the good Word of God which is able to saue our soules As wee doe wry our mouthes with the new borne babe after the dugge of Gods Word so with the growne man we haue a good stomacke and appetite vnto it The huskes of mans wisdome and humane traditions are hunted after of those of whom the Apostle saith Beware of dogges Phil. 3.2 but the man of God hungreth to heare God speake And because he knowes that he is borne againe for the kingdome of God therfore though when he meets with the things of this world he doth thankfully embrace them vse them as if he vsed them not yet he seekes after the things aboue Col. 3.1 aboue the world the Church aboue nature grace aboue the fauour of Princes the grace of God aboue sinne a Sauiour aboue earth heauen If therefore it be thus with our soules that as all creatures do seek their meats sutable to their natures the Lion flesh the Horse grasse the Fowles Wormes the Catts Mise and the Bees hony so we doe hunt after these things then haue we entred into this life Secondly Those helpes that doe respect our enemies are our naturall vigilancy and watchfulnesse against that which doth thwart and oppose life And from this head I shall commend vnto you two signes of life The first is Sensiblenesse of the least degree of death or opposition of life He that is in an irrecouerable estate 2 Sensiblenesse of death findes not the least degrees of death creeping vpon him and when hee is readie to die saith He is well whereas he that is well is sensible of the least distemper but if a man be dead he doth not feele death it selfe he heares no alarum to battaile sees not the approach of any enemy nor smels the stinke of any wound So if we be in a spiritually-dead estate we feele not killing sinne to approach Prou. as Solomon saith of the foole Hee casteth fire-brands arrowes and mortall things and saith I am not in iest So we make sport vnto our selues in the committing of sinne and say Doe we not liue Yea if we be dead let God send one letter of defiance vnto vs after another for our sinnes we heare and heare not we know and vnderstand not and though from â—he crowne of the head to the sole oâ— the foot there be no part whole 〈…〉 nothing but botches and blaines full of corruption yet wee smell not the stinke of the corruption of our wounds we runne not to the bâ—lme of Gilead wee desire not the good Samaritane to helpe vs but if wee are aliue oh how doe we scud from death as the fearfull Hare from the greedie Hound How doth the least approach of this death by the least sinne make vs cry out with Paul Wretched man that I am Rom. 7. who shall deliuer mee from the bodie of this death Poore Christians who are deiected and cast downe at the fearefull fight of their owne guiltinesse the more sensible they are of the death of sinne the more they cry out of themselues as of dead men whereas if they would passe righteous iudgement they should conclude that the spirit of life is in them 3 Fiâ—hing against death The next signe of life is fighting against that which would take it away The liuing worme being trod vpon will turne vp the taile Heare O worme Iacob so wilt thou if thou haue any life in thee When the worme feeleth the earth to be shaken presently it commeth running out of the earth fearing the approach of the mole so if thou liue when thou feelest the shaking of the cabbin of thy ease and securitie thy bodie I meane by paineâ— acheâ— and diseases then thou dost presently startle come to the doore to see what newes meet thine enemy death disarme him and pull out his sting that at the last â—he conquest may bee thine Againe is there life in vs then the Spirit of life doth fight against the flesh â—om â— â— lest wee liuing after it do die Oh how doe liuing men striue against the whole bodie of sinne and death How doth the spirit lust agaâ—nst the flesh Yea Gal. 5.17 how doth the liuing spirit get the vpper hand and sight more manfully euery day than other especially against that sinne which doth most crosse it I haue kept me from my wickednesse saith Dauid that is Pâ—â—l 18.23 that sinne whereunto hee was most inclined euen so must we if we haue this new life This is the way to finde all liuing grâ—â—es to increase all sin to be in a decaying estate For we know that there is no equall match betweene the old man the new as God smites the enemies of his people on the checke bone that is Psâ—l 3.7 hee deales not with them as with men but as with boyes in stead of opposing them with swords and stauâ—â— hee sends them away with a boxe on the eare so will the liuing spirit deale with the dying flesh it will master it at the last as a growne man would a childe and ouercome it with lesse difficultie though not without all danger to it selfe Secondly Where there is the life of grace there will be an imployment of our strength in the acts of life The actions of liuing men are proper to men that are aliue so are they to these new men From this head therefore I shall giue you further two sorts of signes either such as doe concerne a mans owne indiuiduall person or those which are shewed for succession in propagating their kinde They which doe concerne a mans person are two 4 The breath of the new man First if we can freely draw the breath of the new man It is a signe of life to men of the world if wee can freely draw that breath which God doth offer for the prolonging of naturall life so likewise is this a signe of this new life if wee can freely draw the breath of Gods mouth which God doth breathe vnto the hid man of the heart And what breath is this but the Spirit of the Lord in the Scriptures Marke therefore if wee can draw in the Word of God to the cooling comforting and refreshing of our weary hearts which pant vnder the burden of sinne and if we can put it out againe both to coole the violence and fierie courses of sinfull men and to heat and warme the lukewarme and frozen hearted sonnes of men this will assure vs that we liue the life of God 5 Seruice of God The second signe which doth concerne our persons is this If wee doe put ouer our whole bodies and soules to the seruice of God For as then wee doe liue a naturall life when we doe imploy all our strength to the seruice of nature and as then wee doe liue a loyall life to our Soueraigne when wee are wholly taken vp for his honour and maintenance in good so then wee liue the life of
mother of whoredomes hath this name written in her forehead A Mysterie 2. Thess 2.7 Apoc. 17.5 This apostacie of Rome held communion with the true Church still Hodiè effusum est venenum in ecclesiam and when prosperitie like poyson was powred out vpon the Church she tooke aduantage vpon the deadnesse of mens hearts to make her owne gaine and while men were either diuerted by other occasions or rocked asleepe in the cradles of ease profit pleasure honour or blinded with the outward splendor and glorie of her whorish and hypocriticall attire to sowe tares in stead of good wheat which yet was neuer so closely carried but that some faithfull men still obserued her and opposed her in euerie age as hath beene shewed by diuers Du Plessis his Mysterium iniquitatis White his Way who still lye vnsatisfied though her policie and tyrannie still did crush them to her power Oh therefore seeke not truth at Rome where you haue so good causes to doubt that the true head is not yea know of old that truth hath sought for succour in Cloysters and could finde none seeke it therefore at home where the true head Christ is calling vs from our dead sleepe of sinne Pauli Ferrij Schol. ortho Spec. pag. 102. giuing vnto vs the habit of faith for our sanctification the act of faith to receiue Iesus Christ for our iustification the spirit of adoption to seale vs vnto the day of our redemption Ob. Be not scarred with this bugbeare that we confesse that a Papist so liuing and so dying may be saued and therefore the truth is good enough amongst them Sol. For you must vnderstand it of those that are in the Antichristian state not of it and chained with ineuitable ignorance hauing the key of more distinct knowledge kept from them by tyrannie and policie and doe forsake their popish grounds as it is said that the Bishop of Chichester that then was would haue had Gardner to doe when hee did comfort him vpon his death-bed with Gods promises and with free iustification in the bloud of Christ Fox Martyrol To whom Gardner did answer What my Lord will you open that gap now then farewell altogether To me and such other you may speake it but open this window to the people then farewell altogether Thus likewise Bellarmine after his large discourse of that confidence which we may draw from our workes layeth downe this proposition as his last sanctuarie Propter incersitudâ—nem propâ—iae iustiâ—iae periâ—uâ—um manâ—s glorâ—â— tutissiâ—iâ— est siduciâ—m totam in sola Dei miscâ—i cordia et benâ—gnitate reponere that By reason of the incertaintie of our owne righteousnesse