the Lord in his Sanctuary sed quia non legimus non credimus because we find no such thing in the Scripture we beleeve it not we are so farre from finding it there that before in and since the Primitive Church it hath by all sound and faithfull Christians been imbraced as an expresse Law morall and perpetuall binding the Christian for ever to present and offer himselfe before his God in the house of prayer being the place of his more especiall dwelling in a word they that refuse to come thither may as justly be termed profane persons as ever Esau was who because he was procul a fano far from the Sanctuary therefore farre from Gods protection Prov. 8. If blessed is the man that heareth him watching daily at his gates and giving attendance at the posts of his doors then cursed is the man that heareth him not daily watching at his gates and giving attendance at the posts of his doores but those that will not watch his gates nor attend his doors Solomon gives them this counsell Prov. 9. forsake your way yee foolish and yee shall live and walke in the way of understanding So I Part 2 passe from the Act present unto the Persons presenting Yee Yee The persons presenting are not onely the Romans but all true beleevers in all places and ages for though the Epistle be intituled to the Romans it will not therefore follow that it concernes us not for whatsoever things were written before time were written for our instruction hence it is that Saint James saith so speake yee and so doe as they that shall be judged by the Law of Liberty that is he will proceed according to his Word written Wherefore let us be circumspect and labour that our speeches and actions may be such that they may be agreeable to the Gospel God saith the Apostle shall judge the secrets of all men in that according to my Gospel there is not a word that Christ speaks but it shall judge Let us therefore pray that the Lord would set a watch before our tongue and before our Actions forasmuch as he speaks not in vaine that is judge that speaks saith Solomon Prov. 13. He that despiseth the commandement shall perish that is when God hath revealed his will in matter of duty for the direction of life for that he cals the commandement there now if a man come to despise this he shall certainly perish saith Solomon If any demand when doth a man despise the comandement When a man accounts a thing as nothing we say he doth despise it as {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} despise not prophesying the word is account it not a thing of nothing account it not a slight matter therefore when in spirituall things a man accounts the Law of God below it selfe that is when hee maketh it not the chiefe direction of his life then hee accounts it as a thing of nothing and despiseth the Law which is praeludium perditionis the presage of perishing But these things I am compelled to leave to your meditations having sundry other points to handle I fall upon the next the Object Your Bodies In time of the Law it was not your owne Part 3 bodies but the bodies of others i the legall sacrifices were of cattell of sheepe of birds but now since Christ in time of the Gospel not the bodies of Beasts or any other but our bodies must be presented Aske me what is meant by bodies The mortifying of our lusts and rising againe to newnesse of life By Body is not meant the body only but the whole man body and soul so that a part is onely put for the whole We reade the like of the soul Ezeck. 18. The soul that sins shal dye that is body and soul so then in one word by Bodies is meant our selvs bodies and souls and al the parts and faculties thereof especially of the soul and her faculties First of the soul according to that of the Prophet With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea With my spirit within me will I seek thee early God is that which should be printed in the heart of a Christian man God and the name of God should be that upon which the affections of the whole soule ought to be fixed our place and seate in this world is as it were between earth and heaven heaven above us earth beneath us now the question is which way our heart looketh it may bee downe-wards to Iericho to the earth and the vanities thereof and so we shall runne a course of ruine and destruction it may be towards Ierusalem to Heaven and heavenly solidities and so wee shall run the course of peace and salvation Wherefore it is God we see that our soules should breath after nay our God hath made us for himselfe and our soules of themselves are restlesse till they returne to their God The soule is then in its perfection when it may truly be compared to a Circle A Circle is said to be a most perfect figure for this reason because the Line that beginneth in one point goeth round till it returne into the same so the soule of man is then in its greatest perfection when it returneth to his beginning to his God reflecting it selfe altogether backe againe upon his Maker till then the soule is in no quiet at all This the good man knows that there is no more rest for the soul out of God then there is for a stone in the Ayre hang but a stone in the ayre and doe but remove that that holds it there and it will