PAVLS COMPLAINT AGAINST HIS NATVRALL CORRVPTION WITH THE MEANES HOW TO BEE DELIVERED FROM the power of the same Set forth in two Sermons vpon the 24 verse of the 7. Chapter of his Epistle to the Romanes Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death By me WILLIAM TEELINCK Preacher of the Word of GOD at MIDDLEBVRGH LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Iohn Bellamie 1621. TO THE WORSHIPFVLL HIS VVORTHIE FRIEND M r THOMAS NICHOLAS Esquire As also To the vertuous Gentlewoman M rs IANE NICHOLAS his wife Grace and peace in this life with perfection of glory and happinesse in that to come WORSHIPFVLL The consideration of the dutie which euery Christan is in Conscience bound to performe namely To aduance the glory of God by whom he was created and vpon whom he wholy dependeth and also to further the good of his Brother the Image of God and fellow member with him of the same misticall bodie of Christ compelled me to take in hand the Translation of these two Sermons following as being the good which I hauing opportunitie of time and place to accomplish might in no wise omit They were first preached and published in the Netherlandish Dutch for the benefit of the people of God in those parts which being also my desire in this place I according to my slender ability haue translated and published them here and as a token of the respect I beare vnto your worth and of the thanks I owe vnto you for the many fauourable fruites of your loue am bold to tender them vnto your acceptance and commit them vnto your Patronage They may fitly be tearmed the Anatomizing of the body of sinne a touch stone for a Christian or a Receipt for a sicke soule for they ioyntly containe matter suting vnto these three titles and vse full for all sortes of men as well those that have a name to be aliue but are dead hauing a shew of Religion but want substance as those that are Christians indeed and in truth Whose prayse is not of men but of God But being loath to be too troublesome vnto you with abundance of words I referre you vnto the booke it selfe which being iealous of mine owne errors and insufficiencie I submit vnto your judicious censure euer consecrating my selfe vnto you for your seruice in all that I am or shal be able to performe and my prayers vnto God for your safetie and protection in bodie and soule and thus I humbly take my leaue euer remaining your Worships to be commanded in whatsoeuer C◠HARMAR ¶ The Author his Epistle to the Reader ALthough in all the holy Scripture the word of truth it be found to be most true that in the world there is nothing more hatefull and fearefull then sinne yet daily experience teacheth that there are very few which are grieued and troubled therewith there are to bee found in this cursed world multitudes of them that mourne for their temporall losses and crosses the fruit of sinne one complaineth pittifully of his pouertie of the losse and damage he hath susteined another of his sicknesse of the griefe and paine that he hath suffered a third of the shame contempt disgrace or iniurie which this or that man hath offered vnto him but few consider that sinne is the mother of all this mischiefe yea when they are free from the foresaid inconueniences though they lie plunged and smoothered in sinne they are neuer touched therewith but passe away their time carelesly and securely Let them care that care will onely some few whose eyes God hath opened for to see the mysteries of his kingdome doe make their sinnes their greatest trouble and griefe and not without good cause for it is most certaine and true that he shall neuer see God with ioy hereafter in heauen which commeth not to see his sinnes with a holy and godly sorrow here vpon earth In this sense those that mourne are called blessed of our Sauiour himselfe Therefore for to moue men unto this godly sorrow for their sins and to stirre them vp vnto an holy zeale against all sinnes I haue published these Sermons following wherein I haue shewed how we may be deliuered both from the condemning and commanding power of sinne unto our eternall comfort whereby if any man reape benefit I shall highly reioyce in my labour herein bestowed Farewell in the Lord. Middleburgh the 21. of Iuly 1620. Thine in the Lord WILLIAM TEELINCK PAVL HIS COMPLAINT AGAINST HIS NATVRALL CORRVPTION WITH THE MEANES HOW TO be deliuered from the power of the same Set forth in two Sermons vpon the 24. verse of the 7. Chapter of his Epistle to the Romaynes O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this body of death THE Apostle Paul hauing declared at large in the foregoing verses the cumbersome contention he had with his flesh and naturall Corruption the which was alwayes in his way and exceedingly hindered him in the seruice of his God and now finding himselfe dangerously beset with this enemy he cryeth out for helpe as it were with a loud voyce saying O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death The summe A mournefull Lamentation or Complaint against that naturall corruption wherwith the Apostle found himselfe oppressed The parts are these 1. Against what hee complaineth against the body of death 2. Who complaineth The Apostle himselfe I miserable