and the danger of vaineglorie it is most safe to put our whole trust and confidence in the mercie and bountie of God alone Now if Papists shall doe in truth and sinceritie of heart as these say renouncing the trappings of the whore of Rome though they die in the Popish Church they being chained in the fetters of Rome they may giue a good ground for the iudgement of charitie to worke vpon concerning their saluation with GOD. Neither be ye moued with this which they so often bellow out against vs That our truth was not knowne before Luther for though for many of our negatiues whereby we doe deny their false nouelties there was no vse of them though the Spirit of God foreseeing the mysterie of Antichrist left sufficient ground for them in the Scriptures yet we willingly disclaime all that cannot draw a longer pedigree than Poperie Thou art of yesterday saith the Pharisie to Christ Before Abraham was I am saith Christ to the Pharisies So may our truth say in respect of Luther It appeared more plentifully in his time not otherwise than a cleere morning after a darke and drowsie night no otherwise than faire weather after a tedious storme no otherwise than health after a lingring sicknesse And if it seemed to be new wee may thanke the Church of Rome for it which so preuailed with our improuident fathers through glorious titles and outward splendor and the mysterie of abhominations in the golden cup that their mother truth being iustled out of doores for a time was not at the last when she came againe scarce acknowledged of her owne children Let vs be wiser and acknowledge her though shee come naked and in rags remembring that true but fearefull saying 2. Thess 2.10 11 12. Because they receiue not the loue of the truth that they might be saued therefore God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies that all they might be damned which beleeued not the truth Thus haue I shewed you how you may know your selues to be of the true Church amongst vs Motiues that so your desires may pant after it As Dauid added two motiues to prouoke himselfe to hunger after the house of the Lord so shall I adde the same to further vs to desire to be and to be still of the true Church amongst vs. The first is the beautie of our Church 1 The beautie of our Church which doth stand in the beautie of that Religion which it doth professe I know that the Papists doe what they can to disgrace it and to make it appeare ougly in the sight of men Ps 45.13 yet though the Kings daughter be all glorious within and her best ornaments without are but needle-worke full of stitches and prickes though the whore do excell in her garish attire the modest and honest woman in which respect it cannot grieue vs that they obiect against vs as the heathens of old did against the lesse ancient Christians the want of glorie in our outward seruice and worship yet I say there are diuers things which make our religion beautifull aboue that which doth so much stand vpon outward feature and proportion First our religion cannot bee disgraced without lying She is a beautifull woman who standeth so for currant except to them who will say White is blacke or that shee painteth and borroweth complexion of Art or the like when it is nothing so so is it with our religion Yee know how often they charge vs and our religion with noueltie when yet we doe relye vpon the first truth to wit the Scriptures So likewise they doe make their blinded disciples beleeue that we hold God to be the author of sinne likewise that it is enough to haue onely faith that the Church failed many hundred yeeres till Luther and Caluine that all is very easie in Scriptures that God forceth vs against our wills without any respect of our consents that we allow no fasting but morall temperance and fasting from sin that we esteeme nothing of Christian workes towards saluation but condemne them as vncleane sinfull hypocriticall that God imputeth the righteousnesse of Christ to iustification though we be not iust as if the righteousnesse of Christ applied by faith did not cure as well as couer
liues Semen humilitatis For first it is a seed of humilitie when we haue the praises and applauses of the world for our ciuill and sober carriages we doe too much blesse and flatter our selues in our securitie To the end therefore that wee may humbly hang downe our heads while other praise vs we haue a witnesse within which telleth vs that we deserue no such thing Secondly It is a seed of compassion wee are apt to exalt our selues aboue our brethren to disgrace them Semen compassionis to witnesse against them and to thinke hardly of them beyond proofes yea and when wee can proue to execute extreme right To the end therefore that we might bee filled with compassion wee haue a witnesse within vs which tells vs that we are as bad as they Thirdly It is a seed of thankfulnesse we are apt to forget Gods benefiâ—s Semen gratitudinis and notwithstanding all his mercies to turne our backes vpon him as if they were not worthy the taking notice of To the end therefore that wee may be driuen to cry out with Dauid My soule praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefits God giues vs a witnesse of our owne vnworthinesse to say within vs that we are lesse than the least of Gods mercies Fourthly It is a seed of pietie and true godlinesse For when wee doe consider the prouidence of our heauenly Father in sending this trustie and discreet seruant conscience to watch ouer vs and informe him of our amisse Semen pietatis we are prouoked to liue holily and in the sight of God and as we haue committed many faults without shame so to doe many good things not looking for the praise of men 5 Semen câ—â—solâ—tâ—â—â— Lastly it is a seed of comfort For Gods children practising much good which the world knoweth not of or if it doe know it which it slighteth or is apt to forget or to misinterpret as the act of an Hypocrite therefore God hath put a sufficient witnesse within our selues As it breedeth horror in a wicked man to haue the witnesse of God the witnesse of the creatures whereof Ioshuah speaketh The stone hath heard all Iosâ— 24 27. and shall be a witnesse And Iames The rust of your gold and siluer shall rise vp in iudgement against you Iames 5.2 and also the witnesse of his conscience which he cannot stop so it breedeth comfort in a good man not only to haue a witnesse in heauen a witnesse of words a witnesse of doings a witnesse of sufferings as Iob speaketh That his wrinckles and leanenesse were a witnesse Iob 16.19 Testâ—mâ—â—um dâ—cti per vâ—câ—m â—â—ngua â—â—cti per vocem of cris Iob 16.8 Numerus sâ—pplâ—â— defectum but also the witnesse of his owne heart which being in stead of a thousand if others should faile might with the number supply the defect and make a sufficient testimonie for our eternall clearing Vse Now therefore giue me leaue to speake to Conscience and to presse vpon it to doe its office Many things betweene man and man depend vpon witnesse and cannot otherwise be cleared The bargaine betweene Abraham and Abimelech did depend vpon Beershebah Gen. 21.31 that is the well of oath so likewise that betweene Iaacob and Laban did depend vpon Galeed or Iagar-sahadutha Gen 31.47 that is the heape of witnesse Thus is it also in many things that doe depend betweene God and vs. It is pitie therefore that Conscience should be lulled asleepe with the profits pleasures and honours of this world It is a thousand pities that Discretion as we call it and Policie should cut the throat of a witnesse that should stand vs in such stead O conscience conscience awake in time vrge thy minde to a diligent inquirie that thou maist giue witnesse according to knowledge It is a base thing for a witnesse to be asleepe or willingly to suffer himselfe to perish when he should speak the truth so it is for thee O Conscience In such a case wee may say as Leosthenes said of Alexanders armie when their Captaine was dead That thy owner is like a blinde Cyclops groping with his hands when he hath lost his eye It is a more base thing for a witnesse to be afraid to vtter the truth or when he speakes to testifie not as the thing is or not as his minde is or not to those ends for which he should speake that is Sermonem non adaequatum rebus vel menti vel fenibus to maintaine charitable truth and so to beare false witnesse so it is for thee O Conscience That therefore thou maist be a competent witnesse doe but marke that as witnesses before men must be fitted so must thou to be a witnesse before God First therefore 1 Conditio Azor. Iust mor. praecep 9. Alsted Theol. Cas cap. 21. as in a witnesse is required a certaine condition of life he may not be a seruant because he may be a partie either by feare or hire so thou must not be a slaue to sinne The bloud of Iesus Christ must purge thee from dead workes to serue the liuing God The Spirit of God must rest vpon thee to bring libertie