the Common-wealth of Israell 5. In respect of the Life of God And that if wee consider eyther the rule of life they account the Law a strange thing or the fountaine of life viz. Regeneration They are dead in sinne or the Obedience of holy life Their imaginations are onely euill continually But if any aske how this strangenesse comes the word in the originall seemes to note it for it is estranged which is more then Strangers for it imports they were not so created but made so They were made so 1. Originally by the transgression of the first man from whence flowed the first strangenesse betweene God and Man man running from God and God refusing to delight in the sonnes of men 2. By their owne actuall sinnes which seperate betweene God aâ—â— them Alienation is to the workers of iniquitie Quest. But what hurt is it to carnall men to be thus estranged Ans. There is no safetie against dangers where God is not to protect men there is no comfort in affliction where one can neyther looke to God nor the Saints for succour and comfort The God of this world doth rule effectually in all the Children of disobedience they are in bondage to the world they are in bondage to their owne flesh euen to a passionate blinde hard hart and rebellious nature They want the delightfull refreshing of all the blessings of God his ordinances graces or outward fauours All glory is departed from men when God is gone Besides obstinacie may cast them into a reprobate sence and eternall death may swallow them vp That wee may be deliuered from this strange estate of separation the bloud of Christ must be applyed wee must become new Creatures our peace must be preached accesse must be had to God by prayer wee must be ioyned to Gods Children we must be built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles and our soules must become Temples for the holy Ghost to dwell in all this is set downe in the second of the Ephesians from Vers. 13. to the end of the Chapter And to this end we must take heed of working iniquitie of Ignorance of an vncircumcised and an vnmortified Heart of strange Doctrine of the strange woman of strange Fire that is Will-worship and of the Manners of strange Children for all these by effects will estrange Lastly if it be so great a misery to be estranged woe be to them that lye in this misery and regard it not the lesse sense the more danger and most faultie is that frowardnesse in any that professe to feare Gods Name that voluntarily bring a curse vpon themselues by estranging themselues from the societie of the faithfull But let all that know Gods mercie in their reconciliation reioyce in their deliuerance from this miserie Enemies Vnregenerate men are enemies both actiuely and passiuely Actiuely they are enemies to their owne soules for hee that loues iniquitie hates his owne soule 2. to holinesse of life they hate to be reformed 3. to Gods children for it is certaine they shall be hated of all carnall men for Christs names sake 4. to the light hee that doth euill hates the light 5. one to another they are hatefull and hating one another 6. to God Obiect Sure no man hates God Sol. Many men doe hate God as appeareth by the threatning in the second Commandement and the Scripture else-where note such as in Gods account hate him such are these 1. Such as with-stand the truth and labour to turne men from the Faith Acts 13.8 2. Such as are friends to the World Iames 4.4 3. The carnall wise men of the world whose wisedome is enmitie to God Rom. 8.7 4. All workers of iniquitie Psal. 37.18.20 92.9 5. All Scoffers that reproach Gods Name Truth or People Psal. 74.18.22 6. All that hate Gods Children Psal. 81.14.15 83.2.3 129.3.5 Iohn 15.18.23 7. All those that refuse to subiect their soules to the Scepter of Christ and will not be ruled by his ordinances These are called his enemies Luke 19.27 And among other such are those loose people that liue vnder no setled Ministery Lastly all Epicures whose God is their belly and minde onely earthly things and glory in their shame Phil. 3.17.18 Passiuely they are enemies to God who hates them Psal. 5.4 to Gods ordinances which smite and pursue or threaten them Psal. 45.4 to all the Creatures who are in armes against the sinner till hee be at peace with God and in particular to the Saints which hates the company and assemblies of the wicked Psal. 26.4 And all this shewes the great misery of wicked men and how can they but be miserable that are in the estate of enmitie All seueritie will be accounted Iustice all their vertuous prayses but fayre sinnes stript they are of all the peculiar priuiledges of the Saints and that which men would desire to doe to their enemies God will certainely by an vnauoydable prouidence doe to them All the Creatures are against him a wicked man is as hee that should alway goe vpon a Mine of Gunne-powder eyther by force or by stratagem the Creatures will surprise him O that men would therefore labour to mortifie actiue hatred in themselues that the passiue destroy them not and seeke to Christ in whom onely this enmitie can be remoued Againe this makes against merit for what could wee merit that were enemies And let such as are deliuered and haue felt the bitternesse of this enmitie take heede of secret sinnes after Calling vnrepented of least GOD returne and visite them with the strokes of an Enemie In the minde It greatly matters in the businesse of mans happnesse how the mindes of men are ordered 1. Man makes it the fountaine of all his actions it is his priuie Counsellor hee speakes first with his minde hee obeyes his minde it is the shop whence hee frames all his engines against God and Man 2. The Diuell especially labours to be possest of this fort and to haue it in his custodie 3. The godly man repenting first labours to be renewed in his minde 4. God especially lookes after mans minde which appeares in that hee gaue a Law to the minde setting as it were a Guard to rule and appoint it and the inward worship of God is here performed We must loue God with all our minde and pray in minde God makes a speciall search after mens mindes it is his speciall glory to search the heart and minde of man and if God be enraged the strength of the battaile is directed against the minde and his worst strokes light there one of his last curses is a reprobate minde The consideration hereof may serue for reproofe of the great carelesnesse that is in the most for the mind and the inward man and the purity thereof Thought is not free as many fondly thinke hee will neuer truely repent
of that harmonie and vnion of sinnes one with another in practise so as if one sinne be practised many will accompanie it as in Adams sinne the sinne was to eat the forbidden fruit but that would not be alone but was attended with doubting of Gods word with faith in the deuill with most in ordinate pride or desire to be like God with discontentment with their present condition with vile ingratitude with apostacie from all righteousnesse with prophanation of the sacrament with wilfull murther of all their posteritie and euill concupiscence Cain was angry that God did not accept his prophane sacrifice but would this sinne be alone no for there followes it the hatred of his brother the falling of his countenance the reiecting of Gods admonition coloured hypocrisie murther and blasphemie When desire of gaine infects the hearts of Trades-men we see by experience it will not be alone a number of transgressions growes with it as loue of the world more then God neglect of sinceritie in the vse of Gods ordinances swearing breach of Sabboth rigorous dealing with inferiours vnmercifulneâ— to the poore selling by false weights and measures vsurie if not otherwise yet in selling time deceit lying oppression by ingrossing of wares or incroaching vpon the trades of others 2. In respect of vnion in continuance after they are committed thy sinnes committed vanish not but by adding sinne vnto sinne thou makest vp a very bodie of sinne and so in Gods sight they stand compacted together as the very limbes of a monster 3. These sinnes may be called a bodie because they are committed by the bodie as the externall meanes of them 4. The masse of sinne in the fleshly man may be called a bodie of sinnes for that it hath many things like vnto the bodie of man or many comparisons may be taken from the bodie of a man to expresse the sinnes of the flesh As the bodie of man is a faire substance made of base matter so sinne in it selfe is most vile though it be coloured ouer by the deuill or the world with the faire proportion of profit or pleasure And as there be many members in the bodie so there are in the sinne of the fleshly man as some members in the bodie are outward some inward so are our sins As men would be ashamed of their bodies were it not for their clothing especially if there be any deformitie so would men of their sinnes were it not for their great places or faire excuses and wretched shifts they haue to hide their deformities And as the bodie of the prisoner in a dungeon is alike a true bodie with his that sitteth on the throne so sinnes that are secret that are neuer so closely committed are sinnes as well as such as are openly done As his bodie is a true bodie that yet wants a legge or an arme so it is in some though they be not murtherers or adulterers yet they may haue a bodie of sinne in them As the naturall bodie cannot liue if you take away food and clothing so neither would sinne if we did not loue it approue it defend it excuse it and if wee take away carnall reason and ill companie And as the bodie of Princes is better clad then the bodies of poore men yet it is alike a bodie of clay and corruption so are the sinnes of great men though men doe not speake so openly of them Now for vse of all First here we may see a difference between the sinnes of the regenerate and the sinnes of the vnregenerate in the godly after calling there is not a bodie of sinnes the nest of sinne is scattered sinne is not in his full strength he doth not giue his members as seruants to vnrighteousnes Secondly here men may try the truth of their repentance that is not true repentance that mortifies some one or few sinnes but that which mortifieth a whole bodie of sinnes Thirdly this shewes the greatnes of Gods mercies that can forgiue or take away a whole bodie of sinnes and transgressions Lastly this may be a great comfort to afflicted consciences that cry out of the multitude of their sinnes if thy sinnes were as many as the ioynts of thy bodie and as strong as the bodie of Goliah yet the Lord can forgiue and true repentance will pull them downe This is the matter to be mortified the manner followes Put off Sinne must be put off as the begger puts off his raggs and as the Master puts off his false seruant and as the porter puts off his burden and as the husband puts off his vitious wife and as the serpent puts off his skin There are foure things in mortification distinct The first is the dislike of sinne the second is the confession of sinne the third is the godly sorrow for sinne the fourth is forsaking of sinne this last is here meant by putting off of sinne and this the Lord stands vpon as a thing he will neuer dispense with the want of it as these places shew Prou. 28.13 Esay 55.8 Ier. 7.3.4 Esay 1.16.17 Psal. 119.9 Ephes. 4.22 c. 1. Pet. 4.1.2.3.4 Ezech. 18. 33. and there are exceeding comfortable promises made to such as are vpright in he desire and indeuour hereof Prou. 28.13 Esay 55.8 27.9 Ioel 2.12.13 Esay 1.18 Quest. But can the flesh be so mortified and sinne so put off that it shall cease to be any more in this life Answ. No for euen in the children of God the flesh will raise infirmities it will let the vnderstanding it will be framing euill thoughts it will lust against the spirit it will not alwaies allow what good is done or to be done it will present euill when good is to be done it will rebell against the law of the minde yea sometimes the soule of the poore sinner is led captiue for a time by his imperious flesh Q. But how can it then be said to be put away Answ. Sinne is put away first if it reigne not nor hold a constant dominion ouer vs it may be put away euen when it leads vs captiue if it be an vnwilling captiuitie if the power of it seeme vnto vs as a most base seruitude It is put away if men take no care to fulfill the lusts of it Secondly if there be a constant combat in some degree against it if we finde a striuing and constant fighting against the corruptions of our nature if we pray against it iudge our selues for it and mourne ouer it with an vnfeined desire to forsake it this desire to be put off is one true degree of forsaking of sinne That this may yet be better vnderstood we must know that sinne is put off fiue waies euen in this life 1. Sacramentally in the signe couenant and seale that is in baptisme 2. In the guilt of it though not in the act of it thus God puts off by not imputing 3. In act too by inchoation though not perfectly 4.
iust reuenge to the sauing of the person appeasing of Gods anger or the promoting of the kingdome of Christ. I say it is a godly passion For there are two sorts of naturall passions Some are so euill they can neuer be good as enuie Some are so naturall as they may be either good or euill as they agree or disagree with the law of God and such is anger I say iust zeale for I know that euerie zeale hath not alwaies either good cause or good effect I adde against sinne because it must not be our indignation at the person And wee may bee angrie and vexed at our owne sinnes as Paul was aswell as at the sinnes of others And reuenge also is the end of anger for so may a Christian be reuenged on himselfe as a fruite of godlie sorrow as also he may desire the iust reuenge of the magistrate vpon others the end must be to saue the person not to expresse our spleenes and to appoint Gods anger as Phineas did and others of Gods seruants and lastly to promote Christs kingdome by sauing a soule from sinne But it is vicious anger is here ment Vicious anger hath her degrees For there is 1. the offence a griefe of the heart it may be this is that the Apostle hath Ephes. 4.31 and is translated bitternesse 2. Inflamed anger or the inward working of this bitternesse or vexation or offence or greife 3. Outward rage neither are all men of one fit in their anger For some are quickly angrie and quickly appeased some are slow to anger and slow from anger Some are quickely inflamed but slowly pacified The best is slowly to kindle and quickly to bee satisfied but all are naught Now concerning vicious anger I propound 2. things principally to be considered 1. Reasons 2. Remedies against it Now for the first There are diuers things might perswade a Christian to make conscience of the mortification of anger and frowardnesse 1. The commandement of God which is expresse be not hastie in thy spirit to be angrie as Salomon recordeth it in the 7. of Ecclesiastes 2. The praises the Lord giues to men that can bridle their anger and the disgraces the holy Ghost casts vpon impatient persons As Prouerb 14.29 He that is slow to wrath is of great vnderstanding but he that is hasâ—iâ— of spirit exalteth folly And againe Prouerb 19.11 It is the discretion of a man to deferre his anger it is his glorie to passe ouer a transgression And againe Prouerb 12.8 A man shall be commended according to his wisedome but he that is of a peruerse heart shal be despised And in the place of Ecclesiastes before alleaged he saith Anger resteth in the bosome of fooles 3. The nature of euill anger What is anger but the furie of the vncleane spirit the madnesse of the soule the vnrest of all the faculties a very beast within the heart of man 4. The effects of anger Which may be considered either more generally or more particularly And the particular euill effects are either internall or externall The internall effects are such as these 1. It blindes the minde the iust anger troubles the minde but vniust anger blindes it 2. It looseth the bowels of pittie mercie especially from the persons A man hath no affections neither for duties of pietie nor of mercy 3. It greiues the spirit of God 4. It lets in the Diuell into a mans heart The externall effects are these 1. It will interrupt praier as the Apostle Peter intimatâ— if there be frowardnesse through indiscretion or contempt in the familie that will interrupt praier and worke a negligence in Gods worship And therefore it is one thing the Apostle Paul expressely requires wee should looke to concerning praier namely That men pray as without doubling so without wrath 2. It is a great hinderance to the profit of hearing and therefore it is one of the Apostle Iames his rules that if we would profit by the word we should be slow to wrath 3. It doth notably shame a man and discouer and blaze abroad his folly for as Salomon obserueth he that is of a hasty minde exalteth folly and in the 12. chapter and 16. verse he saith a foole in a day may be knowne by his anger 4. Anger disables a man for societie for it is Gods commandement or aduise that we should make no friendship with an angry man nor goe with a furious man and as for other reasons least we learne his wayes and receiue destruction to our owne soules And in generall anger is the doore or gate of vice and therefore Dauid in the 37. Psalme saith Cease from anger leaue of wrath fret not thy selfe also to do euill as if he would imply that to abound in anger is to abound in sinne and it cannot be but a man must be guilty of much sinne that liues in fretting and passion and inward vnrest and Salomon saith plainly that a furious man aboundeth in transgressions besides anger brings Gods curse vpon a man as it is in Iob anger slayeth the foolish it bringeth many times great and sudden iudgments and as Salomon obserues a man of great wrath shall suffer punishment and if thou deliuer him yet thou must doe it againe Hence it is that our Sauiour Christ denounceth iudgment both temporall and eternall against vnaduised anger in the fifth of Mathew And this of the reasons The remedies against anger are of two sorts I. there are remedies for anger in our selues II. there are remedies for anger in others There are diuers things are good to represse and subdue and mortifie anger in our selues 1. from the coherence of these words with the former verse it appeares that the serious and frequent meditation of our miserie is a good meanes to cut downe the power and vnrulinesse of our passions 2. Sauing knowledge will make a man peaceable gentle easie to be intreated and the true reason why there is so much passion many times in the heart is because their is so little knowledge in the head for passion and folly are twins Thirdly to preuent anger or to restraine it it is good to take heed of medling with the strife that belongs not to vs. But carefully to mind and meddle with our owne businesse especially we should take heed of medling with foolish and indiscreet persons for he that contendeth with the foolish whether he rage or laugh there is no rest Fourthly we must not giue place to wrathc nor let it haue a vent by sudden and vnaduised words or by suffering our affections to increase in swelling and desire of reuenge we should silence our passions and resolue to suspect and restraine our words Anger smothered will languish but let out will flame vnto further mischiefe Fiftly we should diuert the course of our anger and spend the heate of our affections vpon our owne sinnes and it were
holy desire after this necessary grace two things are further to be considered 1 The Benefits men might haue by Faith 2 The wofull estate of those that want it The Benefits may be ordered into fiue ranckes 1 What Faith deliuereth vs from 2 What it preserues vs against 3 What the weakest Faith getteth 4 What we might get if we laboured for a greater growth in Faith 5 How it fits vs for heauen For the first Faith doth deliuer vs First from the darkenesse and blindnesse wee liued in before Whosoeuer beleeueth in mee shall not abide in darkenesse Wee no sooner by Faith taste of the Bread of life but the vaile of ignorance which naturally couereth all flesh is torne and rent as the Prophet Isay sheweth notably Isay 25.8 Secondly it deliuers vs from those wofull euils which as so many abhominations doe defile both the Vnderstanding and Affections Faith purifieth the heart No wonder though men be continually surcharged with euill thoughts and most vile affections and strange euils within seeing we are so hardly gotten to set about the earnest labour after spirituall application of the merits and righteousnesse of Christ which righteousnesse neuer can be imputed by Faith but it is infused by the Spirit of Sanctification at the same time Neyther is there any more clearer testimonie of the want of iustifying Faith then the continuall preuayling of euill thoughts and affections Thirdly it deliuers vs from the Law not onely from the Ceremoniall Law and other beggerly Rudiments but also from the Morall Law in two things onely first from the Curse of it which is wholy taken away by the imputation of Christs Passion secondly from the Rigour of it so that as it is commanded in the Gospell it may not exact of Beleeuers an impossible perfection but onely an Euangelicall and accepted vprightnes we are not now vnder the Law but vnder Grace as the Apostle shewes in the Epistle to the Romanes and Galathians at large And hence it is that the same Apostle saith that the Law is not giuen vnto a righteous man but vnto the lawlesse and disobedient meaning that so long as wee continue in our naturall estate so long wee haue this as one part of our miserie that wee are lyable to the Curses and impossible Exactions of the most righteous Law but from the time that we are effectually called and gathered vnto CHRIST we are not vnder the Law in these two respects which is an admirable mercy Fourthly Faith deliuers vs from the power of the first death being by Nature dead in sinnes and trespasses hauing no more sence of the things that belong vnto the Kingdome of Christ then a dead man in nature hath of the benefits of life By the power of Faith eternall life is begunne here which is called while we liue here the life of Grace and after death is stiled by the name of the life of Glory Lastly it deliuers men from eternall destruction for Whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish Thus of the first sort of benefits Secondly Faith hath a power to preserue vs and that in three things First it preserues from many fearefull spirituall diseases in the soule hence commeth that Metaphoricall speech of being sound or whole or heathfull in the faith Hence that he saith Wee follow Faith vnto the conseruation of the Soule Heb. 10.39 Secondly it preserues vs against the vse of ill meanes for He that beleeueth maketh not hast Herein is a speciall tryall of Faith and is a worthy testimonie of vprightnesse when men can so rest vpon God that they will not be entangled with those profits that eyther the time makes vnseasonable as the Sabbath or the meanes make sinfull as deceipt lying c. but can chearefully beleeue that the same God that now tries him with the occasions of profit in such time and manner can giue him as much profit at a lawfull time and by lawfull meanes It is most difficult for an vnsanctified minde to forbeare eyther time or meanes when profit and pleasure intise Lastly how miserable is our life here many times in respect of the temptations with which Sathan doth fire vs Now if there were in vs conscionable respect of certaine application of Gods fauour there is a secret power in Faith as an Helmet not onely to keepe off but extinguish the fiery darts of the Diuell And the true reason why our life is continually assaulted and why the world lyeth vanquished vnder a thousand miseries is onely because men doe not labour for a particular assurance of Gods loue in CHRIST which being once had wee should soone see an happy victory ouer the World Hell and Death in respect of the beginnings of many heauenly contentments In the third place we are to consider the benefits which the weakest Faith obtayneth and they are especially sixe First it iustifies and giues vs a portion in the most meritorious intercession of Christ at the right hand of God it is no sooner had but it makes the sinner iust before God this is euery where proued Secondly it gathereth men into the family of Abraham and that as Sonnes yea the least Faith makes a man blessed with faithfull Abraham so that if Abrahams case were happy then is euery Childe of God so Thirdly it makes men not onely the Sonnes of Abraham but the Sonnes of God also by Adoption As many as receiued him to them he gaue power to be the Sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Fourthly by Faith the Sonne of God by an invtterable presence doth dwell in the hearts of the Sonnes of men Ephes. 3.16 Fiftly the meanest Faith that is a true Faith doth euer come attended with many holy Graces and therefore to dispute of Faith is to dispute of Temperance Righteousnesse c. Acts 24.25 Lastly Faith according to the measure of it is the foundation of all the hope that makes men happy therefore it is called the ground of the things which are hoped for and the euidence of things not seene Fourthly if men would labour for the increase of Faith and once get a certainetie concerning Gods fauour they might enioy many blessings more then they doe euen in this life First it might be vnto vs according to our faith what greater indulgence can be desired from God Secondly men might liue by their Faith that is they might haue from their Faith continually arguments both of comfort and direction euen in their carriage about the things of this life Thirdly wee might haue the sence of peace with God accesse vnto Grace wherein we might stand and be filled with ioy in the hope of the glory of God to be reuealed yea to be made able to hold vp their heads and reioyce in afflictions c. Fourthly there is a power in Faith to put such life into the sacred Scriptures that they would be able to make
vs wise euen to saluation Fiftly how hard a thing it is for the Creature to haue accesse vnto the Creator with any boldnesse or confidence the lamentable experience of the world shewes insomuch that the Apostle saith we are naturally without God in the world able to minde any thing and to effect any thing but God But now this which is vnpossible to Nature is become possible to Faith as the Apostle shewes Ephes. 3.12 And how vnspeakeable a mercy it is to haue a comfortable communion with God and easie accesse for our prayers the Saints may conceiue but not vtter Sixtly by Faith wee might be able to ouercome the world so as wee might easily contemne the glory of earthly things the Millions of euill examples and scandals the thousands of temptations allurements disswasiues letts and impediments which the world casteth in our way and with which wee are often entangled insnared and many times most shamefully vanquished to the dishonour of God and our Religion the wounding of our Profession and our Consciences c. If men had that power of Faith which the ordinances of God were able to giue how might they astonish Epicures Papists and Atheists which now differ little from them Seauenthly Faith would euen make our friendship and mutuall societie a thousand times more comfortable then now it is as the APOSTLE intimates Rom. 1.12 Eightly by Faith wee might worke righteousnesse and attaine to innocencie of life we might receiue the Promises with all those sweet comforts contayned in them which are matters of as great wonder as to subdue Kingdomes to stop the mouthes of Lyons c. Ninthly Faith would make vs to contemne the pleasures of sinne and account affliction with Gods people better then perfection of pleasure for a season as it is obserued in Moses Hebr. 11. whereas now euery base delight is able to captiuate our affections and wee haue scarse strength to stand against one temptation Tenthly Faith by continuance in the Word of God would make vs free euen Gods spirituall free-men so as wee should clearely see that no naturall Prentise or Bond-slaue could finde so much ease and benefit by his release as wee might by Faith Lastly we might haue the cleare apprehension of the remission of all our sinnes past as is manifest Rom. 3.25 Acts 10.43 onely for sinnes to come God giues no acquittance before there be a debt and the discharge sued out And as Faith furnisheth or would furnish men with these wonderfull benefits in this life so it prouideth an assurance of an immortall inheritance in heauen for all eternitie as these places shew Acts 26.18 Iohn 6.47 1 Pet. 1.9 2 Thes. 1.10 with many other Thus much of the benefits by Faith Obiect Oh but what if men doe not beleeue Ans. First I might answere that it is yet a comfort that though thousands neglect Faith yet their vnbeleefe cannot make the faith of God of none effect though the whole world contemne the doctrine of Faith and please themselues in their spirituall securitie yet God knowes how to shew mercy to his seruants that desire to beleeue in him and feare before him Secondly I read in S. Marke that CHRIST meruailed at their vnbeliefe and iustly they were affected with his doctrine it was confirmed by miracles and yet they beleeued not we miserable men are a wonderment to God Christ and Angels and an astonishment to Heauen and Earth for our incredible incredulitie Thirdly I reade in S. Mathew that hee did no great workes there for their vnbeliefe sake Surely wee are iustly debarred the benefit and comfort of many of the workes of God which might discouer the glory of his goodnesse to vs onely because of our vnbeliefe Fourthly if the Iewes were cut off for their vnbeliefe being naturall branches and such as God had reason to fauour as much as any people vnder the Sunne how fearefull then is the case of many of vs that can haue no other standing then by Faith Fiftly â—othing is pure to the vnbeleeuing Sixtly If we beleeue not we cannot be esbtablished Seauenthly if men refuse to beleeue when they haue the meanes of Faith their sentence is already gone out He that beleeueth not is condemned already Eightly It is a matter of ease and profit and pleasure to liue in sinne especially some sinnes but what is it to dye in them Except that yee beleeue that I am hee yee shall dye in your sinnes Ninthly consider the contrary to the Benefits before if we get not faith we abide in darknesse we are vnder the rigour and curse of the Law subiect to the dominion of hart pollutions dead in sinne full of spirituall diseases hasting to euill meanes pierced through with fierce temptations wicked in Gods account not iustified neyther the Seede of Abraham nor of GOD without CHRIST without hope of immortall blisse without peace with God comfort in afflictions without Grace without communion with God The Scriptures while we are in this estate are but as a dead Letter we are easily ouercome of the World vnconstant in Friendship without the Couenant of Promise entangled with euery pleasure and baite and as Bond-slaues abiding in the guilt and power of sinnes past Lastly how fearefull are those threatnings Marke 16.16 Reuel 21.8 Heb. 3.12 There remaine yet foure things to be further considered 1 The Incouragements to beleeue 2 The Letts of Faith 3 How Faith may be knowne 4 How farre short the Faith of the common Protestant is For the first wee haue many Incouragements to beleeue First because wee haue a Sauiour in respect of merit both in suffering and dying able to deliuer vs his Redemption being both precious and plentifull Secondly hee is ready to make Intercession for vs at the right hand of God when wee set our selues in any measure to seeke Gods fauour Thirdly wee haue certaine and sure ordinances vnto which if wee seeke wee may finde Fourthly what greater ioy to Angels or Saints then the comming home of the lost Sheepe none greater in the house of the Father then the Prodigall Sonne returned Fiftly there is no difficultie so great eyther in respect of sinne or the meanes c. but it hath beene ouercome by euery one of the Saints to shew that wee may be cured and get Faith Sixtly God maketh a generall Proclamation without exception of any in particular that will beleeue but he may be saued Seauenthly Christ himselfe most graciously inuites men Obiect Oh but he doth not call me Ans. He cals all therefore he excepteth not thee but least men should encourage themselues in sinfulnesse hee addeth a limitation All that are weary and heauy laden If we can once finde that sinne is the greatest burthen that euer our soules bare and that once wee could come to be weary of them we might haue comfort in Christ. Obiect Oh but if I should take