man 3. How he complaineth Two manner of wayes First he declareth himselfe therefore to be miserable in that he hath this body of death about him secondly he wisheth to bee deliuered from it 1. Of what he Complaineth He complaineth of the body of death by which we must vnderstand as it appeareth in the former Verses our naturall corruption which makes vs in our selues vnapt to any good and prone and readie to all euill euen that originall sinne wherin we were conceiued and borne concerning which the Apostle formerly testifieth that it worketh death Ver. 13. And in another place is termed by him the body of sinne Rom. 6.6 in which respect also he declareth himselfe to be carnall sold vnder sinne ver 14. and witnesseth that it is in him a Law in his members whereby he is greatly hindered in the performance of obedience vnto the Law of God ver 22.23 But we shall better iudge of the meaning of this manner of speech if so be we obserue the reasons why originall sinne or naturall corruption is called a body yea a body of death Our naturall corruption is named a body for these reasons following 1. As a body hath many members so also hath this naturall corruption it is a coniunction or knitting together of many euill members or rather it spreadeth it selfe through all the powers and parts of the whole man therefore it is not onely called a body but also a Man even the olde Man Ephes 4.22 Implying that there is nothing in man which
and hast thou no holy indignation with thy selfe when thou hast broken the law of God Behold it is a signe thou art in a bad case Furthermore canst thou being poore and needie lament and bewayle thy state and cry out O miserable man and canst thou not because thou art sinfull cry out vnfainedly O miserable man Then it is greatly to bee feared that thou art not onely poore in body but also accursed in thy pouertie and want if so be thou remainest the same in soule as thou art Againe if thou hauing spoken a lye beene angry or peraduenture drunke the last night canst easily disgest it and goe on frolickly without once being touched at heart with any sorrow for it behold it is a lamentable signe that thou art dead in sin and art blind not hauing an eye to see the hatefulnes of sinne that thou hatest not sinne as thou shouldest nor iudgest of it as God doth yea that thou art altogether in sinne and sinne in thee is in its owne place And to be short it is an infallible signe that if thou cryest not out because of thy sinnes O miserable man who shall deliuer me Thou thy selfe art one of the most miserable men that liueth vpon the earth Secondly here is great cause of mourning and lamentation For is it not a miserable thing that sinne which is so common in the world among name-bearing Christians and hath so many lamentable effects is so little complained of by men and yet the want of being troubled with it is such an infallible signe of a miserable soule Hath not sinne as a sea ouer-flowne all places goe vnto the houses shopps markets counsells Courts Consistories Churches or any place els and if it bee full of men you shall finde it to be full of sinne also but where shall you finde the holy complaint and outcry of Paul against sinne Where shall you find those that from their hearts hold themselues to be miserable because they be sinfull and make the sorrow for their sinnes to exceed all their other sorrowes as the Saints of God were wont to doe Nay are there not multitudes to bee found which harden themselues in sinne and are so far from any remorse of Conscience for sinne that they reioyce and take pleasure in it and are at no time so much grieued as when they cannot bring their sinfull intents to effect not making a meale but it must be with sinne to whom it is not enough that they eat and drinke but they must eat and drinke sinfully or els they cannot bee merry there are also those that plough iniquitie Hosea 10.13 that are inuenters of wicked things Rom. 1.30 Workers of vnrighteousnesse practitioners in sinne whose will and vnderstanding are onely imployed to plot and deuise iniquitie to couer extenuate and defend it with subtle Arguments or so cunningly and cleanly to carry their sinfull and vngodly proiects that they may not be perceiued There are likewise those that liue onely in sinne whose meate and drinke it is to worke iniquitie Pro. 4.16 There are also those that build their houses and hold them open in sinne as those wicked and filthy Alehouses and worse yet all these will giue themselues out for true Christians and appropriate vnto themselues the comforts and prerogatiues of the Children of God when remaining as they are they haue no part in them which is a thing altogether lamentable and miserable Thirdly this serueth to terrifie and affright all abstinate and hard hearted men which drinke in iniquitie like water and can without any sorrow or remorse of conscience commit and digest the most grosse and abominable sinnes which can lye sweare deceiue drinke drunke prophane the Sabboth or doe any wicked thing els and yet passe away their time in ioy and mirth yea and boast of their strong faith and that they are sure of the pardon of their sinnes and the saluation of their soules But the faith of