to that soule where thou art and then witnesse when thou wilt thy witnesse shall be taken Secondly as in a witnesse is required a certaine Sexe 2 Sexus because in some criminall causes a woman hath not of old beene admitted so if thou beest timorous effeminate and of a reuengefull nature thou shalt be shut out from Gods barre But if thou art as bold as a Lion if like a man indeed thou canst looke vpon the person of thine aduersarie without anger vpon his prosperitie without enuie vpon his wrongs without desire of reuenge then speake and welcome thou wilt neither smother impietie to God nor vncharitablenesse to man Thirdly as in a witnesse is required Age 3 Aetas in so much as a childe is not admitted who can neither feele the working of a lying soule or the danger of a false testimonie or is caried more by affection than by iudgement so if thou beest childish more diligently attending vpon the butterflies babies and rattles of this world than thy owne reflecting vpon thy selfe to present iustly thy owne estate to God take thy hand from the booke thou art no fit witnesse But if thou art growne to a full age in Christ and canst discouer the hid man of the heart in thee who will easily giue a true testimonie of his owne estate then come before the Iudge of heauen and earth and speake thy minde 4 Discretio Fourthly as in a witnesse is required discretion for an Idiot or mad man is not fit he is not his owne man and therefore he cannot freely giue himselfe to the King and the countrey in any faithfull seruice so if thou be a beast by knowledge Gal. 3.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the foolish Galatians without
actiuitie it was in sinning we rushed into wickednesse as a horse into the battaile we drunke iniquitie like as the wilde Asse doth water But now our heat is much abated As it was with Iob when God had brought him to see himselfe hee was cold in his pleadings against God and said Once haue I spoken but I will answer no more Iob 39.38 yea twice but I will proceed no further so it is with all Gods people so that if euer they fall into sinne againe they are very buâ—glers at it they cannot hide it and colour it as they did before they cannot giue it the full strength and force of will and affections yea as there is great difference betwixt the naturall worke of a childe and of a man so is there no lesse difference betwixt sinne in the childe of God in whom it waxeth more cold euery day than other and in the wicked who is a man in sinning and in whom it is vigorous and like the Leuiathan in the sea in its owne proper element Secondly sinne must as it were stinke in our nostrils It must be like Lazarus in the graue Iohn 11. of whom it was said he stinketh alreadie As therefore Dauids enemies said to him Fie vpon thee fie vpon thee so must we with loathing say to sinne The Prophet speaking of those that should be true conuerts from Idolatrie Esay 30.22 saith Yee shall pollute the couerings of the Images of siluer and the rich ornament of thine Images of gold and cast them away as a menstruous clout and thou shalt say vnto it Get thee hence Thus muâ—t all true Conuerts deale with all sin If the righteous man can smell sin and iniquity euen in his holy offerings Exod. â—8 38 â—â—aâ—â—4 â— in which respect our righteousnes is as a menstruous and polluted cloth how much more must a penitent man smell hell in his sinne to make him to abhorre it for euermore Me thinkes now my beloued I haue laid a glasse before you wherein you may view your soules God make it to cause a comfortable â—eflexion vpon you that yee may see your owne pictures My hope is that the more yee view it the more yee shall see that it is none other but what yee feelingly and from experience finde to be wrought in you alreadie towards the eternall death of your cursed enemie 2 Viuification Yet yee must goe one step further as I haue told you for as sinne must die and perish so grace must liue and florish The second gift therefore which we doe receiue in our grafting into Christ 2 Cor. 4.10 â—pheâ— 4.18 1 Pet. 4.2 is a new life This is called the life of Iesus and the life of God and liuing after the will of God and Christs liuing in vs liuing vnto God â—al 2.20 Rom. â— â—7 and obeying from the heart vnto the forme of doctrine to which we are deliuered and the like Looke as when there shall be a new heauens and a new earth wherein righteousnesse shall dwell as Peter speaketh there shall be a new life â— Pet 3.13 and a new mâ—nner of liuing for wee shall not need the ordinarie supplies in this world for our necessities or infirmities when the Lambe shall be all in all vnto vs so when wee are new creatures in Christ Iesus wee doe receiue a new life and a new manner of liuing The old course of sinning cannot agree with this estate Rom. 8.1 He that is in Christ must not walke after the flesh but after the spirit Hence is it that Christ saith He that abideth in mee and I in him Iohn 15.5 the same bringeth forth much fruit And Iohn doth strongly second it saying If we say that we haue fellowship with him 1 Iohn 1.6 and walke in darknesse we lie As therefore when we looke vpon the Impes which we haue grafted and see them bring forth bud leafe and fruit we reioyce in the worke of our hands and say they take well so when we looke vpon our selues who are grafted into Christ Philip. 1.11 and see that wee bring forth the fruits of râ—ghteousnesse which are by Iesus wee may reioyce in the worke of Gods hands who hath wrought all our workes for vs and say that we take well Esay 26.12 The Spirit of Christ which in our grafting into him he conueigheth vnto vs is a Spirit of life it is an actiue and operatiue Spirit Rom. 8.2 in which respect the second Adam is called a quickening Spirit What must we doe now I will tell you 1 Cor. 15.45 Seeing those that are new creatures in Christ must liue a new life therefore euery one of vs must trie whether we haue this new life in vs yea or no. I know that the newest life wee can procure cannot deserue Gods presence and fauour yet by Gods gratious acceptation it giues a fit qualification for the entertainment of such a guest as God is For if to bring vs vnto Kings we must not be base and sordid in our persons and conuersations yea we must be acquainted with fit complements for such a presence for Mordecai might not enter into the Kings gate when hee was clothed with sackcloth Host 4.2 much more must we be furnished with fit complements and qualities for the presence of God in Christ and to haue communion and fellowship with him How wee may discouer this new liâ—e Lift we vp our hearts then and let vs consider whether we haue this life in vs yea or no. It may be you will say How shall we know whether we haue this new life of the new creature I answer that this may be discouered vnto vs two waies 1. By our aptnesse in procuring the helps of life 2. By our imployment of our strength in the acts of life First Where there is the life of grace there is an aptnesse to preserue it selfe by procuring the helpes of life Now these helpes doe either respect our selues Helpes of a new life or our enemies That which respects our selues is fit maintenance for grace Fit maintenance Grace thriues not where it cannot bee maintained and wheresoeuer it is it will seeke for more As I said before that in the very entrance of our new birth We will as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word so at that time when our ingrafting into Christ is more manifested vnto our consciences wee still ayme at meanes to maintaine and preserue it Oh how doe we pray to God That God would stablish vs by his free Spirit Psal 51. and not take his holy Spirit from vs How doe we pant vnto God That hee would grant vs according to the riches of his glory â—â—hes 3.16 17. that wee may be strengthened by the Spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith and that wee may bee rooted and grounded in loue How doe we hunger and thirst after
