faine to flie to preserue his life Exod. 2.15 So Paul when he was a Pharisie no man in greater credit nor more commended for being zealous in their religion but when he began to preach Christ crucified then was there none more buffeted by Sathan nor more exposed to contumelies nor in greater perill of his life then he so as once he was faine to bee priuily conueied away by being let downe in a basker Act. 9 25. and a second time to be rescued from the Iewes malice by a Centurion Act. 23.23 And this policy and stratageme of the Diuell is confirmed to vs by our owne experience for when a Minister beginneth to make a conscience and to stand soundly in the doctrine of Christ and the holy life of his Apostles then Sathan stirreth vp instruments to bring his name in question and kindleth such coales as in the end he is either remoued or by the multitude of disgraces made weary of well doing The cause of this in Sathan is two fold first his malice against the Maiesty of God secondly his enuie against the saluation of man For being adiudged to torment he laboureth to be auenged on God his iustice and sinneth against the holy Ghost of purpose to despite God and seekes to disglorifie him by seeking to destroy the seed of the woman Hereupon it is noted that Angels sinning were neuer restored because they sinned without temptation meerely of malice being created excellent and pure spirits But yet howsoeuer Sathan bestirreth him to heape vp the displeasure of the world vpon vs and is euer at our heeles with some floud of waters or other let vs not be discouraged but proceed on in that sanctified course we haue begun for the Lord will either stirre vp the earth to drinke vp our affliction or else our faces shall shine notwithstanding his temptations For Christ till he began to exercise his office was quiet and though he was thus troubled yet ceased he not to performe his worke For the second which is the place he went into the wildernesse partly to imitate that Eliah had done 1. King 19.8 being in the mount of Horeb in the wildernesse and fasting there forty daies but especially to prouoke Sathan the more and to giue him all aduantage that might be that in the end be might shew himselfe the stouter champion And for this cause they that were possessed with diuels were cast into solitary places that the spirits might haue the greater power ouer them Now heerein Christ sheweth his greater courage giuing Sathan as it were leaue to appoint the field and to set downe his weapon like them that being determined and resolute to fight and to trie their manhoods go apart by themselues where they may haue no companie to part them Euen so Christ as a victorious Captaine dealeth where sathan himselfe will chuse that he ouercomming as it were at vneuen weapons it might be an incouragement and confirmation to vs that this was hee who was sent of God to breake the Serpents head and that hath the power to disarme him Where notwithstanding obserue that though Christ who was indeed the stronger did lay himselfe thus open to his enemy yet that this is no example for vs to imagine that we can follow who are lighter then vanity but that we must auoid solitarinesse as much as can be except we will prouoke the diuell for this is the humor that lieth fittest for his temptation when we are destitute of the comfort of company to worke the more violently vpon our affections Heereupon the Philosophers are wont to say and that truly that he which liued alone was either a God or a diuell For the third the guide by which hee was directed thither was the holy Ghost where we learne this comfort that seeing the diuell could not haue tempted Christ but that God by the wisedome of his spirit had so appointed both the time the place and the occasion wee may heereby haue good security giuen vnto vs that since Sathans power is limited and he deales but by commission and all temptations outward and inward are so sent from God that he intermedleth but as an instrument for the hardening of the reprobate and for the triall of the elect and since he hath no absolute power to exercise his tyranny but runneth like a dogge that is chained by the arme of the Lord we may returne this ioy to our soules that though we be compassed with clouds of calamities yet wee shall neuer be temped aboue our measure for hee cannot do it but by permission And since God is the maister of the prize to iudge who fighteth most valiantly if wee feare and tremble before him and walke according to the direction of his spirit prouided alwaies that we tempt him not to trie his goodnesse wee may assure our selues that as hee hath begunne a good worke in vs so hee will end it to the praise of his glory and as Esay 49.24 the iust captiuity shall be deliuered and the pray shall be taken from the tyrant for the Lord is stronger then he and therefore is able and hath better title then he both in creating vs when we were not and in redeeming vs being lost and therefore we shall be victors in this strong man Christ For the fourth the end why hee was tempted which was to sustaine the vttermost assaults Sathan could make by suggestion to seduce him Heere it may seeme strange at first that our Sauiour Christ should bee so farre abased to bee subiect to the temptations of the diuell and to bee directed to it by the spirit of God True it is there was no matter in Christ to worke vpon his nature being fully sanctified from his conception free from all corruption yet hee was apt and capable to be tempted that is it might glaunce as