never rest till it come to the earth so it is with the soule of man try it all fortunes and states and conditions in the world and it will rest in nothing till it come to its center his God to this purpose the father and the sonne are fit examples first David Psal. 144. having prayed for many temporall blessings in the behalfe of his people that their sonnes might be tall and valiant their daughters amiable and faire their oxen strong and laborious their sheepe fruitfull that there might be no invasion by forraine enemies nor any lamentation in their streets at length windeth up all with this conclusion Blessed are the people in such a case no more but blessed are the people in such a case when his soule enjoyed all that it could desire it was still restlesse therefore in the last part of the 15. verse hee comes upon the necke of his conclusion with words of correction correcting his former speech and revoking his words as if hee had spoken otherwise then well Yea rather saith he Blessed are the people that have the Lord for their God Now not till now his spirit is at rest his soule being fixed upon the Lord his God So Solomon when he beheld all the workes of his hands and the delights of his life passed this censure upon them
to search him out in his Word and his Ordinances to find his steps and his goings and so to walke with God maintaining a holy communion with him that is a sweet act of grace and an evident ratification of the truth of it so then those that desire to present their bodies to the God of Mercy know not only what to doe but what is meant by Bodies viz. bodies and soules together with all the parts and faculties thereof especially of the soule and her faculties as yet wee cannot take our leave of this particular part Because it may bee justly demanded Why did Saint Paul exhort the Romans to present their Bodies and not their soules the nobler part Answ. Because the Body is an instrument of the Soule in the outward worship and service of God and because the affections of the heart are manifested by the body 2. Because Christian People should know that that God which hath made both i. body and soule doth require the faculties of both to serve and worship him Yet with what penuriousnesse penuriousnesse of devotion penuriousnesse of reverence doe many Bodies meet him in his Sanctuarie the place of Gods worship and publike service Deus stetit saith David Psal. 82. God standeth in the Congregation doth God stand there and wilt thou sit sit and never kneele I would speake so as the World should not know whom I meane yet so as that they whom it concernes might know I meane them I would speake for I must say that there come some Persons to the House of prayer and Persons of example to many that come with them of whom no man ever saw master or servant kneele at any part of divine Service David had such a zeale to Gods service as that he was content to be thought a foole for his humility towards the Arke St. Paul was content to be thought mad for his humility to the Gospell So was our blessed Saviour himselfe not onely by his enemies but by his owne friends and kinsfolke Indeed Tehillim which is the name of the Psalmes and of all cheerfull and hearty service of God is Halal and Halal is insanire to fall mad And if humilitie in the service of God here be madnesse I would more of us were more out of our wits then we are St. Hieroms rule is not onely frequenter or andum to come often to prayers but flexo corpore crandum to declare an inward humiliation by an outward mistake me not I beseech you I speake not this as if I stood for bowing at Altars stockes and stones or for complementing with the name of Iesus c. the reliques of Baal as I am not for these so neither am I for the proud and unmanerly postures of ignorance fraud and weakenesse c. the fragments of Beli-iagnal As our comming to Church is a testification a profession of our Religion to testifie our fall in Adam so this part of our Text now in hand doth appoint us to fall upon our knees present your bodies worship God with them genuflexio est peccatorum kneeling is the sinners posture if thou come hither in the quality of a sinner and if thou doe not so what doest thou here the whole need not the Physitian put thy selfe into the posture of a sinner kneele the man after Gods owne heart did delight in it and therefore the more because it was a note of humility Let us come hither saith the Kingly Prophet Let us be here what to doe Let us come and worship how will not the heart serve No Let us fall downe and kneele before the Lord our Maker The inward affection of humility was rooted in the heart of this good and godly man yet that is not enough hee is not content nor quiet in soule till his inward humiliation be declared by an outward the like we read of our Saviour touching repentance Mat. 3.8 Repent and doe workes meet for repentance as if he should say Let repentance which is an inward affection of the heart be declared outwardly manifested and made appeare by some worke i. by some outward testimony meet for such an affection in the heart In like manner though humility be a blessed affection of the soule yet is it to be declared by the body Humiliaâ—ion is