manner infinite without end so also the punishment which taketh away its measure from the nature of the transgression will be without end infinite and that as wel in the privation of an infinite good as in the endles duration of this privation or losse Neither ought it to seem strange that for a sin which is committed in a short time an endlesse punishment should be inflicted because equity its â—…elf requires this that every one should be deprived of that good of which by his own fault he hath turned from But every â—…inner hath turn'd himself away from an endless good by a fault he can never come out of by himself and make an end of and therefore it is but reason that he be endlesly deprived of that good And moreover because he hath disturbed that order that God set appointed it is but juâ—…tice if he never be freed from the punishment of this fault untill he have repaired God his honor which an unrepenting sinner can never do unto eternity It ought not therefore to move any that sin which is but momentary should be punished eternally Reas. 1. The committing of it is as it were a spiritual wounding and yet a wounding in what â—…ort time soever done doth often leave behinde it a wound of long duration and often endlesse and eternal death Reas. 2. The committing of sin is as it were a spiritual fall or sliding and yet the fall in short time passed may be such that thereby for a very long time or without end the party may remain in the depth or pit whereinto he fell Reas. 3. The committing of sin is as it were a â—…ying with bands or thongs whose nature is that it may quickly be done and yet for ever keep the party bound as long as the bands themselves remain unloosed or unbroken Reas. 4. T is as it were a bargain in which the sinner for the enjoyment or use of some short pleasure out of a madnesse sells himself into slavery Now from a bargain of buying and selling though passed in a short time the right is conveyed to the buyer for ever and the alienation is eternal or endlesse in its own way Reason 1. It is as it were the putting out of a lamp for a sinner once drowning himself in the â—…ilth of sin puts out as it were the whole light of his mind and a lamp once put out though it be done in a moment yet by vertue of that putting out remains of its self endlesly extinct and put out Use 1. Of Condemnation against such as remain in their carnal security and please themselves in this condition over which perpetually hangs the so horrible wrath and anger of God Use 2. Is of Admonition that with all care above all things else we go about this to shew this wrath of God Matt. 3. 7. where also the way to shun it is shewed to be by repentance verse 8. And yet this is not so to be taken as if this shunning lay in our repentance as it is our action and as if that had some vircue of freeing from the wrath of God for Christ alone is our enfranchizer from the wrath to come 1 Thess. 1. 10. We therefore truly flee from the wrath of God when we flie to this mercy in Christ Jesus by true faith in him and repentance unfained Doct. 3. All such speeches as promise impunity of sin and indempnity from the wrath of God are but vain and seducing This is also cleare in the Text. Now that they are vain hence it appeareth because they are against his decree and his will clearly revealed and therefore can have no solid truth in them And that they are seducing is apparent enough also from the first author of such speeches For the devill when he would seduce our first Parents promised them this impunity in these words Ye shall not dye The Fifth Lords-day Rom. 8. 3. For what the Law could not doe in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likenesse of sinfull flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh THe Apostle in this place expounds why the faithfull may be freed from sin and death by Christ The reason is given as it were from the cause moving God to this giving of Christ. And this moving cause was the needinesse of our want which appears in the defect of power in any other means to produce such an effect as if the Apostle had said because it was needfull for us to be delivered from sin and death and yet this could be effected by no other means therefore God performed it by Christ. The strength and necessity of this consequence depends upon the will of God which tacitly supposeth that God would not have mankinde fall utterly to perish but to be restored again The whole syllogism or reason is this If by no other means faln men could be restored but by Christ then that way was to be taken because God would that some way it should be done but the first is true and therefore also the latter The assumption is proved to wit that man could be restored by no other means by the most likely instance of the law which once had been of great power and of force sufficient to bring man to happinesse For except Christ and the Gospel never any thing was given of God to man that was more perfect and divine than the Law That therefore which the Apostle says here of the law hath the force of such an argument as this If by vertue of the Law man could not be restored than by no other means could he be but by Christ but the first is true and therefore the latter also The Apostle both proves and expounds the Assumption at once from the reason or cause of this defect or weakness of the law to restore man that it is not properly inherent in the law it self but in our flesh or corruption whereby it is that we cannot fulfill the law that so it might save us much lesse by the Law rise up again from Death to life Doct. 1. It is the will of God that miserable men may be delivered from their misery and restored to life eternal This is here presupposed by the Apostle as granted and is used by him as the ground of his reasoning Reas. 1. Is taken partly from Gods mercy partly from his wisdome partly from his power and partly from the stability of his decrees from his mercy God would relieve miserable men therein to shew the glory of his grace and free mercy as it is called Ephes. 