Diana for Ephesus So Rome hath Saint Iames for Spaine Saint Dennis for France Saint Peter and Paul for Rome Saint Ambrose for Millane Saint Marke for Venice the three Kings for Collen Saint Lewis for Pannonia and Saint Mary for Heluetia And as the Heathens had guardians for the Elements as Iupiter for the Heauen and Fire Iuno for the Aire Neptune for the Sea and Pluto for the Earth So Rome hath Saint Agatha for the Fire Saint Nicholas for the Sea and Saint Theodulus for Tempests And as the Heathens had guardians for the Fruits of the earth as Bacchus for Wine and Ceres for Fruit So Rome hath Saint Iodocus for Fruits and Saint Vrbanus for Wine And as the Heathens had guardians for their Cattell as Apollo and Pan So Rome hath Saint Wendaline for Sheepe Saint Eulogius for Horse Saint Pelagius for Oxen and Saint Anthony for Swine And as the Heathens had their protectors for Trades Arts and Sciences as Minerua for Learning Vulcan for Smiths Aesculapius for Physitians Mars for Warriours Diana for Hunters Castor and Pollux for Sea-faring-men and Flora Venus and Lupa for Harlots So Rome hath Saint Catherine and Gregorie for Schollars Saint Luke for Painters Saint Cosmas for Physitians Saint Maurice for Souldiers Saint Eulogius for Carpenters Saint Crispine for Shoo-makers Saint Gutmane for Taylors Saint Magdalen and Afra for Harlots And lastly as the Heathens had their guardians against Diseases as Apollo against the Plague Lucina against the paines of Womens trauailes and Hercules against the Falling-sicknesse So Rome hath Saint Sebastian against the Plague Saint Petronel against an Ague Saint Marke against sudden Death Saint Margaret against the paines of Womens labours S. Otilia against the diseases of the Eyes S. Apollonia against the Tooth-ache and the like The consideration of all these and many other obiects of Idolatrie none of which were of Gods making hath made me many times to search into the cause of Religion and to striue both with my selfe and others that all insinuating Idolatrie being laid aside and abhorred the truth may take place both in our heads and hearts I know that deepe decisions of controuersies are not so easily apprehended in our ordinary assemblies I haue sought therefore to bring the truth vnto the easiest triall in remouing such ordinary exceptions as it is subiect vnto by the wise men of the world Whatsoeuer it be I doe offer it vnto both your hands desiring God that it may confirme you in the truth of our true Religion It shall be my reioycing to see you and yours alwaies walking in the truth and so humbly resigning your selues to the diuine wisdome of Gods word both for the direction of your soules and bodies that God may neuer haue iust cause to giue you ouer to Schisme Heresie Vanitie or any other wickednesse whatsoeuer Euen so humbly prayeth he who hath some few yeeres had experience of your great loue and who desireth to continue Your faithfull Shepherd ROBERT ABBOT THE TRIAL OF True Religion IAMES 1.27 Pure Religion and vndefiled before God euen the Father is this to visit the fatherlesse and widowes in their aduersitie and to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world IT is well obserued by Diuines that the Apostles in planting and watering the Churches of Christ laboured two things especially First the plaine and powerfull deliuerie of the mysteries of Faith both by word and writing thaâ— so both Iewes and Gentiles might be brought to embrace them Secondly the plaine and powerfull expressing and pressing of the obedience of Faith and such a life as becommeth the Gospell of Christ Iesus In both these kindes Paul was excellent but in the latter he was more briefe thorow all his Epistles The other Apostles were more briefe in the doctrine of Faith and in the duties of Christian profession more large and plentiful Saint Peter principally laboureth for pietie patience and constancie against false apostles Saint Iohn for the loue of God and of the Saints Saint Iude against false teachers and hypocrites And this our Apostle Iames laboureth for patience vnder the Crosse and a Christian life In the performance whereof as Dâ—uines doe well agree wee meet with something which doth not occurre in the writings of the other Apostles None doth so clearely deliuer the cause of sinne the necessary issue of workes from iustifying faith the concatenation and vnion of the whole Law the imperfection of humane righteousnesse from the miscariage of the tongue our dependance vpon the prouidence of God euen in ciuill things and the carriage of sicke persons in those miraculous times In these points I say this Apostle carrieth away the bell from the rest The principall point in this Epistle doth seeme to be this That with the faith of Christ Christian workes are to be ioyned Wherein we must walke to the end of our Faith which is the saluation of our soules The principall reason whereby he vrgeth it is this because the faith of Christ which in securitanes is falsely so called without Christian life is but a dead carkasse or vaine shadow of faith and not a liuing faith or that Spirit of Faith which the Apostle speaketh of Hence therefore doth he take occasion to vrge to diuers parts of Christian life and good conuersation In this Chapter he treateth of three points First of the temptations of Christians both outward by afflictions and inward by lusts Secondly of the hearing and doing of the Word of God and thirdly in the two last verses of true and false religion In the first of which hee shewes what religion is in vaine in the second of which he shewes what religion will beare the touch and triall Wee haue to doe with the second at this time wherein religion is described First by the affections properties or adiuncts of it when it is said to be pure and vndefiled before God And secondly by the fruits and effects of it and those both towards others while it workes vs to visit the fatherlesse and widowes in aduersitie as also in our selues who haue it while it workes vs to keepe our selues vnspotted of the world To conceiue aright of these things for our further vse and benefit I must open vnto you First the thing spoken of and secondly that which is spoken of it The thing spoken of is Religion and is so called either from our reading againe the defaced or new written law in our hearts Relegendo of which writing Ieremy speaketh saying Ier. 31.33 I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts or from our knitting to God againe from whom wee had made a cursed defection Religando because in our regeneration wee are by faith vnited vnto him againe in Christ Iesus or else from our choosing of God againe to bee our God and master Reeligendo when we doe renounce the world the flesh and the deuill This religion signifieth here that worship and seruice which is
ignorance was ineuitable as also because they practised according to that Christian knowledge which then was attainable and sinned not wilfully as we doe against that glorious light which God doth now offer in the ministerie of his most holy word Thirdly considering that our fore-fathers acts are no sufficient warrant for vs wee notwithstanding our reuerence vnto them dare not sweare to their sayings and admit of a blinde imitation of their actions without triall but with a holy anger against that cursed apostasie which misled our deare predecessors and brought them to some acts of superstition we bring them to the touchstone of Gods word and wherein he will haue vs leaue them we follow God and humbly thanke him for that reuelation wherein he will giue vs leaue to goe with them we cheerefully follow them blessing the same God who made them such faithfull guides Thus I feare I haue beene too long in striuing to root out the conceits of noueltie and vnnaturalnesse in those truths which our writings will present vnto you But hauing so good proofe of both your loues vnto me I doubt not but either of you and both of you will spare so much time as may afford diligent reading and obseruation of what is written As for the Writer yee may haue a more complementall not a more heartie well-willer As for the subiect of my writing as Terentius a noble Captaine in daies of old when he saw his petition which he put vp for the Christians to be torne in peeces by the Emperor gathered vp the tottered shreds and said I seeke neither houses nor lands gold nor gaine but a Church So haue I wholly aimed at Conscience and a Church the Church of God amongst vs. What shall I now say To you Sir as Occham said to the Emperour in another case and kinde when he was vexed with the Popes ambition Tu me defende gladio ego te defendam verbo Defend me with your sword and I will defend and second you by the Word the Spirits sword To you Madame as Paul to the Hebrewes Pray for vs Hebr. 13.18 for we are assured that we haue a good conscience in all things willing to liue honestly To you both liue to your selues liue to yours liue to the Church of God amongst vs. So shall hee with more cheare put vp your suits to God who alreadie is much and desires to be more bound vnto your Worships and shall rest Your faithfull Shepherd to vse in any thing within the compasse of his office ROBERT ABBOT TO THOSE CHRISTIAN Readers of whose reading I am well assured euen to my deare and louing Parishioners of Cranebrooke in Kent THE GOD of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus Heb. 13.20 21. the great Shepherd of the sheepe through the bloud of the euerlasting Couenant make you all perfect in all good workes to doe his will working in you that which is pleasant in his sight through Iesus Christ our Lord. Though I cannot say with Paul to the Galathians I beare you record that if it had beene possible Gal. 4.15 yee would haue plucked out your owne eyes and haue giuen them me Yet out of a taste of the singular loue and respect which yee haue had vnto me for my