the beginning of sanctification and as without sanctification which is holinesse no man shall see God though like the most diligent Christian he pore whole nights upon the Bible so without humility no man shall heare God speake to his Soule though with the best of men hee heare many Sermons every day As many therefore as desire that God should improve and advance their sanctification to the best perfection Let them pray for humility in their soules practise it with their bodies that their God that hath made both may be glorified by both which constitues our third part the Object Your bodies the fourth is the manner of the presentation A Sacrifice Sacrifices are either legall or evangelicall a Part 4th legall sacrifice is a holy action instituted by God wherein some irrationall creature was offered by the killing and offering whereof Gods will and soveraignty and mans thankfull obedience was shewed In this place St. Paul doth not intend any legall sacrifice but onely that sacrifice which is evangelicall and that is alwayes of grace either universally or particularly first universally so is onely the sacrifice of Christ Who is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the World Secondly the sacrifice evangelicall of grace particularly is a framing and fashioning to good workes which are called sacrifices Heb. 13. And so Sacrificium is sacrum factum an holy act done by faith whereby we mortifie sinne and walke in newnesse of Life for the sacrifices of the old Law were shadowes not onely of the body which was Christs sacrifice on the Crosse but also types of our spirituall sacrifices as thus there were meat-offrings which were a type of our Almes-deeds there were drinke-offerings which were a type of our penitent teares there were peace-offerings which were a type of our praise and thankesgivings there were heave-Offerings which were a type of our heavenly desires and affections and there was the whole burnt-Offering which was a type of Martyrdome for the testimony of the Gospell of Jesus Christ thus then we see that the sacrifices of the old Law were shadowes not onely of the body which was Christs sacrifice on the crosse but also types of our spirituall sacrifices which we are to present to God Aske me how they are to be presented Some are to be presented with salt and some with salt and fire according as the sacrifice shall bee in some sacrifices of the old Law wee find that there was flesh in some wine in some oyle in some meale but in all and with all salt was offered so all spirituall sacrifices if we will they shall be sacrifices of righteousnesse must have in them salt i. discretion among
Eccles. 1. Vanitie of vanitie all is vanitie and worse too vexation of spirit in the end the good spirit summes up all Feare God and keepe his commandements Now when his soule is setled upon his God and his Commandements it is at peace and rest So then as we said before let the soule be tryed in all the fortunes and conditions in the world and it will rest in nothing till it come to its God God then is the object upon which our soules should be set wee should alwayes have an eye to God labouring to approve our selves to him that our soules may rest with him that wee may enjoy the light of his countenance here and the fulnesse and brightnesse of his glory hereafter thus by bodies is meant bodies and soules especially as we have heard the soule Now not only the soul in general is meant but also all the parts and faculties thereof in particular Wherefore if any demand here also what are the parts and faculties of the soule that they may know how to present them to God Though there are many I can mention but a few time would fayle me to speake of many First there is the Act of the understanding the intellectuall part viz. the Remembrance our remembrance is a Facultie i facultie of the soule which ought to be had in holy use and great esteeme it was so with the Prophet Esay as I shewed before Esay 26. Our remembrance is towards thy name This Chapter is a sweet song of the Prophet concerning the restauration of the Jewes and in this verse Esaiah maketh a good use of the act of his understanding of his remembrance that noble facultie of his gracious soule saying our remembrance is towards thy name Esay ought to be looked on by us as an example of our imitation and though wee can never over-take him yet we ought to follow after him this should bee one thing which a Christian should take speciall care of that our memories should not be like sives to let out the cleare water and to returne the graines and the dregs wee should not have that treasury to preserve rubbish but to keepe and preserve our Jewels Remember Mary shee treasured up those things she heard in her heart wherefore doubtlesse for these reasons that she might lay up the remembrance of God there that she might be alwayes thinking upon God that she might be breathing out prayers to him and prayses of him in returne of his mercy take notice of Solomons advise Remember thy Creator saith he in the days of youth that is begin betimes hold on and never be weary of this therefore this should be a thing that wee should often inure our selves unto not to put the thoughts of