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
sacrifice Living A Sacrifice may be said to be living two-wayes First in regard of a naturall life and so our bodies may be called living sacrifices in opposition to the sacrifices of the Law where the Beasts were to be killed Secondly in regard of a spirituall life and the grace of regeneration in opposition to the sinfull estate of wicked men which is an estate of death Ephe. 2 1. in the last sense our Bodies must be a sacrifice Living So then the spirit of God by St. Paul doth require all beleevers to present their Bodies a Living sacrifice Object If it be demanded what is meant by a Living sacrifice or how shall wee know when the sacrifice is Living Answ. By the speciall effects and fruits hereof the motions and workings of the soule will be 1 inward 2. sincere 3. Vniversall 1. Effect Inward That Body that is a living sacrifice his soule will be carried most inwardly the inward motions and actions of the spirit will be toward God it is the inward working that testifieth the truth of this Propertie All outward actions of seeking towards God they are all such as may be counterfeited a Hypocrite may act them all there is no outward action in the world that belongeth to God or to Christianity but it is possible for a base Hypocrite to represent them all but he can doe no more an outward representation is all as there is no shape of any externall thing in the world but a skilfull Painter can draw the forme of it give a resemblance of the thing yet this Painter cannot draw it so as that it should have life and motion spirits and blood running into the veines so there is no outward action belonging to Religion but it is possible for a Painter a cunning Hypocrite a lame-sacrificer to imitate but the inward actions of life truth and grace he cannot but that which is intended in this place is that all our outward actions be animated actions not dead actions actions that have no further bottome then a word or two growing upon the tip of the tongue which is all the Religion too many have For the Religion which is I will not say professed but practised by most men is aptly set forth in the words of a godly and wise man quae aure concipit parturitore which conceiveth at the eare by frequent hearing a good exercise but bringeth forth only at the mouth by frequent discoursing a bad practise of religion some pious counsels some good words some liberall prayers such as these God helpe thee God relieve thee God comfort thee Alas poore soule alas poore comfort Words be they never so adorned clothe not the naked be they never so delicate feed not the hungry be they never so zealous warme not him that is almost starved with cold be they never so free set not free them that are bound visit not the sicke or imprisoned in a word performe not any of those duties which shall be vouchsaved the naming at the generall day of retribution unto all men which shall be according to their workes not according to their words The Epigramatist deservedly casteth a blur upon Candidus his faire name and debonaire carriage because all the fruits of his devotion towards God or friendship to men grew upon his tongue Candide {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} haec sunt tua candide {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} quae tu magniloquus nocte dicqâ—e sonas Ex opibus iantis veteri fidoque sodali das nihil dicis cand de {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Thou sayest my friend Candâ—dus that to be charitable and to doe good is a most glorious because Christian-like cognisance and that all things are common among friends but it seemes these words of thine are thy all things for thou givest nothing at all and yet art most prodigall in thy Language and wearest out that Proverbe thread-bare {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} all things are common amongst friends but Candidus and all such as are like him are but living sacrifices in name being dead having no inward principle to quicken them but to apply it the right way all our outward actions must be animated actions they must have their root in the very heart and soule that must inwardly move towards God otherwise they are not living no though they move and move a-pace in many nay in all outward things for we see it is so in experience that there be many things that move yet their motion is no Argument of life I will give you onely one instance A Windmill when the wind serveth moveth and moveth very nimbly too yet we doe not say presently that that is living creature No it is moved only by an externall cause by an artificiall contrivance and so having but an externall motor and no inward principle no soule within to move it it is an Argument it is no living creature so it is here If a man see another move and move very fast in those things which of themselves are the wayes of God as to move to a Sermon or to the Lords Table the question is what principle set him a worke if it be an inward principle of Life out of a pious affection and love to God and his Ordinances that carried him to these it is an Argument of spirituall Life and of a Living sacrifice but if it be some wind that bloweth him on the wind of danger of penalty of vaine-glory of fashion or custome to doe as other doe and doth not make it the ayme and drift of his soule then it is palpable that some sinister thing no true intent carryed him on towards God that though hee be a sacrifice living it is but in name onely in respect of the truth of grace he is indeed dead 2. Effect Sincere The Living sacrifice hath motions and workings carrying the soule not only inwardly but most sincerely toward God sincerity hath no by nor base respects hence is it that the sincere Christian is in all things in heart to God as hee seemes to be in Life to the world sincerity makes the Christian man to be like the Curtaines of the Tabernacle which as they say were so wrought that they were on both sides alike sincerity tels the Christian man nil fictum est diuturnum nothing counterfeit will last long counterfeit Diamonds may sparkle and glister and make a great show for a time but their Luster will not last Experience sheweth that an Apple if it be rotten at the coare though it have a faire and shining outside yet rottennesse will not stay long but it will possesse the outside also it is the nature of things unsound that the corruption stayes not where it begun but putrifieth and corrupts more and more till all be a like so that man that hath a rotten heart towards God his want of sincerity will in time be discovered and his outside