workes sake 1 Thess 5.13 I can with good conscience greet you as the same Apostle doth the Philippians My brethren beloued and lonâ—ed for my ioy Phil 4.1 and my crowne and doe beseech you to continue in the Lord yee beloued Yee see that in publishing these Sermons I doe offer my selfe vnto publike censures In so good a cause I only desire to be found faithful 1 Cor. 4.2 3. and then I care little to be iudged by mans iudgement I know that some of the things which I write of are commonly knowne 2 Pet. 1.12 13 14 15. yet I will not be vnmindfull to put you in remembrance of what yee haue knowledge and of that truth wherein yee are alreadie established And though I cannot say that the time is at hand that I must lay downe this my Tabernacle yet I thinke it meet so long as am in it to stirre you vp yea and to endeuour that you may haue in remembrance the secret of the Gospell euen after my departure 1 Tim. 3.16 For I haue not followed deceiueable fables but the mysterie of godlinesse which may helpe you with or hold you out a right hand of fellowship to keepe out sinne and Antichrist I haue no dominion ouer your faith 2 Cor. 1.24 yet am I vnder God a helper of your ioy Gal. 3.7 In which respect yee haue runne well and yee doe well in that in my weake but by Gods fauour willing Ministery yee haue and doe take heed vnto the most sure word of the Prophets 2 Pet. 1.19 as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place Iames 1.21 and as to that good word of God which is able to saue your soules 2 Thess 1.11 12 And I desire to pray alwaies for you that our God may make you worthy of his calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodnesse and the worke of faith with power That the name of our Lord Iesus Christ may be glorified in you and you in him according to the grace of our God 1 Thess 2.19 20 For what is my hope or ioy or crowne of reioycing Are not euen ye in the presence of our Lord Iesus at his comming Yea yee are my glory and ioy And therefore because one desire of mine is to keepe out sinne I will pray againe for you Ephes 3.14 Vers 16. and bow my knees vnto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory that yee may be strengthned by his Spirit in the inner man Vers 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith Oh how vnwillingly should I say of you with the Apostle Gal. 4.11 1 Cor. 6.15.19 I am in feare of you lest I haue bestowed on you labour in vaine Know yee not that your bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost in you and the members of Christ Phil. 2.1 2. If therefore there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of loue if any fellowship of the Spirit if any compassion and mercie fulfill my ioy In thinking vpon and doing whatsoeuer things are true Philip. 4.8 whatsoeuer things are honest whatsoeuer things are iust whatsoeuer things are pure whatsoeuer things pertaine to loue whatsoeuer things are of good report or if there be any other vertue I know that in times past yee were foolish Titus 3.3 disobedient deceiued seruing the lusts and diuers pleasures liuing in maliciousnesse and enuy hatefull and hating one another But it is sufficient yea too too much for you 1 Pet. 4.3 that ye haue spent the time past of your liues after the lusts of the Gentiles walking in wantonnesse lusts drunkennesse in gluttony drinkings and in abominable securitie Now therefore dearely beloued 1
ministeriall head ouer all the world both for order and iurisdiction ouer all Bishops all Christians to set out the rule of faith lawes dispensations ouer all the world to trample vpon kings and to decree them to butchery or honour as they serue for the good of the Catholike cause Now how this and the like stuffe can bee inferred from the words of Christ to Peter to vphold their monarchicall head I would intreat you to call your best Logicke to an account and to doe your best to iudge Secondly because the Pope pleades more for himselfe than he doth for him from whom he pretends to receiue deputation He is like an vnfaithfull friend who being sent to speake a good word speakes one for his friend and two for himselfe For what is it that doth imbroyle the whole Christian world more than the Popes monarchie All kingdomes must be at his dispose that so such Princes as he can traine vp in dull ignorance may through ambition be prouoked to be his white sonnes that they may attaine to great honours and other mens inheritances vnder him All must be Hereticks that are not within his Pale The word of God must depend vpon his allowance Scripture must be no Scripture except he looke fauourably vpon it and giue it what sense pleaseth him Kings must be no Kings if it pleaseth him to excommunicate them and we must be no ministers because our calues are cow-calues as that blessed Martyr Woodman answered the Bishop of Chichester who wanted the Popes Bull to consecrate or confirme him in his Bishopricke with many other prettie toyes Thirdly because all the notes of the great Antichrist that are in Scripture doe agree to him to wit the Pope as is maintained to his face by our dread Soueraigne and the reuerend Father Bishop Downame in his treatise of Antichrist and in his Diatriba of the same subiect It is true indeed they would make vs beleeue that his chayre is made of Irish wood to which no copwebs of falshood can cleaue nor any venomous creature come neere without death and that his Church is like that which the mariners built in Illiria to Saint Iohn de Maluatia whose very morter was tempered with malmsey a sweet and precious Church but all the water in Tyber will not wash off that imputation except he doe penance for his ambition and opposition and become such a Bishop as the primitiue godly Fathers were Fourthly because it cannot be shewed that Christ hath appointed the Pope to be his Vicar hee often speaketh of the Holy Ghost as when he saith Ioh. 14.26 The Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things and againe When he is come which is the Spirit of truth Ioh. 16.13 hee will lead you into all truth but he neuer speaketh of the Pope If he doe let him shew it if he doe not let him consider how hatefull it is for a man to put himselfe into such high commissions without warrant from God and how iustly wee may lay this in his dish No man taketh this honour but he that is called of God as Aaron was Thus I hope you perceiue that we cannot be assured that that is the true Church whereof the Pope is the head Vse Oh therefore my beloued countrey-men leane not to him and to his politicke apostasie lift vp your heads and behold by faith the bowing pillars of his proud monarchy All his diuine vnction cannot foresee nor all his keyes and swords helpe himselfe from that miserie which the Kings of the earth who are and shall fall from him shall bring vpon him As therefore Moselanus a Iew when hee had killed a fowle whose flight the hoast of Alexander expected to prognosticate good or euill successe by said vnto them What a foule shame is it for so many worthy men to seeke knowledge of her that knew not what should happen to her selfe So say I What a shame is it for so many wise men to seeke wisdome and direction from him who is not wise enough for himselfe but rageth now like the deuill because his time is but short and yet cannot see it Surely as he that died of the bite of a weasell lamented because it was not a Lion so will such at the last lament that they haue fallen by that weake one though neuer so great in the eyes of his flatterers whose very throne shall fall as a milstone into the sea to wit with great violence noyse horrour and trouble to the world But now you will say Put case that we account Iesus Christ our head yet if we are not of his body we are not of that Church whereof he is the head It is true therefore that you may know your selues to be of the body I must goe two steps further Richar. Transire in Christum et coalescere cum Christo Membra secundum praescientiam et sâ—cundum praesentem iusticiam First I must shew you how God doth fit vs to be made one with our head and to be members of his body We are falsly charged to require inward qualifications of holinesse in euery member of the Church for there are members in Gods Book before calling as well as such as are called and of such as are called there are members by profession which do admit of a cutting off yet if we would assure our hearts that we are so in the Church as wee are also of it Membra 1. Numero 2. Merito et electione ut corruptè à scholasticis pro opere et electione we must be inwardly coapted and fitted to be made one with him Now for this fitting of vs for our head it must be by three actions of our good and mercifull God First God must cut vs from the wilde oliue that is he must separate vs from corrupted Adam as we are borne after his cursed image To this end God giueth vs by the law a sight of some one sinne which hath haply made deepest gashes in our consciences together with the punishment due vnto it At which sight we suspecting what all our sins may deserue if God shall muster them together through compunction of heart we are brought to a detestation of our former estate and so to a casting off of our transgressions that we may not die Secondly God must pare vs to put vs into the true oliue Christ by humiliation when we see how fearefully wee lie liable to Gods iustice we despairing of all helpe and comfort elsewhere doe humbly lay our selues downe at Gods feet to bee disposed to shame sorrow feare confession prayer and application of spirituall reasons to our carnall hearts to mortifie and dead our corruptions according to Gods Word Thirdly God must ingraft vs into Christ How is this When by the power of the Word and Spirit he doth worke faith in our hearts by which wee comparing the bottomlesse pit of our sinful estate with the height length bredth
