the similitude of his death in their dying to sinne Rom. 6. Men lose their Baptism if they bee not baptized into the death of Christ. Such men as place their happinesse in worldly things are not the right seed but such onely as are born by promise that is that receiued life by the promises of grace and a better life Rom. 9.8 Christ was sent to preach glad tidings to such as mourne in Sion Esay 61.1 2 3. The mourners in Ierusalem were the onely men that were marked for God Ezechiel 9. Christ will haue no Disciples but such as will deny themselues Luke 9. and are not fashioned according to this world Rom. 12.2 And this should teach men to haue mortified Christians in greater honour and to esteem highly of such as will not be corrupted with the excesse of the times and doo shew by a sound conuersation that they are weaned from the lust after earthly things and are consecrated to God and his seruice Wee should honour and acknowledge such aboue all other men in the world yea in the Church It should also compell vpon vs a care of a mortified life and a daily resisting of sin and the diuell and striuing to be made like to Christ. Finally if the count must be made by mortification there will then bee but a short count vpon earth for look into Christian Churches and cast out first all open profane persons such as are drunkards fornicators swearers murderers railers against goodnes such as serue vanity and shew it by strange apparell and such like men secondly all open idolaters and superstitious persons and such as hold damnable opinions Thirdly all ciuill-honest men such as haue onely the praise of men for a harmelesse conuersation in the world but haue no taste of Religion or conscience of zeale for Gods glory Fourthly all open worldlings that minde not heauenly things and sauour nothing but the things of this world and lastly all hypocrites that make a shew of mortification and yet are not mortified and then suppose how small a number will be left in euery place to be reckned in this list of true Christians Doct. 2. Mortification is the very first step of grace and the entrance into all power of godlines Till our sinnes bee foundly crucifyed and dead no work of Religion that is acceptable to God can be done and therefor Iohn Baptist and Christ and the Apostles call for repentance as the first thing that opens a way into the Kingdome of heauen because else sinne vnrepented like a prison will infect all wee doe Esay 1.13 to 16. Besides the heart of man being naturally like a stone or iron til it bee softned no impression of grace can bee fastned vpon it and if the ground of our hearts be not well plowed vp the â—eed of the Word cannot but bee lost Ierem. 4.4 The seed cast vpon the high way will be picked vp by the fowles of the aire and not growe or if any seed or plant of grace did grow for a while in the heart yet the weedes of sinne would ouergrowe and choake all as is euident in seed sowne in thorny ground or plants set in ground that is not digged and weeded And further while the person is euill the work will be vile and abominable An euill tree cannot bring foorth good fruit And therefore this shewes that such Christians as leape into the profession of Religion so easily and think it is no more but to giue-ouer ill courses and fall to the practice of good duties are deceiued For if by sound mortification their sinnes past bee not bewayled and they soundly humbled either their sinnes will after a while growe and reuiue againe or else the conscience of these sinnes will secretly throughout their liues torment them or else the diuell on a sudden may seaze vpon them with despaire hauing so manifest a reason against them that they did neuer practise mortification for their sinnes Besides lamentable experience shewes in those places where Christians are not soundly formed at first in the exercise of mortification they lead their liues in a dull course of profession and haue not the experience of the life and power of Religion in themselues for the ioyes of it or towards others in the practice of it The mourners in Sion and such as are broken-harted are the most glorious and the most fruitfull Christians Esay 61.1 2 3 4. and continue in the greatest power of religion And further it may bee noted in the best of those that their separation from the loue of the world is most really performed as hath appeared when in any speciall works of men or for the help of the Church of GOD they are called vpon to shew their zeale by their bounty in such cases one poore Macedonian would shame a hundred of those rich Corinthians Doct. 3. True repentance for sinne doth in diuers respects kill a man it strikes him dead to repent is to bee a dead man not onely in respect
of the world which casts off a man that will not run in the excesses of the time as a dead man indeed Col. 3.3 but in respect of themselues For first by the assise a man must keepe vpon himself he will be found dead by sentence when he iudgeth himselfe before the Lord he stands as a man condemned in the flesh He sentenceth himselfe to eternall death for his deserts by confessing what hee meriteth 1. Pet. 4.6 Now a condemned man is reckoned for a dead man in Law Secondly Repentance destroies the sences and affections and conceites and reason that were wont to bee aliue in men It dissolues the very frame of the old conuersation The word rendred dead signifies to vndoe what was done about the life of men to vnmake him as I may say so as all the old things passe away and all becomes new 2. Cor. 5.17 Rom. 6.6 1. Iohn 3.8 In the new Conuert there is not left the sauour sent lust or affections after sinne and the sinfull profits and pleasures of the world Hee doth not find that inflammation or inticement he was wont to feele from euill example or the glory of the world or euill company or the things before hee most esteemed and delighted in Thus hee is dead to himselfe because he denies himselfe and could bee well contented to forget that euer hee had beene such as hee was before Thirdly in some of Gods children their repentance is performed with such griefe and sorrow as brings their life almost to the buriers as is noted Iob 33.19 20 21. Fourthly they may bee said to bee dead in repenting because repentance is neuer fully finished till their naturall death sinne sticks so fast as they haue dayly cause of mortification in some degree and it will neuer bee gotten wholly out till they bee in deed dead men though in the meane time God accepts of their first repentance as if it were perfect This doctrine serues effectually to discouer the estate of multitudes of Christians not to bee right as they That do nothing at all about their sinnes That excuse their sinnes and hide them and fauour them and cast the fault vpon others Pro. 28.13 Gen. 3. Iob 20.11 12 13. That blesse themselues in their hearts when their iniquity is found worthy to be hated Ps. 36.2 That haunt with such persons as may make them sinne more That say It is no profit to walk humbly before the Lord Mal. 3.14 and rather blesse the proud That hate and reuile such as are mortified That are dead rather in faith and good works and finde a deadly sauour in the Word That haue sense and sauour onely in the things of the flesh Secondly this should teach all that minde their owne saluation to look carefully to the truth of their mortification and not to think it is such a slight easie work but to consider that in repenting for sinne they must neuer cease till they bee like Christ dying for sinne and that is in the sense before giuen So our bearing of the similitude of Christs death in our repentance notes diuers particular things in our repentance as 1. That our sorrowes bee voluntary not inforced hee gaue his life it was not taken from him wee must not tarry till the diuel fire vs with the terrors of despaire 2. That wee be payned at the very heart for our sinnes so was Christ it must be a harty griefe 3 That wee shew forth the fruites of our repentance so hee suffered openly 4. That hee suffered by degrees and ceased not till hee died so must wee by degrees resist sinne and neuer cease vntill it bee quite abolished Hence also wee may know whether wee haue truely repented It is a signe of true mortification when 1. A man hath seriously condemned himselfe before God for his sinne 2. When hee feeles the wonted violence of affections after sinne and the world to be deaded and his hart growne dul and out of taste in matters of sinne and the world Hee is crucified that hath his lusts and affections crucified Gal. 5.24 3. That he is aweary of life it selfe by reason of the remainders of sinne in his flesh Rom. 7. 4. That hath felt as sensible sorrowes for his sinnes as hee was wont to doe for his crosses sorrowes I say that are voluntary and for sinne as it is sinne Doct. 4. The Passion of Christ is the best medicine to kill sinne in vs He died that wee might die to sin There is a vertue in the death of Christ to kill sinne Rom. 6. Now the death of Christ may bee said to kill sinne First in respect of the guilt of it Christ in his death paied all that was needefull for satisfaction and so destroyed the imputation of it and stilled the clamour of it It cannot cry against vs in heauen because God is fully satisfied and the bond discharged and cancelled the plea of our sinnes died in the passion of Christ. Secondly in respect of the hatefulnes of it or the demonstration of the hatefulnes of it The passion of Christ giues all men occasion to see how vnworthy sin is to liue that made him die when it was onely imputed to him and not done by him Thirdly in respect of the power of it in vs actually There is a secret vertue in the wounds of Christ to wound sin and in the death of Christ to kill sinne and therefore the Scripture speakes not onely of the merit but of the vertue of his death Rom. 6. Phil. 3. which vertue is secretly deriued vnto the penitent sinner by the ordinances of Christ his Word Praier and Sacraments Vse The vse should bee for triall men may know whether as yet they haue any part in the death of Christ by inquiring whether they bee dead in their sins First they haue no interest in the merit of his death that haue not experience of the vertue of his death in killing their corruptions Secondly for instruction When godly men finde any corruptiō begin to be too strong for them they must fly to Christ for this medicine and then there is no sinne so strong in them but by constant praier to Christ for the vertue of his death will be subdued if they pray in faith Praier gets the medicine and faith applies it to the disease Doct. 5. True mortification doth not incounter one sinne onely but sinnes in the plurall number and indefinitely It notes that in true repentance there is a respect had to amendment of all sinnes To mend onely one or two faults is not true repentance For hee that is truly dead is dead to sinnes there is no sinne but the true Conuert desires and endeuors to bee rid of it so far as hee knowes it to bee a sinne Herod did mend in some things but yet was not sound because in one sin hee minded no repentance And this point doth giue an infallible rule of triall of mens estates in Christ for no wicked