that wee neede not be informed Thus the Pharises are blinde though they heare Christ himselfe or it comes to passe by reason of mens faultinesse in hearing they heare carlesly or without application or with preiudice or not at all or else it is because men smother their doubts and seeke not resolution in priuate by conference or seeking the Law at the Priests mouth and in many fruitlesse hearing is caused by want of catechising when people are not fitted for preaching by information in the principles before Secondly the hearing and true knowledge of Gods grace to a man in particular doth make fruitfull the salutiferans appearance of Gods grace in a mans heart workes in a man a desire and endeauour to shew all good faithfulnesse that may adorne that doctrine by which hee comes to know God to be his Sauiour It teacheth men to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue godly righteously and soberly it purgeth vpon iniquitie and inflames the zeale of good workes When Gods Children haue the tydings of grace giuen vnto them it kindles in them a singular incouragement to goe about Gods worke and to hold out to lay the very last stone with ioy Thirdly as other Doctrines so especially the doctrine of our reconciliation with God or of our particular assurance of Gods grace to vs is exceeding hard and men are strangely turned off from the right knowledge of it This comes to passe where it is effectually preached because it is hindred by common hope and by a resolution in many to part with no sinne for the attayning of it and by a naturall darknesse in the vnderstanding of man in matters of the Kingdome of Christ and by the speciall malice of the Diuill and by pride in other knowledges And lastly by an incredible auersnesse in our natures that will not be brought to set time apart to minde this point seriously and to apply our selues vnto the meanes that might further vs thereunto Whereas if men were assured of Gods fauour and possessed of sauing grace the profit of the knowledge of it would appeare to be exceeding great though the heart of man be exceeding dull yet it could not but meruailously refresh vs to thinke of the pardon of all our sinnes yea if wee were sure of this point and had trauelled soundly about the experience of Gods grace to vs in particular it would for euer settle vs in the plerophorie of our religion A man needs neuer care for disputes and the thousands of Volumes about which should be the true Church or true Religion for if a man by sound reasons from the word and Spirit of God had gotten the assurance of Gods loue hee would become as Mount Sio◠that could not be moued This also would make a man able to contemne all earthly mutations and liue in firmenes of heart in some measure out of the feare of any afflictions or of death it selfe and besides it would preserue vs from the poyson and infection of earthly pleasures and vaine delights and profits And to conclude it is to enioy a kinde of heauen vpon earth as being an entrance into the first degree of eternall life When men get from vnder the Law to liue vnder Grace it workes not onely a dissolution of the dominion of sinne but a consecration of the members for the seruice of righteousnesse of the fulnesse of Christ doe all the faithfull receiue euen grace for grace the truth of Sanctification and new Obedience together with the perfection of Redemption and Iustification To conclude euery faithfull man may say as the Apostle said By the grace of God I am that I am The vse is first for instruction euen to labour so much the more earnestly for the certaintie of assurance of Gods grace and free fauour to vs in particular because it will make vs abundant in the worke of the Lord and inrich vs with those things that may further our reckoning against the last day But that wee may speede in suing for Gods grace and wayting for the tydings of his speciall loue wee must labour to be good men and shew it by this that wee be men of holy imaginations Our vnderstandings will neuer be capable of this knowledge till the euils of the thoughts be in some measure purged out and subdued Besides we must take heede of scorning and contemning the meanes of grace and labour for a hatred of euery sinne for till then we neuer get any sound experience of Gods fauour So long as a man makes a mocke of any sinne and securely against the light will commit it so long he remaines vnder the power of folly and vnregeneration but especially wee must labour to get and grow in humilitie for God bestowes his graces on the humble And if God euer comfort vs with his grace let vs so learne to make it our portion and to trust perfectly vpon it as not to receiue it in vaine but obey all the counsell of God and his Ministers that beseech vs to expresse the power of it in our liues Secondly the doctrine of the power of Gods grace doth bitterly reproue foure sorts of men First such as neglect Gods grace and seeke not any particular euidence for it Secondly such as fall away from the grace of God and giue ouer the vse of the meanes of grace which apostasie many times befals such men as will not wash off the pollution nor by mortification stay the springing vp of some bitter roote or other within their hearts such Apostates when they were at the best had in their hearts some imperious lusts and passions or other that they made not conscience of to subdue Thirdly such as turne the grace of God into wantonnesse men that before they haue any reason of comfort vpon the bare hearing of the promises of the Gospell take liberty to liue licentiously and follow their sinnes with presumptuous abuse of Gods mercy These are vngodly men ordayned before to condemnation Lastly such as cannot abide the doctrine of Gods grace but despise and hate the very Spirit of Grace how sore shall their punishment be Thus farre of the Thankesgiuing for the principall meanes of Grace The Instrumentall followes Verse 7. As yee also learned of Epaphras our fellow-seruant who is for you a faithfull Minister of God Verse 8. Who hath also declared vnto vs your loue which you haue in the spirit HEe hath giuen thankes for the Ministery now hee giues thankes for the Minister who is here described by his name Epaphras by the adiunct Loue of others to him beloued and by his Office a Seruant by his willingnes to ioyne with others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fellow-seruant by his faithfulnes in the execution of his Office which is for you a faithfull Minister of Christ lastly by his loue to his people which hee shewes by the good report hee thankefully giues of
to get holinesse into our hearts for if grace be within duties will be without if corruption be mortified in the Soule which is the fountaine it will haue no great sinne in the life which is the streame which flowes from the heart first we should guide our hearts into the way for thereout commeth life 6 Wee must submit our selues to Gods corrections learne obedience by the things we suffer obey the checkes of our conscience and be contented to eate the bread of affliction beare the words of rebuke and admonition for he that refuseth correction will certainely goe out of the way of life Lastly we should commit our way to God and by constant and daily prayer beseech him that hee would shew vs the way and lead vs forth and then that hee would stay our steps in his pathes that our feete doe not slide and to this end that he would remoue out of our way all impediments and euery lying way and that he would daily quicken vs in the way against the sluggishnesse of our owne Natures and bend our hearts to his holy feare but especially euery morning we should beseech God so to assist vs and guide and strengthen vs to doe the duties of the day and that he would see to and defend the thing of the day in his day by the vertue of Christs intercession and his words which are neare vnto God day and night Fourthly thus doing and endeauouring our selues to know and doe Gods will 1 The Lord would know vs by name and take notice of our wayes euen with the knowledge of approbation 2 Our liues would be full of Ioy and chearfulnesse yea they that haue tasted of the ioyes of a Crowne shall leaue the Throne and Pallace to seeke the sweet delights of the faithfull and to sing their songs 3 God would walke in the middest of vs 4 Yea hee would keepe his Couenant and Mercy with vs 5 Wee should be protected against all hurtfull troubles being eyther preserued from them or in them if wee walke in the day we shall not stumble yea though we went through fire and water yet Gods holy presence and strong arme would be with vs yea wee might dwell with euerlasting burnings that is within the knowledge of Gods terrible presence and sight of his great iudgements when the hypocrites of the world would be afraid 6 Or if there were sorrowes and griefes vpon vs in this world yet heauen shall come and wee shall rest in the beds of eternall ease whatsoeuer betides vs wee shall not lye downe in sorrow 7 Thus to liue is to rule with God and to be faithfull with his Saints 8 Thus shall wee scape the vigor of the Law and the flames of Hell Lastly if we continue faithfull to the death there is laid vp for vs a crowne of life Thus of walking or holy conuersation in the generall now in particular that wee might walke in an holy eminencie three things as is before noted are here vrged First that wee should walke worthy of the Lord. That is so to know and consider the singular mercies of God in Christ as to endeauour to expresse our thankefulnesse in the obedience of our liues in such a measure as might become the mercies of God Before I open the words further I consider in the generall two things 1 That the obedience of the faithfull is raysed by the contemplation of the mercies of God which should teach vs as we desire more to abound in good fruits so to be more in the assurance and often meditation of Gods loue to vs more knowledge of this kinde would worke more obedience and a confused knowledge of Gods mercy is vsually accompanied with an vnconstant obedience Besides this reproues the dangerous and sinfull abuse of Gods mercies in the common people that vse to pleade their safetie notwithstanding their sinnes by the alledging of the mercy of God to sinners whereas it is most certaine that the right knowledge of Gods mercy would make men afraid to sinne There is mercy with thee that thou maist be feared saith the Psalmist and it is the infallible signe of a true conuert that hee doth feare God and his goodnesse euery man can feare God and his Iustice especially in some kindes of iudgements but a childe of God doth neuer more tenderly feare God then when he hath greatest taste of Gods mercies 2 The Papists would finde merit of workes in this Verse both because holinesse of life is so much vrged as also because here is the word worthy vsed as if the Apostle should grant that they might be worthy of and merit the blessings of God My answere is First that merit cannot be founded vpon Scripture and secondly it cannot be founded vpon this Scripture For the first we cannot merit for many reasons in Scripture first we are not our owne men we are so tyed vnto God that gaue vs beeing in Nature and Grace that when wee haue done all wee can doe our owne mouthes must say wee are but vnprofitable Seruants Secondly all our sufficiencie to doe any good is of God not from our selues Thirdly God gaines nothing by vs If thou be righteous what giuest thou to him or what receiueth he at thy hands Fourthly men talke of their well-doing but what shall become of their sinnes If the Papists will first goe to hell for their sinnes and stay all that eternitie there then afterwards if God create another eternitie they may haue hearing to relate what good they haue done the curse of the Law will be first serued the punishment of Adams one sinne barred the plea for any reward for former righteousnesse Fiftly what comparison can there be betweene the glory of heauen and our workes on earth Sixtly it is worthy to be obserued that it is mercy in God to set his loue vpon them that keepe his Commandements Ezod 20. Command 2. Seauenthly we are so farre from meriting that wee are taught to pray God to giue vs our daily bread we haue not a bit of bread of our owne earning Eightly the Sanctification of the most righteous is but begunne in this life Lastly vnto all these Reasons adde the further Testimonie of these Scriptures Dan. 9 9. Rom. 4.5 and 11.9 1 Cor. 4.4 Phil. 3.8.9 Secondly this place hath no colour for merit for to passe ouer that reason that the Scripture requireth good workes therefore our workes merit as a most false and absurd argument the words worthy of the Lord cannot be applyed to merit by any meanes for in as much as the Lord had bestowed many of his fauours already vpon them and giuing his hand and writing and seale for the rest they cannot by any workes afterwards be said in any colour to merit what is past They are vrged Mat. 3. to bring forth fruits worthy
repentance now it were absurd to thinke that the fruits afterwards borne should merit repentance which God gaue before for that is to affirme that not onely a wicked man might merit his owne conuersion but that hee might merit it by the workes hee would doe after his conuersion which I know not that any Papist will affirme and the like reason is there of the phrase here vsed Quest. But letting the Papist goe what is it to walke worthy of the Lord Ans. It is so to cleaue vnto God that we refuse not out of the holy estimation of Gods free mercies to forsake our selues and the world and to testifie our obedience to the Law and Spirit of God in vprightnesse with all thankefulnesse But that this may appeare more plainely if wee would walke worthy of the Lord. In generall our righteousnesse must exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees we must be so farre from resting in the custome and practise of the vile sinnes that abound in the world that we must not be satisfied with this that wee be ciuill honest men and well thought of in the world for Gods mercies challenge more at our hands then ciuill honesty In particular if wee would walke worthy of God 1 Wee must walke with God in the sence of Gods presence and in the light of his countenance so knowing his loue as wee forget not his presence And because the wandring and vnmortified heart of man is not easily brought to this therefore we must humble our selues to gaine a better abilitie to walke with our God 2 We must set the Law of God as the onely rule of our actions alwayes before vs and by all meanes be carefull to obey the motions of Gods Spirit euen the Law in our mindes that is to walke after the Spirit and according to the Spirit 3 Wee must labour to glorifie God by endeauouring by an open light to approue our selues to the world in shewing the power of Gods grace in our workes and the newnes of our liues 4 Wee must be contented to deny our owne reason wit desires delights and profits and to take vp any crosse God shall lay vpon vs 5 Wee should goe beyond all ciuill honest men in this that wee would respect all Gods Commandements and make conscience of euery sinne by Prayer and endeauour to auoid it and to obey God both in our soules and bodies and in euery part of both Lastly we should so admire Gods loue in deliuering our soules from death and our feete from falling c. that wee should seeke Gods face in the light of the liuing and neuer to come empty handed but Gods vowes should be vpon vs and we should euer be rendring praise Thankefulnesse is all wee can giue to God In all pleasing This is the second thing required in our conuersation we should not thinke it enough to liue iustly and religiously but wee must liue pleasingly also and this is true 1. In respect of God Let vs haue grace that wee may so serue God that wee may please him 2. In respect of our owne Conscience preseruing the rest and goodnesse of the conscience 3. In respect of men thus the wise careth to please her husband and the husband to please his wife It is not enough to be perswaded that that wee doe be good but wee ought to looke to it that it be pleasing So in all duties to God and in our carriage to men Quest. But what should wee doe that wee might so serue God as please him to Ans. This is answered in diuers Scriptures 1 Be sure thou be not in the flesh for no such can please God and they are in the flesh that can relish nothing but fleshly things that take no care to prouide for the life of Grace and peace of Conscience vers 6. that will not be subiect to the Law of God vers 7. that haue not the Spirit of Christ vers 9. and that dye not to sinne vers 10. Obiect But there are many wise men to whom those signes agree and may not they for their good parts otherwayes be pleasing to God Sol. No so long as they are fleshly persons their wisedome bread in the flesh is so farre from pleasing God that it is enmitie to God 2 Thou must let the will of God reuealed in this word be the rule of all thy actions a light to thy feete and a lanthorne to thy pathes for in the Word is contayned both what he requires and what will please him 3 Thou must make conscience of little sinnes as well as great sinnes if a man breake the least Commandement and then by doctrine or defence maintaine it to be a small matter our Sauiour Christ shewes that this is not onely displeasing to God but it will cause God to cast men out of heauen with indignation on the other side whosoeuer shall make conscience to obserue Gods Commandements in the things the world counts lesse matters and shall constantly by doctrine or profession declare his sinceritie herein hee shall be exceeding pleasing to God and God will shew it by making him great in the Kingdome of Heauen What commandement could be lesse then the commandement about the not eating of bloud and yet with many words their obedience herein was vrged and that with this reason as they would haue all things goe well with them and theirs and doe that which is pleasing or right in Gods sight 4 Thou must desire and pray for the best things thou must so thinke of profits and pleasures of the world as especially thy heart must desire and thy lips request of God the wisedome and grace that is from aboue It did exceedingly please God that Solomon asked wisedome and not riches or long life 5 Thou must get an humble and contrite spirit a heart able to see and hate sinne and mourne ouer it and with a tender sence of thine owne wants and vnworthinesse to implore Gods fauour and the renuing of his mercies 6 Thou must so professe respect of pietie as thou be carefull in all things to deale iustly and truely with men delighting in all the occasions and meanes to shew mercy he cannot please God that doth not endeauour to please men Sacrifice is an abhomination when men doe not iudgement and Iustice and God delights in men that will deale truely If a man will deale iustly and loue mercy not be mercifull onely and when hee hath occasion to come to God in the duties of pietie and worship will come in all humilitie and contrition of heart this is that saith the Prophet Micah that is required yea that is good that is exceeding pleasing and acceptable to God 7 Thou must be tender-hearted and mercifull to supply the necessities of the Saints for workes of mercy are Odours of smeet swell Sacrifices acceptable well pleasing to God 8 Thou
resolue that we are not our owne men any more to doe what wee list Neyther ought wee to be seruants of men Besides if there had beene merit in the workes of the Law the Sonne of God needed not to haue shed his bloud and seeing it is shed wee neede no other Mediator nor workes of satisfaction or superrogation Forgiuenesse of sinnes The doctrine of remission of sinnes is many wayes comfortable it is a comfort 1. That sinnes may be remitted 2. That this remission may be applyed particularly thou maist haue it and keepe it for thy selfe 3. That if our sinnes be once forgiuen they can neuer be laid to our charge more they returne not 4. That where God forgiues one sinne hee forgiues all sinnes 5. That where God forgiues sinne hee heales the nature where hee iustifies hee sanctifies An earthly Prince may forgiue the Felon but hee cannot giue him a better disposition but GOD neuer forgiues any man but hee giues him a new heart also 6. That where God forgiues the sinne hee forgiues the punishment also Lastly that by remission of sinnes wee may know our saluation Secondly as it is a comfortable Doctrine to faithfull men so it is a terrible Doctrine to wicked men and that many wayes first all mens sinnes are not forgiuen secondly all neede remission of sinnes thirdly if sinne be not forgiuen it makes men loathsome to God which the word couer importeth it sets the Soule in debt it seperates betweene God and vs and hinders good things from vs it defiles it remaines vpon Record written with a pen of iron and with the poynt of a Diamond it causeth all the disquietnesse of the heart it is the cause of all Iudgements It brings death Thirdly a Question is here to be considered of viz. What should a man doe that hee may get a comfortable assurance that his sinnes are forgiuen him Ans. He that would be assured of remission of sinnes must doe these things First hee must forgiue other men their trespasses against him else hee cannot be forgiuen Secondly he must search out his sinnes by the Law and mourne ouer them in Gods presence striuing to breake and bruise his owne heart with griefe in secret in the confession of them to God Luke 4.18 1 Iohn 1.9 Hos. 14.3 Zach. 12.12 to the end 13.1 Thirdly vvee must take heede of the sinne against the holy Ghost which beginning in Apostacy is continued in Persecution of the knowne Truth and ends in Blasphemy and is therefore a sinne vnpardonable because the sinner is vtterly disabled of the power to repent And howsoeuer all sinnes against the holy Ghost are not vnpardonable but onely that sinne that hath the former three things in it yet the man that would haue euidence of pardon must take heede of all wayes of offending against Gods Spirit and therefore must take heede of speaking euill of the way of godlinesse of contemning the meanes of Grace by which the Spirit workes and of tempting grieuing or vexing of the holy Ghost within his owne heart or others Fourthly he must daily attend vpon the preaching of the Gospell till the Lord be pleased to quicken his owne Promises and his heart vnto the ioyfull application of the Comforts of Gods Loue continued in his Word And when men come to Gods presence to seeke so great a mercy as the pardon of sinne they must aboue all things take heede of wilfull hardnesse of heart least their vnwillingnes to be directed by Gods Word be requited with that curse that God should grow vnwilling that they should repent and hee should forgiue them Fiftly the Prayers of the faithfull are very auaileable to procure the pardon of sin Sixtly he must with due preparation be often in receiuing the Sacrament of the Lords Supper which is to the worthy Receiuer a worthy Seale of Remission Seauenthly hee must amend his life and belieue in Iesus Christ Verse 15. Who is the Image of the inuisible God and the first begotten of euery Creature HItherto of the worke of Redemption now followeth the person of the Redeemer who is described as hee standeth in relation 1. To God Vers. 15. 2. To the vniuerse or whole World Vers. 15.16.17 3. To the Church Vers. 18.19 c. In all the Verses in generall may be obserued the euident proofe of his diuine Nature For as the Verses before when they mention Redemption in his bloud proue him to be man so these Verses ascribing to him Eternitie Omnipotence c. proue him to be God That our Sauiour is God may be further confirmed by these places of Scripture Gen. 19 24. Iudg. 2.1.4.14 Psal. 45. Prou. 8.22 Iob. 19.25 Isay 7.14 and 9.6 and 35.2.4 and 40.3.10.12 and 43.10.11.23 and 45.22 Ier. 23.5.6 Hos. 1.7 and 12.4 Mich. 2.12 and 4.1 Iohn 1.1 c. 1 Iohn 5.20 Reuel 1.6 Besides the Apostles drift is to extoll the excellencie of Christ by whose bloud wee are redeemed Howsoeuer hee appeared in forme of a seruant yet he exceeded all Monarches that euer were on earth for Christ is the essentiall Image of God whereas the greatest Monarchs are Gods Image but by a small participation Hee is the Sonne of God by generation they are so onely by creation or regeneration Hee is the first borne they are but yonger Brothers at the best Hee is the Creator they are but Creatures All things are for him whereas they haue right and power ouer but few things hee is eternall they are mortall Things cannot consist without a Redeemer in Heauen but so they may without a Monarch on earth hee is a mysticall Head and by his Spirit vniteth all his Subiects to him and by influence preserueth them but so can no politicall heads doe their Subiects Other things I might instance in the Verses following but these shall suffice The first thing in particular by vvhich the Redeemer is described is his relation to God in these words Who is the Image of the inuisible God Here three things are to be considered First the Person resembling Who Secondly the manner how he resembleth viz. by the way of Image thirdly the person resembled in his Nature God in the Attribute of his Nature Inuisible For the first if wee be asked of whom hee here speaketh it is easily answered out of the former Verses It is the Sonne of GOD the Sonne of his Loue Verse 13. And thither I referre the consideration of the first poynt Image Our Redeemer resembles God by way of Image There is difference betweene the Image of a thing and the Similitude of it The Sunne in the Firmament expresseth GOD by similitude for as there is but one Sunne so there is but one God And as no man can looke vpon the Sunne in his brightnesse so no man can see God with mortall eyes c. But yet the Sunne is not therefore Gods Image
respect men for their Lands apparrell titles parentage c. but for Grace 3. Wee should not much wonder at the disorders are in the world for were it not for the Elect it would soone appeare by the ruine of all how little God cared for rebellious Reprobates 4. It is a great comfort no one of the Elect shall perish for all things be reconciled 5. It should teach vs to make much of them that feare the Lord. Let them be in stead of all things in our account Lastly seeing all things are reconciled now let vs keepe the peace euen the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of Peace To himselfe Some reade in him There is difference betweene for Christ by Christ and in Christ. For noteth the meritorious cause In noteth the coniunction with the head By noteth the instrument Doct. We are reconciled in Christ or vnto Christ. This is true foure wayes 1. As hee is the person by whom we are reconciled 2. As his glory is the end of our reconciliation 3. As his glory and holinesse is the patterne after which our happinesse and holinesse is proportioned 4. In respect of his loue prouidence custody and protection vnto the which we are receiued The Vse of all may be to teach vs 1. To take heede of opposing disgracing or persecuting of such as are reconciled to God for hee that toucheth them toucheth the apple of Christs eye Note hee saith to himselfe 2. In the Vse of all things to carrie our selues so as we prouide to giue account and giue the things to God which are Gods and as good Stewards dispose all things in that time and according to those rules Christ hath appoynted 3. Seeing wee are now brought so neare vnto God wee should humble our selues to walke before him in all reuerence and feare And to this end wee should labour for puritie of heart that wee might see God Yea wee should hate all spirituall pollutions and be zealous in all good workes And seeing God hath chosen vs to himselfe wee should set vp the Lord to be our God to serue him with our whole heart and haue respect to all his Commandements And to this end wee should labour for speciall sinceritie in the profession of Religion an ordinary care will not serue the turne if wee will liue with the multitude wee may perish with the multitude But let vs cleaue to the Lord with a perpetuall Couenant and resolue to receiue him as our guide vnto the death Set at peace The effect of our reconciliation is peace Concerning this peace I propound fiue things 1. Who made it no other can set a peace among the Creatures but he that reconciles men to the Creator he is the Prince of peace the chasticement of our peace was upon him He is our peace 2 With whom the faithfull are at peace they are at peace first vvith themselues Peace rules their hearts Secondly with good Angels Thirdly with the seede of Abraham the Iewes the partition wall is broken downe Fourthly with Gods Ordinances God creating peace or else the Word would alwayes be goring and smiting with the stroakes of warre and words of vengeance Fiftly with the godly Sixtly with all Creatures onely there can be no peace first with the Powers and Principalities for after the two strong men haue fought there is no more peace secondly with the World the World hath hated the Master and therefore the seruants may not looke for better entertaynment 3 The effects of this peace which are principally two first the restitution of soueraignty and dominion ouer the Creatures secondly the safety of the Christian in all estates for from this peace flowes great securitie and protection euen to the poorest Christian eyther from or in dangers 4 That wee may attayne the sense of this peace we must be reconciled to God we must be sincere worshippers we must keepe vs in our wayes wee must get a meeke and quiet spirit wee must in nothing be carefull but in all things shew our requests vnto God wee must loue God and shew it by the loue of the knowledge of his Name Vses First Gods Children should know this priuiledge for themselues it will be a preseruation against sinne 2. Hence wee may gather the misery of all carnall persons that are not reconciled to God They want the protection of Angels they are vnder the gouernment of the God of this world the Creatures are armed against them they are stript of the royall priuiledges arising from the communion with Saints yea God fights against them in and by themselues as by terrours of conscience and by vnquiet affections and passions giuing them ouer to an vnruly heart What are Enuy Malice Lust and Rage but so many weapons to fight against the soule Yea God fights against the sinner by the deadnesse of his heart which both affamisheth the soule in spirituall things and takes away the contentment of outward things By the bloud Here hee notes how wee are reconciled viz. by the bloud of Christ this is that bloud of sprinckling the bloud of the immaculate Lambe the bloud of the euerlasting Couenant Christs owne bloud Many are the fruits and effects of the bloud of Christ 1. We are elected through it 2. It ratifies the Couenant of God 3. It is that Reconciliation iustifying vs from our former sinnes 4. It ioynes Iew and Gentile together in one Citie yea in one house 5. It purgeth the Conscience from dead workes 6. It turnes away wrath and saues vs from the destroying Angell 7. It makes Intercession for sinnes after Calling 8. It makes perfect in all good workes 9. By it the Faithfull ouercome the Dragon and Antichrist Lastly it opens the Holy of Holies and giues vs an entrance into heauen The Vse is first to teach vs to take heede of sinning against the bloud of Christ for if it be thus precious it must needes diffuse a horrible sinne-guiltinesse vpon such as transgresse against it If Abels bloud wronged cryed so fearefully and the bloud of Zacharias what shall the bloud of Christs doe And men sinne against Christs bloud 1. By resisting the meanes of application of Christ crucified 2. By prophane Swearing and Cursing 3. By ascribing remission of sinnes to the workes of the Law 4. By committing the sinne against the holy Ghost 5. By returning to the lusts of our former ignorance 6. By prophane and vnworthy receiuing of the Sacraments And in the Sacraments men offend against the bloud of Christ First when they come to it with an opinion of reall presence eyther by Transubstantiation or Consubstantiation for thereby they deny the truth of the bloud of Christ by consequent and open a gap to the adoration of