these men is mad and foolish it is no Apostolicall faith it is not of the nature of the Apostle Pauls faith who being vpon good groundes assured that his sinnes were forgiuen yet was troubled and grieued with them euen as a maide who hauing slipt into folly and now liueth chastly mourneth and lamenteth all her life long because of the scandall reproach where with shee hath steined her selfe although shee be forgiuen of her friends and companions and as well respected and esteemed by them as she was in times past but the peace and securitie of those idle and vaine boasters ariseth not from the strength of their faith but onely from this that they haue a dead and benummed Conscience and are still in their naturall state where sinne being as in its proper element is not heauie and grieuous But looke before thee thou wretched man behold there shall a judgement come and then thou shalt know that this thy idle ioy and mirth is nothing els but the seede of thine eternall paine and torment vnlesse thou doest in time turne and repent for it is most certaine that thou must either temporally here or els eternally hereafter lament and bewayle thy sinnes Fourthly this serueth to reproue those large Consciences which when they see the Childe of God humbled and grieued for his sins are wont to maruaile and say they know not wherefore one should be so troubled for sinne for God is mercifull say they Christ is dead and all things are well but did not the Apostle know what hee did when he cryed out so earnestly because of his sinnes O miserable man who shall deliuer mee But these men doe not know that it is the property of the childe of God to mourne and grieue because he hath displeased his good and gracious Father by his sinnes although with the Apostle he be confident that they be remitted euen as a good natured childe when he hath committed a fault will be sorry that he hath offended his Father although he hath forgiuen him Lastly here is matter of comfort and encouragement for all those which out of the sense and feeling of their sinnes and corruptions are vnfainedly grieued and troubled with them complaining and crying out from their harts with the Apostle O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death Oh my beloued brethren and sisters be not dismayed because you find sinne to be so heauie a burthen behold it must be so if you wil be eased of it the more light a man thinks it is the more heauie and grieuous it shall fall vpon him it is a signe that you are in a ioyful estate if your greatest sorrow be for your sins a wound being full of dead flesh smarteth not but then it is the more incurable it is a liuing and quicke conscience that feeleth the smart of sin this corruption is not felt by corruption it is a signe that there is spirituall life in vs when we can mourne for the transgression
our sinfull flesh is like vnto a wicked Enchantresse which smileth vpon vs when she purposeth to destroy vs the pleasing and delightfull concupiscences thereof are like Ioabs kisses who killed Amasa when he seemed to kisse him 2 Sam 20.9.10 Therefore wee must not fauour and please this monster of sinne but we must in this thing denie our selues and kill our earthly members Col. 3.5 And crucifie our old man Gal. 5.24 If we will liue and be deliuered from the eternall crosse and the eternall death Neither must we shrinke or be afrayd to doe it for the lustes of our flesh which we are to cut off are as rotten members members of the bodie of death cankered and putrified members which if we cut them not off in time will corrupt and destroy our whole man yea and bring vs also into eternall death as the truth it selfe teacheth vs expressely testifying that if we fauour and make much of the members of this body of death that is our sinfull lustes and cut them not off we shall with them be cast into hell where the Worme neuer dyeth and the fire neuer goeth out Mar. 9.44 Secondly the man that would willingly bee more and more deliuered from the body of death thorough Iesus Christ our Lord must not onely denie and forsake himselfe but also with all his affections and the deepest desires of his heart make all possible speede to come vnto Christ that he may be cured of him as he himselfe teacheth namely that all that are wearie and laden must come vnto him and he will ease them Mat. 11.28.29 and Mat. 13.15 He then that would be healed by Christ and deliuered from the bodie of death must giue vp himselfe vnto him to be cured by him euen as a poore patient which hauing long beene possessed with a grieuous disease putteth himselfe into the hands of a skilfull Phisitian which by Gods helpe can cure him to be ruled and handled according vnto his will prescription Now the dyet the phisicke the receipts which Christ the onely Phisitian of the soule prescribeth vnto his patients that I may so speake for their curing are found onely in the holy Scripture Ioh 5.39 which is the Phisick booke wherein are plentifully conteined the words which are life to them that finde them and health vnto their flesh Pro. 4.22 Therefore the poore sinfull man that would haue helpe must order and gouerne himselfe according to the rule and true meaning of the holy Scripture