man in earth doth so much as in true desire forsake all sinne There bee some corruptions hee knowes that hee would vpon no conditions part with To desire and endeuour to bee rid of all sinnes is an infallible mark of a childe of God Doct. 6. Mortification makes a man dead onely to sinnes it doth not make him of a dead and lumpish disposition in doing good duties Heb 9.14 nor doth it require that it should destroy his nature or naturall temper or the parts of his body but his sinne onely nor doth it kill his contentment in the creatures of God and the vse of lawfull things nor doth it destroy his liberty in lawfull delights and recreations it kils his sinne onely Might liue vnto righteousnes These words containe the second effect of Christs death and passion viz. the raising of vs vnto a righteous life His death makes vs liue and liue righteously Diuers doctrines may bee hence obserued Doct. 1. First that men truly mortified shall liue happily These dead men will liue there is no danger in great sorrow and the other works of mortification It kils sinne but the soule liues by that meanes Hee is sure to liue that is dead to his sins Rō 8.13 Esay 26.19 1. Pet. 4.6 Eze. 18. Ho. 14.2 The reasons are First because God hath promised comfort to such as mourne for sinne Math. 5.4 Pro. 14.10 Secondly Christ hath a speciall charge giuen him to looke to those mourners that they miscarry not Esay 61.1 2 3. Thirdly they are freed from eternall death they cannot be condemned 1. Cor. 11.31 32. Iob 33.27 28. Fourthly because the fruit of the lips is peace to these they are euer after interessed in the comforts of the Word Esay 57.15 18. Fiftly the nature of godly sorrow is onely to tend to repentance It is worldly sorrow that tends to death 2. Cor. 7.10 Sixtly they that are conformed to the similitude of Christs death by mortification shal be conformed to Christs life by the resurrection from the dead The vse may be first for confutation of such as think that mortification is a way full of danger and makes many men come to great extremities wheras they may heere see there is no danger in it Hellish terrours and despaire and some kind of diseases may make strange effects in some men but neuer was any hurt by godly sorrow for sinne if wee will beleeue the Scriptures and therefore it should incourage men to fall to work soundly about searching their waies and confessing their sinnes and iudging themselues in secret for their sinnes Iames 4. chapter 7.2 Cor. chap. 7.10 11. But heere men must looke to some fewe rules First that they see the warrant of the course in the Word and know the places that require these duties that they lay vp such promises made to the duties of mortification as may vphold their hearts in the practice of them Thirdly that they refuse not consolation but when they haue found true humiliation for their sinnes and comfort from God in his ordinances that they turne their sorrow into ioy and their praiers into thanksgiuing and spend their daies alwaies reioycing in the Lord. Doct. 2. It is not enough to die to sinne vnlesse wee also liue to righteousnes It is not enough to forsake our sinnes but wee must spend our daies in good works wee are so charged to cease to doe euill as withall wee are charged to learne to doe well Esay 1.16 we must bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life as well as confesse our sinnes Math. 3.8 A man will cut downe his fig-tree for want of good fruite though it beare no ill fruit Luke 13.6 It will not please any husband-man that his Land beare no thornes nor briers nor weedes if it beare him not good graine It is not enough for a seruant that hee doe his Master no hurt but hee must see to it that hee doe his Masters worke For first obedience and good fruits are required at our hands in the Law of God besides the prohibition of sinne Secondly Christ died to this end that wee might liue righteously as well as die to sinne Thirdly because all the gifts of the Spirit bestowed on vs in our regeneration are giuen to profit withall not to lay them vp in a napkin 1. Cor. 12. Fourthly because wee shall bee iudged at the last day according to our works Rom. 2.6 Vse And therefore this shewes the dangerous folly of such carnall people as think if they come to Church and liue ciuilly and doe no body no wrong they are out of al question in a right course And besides it should awake carelesse and sluggish Christians to looke to their gifts and remember what accounts they will giue to God for their vnprofitablenesse and vnfruitfulnesse 2. Pet. 1.8 Doct. 3. It is from hence euident that the onely liuing is to liue righteously Hee is worthy to bee said to liue that liues to righteousnes a religious life is the best life And these are the reasons First because it is the most honorable life For to liue to righteousnes makes a man highly in the fauour of God Psal. 11.7 Prou. 15.9 and it shewes that a man is borne of God 1. Ioh. 2.29 and besides it helps a man to the best and most blessed memoriall Prou. 10.7 and the fruits of righteousnes are the best meanes of glorifying God Phil. 1.11 And therefore Salomon said well that The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour Prouerbs 12.26 And Dauid saith They are the onely excellent Ones Psal. 16. whereas euery wicked man is lothsome and a sinnefull life is a shamefull life Prou. 13.5 and 14.34 Secondly because it is the most profitable life and the most gainfull for blessings are vpon the head of the righteous Pro. 10.6 The wicked worketh a deceitfull work but to him that soweth righteousnes shall be a sure reward Pro. 11.18 And righteousnes is both the best riches and the most durable Pro. 8.18 19 20. And it hath the promise of this life as well as the life to come 1. Tim. 6. Iob 8.6 And the profit of righteousnes will help a man when he is to die when the treasures of the wicked will profit nothing Pro. 10.2 Yea a good man lacketh not an inheritance for his childrens children and the wealth of the sinner is many times laid vp for the iust Thirdly because it is the safest and quietest life He that walketh vprightly walketh surely Prouer. 10.19 and the fruit of righteousnes is peace Iam. 3.18 For God's promise is that No euill shall happen to the iust whereas the wicked shall be filled with mischief Pro. 12.21 And God's blessing makes them rich and hee mingles no sorrow with it Pro. 10.21 and 15.6 And righteousnes is reckoned as an impenetrable armour 2. Cor. 6.7 And God doth mark euery one that doth righteousnes and solaceth his heart Esay 64.5 And the very doing of good is sweetnes to the soule
His righteousnes is not intended for the praises of men for his praise is of God Rom. 2.26 Hee doth not his work to bee seen of men Mat. 6.1 c. He had rather be righteous than seem so Secondly in the parts of it The Pharises righteousnes is outward his is inward also The very thoughts of the righteous are right Pro. 12.5 Hee striues to get a clean heart as well as clean hands and is as well grieued for euill thoughts and lusts and desires within as for euill words or works wheras the Pharise is but like a painted sepulchre all full of rottennesse and filth within his soule desires euill when hee dares not practise it in his life Pro. 21.10 Again the Pharise makes conscience of great commandements but not of the least Hee refrains whoredome murder periurie swearing by God sacrilege c. but makes no conscience of filthy-speaking anger swearing by that which is not God or by lesser oaths deceit couetousnes or the like whereas a righteous man indeed makes conscience euen of the least commandements Mat. 5.19 20. Again a Pharise may bee good abroad but is not vsually so at home but he that is truely righteous is so at home as well as abroad hee becomes a good husband master father friend c. as well as a good man Finally the righteous man hath respect to all God's Commandements whereas the Pharise in some one or other of the Commandements liues in the breach of it wilfully and without desire of reformation some in couetousnes and extortion some in lust and filthinesse Thirdly in the degrees or measure of righteousnes The Pharise is carefull of some few works of which hee seeks glory but the righteousnes of the iust man is as the waues of the sea he is industrious to increase in all well-doing and to bee filled with the fruits of righteousnes euery day Esay 48.18 Fourthly in the continuance of righteousnesse The iust man doth righteousnes at all times Psalm 106.2 Luke 1.75 His desire is for euer to bee imployed in good works whereas the Pharises righteousnes is but by fits and as the morning deaw and if trouble come for righteousnes he fals away and forsakes his righteousnes c. And thus of the vse for triall Vse 2. Secondly the excellent liuing of such as liue righteously may greatly reproue such as cannot bee stirred with these things to a conscionable care of forsaking their sinnes and of liuing righteously Quest. What should be the cause that such men as heare so much of the excellent estate of righteous men are not perswaded to conuert and embrace that kinde of life Ans. The cause is diuerse in diuers men as First in some it is long of certain corruptions that discouer themselues about the hearing of the doctrine of righteousnes for either mens hearts are like a beaten path in the high-way that the sound of doctrine cannot enter into their vnderstanding Mat. 13. Or else they vnderstand not with application to themselues but think onely how the doctrine may fit others Luke 13.1 2. Or else they meet with some hard condition that they are not willing to obserue as the rich young Pharise did or some other harsh doctrine as they account it which doth so vex and offend them that they fall clean off from the respect of Christ and holinesse as Iohn 6.59 66. Or else they haue some vile opinions that let them in the time of hearing as to think that one is not bound to doo as the rules of Scripture doo require or that if one bee not a grosse offender God will not impute lesse faults contrary to our Sauiour's doctrine Mat. 5.18 19 20. Or else their hearts break that is they let the doctrine run out and neuer think of it when they are gotten out of the Church Heb. 2.1 Or else they haue resisted the light of the truth so long that God hath now deliuered them ouer to a spirit of slumber lest they should conuert and hee should heale them Math. 13.15 16. Esay 6.10 Secondly in some the world is the cause of it For either they are entangled with the examples of the multitude especially of the wise Ones and great Ones of the world 1. Cor. 1.26 27 28. Or else they are affrighted with the euill reports with which the good way of God is disgraced in the world Acts 28.22 Or else they are insnared with respect of their carnall friends they are loth to displease father or mother or sisters or brothers or any they haue great hopes from or dependance vpon Math. 10.35 37. 1. Pet. 4.2 Or else they haue so much busines to doe and so many cares about their worldly affaires they cannot bee at leisure so long as to think they cannot bring their liues into order Mat. 13.22 Luke 17. Or else they liue at hearts-ease and prosper in their estate and so desire not to alter their course of life so their prosperity destroies them Prou. 1.32 Thirdly in some men the cause is the lust after some particular wickednes of life in which they liue either secretly or openly which sinne is the very Idol of their hearts and hinders a good resolution Fourthly in some the cause is conceitednes they are pure in their owne eies and yet are not clensed they rest in the outward profession of religion and the feare of godlines and regard not the sound power of it in their liues Lastly in all vnregenerate men there are three causes why they are not perswaded to a religious life First the one is the forgetfulnes of their death therfore their filthines is stil in their skirts because they remember not their latter end Lament 1.9 Secondly the other is that they are dead in sinne What should hinder the conuersion of multitudes at once but that wee preach to congregations of dead men Thirdly the diuell works effectually in all the children of disobedience striuing to hide the Gospell from them and the glory of a righteous life that so they might perish 1. Cor. 4.4 And thus of the second vse Vse 3. Thirdly such as consent to obey and feele themselues raised from death to life and are now desirous to spend their daies in a religious and righteous course of life must obserue all such rules as may further them and establish them in an orderly fruitfull conuersation He that would liue in righteousnes must think on these directions following as the very gates of righteousnes First he must giue ouer al needless conuersation with vaine persons and prophane men hee must shun their company as hee would such as haue the plague running vpon them hee must not come neere them as is vrged Prou. 14.15 For what fellowship can bee betweene righteousnes and vnrighteousnes 2. Cor. 6.14 Depart from me ye euil doers saith Dauid for I will keepe the commandements of my God Psal. 119.115 Secondly Hee must redeeme time Hee must buy time from his worldly occasions and settle