a thought thorough him but it was presently repulsed For such was the state of Adam at first that though he had no inward concupiscence yet hee was such a one as might be tempted to heare and to see if he would but this is the difference it clasped about Adams vnderstanding but it could not possibly lodge with Christ and it is no more disparagement to him thus to be tempted then it was for him to take and assume our flesh Heereupon consider that there be three kinds of motions in the minde of man The first which glaunceth and passeth thorough the minde without any troubling of it at all The second more permanent when somewhat assaults the minde and yet without any consent of the minde The third is that kinde of motion to which the heart consenteth The first of these is against no commandement the second is against the tenth commandement the third against the other nine commandements And this is singular comfort and consolation to vs that Christ was tempted for now we may bee bold to assure our selues that we may powre foorth our soules vnto him and may approach to him in all our
them that be halfe dead through cold euen so the holy Ghost not onely warmeth him that is benummed in his soule but quickeneth him that is starke dead in pleasures and other corruptions of the world and doth kindle in him a holy zeale to the Lords truth and raiseth him vp to the hope of eternall life being before though hee seemed to liue through the dulnesse and obstupefaction of his flesh drouping or rather dead in sinne Fourthly fire giueth light to them that before sat in darknesse and sheweth them the way how to walke so the holy Gost doth enlighten our iudgments and vnderstandings that we may be able to discerne and desire to thirst after that acceptable will of the Lord vnto saluation Secondly consider since the holy Ghost cannot be quenched but where he is how the Apostle writing to the whole Church of Thessalonica assumeth and taketh it as granted that they all had this spirit and this ought to be the generall iudgement of all men so long as a people conforme themselues to the outward obedience and sound of the Gospell to presume and hope the best of all For no doubt many in this Church were accompted Saints which were detestable hypocrites yet in respect of this mingling of the seede and tares together the Apostle medleth not with them leauing that to the last iudgement but signeth them all with this excellent badge of hauing the spirit for so ought it to be vnlesse their sinnes be enormous and notorious and that they sinne and offend with so high a hand as that they refuse the censure of the Church and to be thereby reformed for then they are vtterly to bee cut off and separate from the rest of the Saints And this intermingling of hypocrites and the elect together in the visible church maketh that oftentimes the Apostle in a generall stile disswadeth and dehorteth all from that which can be verified in the wicked onely as when he saith Heb. 3.12 Take heed none of you be so vnfaithfull as to fall from the grace of the liuing God which is true onely in the hypocrite and so doth hee sometimes generally exhort to that which is true onely in the elect as when he saith to the Philippians Worke fourth your saluation with feare and trembling Phil. 2.12 for all the Ministers of God must know that there will alwaies be one Iudas among the Disciples Mat. 26.22 whom Christ onely could discouer but for them that cannot see the heart they must offer the cup of grace to all for the tares cannot be seuered from the wheat till that great day of separation come when then the Lord by his Angels shall cut vs all downe and shall binde the tares in bundles by themselues to be cast from the Lords floore into perpetuall tormenting flaming fire Againe learne since the spirit must not be quenched that it followeth of necessity euery one of Gods children must haue it and think it so far from shame as they must esteeme it to be their onely victory and crowne that they do enioy it For first by this spirit there is made a distinction and differnce betweene vs and the reprobate and it is like the bloud Exod. 12.22 that was stricken vpon the doore tops which shall make the Lord to passe ouer vs and not to suffer the destroier to come neare vs when he goeth to smite the Egyptians and as Paul saith 2. Cor. 13.5 The spirit of God is in vs all except we be reprobates Secondly from this spirit we receiue direction whereby to guide the steps and actions of our life that we snarle not at the Ministers like dogs nor runne after the world like Demas 2. Tim. 4.10 Thirdly in this spirit we reape such comfort as all the lightsome pleasures of this life are but as shadowes and all the burdensome profit of this life of no value in respect of that ioy wee take to be transformed into the image of the sonne of God wherby the slanderous speeches and impious and sacrilegious scurrility of some is notably condemned who in scorne and derision doe call such as are fearefull to offend and doe tremble and quake at the name of sinne men of the spirit Puritanes precise and such like they themselues shrinking vp sinne in a narrow scantling as if none offended but they that lie in the goale But what is he that hauing a waspe about him will stay till he be stung and not auoide it at the first buzzing What is he when he hath roome inough that will ride vpon the edge of a pit and venture his falling Nay 1. Thes 5.22 it must be the wisedome of the Saints of God to flie as far from sinne as can be and as the