wherein is comprehended the great wisedome of God and all the mysteries of spirituall Phisicke according to which whosoeuer truely frameth and carrieth himselfe shall certainely and vndoubtedly be healed Therefore it is the greatest folly and madnesse in the world and a sinne whereof very many stand guiltie before God that wretched sinfull men should be slacke and negligent to enquire and search after the wisedome and counsell of God and to frame and fashion themselues according vnto it notwithstanding the great wife and mercifull God hath reuealed vnto them in his word which he hath put into our handes how they should walke to the end that they may be healed of the bodie of death but run vnaduisedly after the blind conceipt of their owne head without once rightly considering what the Lord Iesus Christ the onely Phisitian of the soule hath prescribed and deliuered in the holy Scripture for poore soule-sicke man to practise and apply vnto himselfe to the end that he may bee cured yea the great stayne of this sinne of the godlesse children of the world shall neuer be purged from them vnlesse they amend therefore those that would bee deliuered from the body of death thorough our Lord Iesus Christ must so giue themselues vp vnto him to be cured of him as that they diligently search and learne out of his word how they must order and addresse themselues to the end that they may bee healed Thirdly He that would be deliuered from the body of death thorough our Lord Iesus Christ must by all meanes endeuour to beleeue and hold as firme and certaine that he thus denying and giuing vp himselfe vnto Christ shall truely bee deliuered and cured by him this did Christ require in the curing of bodily diseases Marc. 9.23 and else-where teaching vs thereby that this faith is aboue all things necessary and requisite vnto the curing of the mortall disease of our soules it being the Conduit which conueyeth vnto vs vertue from Christ whereby we are healed of our corruptions But the Diuell which setteth vp himselfe as a God of the world laboureth by all his might and pollicie to hinder and stop this for hee will eyther perswade a man that he shall liue and bee saued by his faith and beliefe in Christ when hee liueth in a course of perdition seruing the flesh wherein if he continueth it is not possible that he should be saued Rom. 8.13 or else hee will make him beleeue if he can that his sinnes are so great that he shall not obteine pardon and remission of God when he hath denied himselfe forsaken his sinnes laboureth to be conformed vnto the will of God and is heartily grieued because he cannot performe such obedience vnto him as hee should and as hee would but let vs take heede of both these Rockes let vs not presume of the mercy of God when wee are not fit Objects of mercie standing in open rebellion against God being friendes of sinne and let it also bee farre from vs to thinke that God will not haue mercy vpon vs when wee come vnto him for mercie with true sorrow and griefe because wee haue offended him for it is his glory to haue mercie and to haue respect vnto them that humble themselues but let vs wrestle with our vnbeleiefe and beleeue that thorough the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ wee shall bee saued Act. 15.11 This faith thus being founded not vpon an idle conceipt of our owne braynes but vpon the fore-named groundes the word and councell of Christ wee accordingly endeuouring truely to forsake our selues and to put our selues into his hands to be ruled and gouerned by him This faith I say is mightie and worketh wonders and there is no disease of the soule so mortall or incurable of which wee shall not bee cured if so be wee hold fast and continue in this our true and holy faith following the councell of Christ for then may wee expect the blessing of Christ more and more to bee deliuered from the bodie of death Then shall it bee done vnto vs according to the words of Christ Mathew the fifteenth Chapter and the twentie eyght verse Be it vnto thee as thou wilt Then shall wee be more and more freed from the power of sinne and assured of our Saluation to our great and neuer ending comfort ⸪ Laus honor gloria sole Deo FINIS The connection of the Text with the former verses The summe of the Text. The parts of the Text. Why our naturall
corruption is named a bodie 1 Reason Because it spreadeth it selfe thorough all the powers and parts of the whole man Reason 2. Because it hangeth vpon vn as our owne flesh Mat. 5.29.30 Why our naturall corruption is named a body of death Reason 1. Because it worketh the death both of soule and bodie Reason 2. Because it ingendreth and bringeth forth a broode of deadly sins Reason 3. Because it is destined to euerlasting death Rom. 2.4.2 Pet. 3.9 Doctrine 1. That the originall corruption wherein we were all conceiued and borne is a most deformed and mis-shapen body of death Rom. 3.13.14.15.16 Vse 1. To teach vs to mourne and lament in the consideration of it Vse 2. To admonish vs to take notice of this deadly monster I Cor. 15.16 The opening of the second part of the Text. Doctrine 2. That the naturall corruption which maketh man of himselfe vnapt and vnfit to any good prone to all