9.1 and 67.2 5. Where is that walking with God required in Scripture Who doeth alwaies set the Lord before him Where are those soliloquies betweene the soule and God Are not many content to goe weekly and monthly without speaking to God And thus of the defects concerning the first table In the second table diuers things may be noted as were defectiue in the parts of righteousnes as First there is a generall defect of mercy men doe exceedingly faile in that liberality to the distressed and poore seruants The bowels of mercy are euery-where shut vp either altogether or in the neglect of many degrees and duties of mercy Secondly in many Christians there is a fearefull want of meeknes they being guilty of daily sinnes of passions and worldly vexations and that many times with a kinde of wilfulnes against knowledge and conscience Thirdly The cares of life and worldlines doe striue and blemish the conuersation of many and discouer a strange defect of that contempt of the world should bee in them Fourthly domesticall disorders doe euen cry to heauen against many husbāds for want of loue and of most wiues for want of obedience and of seruants for want of diligence and faithfulnes in their places And thus men faile in the parts of righteousnes In the manner of weldoing many things are wanting first both in the generall weldoing of good duties secondly and in speciall affection to God thirdly and in the manner of Gods seruice In Generall First zeale of good workes is exceeding defectiue in the most Tit. 3.14 Men shewe not that willingnes and feruency of affection should bee shewed in all parts of righteousnes men doe not lift vp their hearts in Gods waies Gods commandements are vsually grieuous and tedious Secondly there ought to bee a holy feare in the practice of their good duties 1. Pet. 3.2 which is vsually wanting men do so much trust vpon themselues and doe duties with such boldnes neglect of their waies whereas they should feare alwaies Pro. 28.14 Oh that meeknes of wisdome required Iames 3.9 where is it to bee found Thirdly men are not circumspect to make conscience euen of the least duties as they ought and to obserue to doo them euen to watch for the opportunity of well-doing and to look to the means of the performance of euery duty and to abstaine from the very appearance of euill and to bee discreet in looking to the circumstances of time place persons c. Eph. 5.15 Deut. 5.32 Fourthly there is great want of moderation in Christians for either they are iust ouer-much in conceiuing too highly of themselues for what they doo or else they are wicked ouer-much in thinking too vilely of their works Eccles. 7. Fiftly men are strangely negligent in the growth of grace and knowledge men stand still and doo not prosper and striue to increase in euery good gift as they ought 2. Peter 3.18 Many graces are not strengthned and many works are not finished Secondly in mens affections to God how are men defectiue Where is hee that loues the Lord with all his hart and all his might and all his soule Deut. 30.6 and 6.3 Thirdly in God's worship these things are in many wanting 1. Reuerence and that holy feare which should bee shewed when wee appeare before the Lord Heb. 12.28 2. Men vsually forget to doo all worship in the Name of Christ Col. 3.17 3. The care of praising of God that is of looking to God's acceptation in all seruice is much forgotten Heb. 12.28 4. The desire of vnity and consent in iudgement among our selues when wee worship God is miserably neglected and reiected by diuers wilfull Christians Zeph. 3.9 Phil. 2.2 3. 5. Men miserably neglect thankfulnesse to GOD for the good they receiue daily from his mercies Col. 3.17 6. Many faile publiquely and shamefully in want of care to come time enough to God's seruice Zach. 8.21 Esay 60.8 In these things Christians should bee admonished to minde their waies and their works and to striue to walk as becommeth the Gospell and the death of Christ that they may hold fast the light of the truth and shew out better the glory of a Christian life And thus of liuing to righteousnes Now follows the third form of speech By whose stripes we are healed The healing of our sicknesses is reckoned as another fruit of the Passion of Christ or else it is the same with the former exprest in other words These words then are borrow'd from the Prophet Esay chap. 53.5 who doth chiefly vnderstand the spirituall healing of our soules of our sinnes as the coherence shewes in the Prophet but yet the Euangelist saith Mat. 8.17 and vnderstands of the healing of our bodies also And therefore I consider of the death of Christ both in respect of soule and body And first as this healing is referred to the soule diuers doctrines may be obserued Doct. 1. The soules of all men are diseased by nature euen the very soules of the Elect are so till they be healed by Christ. The soule is diseased diuers waies especially by sorrows and sins it is the disease by sin is heer meant Quest. It would bee inquired how the soule comes to be sick of these diseases and why sinne is called sicknes in the soule Ans. This spiritual sicknes comes into the soule by propagation Adam hath inflicted all his posterity and euery man hath increased the diseases of his nature by his owne wilfull transgressions Now sinne is called sicknes because it doth work that vpon the soule which sicknes doth vpon the body for sinne hath weakned the strength of the soule in all the faculties of it which all men may discern and obserue in themselues by nature Besides it causeth spottednes and deformity in the soule as sicknes doth in the body and therefore sinne was likened to the leprosie in the Law Further it often causeth pain and torment in the soule as wounds diseases do in the body for there is no peace to the wicked especially when God fighteth against them with his terrors Besides it will cause the death of the soule as sicknes will of the body if it be not helped and so men are said to be dead in sins Vse The vse may bee to shew the fearfull negligence of worlds of people that are exceeding carefull to help their bodies to health but neuer think of the poor soule that lieth lamentably full of diseases And withall it shewes that all wicked men are men of ill natures because their dispositions are all diseased though there be degrees of ill nature or of this euill in mens natures as there is difference of sicknesses in mens bodies And godly men should be compassionat when they see the grieuous diseases in the natures and liues of other men remembring that they also were by nature subiect to the same diseases as well as they Doct. 2. The diseases in the soules of men by nature are very
the promises of God in Christ are the sweet spices which being beaten yeeld a heauenly and supernaturall smell in the soules of the godly hearers 2. Cor. 2.14 15. But then Ministers must take heed they corrupt not Gods Word and see to it that their preaching bee in sincerity and as of God and in the sight of God in Christ and with demonstration of the truth to mens consciences 2. Cor. 2.17 else any Preacher will not serue the turn And in both these respects Ministers haue reason to cry out with the Apostle Oh! who is sufficient for these things If euery Sermon must leaue so sweet a sauour behinde it in the hearts of the hearers and in the nostrils of God too who can bee without the speciall assistance of God fitte for these things Lastly this may serue for singular reproof and terror to the wicked and that in diuerse respects First for such as are mockers and call sweet sowre that is speak euill of the good word of God secondly for the miserable neglect of that they should account the life of their life Alas whither shall wee go or what is this miserable and wretched life if we want the sweet comforts of the word To dwell without the word is To dwell in the parched places of the wildernesse and this Ministery is the more dangerous in such or to such as are daily inuited and haue all things ready made and yet wil not inwardly obey gods calling nor profit by the means but finde excuses to shift off the inuitation of God How justly may that curse be inflicted vpon them These men shall neuer taste of my supper Luke 14.17 c. 24. Thus much of the second doctrine Doct. 3. The third doctrine out of these words may be this that such as finde a true taste of the sweetnes of God in his Word may conceiue hopefully that their soules doo and shall prosper and growe There is no doubt to be made of our growth if once we come to feel the sweetnes of the Word For the cleerer vnderstanding of this doctrine I must answer two questions Quest. First what this true taste is Secondly whether this taste may not bee in wicked men Ans. For the first A true taste of the sweetnes of the Word and Gods graciousnes in it may bee knowne both by the cause and by the effects The cause of this taste is faith for by faith onely doth the soule taste Or that thing that raiseth so sweet a rellish in our hearts is A perswasion in particular of the graciousnes of God to vs euen of that graciousnes which the Word doth discouer The effects of this taste are three For first it reuiues the heart and raiseth it from the dead and frames it to bee a new creature working an vnfained change in the heart of man from the world and sin to the care of Gods glory and saluation of their own soules and thus it is called A sauour of life vnto life 2. Cor. 2.15 Secondly it settleth in the heart an estimation of the Word and spirituall things and the assurance of Gods fauour of al earthly things in the world Phil. 3.9 Psalm 84.10 Thirdly this taste works a heauenly kind of contentment in the heart so as the Godly when they haue found this are abundantly satisfied they haue enough Psalm 36.10 and 95.4 For the second question concerning wicked men and their rellishing of the sweetnes of the Word I say two things First that the most wicked men are without spirituall senses and finde no more taste in God or his Word than in the White of an egge they sauour not the things of the Spirit Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 2.13 Of this afterwards But yet it may not be denied but that some wicked men may go so farre as to taste of the good Word of God and of the powers of the life to come and of heauenly gifts as the Apostle granteth Heb. 6.5 6. Quest. Now there-hence ariseth a great question What should bee the difference between this taste in wicked men and the true taste in godly men Answer For answer heerunto diuers differences may be giuen First in the things tasted there is a difference For wicked men may haue common graces yea and miraculous gifts too by imposition of hands and these are a great taste giuen them of the glory of Gods Kingdome but they neuer taste of sauing graces or if a taste of sauing graces were granted yet they taste as it were of the Riuer running by them but not of the Fountain whereas the Godly haue the very Spring of grace flowing in them Secondly in the time of tasting This taste in wicked men is but for a season it cannot hold long in them and therefore is their faith joy said to be temporary Whereas godly men may keep their taste to their dying daies not onely in the gifts of sauing graces but in the very sense of the sweetnes of Christ and the Word too c. Thirdly in the manner of tasting For wicked men may taste of the Gospell and Religion by senses or by a dimme kinde of contemplation or by a sudden illumination as by a flash of lightning but they cannot taste with their hearts cleerely by Faith Or thus wicked men may in the generall taste that is know and beleeue that the Mystery of Christ is true but they cannot taste or know this Mystery with particular and sound application as theirs Fourthly in the grounds of this taste or delight For a wicked man perswaded by false reasons settled in the common hope or transported with an high conceit of some temporary and common gifts and Graces may be much delighted and ioyed in the Word and the thought of going to heauen for a time but he neuer rightly applyed the promises of Grace in Christ nor doth he euer possesse so much as one infallible signe of a childe of God Fiftly In the effects and consequents of tasting for 1. A wicked man may taste but hee neuer digests An euill conscience casts vp the food againe or choakes and poisons it whereas in godly men their taste abides in them and they digest the food they receiue The vertue of it continues with them 2. A godly man is transformed and made another man by this taste so is not the wicked man It is not a sauour of life to the wicked 3. A true taste in the godly works as is before noted a high estimation and sound contentment so as the godly place the felicity of their liues in this communion with God his word But that can neuer a wicked man doe Sixtly and lastly wicked men may seem to taste and yet doe not Many men professe religion and delight in the word and in religion and religious duties who yet neuer did attaine to it but constantly found a wearines secret loathing and many times a secret and inward ill sauor in the word and in the duties of religion so as the