Christ in or before Bread or Wine Secondly when men vse the Sacraments but as bare signes not discerning spiritually the presence of the Bloud and Body of the Lord. Thirdly when men come thither vnbidden being not called nor within the compasse of the Couenant by conuersion Fourthly when men come to eate this Lambe but without the sowre hearbes of godly Sorrow for their sinnes and Repentance Fiftly such as come without Faith by which they lay hold on Christ and Loue by which they are ioyned to Christians Thus of the first Vse Secondly the consideration of the dignitie of Christs bloud should teach Christians to esteeme their new birth It is better to be borne of the bloud of Christ then of all the blouds of men seeing by his bloud wee haue the attonement wee should reioyce in God and comfort our selues in this great prerogatiue that our many sinnes and infirmities are done away in the Intercession of Christ his Bloud speaking better things then the bloud of Abel Thirdly wee should neuer be much perplexed for the ordinary troubles befall vs for if wee looke vpon the Author and finisher of our Faith hee endured the shame and the contradiction of sinners and yet shed his bloud to whereas we haue not yet resisted vnto bloud Fourthly it should enflame vs to a desire of all possible both Thankefulnesse giuing glory to him that shed his bloud for vs and Obedience striuing to walke worthy of the effusion and application of such precious bloud striuing after perfection in all well-doing Of his Crosse. It was needfull our Sauiour should be vpon the Crosse that so hee might be the accomplishment of what was signified by the Heaue Offering and the Brazen Serpent and that so hee might beare the speciall curse of the Law for vs of all deathes the death on the tree being by a speciall Law of God made accursed The consideration of this that Christ suffered on the Crosse should teach vs both Humiliation and humilitie we should be pricked in our hearts to thinke of it that our sinnes caused him so to be pierced and wee should put on all humblenesse of minde when we see him that was equall to God abasing himselfe for vs in the forme of a Seruant to dye on a tree yea the more basenesse hee suffered the more wee should glory and reioyce in his sufferings nothing should glad our hearts more then Christ and him crucified Further Christ dyed on the Crosse to breake downe the partition wall and to slay Hatred And shall Enmitie and Discord liue vvhen Christ is dead Shall he be nayled and shall not our vile affections be nailed downe with him Besides it should be our care to see to it that the Crosse of Christ be not made of none effect which it is when by Faith it is not applyed when the Doctrine of Christ is not Gods power in our soules when our Flesh is not crucified with the lusts of it and when wee take not vp our crosse to follow Christ And lastly when we are so bewitched that we cannot obey the truth By him This is repeated in the Originall though the Translation expresse it not for foure Reasons first to shew how hardly men are drawne to ascribe from their hearts their happinesse vnto Christ. Secondly to shew the necessitie of it It is not possible to be saued but by the imputed righteousnesse of Christ. Thirdly to shew that all things in Christs action and Passion were meritorious least men should superstitiously dote or dreame vpon his Bloud or the word of the Crosse or the signe of it or the like There is no merit in Bloud but as it was in him Fourthly to exclude the worship of Angels which abuse began then to grow among the Colossians Both the things vpon earth This All things by a distribution is againe repeated to medicine the doubtfulnesse of Gods Children which question it whether Christs merits extend vnto them as also to inflame vs to an admiration of the vertue of his death by considering how it extends On Earth Note here two things First that eternall life is begunne in this life wee shall neuer see Gods face in Heauen if wee taste not of his fauour on Earth And if this must be begun on earth why doe men deferre so great a worke as their reconciliation as if it belong to heauen rather then to be done on earth yea this taxeth the slownesse of heart and discontentment of Gods Children This knowledge ioy affection c. is the same thou must haue in heauen And wee should learne hence to liue on earth like the Citizens of Heauen that new Ierusalem Citizens will not liue so rudely as the Country Swaines much more oddes ought there to be betweene Sarazons and Hagarens if I may so say much difference betweene them that dwell in Sion and those that haue no portion but in Sinay Gods Children are the Sonnes of the Free-woman and Citizens wickedmen are the Children of the Bond-woman and forrainers and strangers from the Common-wealth of Israell Secondly where hee saith vpon the Earth and yet in Heauen I might note the vncertaintie of our abode on earth wee haue nothing to possesse but the out-side of the earth which is ready to shake vs off daily All things in Heauen For the meaning of these words wee know that there are in Heauen both Angels and Saints And it may be questioned whether Angels be reconciled in Christ or no though Angels sinned not yet Angels haue gain'd by Christ a more perfect adhering to God and establishing in their standing encrease of knowledge and of Ioy yea the Angels are reconciled by Christ thus that is they are made friends with vs with whom they are at enmitie yet I thinke this is not meant here but the Saints onely are intended because it seemes he entreateth here of Christ not onely as head for so hee is head of Angels but as Mediator betweene parties fallen out Whence wee may note two things first that the very Saints now in heauen once needed the merits of Christ none come there but were first reconciled which may be a comfort to the afflicted spirits of mourning and drooping Christians if they consider that the greatest Saints did neede remission of sinnes as well as they And besides it pounds to pieces merit of workes inasmuch as they come not into heauen but by the merits of Christ. Secondly wee may learne that Christ merited not onely our persons but our grace and glory Verse 21. And you hath hee now also reconciled that were in times past strangers and enemies because your mindes were set in euill workes HItherto of the description of the Redeemer as hee stands in relation to the whole Church In these two Verses hee is described by relation in particular to the Church of the Colossians In this description consider two things First the miserie the
for euill workes that doth not first care to repent for euill thoughts and such like corruption in the minde There should man begin his repentance where God begins the discouery of our miserie And let vs learne to be more watchfull against the sinnes of our mindes and be more grieued for the drosse and corruption wee finde there and learne more to hate the sinnes of the minde such as are ignorance distracted seruice false opinions emptinesse of holy meditations euill dishonourable impure and vnchast thoughts against God or man pride malice frowardnesse vanitie securitie and vnbeliefe Doct. 2. There is in vnregenerate men a strange minding of sinne they imagine mischiefe they haue a spirit of fornication profound to decline deepely set they trust in their owne wayes so as many times they regard neither Gods word nor the rod nor the threatnings of God or rebukes of man neither can they be stirred with the foure last things This shewes as mans misery and death in sinne so the wonderfull mercy of God in forgiuing such sins It is a comfort that sinnes of set knowledge may be forgiuen And hence may be gathered a difference betweene the sinnes of the regenerate and the sinnes of the vnregenerate for the godly sinne not with a full minde they are not set in euill sinne rebels in them but not raignes Lastly this may let vs see how little cause wee haue to stand vpon our mindes or reason or naturall parts in matters of Hope and Saluation In euill Workes If the dependance and the words themselues be duely considered wee may here gather fiue things First that the euill workes of the sinner cause the strangenesse and enmity aforesaid Secondly that a wicked man can like himselfe well enough though his very workes and outward behauiour be euill He can blesse himselfe in his heart when his iniquity is found worthy to be hated Thirdly that where the life is euill the minde is euill the heart cannot be good where the workes are nought Fourthly that hee that allowes himselfe in one sinne will pollute himselfe with many sinnes Workes Fiftly when God lookes vpon the workes of euill men they are all euill note a difference if the carnall man looke vpon his owne workes they are all good if a godly man looke vpon them they are partly good and partly euill but if God looke vpon them they are all nought because his person is nought his heart is nought his end is nought the manner is nought c. Hitherto of their miserie both as it is propounded and expounded A Question may be asked how it comes to passe that men haue so little sence of their misery and are so loath to take notice of it For answere hereunto wee must vnderstand that this comes to passe because the God of this world hauing possession blindes their eyes and men doe not examine themselues before the Law of God And they are with-drawne by the deceitfulnesse of sinne which in particular they haue allowed themselues in neyther doe men remember their latter ends or the Iudgement of God before their death Their eyes are not annoynted with eye-salue a number haue not the word to direct them and some are deceiued by false Teachers which cry peace peace where there is no peace And the most are deceiued with false opinions and conceits for eyther they thinke that such like places as this are true of Gentiles and not of them whereas vnregenerate Israel is as Ethiopia vnto God or they feare that this knowledge will make men melancholy Yea some are so foolish they say this course driues men out of their wits thus Paul is mad and Christ hath a Diuell or they thinke late Repentance will serue the turne and then they may haue time enough to consider Thus of their misery Verse 22. In that Body of his Flesh to present or make you holy and vnblameable and without fault in his sight IN this Verse the remedy of their miserie is set downe where obserue first the Meanes secondly the End The Meanes is by that body of his flesh through death the End is to present vs c. In that body of his flesh through death Here are two things 1. the Nature of Christ 2. the Sufferings of Christ. But first in the generall I obserue two Doctrines First there is no remedy for the sinner but the death of his Sauiour how foolish mankinde hath beene distracted about the cure for their miserie is lamentable to consider Adam gets Figge-leaues and Israell a foolish Couer As for Death and Hell men are at a point they haue made a couenant with them Or they thinke they are helped of their misery if they can forget it they can blesse their hearts that they will not feele the smart of any curses or they will make satisfaction the sonnes of their body shall serue for the sinnes of their soules or else the Temple of the Lord their going to Church must make God amends Others couer all with the garments of their owne ciuill righteousnesse others put their trust in the wedge of gold and say to it thou art my confidence But vnto vs there is no name by which we can be safe but the name of Iesus Christ. He must rescue vs that first created vs hee makes vs partakers of loue that was the Sonne of Gods loue hee makes vs adopted sonnes who himselfe is Gods naturall Sonne Secondly It is profitable to be much in the meditation of Christs sufferings that it might sincke into our minds that we must goe out of our selues for happinesse and such meditations open a way to godly sorrow They tend to the mortification of sinne and they incline the heart of a Christian to be willing to suffer with him for hee suffered as the Master wee are but Seruants hee suffered for others sinnes wee deserue more then wee can suffer by our owne sinne Hee suffered all sorts of crosses and infinite much we suffer butlight affliction And the thought of his sufferings may make vs willing to contemne the world seeing hereby wee discerne that his kingdome is not of this world Yea we owe vnto Christ the remembrance of his sufferings It is a small thing he requires of vs when he wils vs to thinke on him often what he hath endured for vs. In that body of his flesh These words note Christs Nature yet wee must consider which Nature in Christ there were two Natures in one person personally vnited his diuine and humane Nature His diuine Nature was from Eternitie Immutable Immortall Impassible His humane Nature was conceiued and borne in time Mutable Mortall Passible one and the same without time begotten of the Father the Sonne of God without Mother and in time borne of the Virgin the Sonne of Man without Father Sonne to both Naturall Consubstantiall These Natures are in one person for that God and Man might become one in Couenant one is
a subiection to all the ordinances of CHRIST Thus of Presentation Sanctification followes Holy vnblameable and vnreproueable in his sight At the first sight I should encline to vnderstand these words eyther of Iustification or our consumate holinesse at the day of iudgement but that the sway of interpreters force me to expound them of Sanctification It is greatly to be weighed that a man in this life should be heresaid to be holy vnblameable and vnreproueable or as the other Translation hath it without fault in his sight For the better conceiuing of it wee must compare with these words other Scripture wherein is giuen vnto the godly that they haue cleane hands and a pure heart Psal. 24.4 that they are pure Prou. 21.8 vpright in heart Psal. 97.11 sanctified throughout 1 Thes. 5.23 perfect or vndefiled in their way Psal. 119.1 perfect 2 Cor. 13.11 Phil. 3.15 Matth. 5.48 faultlesse Iud. 24. without spot and blamelesse 1 Pet. 3.14 walking in all Gods wayes 1 King 8.58 and that they keepe Gods couenant Psal. 25.10 78.8.10 132.22 Thus Noah is said to be perfect Gen. 6.9 Ezekiah walked before God with a perfect heart Esa. 38. Dauids heart was perfect 1 King 11.4 Zachariah and Elizabeth were both righteous before God and walking in all the commandements of the Lord blamelesse Luke 1.6 The question is how those sayings should be true and in what sence they are ment And for the clearing of the doubt the way is not simply to reiect the propositions as impious and vntrue and hereticall as some ignorant and malicious persons doe but seeing they are the sacred words of Scripture to consider what it is may be attained and what God requires of vs. To thinke with the Papists or Anabaptists that any mortall man can performe the obedience required in the morall Law perfectly so as neuer to commit sinne against the Law is a most blasphemous detestable and cursed opinion for there is no man that sinneth not the best of the Saints haue had their thousands of sinnes But those places are to be vnderstood of the righteousnesse of the Christian as hee is considered to be vnder the couenant of grace and the Gospell not of legall perfection but of an Euangelicall innocency and vprightnesse Not as their workes are in themselues but comparatiuely eyther with the workes of wicked men or as they are in their desire and endeauour and as they are presented in the intercession of Christ who couers the imperfectâ—ons that cleaue to the workes of the faithfull Sometimes the faithfull are said to be perfect that is strong men in CHRIST compared with the weake Christian and Infant in grace so that weâ— see what a Christian in this life may attaine vnto the rigour of the Law being taken away in the couenant of grace and the imperfections of his workes and fraâ—ltie being couered in Christs intercession Holy This word Holy is the generall and comprehends the other two For holinesse is eyther internall and that is expressed by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnblameable or externall and so it is exprest in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnreproueable Holinesse is giuen to God and so essentially to the spirit of God and so effectiuely because it workes it in others to Christ as hee deriues it by influence to his members To Angels Matth. 25. to sacrifices by way of type to the Couenant of GOD as it promiseth holinesse to the faithfull to the Prophets as Teachers of holinesse to the Scriptures as the rule of holinesse to places for the holinesse of the subiect but heere it is a glorious adiunct conferred vpon the faithfull by Christ. Concerning holinesse of heart and life in generall there are here foure things to be noted 1. The necessitie of it we can neuer be reconciled or glorified without it Tit. 2.12.13 2. The difficultie of it lesse then the power of Christ crucified cannot make men lead a holy life 3. the meritorious cause of it holinesse is merited by Christ as well as saluation 4. The order men must first be reconciled to God before they can get holy grace or lead a holy life Vnblameable Christian perfection hath two things in it First vprightnesse of heart noted by this word Secondly vprightnesse of life noted by the word following Internall perfection or holinesse must haue these things in it First the staine of former sinnes must be washed away with the teares of repentance Secondly the inward worship of God must be set vp in the heart some impressions men haue of an externall worship but of the inward worship men are naturally almost wholy ignorant God is inwardly worshipped by the constant exercise of grace from aboue as Loue Feare Trust Delight Desire c. 3. There must be in vs an assurance of Gods fauor 4. There must be a freedome from preuailing euils in the mind or affections as ignorance wicked thoughts errours in the affections or impatiencie lust seruile feare of men malice c. 5. Hypocrisie must not raigne our desire must be more to be good then to seeme so 6. Our whole heart must be set vpon Gods whole Lawe to haue respect vnto all Gods Commandements God abhorres a diuided heart a double heart 7. The minde must be set vpon heauenly things and conuerse in heauen Where these things are happily attained vnto there the heart is vpright whatsoeuer defects or infirmities be in it these things are different in Christians in the degrees for there is an infancy and weaknesse in sanctification as well as Faith The signes of an vpright heart are these first it desires perfection secondly it will not cease well-doing for crosses thirdly it will serue God though alone fourthly it will not follow the eye it is not sensuall fiftly it reioyceth in the loue of CHRIST aboue all things sixtly It will smite for lesser sinnes as Dauids did 2 Sam. 24. seauenthly it is constant That we may attaine an vpright and vnblameable heart in generall wee must get a new heart in particular 1. wee must by mortification circumcise our hearts 2. we must get Gods Law written in our hearts 3. we must seeke and loue puritie of heart 4. we must keepe our hearts with all diligence lastly wee must walke before God Motiues to inward holinesse First wee shall neuer see the righteousnesse of God imputed till we be vpright in heart Secondly a pure heart is one of the clearest signes of a blessed man Thirdly God searcheth to finde what mens hearts are as well as what their liues are Fourthly the eyes of the Lord behold all the earth to shew himselfe strong with all them that are of a perfect heart Fiftly light is sowen for the righteous and ioy for the vpright in hart Lastly the whole 125. Psalme incites hereunto
heires of the Kingdome They are truly rich men though they be neuer so meane in the world 2. Let vs all looke to our selues that we despise not this riches of the bountifulnesse of God when in the Gospell it is offered vnto vs though wee may goe on with the hardnesse of our not repenting hearts yet if by speedy repentance wee preuent not our ruine we shall heape vp wrath against the day of wrath euen the day of the declaration of the iust vengeance of God vpon such obstinate and secure sinners 3. Let not worldly rich men glory in their riches but rather vse their outward riches as helpes to further them vnto this true treasure else their riches shall not shelter them in the day of Gods wrath against the woes denounced against them Lastly would any man know some sure way how to thriue with great successe in these spirituall riches let him then amongst other things especially remember to pray hard for the Lord is rich to all them that call vpon him Thirdly CHRIST is in the faithfull hee liues in them hee dwels in them but that this doctrine may be more fully vnderstood I propound fiue things 1. How Christ is conceiued into the soule of the faithfull 2. By what effects he discouereth himselfe to be there 3. What they get by his comming 4. What intertainement they ought to giue him 5. Who haue not Christ in them For the first there is this order First God secretly giues Christ to the beleeuer and the beleeuer to Christ then Christ begins to manifest himselfe riding in the Chariot of the word The word that before was a dead letter receiueth life by the presence of Christ and that both in the Law and the Gospell The law being made aliue attacheth the particular sinner and playeth vpon him the part of a Sergeant accuser Iaylor or Iudge And the sinner putting in baile the Law brings him to Christ and will not let him goe to another then the Gospell gets aliue and crucifies Christ before his eyes and propounds varietie of sweet promises The sinner being beaten and wounded almost to death before hee would yeeld to the arrest of the Law seeing now whither he is brought laments with vnspeakeable groanes his owne sinnes and the horrible torments hee sees the Sonne of God put to for his sake and at the same time the spirit of the Sonne working faith a wide dore is opened Christ enters in with vnvaluable ioyes wrought in the heart of the sinner Now if you aske by what effects Christ discouers himselfe to be there I answere there is a light when Christ comes in that giues the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ And being rauished they behold as in a mirrour the glory of God and are transformed into the same Image the spirit of God making them suddenly new Creatures 2. The conuert now findes a sauour of the things of the spirit and his heart is bowed to be subiect to the law of God 3. Hee is baptized with the fire of zeale and holy affections and desires 4. There appeares a battell and combat in the soule and much Iusting on eyther side the spirit resisting with teares and strong cries 5. In this combat Christ vndertaking the battell sends out by his ordinances his arrests and apprehends one by one euery imagination that rebelliously puts it selfe forward in the opposition and exalts it selfe and will not leaue till it be brought in subiection so as the obedience of Christ may haue the vpper hand 6. The spirit of the Sonne discouers himselfe as a spirit of supplications by which the tender infant beginnes to learne with holy desires and secret incouragements to speake in Gods language and by prayer to make knowne his griefes and wants in the best manner vttering his affiance in God as a Father 7. The loue of God and of Christ and of Gods Word and Gods people is shed abroad in his heart and it now constraineth him to holy duties 8. The body growes dead in respect of sinne and the spirit is life for righteousnesse sake resolution more and more increasing both for reformation of sinne and new obedience 9. Hee findes himselfe proclaimed free the prison doore set open his fetters knocked off his wounds made by the law healing apace his debts paid and himselfe in a new world inioying a true lubile 10. Hee liues thence-forward by the faith of the Sonne of God for Saluation for Iustificaâ—ion and for preseruation 11. The heauenly dewes of spirituall ioyes often water and refresh his heart in the vse of the meanes with delightfull peace and tranquilitie in his heart and conscience Lastly in a holy couenanting with God his daily purposes and desires are to cleaue vnto God deuoting and consecrating himselfe and his vowed sacrifices vnto God in the mediation of Christ. Thirdly the benefits he hath by the inhabitation of CHRIST are such as these 1. GOD is in Christ reconciling him not imputing his sinnes 2. Christ is made vnto him Wisedome Sanctification Righteousnesse and Redemption 3. All the promises of Christ are to him Yea and Amen hauing the earnest giuen in the spirit and the same sealed by the same spirit 4. Hee is not destitute of any heauenly gifts but hath the seeds and beginnings of all sauing graces 5. The grace of Christ shall be sufficient against all temptations by the power of Christ that dwels in him and as his outward afflictions doe abound so shall the consolations of Christ abound also 6. Paul is his and Apollo is his yea all things are his as he is Christs hath his interest in all the means of saluation 7. God hath giuen him Christ how shall hee not with him giue him all other things also Finally eternall life is the gift of God in and with Iesus Christ For the fourth if you aske what you must doe when you finde Christ in your hearts I answere if you liue in the spirit walke in the spirit let olde things passe and all things be new for if you be in Christ Iesus you must be new Creatures the olde conuersation in times past will not now serue turne but the olde man with his deceiueable Iusts must be cast off Now thou must learne also to liue by faith and not by sence and carnall hopes as thou hast done For CHRIST keepes his residence in our hearts by faith for in that wee henceforth liue in the flesh wee must resolue to liue by the faith of the Sonne of God that liueth in vs being assured that in him are all the treasures of holinesse and happinesse And to this end thou must pray constantly to God that thou mayst be able to discerne the length bredth depth height of this loue and louing