Apostle saith to shun all apparence of euill and we must not be fraighted from the rule of conscience nor from walking in a strait course of religion by any such prophane and vngodly mouthes which carry the poison of Aspes vpon their tongues and the gall of bitternesse within their hearts and let them know that in this state wherein they stand they are as surelie the diuels as the diuell is not Gods for in whomsoeuer this spirit of God dwelleth not and worketh not that man shall assuredly be damned Now this exhortation not to quench the spirit is very weighty for by this the Apostle teacheth insinuateth of the feareful declinations of some that haue begun in the spirit and haue ended in the flesh that haee saluted Christ in the market place and yet neuer entertained him in their houses For that the spirit may be quenched Mat. 25.3 Mark 4.4 is proued by the fiue virgines that had their lamps but wanted oile and by the parable of the foure sorts of graine whereof only one shall be saued for therby is manifest that the Gospell may be receiued with ioy yea it may take root to grow vp to a stalke and from a stalke to a blade yea from a blade to an eare and yet shall neuer ripen but when it is gone so farre shall either be burned vp by the heat of persecution or choked by the thornes of this life and shall neuer come to perfection Againe that parable which carieth with it a reall truth of the spirit which being cast out of a man walketh in dry places for so much is Sathan cast out as wee are enlightned in our iudgements Luk. 11.24 but when he returnes he finds it more garnished then before that is after he hath once refused and troden vnder foote that light of knowledge which he had hee is possessed with such darknesse as hee is wholly left a prey for Sathan It is also proued that the spirit may be quenched by plaine places of Scripture as that of Ezechiel 18.24 the man that liueth in righteousnesse a long time after falling away shall bee iudged in his vnrighteousnesse and 2. Peter 2.22 the dogge is returned to his vomire and the sow that was washed
Secondly from hence note the riches of the Lords mercy who to shew the power and vertue that was in this Sauiour begins to draw them and to open their hearts who had run furthest from him and giuen themselues most ouer to the diuell for such were these Wise-men who consulted with Sathan and practised the most detestable art of coniuring and witchcraft which by the iudiciall law of God was death yet at the doores of these men doth his spirit knocke From whence euery man may draw this particular comfort to himselfe that whatsoeuer his former conuersation hath beene though most irreligious towards God and vnrighteous to men yet there may a power bee giuen him from aboue to trauell toward that heauenly Ierusalem the Citie of God where he shall not now see Christ in his basenesse as these Wise-men did but in his absolute and perfect glory For if wee haue but faith to beleeue Gods promises and shall so far proceed in the worke of repentance as being called to the light to walke in the light and not to thinke much of our paines though we go farre to worship Christ but can walke on cheerefully after the example of these Wise-men we shall be sure with them to haue our ioyes more increased at our iourneys end than they were a first Now where they shew they were directed by a starre first vnderstand that the Natiuity of Christ depended not vpon the starre but the starre vpon his Natiuity Secondly we must not thinke that the Wise-men had this power to diuine by the starre that Christ was borne for first the starre was not naturall for it kept not a set course but as we may see in the text it did appeare and not appeare neither could this diuine light speake that such a Messias was borne though it might portend the birth of some great Monarch but this light was purposely created by God in heauen for vers 2. it is called Christ his starre and there was a secret impulsion by Gods spirit in the harts of these men on earth otherwise they would not haue tolde so dangerous a matter to Herod a king so cruell and an enemy to the king of Persia whence they came and though perhaps their Art might tell them somewhat and that they had the prophesie of Balaam the coniurer Num. 24.17 There shall come a starre of Iacob and a scepter shall rise of Israel and though they had the prophesie of Daniel chap. 9.24 of the 70. weekes in which this great king should come yet by all this they gathered it not but by Gods owne opening it vnto them Out of which we learne that when we haue any thing reueled to vs from God or that wee haue a commandement to doe a thing that we cast off all doubts and shake off all feare euen of the greatest tyrants for let Herod be neuer so much perplexed at the name of the true and new-borne King of the Iewes yet must the Wise-men aske the question and not depart from his Court till they be resolued And let Pharaoh be neuer so cruell and Exod. 10.28 threaten Moses if he doe but see him to kill him yet must he runne on in his duty and pronounce the death of the first borne euen the first born that sitteth on the throne of Pharaoh But the more speciall doctrine from hence is that God in wisdome doth so strangely qualifie the basenesse of Christ his birth that howsoeuer hee might seeme to the eies of men a vile abiect as Esay prophesied chap. 53.3 void of outward dignity yet God beautified him alwaies in his greatest vilenesse with some certaine marke of his Diuinity that it might be discerned that