the work of redemption the peruersnesse of men notwithstanding The vnbelief of men cannot make the faith or fidelity of God of none effect Rom. 3. Secondly that God doth not choose as men do The mean things of this world as the world accounts mean and the vile things of this world may be dear in God's sight For as it was in the calling of Christ so is it in the calling of Christians such as the world disallows may be dear to God 1. Cor. 1.27 28. Thirdly hence we may note the free grace of God in the sending and giuing his Sonne He is fain to chuse for vs wee did not choose Christ first Iohn 15.16 Fourthly that to choose Christ is with Marie to chuse the better part it is to imitate God and chuse like GOD to forsake the world and the wils and lusts and iudgements of the wicked men of this world and to cleaue onely to Christ as our all-sufficient portion and happinesse Fiftly that all the enemies of Christ shall bee subdued either by conuersion when they come into worship Christ or by confusion when they are broken by the power of Christ. Euen Kings shall submit themselues and worship him that is thus abhorred and despised of men c. Esay 49. verse 7. Sixtly that it is a singular happinesse to bee chosen of God it was the honor of Christ heer c. And therefore Blessed is the man whom God chooseth Happy is the Christian whom God electeth Psalm 65.4 Luke 10.20 Secondly it should teach vs diuers duties First to obserue and admire and acknowledge the Lord Iesus the Chosen of GOD we should with special regard confesse vnto the glory of God heerin which the word Behold importeth Esay 42.1 We should be Gods witnesses against the world and all the seruants of any strange god that this Iesus of Nazareth is that Sonne of God and Sauiour of the world Esay 43.10 It is one main end of the praises of Christ in this place To raise vp our dull and dead affections to the highest estimation and admiration of Christ and his glory with the Father c. Secondly wee should learn of God how to make our choice On the one side is offred vnto vs the pleasures and profits of the world and the inticements of sinne and Satan and the other in the Gospell of Christ is set forth and offred to vs as the means of our happinesse Now it is our part to take to Christ and renounce the world and forgo the pleasures of sinne which are but for a season wee should vtterly refuse the voice of sinne neuer to be the guests of such folly but rather to listen to the voice of wisdome Prouerbs 7. and 8. Thirdly Is Christ chosen of God that one of a thousand Then it learns the Church to bee in loue with him yea to bee sick of loue as is imported Canticles 5.8 9 10. An ordinary affection should not serue the turn our hearts should bee singularly inflamed with desire after such a match found out and chosen of God for vs. Fourthly we should not rest heer but when God hath declared his choice as hee did by a witnes from heauen euen his owne voice Math. 17.5 wee should then hear Christ and as the Prophet saith wait for his law Esay 42.4 Fiftly yea we should so kisse the Son whom God hath declared as King by doing our spirituall homage vnto him as that we resolued both high and lowe the greatest estate as well as the meanest to serue him with all fear and reioyce before him with trembling wee must expresse our thankfulnesse by all possible obedience of heart and life Psalm 2.11 Sixtly we should follow his Colours and take his part and contend for the truth against all the world and in particular against Antichrist that man of sin Reuel 17.14 Seuenthly wee should imitate the praises and vertues of this chosen One especially in two things to weet humility and constancy as the Prophet Esay sheweth 42.2 3 4. Lastly and specially this Chosen or rather this knowledge of this Chosen of God should teach vs to relie vpon Christ without wauering with all trust and confidence for our reconciliation with God for the obtaining of knowledge comfort deliuerance preseruation yea and saluation too for this is he whom God hath giuen for a couenant to all people and his soule delights in him And therefore also we may runne boldly to the Throne of grace and put vp our petitions by Christ. For wee are heer assured that God will deny him nothing as these places euidently shew Psalm 42.6 7 8 16. Psalm 49.6 8 9 10 11 12. Mat. 12.17 to 22. But then wee must look to it that wee obserue the seasons and opportunity of grace Esay 49.8 2. Cor. 6.2 Let vs therefore imbrace while God is to be found and offers vs Christ for we may seek when God will not bee found as Esau sought the blessing when it was too late Heb. 12.15 And further this may serue for singular terror to all vnbeleeuers that will not haue Christ to rule ouer them He is elected already of God and therefore will mightily pursue all the enemies of God and the Church and all those that disobey him whom God hath chosen hee will pursue them both with the terrors of his Word his mouth being made like a sharp sword and with the plagues of his hand beeing made like a polished shaft Esay 49.2 He will appear to wicked men in the day of wrath as a mighty man and as a man of warre though to his owne he be as a Lamb to them hee will bee as a Giant they shall not be able to resist and though he lift not vp his voice in the streets of his people yet hee will set vpon them with roaring and singular terrour euen with all the signes of furious displeasure and though for a time hee may seem to put vp the contempt of men that disallow him yet at the length he will not refrain and will destroy at once c. Esay 42.13 14 15. Besides this doctrine of Christs chosen or of Gods choice should notably check that vnbelief and fearfulnesse that is too often found euen in Sion in the dear seruants of God When God hath published his election of Christ for the seruice of our redemption why doth some say The Lord hath forsaken and his Lord hath forgotten him Can God forget his people or will he euer deny his Chosen Shall not Christ bee regarded in our behalf who is the person whom his soule loueth Esay 49.8 c. 13 14 15 16. Precious Christ is precious many waies First in respect of his nature he is the choicest substance in heauen and earth neuer such a man all the creatures in heauen and in earth are inferiour to him Secondly in respect of his gifts hee is qualified with all the treasures of wisdome and grace aboue all his fellows Col. 2.3 Psal. 45. Thirdly in respect of
If you consider the manner of their calling into the Church they are digged out of the quarry of mankinde as stones digged out of the earth being in themselues by nature but stones of darknesse such as might neuer haue seene the light Secondly If you consider their vnion with Christ and Christians in one body they are like the stone of the house compact in themselues and vpon the foundation Vse The vse may be briefly First for information Heere is come to passe that saying that is written God is able of stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham Secondly let all the seruants of God take pleasure in the stones of this spirituall Sion Psalm 102.15 and let vs all learne to be like stones in the former sences for the receiuing the impression of the law and for constancy and durablenes and for care to keepe our communion with Christ and Christians Lastly woe to the multitudes of wicked men whom God neglects with that heauy curse so as a stone is not taken of them to make a stone for the building Ierem. 50.26 Thus they are stones It is added they must be liuely stones to signify wherein they must not be like vnto stones they must not be dull and insensible they must be liuely and cheerefull and that for diuers reasons First Because the second Adam is a quickning spirit and they dishonor the workmanship of Christ if they be not liuely 1 Cor. 15. Secondly Because one end of the offering vp of Christ was that their consciences might bee purged from dead workes Heb 9.14 Thirdly They are therefore condemned according to men in the flesh that they might liue according to God in the Spirit 1 Pet. 4.6 Fourthly Because we haue beene aliue to sin and it is a shame to expresse lesse life in the seruice of God then wee haue done in the seruice of sinne Fiftly Because we haue liuely meanes we are fed with liuing bread Ioh. 6. and wee liue by the power of God 2 Cor. 13 4. and we haue the spirit of Christ in vs which is the fountaine of life and hath springs of ioy in him Rom. 8.9 Ioh. 6. and the Word of God is liuely and mightie in operation Heb 4.12 and Christ himselfe liues in vs Gal. 2.20 Sixtly because wee professe our selues to bee consecrate to God as liuing sacrifices Rom. 12.1 Seuenthly because we haue such excellent priuiledges we partake of the diuine Nature and God is a liuing God and we haue precious promises 2. Pet. 1.4 and we haue plentifull adoption in Christ and we haue a hope of a most glorious inheritance which should alway put life into vs 1. Pet. 1.3 4. and we haue a secure estate in the mean time For to liue is Christ and to die is gaine and whether we liue or die we are Christs Rom. 14.8 Phil. 1.21 Vse The vse should bee therefore for instruction Wee should stir vp our selues and striue after this liuelinesse and that for the two reasons imported in this text to omit the rest For without a ready hart wee shall make no riddance in matter of sanctification and holy life and besides wee shall extract but a small deale of influence from Christ. For it is heere required that wee should bee liuely when wee come vnto him Now this liuelinesse we should shew First by contentation in our estate Secondly by patience and cheerefulnes in afflictions Rom. 5.2 3. Thirdly in the performance of holy duties with power and life Thus wee should bee liuely in praier such as will bestir themselues and take no deniall as Philip. 