God from us or to thinke they are too sad and serious and so to account them as unwelcome guests but we should rather often bathe our selves in these sweet thoughts in meditation and remembrance of God this is one part and facultie of the soule Facultie 2 There is an act of the will and affection viz. Desire which is an other part and faculty of the soule A true desire is one of the sweetest acts of the affection we heard before of Esay and the Jews the desire of our soule say they is toward thee this was in one part their Christian Badge by which their God knew them and loved them and past by doubtlesse many faylings and infirmities which were incident to them The life of Esay and these Jewes is a perfect samplar of many vertues which the spirit of God hath pricked out for us to imitate and follow that our desires might be always breathing out flaming up towards heaven that in case we cannot obtain a full perfection in grace and heavenly vertues yet whatsoever we come short in otherwise to make it up in abundant desires longing desires ardent desires in any case not to come short of that which will make an excellent and comfortable supyly for much want defect and imperfection this facultie of the soule Desire is an Argument of a gracious heart desire is that if there be truth in it be it in the lowest degree of it which is an evidence of spirituall life we must know there cannot be truth of grace where there are not unfaigned hearty desires towards God desires to approve our selves to him desires to walke with him in our whole course desires to be defective in nothing againe the desire of God is that that maketh some union with God It is impossible for the heart to love God or to love grace except it desire God and desire grace for desire is nothing but a configuration of love it must needs be therfore that where there are desires towards God and desires of grace there is somewhat of God formed in that person there is somewhat of grace begun this is a second part and faculty of the soule which Christians should take speciall care to cherish and willingly practise There is endeavour constant endeavour which is another Facultie 3 part and facultie of the soule the good people in that 26 of Esay cry out Our soule hath desired thee in the night and our spirit also shall seeke thee early the soule of a good man of every good man desires God in the Evening and his spirit will seeke him early in the morning Solomon gives the reason Pro. 27. Who can tell what a day will bring forth it may be albus maybe at er dies it may be a white a happy a comfortable day may be a blacke a dismall a dolefull day so who can tell what a night may bring forth whether judgement or mercy whether good or bad events therefore to prevent the worse t is good to make sure worke for our owne safety namely that our soule desire him in evening and that our spirit seeke him early and then come what will come all shall bee for the best God will turne it all to good Omnia cooperantur c. Rom. 8 all things worke together for good to them that love God Now when the Jewes say our soule shall seeke thee in the Evening and our spirit shall desire thee early these words Evening and Early doe expresse not onely Desire but Endeavour which sheweth that the one is not to goe without the other our desires must be joyned with enquiries and endeavours searching after God to see if wee may by any meanes find him out that wee may know what is the way of his good-will and pleasure whether wee are in the way of life whether wee are effectually called whether wee are in the state of grace whether we have any part in the promises of salvation except there are continuall endeavours the suspicion is too palpable that the desires are ineffectuall desires and empty desires and not those that argue any life and truth of grace but when our desires are joyned with these bestirrings of the soule to seeke after Gods
be made as rotten as his inside fraud and guile cannot goe long but it will be espyed dissembling will not alwayes be dissembled and when it is once detected it disableth the dissembler for ever after the using his cousening trade Faithfulnesse and sincerity are like naturall beauty and strength of body which preserve themselves but all fraudulent and deceitfull dealing and cunning fetches are like Complexion where nature is much decayed must be daily laid on All devices plots and fabrickes in the mind for advancing our estate spirituall or temporall which are not built upon the foundation of faithfulnesse and sincerity continually need repairing and upon a strong assault are easily cast down and fall upon the builders themselves but it is not so with sincerity that is a grace which like a Ship with full saile carry to the soule toward heaven stormes will not beat her off but shee will persevere 3. Effect Vniversall The motions and affections of a Living sacrifice must be universall as well as inward and sincere the workings of the soule must be universall not onely advancing God to this height to be carryed towards God above all other things which is an infallible character of the truth of grace and life of piety but the love of the soule the obedience of the spirit