euill is in the best and most holiest of Gods children Gal. 6.24 Col. 3.5 Rom. 8.13 Quest Answ Quest Answ Vse 1. To teach euery one to walk warily and circumspectly seeing we carry in and about vs such a bodie of sinne and of death Vse 2. A iustreproofe of all such as content themselues with a ciuill life Vse 3. To teach Gods people to put far from them that conceipt of carnall men Vse 4. To worke a sound humiliation in all mankinde Vse 5. To administer comfort to the Warriours against this corruption The opening of the third part of the Text. Answ The bodie of death hath these miserable effects which follovv It defaceth the Image of God in vs. Being thus defaced wee become the children of wrath and disobedience Doctrine 1. The more holy a man is the more sensible is he of his naturall corruption Reasons 1. Because they haue a feeling conscience sensible of sinne 2. They haue their eyes open to see the vglinesse of sinne Vse 1. For examination by this whether we be Gods children yea orno Vse 2. To cause lamentation in regard of the commonnesse of correction and yet the great want of a sensible feeling of it Vse 3. To terrifie all hard-hearted people which delight in sin neuer sorrowing for sinne Vse 4 To reproue all those which wonder at the humilitie of Gods children The last part of the Text. Doctrine 2. The true sense of our miserie by sinne causeth vs to seeke deliuerance by Christ Reason 1. It is naturall for all Creatures in distresse to seeke deliuerance Vse 1. To shevv from whence it commeth that men are in miserable bondage vnder sin and yet neuer seeke for deliuerance Vse 2. Sheweth the necessitie of the sound preaching of the Law Vse 3. To admonish all which would be deliuered from the misery of sin that they would suffer themselues to be reproued Vse 4. Toteach vs when we feele the lack of our Ioue to Christ then duely to weigh the hatefulnesse of our sinnes Doctrine 3. That it behooueth vs aboue all things in the world to seeke to be deliuered from the power of sinne Reason 1. Because true Religion teacheth vs to keept our selues vnspotted of the world I am 1.27 Reason 2. Because the bondage of sinne is the greatest bondage that a Christian can vnder-goe Vse 1. To inforce vs to mourne because men lie in their sinnes without once seeking any deliuerance Vse 2. To teach vs to labour to be deliuered from the bodie of death Quest What must we doe to be deliuered from the power of sin
our selues and looke about vs and ioyne all our forces together to kill and destroy this fell and cruell monster Seâ—ing it hath beene so manifestly and vndeniably made to appeare vnto vs that vnlesse we kill it it will kill and destroy vs and that eternally Rom. 8.13 And to the end that the Apostle might the more thoroughly make vs to vnderstand this and consequently the better deterre and affright vs from the loue and seruice of this our corrupt flesh which we so gladly and readily obey he calls it in our Text a bodie of death now there is nothing more terrible and fearefull to man then death yet there is nothing more pleasing vnto him then to obey his corruption in all its filthy lustes notwithstanding the Apostle declareth it how-soeuer it slatteringly laugheth and smileth vpon a man to be a deadly and destroying monster a body of death hauing in it selfe the sting both of temporall and eternall death wherwith it giueth the deaths-wound to euery carelesse and vnprouident person which serueth and obeyeth it euen as Ioab did vnto Amasa when he embraced him 2. Sam. 3. Wherefore euery one that loueth his soule must lay to heart the Apostles admonition Rom. 13.14 Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ and take no care for the flesh to obey it in the lustes thereof yea hee must set himselfe against his corrupt flesh which is no other thing then a most dangerous monster how sweet and louely soeuer it seemeth to be he must in nothing take care to please and obey it for then it will grow more strong and hurtfull but he must weine it of its lust and denie it of whatsoeuer it desireth and so crucifie it and by little and little as it were hunger-sterue it that he himselfe may liue What we are to know and doe further as touching this body of death shall be declared in the parts of the Text which now follow to be handled 2. Who it is which here complaineth against this body of death IT is the Apostle himselfe which complaineth against the body of death which was in him for in the verse following he speaketh of himselfe and sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I my selfe and thus speaketh he euery where not as being vnregenerate but as hauing an vnfained and sincere loue and delight in the law of God which flesh and bloud did neuer teach him in which regard also by the testimony of the Psalmist he may be knowne to bee blessed Psal 1.2 From hence followeth this obseruation The body of sinne and of death is in the best that is the naturall corruption which maketh man of himselfe vnapt and vnfit to any good and prone and readie to all euill is euen in the best and most holy of all This appeareth out of that the Apostle himselfe here complaineth that it was in him who without doubt was one of the best Christians in