1. 6. the riches of his mercy his great love and the supereminent riches or treasures of his grace and bounty Ephes. 4. 7. for unlesse God had helped miserable men that were all drown'd in sin and death he had not accomplished above the half of his goodness and bounty towards mankind For that bounty that was manifested in the creating of us was neither fully
that there is no joy nor gladness in the practice of godliness and so they shun godliness and the care of it as that which is full of sadness and melancholy But the Scriptures teach otherwayes that the godly are called to this that they may alwayes rejoyce Phil. 4. 4. and that they alwayes are as it were feasting with all gladness according to that of Solomon Prov. 15. 15. The proper cause of this errour is ignorance a depraved sense of their sins 〈◊〉 in this like unto an herd of swine who make it their greatest pleasure and delight to wallow in the 〈◊〉 Use 3. Of Consolation for the godly in that 〈◊〉 their outward condition is yet they have 〈◊〉 of more true joy than can be either felt or understood by worldly men Use 4. Of Exhortation that striving with our utmost indeavour we must labour more and more to receive and be sensible of this joy Now the meanâ—… which we ought chiefly to use for attaining and 〈◊〉 thereof are these 1. We must in good 〈◊〉 remove all hinderances of this joy that is that by repentance a real amendment of life we 〈◊〉 cleanse and disburthen our selves of our sins 〈◊〉 We ought to have a true care that we daily make more sure and constant to our selves our union and communion with God by diligent examination and confirmation of our faith and hope 3. That we 〈◊〉 much and often exercised in the religious meditation of Gods Promises which promise all good things to such as have God for their God 4. Iâ—…â—…duceth much to this purpose if in our selves we exercise and excite this joy in and by the daily praise of Gods name that is as well in private as publick thanksgiving coming from the bottom of our heart for all those blessings with which God hath blessed us in Christ Jesus Doct. 5. That this joyâ—… and this comfort brings a certain holy security to the consciences of believers This is gathered from the last verse of the Psalm And this is that security wherein the Apostle â—…oasts and glories Rom. 8. If God be for 〈◊〉 who 〈◊〉 be against us c. For I am perswaded that nothing can separate me c. And David every where in the 〈◊〉 Why do I fear God is my rock c. This security differs much from carnall security wherein men of this world lye and sleep 1. Because true and prais-worthy security is grounded upon true faith and not upon vain imagination 2. Because it is bred in us by the Word and Promises and by the preaching and knowledge of the word of God It doth not proceed from traditions or mens dreams and customes in sin as that doth 3. Because this security relies alwayes upon Gods protection as it is in the Text Thou onely makest me c. it doth not rely on outward means or on our own strength and wisdome 4. Because this security is fed cherished and advanced by diligent use of calling upon Gods name and of all other means that God hath prescribed and appointed us Reas 1. Because Gods protection secureth believers from all evill at least from the sting of it by reason whereof it is onely truly evill for God hath all things both evill and good in his own power Reas 2. Because Gods presence brings all other good things with it for God is so good in himself that in himself virtually and eminently he contains all things that can be called good Reas. 3. Because Gods goodness towards believers is unchangeable so that there can be no danger of the changing of this happiness into misery Use The use of this Doctrine is for consolation to the faithfull to wit that from this ground they 〈◊〉 and ought to depend upon God and lay aside all those anxieties whereby they may be discouraged from adhering to God with joy and gladness The second Lords day Rom. 7. vers 7. What shall we say then Is the Law sin God forbid Yea I had not known sin but by the Law For I had not 〈◊〉 that concupiscence or lust was a sin unless the Law had said Thou shalt not covet THe Apostle that he might stir up the faithfull to a new obedience had proposed to them the difference of their condition that are under the Law and of them that are under Grace to wit that such as are under the law of the flesh and sin bring forth fruits unto death but such as are under the grace of the Spirit bring forth fruits in a new obedience unto life eternall But because of this opposition between the Law and Grace some might gather that there was then a very great agreement between the Law and sin therefore in this seventh verse this objection is preoccupated by the Apostle 1. Then the Objection is proposed What shall we say Is the Law sin 2. It is rejected with a certain kinde of detestation God forbid 3. The