till it hath brought vs downe to the desperation of hell Thus we haue passed the generalls of this reasoning In reasoning there is first the to descend now vnto the particulars wee shall first meet with the proposition which is the first part of reasoning wherein wee doe propound and beare witnesse vnto that truth which is made knowne vnto vs. 1 Proposition Whence I offer this point to be considered that In our selues there is a witnesse which will propound the truth according to knowledge From hence is it that Paul ioyneth these two together to wit the knowledge of God and the knowledge of our owne hearts 1. Cor. 2.11 No man knoweth what is in man saue God and the spirit that is the conscience From this witnessing power Dauid saith Psal 51.3 My sinne is euer before me and the brethren of Ioseph were compelled to vtter this speech Wee verily sinned against our brother Gen. 42.21 in that wee saw the anguish of his soule when he besought vs and we would not heare him therefore is this trouble come vpon vs. Yea and God himselfe implying this power vnto Kain Gen. 4. saith Sinne lieth at the doore Sinne lieth at the doore What is that We ordinarily looke vnto one of these three senses either the punishment of sinne is at hand for amongst the Hebrew sinne is taken for the punishment of sinne as Christ is said To be sinne for vs 2 Cor. 5.21 or else thy sinne is not secret for thou shalt be no more able to conceale it than that which doth lie at the doore in euery ones view or else the conscience of thy sinne shall forthwith fly vpon thee because the witnessings and twinges of the conscience doe ineuitably follow sinne But if wee take all these three together they make one intire sense as if God should say Kain thou canst not so hide thy sinne from mee but that it will inwardly fret and gnaw vpon thy conscience and outwardly draw speedie vengeance But more fully to open this witnessing power of conscience I would consider foure points First Whether wee in our courses can lie hid from our consciences I answer for a time wee may both through the weaknesse of nature when the naturall conscience doth not take notice of sinne Acts 15. as when the Gentiles accounted fornication a thing indifferent when the people of Calicute and Narsinga doe without regret worship the deuill when we walke in the waies of our Fathers whether good or bad without checke and the like as also by the iust iudgement of God when he doth giue vs ouer for our sins to hardnesse of heart and to a cauterized conscience as the Gentiles Rom. 1. who because they did not glorifie God with their naturall knowledge were giuen ouer to vnnaturall sinnes Yet wee shall not alwaies sleepe thus securely it will looke vpon vs with a witnesse and speake so loud in our eares that we shall see a map of our miseries as Theodoricus did the face of Symachus whom he had murthered in a fish-head on his table and shall make vs leaue behinde vs such a desperate will when wee die as English Hubertus did who had beene a couetous oppressor I yeeld my goods to the King my bodie to the graue my soule to the deuill The second point is this to consider seeing we cannot lie hid from our consciences what conscience doth witnesse I answer It witnesseth both our sins and our righteousnesse As for our sinnes this is that ancient officer of God whereby he doth reproue vs and set our sinnes in order before vs. If wee sinne in our thoughts Psal 50.21 conscience taketh notice of it for as we will say for our owne cleering In my conscience I did not so much as thinke it so Paul said of the Gentiles their thoughts accused or excused them Rom. 2. yea and those that are come from the knowledge of conscience to the feeling of it can with griefe tell that conscience doth thus If we sin in our wills and affections conscience taketh notice of it As Paul saith Rom. 9.1 My conscience beareth mee witnesse by the Holy Ghost that I haue great heauinesse for you So on the contrary if his will and affections had not beene carried the right way his conscience would haue beene vpon the backe of him for it as we see in his reluctâ—tion betweene the flesh and the spirit Rom. 7.15 I allow not that which I doe yea what I hate that I doe If we sinne in our words conscience presently heareth therefore Solomon obseruing it saith Take no heed to all words for oftentimes thine owne heart knowes that thou hast also cursed others If we sinne in our actions conscience will not ouerpasse them It told Iudas that hee had sinned in betraying innocent bloud and makes infinite complainâ—s and conâ—essions in all sorts of people at some times or other Seâ—ondly as for oâ—r righteousnesse conscience doth witnesse our sonship as the Apostle saith Rom. 8.16 The spirit of Goâ— beareth witnesse with our spirit that wee are the children of God as also our new obedience and holinesse For this wâ— see plaine in the example of Paul Heb. 13.18 2 Cor. 1.12 Act. 23.1 whose conscience told hiâ— That hee was willing in all things to liue honestly that in simplicitie and godly purenesse he had his conuersation in the world and that in all good conscience he serued God In the third place if it be demanded how the conscience doth witnesse I answer that you that feele it know and from my feeling I expresse it thus The vnderstanding is the spy to informe from that light which it doth receiue either from Nature or from the Word of God the Memorie is the recorder of the court within for all the passages of mans life we cannot in this kinde learne the art of forgetfulnesse for though wee may seeme to forget it for a time as the sonnes of Iacob did the selling of Ioseph yet in day of affliction houre of death and day of iudgement our reckonings will be bleeding new and then this diuine power doth take a view of our whole liues and from that office which God hath giuen it witnesse truly and bring to passe all our doings as in the sight and presence of God If now in the fourth place you will aske me Why the conscience doth in these reasonings as a witnesse propound the truth I answer In two respects First In respect of God that God may bee manifested to be a iust God in his proceedings There aâ—e many secret sinnes which no man in the world can witnesse for which if God should proceed against vs he might seeme vniust To the end therefore that God might be cleered in the day of vengeance hee hath set a witnesse within our selues which will not lie Secondly In respect of our selues because it might be of excellent vse through the whole course of our
to that of the Prophet Oh thou that art drunken but not with wine so sobrietie is not onely shewed in the moderating of the appetite in the vse of drinkes but in a repressing of our account and loue and libertie to all outward things as meats drinks and clothing houses and lands profits and pleasures of what kinde soeuer When wee looke vpon them and vse them as a sicke man who is dieted doth his victuals to cure the ineuitable miseries of this life that is moderately When we so behold them as our inward peace is not hindered by any of the worlds glories and that sweet contentment which we should haue in God is not abated nor our hearts so bewitched with any outward thing as to be wrought not to make that account of God and godlinesse which we should It is as it were a second nature to the things of this world which haue a cunning merchant about them that is the Deuill to set them forth to our greatest disaduantage to bewitch our soules and to gaine ground of vs daily but when we can possesse them as if we possessed them not and vse them as if we vsed them not and being assisted with power from on high preserue our inward peace and comfort in God and godlinesse in thâ— midst of the confluence of all outward thingâ— this is Sobriety Vse 2 Thus wee see wherein it standeth Now in the second place to stir vs vp to practise sobrietie consider 4. things Motiues to Sobriety First by this meanes wee shall learne to liue without these outward