the things which are named to bee abrogated viz. the respect of meats and drinks 2. of times which are threefold 1. daies 2. moneths 3. Sabbaths these are the things v. 16. The reason is v. 17. because these are but shadowes of things to come and the bodie is Christ. In the conclusion against philosophie note first the thing which in speciall hee reasons against viz. Angell-worship Secondly the reasons by which he condemnes them that brought it in 1. they did it hypocritically vnder pretence of humblenes of minde 2. they did it ignorantly aduancing themselues in things they neuer saw 3. they did it proudly rashly puft vp in their fleshly minde 4. they did it dangerously their danger is laid downe and amplified Laid downe in these words not holding the head amplified by a digression into the praises of the mysticall bodie of Christ 1. for ornament furnished 2. for vnion knit together by ioynts and bands 3. for growth increasing with increase of God In the conclusion against traditions obserue first the matter condemned why are yee burthened with traditions amplified by the kinds touch not taste not handle not v. 21. Secondly the reasons 1. yee are dead with Christ v. 20. 2. Yee are dead from the rudiments of the world therefore much more from traditions 3. They are burthens 4. The matter of them is light and vaine and idle v. 21. 5. They all perish with the vsing 6. They are after the commandements and doctrines of men v. 21. Ob. But there seemeth to be a depth in them Sol. He confesseth that they haue a shew of wisdome and that in three things 1. In voluntarie religion 2. In humblenes of minde 3. In not sparing the bodie But yet he censures them two waies 1. It is but a shew all this 2. It with-holdeth the honor due vnto the bodie neither haue they it in any estimation to satisfie the flesh v. 23. THE METAPHRASE vpon the second CHAPTER FOr I would ye were throughly informed of it what great care conflict strife and fighting I haue for your sakes and for them of Laodicea and for such as I neuer knew but only heare of to be such as embrace the Gospell which we preach and to this end I tell you of my care and fighting so to moue you to be much the more resolute in perseuering in the faith and hope of the doctrin you haue receiued Great are the benefits which you and all those that beleiue in your parts receiue from our paines in the Gospell for hereby both your hearts are comforted with true refreshings and besides you are hereby knit one to another and established in brotherly loue and as the benefits of the adiuncts of the Gospell should much moue you to sticke still to it if you consider how rich GOD hath made you in the infallible and full perswasion of vnderstanding which you haue felt and withall what admirable desires there are in the doctrine of the Gospell concerning GOD the Father and CHRIST Or lastly if you consider the perfection of the doctrine of the Gospell either as it conteines the treasures of wisedome and knowledge or as it shewes vs CHRIST in whom are all admirable perfections of all sorts of rich knowledge Now if you aske me why I am so tedious in vrging these things I answere it is only for feare least any should by plausible and probable inticements of speech beguile you from the simplicitie that is in CHRIST And if you say I know not your estate I answere though I be absent from you in the flesh yet I am present with you in the spirit and if you thinke that this discourse implies that I dislike you know that I do truly reioyce to heare of your good order of life both publike and priuate and how stedfast your faith in CHRIST is Now if you aske me at once what is the summe of all I would haue you to doe I answere that as concerning holy life I would haue you walke on in the same manner as ye haue receiued CHRIST hitherto And for matter of faith I would haue you by all meanes to seeke to be further rooted and built vp and stablished in the assurance of faith accordingly as you haue been taught but by any meanes remember to abound in all thankfulnesse to GOD for the happie estate you are in And thus for what I haue to exhort you to in matters of doctrine Now I must enter vpon matter of dehortation take heede least any man of what gifts or profession soeuer make a prey of your soules and carry them away as a spoile And in particular looke to it in three things first in Philosophie not simplie in the doctrines of Philosophie but in such deuises and vaine fancies as vnder colour of such speculation or from the authority of Philosophers are brought in by any Secondly take heede of traditions of men And thirdly of the ceremonies of Moses which were things at first brought in to be as the A.B.C. or alphabet to traine vp the people of GOD in the principles But now this and the other are not to be regarded for many reasons whereof the first is they are not after CHRIST Besides there is such an infinite fulnesse in CHRIST by reason of the diuine nature that dwels by an vnexpressible vnion in the humane nature that we need not seeke to any thing else but only vnto CHRIST And you your selues in CHRIST haue all compleatnes and sufficiency by reason of your mysticall vnion with him and such is the fulnes of CHRIST that the very Angels those excellent and potent creatures are subordinate to him and acknowledge him as their head which by the way shewes that they are not to be worshipped And to speake yet more expresly what should you do with circumcision or any part of the law ceremoniall seeing in CHRIST ye haue receiued that which was signified by circumcision for in him you are circumcised not with the hands of men as they were vnder the law but by the finger of the spirit of GOD which standes in the mortification of that bodie of sinnes which ye were guiltie of while ye were in the flrsh and this ye haue by the vertue of CHRISTS circumcision And if you say that Abraham had the circumcision without hands and yet was circumcised in the flesh I answere that we haue baptisme insteed of that circumcision and therefore need it not and the rather because baptisme doth so liuely set out our spirituall buriall and resurrection with CHRIST which all they attaine vnto that haue the faith of GODS operation that is that can beleiue that which GOD by his power will do what he promiseth in baptisme grounding their faith vpon the resurrection of CHRIST from the dead And further this should moue you to disregard those things because they neither could help you when you were miserable nor conferre the benefits vpon you which you inioy without them for in
word in the hearts of such as feare God If it haue wrought the true feare of God in thee thou maiest be assured thou hast right to the directions and comforts conteyned in it and it will still be of force to thee if thou waite vpon God in the true vse of it Ob. But I see many are otherwise minded and some teach otherwise Sol. Yet the iudgements of the Lord are true Gods word must and will stand howsoeuer we are minded Ob. But may a man find help against any sinne from the word and direction in all things Sol. Yes for Gods iudgments are righteous altogether They are exactly sufficient to make a man a godly man compleat in all his waies and to order him in all that iustice he should performe either towards God or man Ob. But might not the hearts of men be delighted with other things and mens estates made happie with other treasures Sol. No it is more to be desired the word is then fine gold yea then much fine gold sweeter also then hony and the hony combe Ob. But if I should deuote my selfe thus to the word the world would account me a very foole and that I would grow to strange simplenesse Sol. By them is thy seruant made circumspect Nothing teacheth men true discretion but Gods word and if many hearers be not circumspect t is either because they attend not to the word or because they are not Gods seruants Ob. But what profit will come of all this Sol. In the sound practise of the directions of the word there is great reward Thirdly this may comfort Gods seruants in their choice they haue chosen the better part in that they haue set their hearts vpon the word howsoeuer the world thinke of them Fourthly wee may heere see the state of scorners and contemners of the word implied let them mocke on but this they shall haue they shall neuer taste of the ioies of God Fifthly Gods seruants should be admonished from hence to expresse the power of the word in their carriages that the world might see and know there is wonderfull comfort and contentment in following the word Lastly this may serue for the humiliation of all such as haue long heard the Gospell and yet haue not gotten any sound contentment Now that men may not be mistaken it will not be amisse to discouer the true causes of this want of contentment in many that enioy the Gospell It is true that the proper effect of the Gospell is to comfort but it is true also that it comforts only Gods seruants Againe if men haue not mourned for their sinnes no wonder though they be not comforted Besides many doe not lay vp the word in their hearts and then how can it comfort their hearts We must be a people in whose heart is Gods law if wee would feele this inward ioy and consolation Many also are insnared with grosse sinne whereas only the righteous sing and reioice Many want assurance and therefore no wonder though they reioice not with those vnspeakable ioyes which are companions of faith and the loue of Christ only Besides many haue but little ioy because they vse but little praying we must pray much if we haue our ioy full Further some through vnbeleefe resist comfort There are seuen inconueniences of an vncomfortable heart 1. It is exceeding liable to temptations 2. It is vnder the raigne of continuall vnthankfulnesse 3. It is easily perplexed with euery crosse and turned out of frame and quiet 4. It is a daily let to the efficacie of all Gods ordinances 5. It is accompanied with strange infirmities in doing good duties 6. It is vsually barren in the very disposition to doe good 7. It prouokes God to anger Deut. 28.47 Being knit together in loue Loue is in God in Christ in Angels in Saints glorified in godly men conuerted and in carnall men also In the Trinitie it is infinite in Christ without measure in Angels and men glorified perfect but measured in godly men on earth vnperfect but holy in carnall men vnholy yet naturall in the other creatures without reason by instinct T is a religious and holy loue amongst the members of Christ is here meant The author and fountaine of this loue is God 2. Cor. 13.11 The bond internall is the spirit externall is the Gospell the subiect or seat of it is the heart yet not euery heart but a pure heart 1. Tim. 1.5 The effects are a heauenly comfort in the Gospell with all the fruits of it If thou aske whom thou must especially loue I answer the Saints that is such as thou seest to striue after holinesse of life making conscience of their waies These and all these are to be loued Neither will bare affection to them serue but thou must seeke to haue fellowship with them in the Gospell Phil. 1.5 and 2.1 If thy loue to Gods children be right 1. it is diligent 2. in things indifferent it doth not willingly offend 3. it will couer a multitude of sinnes and it will forgiue great offences vpon repentance 4. it is compassionate and liberall lastly it hath the properties mentioned 1. Cor. 13.4.5.6.7 That this holy and religious loue might be preserued amongst Christians diuers rules must be obserued 1. Men must not so much respect their owne earthly things 2. Men should labour with all meeknesse for vnion in iudgement without all contention and vaine glorie 3. Men must take heed of reioicing in the euils one of another 4. Men must get more patience to suffer longer and vpon more occasion 5. Wee should with all possible care endeuour to increase in knowledge and sense of Gods loue for that inflames to the loue one of another 6. We must studie to be quiet and meddle with our owne businesse Lastly wee must much and often thinke of our liuing together in heauen for the hope of heauen and the loue of the Saints are companions Yet that wee may not mistake there are diuers sorts of people with whom we may not hold open and professed loue and vnion and amitie and societie 1. With such as are open enemies to the truth by Infidelitie or Idolatrie 2. With men that liue in notorious wickednesse and prophanenesse such as are Atheists swearers drunkards adulterers Vsurers c. 3. With scandalous brethren that make shewes of religion and yet are leand in conuersation 4. With corrupt teachers and seducers that would draw men from the sinceritie that is in Christ and speake euill of the way of righteousnesse 5. With those members of the Synagogue of Satan whose tongues are set on fire with the fire of hell in respect of slandering and disgracing such as truly feare God 6. With such professors of religion that liue idly and in that respect walke inordinately and will not be reclaimed but in that respect liue
it implies that people are for the most part slow hearted herein and hardly drawne to the vnfained and diligent labour after the establishing of their faith and assurance 2. That all this stedfastnes of assurance is not the worke of a day a great tree is not growne or rooted but successiuely a great house is not built all at once we must be euery day adding something to Gods worke that the building of grace may be in due time finished none are so established but they may grow in faith none haue such great rootes but they may take roote yet more many men striue hard to make their trees shew in branches leaues I meane in outward profession in the world but alas what should this great bulke and so many branches and leaues doe vnlesse there were more rootes within yea many deare children of God mistake wonderfully they euery day carrie together heapes of precepts for life but alas poore soules so great a building will not stand vnlesse they lay their foundation sure I meane that they get their faith in Christ the only sure foundation more confirmed and established As ye haue been taught Note here the Apostles candor he doth not arrogate the glory of their establishment to himselfe but sendeth them to their Minister and teacheth them to depend vpon him to waite vpon the blessing of God vpon his labour and to acknowledge the good they haue to haue receiued by his ministerie Here diuers things may be noted 1. That the people should labour for a reuerend estimation of the doctrine they receiue from their faithfull teachers 2. That as faith commeth by hearing so doth the establishment of faith also 3. That it is wonderfull dangerous to neglect either the charge of our teachers when they vrge vs to assurance or the rules by which they guide vs out of the word of God for the attainment of it if we would goe about it when our teachers call vpon vs the Lord would be with his ordinance to blesse it to vs we should be afraid to delay when we are taught how to confirm our soules in faith and grace 4. The faithfull Ministers do greatly labour to establish their hearers in the assurance of Gods fauour and the duties of holy life Abounding therein with thanks-giuing In these words the Apostle shuts vp all wherein his intent is to stirre them vp to thankfulnes that as they did thriue in the meanes or matter of faith and holy life so they should glorifie God by all possible thankfulnesse for it as he would haue them abound in faith and holinesse so also in thankfulnes to God This may wonderfully smite our hearts for if we obserue our wretched euill dispositions we may finde that we are wonderfully bent to the very habit of vnthankfulnesse and therefore it is iust with God many times that we doe no more thriue in victorie ouer our corruptions or in the power of diuers graces or in the progresse of duties because we doe not more tenderly and constantly acknowledge the goodnesse of God we haue had experience of Oh that it were written vpon our hearts and grauen deepe in our memories that nothing becomes vs more then to abound in thankfulnesse no fairer sight then to see the Altar of the Lord couered with the calues of our lips neuer can the estate of a child of God be such but he hath exceeding great cause of thankfulnes for his happinesse in Christ. VERS 8. Beware lest there be any man that spoile you through philosophie and vaine deceit through the traditions of men according to the rudiments of the world and not after Christ. Hitherto of the exhortation From this verse to the end of this chapter is conteined the dehortation wherein the Apostle labours to disswade the Colossians from receiuing any corrupt doctrine or any vaine obseruations either borrowed from philosophie or from humane traditions or from the abrogated law of Moses The dehortation hath three parts 1. He setteth downe the matter from which he doth dehort vers 8. 2. He giues 7. reasons to strengthen the dehortation to v. 16. 3. He concludes against the things from which he dehorts and that seuerally from v. 16. to the end In this verse he dehorts from three things 1. From Philosophie that is doctrines taken out of the bookes of Philosophers not agreeing to the word of God which though it had a shew of wisdome yet indeed was but very deceit 2. From traditions .i. obseruations and externall rites and vaine superstions concerning either ordinarie life or else Gods seruice deuised by men whether learned or vnlearned and imposed as necessarie vpon the consciences of men 3. From the elements of the world .i. from the ceremonies of Moses now abrogated and so from Iudaisme In generall we see in the Church of God men must beare the words of dehortation as well as of exhortation men are in a strange case that loue to eat poyson and yet cannot abide to receiue any antidot Againe from the coherence we may note that the best way to be sound against the hurt of corrupt doctrines or traditions is so to cleaue to the doctrine of the Gospell as we grow setled in the assurance of faith and experienced in the way of a holy life he cannot be hurt that mindes holinesse and assurance Beware When wee finde these caueats in the Scripture wee must thinke of them as more then bare notes of attention for they shew some great euill or deceiuings and withall it imports that we of our selues are inclinable to fall as in this place this Beware imports that men naturally are inclined to falshood more then truth to euill more then good to wise men more then the wise God to traditions more then the written word to their owne deuises more then Gods precepts to false teachers more then the true Apostles to ceremonies more then the weightie things of the Law Any man See here the vanitie and leuitie of mans nature many men either by word or example cannot reduce vnto order or vnto truth yet any man may seduce vnto sinne and error All sorts of men may be fountaines of euill but in case of returning an obstinate sinner or superstitious person is vsually wiser then seuen men that can giue a reason Spoile you This word is various in signification it signifieth as some take it to make bare or to prey vpon or to circumuent or to deceiue or to driue away as a prey or to lead away bond and captiue or as here to spoile it is so to seduce or to carrie away as a spoile for the matter expressed in this word we may note 1. That a Christian stands in danger of a combat and if he looke not to himselfe may be spoiled and caried captiue for the word seemes to be a militarie word and so imports a battell 2. That there are worse losses may befall vs then the losse of goods or children a man is neuer worse spoiled
saued but it is most likely they are called so by a Gramaticall Relation to the Abcedaries that as little children beginne at the Alphabet and so goe on to higher studies so did the Lord giue those lawes as the A. B. C. of the Iewes to bee their Paedagogie in the infancie of the Church Now they might be said to be of the world because they were externall rites and subiect to the sight and sense and because they consisted of a glory that was more worldly then spirituall and because worldly men doe most stand vpon that which is externall T is the drift of the Apostle to disswade from the obseruation of those rites because now the law of Moses was abrogated Abrogation is a plausible doctrine in popular estates Proclamation concerning immunities from tributes and taxations or concerning Isonomie that is indifferent libertie for all to be competitors for honors or free for profits of a common-wealth those were wont to be wonderfull gratefull to the multitude and such is the doctrine of abrogation in Diuinitie yet because it may be abused by Epicures it is to be more carefully opened The Law may be said to be abrogated diuers waies 1. When it is antiquated or obsolete so as men are neither bound to dutie nor punishment and thus the ceremonies are abrogated 2. When the punishment is changed onely the obedience still remaining in force as in the law of stealth 3. It is abrogated to the guiltie when the punishment is transferred on an other so as the law cannot exercise her force vpon the guilty person 4. It is abrogated when it is weakned and eneruated by transgressors to breake the law is to loose or dissolue the law thus wicked men by their liues abrogate it Quest. But is the whole law of Moses abrogated Answ No for though Moses be said to giue place to Christ that doth not import a change of the law but of the Law-giuer Moses gaue three kinds of lawes Morall Iudiciall Ceremoniall For the morall Law it may in some sort be said to be abrogated as 1. In respect of the curse and malediction as it did worke anger and made execrable for so there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus in as much as the law of the spirit of life hath freed them from the law of sinne and death 2. In respect of the inexorable rigour and perfection of it for we are not now vnder the law but vnder grace 3. In some sense it is abrogated in respect of iustification for now it is no more required of the godly that they should seeke iustification by the law but by Iesus Christ. Againe we must distinguish of the persons for the law still lyeth on the necke of the vnregenerate but in the former respects is abrogated to the faithfull for against them there is no law but the law is giuen to the vnrighteous Now for the Iudiciall lawes of Moses they were as it were ciuill lawes concerning Magistrates Inheritance order and processe of Iudgments contracts mariage bondage diuorce vowes vsurie and trespasse between man and man These Iudiciall lawes must be considered two waies 1. As they binde the Iewes as they were men that is in a common and generall right and so those lawes are perpetuall in the nature and equitie of them 2. As they bound the Iewes as they were Iewes in a personall nationall or singular right And thus where the reason of a law is particular there the law is so and binds not other people but as it may fit their Common-wealths The Ceremoniall lawes did concerne sacrifices and sacraments and other holy things and rituall obseruations Diuines haue a saying that the Iudicialls are dead but the Ceremonialls are deadly That the Ceremonies are abrogated was signified by the renting of the vaile of the Temple yea the Temple it selfe is destroyed as will more fully appeare when I come to the 15. verse And thus of the rudiments of the world Hithervnto also of the matter of the dehortation the reasons follow And not after Christ. These words conteine the first reason against philosophie traditions and ceremonies they are not after Christ and therefore to be auoided lest our soules be spoiled These things were not after Christ 1. because they no way tended to the furtherance of heauen reconciliation with God which in Christ we should principally looke to 2. Because they were no way warranâ—ed or approued or commanded by Christ Christ when he came imposed no such things 3. Because they doe now no way lead vs after Christ but from him rather in as much as we rest in those works done and neglect the commandement of God Lastly they feed the humors of carnall men and draw away mens mindes from the spirituall worship of God in Christ. Hence we may note an answer to that question whether the Gentiles may not be saued without Christ by philosophie The Apostle determines that the soule is spoild by philosophie if it be not after Christ. Againe hence we may learne a note of tryall concerning the truth of religions that religion which is not after Christ is a false religion for this is a foundation that euerlasting happinesse must be expected from Christ alone Lastly here we may note that sinnes against Christ will be accompted for though they were not forbidden in the morall law we haue now another law in the Gospell so as whatsoeuer is not after Christ is a great transgressâ—ion neither may we thinke that we sinne not against Christ but only by traditions and ceremonies for there are many other waies of offending against him as To liue without Christ and communion with him To be an enemie to the crosse of Christ To make the doctrine of redemption an occasion of libertie to the flesh To liue after the lusts of men and not after the will of Christ To harden our hearts against the doctrine of reconciliation To hold false opinions concerning the person or office of Christ. To peruert the Gospell of Iesus Christ To persecute or despight Christ in his members To trust in the merit of our owne works To denie him before men To reproch the seruants of Christ Not to beleeue the report of his messengers Not to imitate his graces To offend one of Christs little ones To make diuision or schisme Not to discerne his bodie in the Sacrament To build againe things destroyed To breake our vowes To fall away from the doctrine of Christ To grieue the spirit of Christ To be beguiled from the simplicitie that is in Christ Iesus To cast away their confidence Or to fashion our selues to the lusts of our ignorance Thus of the first reason VERS 9. For in him dwelleth all the fullnes of the Godhead bodily These words conteine the second reason and it stands thus If in Christ there be all
to signifie that he died for other mens sinnes Now for the second viz. the buriall of Christians they may be said to be buried euen whiles they liue for of the buriall of the bodie he cannot meane here in diuers respects 1. In respect of disgrace and reproch the throats of wicked men are often an open sepulchre into which if the names of the godly fall they are buried for the extremitie of disgrace and reproch with which they couer them 2. In respect of abnegation or the deniall of the loue and care for earthly things and so we are buried to the world when like dead men we care not for it but deuote our selues to the contemplation of heauenly things 3. In respect of mortification of our sinnes the scripture by diuers metaphors expresseth the diuers degrees of mortification For first there is the wounding of sinne when the sinner is pricked with remorse by the law Secondly the condemning of sinne when the sinner keeping a spirituall assise doth examine confesse and iudge himselfe guiltie before the Lord. Thirdly the crucifying of sinnes when the sinner racks his owne soule by godly sorrow driuing in the nailes of Gods threatnings with acknowledgment of his owne deserts and restraining his flesh through a spirituall reuenge not caring to expose himselfe to the shame of the world so that in Christ hee may finde atonement for his sinnes Fourthly the killing of sinne when the sinner puts off the bodie of sinnes and forsaketh his euill waies Now then after this followeth the last degree and that is here the buriall of sinnes Certainly there remaines euen after true repentance in the very godly a great deale of hidden corruption of nature inward waÌ„drings distractions after the world sudden euill propositions against God or his word or prouidence or presence or promises or peoplei mpatience secret pride and somtimes hypocrisie a frequent rebellion within against good duties vnthankfulnes frequent omissions eâ—ther of holy duties or the care of the power of them hastines or anger impure desires thoughts of reuenge besides a great deale of disorder he may finde in desires thoughts of reuenge besides a great deale of disorder he may finde in himselfe both at home and abroad Now it is not enough nor may he rest in the former repentance but he must proceed euen to the remoouing of these remainders of corruption death commonly ariseth out of the disease of someone part but buriall couers all The worke of reformation and repentance many times begins at the care of some few principall sinnes but wee must neuer be quiet till we burie the whole old man with his works so that in one sense the buriall of sinnes is nothing else but the progresse of mortification Againe after we haue forsaken our sinnes to burie them is to keep a diligent watch ouer our nature and to take downe our flesh yea sometimes with refraining of lawfull delights or pleasures Further the buriall of sinne it may import our care after we haue left our sinnes to remoue them out of sight both out of Gods sight by suing out our pardon and out of the sight of our consciences by quieting them in the application of the bloud of Christ and the promises of grace and out of the sight of others so farre as our sinnes were scandalous also by shewing forth our repentance and care to auoide all appearance and occasions of like sinning Great is the glory and happinesse of Christians that haue attained to this buriall of sinne for these serue God in a neere acquaintance with him these haue ouercome the world these can stand before death and iudgment vnapalled these are mightie in the power of Gods ordinance these know the secrets of the kingdome of God these are without the reach of the Law and feele not the sting of crosses these are had in singular honour with God and the holy Angells of heauen and the prouidence of God is vsually eminent towards these Now for the third might someone say what hath the Christians buriall to doe with Christ how is there any relation between them Answ. Our spirituall buriall in the progresse of mortification depends vpon Christ diuers waies 1. In that he hath required and made gratious promises to it 2. In that the efficacie of the meanes by which it is wrought comes from Christ. 3. In that it is accepted of God onely for Christ and through his intercession 4. In respect of example he was buried as well as we But chiefly in respect of vertue our buriall of sinne is wrought by a vertue arising from Christs buriall in the graue The Vses of all this followes First for information here we may see how God stands vpon mortification and that men must not thinke alwaies they haue done inough when they haue left their faults and withall wee may see how dangerous a course they take that so soone giue ouer the exercises of mortification for by this meanes we cause the old sinnes many times to breake out againe and their consolations are small and seldom crosses daily trouble them and the heart is often grieued and griped with feare and terrible doubts or else they are quickly ouergrowne with a spirit of slumber Secondlie for instruction to be carefull to bury our sinnes but here take heed of the dissimilitude for in some things the comparison cannot hold as here in two things for first when we bury the bodies of our friends we bury them in hope they shal rise againe And secondly we mourne because we must part with them but both these must be denied here It is the propertie of the wicked to part with their sinnes with sorrow because they must leaue them or else with hope that at length they may returne to them againe But let all such as feare God be otherwise minded especiallie let vs learne from this comparison of buriall to aduantage our selues in what we may in mortification if the master be buried we know all his seruants will attend the funerall so is it with vs in the mortification of sinnes if wee light vpon the master sins and drag them to the graue we shall be sure of all the attendants they will follow to the funerall The Iewes manner was to bury with odours so should we our odours and sweet smelling praâ—ers offered vp in the mediation of Christ. And howsoeuer this worke may seeme difficult yet God many times strangely releiues our infirmities After Iezabel was cast downe and dead â—hey had not been long within but sending out to bury her they found nothing but the skull and her feete and the palmes of her hands so many times would it be with vs if we cast downe the Iezabels our sinnes when wee come â—o finâ—sh our mortification we may by the strange help of God finde the body of the master gon we know not how so as wee shall not be troubled vnâ—esse it be with some skull or