case is plainly set down and resolved in these words I had not known sin c. Where the singular effect and use of the Law is declared to wit that by forbidding and reproving is begotten in man a sense and acknowledgement of sin as of that which is contrary to its self and therefore it cannot be the cause of sin The Explication By the Law is understood in common a way and rule of walking Now this way and rule is imposed upon reasonable creatures by divine authority and the greatest obligations that can be And this is the Law to wit of God which the Apostle heer understands especially the moral Law By sin here is not onely understood the transgression of Gods will but also all those things that follow upon such a transgression which in this Chapter is defined by the name of Death and is called sometimes misery Sin is either known confusedly and speculatively onely or more exactly and practically Now the accurate and practicall knowledge of sin is here understood whereby it is efficaciously concluded in our consciences that sin is a detestable thing and by all means to be avoided Doct. 1. Men of their own nature are so blinded that although they be altogether drowned in sin and death yet of themselves they cannot know it This is gathered from these words I had not known sin Reas. 1. Because the very mind and conscience of man which is his eye and light is corrupted after a twofold manner 1. Privitively In that it is deprived of that light whereby it might rightly judge of it self and of such things as belong unto its spiritual life a. Positively In as much as it is possessed with a certain perverse disposition whence it often calls evill good and good evill For as the eye being put quite out feeleth nothing and as the eye infected with humours and depraved by the indispositions of the organe sees all things otherwise than they are presented so is it with the eye of the soul. Reas. 2. Because the whole man is possessed with a certain
man that by no means it can be conceived how God at any time can be the cause of any sin because seeing sin is a defect it can have no other cause but a deficient one and God seeing he is perfection it self can no ways nor ever be deficient Use Of Direction that in all our speeches and thoughts we may keep Gods glory untouched and unspotted and confesse that all the good we have comes alwayes from him but that all the evill that either we doe or suffer ariseth not from him but from our selves Doct. 2. Through Adams first disobedience sin passed upon all his Posterity Nor did this happen onely by way of imitation as the Pelagians teach but also by way of propagation or natural descent This is proved by this Argument If this had onely come to pass by imitation then the Apostle might as properly have said that Adam with all his Posterity sinned in the Angels who first fell from God as to have said that all men sinned in Adam because they as much follow the example of the Angels as of Adam For it is expressely said vers 14. That death and so also sin reigned over them that sinned not after the similitude of Adam that is by the imitation of Adam therefore vers 19. men are said to be made sinners by Adams disobedience it self The manner of this propagation is taken up and understood 1. To stand in imputation because that first transgression was held as the transgression of the whole nature of mankinde For as in the receiving of the benefits and endowments that belonged to all mankinde Adam bore the place and person of all men so also it was but right and reason that he should maintain their place either in their conservation by obedience or losse by disobedience untill they were capable of standing to or falling from their primitive condition in their own persons Herein he was as it were the Surety of all mankinde so that what he did in this businesse was to be held valid by all as done in their names 2. The second degree of this Propagation stands in the derivation or traduction of that corruption which by our first transgression seised upon the person of Adam himself This corruption is usually called the languishing of nature the seed or tinder of sin the law of our members the law of the flesh lust and sin that dwels in us but most usually originall sin because it cleaves unto us even from our first original and is some way natural unto us to wit as in our nature corrupted also it is the original of all other sins for all actuall sins flow from this as from their fountain This corruption first and principally consists in the privation of original righteousness the absence whereof so far as it is penall is inflicted by God but as it is a privation having the nature of a fault to wit the losse of that rectitude or right constitution which we should have kept and preserved entire it depends upon that relation that all men have to Adam and to his first sin Now that such corruption naturally is found in all men is not onely proved from Scriptures but seems also to be confirmed by experience it self Reas. 1. For in all men there appears a manifest perversion of our wils and inward appetite as much as spirituall and truly good things are of no good relish to all animall and naturall men but the contrary evils which of their own nature have no good rellish seem to them most sweet Now as the perversion of the sensitive appetite doth denotate bodily sicknesse so the perversion of the inmost most spiritual appetite doth point forth unto us sicknesse that is inward