he that was in that flesh was more then a man as euen at this time that hee hauing but an oxe stall on earth for his cloth of estate should haue a starre in heauen to set foorth his glorie and that when there was no more thinking of Christ than of the man in the Moone among Herods Courtiers then he prouides that some Magicall practisers should humble themselues before him when the high Priests did despise him Thus did the Lord Luk. 2.8 reueale him first to shepheards the basest of ten thousand but to testifie his maiesty at the same time an host of Angels and a multitude of heauenly souldiers sang glory to him So was he Mat. 4.1.11 led into the wildernesse among wild beasts but the Angels waited on him as his pensioners and ministred to him in his wants So Mat. 17.25.27 he must pay tribute a token of subiection and yet the kings sonne ought to pay none but as this shewed him to be a man and a subiect so he told Peter his thought saying I will pay it but go to the sea and take it out of the fishes mouth so as to shew his diuinity he commanded the sea to pay it Againe he was maintained eleemozinarily hauing no garment but what was giuen him and the good women kept him by their contributions yet to magnifie himselfe againe he oftentimes fed many thousands with a little So Mark. 11.12.13 he comes hungry to the fig-tree wherein appeareth his basenesse but in the same action springeth foorth his maiesty as when he said Neuer fruit grow on thee heereafter and it was presently dried vp So God had appointed he should die and before his death to be whipped Mat. 26.67 to shew his humility but see how he exalted himselfe againe Mark 11.15 he whipped out the exchangers out of the temple and none durst so much as looke or make resistance against him Againe he must be hanged betweene two theeues but Luk. 23.42 he so qualifieth the basenesse and shame of his crosse as he worketh faith in the heart of one of them to call on him as a Sauiour and him he saueth And though at last he died to declare his manhood yet that hee was more then a man was expressed by the breaking of the veile of the Temple and by the strange eclipse of the Moone which was in plenilunio when it was full Moone For the second generall circumstance which is the effect of their inquiry what feare it wrought For the word Feare it signifieth such a troubling of the water as that mud ariseth shewing that this kind of feare seized on Herod and his Court howbeit their feare arose vpon seuerall respects Herod feared because he was somewhat acquainted with the prophesies which foretold that one should come to deliuer his people out of seruitude and he knew that all would worship the Sunne rising rather then the Sunne setting And that he was strangely affraid is noted by this that hee called vnto him the Wise-men and would haue learned of them somewhat whereas if he had beene prouident hee would haue sent some of his Courtiers on the iourney with them in colour of doing them courtesie that so they might haue gone to the very place to haue seene the child and by them the King might haue beene
were the nailes that fastned Christ to the Crosse wee must weepe and cry as one mourneth for his onely sonne and first borne and there must be such a compunction of the spirit as to crie with the hearers of Peter Act. 2.37 What shall we doe and with Dauid Psal 6.6 to wash our bed with teares and so to mourne as if we heard the Lord summoning vs to iudgement for our sinnes are not lighter then Dauids that our sorrow should be lesse then his And when we haue attained to this to be pierced to the soule with sorrow not for any discomforts in this life but for that we haue offended God and haue exercised our selues in this not as in a pang that shall perplex vs for the time but that wee haue daily ripped and laied our hearts naked before the Lord then from hence springeth forth the third fruit amendment of our sinnes and repentance for them which standeth in two parts first in the forsaking of the old sinne secondly in inclining to the contrary vertue for the repentance of an vlurer is not restitution only but with Zaccheus Luke 19.8 to restore and to be mercifull to the poore as before he was vnmercifull for drunkards not onely to leaue the combat of their cups but to forsake that company and to obserue all kind of abstinence whereby he may be more fit for his calling and in iudgement to condemne it and in affection to abhor it both in himselfe and others so as briefly to repent is not to be as thou hast bene but to be in Christian duties that thou hast not beene For the second point which is the reason of the exhortation by the word Kingdome of heauen vnderstand the manifestation of the Messias which as a â—â—ately monarch shall rule in the hearts of men such as shall bee gathered by the Gospell with a wonderfull spirituall maiesty by his word and graces first leading them by the Gospell to haue their conuersation in heauen while they liue heere whereupon gather there is a double kingdome first of administratory prouidence which is that wherby the Lord ruleth ouer all euen the diuels secondly of royall preheminence in his church which is threefold first in their beginning by imperfect sanctification when men translated drawen from the power of sin are brought to the obedience of the Lord Iesus the second confirmed by perfect sanctification in the soules of the saints already departed the third fully to be accomplished when wee shall bee crowned of the Lord both in soule and body with perfect and perpetuall