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
vomit yet I am still that Sow that wallowes in her mire though I doe not thrust my hands into new dirt yet the old dirt is still baked upon my hands though mine owne cloathes doe not defile me againe as Job speakes though I doe not relapse to the practise of mine old sinne yet I have none of Jeremies niter and sope none of Iobs snow-water to wash me clean except I come to restitution As long as the heart is set upon things sinfully got thou sinnest over those yeares sins every day thou art not come to the holinesse of this Text for it is a holinesse in all our actions Object If any object can a man come to that holinesse to have a heart so holy as to be pure from all foulenesse saith Salomon Prov. 20. Who can say I have made cleane my heart Answ. Indeed Salamon could not make his heart cleane of himselfe or by any absolute power of his owne yet he had a faculty within him which he did employ so as to be appliable and supple easie and ductile in those wayes to which God called him so when we say that by this terme holy wee are to understand such a holinesse as is a purity and cleannesse in all our actions that is an earnest endeavour after perfection and cleannesse in all our actions to be simply and absolutely holy totally holy is an impossible labour for corrupted man a service that none all having lost those abilities that God gave man at the first can ever reach to wherefore the Lord is graciously pleased to accept our endeavour after perfection and holinesse instead of perfection and holinesse indeed the Law tyed us to the obedience of all that was required in all fulnesse perfectly compleatly without any defect and then promising acceptance but the obedience the Gospell requires is striving to this perfection and holinesse in truth and sincerity desiring and labouring after it in putting out our selves towards it and then promising acceptance through the perfection of Christ in and by which out imperfections are done away appliable to this purpose is that of St. Paul 1. Cor. 7. Let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse that is let us employ that faculty that is in our selves let us be appliable and ductile to those wayes to which God hath called us and then wee shall find a power to assist our owne salvation dwelling within us I will give you an instance Mulâ—er drachmaâ—… invent non extrinsecus sed in domo the woman who had lost her peece of silver found it not without doores but within it was in domo mundata when her house was made cleane so long as her house was foule and filthy it was lost it could not be found but when her house was cleane she found it and it was within the house and within her owne house make cleane thy house by the assistances which Christ affords thee in his Church and thou shalt never faile finding of that within thee which shall save thee not that it growes in thee naturally or that thou canst produce it of thy selfe but that God hath boâ—…â—… himselfe by his holy Covenant to perfect his worke every man that workes with him so then repenting of former sinnes in breaking off the practise of those sinnes in restoring whatsoever was gotten by those sinnes in precluding all relapses by a diligent survay and examination of particular actions this is this holinesse which constitutes our second property And the third is 3. Prop. Acceptable This is a consequence of holinesse that which is holy will be acceptable and nothing is acceptable except it be holy the Apostle gives us a caveat 2. Joh. 8. to take heed that we lose not the things wee have wrought that is if a man in his serving of God either publikely or privately be carelesse and negligent his sacrrfice will be lost i. not accepted because not zealous not holy where holinesse is wanting there a corrupt heart is present Now nothing proceeding from a corrupt heart can be acceptable or pleasing to God even our prayers are unsavoury unwelcome sacrifices if proceeding from an unholy mouth no words sound well in his eares but such as are consonant to his word and Minister grace to the bearers Let my prayer saith the Psalmist be directed to thee as incense prayer must be directed not suddenly throwne up without faith or understanding wisdome and intention must direct it not to Saints and Angels but to God as it must be directed and that to God so in the third place it must bee directed as incense from a burning â—enser that is a zealous heart is this to pray and praise God acceptably to draw neare to him with our lips when our hearts are farre from him to lift up our eyes and hands to heaven when our minds are on earthly things is thus to pray unto or praise God to vent our unhallowed desires and indigested thoughts wee know not how no surely this is not to offer to God according to the direction of the Prophet Hos. 14. vitulos labiorum the calves of our lips but labia vitulorum the lips of Calves no unsavoury prayers proceeding from a corrupt heart are pleasing to God because whatsoever is acceptable must be Holy it being a consequence of holinesse But I suppose the word acceptable is not to be applyed to Holy but to sacrifice Now our sacrifice viz. our obedience and good workes are not acceptable in themselves because of much defect and imperfection in them which have the nature of sinne I doe not say they are sins but that they have the nature of sin sin cleaves to them but if any object how can the sacrifice of obedience and good works have the nature of sin when they proceed from the spirit of God As they proceed from the spirit of God they have no tincture of sin but the next causes are corrupt which are an understanding but in part enlightned a will but in part sanctified indeed as far as these are spiritual the works that proceed from them are holy and good but as far as they are flesh they are corrupted stained the works of the regenerate are good per se but sin per accidens doth alter the matter but in my opinion this one thing is necessary to be understood as God judgeth not according to the Law but according to the Gospel for our best sacrifice cannot endure the strict rigour of the Law if the Lord judge thereby wee must all perish but there is hope in the Gospel by Jesus Christ in whom God is wel pleased with the faithfull and with their workes this should oblige us unto Christ by whom wee are accepted and without whom we are vessels of wrath even as the very dung of the earth well then is it so that God doth accept us our persons and sacrifices in Christ how happy are they that have an interest in Christ by faith faith