and in the spirit The same also may be observed of the perversion of the judgement and understanding from whence come so many and shamefull errours whereby good is esteemed evill and evill good Reas. 2. It is manifest that there is in all men a certain rebellion of the inferiour and animall faculties and appetites against the superiour and most spiritual faculties of the soul which shews the ficknesse of the upper part as not having strength enough to govern the lower and again a disorder and confusion of the inferiour faculties whereby they will not be subject to their Superiour For as as every infirmity debility and perturbation in the body so also in the soul hath its cause of sicknesse disease or certain corruption from the depravation of other parts Reas. 3. There may be observed in all a certain natural crouching of our selves to things that are below us and a certain aversion and turning away from those that are above us and for which we were made so that there are few amongst men that live not more like beasts stooping naturally to their belly-food and bowing towards the ground than according to the nature of man whose body was erected to look up to heaven and seek after God Now as a crouching in the constitution and fashioning of the body is a sign of a bodily sicknesse so also this soul crouching of the spirit doth manifestly declare some foul sickness of the spirit Reas. 4. There appears manifestly in all men a certain insensibleness from nature it self in discerning of things truly good and truly evill howbeit there is a far greater sweetness in true spiritual good things than in corporall and a far greater bitterness and sowreness in spiritual than in carnall evils Now this insensibleness and spiritual blockishnes is a manifest defect and vice cleaving to us from our very original even as the want of any outward sense is a great defect and fault of the body Reas. 5. Experience teatheth with how great difficulty and slowness men are stirred up to things that are truly good therefore as it is the definition of a good habit that makes a man ready and quick unto good works so must it be an evill and corrupt habit whereby the contrary comes to passe because slowly and with difficulty men set themselves to any good endeavours Reas. 6. It is well enough known to all that man hath not the power to do so much good as he knows should be done and as he desires to doe Wherefore when one hath not the power to move the members of his body it is a manifest disease that hinders its motion so where one hath not the power to move himself spiritually it is a manifest spiritual disease as when there is difficulty of corporal motion and one moves his body with great pains it discovers a great weaknesse of his body even as this other doth a weaknesse of the spirit Use 1. For Humiliation by reason of this misery 2. Of Exhortation that we rest not till we perceive that by the grace of God we are freed from this misery 3. For Direction that in our Prayers before God and in all parts of our care for amendment of our life we may chiefly go about this that not onely in
compleated in its last perfection and end because no man by it arrived to eternal happiness neither was it in its self the greatest the highest the fullest goodness of God because an higher fuller and more surpassing sort of goodness appeared in the preservation of the elect Angells and that also is far greater which is now revealed in the Gospell and brings perfect salvation to mankind that is fallen Now this was most sitting that the goodness and mercy of God should as well be perfected towards men as his justice From his wisdome God knew the best way whereby he could conveniently help miserable man and therefore it was meet that his wisdome should be made manifest in its effect And this is it which the Apostle every where teacheth that in this mystery of the Gospell there was a wisdome of God which was kept up and hidden from all the Heathen which therefore by way of excellencie he calls that wisdome of God into which the Angells themselves with desire and wonder are said to look 1 Pet. 1. 12. For such was our misery that not onely we could not rise out of it ourselves by our own power but could not so much as think upon or devise a way or means whereby we might be delivered But this was the proper work of the wisedome of God himself conjoyned with his own mercy From his power also he had the ability of helping and bringing to perfection therein what he would For so our redemption in Scripture is not onely usually adscribed to Gods grace and mercy but also to his power For the highest power and soveraignty was required to dissolve the works of the Devill and the bonds of death and the grave for raising of dead men to life again for guiding and protecting them so as they might be brought to life eternal maugre all opposition of their enemy and most of all for laying that ground-stone of the whole and uniting the second person of the Deity his own Son and the nature of man into one Person From the immutability also of his decree it was in some sort necessary for God to procure their deliverance from death whom from eternity he had chosen and appointed unto life Hence a twofold necessity of the restauration and liberation of mankind is rightly by some determined on our part the necessity of want on Gods part the necessity of his immutability Use Of Exhortation that with all admiration we behold and look into this good will of God