4.5 6. Quest. Now if any ask What is good to quicken vs against the deadnes of our hearts Ans. I answer First faith and assurance makes a mans heart aliue wee liue by faith Secondly wee must goe still to Christ who is the life and by praier still draw the water of life out of his wells of saluation Thirdly the word of God is liuely Heb. 4.12 Fourthly godly society and a profitable fellowship in the Gospel puts life into men there is a great deale of prouocation to good works in it Fiftly We should often meditate of the gaine of godlines and of the priuiledges of the promises belonging to the godly Vse This doctrine implies a great deale of reproofe also First to Hypocrites that haue a name that they liue but they are dead Reuel 3.1 Secondly to declining Christians that suffer their first loue to abate in them and can be contented to lose sensibly the power of affections which formerly they had Thirdly to many drooping Christians which out of melancholy and vnbeliefe affect a kind of wilfull sadnes and hartlesnes hindring therby their own assurance and causing the easie yoak of Christ to bee ill thought of besides many other inconueniences Thus of the second thing Be yee built vp It may be read either in the Imparatiue mood or in the Indicatiue I think the Imparatiue answers more to the scope heere it being the drift to shew what wee must doe when wee come to Christ. The third thing then wee must doe that wee might extract vertue out of Christ for holiness of life is We must be built vp which imports two things First progression in faith and secondly repentance We must not begin onely and lay the foundation but wee must still labour to bee built vp further wee must still bee edified in our most holy faith Iude 20. verse Now that this may be attained vnto that wee may bee built vp the similitude imports diuers things First preparation A man that will goe about the work of godliness must think he goes about the building of a towne and therefore must cast vp his accounts for the charge of it and get his stuffe prepared before hand Secondly a constant relying vpon Christ. If wee build wee must build vpon the rock and not on the sands Mat. 7. and 16. Thirdly the warrant of all our actions out of the Word of God When Moses was to build the tabernacle he made it iust according to the patterne in all things about it c. Fourthly a respect of things necessary wee must not bee intangled with vnnecessary and doubtfull disputations The building of a Christian must be a siluer palace He must build gold siluer precious stones hee must keep his hart to choice and necessary things Cant. 8.9 1. Cor. 3. 1. Timoth. 1.4 Fiftly Counsell and Direction Men must endure the hewing and squaring 1. Kings 5.17 18. To this end are Ministers giuen Eph. 4.12 The Word is able to build vs vp Acts 20.32 and so good conference may edifie or much edifieth Ephesians 4.29 Sixtly attendance This building must haue her distractions cast out 1. Cor. 7.32 Dauid could build the Temple because of his wars and his vnrest on euery side Seuenthy Order and distinction Men must not rake together a great deal of stuffe without order confusedly This is to build Babel and not Sion Eightly
so he doth two waies First by remoouing what might hinder the work as the displeasure of God and the curse of the Law which he did by being made sin for vs 2. Cor. 5.22 Secondly by purchasing and bringing to light immortality and also the people that should possesse it which purchase he made with his owne bloud Acts. 20.28 2 Tim. 1.9 10. Thirdly then God sends the Word of reconciliation furnishing men with gifts to preach the Gospell and so vseth their ministery of reconciliation as the onely ordinary meanes of calling men 2. Cor. 5.18 19. Rom. 10.14 17. Fourthly the Spirit of Christ doth inwardly perswade the harts of men to receiue the Word and so to be reconciled to God The vse of this doctrine of our Christian calling may serue both for instruction and for terror for instruction and so it may teach First vnregenerate men in the Church as euer they would bee saued to awake to the care of of their calling Eph. 5.14 and to bee entreated while they haue the ministry of reconciliation 2. Cor. 5.20 and to open when Christ knocks Reu. 3.21 taking heede they be not as the horse or Mule Psal. 32.9 and that they may prosper in this work of their calling they must looke to two things 1. That they be not hardned through the deceitfulnes of sin Heb. 3.13 2. That they despise not professing but account the feet of them that bring the glad tidings to be beautifull Esay 52.9 There are foure reasons assigned by the Apostle Heb. 3 c. Fourthly why men should be ruled when Christ graunts them the meanes First because it is to day they know not how long they shall haue the meanes Heb. 3.7 c. Secondly because of all deceits it is most miserable to bee deceiued of the things offred vs in the Gospel verse 13. Thirdly because God is extremely grieued and prouoked by our neglects herein verse 16. Fourthly because else we shall faile of the promise of entring into his rest Heb. 4.1 2. Secondly godly men should hence learne diuers things First to be diligent aboue all things to make their calling sure now there be diuers signes of a true effectuall calling such as these As 1. The opening of the heart to receiue the Word of God and to attend the things which are spoken Acts 16.14 whereby they are inabled to heare as the learned Esaiah 51.6 2. The wearines of heart vnder the burthen of sin Math. 11.29 9.13 3. The answere of the heart to the voice of Christ consenting to obey and to enter into couenant with God Esaiah 1.18 19. 4. The taking away of the detestable things their abominations from them Ezech. 11.17 21. Col. 2.11 5. The knitting of the heart to the godly 6. The remoouing of the stony heart and the planting of the heart of flesh Ezech. 11.19 7. The vertues of Christ as in the coherence in this text 8. In generall the truth of our calling appears by the demonstration of the spirit power The holy Ghost quickning the heart to new obedience called the manifestation of the spirit Secondly it should teach them to striue to walk worthy their calling for the manifestation of the spirit was giuen to profit withal we are therfore called that we might be to the praise of his rich grace Now that we may walk in some measure as becomes this great gift of God First wee should be humble and not wise in our own conceit though hardnes lye yet vpon the hearts of some Rom. 11.25 30 31. For the winde blowes where it listeth and the Spirit of Christ workes where and when it pleaseth him Iohn 3. and wee haue nothing but what wee haue receiued Secondly wee should bee exceeding thankfull to God for his rich grace in our calling And the rather 1. Because this is no common fauour but in speciall grace communicated to vs For no man commeth but whom the Father draweth 2. Because it was done without respect of our owne works without al desert on our part 2. Tim. 1.9 For God called vs that were worldly carnall naturall sinfull men strangers from the life of God dead in sins seruing the lusts and diuers pleasures yea such as neuer sought God wee were miserable sinners Ephes. 2.1 12. Mat. 13. 3. Because of the meanes and manner of our calling God the Father worketh his part I work saith our Sauiour An excellent work when such workmen are needfull to it and in this work the ministration of the spirit exceedes in glory 2. Cor. 3.7 8. and it is a holy calling wherewith hee hath called vs 2. Tim. 1.9 4. Because they are so great happinesses to which hee hath called vs As to the fellowship of his Sonne To be sonnes and heires with him 1. Cor. 1.7 and to a Kingdome and so great glory 1. Thes. 2.12 2. Thes. 2.14 5. Because Gods gifts and calling are without repentance Hee will neuer repent that hee hath so called vs Rom. 11.29 Esay 54.7 8 9 10. Iam. 1.17 And thus of the second way by which wee should shew our selues desirous to walk worthy of our calling 3. Wee should shew this by well doing we must bee carefull to maintaine good works Tit. 3.8 For wee were called that we might serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our life Luke 1.74 75. 4. Wee should therefore liue contentedly when wee are assured of the work of Christ in calling vs with such a calling Iacob should not now bee ashamed nor his face wax pale Esay 29.23 24. 5. Wee should in our particular bee carefull to rest where wee are in the doctrine wee haue learned and beene taught and not bee carried about with euery wind of Doctrine Eph. 4.11 12 14. Thus as the vses are common to the Godly in generall Thirdly Ministers in particular from the consideration of this doctrine of our calling by Iesus Christ should learne to preach Christ and him crucified and to deny the excellency of wisdome or words that mens faith may bee in the power of Christ It is Christ must giue them increase they should learne of Paul 1. Cor. 2.2 4 5. One thing by the way I might note concerning the time of our calling we should not bee curious about that to knowe the day or hower when it was but wee must rest satisfied to know that wee are the Called of Iesus Christ. And thus of the vses for instruction Vse 3. Hence also may bee concluded much terror to wicked men that are not called in that this work of calling is the dore of all grace communicated to vs Now wicked men not called are of two sortes first some outwardly refuse their calling secondly some seem to obey it but it is not effectually both are in miserable case but not both alike For the later are neere the Kingdome of God many times The first sort resist the holy Ghost put the Word of Christ from them refuse
to answer or obey reiect the counsell of God harden their hearts and are therefore extremely miserable for First they iudge themselues vnworthy of euerlasting life Acts 13.46 Secondly they are in danger to bee left and forsaken of God and haue the meanes taken from them Iohn 12.39 Thirdly God will prouoke them many times to ielousie by calling a people to himselfe whom they account foolish Rom. 10.19 especially when they haue rebelled against the means Ezech. 3.6 7. Fourthly God will laugh at the calamity of such men Prou. 1.26 Fiftly and they may bee taken away with sudden destruction Prou. 1.17 Sixtly if they call to God it may be hee will not answer heereafter Prou. 1.28 29 30. Seuenthly if they liue in prosperity that shall destroy them Prou. 1.31 Eightly the dust of the feet of Gods seruants shall witnesse against them in the day of Christ and then they shall bee fearefully punished Now there are another sort of wicked men that are called externally and in some respect internally too and yet are not right such as haue temporary grace doe obey their calling after a sort and for a time for they assent vnto a part of the Word of God which they receiue with ioy and this is called a taste of the good word of God they may also bee perswaded to leaue diuers sinnes as Herod was and may bee indued with diuers graces of the spirit which they had not before Heb. 6.4 5. Now this calling yet is not that effectuall inward calling which is in Gods Elect. For they receiue not the promise of grace in Christ to them in particular to rely vpon it nor are they perswaded to for sake all sinne nor haue they any one sauing grace which is in the godly Now these men are miserable because they are not truly called and the more first because they were neere the Kingdome of God and yet want it secondly because they will bee the hardlier drawne to see their miseries Harlots and Publicanes may enter into the Kingdome of heauen before them Hitherto of our calling and so of the positiue descriptiō of the happines of a Christian the cōparatiue followes in the last words of this verse the whole 10. v. where the Apostle intends to shew thē their happines now in Christ in cōparison of that miserable estate they liued in before so that hee compares the estate of a Christian in grace with the estate of a Christian in nature and this he doth first in metaphoricall termes in the end of this verse and then in plaine words verse 10. In this verse hee compares their misery to darknes and their happines to maruellous light Out of darknes From the generall consideration of all the words two things may bee obserued First that it is profitable euen for godly men to bee put in minde of the misery they were in by nature For the consideration heereof may 1. Keepe them humble to remember how vile they haue beene 2. Quicken them to the reformation of the sinne that yet hangs vpon them Col. 3.5 6 7 8. 3. Work compassion in them towards others that lye yet in their sins and teach them to deale meekely with them Tit. 3.2 3. 