attaine to it to beleeue that baptisme doth signifie and assure these things to vs Answ. 1. Labor to expresse that which on thy part is required that is set vp the confession of thy sinnes and amendment of thy life 2. Then go vnto God and let thy conscience make request for the answere of the spirit of adoption by which the Lord may assure thee that in the mediation of Iesus Christ thy baptisme is giuen to thee as a particular seale of Gods couenant and grace Quest. But how may I doe to be assured that my sinnes shall be subdued and that I shall be raised vp in holy graces and duties Answ 1. Acquaint thy selfe with Gods promises of this kinde and grow skilfull in them 2. Cry strongly to God for the testimonie of Iesus in thy heart that by his spirit hee would settle thee in this perswasion 3. Waite vpon the word and prayer till God doe effect it 4. Strengthen thy selfe both by the experience of others as also with due obseruation of successe in the subduing of any sinne or the exercise of any graces or duties The vses may be diuers First for information we may here see how vaine the common faith of the common Protestant is shew me thy faith by thy fruits how canst thou beleeue aright and yet thy sinnes not mortified and thy heart and life vnsanctified Againe we see we haue not comfort of our baptisme till the power of holinesse in some measure appeare in our liues Secondly for instruction we should all examine our selues whether wee haue faith or no and whiles we haue meanes of assurance make vse of all aduantages to settle our hearts in the faith and to this end we should deliuer vp our soules to be nursed vp in the words of faith and wholesome doctrine Lastly we might here be greatly comforted if we had true faith wee see God can denie nothing vnto faith it should be to vs in the sacraments in mortification and in graces and duties according to our faith Of the operation of God The doctrine of Gods power and working is of singular vse in the Church great is the interest of Gods seruants in his power and therefore great cause they haue to rest vpon it The elect onely can reason for Gods power to the effect he is able to doe it therefore he will doe it but then these three things must be noted 1. They must be beleeuers that looke for this priuiledge 2. They must bring a particular faith to draw out this power of God into operation 3. It will not be set a worke about euerything but such things for which there is promise or meet examples in the scriptures Now it is a matter of singular weight to know in what things we may haue warrant to beare our selues vpon the power of God The power of God is engaged for operation in foure things for the benefit of the faithfull First in their afflictions Secondly in their temptations Thirdly in the difficulties of holy life Fourthly in his ordinances In afflictions God hath bound himselfe to shew his power 1. In giuing strength to endure them 2. In moderating the afflictions to their strength 3. In guiding them to the right ends 4. In deliuerance out of them If we looke vpon the enemieâ— of the godly in particular God shewes his power 1. In restraining or disappointing them 2. In rewarding and ouerthrowing them So likewise in temptations the power of God though it be secret yet it is wonderfull in dissoluing the works of the deuill and in vpholding his seruants and destroying the strong holds and fortifications of Satan Thirdly in the difficulties of holy life the Lord vseth his power 1. In making his seruants able to walke in his waies both by giuing them power and strength and by relieuing and reuiuing their strength daily and renewing it 2. In keeping them from euill 3. In establishing them that they may perseuere and hold out Lastly Gods operation is wonderfull in the vse of his ordinances and this is that is meant in this place In respect of this the Psalmist faith God is greatly to be reuerenced in the assembly by all them that are round about him O Lord God of hostes who is a strong God like vnto thee Thus the Lord is mightie through the ministerie of his seruants Thus the Lord performeth the counsell of his messengers his word returneth not to him in vaine yea his ordinances are his power vnto saluation they are all mightie through God Thus it is in particular in the sacraments though for their outward shew they doe not promise much yet by the maruellouâ— operation of God they are auaileable in effect for all that is promised in them only if we could get this faith in this operation of God here mentioned The vse of all is First for information we may here take notice of the difference between hypocrites and the godly in matter of godlinesse they can know know nothing but the forme of it the other haue experience of the singular power of God in all the passages of holy life both in the vse of the meanes and in his preseruation Secondly for instruction we should obserue and seeke out the working of the Lord and daily ascribe power vnto God and pray for the experience of it and that he would establish that which he hath wrought in vs Againe it may teach vs not to despise the weake Christian for the Lord is able through his operation to make him stand And it should incourage vs all to the works of righteousnes seeing Gods operation is so ready to be found and for hereafter in the vse of all the meanes our faith should be in the power of God Thus of the operation of God Through the resurrection of Iesus Christ Many are the benefits which wee reape from the resurrection of Iesus Christ. As first the resurrection of our bodies Secondly the accomplishment of the promises made vnto the Fathers Thirdly iustification and forgiuenesse of sinnes Fourthly a secret vertue vnto the ordinances of God Fifthly regeneration Sixtly liuely hope of an immortall inheritance Seuenthly the power of viuification and raising of vs vp to new obedience And this last is acknowledged in this place VERS 13. And you being dead in your sinnes and the vncircumcision of the flesh hath he quickned together with him forgiuing you all your trespasses The sixt reason of the dehortation is conteined in this verse and it stands thus That which cannot helpe vs when we are in miserie nor further vs to happinesse when we want it is not to be followed nor rested vpon but such things are philosophie traditions and ceremonies they cannot heale the corruption of our natures nor raise vs out of the graues of sinne nor any way procure vs the pardon of our transgressions or
Chyrographe a bill of debt and it accuseth by ordinances that is it taketh conclusions from the law of God to arrest or condemne the sinner But most vsuallie it is referred to the ceremoniall law by some of them men did enter into bond as by circumcision so saith the Apostle he that is circumcised is bound to keepe the whole law Gal. 5.5 By others of them men made bills of debt circumcision confesseth corruption of nature by propagation The washings were open confessions of the foulenesse of our liues in the sacrifices men subscribed to their owne death and damnation for they confessed they had deserued to die in steed of the beast The words may be true of all but most principally of the ceremoniall law In generall he here intreateth of deliuerâ—nce from the ceremonies of Moses then two things may in particular be noted 1. What the ceremonies were in themselues 2. The manner or meanes how the Church was discharged of them For the 1. if we require what they were They were 1. for honor ordinances of God 2. for vse hand-writings 3. for effect they were against vs or contrary to vs. Ordinances Some read for ordinances some read by ordinances some with ordinances and some of ordinances They that read for ordinances say the hand-writing was for ordinances that is either in fauor of the decrees that were against vs or for the better assureing of the keeping of the ordinances it was by ordinances viz. euangelicall for they say the decrees of Christ did euacuate the lawes of Moses They that read with ordinances say that the hand-writing was the debt of death which Christ tooke away with the ordinance that is the externall rites and rudiments of Moses But I thinke the sense is cleere as it is here rendred of ordinances And so the point to be obserued is that the ceremonies imposed vpon the Iewes were Gods ordinances which may shew vs that God did take vpon him the right to binde the conscience of men by ceremonies 2. Seeing Christians are freed from them by God himselfe therefore the Apostle would haue them stand to their libertie 3. This should exalt the praise of the morrall law if they were bound to obserue the very ceremonies because they were Gods ordinances then much more should wee bee carefull to keepe the morrall Hand-writings This word notes their vse because men are by nature wonderfull slow to acknowledge their misery therefore the Lord in all ages did driue men vnder their hands as it were openly to make profession of their owne sin-guiltinesse and fall that so Gods iustice might be clered Therefore were the sacrifices required presently after the fall and baptisme now is of like nature to shew vs our naturall vncleannesse that need to be washed Against vs In effect they were against vs. The ceremonies were against vs that is against the Iewes 4. waies 1. As they were bills of debt 2. As they told the longing wife that her husband was long after to come 3. As they proclaimed God infinitely hating sinne so as he must haue attonement in bloud and that daily 4. As they were transgressed in respect of the right manner of obseruing them Now though these ceremonies belong not to vs Christians yet we are in the same debt by nature that they were though wee haue not that way of expressing our debt Quest. But how could that which God commanded them to do be against them Answ. Many waies 1. When they failed in the matter as when they offered strange fire or sacrificed their sonnes 2. When they did anger God by omissions or delaies as when Moses triâ—led out the circumcision of his sonne 3. When they did it for wrong ends as when the whore would sacrifice to colour her whoredomes Pro. 5. or when men did thinke thereby to make amends for their sinnes Ier. 7. or when they vsed them for the hurt of Gods children as Balaam vsed his sacrifice 4. When they mingle their owne inuentions with Gods ordinances and their feare towards God was taught by the precepts of men 5. When they did vse them as a burthen and it was a wearinesse to them Lastly when they that vsed them were wicked men and did vse them without knowledge or faith or repentance for their sinnes or the care of the due manner as many places of scripture shew And thus may the very law of God be against vs still aswell as against them The vse of all this cheifly may be to shew the miserie of euery impenitent sinner his sinnes are vpon record there is the hand-writing against him let him looke vpon sacrificing Iewes and there he may behold man daily in effect saying thus Thus must it be done to the man that repenteth not of his sins the obligation lies forfeited and the Lord may call vpon him for his debt of 10000. talents when he hath not a farthing to pay and then he will be cast into prison Againe when he saith vs he shewes that this is the estate of all men by nature there was a hand-writing against the very Apostle himselfe and such as were in the visible Church therefore he saith against vs. Thus of what the ceremonies were in themselues Now of the discharge from them there two things may be noted 1. The manner Christ put them out tooke them away fastned them 2. The meanes viz. the Crosse. The summe is that Christ Iesus by his sufferings on the Crosse paid our debt and freed vs from the hand-writing that was against vs the anger of God conceiued against vs for the forfeiture was thereon by the bloud of Christ appeased and forgiuenesse of sinnes and debts therein merited And by the bloud of Iesus the faithfull ouercome the deuill that had power to destroy by reason of the forfeiture and because none of the former agreements would serue by reason of mans weaknes therefore God makes a new couenant and seales it by the bloud of Christ vpon the Crosse and if we would be assured of our release in particular First for the forfeiture in Paradice we receiue an atonement in the bloud of Christ And he that from the curse in Paradice had power ouer death was now by Christ destroyed And for the law of Moses we are by Christ deliuered both from the rigor of it and from the curse of it his owne sacrifice being the propitiatorie to still the cry of the Law and to hide it from the eyes of Gods iustice h and as for the writing of the conscience the bloud of Christ cleanseth it from dead workes and quieteth it in the declaration of forgiuenes and it maketh intercession for sinne after calling to keep it quiet and as for the ceremoniall hand-writings they were both fulfilled and abolished in the sacrifice of Christ on the crosse hee himselfe saying It was finished And the more to assure vs of our safetie from these forfeitures he vseth those diuers phrases of putting
out taking out of the way and fastning it to the Crosse. The vse of all is 1. For information we may see what a case sinne sets vs in by nature and how hatefull the nature of sinne is if wee haue any thing to doe with God why our sinnes lie like so many blocks in our way and Christ Iesus only can lift them out of the way and can our wretched hearts delight in sinne seeing they nailed Christ to the Crosse It is an easie thing to rent an obligation amongst men but it was not so easie to get ours cancelled it could be rent in no place but on the Crosse Christ Iesus himselfe must be fastned to the tree that he might fasten our cancelled hand-writing therto and if God spared not his owne Sonne when he came about this businesse of cancelling the hand-writing what thinke we shall be the case of all wicked men that die in their sinnes and must suffer the whole forfeiture to fall on their necks if what Christ endured on the Crosse were so painefull they must not thinke to escape Hence also we may see what wonderfull cause we haue to loue the Lord Iesus that hath done all this for vs Oh how precious should his memorie be amongst vs Finally here the faithfull should gather singular comfort against the law sinne death and hell seeing here they may be informed all these were nayled vpon the crosse and Christ hath openly declared that he hath cancelled whatsoeuer might be to shew against vs for any forfeiture or debt of ours whatsoeuer And shall not wee take heed of running in debt againe by sinning after the sprinkling of the bloud of Iesus Christ or shall wee wretchedly binde our selues to the law againe by pleading our iustification before God by the works of the law VERS 15. And hauing spoiled principalities and powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing ouer them in it These words are an amplification of the former wherein he sheweth that not only the Bill in which we were made infinitely indebted was cancelled but the deuills also who had power to serue executions vpon vs and proofe from the ceremoniall Law as is before declared mightily conquered by Christ and therefore to reuiue againe the ceremonies was to renue the bond and to stand still in danger of the deuills executions The words are a most portly and deep allegorie and they carrie newes of a remarkable victorie the battell was fierce cruell prodigiously difficult bloudie on the best side and if Christ had been a iote lesse then he was there had been no remedie nor hope The battell was first fought between Sathan and man with a depth of fraud and crueltie and hellish inuisible spight the day was lost man with the wofull issues of the conquest was either cast downe wallowing in bloud or scattered with pursuing crueltie no sooner sprouting in the life of nature but smitten with the venome of spirituall infection plagued with the bondage of more then cruell seruitude not pittied not helped more forfeitures laid vpon him then he could finde words to acknowledge Now one man commeth into the field in the right of millions that could not stand in their owne quarrell challengeth the victors with singular compassion calleth backe the scattered raiseth a mightie expectation exposeth himselfe to the danger with incredible furie is encountred one with millions or legions of deuills of incomprehensible rage and long beaten experience and the infinite anger of God was kindled against this one man as a suretie for the rest Now in this text is a report of the happie successe of the battell newes of a most victorious conquest the deuills spoyled the elect restored with vnutterable hymnes attend the conquest the wretched spirits are in chaines exposed to infinite shame and dragged after the chariot of triumph as he ascended into the new Ierusalem In generall two things may be obserued First that Christ is God he was brought in before quickning pardoning filling circumcising the heart now here spoyling the deuills and triumphing ouer them 2. We may here comfort our selues with this that the deuill shall neuer haue successe against Christ and his kingdom God hath cursed all his waies and yet we finde by experience the deuill will not giue ouer though he hath neuer so ill successe from day to day which may awaken many wicked men who are herein like the deuill no ill successe can make them giue ouer their ill courses Againe would we not be spoyled and crossed in the successe of that we take in hand and be made like the deuill in ill successe then let vs take heed of his qualities be not like him in crueltie in fraud in lying in accusing or enuying the children of God for if thou be thou art sure with the deuill to be accursed and rebuked of God Now for the particular opening of these words wee must vnderstand that they haue been three waies interpreted First some Papists say this battell was fought in hell when Christ fetched the Fathers out of Limbus This interpretation I reiect not only as a fond conceit obtruded vpon the world but because the most popisâ— writers could see no such thing in this place but expound it otherwise Secondly some orthodox writers say this battell and triumph was both begun and ended before Christs death The deuills encountred Christ two waies vpon the crosse visiblie and invisiblie Visiblie by inspiring wicked men with vile prouocations to vexe him and molest him as the impenitent theefe the Rulers of the Iewes and the souldiers Invisiblie the deuills themselues with all might furie malice and sleight encountred him vpon the crosse in the sight of God and the holy Angells The victorie iâ— described in this verse and it is said first he spoiled them which is diuersly read and referred For some vnderstand it he spoyled the deuills some of the Fathers put in a word and read it after he had spoyled himselfe of his flesh and so it is a comparison borrowed from wrestlers or runners that first put off all might hinder them and so Christ that hee might ouercome first laid downe his flesh vpon the crosse And where the text saith he made a shew of them openly the Holy Ghost alludeth to the trophies of great Victors their manner was in the place where they did ouercome either to cut downe the armes of great trees and therevpon hanged the spoyles or weapons of the vanquished or else they built some stately pillars and there painted or wrote vpon the conquest with other monuments of victorie So did Christ openly serue the deuills openly before God Angels and the world he defeateth them and by a new way by suffring gaue occasion to all to see the shaking of the hellish kingdom where he is said to triumph ouer them therein is an allusion to the third degree of victorie they were won to lead their captiues after the chariot of triumph into the Citie
appertaine to filling of the flesh In these words is conteined the third branch of the conclusion and it is inforced against traditions here I obserue both the manner of propounding and the matter For the first it is to be obserued that whereas he condemned the former by way of aduise he condemnes these by bitter and tart expostulation why are ye burthened with traditions as if he should say were there not a singular proannesse of nature to corruption could they be so blinded as to suffer false Teachers to impose traditions vpon them In the matter consider first what he condemnes viz. traditions explicated in the kindes v. 21. 2. The reasons why hee condemnes them and these are 6. First ye are dead with Christ and therefore yee ought not to bee subiect to traditions of the force of this reason afterwards 2. You are dead from the rudiments of the world that is from the ceremoniall lawes of Moses which yet were are rudiments or waies of instructing the world in the principles of the Kingdome of God and therfore much more should you now giue ouer traditions 3. They are burthens and the greater by how much the lesse sence you haue of them 4. The matter of them is light and vaine and idle v. 21. 5. They are all corruptible and perish with the vsing 6. They are after the counts and doctrines of men ver 22. Ob. But there seemeth to be a depth in these traditions Sol. v. 23. He confesseth that they haue a shew of wisdome and that in three things 1. In voluntary religion 2. In humblenesse of minde 3. In not sparing the body which hee censures two wayes 1. It is but a shew or flourish no true substance either of worship or sanctity 2. It with-hoolds the honour due to the body Now that the whole may be better vnderstood we must distinctly consider what he meaneth by tradition which will appeare if it be considered negatiuely with comparison with the two former 1. They are not things required by Scripture any way For all such were condemned vnder the first kinde viz. ceremonies which though now abrogated were once required 2. They are not such rites besides Scripture as are practized with opinion of worship for they are condemned vnder the second kinde viz. philosophy So then the traditions heere condemned are such rites customes or obseruations as men binde their consciences to to obserue or practize in the ciuill life of man Besides the instances in the text such are the obseruation of euill dayes or houres to be borne in or to marry in or to set out on a iourney in the rules obserued about infants vnbaptized as that they must not be washed or they must lie in a sieue or such like about weomen that lye in Such is the not marrying with kindred at the font as they call it such are the obseruation of signes of ill lucke or of death gathered from the crying of birdes or the running of beasts such is praying at the lighting vp of candles and the burning of candles ouer the dead corps or the naming of children with names that agree to men and women to make them liue the longer such is not burying in the north side of the Church and the like silly trash with which simple people abound more then is ordinarily obserued Thus of the generall Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ In these words diuers things may be obserued 1. Heere we see the necessity of our vnion with Christ the Apostle will not a done with it he remembreth it still 2. When he saith if yee be dead it implies that men may make a faire shew and professe long and liue in true visible Churches and yet it is a question whether they be in Christor no If ye be dead with Christ. 3. Note heere the praise of a mortified life for when he saith if yee be dead in Christ it imports that to be so is an excellent condition to be truly mortified with Christ is a rare happinesse to die with Christ is better then to liue with the world 4. Penitent sinners haue life and death ioyes and sorrowes c. common with Christ. 5. In speciall they haue death common with Christ. They die with Christ 1. Because Christs death was theirs when Christ died they died because his death was for their sakes for their benefit 2. Because when their bodies die they die in vnion with Christ. 3. Because the vertue of Christs death is deriued to their souls whence flowes death to the law that is a release from the rigour and curse of it 2. Death to sinne that is a power to mortifie sin conueiued in the ordinances of Christ and applied by the spirit of Christ. 3. The presence of Christ in all the duties of mortification though they be done neuer so secretly yet Christ is with them The vse may be both for triall and comfort For triall art thou not dead with Christ in respect of the mortification of thy corruptions then art thou not in Christ. For comfort to the mortified thou art in Christ and hee will neuer leaue thee nor forsake thee till hee hath raised thy body and cured thy soule Thus of the wordes in themselues they are also to bee considered as they are heere vsed against traditions and so they are two wayes Christ is dead and in his death ye are freed from all bondage of soule to any thing but the will of God and therefore t' is a dishonour to Christs death and the freedome purchased in it to make our selues seruants to traditions 2. You are dead with Christ that is you are mortified persons and these things are too light for any graue and penitent persons to take vp his thoughts or cares about them fleshly persons are onely capable of this trash mortified persons without teaching suspect them Thus of the first reason From the rudiments of the world The second reason stands thus if by the death of Christ ye be freed from the ceremonies of Moses which were then rudiments or as it were the first grounds of instruction then much more are you freed from traditions which are but beggerly obseruations that no body can tell whence they came or what good they doe This should bee of force to preuaile with vs against the multitudes of idle traditions that raigne amongst the people Why as though ye liued in the world are ye burthened c Quest. Doe not the faithfull liue in the world that he saith with such a salt interrogation as though ye liued in the world Answ. They liue in the world corporally yet not in the world in respect of their profession of spirituall and celestiall life So Christs kingdome was not of this world 2. In respect of subiection to all the frame of rites and obseruations of the world they liue not as men that are tyed and vowed to the seruice of the world in whatsoeuer obseruations it shall propound Burthened Traditions are a
or couenant of works lieth vpon the backe of euery man that liues in sinne without repentance For the law is giuen to the lawlesse and disobedient as the Apostle shewes to vngodly and sinners to whoremongers and liers and to all that liue in any sinne contrary to wholesome doctrine Fourthly are not strange punishments to the workers of iniquity is not destruction to the wicked what portion can they haue of God from aboue and what inheritance from the almighty from on hie the hearts of holy men that haue considered the fearefull terrors of God denounced in scripture against the vices of men haue euen broke within them and their bones haue shaken for the presence of the Lord and for his holy word Fiftly Christ will be a swift witnesse against all fearelesse and carelesse men that being guilty of these vices or the like make not speed to breake them of by repentance Lastly know ye not that the vnrighteous shall not enter in to the kingdome of heauen be not deceiued for these things the wrath of God commeth vpon the children of disobedience Now I come to the words particularly Therefore This word caries this exhortation to something before If it be referred to our rising with Christ v. 1. then it notes that we can neuer haue our part in Christs resurrection till we feele the vertue of his death killing sinne in vs. If it be referred to the meditation of heauenly things then it notes that we can neuer set our affections on things that are aboue till we haue mortified our members that are on earth The corruption of our natures and liues are the cause of such disability to contemplate of or affect heauenly things And as any are more sinfull they are more vnable thereunto If the word be referred to the appearance of Christ in the former verse then it imports that mortification is of great necessity vnto our preparation to the last iudgement and will be of great request in the day of Christ. Mortifiâ— To mortifie is to kill or to apply that which will make dead The Lord workes in matters of grace in the iudgement of flesh and blood by contraries Men must be poore if they would haue a kingdome men must sorrow if they would be comforted Men must serue if they would be free And here men must die if they would liue Gods thoughts are not as mans but his waies are higher than mans waies as the heauens are higher than the earth Which may teach vs as to liue by faith so not to trust the iudgement of the world or the flesh in the things of God But the manifest doctrine from this word is this that true repentance hath in it the mortification of sinne And so it implies diuerse things First that we must not let sinne alone till it die it selfe but we must kill sinne while it might yet liue It is no repentance to leaue sinne when it leaueth vs or to giue it ouer when we can commit it no longer Secondly that true repentance makes a great alteration in a man Thirdly that it hath in it paine and sorrow men vse not to die ordinarily without much paine and sure it is sinne hath a strong heart it is not soon killed it is one thing to sleep another thing to die many men with lesse adoe get sinne asleepe that it doth not so stirre in them but alas there must be more ado to get it dead by true mortification Fourthly true repentance extinguisheth the power of sinne and the vigour of it It makes it like a dead corps that neither it stirs it selfe nor will be stirred by occasions perswasions commandements or stâ—oaks It is a wonderfull testimony of sound mortification when we haue gotten our old corruption to this passe and constancy in prayer and hearing and daily confession and sorrow for sin will bring it to be thus with vs especially if we striue with God and be earnest with spirituall importunity watching the way of our owne hearts to wound sinne so soone as we see it beginne to stirre Yet I would not be mistaken as if I meant that a Christian could attaine such a victory ouer sinne that it should not bee in him at all nor that hee should euer bee stirred with the temptations or entisements or occasions of euill But my meaning is that in some measure and in the most sinnes a Christian doth finde it so and in euery sinne his desire and endeauour is daily to haue it so And his desire is not without some happy successe so as sinne dieth or lieth a dying euery day But heere a question may arise Did not the Apostle grant they were dead before and if they were dead to the world they were without question dead to sinne also how then doth he speake to them to mortifie sinne doth it not imply they had not beene mortified before I answer the Apostle may well vse this exhortation for diuerse reasons First many of them perhaps were dead but in appearance they professed mortification but were not mortified Secondly it might be some of them had begun to vse some exercises of mortification but had not finished their mortification sure it is and we may see it by daily experience that many being wonne by the word and smitten with remorse haue sometimes the pangs of sorrow for their sinnes but quickly are a weary of seeking sorrow in secret for sinne they giue ouer before they haue soundly and sufficiently humbled their soules But may some one say how long should we continue our sorrowes or how long should we iudge our selues in secret for our sinnes I answer thou must not giue ouer thy sorrowes First till the body of sin be destroyed That is till that generall frame of sinfulnesse be dissolued till I say thou haue set some order in thy heart and life so as the most sinnes thou diddest before liue in be reformed Secondly it were expedient thou shouldest still seeke to humble thy soule till thou couldest get as much tendernesse in bewailing thy sinnes as thou wert wont to haue in grieuing for crosses till thou couldst mourne as freshly for peircing Gods sonne as for losing thine owne sonne Thirdly thou must sorrow till thou finde the power of the most beloued and rooted sinnes to bee in some measure weakened and abated Fourthly thou doest not well to giue thy sorrowes ouer till thou finde the testimony of Iesus in thy hart that is till God answer thy mournfull requests of pardon with some ioyes in the holy Ghost and the dewes of heauenly refreshings But will some one say must we lay all aside and do nothing else buâ— sorrow till we can finde all those things Ans. I meane not that men should neglect their callings all this while or that they should carry an outward countenance of sorrowing before others or that they should all this while afflict their hearts