and with all thankfulness as well in our thoughts as in our speeches all our life time we publish and praise it Doct. 2. The Law cannot deliver miserable men from their misery It is clear enough in the Text and is grounded moreover on the following reasons Reas 1. Because the Law promiseth no good to miserable sinners but onely to just persons and such as keep it Reason 2. Because in it self it hath no force of taking away sin but onely of punishing it Reas 3. Because by no sinner can it be fulfilled and that because of the weakness of the flesh or the impotency of carnall and fallen mankind as it is in the Text. Reas. 4. Because though it might be fulfilled for time to come yet by-past sins would take away all hope of receiving the reward of Life from the Law Hence is it that the Law is called a killing lâ—…tter and the minister of death and of condemnation Use Of Reâ—…utation against such as put their trust in their own workes and look for salvation from their good intentions and endeavours which is the errour of Papists Remonstrants or Arminians and Anabaptists who cry up alwayes an honest life and good works Doct. 3. No sinner can deliver himself from this misery This is thus gathered because none go above the Law For if the Law cannot for the weakness of our flesh then neither can we our selves for the same weakness of our flesh Reason 1. No debt can duly be blotted out by the debtor till payed Reas. 2. Because though any one never augmented his first debt by sinning yet should he in all this do no more but pay what he owes in so doing and so could not by that means make satisfaction for his former transgression Reas. 3. Because if man could not preserve himself nor did not do it in that integrity wherein he was created it cannot reasonably be thought that now he can recover it again Reas. 4. If he could recover his first integrity he would be as subject and easy to lose it again as our first Father was at first Use Of Direction that we put no confidence in our selves nor in our own strength but denying our selves we depend altogether on Gods grace and mercy in Jesus Christ. Doct. 4. No meer creature in heaven or in earth can deliver miserable men from sin and death It followeth from the Text because no such creature is above the Law Reason 1. Because no external thing that is a meer creature hath in it self that worth that it can be a compensation for sin to Gods justice and truth and so a price of redemption from death Mat. 16. 26. Yea not all the world For that is it that iâ—… hinted 1 Pet. 1. 18. where all corruptible things amongst the best whereof are gold and silver and the like are determined to be below the redeeming of man Reas. 2. Because whatsoever any meer creature whether man or Angell can do ows all that for its self and on its own behalf Reas. 3 Because if we were redeemed by a meer creature for this very cause we should become the servants of that meer creature and that of justice and gratitude as we are the servants of Christ our Redeemer because our Redeemer as is already taught But this would be an unworthy thing and would infer a kind of contradiction to it self For seeing man before his fall was not the servant of any creature but of God alone if by redemption he should become the servant of any creature he should not be redeemed and restored into that perfect liberty from which he fell and so though redeemed as we suppose yet he should not be properly redeemed that is by redemption made free Reas. 4. The evills that are to be removed from us are greater than can be taken away by any meer creature as the wrath of God infinite and eternal the guilt of sin confirmed by the force of an eternal law the command that sin and death hath over us Of these that is true which we have Luke 10. 21 22. Reas. 5. The good things to be imparted and before that to be purchased are of greater worth than that they can be communicated to us from any meer creature as namely a righteousness going beyond the righteousness of the Law and the resurrection as well corporal as spiritual the communication of the divine nature life eternal and a happiness that surmounts that of Adam in his innocency that is a Kingdome that
men and as it were a spiritual or City oâ—… Commonwealth wherein every one is bound to procure the common good and advance it as much as he can Reas 3 Because God in such duties is glorified and according to the power and occasion given us there ariseth to us a calling and a divine allowance whereby we are in special manner to perform this duty Use. Of Exhortation to all sorts of duties whereby the life of our Neighbour may be cherished as â—… To a care of peace and love 2. To patience 3. To courtesie 4. To pitty mercy and bounty 5. To spiritual almes of Instruction Exhortation Admonition Consolation as occasion shall require Hither also are such sinnes to be referred as we commit against our owne lives as drunkennesse surfet the evills of whoredomes and uncleanness and the like and contrarily those duties whereby we ought to procure and further our owne comfort both of life and health as also of body and soul The forty first Lords day Exod. 20. 