4. Make them more watchfull to look on a nature which hath beene so vile 5. Quicken them to redeem the time they haue spent in the seruice of sinne 1. Pet. 4.3 6. It should set the greater price vpon our happines in Christ and so is the consideration vsed heere Secondly that a mind that is truly cured of sinne can easily beare the remembrance of it as it is past A man that hath beene wounded in his arme will endure you to gripe him when hee is well healed A signe he is not well healed when hee cannot bee touched so is it with sinners Thus in Generall The first thing then to be considered of is the misery of men by nature expressed in the word darknes Darknesse The darknes that is in the world is not all of a sort For there is first darknes vpon the earth which is nothing but the absence of the light of the Sunne Secondly there is darknes vpon the outward estates of men in the world and that is the darknes of affliction Now afflictions are called darknes in diuers respects As first in respect of the cause when they fall vpon men by the anger of God The want of the light of Gods countenance is miserable darknes the absence of the Sunne cannot make a worse darknes Secondly in respect of the effects because afflictions darken the outward glory of mans estate and withall breed sorrow and anguish and the clouds and storms of discomfort and grief and for the time depriue the heart of lightsomnesse and ioy Of both these respects may the words of the Prophet Esay be vnderstood Esay 5.30 and 8.22 And so God creates darknes as a punishment vpon all occasions for sinne Esay 45.7 Afflictions may bee compared to darknes in respect of another effect and that is the amazement bred in the heart by which the afflicted is vnable to see a way out of distresse and vnresolued either how to take it or what means to vse for deliuerance Thus it is a curse vpon wicked men that their waies are made dark Psal. 35.6 Thirdly afflictions are called darknes when they are secret and hidden and fal vpon men at vnawares when they are not dreamed of Iob 20.26 And thus of darknes vpon mens estates Thirdly there is a darknes falls vpon the bodies and so it is either blindnes wanting the light of the Sun or else it is death and the graue Death and the graue is called darknes Iob 17.13 and 10.21 22. Psal. 88.13 Fourthly there is a darknes vpon the soules of men and that is spirituall blindnes when the soule liues without the knowledge of God and Iesus Christ especially As it respecteth the will of God in generall it is the darknes of ignorance and errour and as it respecteth the promise of grace in Iesus Christ it is the darknes of vnbelief Eph. 4. Lastly there is a darknes shall light vpon both soules and bodies of wicked men in hell and that is called vtter darknes Mat. 8.12 and 22.15 So that darknes as it comprehends in it the misery of wicked men is either temporall darknes vpon the estates or bodies of men or spiritual darknes vpon the soules of men or else eternall darknes in hell This darknes also may be considered in the degrees of it For besides the ordinary darknesse there is first obscure darknes called also the power of darknes and such was the darknesse of Gentilisme and such is that darknes threatned to such as curse father and mother Pro. 21.20 so was the darknes Ier. 2.1 2. and that our Sauiour Christ speaketh of Luke 22.53 Such also was that night brought vpon the Diuiners Mic. 3.6 7. Secondly there is vtter darknes or eternall darknes in hell which is the highest
it is profitable to all things 1. Tim. 4.8 And these workes must needs be accounted good works for they are dear works the bloud of Christ was poured out that wee might bee clensed from dead works to serue the liuing God Heb. 9.14 Thirdly all works of repentance all that a Christian doth about his humiliation or reformation are euangelically good works as if he confesse his sinnes and doo execution vpon his sinnes if hee make satisfaction for his trespasses to men if he reform himself or his houshold or his charge these and the like are all good works 2. Chron. 19.3 Fourthly to suffer for a good cause is reckoned in the number of good works as to forsake father or mother house or land wife or children liberty or life for Christ's sake and the Gospell it is in the number of those good things shall haue good reward Mat. 19.29 Ier. 31.16 Ruth 2.11 12. Fiftly works of mens particular callings whether in the Common-wealth or Church or family or any vocation or trade of life so workes of Iustice are good workes and to obey Magistrates is called well-doing verse 14 of this chapter so to preach the Gospell is a good work 1. Tim. 3.1 So in the family for parents to bring-vp their Children well is a good work 1. Tim. 5.10 yea the labours of seruants in the family are such workes as shall haue reward of God as well as workes of piety Esay 6. Col. 3. Sixtly works of mercy are good works whether it be spirituall mercy to instruct admonish or reproue or comfort Psalme 140. or whether it bee outward mercy in giuing lending visiting defending the poore or the like All confesse these to be good works Act. 9.16 But that almes may be a good work these three rules must bee obserued First that it be giuen of goods well gotten else no good workes Secondly that hee that giues it haue a good eie to distribute where there is need for to keepe a good house and to entertain ruffians and drunkards and gamesters is not a good work nor hospitality because heere is not a good eie Thirdly almes must bee giuen for a good end not for the praise of men or to merit thereby Mat. 6. Thus of the kindes of good works The questions follow Quest. 1. How can any workes done by any man in this life bee accounted good seeing there is none that liueth and sinneth not yea al our works euen the workes of the most righteous are as a menstruous cloth Esay 64.6 For answer heereunto I say It is true that if God looke vpon the best works of the most godly in this life and examine them by the rigour of his couenant which he called His couenant of works then no flesh liuing can haue cōfort of his works but all will appeare lothsom as a menstruous garment But the works of the beleeuing Christiās are otherwaies to be considered of For First they are tryed by the couenant of grace by the benefit of which couenant hee is deliuered from the rigorous perfection of the Law and his vprightnes is accepted in stead of perfection he is now no more vnder the Law but by God's grace acceptation his works are taken as if they had been perfect Secondly he hath the benefit of Christ's intercession who presenteth his works before God couering the euill of them and tendering them to God who accepts them for the loue hee beares to his Sonne and thus we read in Scripture that Christ presents the praiers of the Saints Besides that the Christian may not think too vilely of his works but be comforted in the Lord concerning them let him further consider these things First that his good works haue the Spirit of Iesus Christ which is in him for the Fountaine of them 1. Cor. 12.11 Esay 26.12 Secondly that the bloud of Iesus Christ was shed not onely for his iustification but also for his sanctification Heb. 9.14 Thirdly that though his works are not good effectu yet they are good affectu they are good in desire his desire was to haue them as good as God himself did require And this God is pleased to accept as if the work were perfectly done Quest. 2. What are works good for in that they are called good works Answ. I answer first affirmatiuely they are good 1. To testifie our thankfulnes to God for all his benefits in respect of which wee are debters vnto God Rom. 8.12 2. To assure the truth of our faith as the fruits of faith Mat. 7.17 1. Tim. 1.19 Iames 2. 3. To witnes our election and to make our calling sure 2. Pet. 1.10 4. To discharge our duty of obedience vnto which we are bound euen in the couenāt of grace 5. To further the edification of our brethren whom we help both by example and by well-doing to them 6. To winne wicked men to a better estimation of our Religion and to stop their mouthes as heer so verse 15. 7. To glorifie God as is in this place mentioned 8. They are good to make vs capable of rewards from God in heauen Heb. 10.36 Rom. 2.7 8. yea and in this life too 2. Tim. 4.8 Secondly I say they are not good 1. To iustifie vs before God as it is at large prooued by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Romans and Galatians onely they are good to iustifie vs before men Iames 2. 2. Not to merit or deserue heauen by them mens euill works doo merit punishment for the wages of sinne is death but our good works cannot merit both because the Scripture denies it expresly Eph. 2.8 as also to omit other reasons because the nature of merit casteth away our works for there must be three things in a work that must merit First it must bee a free work that was not due by any debt whereas our works are a part of our duty and we owe more to God than we can doe Luke 17.9 Rom. 11.35 Secondly the worke that should merit must bee profitable to him of whom we would merit but no goodnesse of ours can reach to God to profit him Psal. 16.3 Iob 22.2 Thirdly the worke that must merit must be of equall value with the thing that is giuen for it but neither our sufferings nor our deedes in this life can be worthy of the glory that is to bee reuealed Rom. 8.18 and therefore is eternall life called The gift of God Rom. 6.23 The vses follow and are especially for Instruction for this doctrine of good works should teach vs First to take notice of this doctrine and as we are carefull to beleeue so to be carefull to maintain good works and hereby to confute the malicious Papists that falsly charge vs to deny and disgrace good works Tit. 3.8 14. Secondly euery man should bee ready to doe good works yea to euery good worke since they are required of God and are so many waies good and serue vs for such excellent vses Yea wee should be zealous
that to suffer for any kinde of wel-doing is acceptable before God though a man doo not suffer for Religion but for the duties of his particular Calling as the case washeer yet euery such suffering is gracious before God Verse 21. For heerunto yee are called for Christ also suffred for vs leauing vs an example that ye also should follow his steps THus of the first reason taken from God's acceptation the same reason followes in the beginning of this Verse and that is taken from their calling and for these words For thereunto were yee called the sense is that vnto patient suffering for well-dooing they were tied by their calling if need did require Now God calls men to suffering diuerse waies First by his decree for he hath heer destinated men to be made like to his Sonne in suffering vniustly they were ordayned to afflictions Rom. 8.29 1. Thes. 3.3 Secondly by his Word or Law wee are called to it because the Word of God doth require that wee should take vp our crosse and suffer for the truth as many Scriptures shew Thirdly by the work of God's grace when hee makes vs again new men in Iesus Christ for by the same calling that he calls vs to be Saints he calls vs to suffer for sanctity and this seems to bee intended specially heer Fourthly God calls vs to suffer by his speciall gift for as he hath giuen vs to beleeue so hath he giuen vs to suffer for his sake Now God by euery gift doth really call vs to the execution and vse of it when there is occasion Fiftly Seruants and other Inferiours are called to suffer correction though it should be vniust euen by their particular Calling Sixtly the coherence shewes that the example of Christ suffering vniustly is a pattern that calls vs also to suffer and so to walk in his steps This last and the third way of Calling are especially meant in this place and so from thence diuerse things may be briefly noted by way of doctrine For of our effectual Calling I haue at large intreated both in the former chapter and the tenth verse of this chapter First all God's people or seruants become His by Calling it is the way by which God hires seruants and makes a people to himself for by nature euen the Elect are not a people but liue in darknes dead