god meanes to take account of their inward euill thoughts And that if very concupiscence be not mortified it may destroy their soules though they be neuer so free from outward enormities of life Paul while he was carnall was vnrebukeable for outward conuer +sation but when the law shewed him his lusts and euill thoughts he then sawall was in vaine And couetousnesse which is idolatry Now followeth the sinne against the first commandement And it is described both in it selfe and in relation to God In it selfe it is couetousnesse and in relation to God it is idolatry Couetousnesse is a spirituall disease in the heart of man flowing from nature corrupted and insnared by sathan and the world inclining the soule to an immoderate and confident yet vaine care after earthly things for our owne priuate good to the singular detriment of the soule Couetousnesse I call a disease for it is such a priuation of good as hath not only want of vertue and happinesse but a position of euill in it to be shunned more then any disease for as the text saith it is an euill sicknesse And this disease is spirituall and therfore it is hard to be cured No medicine can helpe it but the blood of Christ. It is not felt by the most but hated only in the name of it The subiect where this disease is is the heart of man For there is the seat or pallace of this vice And therefore S. Mark addes couetousnesse to those vices Saint Mathew had said did defile a man The internall efficient mouing cause of this euill is nature corrupted T is a sinne euery man had need to looke too for mans nature is stirred with it It is an vniuersall quaere who will shew vs any good and yet I say corrupted nature for nature of it selfe is content with a little it is corruption that hath bred this disease The externall efficient causes are the diuell snaring and the world tempting The forme of this euill is an inclination to the immoderate and confident care of earthly things I say inclining the soule to take in the lowest degree of couetousnesse For some haue their hearts exercised in it and wholly taken vp with it their eies and their hearts and their tongues are full of it Now others are only secretly drawne away with it and daily infected with the inclinations to it I adde moderate and confident care because honest labour or some desire after earthly things are not condemned Only two things constitute this vice First want of moderation either in the matter when nothing will be enough to satisfie their hauing or in the measure of the care when it is a distracting vexing continuall care that engrosseth in a manner all the thoughts and desires of a man Secondly carnall confidence when man placeth his felicity and chiefest stay and trust in the things he either possesseth or hopeth for I adde yet vaine because let the couetous person bestow neuer so much care or attaine to neuer so much successe of his cares yet as Salomon saith He that loueth siluer shall not be satisfied with siluer and he that loueth riches shall be without the fruit thereof And after all his trauaile his riches may perish whiles he looks on or if they were more sure to continue yet he shall not continue with them himselfe For as he came foorth of his mothers belly he shall returne naked to goe as he came and shall beare nothing away of his labour which he hath caused to passe by his hand In all points as he came so shall he goe and then what profit hath he that he hath trauailed for the wind The obiect of this care and desire is earthly things For if it were a couetousnesse or desire of the best things or spirituall gifts that were both commended and commanded These words for his owne priuate good note the end of the couetous mans care For if all this care for earthly things were for Gods glory or the good of the Church it might be allowed And I say for his good because that he propounds to himselfe though many times when he hath gotten much together the Lord will not let him haue the vse of it Note the best thing in the description is the effect of couetousnesse and that is the singular detriment of the soule which may appeare diuersly For first couetousnesse doth infatuate and besot the mind of man that it cannot vnderstand The Prophet Esay saith of those dumb and greedy dogs that they could not vnderstand and he giueth the reason For saith he they all looke to their owne way euery one for his aduantage and for his owne purpose and profit And Salomon seems to say that if couetousnesse be in the heart of a Prince it will make him destitute of vnderstanding And it is certaine marke it worldly minded persons are the most dull and incapable persons in spirituall things almost of all other sorts of men For though they would get a little vnderstanding while they are hearing yet the cares of life presently choakes all Secondly couetousnesse pierceth the soule through with many a sorrow The couetous person is seldom or neuer free from one notable vexation or other His heart is troubled and he will trouble his house also As Salomon saith he that is greedy of gaine troubleth his owne house All is continually in a tumult of hast and hurry what with labour and what with passion and contention the couetous man and his household neuer liue at hearts ease and rest Thirdly couetousnesse and the desire to be rich bring into the soule a wonderful number of temptations and noisome lusts enough to damne him if he had no other sinnes Fourthly it is here added that couetousnesse is idolatry it makes a man an idolater Mammon is the idoll and the worldling is the Priest that sacrificeth to mammon Now the couetous man serues his mammon with a twofold worship For with inward worship he loues desires delights in and trusts in his wealth And for his outward seruice he spends all his time vpon his idoll either in gathering or keeping or increasing or honoring it Lastly what should I number particulars couetousnesse why the Apostle saith it is the root of all euills For there is almost no kind of sinne but the sap of couetousnes will nourish it If the Lord had but the ripping vp of the heart and life of a couetous person and would describe his vices before vs oh what swarme of all sorts of euills could the Lord find out well let vs be assured of this generall that howsoeuer couetous persons may colour matters yet indeed they are wonderfull vicious persons Neither are their sinnes the fewer or lesser because they discerne them not for the dust of earthly profits hath put out their eies they cannot see nor discerne as was before shewed Qu. But who is couetous for all men while they cry out against
punishments to speake of The Prophet answereth that and sayth that the Lord is slow to anger that is hee is many times long before he manifests his great displeasure but he is great in power that is hee is of singular fiercenes and vnresistablenes when he doth enter into Iudgement he will not faile nor be hindered and if any would hope that God would change his minde that also is preuented the Prophet auouching it confidently that he will not surely cleere the wicked And this is the more certaine because of the dreadfull meanes that the Lord hath to declare his anger His way is in the whirlewinde and in the storme and the cloudes are the dust of his feet the meaning is that God hath wayes to execute his Iudgement wayes I say that are vnresistable for who can stay a whirlewinde and terrible like the storme plagues falling thicke and threefold like the drops of the tempest and in the meanes the Lord can runne like a Giant running feircely and raising the dust with his feet And to this giue all the creatures witnesse He rebuketh the sea and it drieth Bashanis wasted and Carmell the floure of Lebanon is wasted The mountains tremble before him and the hils melt and the earth is burnt at his sight yea the world and all that dwell therein And therefore who can stand before his wrath or who can abide the fiercenesse of his wrath his wrath is powred out like fire and the rockes are broken by him The wrath of God to shew the exquisite and intollerable and remedilesse paine that wicked men feele when they beare it is compared to a consuming fire and to note the infinitenesse of it God himselfe is sayd to be a consuming sire Moses also sayth that the fire that is kindled in Gods wrath shall burne to the bottome of hell and it were able to consume the earth with her increase and set on fire the foundation of the mountaines Thirdly who can thinke the anger of God not to be infinitely terrible that can but seriously consider these examples and presidents of it First Gods reprobating or foredamning of millions of men Secondly the sinne of Adam pursued with such vnconceiueable iudgements vpon him and his name Thirdly the drowning of the old world the burning of Sodome the opening of the earth to swallow vp the rebellious the sea swallowing vp Pharoah and his hoast Fourthly the forlorne estate of the Gentiles not looked after for many hundred yeeres Fiftly the Iewes somtimes the onely people to whom the Lord drew neere now made a curse and astonishment and a hissing throughout the earth Sixtly the torments which Christ himselfe endured when he was but surety foâ— sinners Seuenthly what are warres famines pestilences diseases seditions heresies and the infinite molestations in the life of man but so many euident proofes of wonderfull anger in God Eightly the testimonies of afflicted consciences bee liuely in this point When but a drop of anger lights vpon the soule of man in this world how vnable is he to sustain his spirit what flouds of teares flow from his wounded heart Lastly the burning of the world and the flames of hell shall one day make full proofe of Gods anger And thus of the first poynt For the second wrath is wrought or brought vpon vs foure wayes First the Law workes wrath for being transgressed it breedes displeasure pleads for iudgement records sinne and presents it in Gods sight Secondly Christ in the ministery of the word applies wrath or discouers Gods indignation and so he is sayd to smite and slay the wicked Thirdly the Magistrate is a reuenger in executing Gods wrath Fourthly wrath is brought vpon vs by Gods army the creatures are Gods warriours they fight for the Lord against sinners and are speedily and vnresistably armed when God is pleased to raise them Thirdly concerning the signes of Gods anger wee must vnderstand that Gods eternall anger towards other men in particular cannot be knowen nor his temporall anger by any ordinary way of certainty except it be extraordinarily by reuelation as to the Prophets or Apostles For by outward things we cannot know Gods loue or hatred to particular persons onely Gods publike anger to publike states may be knowen and so may his priuate anger to our selues in speciall There are three signes to know Gods publike anger 1. The prediction of his Ministers as extraordinarily the Prophets from vision or reuelation did foretell the Iudgements to ensue and ordinarily wrath may bee knowen by the comminations of faithfull Preachers for when vpon obseruation of threatnings in the Law made to such sinnes as then abound they doe with one consent in many places with instance and confidence giue warning of plagues to ensue it is time for the world to awaken for the Lords secrets are with his seruants And he will make good their righteous threatnings Secondly The signes in Heauen or earth or sea prodigious sights or signes in the sunne or moone or commets or strange birthes or the extraordinary raging of the seas and such like Thirdly publike plagues are both signes of wrath present and withall they giue warning of greater wrath to come if we doe not repent Such are famine warre pestilence and other raging diseases the death of great Princes and the sudden and common death of the best men these all foretell euill to come as wee may know fire so may wee know Gods anger we know fire either by the report of men worthy to bee credited or by the smoake or by the flame beginning to breake out And so may discerne Gods wrath either by the relation of his Ambassadours that are faithfull men or by the smoake of prodigies or wonders in Heauen and earth or else by the flame of Iudgements already begunne and thus of the signes of Gods publike anger The signes of Gods anger to a particular man are such as these Fist if a man haue not the markes of a childe of God vpon him for whom God loues and is not angry with they are marked with peculiar graces as indelibly as they were marked in Ezechiel with the letter pau Secondly if he finde himselfe directly vnder the threatnings of Gods word Thirdly if there bee no effectuall working of the spirit of grace in the vse of the meanes it is a plaine signe of Gods anger when a man heares the word powerfully preached and reads and prayes without all affection or life and is so constantly For if the Lord were pleased he would shewe himselfe in the vse of the meanes of communion with him Fourthly a man may gather something by his crosses for if he finde aâ—sting in them that God fights against him in them so as they peirce and vexe and disquiet his soule with perplexity but especially if he finde his heart also closed with hardnesse so as hee doe not call when the Lord bindeth him this is in ali likelihood not
flesh Thirdly by the contentment men place in knowen euills Fourthly by customary practise And lastly if this monster by the deceitfull working of Sathan should liue still for a time as many times it doth euen in the worst men yet there is a way to trie whether it be a liue or no. For bring it to the law and it will presently reuiue If it be pricked and pearced with the terrors and reproofes of a sound application it will shew it selfe by vnquietnesse and vnruly distempers And on the other side it is certaine sinne is dead if thy flaming desires to euill be quenched Secondly if the command ouer the faculties of the soule be ceased Thirdly if a man seeke and place his chiefe contentment in spirituall things Fourthly if the customarie practise of euill be broken of and dissolued and lastly if the hart will abide the searching and sound application of the law In them So wretchedly is the vnregenerate heart of man composed that he doth not only liue and sinne but he liues in sinne and with sinne and by sinne too He liues in sinne because he is drowned vnder the power and guilt of sinne He liues with sinne because he is not a guest only but a soiourner also with his sinne Sinne keepes the house and the â—inne is at bed and boord there And he liues by sinne to for most sinners cannot contriue how to liue without them The letcher cannot liue without his mistris the vsurer cannot liue without his gaine and so of the rest All these are wofull circumstances of euill and doe maruellously decipher out a soule that feeles not the life of Iesus Christ in him and they impart also a further misery It is easie to commit sinne but it is not easie to be rid of sinne a man may also quickly forget his sinne but he shall not so quickely forgoe his sinne for howsoeuer by Gods singular patience he liues for all his sinne yet by the singular wretchednesse of his condition all his sinnes will liue with him they are not transient but so long as he liues his sinne will liue with him yea it will goe with him too when hee dies if it be not preuented with speedy repentance The vse also of all this may be to teach conuerted Christians that are deliuered from this wofull misery to walke as children of the light hauing their fruit in all goodnesse and righteousnesse and truth hauing no further fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse seeing all is now made manifest by the light yea they should striue to expresse as much life of contentment in the works of new life and light as before they euer felt in the pathes of sinne and darkenesse and if wicked men walke on with such vnwearied resolutions and endeauours in such a dangerous estate how should Christians bee stird to all possible constancy in weldoing seeing they are sure that all that walke vprightly walke safely Thus of the seuenth verse Ver. 8. But now put ye away euen all these things anger wrath malice cursed speaking filthy speaking out of your mouth Hitherto of the mortification of vices especially against a mans selfe Now followes the mortification of Iniuries And therein I consider first the exhortation it selfe in the eighth verse and a part of the ninth Secondly the reasons ver 9.10.11 in the exhortation I consider first the charge put away euen all these things secondly the catalogue of iniuries to be put away and mortified anger wrath malice c. From the coherence in that the Apostle fastens this branch of the exhortation vpon the remembrance of their misery in the former verse it shewes that the meditation of our misery is as good to kill or beat downe the power of rage and strong passions and distempers as it hath beene shewed to bee good to kill lust and couetousnesse When you see men or women of heedy passions and violent affections fall into affliction of conscience then imagine they will hurle off their natures and grow more calme and meâ—ke but till then seldome doe any mend or not for any long time Now That is in the time of grace and so it giues vs occasion to consider that grace yeelds no liberty to sinne Now that thou hast receiued the true grace of God there is no time left for passion fretting cursed speaking or filthy speaking or lying or any such iniurious euills Grace enioines vs to take leaue of our old affections and our owne peruerse courses Many such things as before thy conuersion might in some respects beene more borne withall must now be left for the conuerted Christian must liue circumspectly precisely watching in all things and walking wisely both at home and abroad he must part with his old humours and peruerse qualities and therefore their condemnation sleepeth not that turne the grace of God into wantonnesse Put away Sinne is not truely repented of till it be put away Now sinne is put away two wayes First by Iustification and so God puts away our sinnes for when God pardoneth iniquity he casteth it away and neuer sees it or remembers it more Secondly by sanctification and so we must put away our sinnes We must put away or pull downe sinne as the rebell puts downe his weapons when he seekes the seruice of his Prince or we must deale with our sinnes as God deales with the mighty that is we must put them downe from their seats if we cannot destroy them from liuing yet we may disturbe them sitting or raigning or resting in vs or we must put them away as the wronged husband doth his filthy wife We must diuorce our sinnes that by couenant they should neuer be ours more We will neuer loue them and let them sleep in our bosome and dwell with vs and be familiar with our natures as they haue beene Now we put away sinne three wayes First by confessing them to God Secondly by godly sorrow washing the stain and filth of them from off our hearts Thirdly by renouncing and forsaking the practise of them all are here intended but the last principally and this we must know will not be done with ease if it be truely and soundly done The Prophet Micah meanes something when he sayth of the Lord he will subdue our iniquities and then after sayth he will cast them away into the depthes of the sea Must God subdue if he cast away then man must bee sure of it that hee must labour seriously the subduing of hâ—s sinne before hee can haue any comfort or successe in putting them away Sinnes are like an army of rebels that will not be vanquished without some adoe All these things In the originall it may be read all things it is true that God many times puts his seruants to it euen to deny and put away all things they must deny themselues and their credits yea and their liues too if need bee they must deny the world
in worde In nature and so the Prophet Dauid saith men of high degree are a lie In worke and so men lie either through hipocrisie or deceite Hipocrisie is lying whether it be in worship to God or carriage towardes men Deceit is lying and therefore the bread of deceit is called bread of lying Prouerb 20.17 But most properly a lie is in word and so there is a lie in doctrine when men teach falshood or applie truthes to wrong persons or for wrong ends The Diuell is a lying spirit in the mouth of many Teachers Men lie also in false witnesse bearing so do they in slaundering and flattering But most strictly lying is in the report of thinges vntrue in conuersing with men whether at home or abroade There are many reasons why a Christian should take heede of lying First if we consider the cause of lying it is the Diuell he is the father of lies Secondly if we consider the nature of a lie it is most shamefull and hatefull and therefore the liar denies his lie because he is a shamed to be taken with it And our Swaggerers hold the lie so disgraceful that they will reuenge it many times with blood Riches cannot adde so much grace to a man as lying will bring him disgrace and therefore Salomon saith A poore man walking in his integrity is better then a rich man which is a liarf. And the Lord vseth to recken lying with the most monstruous sinnes to make vs the more to hate it as we may see in the Catalogues of the Reuelation and in other places of Scripture Thirdly on the contrarie to speake the truth is to shew righteousnesse A mouth without guile is a marke of Gods redeemed and the remnant of Israell as ingenerall they will do no iniquitie so in speciall they will not speake lies Fourthly in the Epistle to the Ephesians the Apostle reasons thus Put away lying speake euery man truth to his neighbour for we are members one of an other It were most vnnaturall for the head to lie to the hand or one member to be false to an other so vnnaturall is it for Christians to lie one to an other For they are or professe to be members one of an other Fiftly if we consider the effects or consequents of lying for it makes vs abhominable to God as they that do truly are Gods delight so lying lippes are abhomination to the Lord and a liars tongue is one of the 7. abhominable thinges which Salomon reckoneth vp The law also is giuen to liars among the rest as the Apostle to Timothie affirmes It is one of the sinnes that bringes vpon a mans soule and bodie the forfeiture of the law If lying be not restrained in time thou maiest get such a habit of lying that thou canst hardly tell any thing but thou wilt mixe some falshood with it and that will both increase thy sinne and the guilt of it Besides thou wilt loose thy credit so that thou wilt hardly be beleeued if thou speake the truth Sixthly know that God will enter into iudgement with all liars sometimes by ordinarie iudgements sometimes by extraordinary as he did with Ananiah and Saphirah Now the holy Ghost saith he that speaketh lies shall not escape but God will destroy them that speake leasings or if we could escape in this world yet the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone is prepared for them that speake or loue lies The Vse may be for reproofe and humiliation to such as finde themselues ouertaken with this sinne especially if it raigne in them but more especially they are in a cursed condition that seeke lies and teach their tongues to lie neither let men please themselues that they can do it couertly For liars are for the most part easily found out there is among the rest 3. signes of a liar and in one of the three he vsually discouers himselfe 1. To vary incontinently 2. To hearken to a false tongue 3. To loue lies But let euery one that feareth God obey this counsell of the Apostle to put lying in the Catalogue of sinnes he would daily watch against And because by nature wee are all prone vnto this sinne we should remember it euen in our praiers to God that he would remoue far from vs vanitie and lies Before I passe from this vice there are certaine questions to be answered as first whether all lying be sinne or no. That this may be vnderstood men vse to deuide lies into three sortes There is an ossicious and a pernicious and a iesting lie All men condemne the pernicious lie many excuse the lie in iest and some commend the officious lie but the truth is all are naught And therefore the Apostle saith lie not at all for he speaketh indefinitely But it will bee obiected that the midwiues and Rahab and Micholl did lie but it must be answered that their zeale and pietie was to be praised but the meanes they vsed was not to be imitated If any obiect that the Patriarches vsed lying they must know that diuers speeches of theirs which to some seeme to be lies indeed were not For Sarah was Abrahams sister and Iacob was Isacks first borne by diuine dispensation and prophetically so Paules speech about the high Priest may be excused when he saith he knew not that he was the high Priest For from the death of Christ the right of the Priesthood ceased If it be further obiected that of two euils the lesse is to be chosen I answere that that rule is to be vnderstood of euils of inconuenience not of euils of sinne Now that it may further appeare that it is not lawfull to lie no though it were to saue others from great danger These reasons may be weied First we may not doe euill that good may come of it 2ly Peter was rebuked for dissembling though it were as hee conceiued to a good end euen to auoyd offence and scandall 3ly nay it is not lawfull to him though it were to defend Gods cause or to preuent his dishonour therefore Iob saith earnestly and in great heat will ye speake wickedly for God and talke deceitfully for him will yee accept his person c. 4ly If wee might lye to saue others out of danger then wee might lye to saue our selues also for we are not more bound to care for the safetie of others then our owne but we may not lye to saue our selues for then Peter had not sinned by denying his Master keeping his faith and his heart seeing it was to saue his owne life Lastly we might as well commit fornication with the Moabite to draw them to our religion or steale from rich men to giue to the poore as to lye to profit Quest. But is it not lawfull to suppresse the truth sometimes Answ. Truth is either
religious or politicall For religious truth being asked of our faith wee are ingenuously to professe it Now politicall truth is to be considered either as it is required in iudgment or as it is to be vsed in cases out of iudgment As for the truth before a Iudge it may not bee concealed when thou art called to answer the truth but in priuate conuersing wee are not alwaies bound to reueale all the truth for the precept Speake euery man the truth is an affirmatiue precept and so doth not binde alwaies and at all times and in all places Besides charitie bindes vs to conceale and couer many infirmities and a wise man keeps in some part till afterwards and besides it is apparant men are not bound to discouer their secret sinnes to all men Samuel also is taught to conceale a part of the truth when he went to anoint Dauid And thus of the catologue of Iniuries Seeing you haue put off the old man with his workes In these words with the verses that follow to the 12th is conteined three reasons to inforce the mortification of iniuries I. They are the works of the old man and they haue by profession put off the old man and so they should do his works II. They are now in the state of grace they are new men and therefore haue new manners they are by the meanes renued in knowledge and therefore ought to grow in practise euen in the mortification of what remaines of corruption they are renewed after the image of Christ and Christs image is the patterne of all holinesse and they must therefore leaue those sinnes because how like soeuer they bee to the humors and dispositions of the most men yet they are not found in the Image of Christ. III. God is vnpartially righteous and iust if men minde not mortification he cares not for them though they were Iewes circumcised freemen and contrariwise if they do conscionably striue after the holinesse of Christ and the mortification of sinnes he will accept them though they were Graecians Scythians bond c. In these words is heedfully to be noted the matter to bee auoyded both the old man and his works 2. the maner imployed in the metaphor put off with the time haue and the persons yee The old man is by some taken to be their old condition of life in the time of Idolatry by others to be their custome and habit in sinne but it is generally by the most taken to be the corruption of nature and inborne prauitie that vicious humor and ill disposition that naturally is in euery one of vs it is the image of the first Adam in our hearts This corruption is here said to be the man because it is seated in euery part of man and because it rules and frames a man and because it liues in man so as sinne onely seemes to be aliue and the man dead and because God will take notice of nothing in the sinner but his sinne 2 The old man partly in respect of the first Adam whose sinne is ours by propagation and who is called ould to distinguish him from the second Adam and partly in respect of our state of corruption which in the renewed estate we change so that our condition after calling is said to be new and our disposition before calling said to be old This corruption may be said to be ould also by the effects for in godly men it waxeth old and withereth more and more daily by the power of Christ in them and in wicked men it spends the strength and vigor and power of the faculties of the soule and makes him more and more withered and deformed in Gods sight and withall it hastenâ— old age and death vpon their bodies also in some men sinne may be said to be old in repect of continuance this is most fearefull age in any corruption is a most grieuous circumstance of aggrauation it is best not to sinne at all and the next to get quickly out of it Thus of his nature now of his workes The works of the old man are in generall workes of darknesse of iniquitie of the flesh vaine vnfruitfull corrupt abhominable deceiueable shamefull and tend to death And now particularly if we would know what he doth and how he is imployed we must vnderstand that he giues lawes to the members against the law of God and the minde that he frames obiections and lets against all holy duties that he striues to brâ—ng the soule into bondage and captiuitie vnder imperious lusts that he inflames the desires of the heart against the spirit that he infects our vaine generation and works both sinne and wrath for our posteritie but more especially his workes are either inward or outward inwardly he workes Atheisme impatience contempt carnall considence hypocrisie he forges and frames continually and multiplies euill thoughts he works lusts of all sorts he works anger rage malice griefe euill suspitions and the like Outwardly he works all sorts of disorders impieties vnrighteousnesse and intemperance A catalogue of his outward works are set downe in the Epistle to the Galathian he is heere in the coherence described to be couetous filthy wrathfull cursed and lying and all these are well called his works because he rests not in euill dispositions but will burst out into action besides it is his trade â—o sinne and they are well called his works because they are properly a mans owne for till a man repent he hath nothing his owne but his sinne and it is to be obserued that his works indefinitely must be put away as if the holy ghost would imply that all his works were nought for his best works are infected with the viciousnesse of his person or else they are not warranted in the word or they are not finished or the end was not good or the manner not good or they were wrought too late or being out of Christ they were not presented by Christ vnto God in whom only they can be accepted Thus of the matter to bee reformed the manner followes Put off The faithfull are said to put of the old man six waies 1 In signification or sacramentally and so in baptisme 2 In profession or outward acknowledgment and so we professe to leaue off the practise of sin 3ly by Iustification and so the guilt of sinne is put off 4ly by relation and so in our head Christ Iesus he is euery way already perfitly put off 5ly by Hope and so we beleeue he shall be wholy remooued at the last day 6ly by Sanctification and so he is put off but in part and inchoatiuely the last way is heere principally ment Now in respect of Sanctification the old man and his works are put away first in the word for so Christians are said to be cleane by the word and to be sanctified by the word The word first begins the worke of reformation it informes renewes chaseth away the