supplies If we should haue no meats nor drinks no houses nor lands no profits nor pleasures yet if we had beene formerly sober we should be the better able to liue such a life during Gods pleasure Behold when the end of all things is come all these outward supplies shall be taken from vs. Gods consuming fire shall consume our clothes that should couer our nakednesse our meats that should satisfie our hunger our drinks that should quench our thirst our houses and lands gold and gaine which filled vs with inward pride and outward contentment What shall wee doe in such a case How will the glutton fast who hath fatted the prison walls of his soule with varietie of delicates How will the drunkard endure thirst who hath made himselfe liue the life of a flie by his continuall sucking How will the proud man endure nakednesse before the throne of God who hath made a continuall sinne of the couer of his shame How will the couetous man endure pouertie who hath made his siluer his hope and red clay his confidence Surely it must needs be with great griefe and vexation of spirit Oh therefore to preuent this miserie let vs be sober Secondly by this meanes we shall shew our selues to be such as delight in God and therefore such as shall be rich when all outward things are perished from off the face of the earth Hee that surfets of the things of this world either in minde or in heart either in affection or in action doth either make the world his God or his belly his God or his backe his God and so goeth a whoring after other Gods But he that is sober reserues his heart for God will not clog himself with the chains fetters of this world no tho of gold that so he may haue his conuersatioÌ„ in heauen And how can such a man feare that God hath not reserued a place for him in heauen Therfore be sober Thirdly By this meanes we shew our selues not to delight in the world In truth we haue no cause to set our hearts vpon it For if wee respect worldly things themselues they are as well in the hands of those whom God hates aâ— whom he loues and what wise honest woman will set her heart vpon beauty when God giues it to a strumpet as well as to her If we doe respect our selues we are either fooles or children as naturall men wee are fooles and so the world is too apt to draw vs to behang and dresse our selues all our times with the weake and powerlesse flowers of profits pleasures and honours of this life as we are better men we are but children and so we are too too apt to catch the butterflies of this world and to quench the spirit with the bitter waters of worldly contentments If wee respect others they trust in their goods saith Dauid and boast themselues in the multitude of their riches yet a man can by no meanes redeeme his brother he cannot giue his ransome to God that he may liue still for euer Psal 49.6 7 9. and not see the graue If we respect our Christ hee is not come vnto by any thing in this life but by faith Non qâ—aeritur Christus argento sed fide and if we haue faith then as a penny purse with a most precious Iewell is better than the richest purse that is empty so the most despicable man who hath faith in his heart is more precious than he who hath all the trappings of the worlds wantons without it Seeing then that wee haue so little cause to loue the world oh that we would shew it And how can wee doe it better than when wee restraine our hearts from it by sobrietie Rowze wee vp our hearts therefore Suffer them not to rot with wallowing in the dung of this life All creatures haue their place in the great workmanship of God according to their worth and dignitie the Angels in heauen the Sunne Moone and Stars in the firmament the Elements as they are more pure superiour one to another the dearely beloued mettals gold and siluer in the intrals of the most grosse creature the Earth and doe we thinke that we are put into the earth to hunt and hunger after earthly things No No this is not our proper place we looke for a Citie whose Maker and Builder is God here is but the place of our banishment Heauen is our home Oh therefore let vs bee sober Fourthly by this meanes wee shall better attaine to watchfulnesse When a mans belly is full his bones would be at rest hee is vnfit to watch therefore Christ saith Take heed lest at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life Luke 21.34 lest that day come vpon you at vnawares So when a man is full fed of things of this life his soule is readie to sleepe and snort in securitie Whereas euen as a spare diet doth make vs lesse sleepie so sobrietie is a great meanes to watchfulnesse which is the next vse which is to be pressed as the Apostle saith Be sober and watch Vse 2 In the second place therefore seeing the end of all things is at hand And watch let vs be exhorted in the feare of God to watch Now because watchfulnesse doth referre it selfe vnto two heads of Diuinitie first to Faith and secondly to Loue or first to
is able to receiue it for the nourishment of his soule which communion doth in this differ from a bare spirituall communion Signis adhibitis vel non that all sacramentall communion is spirituall but all spirituall is not sacramentall because this is in the lawfull vse of Gods signes to this purpose So we haue a spirituall fellowship with Chirst when the spirit of God doth apply Christ vnto vs by faith and doth so bring home and concorporate him vnto vs that from the fountaine of his holinesse in whom all fulnesse dwelleth we finde our selues inclined and quickned to all holy obedience and can feelingly say That in that we forsake sinne it is from the power of Christ and in that wee purpose and endeuour good it is by the same power also And of this spirituall communion doth the Apostle speake in this place The fourth phrase is in these words I liue in the flesh He doth not say that he liued of the flesh or after the flesh as if he danced after natures pipe but In the flesh As all are not Israel that are in Israel so all are not of the flesh or after the flesh that are in the flesh What therefore is it to liue in the flesh It is to liue in the body for as flesh is taken for corrupted man when the Apostle saith That flesh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdome of heauen and for the corruption of man as when the holy Ghost saith The flesh lusteth against the spirit so is flesh taken for the body of man by an elegancy of speech when a member is taken for all the parts integrall or for the whole And thus it is taken in this place I liue in the body The fifth hard phrase is in these words I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God What doth he meane by this I liue by faith which doth its right office to spie out to run vnto and to receiue the Sonne of God For whereas vpon the former speech that Iesus liued in him it might be said Must not the heauens containe him Yes saith the Apostle for he liueth in me by faith not by sight But you will say why is it called the faith of the Sonne of God Not because wee should conceiue that faith which Iesus Christ had in himselfe but that faith in vs whereby he is had and possessed of vs and is so called for three reasons First because the Sonne of God hath purchased it for vs. The Father would not haue willed it vs the Holy Ghost would not haue wrought it in vs if Christ had not bought it for vs. Secondly because only the Son of God in Christ doth make our faith to be lawfull and laudable As Christ is man he is a creature and we must not flie to any creature for life and saluation and therefore not beleeue in him This then is it which makes our faith in him to be warrantable that hee is the onely Sonne of God Thirdly because it is not beleefe in any other person in the diuine nature that doth conueigh life vnto vs. As veines arteries sinewes muscles and the like doe not conueigh life sense and motion into the parts of a mans body but as they doe receiue them from their owne proper head and heart from whence they are shot so faith doth not conueigh spirituall life but as it doth receiue it from our spirituall head Christ Iesus Thus you may see our faith Relativè Obiectivè Instrumentalièr called the faith of Christ in respect of that relation which is betwixt him and it he being the sauing obiect of it and that being the instrument to conueigh life from him to euery beleeuer Thus we haue the seuerall phrases of the Text which in their totall sum make vp the Apostles meaning to be thus much Summe of the Text. Doe not thinke that by the doctrine of Iustâ—fication by faith alone in Christ I doe abolish the doctrine of Sanctification by the same Christ for by vertue of my vnion with Christ by faith I doe finde that from the fountaine of his holinesse out of whose fulnesse I doe receiue grace for grace my sinful lusts are crucified and I perceiue my selfe so quickned in the inner man translated from one glory to another into the Image of God that I dare say