14. Thou shalt not commit Adultery IN this seventh Commandment are handled such duties as belong to the begetting propagating of humane life For these have place next after such as belong to preservation of life which were ranked in the sixth Commandment which takes care for continuing the life of this and that party in particular but this seventh Commandement of all men in general By name then one special impurity and dishonesty is onely forbidden but by the usual Synecdoche or comprehensive sort of speech all others of that kinde are understood whether disordered actions like unto this or whether such as tend either of their owne nature or of the intention of the doer to the furtherance of such impure acts Doct. 1. We ought out of conscience towards God to keep our selves from all impurity and unchastity Reas. 1. Because sins of this kind bring disorder into such things as belong to the propagation of mans life and so tend some way to the corrupting of mankind Reas. 2. Because from such sins a sort of most inward uncleannesse followeth in the person or body of man whence it is that the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. 18. distinguisheth this sin from all others in that others are without the body this in and against the body it self though there be some other sins that seem to be in and against the body as drunkennesse surfet c. yet they neither so inwardly arise from the body nor so directly affect it and primarily as these lustfull dishonesties Reas. 3. Because from this kind of uncleannesse followeth that dishonouring of our owne bodies the contrary whereof is naturally due to them and to our persons as appears â—… Thes. 4. 4. Reas. 4. Because these impurities in a special manner withstand inward holiness as appears both from that place of the Thessalonians where holinesse is conjoyned with the honour of the body in opposition to this uncleannesse and from that to the Corinthians where our bodies by these faults are said of temples of the Holy Ghost and of members of Christ to become the members of an Harlot Use Of Admonition that with the greater care and conscience we shunne all such uncleannesses which ought so much the more to be called to mind by us as the depravednesse of mans nature useth most to appear in these kind of sins because they are most common most prevalenr and keep strongest dominion in him possessing the whole man in whom they are and that most deeply and with a kind of violence and force Hence it is that in Scripture they are called a burning because they burne up all in their way and by little and little consume the whole man as fire doth the thing that it burnes more especially we ought to keep our selves 1. From that lust which is properly called carnal that we be not subject to or obey the affections and dispositions of it 2. From all outward conversation whereby such lust is cherished and furthered in our selves or in others as are 1. Such thoughts as with pleasure and delight are taken up and used about unchast matters 2. Wanton apparel and behaviour or which savour of wantonnesse or cherish it 3. Filthy and unclean communication either in common discourses or songs 4. Unclean company and wanton representations as are commonly in Stage-playes and interludes pictures and rooms hung with such c. 5. All occasions and provocations to lust as idlenesse drunkennesse surfetting and the like 6. Most of all the acts themselves of unchastnesse in whordome adultery fornication and the like Doct. 2. By vertue of this command we are bound to study all cleannesse of soule and body that belongs unto procreation This is commanded in the same words that the contrary faults are forbidden by according to the constant use of speech in the decalogue Reas. 1. Because this cleannese is a part of our inward sanctification Reas 2. Because from this part of our sanctification a special sort of honour ariseth 1 Thes. 4. 4. While our bodies are not made drudges for the fulfilling the base and vile affections of the flesh but are applied unto nobler uses Reas 3. Because this purity is needfull that we may be fit to worship God as we should For carnal impurity where it prevailes and gets the dominion it not onely presses downe and burthens the minde so that it cannot raise up it self unto spiritual thoughts and affections but also it infecteth with contagion and pollutes those very thoughts and endeavours whereby we seek after and breath for spiritual life Use Of Admonition that we indulge not nor allow the inclinations of our corrupt natures in these things nor suffer our selves to be carried away with the evill manners and examples of the vulgar sort who in this kind are more beasts often than Christians but let us alwayes be thinking how we may keep our selves clean as well from these lusts of the flesh as from other sins This cleannesse is maintained by modesty and temperance Modesty is herein kept if neither by words nor by gestures nor by any other such way we uncover as it were without reverence what nature tells us should be covered and hid and be ashamed of the uncovering Temperance or sobriety consists in the keeping a moderation or measure in the pleasures of the flesh or body especially in meat and drink The cleannesse or chastity as to the diversity of manner is divided into chastity of single life and chastity of mariage For mariage is appointed now since the fall by God to be a meanes of keeping this cleannesse or chastity in things that belongs to the generation of mankinde We ought therefore to have a care 1. That we so marry as that it be in such cleannesse that is with such a person in such a manner for such an end that from a good conscience it may be said that the contract or bargaine was made in the Lord and in his fear 2. That it be used and exercised