contention or quarrell both sides are guiltie though one principally doe the wrong yet fewe men are so temperate but they doe wrong againe either in words or deedes or affections and therefore thou shouldest forbeare seeing thou art priuie to thy selfe that in this businesse thou hast not beene such as thou shouldest bee Forgiuing The word signifies sometimes to giue sometimes to giue freely sometimes to remit freely the punishments sometimes to deliuer vp for fauour or to pleasure others sometimes to forgiue and so heere Quest. But can any man forgiue sinne to an other Answ Man may forgiue the trespasse though not the sinne 2. Man may forgiue the punishment that by man might bee inflicted so as not to require it 3. man may pray to God to forgiue it Obiect But it is said no man can forgiue sinne but God Sol. True no man can remit the eternall punishment or the curse of the Law or take away the guilt of sinne before God But man may forgiue it as farre as concernes himselfe Now others may obiect contrariwise that 2 Cor. 2.7 They are willed to forgiue and yet the sinne of the incestious person was not so much a trespas that concerned them as a sinne against God Sol. This sinne also was a trespasse against them 1. As it was a scandall 2. As it might cause them and their profession to be euill spoken off for his sake againe to forgiue in that place may be taken in a large sense for to be reconciled to him Quest Is reconciliation necessarily comprehended vnder forgiuenesse Answ Wee are tied to seeke it and desire it and to vse all humble and iust and discreet courses to attaine it But if it will not be had we are discharged if we forgiue Neither vnto obstinate offendors that will not acknowledge their sinne are we bound to remit the punishment or sometimes to notifie the pardon of the fault If any man haue a quarrell to an other When he saith here if any man it imports that such Christians might be as there should be no iarres amongst them Discords might wonderfully bee preuented if there were care and discretion in men The word rendred quarrell signifies a complaint certainely it is a great weakenesse to be vpon euerie occasion complaining of the wrongs are done vs and making report of them to others And it shewes too that wee should for beare and forgiue euen in such things as these And where hee saith any man it shewes no men are exempted from the practise of clemencie That it is heere required of one is required of all no greatnesse of gifts or place can priuiledge any As Christ forgaue you so doe you 1. Examples in all rules of practise moue much 2 As heere the head of the Church is an example to all his members so should those that are heads of the common wealth or familie carry themselues so as by their examples to direct aswel as by their precept not only shew what to doe by commanding but how to doe it also by example 3 Especially in forbearing and forgiuing example in great persons doth wonderfully affect the common people and therefore because there are so few on earth here is one from heauen Quest But why is there added reason to this vertue and not so to each of the former Answ Because the conscience is soone perswaded in the generall that the rest are good as humilitie meekenesse c. But now wee are wonderfully hardly perswaded to forgiue Secondly the Lord may well adde reasons to perswade to forgiue because of the speciall danger of not forgiuing for if a man doe not forgiue there is expresse threatnings that hee shall not bee forgiuen Quest But how is Christ said to forgiue Answ Remission of sinnes is attributed to Christ 1. As the meritorious cause of forgiuenesse 2. Because he applies it 3. Because the Christian in his name sues out the pardon of his sinnes and by him procures forgiuenesse Certainly it may bee a singular comfort to all distressed soules if they consider that hee that is their brother head Sauiour euen he that shed his bloud for them is hee that disposeth of all pardons and applies remission of sinnes sure it is no hard matter to get a pardon from him that is so ingaged in his loue to vs. Heere also we see that the action of Christ is the instruction of the Christistian Christ forgaue so must hee wee must remember the distinctions of Christs actions some were miraculous as fasting 40. daies raising the dead c. These are not to bee imitated because they cannot some are peculiar actions belonging to his office as to redeeme or make intercession c. these also are proper to him onely Now some are mortall these last are only imitable Orthus some actions of Christ he did as God some as Mediator some as man The last onely binde vs to follow Againe in that we are bound to forgiue as he forgaue it not onely teacheth that we must doe it as well as he But for the manner of it as he did And how was that First Christ forgaue his inferiours Secondly Christ forgaue great faults aswell as lesse yea all sorts of faults yea though they were often fallen into Thirdly nothing was to deare to Christ to merit or confirme his forgiuenesse therefore he shed his owne bloud hee stood not vpon his profit or his ease Fourthly Christ vses all meanes to preuent offending Fifthly Where Christ forgiue he forgets Sixthly Christ forgiues 2. waies First vpon the Crosse before men did repent Secondly by the Gospell publishing his pardon vpon mans repentance he did not carrie them grudge till they repented and all these waies should we imitate Christ. Lastly obserue heere the certainty of assurance For if a man did not certainely and infallibly know that Christ did forgiue him how could that be made a reason if he did not know it to be And thus of clemency and so of the two first sorts of graces Vers. 14 And aboue all these put on loue which is the bond of perfectnesse The vertues that ought to raigne at all times are loue peace and thankefulnesse Of loue in this verse which the Apostle sets out as the most noble ample and profitable of all the vertues Two things are here to be considered First the dignity of loue where he saith Aboue all put on loue c. Secondly the vse of it it is the bond of perfectnesse Aboue all these Some reade with all these Some reade for all these meaning that all the former doe flow from this and therefore we should get loue that we might be mercifull humble c. And so it would import that wee should get loue that wee might approue our selues that these are not meere complements or dissembled offices or things taken vp for wrong ends But most properly and commonly it is read as heere Aboue all these
of the Temple or from common and ciuill vse In the Temple euery sacrifice was salted with salt so must euery Christian who is Gods sacrifice be seasoneâ— In the common life of man meates that are to be kept long must be powdered with salt to drinke vp or drie out corruption and to preserue sauour so must a Christian be seasoned that will be kept to eternall life But first here is implied that the words of men are naturally corrupt rotten vnsauorie and haue great need of seasoning The carnall mans wordes are much after the humor and infection of his minde The talke of the Couetous is vsually of his mammon farme oxen bargaines wares c. The Epicures talke is vsually of his sports dogges cockes horses games companions or of his lusts The Superstitious man talkes of his Dagon or the signe of heauen The Wrathfull man of his Aduersarie and wrong The Ambitious man of his liuings honors offices offers hopes or his owne parts and praises to conclude the talke of all naturall men is but of naturall things and as they are of the flesh so their talke sauors nothing but fleshly things Salt There is the salt of doctrine and thus Ministers are the salt of the earth 2 There is the salt of mortification and so euery Christian must haue salt in himselfe 3 There is the salt of discretion and this is the praise of the wise none of these three may be heere excluded from our word For first we must receiue lawes for our lippe euen from Gods ministers We must learne of them not only how to order our affections and life but also how to speake especially in matters of God and godlinesse 2 Wee must mourne for the sinnes of the tongue aswell as for other sinnes We must driue out the corruption that cleaues to our words with the salt of mortification 3 We must make conscience of discretion in our words he is a perfect man that is discreet in his words Iam. 3.2 The tongue of the wise is as fiue siluer and his heart guideth his tongue wisely and addeth doctrine to his lippes The Vse is both for instruction and reproofe For instruction both to all Christians to season not onely their words of praier to God but also their speech in conuersing with men and especially Ministers must haue salt in their tongues with all discretion and heedfulnesse looking to their words and with all authoritie and meete seuerity of rebukes driue out corruption out of the hearers they may they must crie aloud and spare not they must pouder them Here likewise are those men to be reproued that haue beene often warned of their euill words and mend not Q. But what should be the cause why some men that haue good affections and desires and yet cannot get the victorie ouer euill words Ans. It comes to passe 1 By reason of their ignorance of better words 2 By custome in euill speech 3 For want of constant taking of words of praier and confession to God 4 By defect of mortification in the heart their hearts are not sufficiently humbled they are too sleightie in godly sorrow out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and therefore their words are drossie and nought because their hearts are little worth That these men may get victorie ouer their euill words which vsually are against the third or the seuenth or the ninth commandement they must do three things first they must go to God constantly by praier beseeching him to open their lips and set a watch before the doore of their mouth 2 They must not faile to mourne ouer their offences in speech in secret till they haue subdued them afflicting themselues with voluntarie sorrowes for them 3 They must striue by all meanes to accustome themselues in good speech and gracious wordes yea many professors are to be reproued for their words for many times they are either too many or too vaine and idle or too false or too rash c. Their words want much seasoning and it is a great fault to haue a heedlesse tongue Thus of the properties of speech Alwaies A Christian is bound to perseuerance in good words aswell as in good workes he must talke gratiously not only at some times for a passion as when he comes newly from the Sermon or on the Sabboth day not onely in some companies or in some arguments but at all times and in all places watching to all the oportunities to glorifie God or profit others by his words Thus of the precept The end followes that ye may know how to answere euery one in generall I obserue heere wo things first that by speaking well wee learne to speake well Secondly that the soundest knowledge is experimentall he doth not indeed know how to answere that doth not in practise exercise himselfe in gracious wordes though he had all places of answere and arguments in his head To answere To answere doth not alwaies import a question or demaund going before but is sometimes taken for continuing to speake as Mat. 11.25 it is said our Sauiour answered and yet no demand went before Some thinke it is a part for the whole and one vse of words put for all vses but I take it in the ordinarie sense as the word vsually imports and so we answere either vnbeleeuers or beleeuers concerning our Christian answere before vnbeleeuers there are 6 things may be here obserued 1 That true grace is sure to be opposed and such as truly feare God are sure of aduersaries 2 That mortified men are the fittest to answere aduersaries especially in causes of religion such whose tongues and pens are seasoned with salt coher 3 That euery Christian shall finde opposition ye 4 That euery Christian ought to answere for the truth apologie is the fruit not of learning or wit only but of godly sorrow 2. Cor. 7.10 ye 5 That the truth hath all sorts of aduersaries open and secret at home and abroad learned and vnlearned Ministers and Magistrates rich and poore euery one that is carnall hath a bolt to shoote at sincerity 6 That it is not an easie or ordinarie skill to know how to answere well for thereunto is required first deliberation he that answeres a matter before hee heare it it is folly and shame to him Secondly Praier Prouer. 16.1 Hab. 2 1. 3 Faith in Gods fauour and promise Math. 10.19 Psal. 119.41.42 4 Discretion considering persons time place occasions one kinde of answer will not serue euery sort of men we answere in one manner to great men in an other manner to learned men in an other to ordinary men 5 Patience 6 Humilitie 7 A good conscience Thus of answering vnbeleeuers concerning the answering of Beleeuers here are these things to be obserued 1 That Christians should propound their doubts one to another 2 That strong Christians should support the weake and helpe them and resolue
followed in heauen by Christs aduocation 1. Iohn 2.1 and framed in earth by the spirit Rom. 8.26 Ob. But how can they finde matter for so much praier Sol. If men had by the law gathered the catalogues of their sinnes and learned to see and feare the iudgements sinne might bring if they had obserued the daily straits of a mortall condition if they had considered the almost infinite occasions of praier for themselues and others they would not thus obiect Ob. But there are some that doe pray and that alwaies too against their corruptions and yet cannot speed nor get strength against them Sol. If they haue constantly praied which yet I doubt then the reason is either they watch not in practise to cut off the occasions of euill Luk. 11.36 or they striue not with importunitie to preuaile with God Luk. 18. or else they cannot be truly affected towards Gods grace in others for if enuie at the graces and estimation of others raigne in thee it is iust with God to denie to giue thee that grace thou enuiest in others To conclude if any man hitherto carelesse of this dutie be now desirous to be instructed how to pray as he ought with words affection and successe let such a man put on a minde to obserue the rules following 1 Thou must forgiue all thine enemies and resolue to liue without malice Matth. 6. 2 Thou must constantly heare Gods word else thou canst neuer pray but God will abhorre thee and thy praiers Pro. 28.10 3 Thou must get and shew a mercifull heart to man if thou wouldest preuaile to obtaine mercie with God Pro. 21 13. Matth. 5.7 4 Thou must carry thy selfe orderly and quietly in the familie 1. Pet. 3.7 5 Take heed of hypocrisie in praying to be seene of men Matth 6. Ob. But I want words Sol. Pray God to giue thee words and minde thine owne way by considering thy sinne and wants by the law Ob. But I want the affections of praier Sol. Search whether there be not some vile affections lusts and passions vnmortified Psal. 66.18 1. Tim. 2.8 and pray God to giue thee the spirit of compassion Zachar. 11.12 Yet in all this take heed of securitie rest not in beginnings God will take that at the first which he will not still be content with Learne to pray better Thus of the sixt thing The last is the matter he praies for That ye may stand Concerning perseuerance heere are foure things to be obserued Doct. 1. That in the visible Church there may be such as will not stand and this is true both in true members and in seeming members The true members may fall either by infirmitie and so the righteous falleth seuen times and riseth againe or by presumption falling to the practise of grosse euils out of which they cannot recouer but with extreme sorrowes The onely seeming members not only may but certainly will fall and that most an end finally without recouerie So Demas Iudas Ioash and many moe This should teach vs not to thinke it strange if wee see apostacie in men that haue roomes in the Church and haue acknowledged the truth according to godlinesse Doct. 2. That it is a fearefull thing to fall away a worse condition likely a man cannot chuse for himselfe 2. Pet. 2.20.21 For Satan will re-enter and gaine a stronger possession then euer he had yea their dispositions vnto euill may seuen times more be enflamed then euer before seuen deuils worse then the former may enter It were better to be ground vnder a milstone then thus to liue in apostacie Matth. 21.44 Such persons are abolished from Christ Gal. 5.4 They are in the power of Satan 2. Tim. 1. last Their latter end is worse then their beginning It had beene better for them neuer to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse then hauing knowne it to depart from the holy commandement giuen vnto them They are as hatefull to God as dogges and swine 2. Pet. 2.20.21.22 yea they may so order the matter that they may fall into such a condition as there will remaine no more sacrifice for sinne Quest. But what should be the causes of their apostacie Answ. The causes are either without them or in themselues Without them are ill counsell as in the case of Ioash and the effectuall working of Satan not onely to glut himselfe in the bloud of their soules but thereby to worke scandall in the weake and scorne in the wicked Within themselues the causes are in some vnbeleefe in some pride and the vanitie of our owne conceits in some couetousnesse and ambition so in Iudas and Demas in some the very leuitie and vnconstancie of their nature in some the concupiscences of the lusts of the flesh in some certaine opinions wilfully receiued as iustification by the law or that the resurrection is past or the like but the generall cause is the want of practise of that we heare And therefore let him that standeth take heed lest he fall or by any meanes be turned away from the loue of the truth and the rather considering that many that are fallen had great knowledge and great ioy in hearing the word and great affections to the ministerie for so had the Galathians to Paul and besides they were such as in reformation did forsake the filthinessâ— of the profanenesse of the world and had a taste of the heauenly gift and were partakers of the holy Ghost and tasted of the powers of the life to come Ob. But some one may say they that are fallen finde no such miserie in their estate Answ. Thou knowest not what they finde 2. They are for the most part cast into a spirit of slumber Ob. But they fall not from religion for they are Protestants still and not Papists Answ. There is a totall apostasie and an apostasie in part they fall fâ—om the sinceritie of religion Demas did not turne Gentile or the Galathians nay the Pharisies that committed the sinne against the holy Ghost did not openly renounce religion And therefore let men take heed of falling from the simplicitie that is in Christ Iesus And thus of the second doctrine Doct. 3. Perseuerance may be obtained a man may stand and hold out to the end God is able to stablish vs And the word of God is Gods power not only to regeneration but to saluation The weapons of our warfare are mighty and great power is made knowne in weakenesse onely beleeue and vse the meanes Doct. 4. Much praier is a great meanes to obtaine perseuerance and will preuaile though this be not the only meanes yet it is an effectuall meanes Perfect A Christian man may be said to be perfect diuers waies 1 In the cause or fountaine of holinesse so good gifts are said to be perfect Iam. 1.17 viz. as they are from God 2 In respect of consecration or calling so the word
of all sorts of people which is in other parts of the word of God distinctly expressed For 1 Tim. 4.13.15 Ministers must read the Scriptures and Deut. 17.19 it is required also of Kings and Magistrates also none are too good or too great to be imployed herein yoong men must studie in the word Psal. 119 10. so must women also Act. 17.12 Priscilla was ripe in the knowledge of the Scriptures able to instruct others Act. 18.27 what should I say euery good man must read the scriptures Psal. 1.2 The vse may be to stirre vs vp to doe it and to do it constantly for the same word of God that requires it to be done shewes it should be done frequently we must read all the daies of our life Deut. 17.19 and that daily Act. 17.11 day and night Psal. 1.2 they read 4 times a day Nehem. 9.4 And the rather should we be excited to this daily reading of the word considering the profit comes therby it would exceedingly comfort vs Rom. 15.4 It would be a lanterne to our feet and a light vnto our pathes Psal. 119. The word is the sword of the spirit Eph. 6. and how can wee resist tentations with It is written if we read not what is written and without reading we can neuer be expert in the word of righteousnesse thereby we are made acquainted with the mysteries of the kingdome and come to vnderstand all the counsell of God it will teach vs the feare of the Lord and keepe that our hearts bee not lifted vp Deut. 17.19.20 Q. But what should be the reason that many get no more good by reading the word and cannot finde any great profit in their reading I answer diuersly 1 Some men are poysoned with the inclinations of Atheisme and securitie they come to the word to obserue it not to let the word obserue them 2 Many seeke not a blessing by prayer whereas it is certaine the flesh will not of it selfe sauor the things of the spirit 3 Men bring not an humble and meeke spirit whereas vnto the fruitfull meditation of the word a heart quiet and patient and a minde free from pride and passion is requisite Psal. 25.9 4 Men lay not downe their cares and lusts they haue marred their taste before they come they doe not empty their heads and separate themselues to seeke the wisdome of the word care or lust will choake the word 5 Men read not all Gods word nor doe they read constantly they will not waite daily at the gates of wisdome to read seldome or by starts and here and there will doe little good 6 One great cause of not profiting is the not seeking of the law at the Priests mouth that is want of conference and propounding of doubts 7 In many vnprofitablenesse is the scourge of vnthankfulnesse for the good they haue found in reading 8 In reading men doe not minde their owne way for if men did propose vnto themselues what sinne of their owne they might finde rebuked and what directions might bee collected out of that they read for their liues or did note how the word did offer comfort when they need it they could not but finde many excellent experiences of Gods prouidence and power in the word they could not liue in any sinne but either reading or hearing would discouer it nor could they goe long without some word of comfort when they needed it yea they might obserue how God in the word they read did counsell them too when they were in distresse therefore let him that readeth marke and read for himselfe Lastly the cause is in the most that their hearts are not turned to God and so the vaile is not taken away 2 Cor. 3.16 Cause to be read Obserue here 1 That it is not enough to read our selues but wee must cause others to read by exhorting incouraging commanding c. especially Parents and Ministers should see to it so should Magistrates also 2 From the coherence note that wee must cause others to read when wee haue read our selues It is vile hypocrisie for a Minister or Parent to vrge their children or seruants to read the Scriptures when they neglect reading themselues In the Church Here we haue a plaine proofe for reading of the Scriptures publikely in the Church we see it was anciently both required and practised adde for the further confirmation hereof these places Deut. 31.11.12 Neb. 8. Luk 4. Act. 13. And this may assure vs 1 That publike reading is no invention or ordinance of man 2 That the people of God haue found in all ages great need of this helpe and therefore they are miserably transported with humor that so vilifie or neglect this ordinance of God and it may bee iust with God that thou shouldst not profit by reading at home when thou carest not for reading in the Church Thus of the reading of the Epistle to the Colossians Epistle from Laodicea Here is a great adoe among Interpreters to finde out what Epistle this was 1 Theophylact thinkes it was the first epistle to Timothy which was written from Laodicea an other towne of that name not this Laodicea before mentioned 2 Some thinke Paul did write an Epistle to the Laodiceans which was Apocrypha and so Dionisius tells of a third epistle to the Corinthians Iacobus Stapulensis caused such an epistle to be printed but Catharinus could easily aâ—ouch that it was a bastard and counterfeit 3 Some thinke the Laodiceans wrote to the Apostle and propounded their doubts vnto which the Apostle hath answered in this epistle and therefore required that his answer might be compared with their doubts this is the most publike opinion But in the generall it shewes vs thus much that we must read other good bookes aswell as Scriptures Thus of the 16 verse Verse 17 And I say to Archippus take heed to the Ministry which thou hast receiued in the Lord that thou fulfill it These words concerne the Colossean preacher who is not onely saluted but exhorted This Archippus as it seemes was their Pastor ioyned with Epaphras who was now at Rome with Paul it is likely hee was growne negligent in teaching and carelesse and idle Many times it comes to passe that men that sometimes were painefull in their Ministry doe afterwards grow slacke and negligent 1 Sometimes from very discouragements from their people either because they profit not or because they weary their teachers with indignities and wrongs thus the very Prophets haue been sometimes so tyred that they could haue been almost willing neuer to speake more in the name of the Lord. 2 Sometimes this comes from the corruption of their owne natures they grow soone weary of Gods worke or else hauing taken more worke to do then they are sufficient for they grow to neglect all or else they are drawne away with the loue of the world or else forbeare of purpose to preach often lest they should be thought to be too precise or else to winne