must universally move towards God for this is that which doth justifie the truth of our affections to God and sets the heart in a right frame and temper wherefore except a man love God and all the wayes of God and yeeld himselfe in subjection and resigne himselfe in obedience to them all hee cannot be said to be a Living sacrifice if hee doe but reserve any one sin to wallow and tumble in hee doth by vertue of that one sinne lie in that which God doth abhor he stands chargeable with that which will seperate and divide perpetually between God and his soule nay hee throweth downe all his other good how many or great soever with that one evill as Ezekiel doth testifie All his righteousnesse that hee hath done shall not be mentioned but in his transgression that he hath committed and in his sinne that he hath sinned in that shall he dye We say a vessell is no vessell if it have but one hole in it it will hold nothing and therefore cannot performe the use of a vessell though it have but one hole in it so if the heart have but one hole in it i. if it retaine the Divell but in one thing that heart cannot yeeld a full and absolute subjection to Christ universally and where there is not a full and absolute subjection to Christ universally Christ hath no part nor portion in that man nor he in him for he that lives in any one sinne so as to allow of it never grieving for it not striving against it not making conscience to reforme it that man did never forbeare the committing of any sinne-whatsoever out of any love and affection to Christ in his heart So I passe from our first property to the second which is 2. Prop. Holy By this terme holy wee are to understand unpolluted and pure now there is a two-fold puritie a partiall puritie and a universall puritie the partiall purity is that purenesse that holinesse to which David so often referres himselfe in his religious and humble expostulations with God Judge me and deale with me according to my righteousnesse and mine innocencie and cleannesse of heart and hands That is as I am innocent and guiltlesse in that particular which Saul imputes to me and persecutes mee for but this is not the holinesse the purity intended by our Apostle for the holinesse or puritie which is the marke of the Saints of God is not partiall but universall it is not a fig-leafe that covers one spot of nakednesse but an intire garment a holinesse in all our actions this is the holinesse which St. Paul intends a holinesse a cleannesse in all our actions both of soule and body as St. Paul saith of the Virgin 1. Cor. 7. That a Virgin careth for the things of God that she may be holy hoth in Body and Spirit i. That as she is chast in body so she may be in mind and heart also it will be little or no comfort to the soule in the day of account to say I have not polluted my Body the outward man but my inward man hath boyled with lust he that doth no more but welcome Lust in the heart is not a sacrifice Holy because he is not in all things unpolluted and pure we say sometimes and not altogether improperly that a man walks clean if in a foule way he contract but a few spots of dirt yet if he have but one spot of dirt we cannot say he is absolutely clean in like manner if a man have but one spot one choise sinne in his soule he cannot be said to be absolutely Holy what lesser sinne then lust or a desire in the mind yet this as St. Iames affirmeth hath strength enough to conceive sinne and sinne when it is finished brings forth death The whole man is not a sacrifice Holy except the sleightest and lightest occasions of provoking God be removed it is the speech of the greatest to the greatest of Christ to his Church Can. 2. Take us the little Foxes for they devoure the Vine it is not a cropping a pilling a retarding of the growth of the vine that is threatned but a devouring though but from little Foxes It is not so desperate a stare to have thy soule attempted by that Lyon that seekes whom hee may devoure for then in great and apparent sins thou wilt be occasioned to call upon the Lyon of the tribe of Iuda to thine assistance as it is to have thy soule eaten up by vermin by the custome and habit of small sins God punished the Egyptians with little things with Hailestones and Frogs and Grashoppers and Pharaohs conjurers that counterfeited all Moses greater workes failed in the least in the making of lice A man may stand out a great tentation and satisfie himselfe in that and thinke he hath done enough in the way of spirituall valour and then fall as irrecoverably under the custome of small tentations I were as good lye under a Mil-stone as under a hill of sand for howsoever I might have blowne away every grain of sand if I had watched it as it fell yet when it is a hill I cannot blow it nor shove it away and when I shall thinke to say to God I have committed no great sins God shall not proceed with me by weight but by measure nor aske how much but how long I have sinned And though I may have done thus much towards this holinesse as that for a good time I have discontinued my sinne yet if my heart be still set upon the delight and enjoying of that which was got by my former sinnes though I be not that dog that returnes to his