in sinne sensuall and carnall as other men and re-creation is such a link in the chain of saluation as cannot be wanting Rom. 8.30 And therefore men should labor to make their Calling sure as euer they would haue comfort that they are God's seruants or people Secondly God works great things many times without any great toile or power of instruments as heer To conuert a man is but to call him To make him liue is but to bid him liue Thus God can call vp generations of men out of the heap of dead and forlorn mankinde Thus the dead shall be raised at the last Day by the voice of the Sonne of God which should teach vs to liue by faith in all estates and rest vpon Gods power by which wee are kept to saluation Thirdly God's Calling accepts not the persons of men it puts no difference all are called alike as to honour so to labour and danger The Apostle puts-in all Christians by this Calling to suffer if need require as well as seruants So with God there is neither circumcision nor vncircumcision Iew nor Gentile bond nor free but all are one in Christ Col. 3.11 Which should bee a maruellous comfort to Christians that are meaner than others in the world to think on it that God requireth as hard work of the richest as hee doth of them and makes as great account of a poor Christian as of the mightiest Monarch And it should teach Christians humility and not to striue so much for precedency but rather if men will excell others it should be in seruice and sufferings Fourthly all men are not called hee saith heer Yee are called as importing that it was a speciall honour done to them Many haue not the meanes of Calling and many refuse their Calling when they haue the means Which shewes the wofull estates of worlds of men or to whom the voyce of God by his Word in the Spirit comes not Fiftly the Calling of God doth propound conditions vpon which his election in time doth depend for many are called but few chosen vpon that Calling and the reason is because they yeelded not to the Conditions of their Calling God calls men to a new Couenant and requires first â—he beleef of all things promised on his part Secondly sanctify and holinesse of life thus they are said to be Saints by Calling 1. Cor. 1.1 Thirdly to suffer for well-doing if there bee occasion so heer Now vpon the conscience and consent of the heart vnto these conditions doth God make his choice or acknowledge men and therefore heerby mens hearts must bee tried or men must try their hearts and estates whether they be effectually called or no. Sixtly men are bound to take notice of and to learn and obey the will of GOD reuealed in his Word though it be hard to finde out as heer the Apostle saith They were called to suffer which is a thing that is not easie to prooue by expresse Scripture but must be found out as it lies enwrapped in consequences in diuers places of Scripture For if the lawes of men binde and oblige vs to punishment though we knowe them not because we ought to take notice of them much more must we study the Lawes of God though they be many in number and hard to finde out without much labour and many helps Seuenthly our generall Calling doth binde vs to a carefull obseruation of our particular Calling as heer their Calling in Religion to be God's seruants did bind them to look to their duty as mens seruants yea and to be subiect to their corrections though vniust And therefore those Christians are farre out of the way that neglect their particular Calling and the charge God hath deliuered them vpon sentence of religion their generall calling Eightthly the main doctrine in them or in the scope of them is that God calls his seruants all of them to suffer for the truth Hee shewes them heauen and the saluation of their soules and bestowes rich treasure vpon their hearts but withall tells them hee looks they should arme themselues with a resolution to suffer what may befall them for well-doing Our Sauiour Christ told his Disciples plainly that they must think of taking vp the Crosse daily before they come to wearing of the Crown And therefore they doo foolishly that vndertake the profession of Religion before they haue set down to cast what it will cost them Thus of the second reason The third reason is taken from the example of Christ who suffred greater wrongs than can befall seruants or any other sort of men and this doctrine of Christ's suffering he handles
to wickednes And thus swearers and vsurers and such like make sin Thirdly when a man commits such a sinne as other men condemn by the very light of nature though he do it by corrupt inclination or though it bee sinne which others commit so to make sin is to bee a malefactor or one that is guilty of any grosse sinne Fourthly when a man studies mischiefe and sinnes not suddenly but imagins and deuiseth and forecasts and plots how to compasse his sinne and thus all wicked men make sinne because they sinne not suddenly or by meere frailty but doe study iniquity euery wicked man is a great student Psal. 36.4 Fiftly when a man causeth others to sinne by euill counsell or example or compulsion Thus Tyrants made sinne that forced men to deny the faith and thus they make sinne that make their neighbours drunke and thus Stage-plaiers and Minstrels make sinne that call and prouoke others to licentiousnes and wantonnesse and thus superiours make sinne when by their euill example or negligence in not punishing offences they tempt others to sinne Sixtly when a man makes a trade of sinning and thus men are said in Scripture to bee workers of iniquity which is a Periphrasis of wicked men Now hee that is said to make a trade of sinne or to bee a worker of iniquity first is one that makes it his dayly custome to follow his sinfull course of life or that followes sinne as the trades-man doth his trade Secondly that cannot liue without his sinne that accounts his sinne the life of his life that had as liefe be dead as restrayned of his sinne as the trades-man accounts himselfe vndone if his trade bee destroyed Seuenthly when a man calles good euill and euill good when a man makes that to bee a sinne which is no sinne Thus they make sinne that call those things sinne which GOD by his Law neuer called sinne And thus men make sinne both out of superstition on the left hand and out of rash zeale on the right hand Thus also prophane persons make godlines and a holy conuersation to bee Schismes and truth to bee Heresy Thus the Iewes called Pauls religious course Heresy when hee by that way which they called Heresy worshipped the God of his fathers and the Professors of Christian Religion they called a sect Acts 28. Esay 5.20 Thus Lawyers many times make sinnes when they make a good cause bad and a bad cause good Eightly when a man by slander casts foule aspersions vpon other men that are innocent speaking euill with any manner of euill report of such as liue religiously And this art of making sinne the slanderer learned of the deuill that accuser of the brethren Thus many godly persons are many times by wicked reports made grosse offenders in the common acceptation of the world and in the rumours spred abroad of them in many places Thus they made Christ and the Apostles grieuous sinners and a spectacle to men and Angels Ninthly when a man in aduersity deuiseth vnlawfull shifts and courses to get out of trouble or deliuer himselfe from the crosse is layd vpon him And this sence may in some sort be applied to the case of our Sauiour who neuer vsed ill meanes to deliuer himself though he suffred extreme things Lastly in a generall sense Euery man that is guilty of sinne may bee said to make sinne And so it is commonly by way of remouall said of Christ that hee made no sinne that is that hee was neuer guilty of any offence against God or man Thus of the sense of the words Diuers doctrines may bee gathered out of these words but because one is principall I will but touch the rest Doct. 1. Mens sinnes are of mens making man made sinne God made none Doct. 2. It is a hatefull thing to bee a maker of sinne Ast was most glorious for God to make a world of creatures so it is most ignominious for man to make a world of sinnes Doct. 3. Christ made no sinne This is the chief doctrine and plaine in the text Hee was not onely free from the first and worst kinds of making of sinne mentioned before but hee was free from all sinne in all estates of his life he knew no sinne he did none iniquity He was that iust One by an excellencie Quest. But how came it to passe that the man Iesus had no sinne seeing all other men bring sin with them into the world and daily sinne Ans. Hee was sanctified from the wombe being conceiued by the holy Ghost which no other are so as both originall sinne was stopped from flowing in vpon him in his cōception and besides hee was qualified with perfect holines from the wombe and therefore is called that holy thing borne of the Virgin Luke 1.35 And it was necessary his humane nature should bee so holy and that hee should doe no sinne because his humane nature was to bee a tabernacle for the Deity to dwell in Colos. 2.9 and besides from his very humane nature as well as from his Deity must flow vnto vs life and all good things and therefore hee must needes be vndefiled The man-hood of Christ is as the conduit and the God-head as the spring of grace vnto vs. Besides his sufferings could not bee auayleable if he were not innocent himselfe The vses follow and so Vses First wee see the difference betweene the two Adams the first made sinne and infected all the world with it The other made no sinne but redeemed all the world from it The first Adam as he had power not to sin so he had power to sinne but the second Adam had not onely a power not to sinne but also no power to sinne not onely as they say in Schooles posse non peccare but also non posse peccare Secondly wee may hence see in what a wofull damnity against goodnes the world stands when this most innocent Man that neuer did any sinne that neuer offended God or man in all his life when he I say comes into the world how is hee despised and reiected of men Who looked after him vnlesse it were for his miracles Few honored him for his holines How is the world set on wickednes that it should account him without forme or hand-somnes that shone before God and Angels in such a spotlesse innocency Oh what wit had the rulers of this world that condemned him as a malefactor that had no spot in him from the crowne of the head to the soale of the foot that neuer did man wrong or sinned against God Esay 49.7 and 53.2 3 4. Thirdly wee may hence see cause to wonder at the loue of Christ to vs. Oh how is it that hee bare the imputation of such a world of sinnes that yet himselfe neuer knew sinne What hart of man can sufficiently admire his loue vnto vs that can abase himselfe to bee made sinne for vs that neuer did sinne himselfe Fourthly is it not hence also most manifest that