It is not I that now liue but my Sauiour who liueth in me by faith whereby hee purifieth my heart to make mee a peculiar Christian to himselfe chosen vnto good workes We hauing now stayed long enough vpon the sense may it please you from the seuerall deductions to desire further benefit And to this end in these words let vs consider two things First Paul his method which is this He was first killed and then he was made aliue Secondly Paul his matter in which he doth in his owne person set downe a double estate of ours First our estate in nature which is implied and may â—e thus expressed that vntill we haue faith we are but dead men For if wee liue only by faith in Christ then before we haue it we are but dead men Secondly our estate in grace which is expressed and may be set downe in three chiefe points of doctrine First that wee haue communion in the death of Christ Secondly that by vertue of this communion we liue by Faith Thirdly that it is from the vertue of Christ that we are quickned vnto all holy obedience To come first to Pauls method we are to obserue that as Paul saith He is crucified before he liueth So We must die before we can be made aliue I might here distinguish betwixt death naturall death ciuill as it is termed in Law death spirituall and death eternall that so I might signifie what death I meane but that it is plaine enough without that labour Only remember that it is one thing to die for sinne as malefactors who are put to death another thing to die in sinne as finally impenitent sinners and another thing to die vnto sinne as the godly In which sense we must die before we can be made aliue As it is with the bodie we must all die or all be changed 1 Cor. 15. before we must liue for euer which the holy Ghost maketh plaine by the similitude of Wheat or some other graine so is it with the soule Hence is it that God doth both exhort vnto this death Coloss 3.5 when he saith Mortifie your earthly members and also promiseth life vpon that death when hee saith Rom. 8.13 If yee mortifie the deeds of the bodie by the Spirit yee shall liue Neither may we wonder at this truth whether we consider the goodnesse of grace or the malice of sinne First if we respect the goodnesse of grace it is expressed by two effectuall words for this purpose For sometimes it is called a Resurrection Apoc. 20.6 Iohn 5.25 as Iohn saith Blessed are those that haue part in the first Resurrection And
a good measure of attainment to the crucifying of sinne and liuing vnto grace and godlinesse In the feare of God let vs now returne into our owne hearts and examine our selues when we are still by these signes to see what proceedings we haue made in passing from death to life that so if we finde our selues to haue part in the first Resurrection we may be assured of our portion in glory to come Hauing thus brought home Paul his method vnto our consciences and knowing that these two things are speciall meanes vnder God to worke it vpon vs to wit the knowledge of our danger and the knowledge of our deliuerance therefore let vs goe on to consider Paul his matter in this Text. In which concerning our miserie implied we are to obserue That without faith we are but dead men If faith in Iesus Christ be our life then without it wee must needs be dead That which God said to Abimelech when he had taken away Sarah Gen. 20. Abrahams wife Thou art but a dead man may be said of all men before their conuersion to God Hence is it that Paul telleth the Ephesians That till Christ came they were dead in sinnes and trespasses Ephes 2.1.5 And the Colossians Col 2 13. That till God quickned them with Christ they were dead in sins and in the vncircumcision of the flesh In this respect those Hypocrites who neuer cast their natural hackle Iude vers 12. are said to be twice dead and plucked vp by the roots yea and for this cause Christ accounteth such no better than dead Iohn 8.24 both when he saith Except yee beleeue that I am he yee shall die in your sinnes As also when hee chargeth Sardi to be dead Apoc. 3.1 and biddeth that cold disciple to follow him Matth. 8.22 and let the dead burie the dead that is let those who for want of faith are spiritually dead in sinne attend vpon the funerals of those who are corporally dead for sinne Neither is this obscurely signified by the Ancients when they doe compare a sinner who goeth on in his naturall course to Lazarus who had beene dead foure daies The first by the lust of sinne the second by consent to sinne the third by the practise of sinne and the fourth by custome in sinne Consuetudo peccandi tollit sensum peccati when vse in sinning doth take away the sense of sinne as in a starke dead man We will not wonder that without faith we should be in no better case if we shall consider the fit resemblances betweene faithlesse and dead men which may be set downe as so many reasons in forcing this truth First because as in dead men naturall heat is extinguished so that if you bring them to the fire put strong waters into their mouthes rub them chafe them yet no heat appeareth so where there is no faith there is no zeale for heauenly things In their owne quarrels they doe with Nebuchadnezzar heat the fornace seuen times hotter but in the quarrels of God they are key-cold as we say and are frozen vpon the dregs of their owne secure hearts as vpon the Icie Sea Secondly because as dead men are so senslesse that their eyes see not their eares heare not their hands touch not their pallats taste not and their nosthrils smell not so in them who are void of faith their eyes see not from whence they are fallen or into what miserie and danger by sinne and punishment their eares heare not the voice of God that they may be saued God calleth out Awake thou that sleepest stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light but they heare not the voice of this charmer charme he neuer so wisely Thirdly because as dead men smell earthly and are carried downeward to the center without any aptnesse to rise and eleuate themselues so where there is no faith men sauour of nothing but the earth according to that of the Prophet O earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord and are carried downeward like moles and muck-wormes and would be beholding to God if they might alwaies liue here in ease singing Peters song vpon the Mount Master it is good for vs to be here Fourthly because as dead men though they haue no life or sense or motion in them yet they haue their eyes looking vp to heauen except as in Iaacobs case some Ioseph close them so faithlesse men will haue an eye to heauen and lookes to that purpose as Balaam when he desired to die the death of the righteous though they are like the writings of liuing men vpon dead mens tombes or a scrole of Scripture going out of the mouth of a man painted in a Church window or on a wall Fiftly because as dead men are subiect to corruption which made Augustine when he beheld Caesars corps in his sepulchre at Rome say to his mother Monica Behold Caesar fallen to rottennesse his belly burst with swarmes of wormes in the hollow of his head where his christ all eyes stood two hungry toads are feeding his teeth appeare for want of lips to couer them and then he crieth out Where is thy magnificence O Caesar so the faithlesse are corrupt like an apple rotten at the coare like an old doating tree perished at the heart Psal 14. according to that of the Psalmist Corrupt are they and are become abhominable in their wickednesse there is none that doth good no not one Vse 1 Thus we haue taken a view of our miserie in this point and may easily receiue from it both matter of doctrine and practise First for doctrine wee may learne three points First what is the reason that so many heare the word and so few are benefited Truly herein lieth the cause because men want faith and so are dead Call and hollow and whoope in the eare of a dead man pinch and pull him yet he ariseth neuer the sooner and we doe not wonder because he is dead so neither can we wonder that those who are dead in sinnes and trespasses doe not heare the voice of God and liue because they are dead Secondly we learne that we haue no disposition in our selues to faith and goodnesse Alas wee thinke that wee haue faith to please God withall at an houres warning therefore we presume to goe on in sinne till the houre of death But can a dead man command faith in the houre of need I know that when God hath inlightned the vnderstanding and reuealed Iesus Christ the obiect to be receiued and rested in and sanctified our soules by giuing vs the spirit of faith which taketh away our naturall death then we are co-workers with God according to that old and true saying The will being first wrought vpon Voluntas acta agit doth together worke with the first mouer but take a man in his first abilitie and possibilitie to helpe himselfe and the bodie is not lesse able to helpe it selfe without