glory when God shall raigne in his Sonne his Sonne in his Church and his Church triumph in them both for euer Now this spirituall maiesty of Christ setling and inthronizing himselfe in the hearts of men is far more magnificent then any earthly throne prescribing vs lawes within which we are to bound our selues for in a kingdome there are foure things requisite first a King to gouerne secondly subiects to obey thirdly lawes to keepe in awe fourthly authority to execute them Now in this kingdome of light Christ is the King the faithfull be the subiects the word of God the lawes the power of the spirit the authority to execute them so that if by our subiection to the word the little flocke of Christ be increased the workes of the diuell bee destroied the enemies of God be subuerted and sinne bee subdued in the strength thereof then 〈◊〉 being gathered into this first kingdome which consisteth in the regeneration of the spirit may assuredly waite for the expectation of the other kingdome which standeth in the perfection 〈◊〉 all glory And we may the better vnderstand this by weighing the diuersity of Kingdomes which the diuell hath these being double first on earth secondly in hell On earth the reprobate being his subiects their corrupt affections their lawes 〈◊〉 their being giuen ouer of God to follow those wicked waies being the power to execute them So as in all those places bâ—â— they neuer so well polished to the eye which haue not sufficiâ—â—â— power of the Gospell to saue them â—or which haue it notatâ—â—â— or which haue it in a counterfet manner and measure or whâ—â—â— hauing it sincerely Mat. 7.6 doe flie like dogs to rend them in peeces thâ—â— bring it in these is the kingdome of darknesse set vp and sauing for the elects sake which shall bee taken out of them by the manifestation of Gods grace it were but a cage of filthy birds and the Synagogue of Satan For the second which is in hell it is that wherein vnmercifull Diues now lieth Luk. 16.24 and cannot haue so much refreshing as to coole his tongue and wherein after this life the wicked and impenitent shall bee tormented with endlesse paine The consideration whereof may driue vs to the meditation of the Lords bounty that hath prepared another place for vs if we follow the counsell of Iohn Baptist to amend our liues and to reforme our waies euen such a place wherein we shall behold and enioy the beauty of his glorie for euer Further obserue though Iohn Baptist willeth them to repent and amend yet it proueth no ability or naturall inclination in a man to doe this no more then when Christ saith Mat. 11.28.29 Come vnto me and take vp my yoake it argueth no power of our selues to come for so much himselfe setteth downe in another place where hee saith No man can come vnlesse my Father drawe him But the end of this is Iohn 6.44 not that the commandement is giuen to meet with our power to performe it but as Rom. 3.20 that thereby might come the knowledge of sinne for when wee see our weakenesse that we cannot doe it and our wretchednesse that we haue done the contrary as that where we should haue repented of our sins we haue rather increased them it leads vs to seeke grace in Christ pardon for the sinne and power of his spirit to forsake it So as in the commandement know thou oughtest to doe it in the correction of the Lord know thou hast not done it in not doing it know thy condemnation in praier and faith thou knowest where to haue it in thy conuersion thou knowest where thou hast receiued it and in thy perseuerance know by whom thou doest retaine it And albeit all commandements are of three sorts first such as command our first conuersion secondly that command our obedience to the Lord after our conuersion thirdly that command our perseuerance after wee haue begun obedience yet we shall see the strength of all these commeth from the Lord. For the first Zach. 1.3 there is a commandement giuen to turne to the Lord and Ioel 2.12 this is more particularly set downe that it must be a turning with all the heart But how shall this be wrought Obserue Ephraims speech to the Lord Ier. 31.18 Conuert thou me and I shall be conuerted So Deut. 10.16 Moses commandeth that the people should circumcise the
agonies not doubting but hee will compassionatly respect vs because hee in this flesh of ours knew and felt the hard encounter according to that is said often in the old Law to the Israelites Remember thou wert once a seruant in Egypt experience of afflictions making men more mercifull and as it is said Heb. 5.2 he is meet to haue compassion on vs that are out of the way because that he also was compassed with infirmity and Heb. 12.3 the Apostle draweth his argument thus that the consideration of the sufferings of Christ should perswade vs not to bee wearied nor to faint in our minds both because hee by his sufferings learned obedience and also because hee in our sufferings will bee a bearer of the weight lest it ouerpresse vs that we also might be consecrated through afflictions And this also is a second comfort to vs that as Christ ouercame by flesh so shall wee also victoriously conquer through him if with patience we perseuere for heerein hath Christ recouered what Adam lost who receiued concupiscence by Sathans temptations but Christ hath ouercome the diuell in as great temptations as euer Adam was ouercome Further in that Christ is led by the sprit and the diuell tempteth him consider what the purpose of them both are since being opposite one to the other they both ioyne in this one