for vs in all places 3. Because if a man vndertake to answere them by words he is in danger to be prouoked to speak vnaduisedly and so may prooue like those fools whom he reproues Pro. 26.5 4. Because the naturall conscience of the wicked is as it were feared to take notice of a good conuersation and will struggle and resist within the wicked man so as hee cannot so securely vent his reproaches 5. Because it is a way that brings most peace and comfort to ones owne heart If he deale with them by words his heart may afterwards smite him for some absurdity or other he hath committed whereas he is safe that fights against them by his good works 6. Because it is the surest way of reuenge to ouercome their euill with goodnes especially if thou canst get but the aduantages to doo good to them that reproach thee Rom. 12.18 19. Vse The sound consideration of this truth should subdue in vs that ouer-eager desire of answering such as wrong vs by bitter words or works of reuenge yea it should compell vpon vs a consultation whether it bee best to deale with them at all by words God's way is by works and thou must get a great deal of temperance and wisdome if thou think thy self able to confute them throughly by words It is true also that in some cases wee may resort to the Magistrate to punish them that abuse vs but yet still this counsell of God that bids vs silence them by well-dooing should intimate that other courses must bee vsed with much caution and without rashnes or confidence in them Secondly this may reprooue that vnquietnes and impatience which is found in some Christians when they are reproached and wronged they are much vexed at the indignities offred to them and think it strange that wicked men should not cease traducing of their names whereas perhaps if they examine themselues they may finde that they haue not vsed the meanes to still them they haue not muzzled these dogs and therefore no wonder if they bark and bite too and muzzled we see heer they will not bee but by their good workes And therefore if they bee barren and vnfruitfull they must take notice of the fault in themselues There are other things that may be noted out of these words but I will onely touch them as Doct. 7. That onely foolish men doo reproach godly men Such as reuile and censure many are vsually either openly carnall men as they were drunkeards that reproached Dauid and Abiects Psalm 35.15 and 69.13 They were either fools or the children of fools but viler they were than the earth that had Iob in derision Iob 30.1 8. men that ranne into excesse of riot as the Apostle writeth 1. Pet. 4.5 or else hypocrites that haue nothing in them but words and empty shewes Or if at any time there bee a sinne found in godly men it is in such as are but babes and look like carnall men and haue a great deal of their naturall folly and madnes vnsubdued in them 1. Cor. 3.1 2 3. But for the most part it is a fault found onely in wicked men Doct. 8. That it is a great pain to a wicked man to bee restrained from reproaches hee is as much vexed when hee cannot or dare not speak euill of godly men as a dogge or an oxe is when hee is muzzled Doct. 9. That the good life of godly men may silence wicked men and yet not make them leaue their wickednes hee doth not say that by well-doing they may winne ignorant and foolish men It is true that sometimes a good conuersation may winne them as 1. Pet. 3.1 2. and before verse 12. Yet ordinarily they will doo wickedly euen in the Land of vprightnes Esay 26.10 Verse 16. As free and not vsing your liberty for a cloke of malitiousnes but as the seruants of God IN the two former verses he confirms the exhortation by reasons in this he answers an obiection The obiection seems to be that Christians are made free by Christ and therefore are not to bee tied with the bonds of humane ordinances or subiection to men The Apostle answereth that it is true that Christians are made free-men but so as they must not vse their freedome as a cloak of malitiousnes and the liberty of sinning either against God or men for they are still God's seruants and bound to doo what he would haue them to do and so consequently to obey Magistrates since GOD requires them so to doo So that in this verse hee intreats of Christian liberty And so first hee grants the vse of it or the right of it in these words As free Secondly he remoues the abuse of it in these words Not vsing your liberty as a cloke of malitiousnes And thirdly he giues a reason of his remoueall Because they are the seruants of God still In the first part you must consider what he granteth viz that they are free Secondly how far he grants it viz. that they are as free Free Freedome is either ciuill or spirituall Ciuill freedom is when a seruant is manumitted or made free that was an apprentise or bond-slaue before and so when a stranger is admitted to the right of a City or a Common-wealth or the like The spirituall freedome is that estate which Christians do enioy by God's fauour in Christ after their calling It is a spirituall manumission or freedom that is heer meant and this is called Christian liberty partly because it is a freedome that we haue onely by Christ and partly because it is a freedome now onely enioyed by Christians and no other men in the world Christian liberty is one of the great gifts or endowments bestowed vpon the Church by Christ. It is not amisse to reckon vp all the gifts in order that the relation which this gift hath to the rest may appear The gifts then that Christ hath bestowed vpon Christians are these First their ransome paid vnto God for their redemption Secondly their vocation by the Gospell calling them out of the world into the Church Thirdly the holy Ghost which hee sends into their hearts Fourthly their iustification imputing his owne righteousnes and procuring forgiuenesse of all their sins Fiftly their sanctification by which hee giues them new natures Sixtly their adoption by which they are made the sons of God Seuenthly their Christian liberty by which they are freed from all former bondage and enioy great priuiledges this is a fruit of their adoption Eightthly consolation refreshing their hearts in all estates especially by the comforts of his Word Ninthly the gift of perseuerance by which tey are kept from falling away Lastly an immortall and vndefiled inheritance in heauen after they are dead Christian liberty is either the liberty of grace in this life or the liberty of glory after this life The liberty of glory concerns either the soule or the body The glory or liberty of the soule is the freeing of it from all
sinne and misery and the setting of it in the possession of that blessed immortality in heauen The liberty of the body is the freeing of it from the bonds of death and bowels of the earth by enduing it with a glorious resurrection part of which freedome they enioy euen in the graue For though they be buried yet they are not damned to hell there but rest in hope of their finall deliuerance and with this liberty of glory both soule and body are made heires of heauen Rom. 8.21 It is the liberty of grace is heere meant and that this part of the Christian happines may the better appeare I will consider First what hee is freed from and secondly what hee is freed to For the first there are diuers things hee is freed from as First from the rigour of the morall Law hee is deliuered from the most rigid seuere execution of absolute perfect obedience so as being now vnder grace he is not bound to fulfill the law perfectly but may be accepted of God if he obey it in the vprightnes and sincerity of his heart though he haue many frailties and infirmities God hath now tempred that rigour of exaction which hee iustly stood vpon in his first agreement with man in Paradise and did with terror againe proclaime in giuing his Law in Sinai so as now in Christ our yoke is easie and our burden light Math. 11.29 Rom. 6.14 Christ our surety hath fulfilled that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or exact righteousnes of the Law for vs Rom. 8.3 Galatians 4.24.26 Heb. 12.18 Rom. 7.6 c. Secondly from the execution and condemnation into which the Law for our sinnes had cast vs our expiation being made in the blood of Christ who was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a curse for vs that wee might be iustified from these things from which by the Law of Moses we could neuer bee absolued Rom. 8.1 Galatians 3.13 Thirdly from the tyranny and damnation of sin that dwels in vs the force of it being mortified by the Spirit of Christ and so weakned that though it may rebell yet it cannot rage and rule as it did before Rom. 6.14 Iohn 8.34 2 Cor. 3.17 Romanes 6.6 18. Fourthly from bondage vnder diuels those spirituall wickednesses that had their strong holds in the hearts of euery man by nature and ruled effectually in all the children of disobedience who had possession in our hearts and kept vs in their power as most cruell Iaylers Ephesians 2.2 4. by Christ they are thrown out of possession they may tempt still but the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile againe ouer the godly Colos. 2.15 Fiftly from the Lawes of Moses The ceremoniall and iudiciall Lawes which lawes were a yoke that neither the Iewes nor their fathers were euer able to beare Acts. 15.10 The ceremoniall lawes were a very seale of our condemnation a hand-writing against vs wherein men many waies acknowledge their guiltines besides they were extremely burthensome in respect of the rules of them and the strict obseruation required from them Our deliuerance from these lawes these places proue Acts 15.1 Cor. 9.1 19. 2. Cor. 3.17 Heb. 9.10 Colos. 2.17 There were foure respects which the ceremoniall Law had or foure vses First these ceremonies as I said before did signifie our sin-guiltines and were as an obligation and hand-writing against vs Colos. 2.14 Secondly they were a badge to distinguish the Iewes from all other nations Genes 17.13 14. Thirdly they were shadowes and typicall adumbrations of Christ and his benefits Heb. 9 9 10. 10.1.4 Fourthly they were as a tutor or Schoole-master to instruct and keepe them vnder in the minority of the Church Galat. 4.1 2. Now all these vses are abolished by Christ For our condemnation is taken away by Christ and so the hand-writing is cancelled Colos. 2.14 and the Gentiles and Iewes are made all one people Ephes 2.14 15. and Christ the substance and body is come and therefore the shadowes must vanish Col. 2.17 and the heir is as it were now at age therefore needs not Tutors and Gouernors Gal. 4.1 2 3. As for the freedome of Christians from the Iudiciall Lawes that must be vnderstood with a distinction for so many of the Iudicial Lawes as did agree with the common politicall law of Nature are in force only so much of the Iudicial law as did only concern the singular particular policy of the Iewes is abolished Where the reason of the Law is Vniuersal the Law binds all where the respect and reason of the Law is fitted onely to the condition of that people there the law is abolisht Sixtly from seruile feare vnto which wee are and were in bondage by Nature and so wee are freed from the seruile feares of the graue of men of death there was a spirit of bondage in vs by nature wee durst not come into Gods presence and legall terrors did lie at the doore of our hearts to driue vs to despayre of mercy or acceptation But when Faith came then the spirit of bondage went away and the hearts of Christians are emboldned with spirituall liberty and firme confidence taking delight in the Law of God in the inner man Rō 8.15 Luke 1.74 And there was likewise in vs by Nature a feare of the reproch and rage of men and the oppositions and scornes of the World from which God's children are so deliuered that many times they haue contemned the vttermost furie of Tyrants as Daniel and his companions and the Martyrs and the Patriarchs and Moses c. and from the feare of death We were all in bondage to it all our life but now Christ hath deliuered vs by destroying him that had the power of death Heb. 2.14 15. This of the first point what we are forced from Now for the second what we are free to and therein are diuers comfortable considerations First we are free to the fauor and fellowship of God the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost 1. Iohn 1.3 7. 1. Cor. 1.9 Iohn 17.21 2. Pet. 1.4 1. Ioh. 5.24 Secondly wee are free to the Communion of Saints we are fellow Citizens with the Saints we are written in the writing of the house of Israel acknowledged as members of the Congregation of the first borne This is an Article of our Faith Ephesians 2.20 3.6 4.4 5. Hebrewes 12.18 c. Thirdly wee are free to all the promises of Grace those rich and precious promises wee may safely imply they are ours 2. Pet. 1.4 Eph. 3.6 Fourthly we are free of God's chamber of Presence we may go in when we will and aske what we will and it shall bee done vnto vs we are free to put vp as many petitions and suits as we will we are free to the Throne of Grace Heb. 4.16 Eph. 3.12 and so in generall wee are free in the whole House of God euen to the vse of all his ordinances Iohn 6.36 Fiftly