the world at that time and he further declareth vnto vs that the faithfull among whom he shuts himselfe also while they are here vpon earth how farre soeuer they are proceeded in the new birth doe know but in part 1. Cor. 9.10.11.12 And he sayth of the Thessalonians that there was something wanting in their faith 1. Thes 3.10 When in another place he witnesseth of them that vnto other Christians they were notable examples and patternes of true faith 1 Thes 1.7.8 Yea in this regard Elias himselfe was subiect vnto the same passions vnto which other of Gods children are Iam. 5.17 and all the children of God are sayd to haue in them fleshly concupiscences which striue against their soule 1. Pet. 2.11 The best as long as they remaine in this life haue alwayes somewhat in them which they must crucifie which they must mortifie thorough the spirit Whereby it manifestly appeareth that there is in euery one an euill eye which must be pluckt out and a bad hand that must be cut off Mar. 9.43 c. Here it may be asked why God doth suffer his best Children thus to be oppressed and cumbered with this body of death so long as they liue here vpon earth First God doth it for the greater glory of himselfe and of his children and the greater shame and disgrace of the Diuell for truely it tendeth greatly to the prayse and glory of God and to the honour of his children and to the shaming of the Diuell that he knoweth how is able to keepe and preserue such weake and feeble vessels against all the power of Hell and to make them conquerours ouer Sathan in that very flesh which is so polluted with sinne and was once depraued by the Diuell Secondly the Lord doth it because it is fit that there should bee a difference put betweene the cursed earth and blessed heauen to be without finne and free from combat with it is a prerogatiue and priuiledge belonging onely to the seate royall and court of heauen it cannot be that we should enioy it here vpon earth no we must long after the fruition of it in heauen It may be demanded againe that seeing the very best are polluted with this naturall corruption what difference is there then betweene the children of God and the children of the world betweene true beleeuers and carnall men There is as great difference betweene them as is betweene the darkenesse of the darkest night and the light of the morning at the breake of the day as we heard before yea the difference betweene the carnall and spirituall man in respect of this inherent corruption is great euery manner of way for in the vnregenerate man this monster of sinne sitteth as it were vpon a throne ruling and hauing dominion in his heart where it commandeth and is obeyed in euery thing For experience makes it plaine that there is nothing wherein worldly men doe take more delight and pleasure then in seruing their corrupt flesh in all its lustes whether it be in couetousnesse voluptuousnesse pride ambition or in any thing else whereunto their appetites carry them But on the contrary side in the children of God how s oeuer it hath place in them yet it sitteth not as vpon a throne ruling and commanding as a King but lyeth as it were stretched out vpon a racke where thorough the working of the spirit it is euery day more and more disâ—joynted weakned and mortified Furthermore the daily practise of the true Children of God is not to take care for the flesh to obey it in the lustes thereof as carnall men doe but to beate it downe and bring it in bondage to the will of God as the Apostle did 1. Cor. 9.27 Here by the way we may consider the exceeding sottishnesse of many poore and wretched persons which serue the flesh and liue in sinne who when they once heare that all men yea the very best are sinfull and that the most holy and sanctified haue their wants and defects and are clogged with the sinfull
flesh then beginne they to iustifie themselues and to say we haue all drunke of one cup he that is without sinne let him cast the first stone at me haue I my imperfections Another hath his I am not alone I hope I shall get into heauen as well as another and so they set themselues in equall degree with the true Children of God they themselues being no other then fleshly men and children of the world But thou miserable man which speakest after this manner vnderstandest thou not or wilt thou not vnderstand that there is a great difference betweene hauing the sinfull flesh in one and fighting with it and hauing it in one and louing and seruing it in the lustes thereof Is there no difference betweene chast Ioseph who being set vpon by Potiphars wife and tempted to commit folly ranne away and betweene the light and wanton woman who sought to draw him vnto it Is there no difference betweene a modest and chast Matron who hauing a Ruffian in her house resisteth him striueth against him seeketh by all meanes to driue him out and cryeth out earnestly O wretched woman that I am who shall deliuer me from this wicked villaine and betweene a lasciuious woman which reioyceth and is glad that the Ruffian is in her house which maketh a bed for him and solaceth her selfe with him so is there great difference betweene you which let sin raigne in your mortall bodies that you might obey