action We must learne that temptations are diuersly spoken of in the Scripture first the diuell tempteth therefore when we are moued to anger giue not place saith the Apostle to the diuell Ephes 4.27 for he bloweth the coales to kindle thy wrath which is murder two waies first either in the vniust matter of it secondly or in the immoderate measure of it and in all things hee as an externall instrument worketh vpon the corruption of our hearts Secondly one wicked man tempteth another as it is said in the Prouerbes Come lay thy lot with vs and we will take a purse Prou. 1.14 alluring others by their example to the participation of the same sinne and these are two causes of temptations without our hearts But Saint Iames chap. 1.14 goeth to a third cause Euery one saith he is tempted of his owne concupiscence as speaking of the inward cause that another prouoketh vs by and Sathan worketh vpon namely our owne pronenesie and pregnancy to sinne and the fire that burneth in our breasts so as euer we must charge and challenge our selues for our sinnes and euery temptation is either from an outward prouocation or inward instigation or both Fourthly God tempteth not onely to trie what strength we haue to vse prosperity with sobriety and aduersity with patience for this is not enough though by this he doth manifest what is hidden in the inward minde but these other inward solicitations come not without God yet doth hee not tempt Iames 1.13 as it is euill but vseth the ministerie of Sathan two waies first toward the elect then toward the reprobate toward these to giue them vp into an euill minde that sinnes past may bee the punishments of sinnes to come and the deserts of punishments that are to come which the Lord doth as a iust reuenger and not as any euill author for to punish sinne by sinne is but iustice with God As God willeth that Absolon shall plague his father by committing incest 2. Sam. 16.22 to bring Dauid to repentance for his adultery not that he willeth it as adultery but as a iust plague to him that did it and to conuert his seruant Dauid Now for the elect the Lord letteth the raines loose that thereby he may manifest their strength and his owne power in their weakenesse And by this was made knowen what excellent graces Iob had receiued Iob 2.10 when by his extremities and anguishes hee was not consumed but refined which otherwise had beene hid euen as the Pilot cannot shew his cunning but in a storme nor a man his valour but in a combat So Dauid was by affliction brought low Psal 32.3 that the Lord might shew the richer mercie in his recouery that all his children might bee assured to finde the same mercy though they fall into the same sinne if they follow his steppes of repentance So as temptations are sent of the Lord to discouer his graces in them or their owne wants if they relent partly to heale their pride partly to teach them to repent of some sinnes which before were not thought of and that the Church of God might bee comforted knowing that in the extremity of a bleeding heart the Lord sendeth compassion Sathan tempteth Adam to proue God a lyer and to bring him to dishonour and to bee the instrument of mans damnation Adam tempted himselfe to tast of that which as hee thought should make him God God tries him by this meanes to make a way for his iustice in thereprobate and for his mercy on the elect for if there had beene no fall God had beene neither iust in condemning some nor merciful in sauing others So heere Christ is caried to be tempted The purpose of God in this is to confirme it vnto Christ that he should be of power to destroy and extinguish the power of the diuell but Sathan fully intended to haue destroied the head by this meanes to haue hindred the saluation of the members For the fift circumstance which is the aduantage sathan tooke by Christs fasting vnderstand first that it was not the purpose of God nor of Christ himselfe to commend vnto vs his abstinence for it is no commendation to forbeare when he hath no appetite to eate but it was to commend his miraculous power for he was qualified with such diuine vertue as hee was for the time like an Angell not subiect to humane desires The Papists from hence doe draw the institution of Lent saying that all things are written for our instruction therefore as Christ fasted fortie daies so must we It is true that all things are written for our instruction but not for our imitation for he was borne of a Virgin conceiued of the holy Ghost Mat. 17.2 transfigured in the mount hee had a confirmation of his doctrine by diuers miracles came into the house the doores being shut Iohn 20.26 Mark 6.51 commanded the winds walked on the waters and must we be like him in these things No for all these taste of his Diuinity But his obedience his patience his loue to giue his life for his enemies his meeknesse not to breake a bruised reede his willingnesse to suffer all kind of affliction these things let vs imitate for these be fruits of the spirit only but to fast forty daies and forty nights is no more imitable for vs then it is to be borne of a Virgin Yea but say they it is good by this to take occasion to exhort to abstinence We answer it is no reason that because Christ fasted hauing no stomacke therefore we should abstaine hauing stomake Againe in all this time