by the signes of Gods fauour and markes of saluation And for the worser sort they shun triall because they know before hand their state is not good and besides they liue in some one master sinne or other which they cannot be perswaded to forsake and therefore resolue at least for a time to liue at a venture and referre all to the vnknowne mercie of God 4. If we would be established in beleeuing 1. we must be much in the meditation of the promises of God 2. we must be much in prayer and the acknowledgment of secret sinnes obseruing the comforts of Gods presence and keeping a record of the wonders of his presence and striuing to retaine constantly the assurance wee sometimes feele in prayer 3. wee must cast about how to be more profitable in well doing An orderly life especially fruitfulnesse in our places doth maruellously though secretly establish and settle a mans heart in faith 1. Cor. 15.58 whereas it is almost impossible that a barren life should haue much stedfastnes of assurance againe would wee yet further know how it comes to passe that some men get such a stedfastnesse aboue many others Obserue then and you shall finde that when they finde the pearles of grace and the meanes they will sell all to buy them Now the loue to the meanes is like death or Ielousie that cannot be resisted there is in them a constant coueting of the best things with a true hunger and thirst after them and if they offend God they cannot be quiet till they returne and confesse their sinne and get fauour they will not liue dayes and weeks in a voluntarie neglect of communion with God and therefore reape this vnmoueablenesse as the fruit of their daily conuersing with God Thus of stedfastnes in it selfe Now in the contrarie concerning an vnstedfast faith I propound two things to be considered 1. The effects or consequences and concomitants of it And then the kinds of vnsetled faith Not Scripture onely but vsuall experience shew the many inconueniences that attend such as are not stablished in the faith 1. They want the many comforts the stedfast faith feeleth 2. They are disquieted with euery crosse 3. They are tost with the winde of contrarie doctrine yea the very truth is sometimes yea with them and sometimes nay sometimes they are perswaded and sometimes they are not 4. They finde a secret shunning of the ordinances of God when any approach should be made vnto God 5. The feare of death is almost inseparable 6. They are sometimes frighted with feares of perseuerance besides their daily danger to be foyled by the baites of Sathan and the world Vnstedfastnesse may be considered three wayes 1. as faith is weake 2. as faith is weakned 3. as stedfastnes is lost For the first in the first conuersion of a man vnto God while they lye yet in the cradle of godlinesse They are assayled with much doubting and many feares c. Quest. But what might some one say How can faith then be discerned in the midst of so many doubts and feares Answ. The truth of their faith and grace appeares 1. By their earnest and constant desire of Gods fauour 2. By the tendernes of the conscience in all their actions and their daily feare of sinning 3. By their frequent complaints of vnbeleefe and secret mourning for it 4. By the lowlinesse of their cariage euen towards the meaner sort of those that truly feare God 5. By their desire after the sincere milke of the word Lastly by their indeuour to walke inoffensiuely Quest. But seeing their faith is true what is the cause of the vnsetlednesse of it Answ. They are vnsetled partly because they haue yet but a small measure of sauing knowledge and partly because they discerne not the consolations offered to them and partly for want of application of particular promises that belong vnto them and sometimes it is for want of some of the meanes and in some it is because they see a greater power in some of their corruptions then they thinke can stand with true grace Now for the remedies of this vnsetlednes This weake faith will grow setled more and more if they continue vpright in the vse of the meanes especially as their reformation and victorie ouer sinne increaseth and as they grow more and more confirmed in the diuorce from the world and carnall companie and they grow more expert in the word of righteousnesse especially after the Lord hath refreshed them with the frequent comforts of his promises and presence besides conuersing with the faithfull and established Christians And all this the sooner if they doe propound their doubts and by asking the way seeke daily direction especially if they resigne ouer their soules to the ministerie of some faithfull and mercifull man of God who as a nurse shall daily feed them with distinct and particular counsell and comfort Thus of the vnstedfastnes that accompanieth faith weake Now there is an vnstedfastnes accompanieth faith weakned that is such a faith as was sometimes stronger For the clearer vnderstanding hereof I consider three things 1. The causes of this weaknes of faith 2. The signes to discerne it 3. The remedies There may be diuers causes or meanes to weaken strong faith 1. Losse of meanes 2. secret sinnes ordinarilie committed not lamented not reformed 3. Presumptuously to vse ill meanes to get out of aduersitie 4. Relapse to the loue of the world The signes to discerne it are 1. the sleepinesse of the heart 2. feare of death 3. constant neglect or secret contempt of fellowship with the godly 4. The ceasing of the sensible working of Gods spirit within 5. Raigning discontentment 6. Securitie vnder knowne sinne The remedies are 1. A serious and sound examination of the wants and faults which by this weaknes they are fallen into 2. A constant and daily iudging of themselues for their corruptions till they recouer tendernesse of heart and some measure of godly sorrow for them 3. It will be expedient that they plant themselues vnder the droppings of a daily powerfull ministerie 4. The meditation of their former feelings 5. The vse of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper this is a meanes to confirme faith both weake and weakned Lastly they must hold a most strict watch ouer their hearts and liues till they be re-established in a sound course of reformed life Thus of faith weakned 3. Stedfastnes may be lost note that I say stedfastnes of faith may be lost I say not that faith may be lost that is true faith this stedfastnes was lost in Dauid Salomon and it is likely in Iob too The causes of this losse of stedfastnes are diuers in some it is the invndation of afflictions violently and vnresistably breaking in vpon them especially raising the fierce perturbation of impatiencie thus it was in Iob. 2. In some it is some horrible sinne I say horrible sinne either because it is
some foule transgression as in Dauid and Salomon or made horrible by long continuance in it Now into this euill estate some fall suddenly some by degrees commonly it begins at spirituall pride and proceeds after from the carelesse vse of the meanes to the neglect of them and from thence to a secure disregard of the inward daily corruptions of the heart ioyned with a bold presumption of some infolded mercie of God till at length they fall into some speciall sinne or wilfull relapse The effects and concomitants of this relapse and losse of stedfastnes are diuers and fearefull as 1. The ceasing of the comforts of the spirit the spirit being a sleep and in a manner quenched 2. The heart is excommunicated from the power of Gods ordinances as they may feele when they come to vse them 3. Spirituall boldnes or incouragement to come vnto God is lost with it 4. They are secretly deliuered to Satan to be whipped and buffeted with tentations many times of blasphemie or atheisme or otherwise through his spirituall wickednesse held in internall vassalage 5. Most an end the outward prouidence of God is changed towards them yea some times they are scourged with horrible crosses 6. Many times they are giuen ouer to be punished with other sinnes Yet for the morefull vnderstanding hereof it will be profitable to consider of some distinctions both of the persons and the cause and the effects For of these that fall from their stedfastnes some are sensible of it some are insensible Those â—hat haue their hearts wakened after this losse doe vsually feele a strong conflict of terrors the conscience being wearied with the tortures that their wounded spirit is tormented withall vnder the sense of Gods fierce anger and in many of these their terror is renued vpon euery crosse yea almost at euery word of God so doth the conceit of Gods fighting against them preuaile with them Now in the insensible the speciall effect is a spirituall slumber or lethargie with the rest of the ill effects before in common propounded Secondly a distinction must be made of the cause for the sinne is sometimes secret sometimes open now the consequents or fruits of open falling by open sinne is diuers vsually the fall thereof is great it makes a wonderfull noyse in the Church besides it wounds the hearts of Gods children and breeds exceeding great distaste in them Further their falls makes them wonderfull vile before the world the mouth of euery beast will be open to raile against them wicked men will keep the assise for them yea the banks of blasphemie in wicked men will be broken downe so as they will with full mouth speake euill of the good way of God besides it cannot be auoided but many will bee defiled by it and wonderfully fired and confirmed in sinning Againe we must distinguish of effects or consequents for some are ordinarie some extraordinarie for sometimes besides the ordinarie euents the Lord scourgeth those falls with satanicall molestations either of their persons or houses yea sometimes they are smitten with death 1. Quest. But doe all these come alwaies for sinne Answ. Not alwaies but where sinne is presumptuous they doe 2. Quest. But doe all these things befall all such as fall into presumptuous sinne Answ The iudgments of God are like a great depth and he afflicts how he will but these are his rods he may vse all of them or any of them as pleaseth him 3. Quest. But are these things found in those that loose their stedfastnes by the violence of crosses Answ Though many of them are when the crosse hath a mixture with any speciall impatiencie as in Iobs case yet properly they are rods for presumptuous sinnes Obiect But is it not better may some say to continue as we are then to acknowledge and make profession and be in this danger to fall into so euill an estate Soint Is it best to liue and die a begger because some one great heire through his owne default hath ruined for a time his house Or is the condition of a begger better then a Prince because Nabuchadnetzar was seuen yeers like a beast 4. Q. But if his losses be thus many and miserable is there any thing left in him Answ. There is 1. His seede abides in him the holy seede of the word can neuer be rooted out of him wholy 2. He hath faith though it bee in a trance 3. Grace is aliue in him though hee bee in the state of a palsie man or as one that hath a dead palsie and yet is aliue 4. Hee hath the spirit of God in him but he is locked vp and taken prisoner Now for the remedies of this losse of stedfastnesse they must know that there is required of them a speciall humiliation note that I say a speciall humiliation For they must in priuate afflict their soules before the view of their speciall sinnes and Gods feirce wrath with strong cries and sighes vnspeakable making their moane before God They must cry vnto God out of the deepe as the Psalmist saith Besides they must shame themselues openly by making themselues vile before the people of God so did Dauid and Salomon and Paul yea they must voluntarily resigne ouer themselues vnto Gods scourging hand being so desirous to be cleansed of their sins as to be contented God should wash them throughly though it were with many crosses And further they must be reuenged of their owne flesh by streitning and curbing themselues in their lawfull desires and delights Thus of their speciall humiliation Now secondly they must take speciall paines to recouer their faith in God and to get pardon of their sinnes They must crie daily vnto God they must search againe and againe in the records of Gods promises especially waiting vpon the preaching of the Gospell to see when the Lord will returne and haue mercy by reuiuing of their hearts with the comforts of his presence And for this they must be wonderfull careful of the spirit of grace to stir it vp by daily prayer and to obserue with all watchfulnesse the stirring of it resoluing with al thankfulnes to acknowledge any measure of the reuiuing of the spirit Lastly when they are in any measure recouered they must looke to two things 1. They must forsake all appearance of euill 2. They must vse a continuall watchfulnesse and with feare and iealousie looke to their hearts euen in their best actions least Sathan beguile them and they reuolt againe and then their case of reciduation be worse then the former blessed is the man that feareth alwaies Thus of the losse of stedfastnesse especially as it is in the cureable for there is a losse of stedfastnes and the ioy of Gods saluation euen in the elect which in this life is incureable Of this I can say little because the Scripture is in this point exceeding sparing and because the iudgements of God especially of this kinde are exceeding deep who can
the thought of this glory should win vs to a care to be such as may be capable of it Qu. What must we doe that we may haue comfort that we are the men shall partake of this glory and speed well in the day of Iesus Christ Ans. First Euery one that would haue this hope must purge himselfe as Christ is pure we must be much in the duties of mortification For no vncleane person can enter into the kingdome â—f glory And vncleane we are all till we be washed in the blood of Christ by iustification and bathed in teares of true repentance by mortification It hath been obserued before that if we would not haue the Lord to iudge vs we must iudge our selues And if we would not haue Christ to take vnto him words against our soules we must take vnto vs words against our sinnes to confesse and bewaile them in secret Secondly we must labour for the assurance of faith T is faith that is the euidence of the things not seene T is faith that shall be found to honor and praise in the reuelation of Iesus Christ It is faith to which the promise of eternall life is made Thirdly we should labour to get vnto our selues the benefit of a powerfull preaching ministery for thereby our hearts may be wonderfully stirred vp to see the glory of sincerity on earth and it will open a wide dore to behold as in a mirror the glory to come with an open face changing vs into the same image from glory to glory by the spirit of God I say not that this is of absolute necessity as the former are but it is of wonderful expediency Fourthly we must be circumspect and watchfull in speciall manner attending to our owne hearts that we be not at any time oppressed with the cares of this life or voluptuous liuing if euer we would be able to stand in the day of iudgement and escape the fearefull things that are to come especially we must looke to our selues in these things least that day come vpon vs at vnawares Fiftly Doe we looke for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ into eternall life then we must as the Apostle Iude sheweth edifie our selues in our most holy faith praiyng in the holy Ghost and keepe our selues in the loue of God we must be afraid of whatsoeuer may estrange the Lord from vs or any way darken the sence of his loue For we may be assured if we haue his fauour and walke before him in the sence of it we shall haue glory when we die Likewise praying in the holy Ghost with constancy and frequency doth maruellouslie enrich a Christian both with the first fruits of glory euen glorious ioy on earth and with the assurance of fulnesse of glory in heauen Sixtly the Apostle Iohn seemes to say if loue be perfect in vs we shall haue boldnesse in the day of iudgement As if he would import that to be inwardly and affectionately acquainted with Christians on earth is a notable meanes to procure vs gracious entertainment with Christ in heauen especially if we perfect our loue and grow to some Christian ripenesse in the practise of the duties of loue in a profitable fellowship in the Gospell It is good discretion to grow as great as we can with Christians that so we may winne the fauour of Christ. Lastly the Apostle Paul shewes in the second to the Romanes that they that seek glory and honor and immortality and euerlasting life must be patient in well doing For they shall be rewarded according to their works And to euery man that doth good shall be honor and glory and power to the Iew first and also to the Grecian For all that haue any tydings of saluation in the Gospell or looke for that blessed hope and appearing of that glory of the mighty God must liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world Without holinesse no man shall see God And therefore wee should be abundant in the worke of the Lord forasmuch as we know that our labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord And thus far of the glorious appearance both of Christ and Christians And thus also of the first rule of life namely the meditation of heauenly things Verse 5. Mortifie therefore your members which are on earth fornication vncleannesse the inordinate affection euill concupiscence and couetousnesse which is idolatrie Thâ—se words with those that follow to the tenth verse containe the second principall rule of holy life and that is the mortification of euill These euills to be mortified are of two sorts for either they are vices that concerne our selues most or else they are iniuries that concerne the hurt of others also Of the mortification of vices he intreats v. 5.6.7 of the mortification of iniuries he entreats v. 8.9 In the first part viz. the exhortation to the mortifying of vices I consider first the matter about which he deales and the reasons The matter is in verse 5. and the reasons v. 6.7 In the fift verse there are two things First the preposition of mortification in these words mortifie therefore your members that are on earth Secondly a catalogue of vices to be mortified or the enumeration of certaine speciall sinnes a Christian should be carefull to keep himselfe from viz. fornication vncleannes c. The generall consideration of the whole exhortation to mortification should imprint this deeply in our hearts that vnlesse we doe repent of those sinnes haue been in our natures and liues and be carefull to flee from the corruptions that are in the world we shall neuer haue comfort that we are accepted with God We should bring to the particular opening of all the verses a mind resolued of the generall And to quicken vs a little the more to the respect of this doctrine and to enforce the care of parting with our sinnes I will briefly touch by the way some few reasons why we should be willing to entertaine all counsell that might shew vs any course to get rid of sinne First our vices are the fruits of our corrupted nature They arise not from any noble or diuine instinct but are the effects of base flesh in vs. And we should carry the thoughts of it in our minds when we are inclined or tempted to vice we should say within our selues this euill proceeds not from any thing that might declare greatnesse or true spirit in a man what is passion or lust or couetousnesse but the base worke of the filthy degenerated flesh Secondly our vices are the only things that defile vs and make vs loathsome before God and men T is not meane cloathes or a deformed body or a poore house or homely fare or any such thing that makes a man truly contemptible no no it is only sinne can defile and bring that which is true contempt Thirdly the bond and forfeiture of the law
things in it more then is properly in conformitie to Gods image for wee must be like him in sufferings and secondly in the impressions of the vertue of his death and resurrection And thus of the 10. verse Vers. 11. Where is neither Graecian nor Iew circumcision nor vncircumcision Barbarian Scythian bond free but Christ is all in all things This Verse may containe another reason to perswade to mortification and holy life And the reason may be taken from the great respect God hath of true grace in Christ and the little loue or care he hath for any thing else a Barbarian a Scythian a bond-man if he haue grace shall be accepted wheras a Graecian a Iew a free-man without grace is without respect with God Christ is all It may be the Apostle heere meets with the false Apostles that so much vrged the obseruation of Iewish rites stand so much vpon it to diuert the people from the sound care of reformation of life by filling their heads with questions and vaine wranglings about the law whereas the Apostle shewes men may be absolute and compleat in these outward obseruances and yet their circumcision auailes them nothing before God Heere are then euidently two things in this verse first what it is God stands not vpon 2. what it is is all in all with him Where there is neither Graecian nor Iew circumcision nor vncircumcision Barbabarian nor Scythian bond nor free Out of these words these two things may be obserued I. That nothing without Christ can make vs truly happy The image of God or felicitie of man stands not in birth freedom naturall parts or outward obseruances for he is not a Iew that is one outwardly nor is that libertie that is onely in the flesh nor is that wisdome that is onely in learned men such as were the Graecians Dives was a rich man Goliah was a strong man Achitophell was a wise man Absolon was a faire man Esau was circumcised and Cain was well borne and yet all these are in hell II. That in Christ there is no difference all is one whether thou bee poore or rich Iew or Gentile bond or free male or female with God there is no respect of persons In the power of his ordinances as by name in the preaching of the Gospell he extends his mercy both to Iewes and Gentiles so in the disposing of his gifts hee bestowes knowledge and other graces vpon people of all sorts and for acceptation whosoeuer feareth him and doth righteousnesse hee is accepted of what nation or state soeuer hee be and all this will more fully appeare when he shall iudge euery man without respect of persons according to his works at the last day The consideration hereof may teach vs diuers things 1. to feare God and forsake our sinnes since hee is a God so terrible that will not be swayed with outward respects 2. not to stand vpon outward birth or greatnesse in the world nor to pride our selues in our wits or rest our selues vpon our outward seruing of God for the Lord accepts not the persons of Princes nor regardeth the rich more than the poor or the learned more then the vnlearned for they are all the worke of his hands 3. to be industrious in well-doing seeing hee that doth good shall be accepted whether he be bond or free graecian barbarian one or other for the same God is Lord ouer all and rich vnto all that call vpon him and endeuour by well-doing to approoue themselues in his sight 4. not to despise poore Christians seeing God accepts of them and hath made them rich in faith and heires of a kingdome 5. not to giue titles to men and by seruile flatterie or feares to be so much taken vp with their meere outward praises or places Lastly Magistrates in the administration of Iustice should resemble this absolutenesse of God so as no respect of persons poore or rich freinds or foes strangers or home-borne should carry them besides the iust regard of the cause But Christ is all in all And so he is 1. in respect of the vnion of the mysticall body as it is hee in whom euery one that is a new creature is considered to be and consist Euery conuert is created in Christ Iesus 2. in respect of sufficiencie a man needs no more then Christ hee onely may suffice the whole compleatnesse of saluation is in Christ. 3. in respect of efficiencie if wee looke vpon the benefits conferred vpon all Christians by Christ he makes a meanes for all wants he is in stead of liberty to the seruant and in stead of birth and honour to the Scithian and Barbarian he is the substance of all shadowes to the vncircumcised what shall I say hee is righteousnesse and riches and wisdome sanctification and freedome and a recâ—mpence to Christians yea in him all things are theirs and as the pledge of all they haue receiued the spirit of the sonne into their harts The vse of all this may be diuers 1. Vnto vs therefore there should bee one Lord euen the Lord Iesus Christ 2. All sorts of men should striue by all meanes to set out and shew Christ only Ministers should teach Christ onely Magistrates should chiefly intend the glory of Christ nay all sorts of men should seeke Christ in choosing callings wiues seruants places of abode c. Christ should be all in all with vs yea in those we haue to deale withall wee should beare with many wants and weaknesses so they haue Christ for that is all in all 3. We should learne to bee satisfied with Christ though wee want health or libertie or wealth or worldly freinds or great wits or strong memories c. Christ makes amends for all he is enough if the Lord haue giuen vs Christ he hath done enough for vs though it be sure that with him he wil giue vs all things also 4. This may greatly reprooue the wonderfull stupiditie of men that are so taken vp with admiration of these outward priuiledges when as we see how all is vaine without Christ what shall it profit a man if hee had all honour and riches and countenance of friends and the pleasures of life if when he came into Gods sight hee might haue no acceptance for his soule If Christ bee all things then without Christ all things else are nothing but especially this doctrine serues for singular comfort to Gods children in all their distresses and that will better appeare if wee consider the particulars For first are they afflicted in conscience vnder the sence of Gods anger and their owne sinnes Why he is the propitiation for their sinnes he is the end of the Law for them yea all that the Law can require of them he will bee their witnesse and their testimony Hee giues them promises and faith to beleeue them
and it is his bloud that perfectly cures and clenseth them from all their wounds and sinnes Secondly are they distressed vnder the power of Sathans temptations or accusations why he sitteth at the right hand of God to see that nothing be laid to their charge hee maketh intercession for them and for the stings of this ould serpent hee is a continuall brasen serpent they may but looke vpon him and be healed Yea hee was tempted himselfe that hee might succour them that are tempted and his power dwelleth in them to be manifested in their weakenesse and he came into the world of purpose to dissolue the worke of the Deuill Thirdly are they dismayed with the sence of their owne weakenesses and ignorance why they haue such an high Priest as is touched with their infirmities and knowes how to haue compassion on the ignorant hee will not breake the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flaxe Fourthly are they pressed with outward troubles Why Christ is the merit of their deliuerance from this present euill world hee is the sanctification of their crosses so as all shall worke together for the best to them that loue God yea hee will be their consolation so that as their sufferings abounds his comforts shall abound also or if he doe not deliuer then hee makes a supply by giuing them better things out of the riches of his glory He is a husband to the widow and a father to the fatherlesse and as the shadow of the rocke in a weary land to them that are persecuted and driuen to and fro by the hot rage of euill men Lastly are they in the feare or in the danger of death Why Christ is all in all heere also for he hath ouercome death for them hee hath opened the way to heauen he hath destroyed him that had power ouer death he hath freed them from the wrath to come he hath begotten in them a liuely hope of a happy issue from the passage of death he is the first borne of the dead and hee will be the resurrection and the life vnto them What shall I say but conclude with the Apostle Christ is in life and death aduantage onely that Christ may be all in all to vs we must heare him we must beleeue in him we must deny ourselues and take vp our crosse and follow him and finally we must liue to him and die in him And thus of this eleuenth verse and so of the second part of the generall exhortation VER 12.13 Therefore as the elect of God holy and beloued put on bowells of mercy kindnesse humblenesse of minde meekenesse long-suffering Forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any haue a quarrell against another euen as Christ forgaue you so also doe you There are three things requisite to holy life First the meditation of heauenly things Secondly the mortification of vice Thirdly the exercise of holy graces and duties Of the first the Apostle hath intreated from verse 1. to verse 5. Of the second from verse the 5. hitherto Now in these words and those that follow to the 18. verse he intreats of the third for he giues rules for the obedience of the new man and those rules are more speciall or more generall The more speciall rules are from the 11. verse to the sixteenth The more generall are in the 16. and 17. verses the one concerning the meanes of holy life vers 16. and the other concerning the ende of holy life ver 17. The speciall rules giue in charge the exercise of nine graces and in the setting downe of these rules I obserue 1. The Motiues to perswade to the obseruation of them and they are three the one taken from their election the other from their sanctification the third from the loue of God to them And these are briefly thrust together in a parenthesis in the beginning of the twelfth verse 2. The manner how they be charged with these graces and that is noted in the Metaphor put on 3. The graces themselues and they are in number nine Some of them haue their greatest praise in prosperity principally as mercy kindnesse meekenesse humblenesse of mind some of them concerne the times of aduersity principally as long suffering and clemency in forbearing and forgiuing Some indifferently belong to all times as loue peace thankefulnesse or amiablenesse ver 14.15 Now from the coherence imported in the worde therefore diuers things may be noted 1 In that he prescribes the mortification of vices before the exercise of graces it shewes that till vice be mortified grace will not grow nor prosper the true reason why many men thriue no better in the gift of Gods spirit is because they are so little and so sleighty in confessing and bewailing of their corruptions of heart and life 2 In that he rests not in the reformation of vices but prescribes also rules of new obedience it shewes that it is not enough to leaue sinne but we must bee exercised in doing good It will not serue turne for the husbandman that his fruit trees beare no euill fruit but hee will cut them downe if they bring not forth good fruit barrennes is cause great enough of hewing downe 3 Men that are truly renewed after the Image of Christ are willing to be appointed and prescribed for the attaining and exercise of euery holy needefull grace and duty he that hath true experience of the beginning of any true grace hath a true desire and a willing indeauour and a iust estimation of all grace For as he that repents of one sinne loues no sin so he that trauels in the birth of any grace desires all grace so farre as in conscience he knowes them to be required of God and in some degree except it be in the time of violent temptations or that the losse of the meanes occasion any deadnesse or faintnesse in the desires of the heart or that there be a relapse into some presumptuous sinne after calling 4 If this therefore carry vs to the former verse then we are informed that our indeauour after mercy meeknesse patience loue peace or the rest will neuer want acceptation with God And withall wee may take comfort if wee would seriously set about the practise of these though wee found many lets and doubts and difficulties yet Christ will be all in all to help vs and giue good successe Thus of the coherence The motiues follow and first of Election Elect Gods seruants are Gods elect and that both in respect of election before time and also in respect of election in time for the Lord hath in his eternall counsell chose them in Christ to the obteining of saluation to the praise of his grace And besides at sometime in their life the Lord doth select and separate them from out of the world and worldly courses to the profession of sincerity hauing