it in the lusts thereof Rom. 6.12 and betweene the seruants of God which wrestle and fight with it and labour to beat it downe and bring it in subiection 1 Cor. 9 27. Yea there is so great difference marke it well that you with your sinfull flesh shall be cast into Hell where you shall eternally be tormented if in time you repent not where on the contrary side the Children of God shall be freed and deliuered from their sinfull flesh and be exalted into Heauen yea behold there is so great difference betweene you two that the one shall be damned and the other saued the one goe to heauen and the other to hell But although this naturall corruption is not alike in all men yet it is truely in all men and that in the very best as daily experience teacheth for who is there among the most holy and sanctified that liue which feeleth not in himselfe the pricke of the corrupt flesh and findeth not something to be in him which standeth in his way keepeth him from doing the good which he would doe greatly hindering him in the seruice of the most high First this serueth to incite and stirre vp euery one to walke warily and circumspectly seeing that we carry about vs and in vs such a bodie of sinne and of death such a deadly and deceitfull monster as the flattering flesh which alwayes lieth in ambush to entrap the soule and is conspired with the Diuell to bring it vnto destruction Shall we not then stand vpon our gard Shall wee not watch and pray and put on all the Christian Armour of proofe to defend our selues withall how can a poore man escape destruction and condemnation if he looketh not well to himselfe seeing he is so beset on euery side within and without with such dangerous and cruell enemies Admit that a Frontier towne be straightly besieged with a strong Army without and hath within it mutinous souldiers which alwayes seeke their opportunitie to betray and deliuer it ouer into the enemies handes how can such a Towne bee safe if good watch be not kept Must it not of necessitie be wasted and ransacked vnlesse the Citizens doe take more then common care and diligence to secure themselues We see it is bad enough with a Cittie in such a case let it doe the best it can and euen thus standeth it with vs the Diuell runneth round about vs seeking to deuoure our soules the corrupt flesh is within vs readie to betray our soules into his hands how then can wee auoid destruction if we be secure and negligent For this cause sayth the Scripture If the righteous shall scarcely be saned where shall the sinner and vngodly man appeare 1. Pet. 4.18 If that the Apostle Paul was thus troubled and grieued with the sin that cleaued so fast vnto him which was then vpon his guard and stroue manfully with it which had then denied himselfe and made it his continuall practise and trade to beate downe and kill this bodie of sinne 1. Cor. 9.27 What will then become of secure and negligent men that take no more care for their noble and precious soule then as though there were no deceitfull Sathan alwayes seeking his aduantages to enter vpon it nor any corrupt flesh and body of death to kill and putrifie it It shall surely come vnto them as the Apostle sayth when they shall say peace and safetie then shall come vpon them suddaine destruction as the trauayle vpon a woman with childe and they shall not escape 1. Thes 5.3 vnlesse in time they preuent it And it is most certaine that all this securitie which is in worldly and carnall men ariseth onely from this that they neither thinke nor consider that there is a whole kingdome of darknesse and all the power of hell vp in armes for to destroy their soule and a whole bodie of death and of sinne within them which is euermore readie to betray them into the hands of the destroyer this ignorance is the cause and ground of all their securitie for did they but see how mighty and cruell their enemies are and what deadly and poysonous concupiscences they carry in their bosomes they would surely be affrighted and tremble and cry out with the Apostle as if they were in some great exigent O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death Wherefore we must suffer our selues to be admonished euermore to stand vpon our guard to pray to haue God alwayes before our eyes and often to heare read and meditate on his Word and to follow his will reuealed therein those that are subiect to any disease in their bodie as the stone the gout or the like when they beginne to perceiue any signe of their old griefe they presently make their moane and complaine of it and liue more carefully respectiuely auoiding whatsoeuer may further and encrease their disease vsing all meanes to haue it cured so must we also doe for our soules vnlesse by giuing ouer all care of them we brand our selues with the marke of men reprobated and giuen vp of God In the second place this serueth for the iust reproofe of the exceeding great blindnesse and sottishnesse of many worldly and carnall men who because they lead an outward ciuill life among their neighbours paying euery man his owne and defrauding no man of a penny as their manner of speech is are therefore accustomed to iustifie themselues before God and beare themselues in hand that they haue no