a miracle it shall more conueniently be spoken of in Christs reply Now for the second generall point which is the beating â—â—ke of the temptation we must consider two parts first that â—â—â—ulseth him by alleaging Scripture secondly the place alleâ—â—â— what sense it is to be applied For the first vnderstand that out Sauiour Christ might many waies haue ouercome him yea by the power of his Godâ—ead he could haue confounded him without an answer but it leased him to fight with the weapons of flesh and bloud that we by his exampl might learn out of the word as our of a school of defence to beate backe Sathan Where obserue that Christ alleaging Scripture as an instrument to repulse the diuell that there is no sword of the spirit to driue away temptations so sure as the Word of God being most necessary for this purpose Where two sorts of men are iustly reproued first they that wring this weapon out of the peoples hands secondly they that cast it from them that are content themselues to abide the blowes but another must weare the sword For the first they are the prelates of Rome who in the time that heauen was made a haire-cloth and Antichrist set foot on the Lords throne shut vp the booke of God into the rusty scabberd of Bishops houses where it was kept vnder the bondage of the Clergy vpon paine of excommunication charging the lay people not to meddle with it as if it had beene the readiest weapon to haue cut their throats But since the Sonne of righteousnesse appeared the Gospell shining in mens hearts they being ashamed of this and being perswaded in common equitie that men were not to bee kept from it they haue published one part of the word the new Testament not say they vpon any absolute necessitie but to auoid corruptions that may gâ—â—â— by reading other translations they knowing the people 〈◊〉 would not bee made such fooles and babes as they were 〈◊〉 there was a generall mistouer the whole world But wee doe stand vpon the absolute necessity of hauing the word common because the danger is common that thereby is to bee auoided and this for two causes first it is necessary that euery one should trie the spirits so as he must vnderstand more then hee is taught by the mouth of that spirit which should bee tried therefore they must haue the booke of God according as the men of Beroea had Act. 17.11 giuing no further credite to Pauls Sermons then they were consonant to the written word Secondly euery Christian is a souldier and in his baptisme hath taken presse money of Christ to serue him in this field of the world against the Diuell our sworne enemy who worketh outwardly by the glittering shewes of the earth inwardly by the desires of flesh and bloud adding his owne suggestions to both these Now the weapons to encounter him are the word as the sword and faith as the shield And euery one being tempted in his owne person the more to offend the enemy and the better to defend himselfe and since our owne sinnes shall be required at our owne hands we must euery one take his sword out of the Lords armory that we may resist in person as we are striken in person And it was a fearefull thing for them to put out the kandle while the people were smitten and a shamefull thing to put out their right eye that they might not discerne their euill wares they vttered them for their good money Oh say they it is good they should haue them to keepe them from the infection of other impressions as if the reading of the Scriptures by the people were Physicke when men are sicke and not meate when they bee whole Treacle to driue out poison and not preseruatiues to keepe from it as if it had strength to put the enemy to flight and none to hinder his approach the contrarie whereof is rather true For if it bee meete to giue light to the simple when the heauens are ouercast with the mist and cloudes of heresie it is much more forcible to shew the way when they are not so clouded Oh but there be many hard matters in the Scripture past the common reach So there bee many easie within their reach for the Lord hath so tempered them as some be easie to prouide against penurious stomackes and some difficult to preuent fastidious lothsomnesse Yea as in the most champion and plaine ground of the booke of the Scripture there be some mysteries as hillockes higher then the rest so in the greatest and steepest hill thereof there is footing whereby with labour and trauell we may come to that height of it where wee may see and discouer so much of the land of Canaan and the kingdome of heauen as our places doe require Therefore it is well said that the Scriptures are like a floud wherein the lambe may wade and the Elephant swim for the plainer places are to be digested with comfort and the hidden treasure to be digged out by praier Therefore saith Christ Mat. 23.14 Let him that readeth consider c. Oh but this taketh away the glorie of the Church when euery one may controule his master and breedeth heresies when euery one may maintaine by this his owne opinion Yea but it is good that euery one shold know the truth that they may follow the steppes of their teachers but in the way of truth and if because some haue beene seduced all should be depriued of this blessing then away with preaching for it is the sauour of death to many 2. Cor. 2.16 and with the Sacraments for many feede of Christs flesh but to choke them to damnation and then away also with Christ himselfe for to many Luk. 2.34 he is a rocke of offence to rush their bones to perdition And if Heretikes haue abused the Scripture this is a reason to restore it that they may be againe conuinced by Scripture And if it be sufficient to say the diuell alleaged Scripture therefore hide it from the people we say to this Christ vsed nothing but Scripture therefore let them haue it for it is no reason to take away the thing for the abuse of the thing no more then that a lambe should cast off his fleece because the Lion sometime weareth it or that because one abuseth is sword therefore none should weare any weapon For howsoeuer some mad-men-or quarrellers in the campemay abuse them to their owne and others destruction yet the Law of not bearing sword in the field will neuer bee iust And to meet with such an euill by taking away the good is â—â—e vnto those vnskilfull Physitians that rid their Patients of no disease vnlesse they take their liues from them Yea but it is dangerous medling Why then put out the candle lest it burne the house Oh but put not kniues into childrens hands But there is no such comparison in the Scripture it is indeed compared with a sword in the
Citie c. This is the second temptation wherewith our Sauiour Christ during the infirmitie of his body for want of food was aslaulted where it pleased God to giue Sathan leaue to carry him in the aire after a strange manner and to set him on a pinacle of the Temple where he reasoneth thus with him Thou saist man liueth not by bread only but by the blessing of thy Father who can maintaine thee without bread and heerein thou doest well now because thou art assured and doest promise thy selfe that God will neuer destitute the nor forsake thee shew me thy power in casting thy selfe downe and not hurting thee the power of thy father is able to do this thou art heere at Ierusalem the famous city shew them what thou art able to do that they may all giue thee the applause and it will be a notable meanes to make them swarme after thee And because thou maist know I goe about nothing preindiciall to Gods glory or dangerous to thine owne person it is written that especially thou shalt be protected by Angels and they shall wait vpon thee to keepe thee from hurt therfore thou needst not despaire Now Christ tels him not that he was not able to doe this for he would not gratifie him so much but lets him know that hee wronged the words and wrested the sense of the place alleaged for it is not said generally the Angels shall support him in all things but they shall defend him in all his waies that is such as my Father hath appointed me to walke in so that if I or any other Christian will lay claime to this promse I must keepe me in my wates and so must they that is from this pinnacle I must come downe by the staires and not throw my selfe headlong for my father hath appointed me no such way but this should be an vnlawfull meanes and to that thou hast brought corrupted I oppose another plaine place that I must not tempt God but keepe my selfe within my compasse and then I am sure to haue sauegard Hence we may gather two parts first the temptation secondly the repulse The temptation hath two parts first whereto Christ is tempted secondly a reason perswading him to yeeld to the temptation For the first generally obserue that Sathan dealeth by contraries both with the head and with the members for when he saw he could not ouercome Christ in the case of famine to make him despaire of Gods prouidence now hee laboureth to ouer-reach him in a matter of presumption that hee should trie his prouidence that since he could not doubt but to be fed without bread hee might make him presume to bee vp-held without meanes Euen so dealeth he with vs either to make vs distrustfull through penury or proud through plenty in the time of ignorance seeking to make vs proud through works and to be in loue with them without faith and now to stand vpon faith without works before labouring in zeale without knowledge and now hunting after knowledge without zeale For the second which is the reason hee alleageth scripture namely Psal 91.1 wherein obserue two things first that though scripture heere be opposed to scripture yet not to withdraw the determination of matters from the booke of God and to post them off to Rabbins and Councels for none can better trie the truth then the spirit of truth Secondly that it detracteth nothing from the glory of the Scripture to come foorth of Sathans mouth nay nothing graceth it so much as this the reason whereof is that Sathan knew what baite Christ and all the faithfull would best and soonest bite at and in his subtilty if any stratageme could haue preuailed more then other he wold haue vsed it but hee knew Christ relied vpon nothing so much as the voice of his Father and therefore he vseth the greatest weapon against the greatest enemy that hee might shew in pretence to haue as much truth on his side as Christ If thou be the Sonne of God c. This is the temptation it selfe wherein consider three points first that the diuell transformeth himselfe so farre into an Angell of light as hee brings scripture secondly to examine how rightly and truly hee doth apply it thirdly how falsly he doth abuse it For the first It is written saith the diuel dealing with the sharp and blading it out with the Scripture sometimes hee dealeth plainely and sheweth his hornes as it were by apertly opposing himselfe with violence against the truth sometimes more priuilie and shroudeth himselfe vnder pretence of truth and this two waies first by hereticall doctrine and grosse superstition secondly by perswading men that he is a louer of the truth as in this place that hee would perswade Christ to nothing but that he had scripture for Thus dealt he Act. 16 17. where a woman possessed with a diuell hauing the power of spirituall diuination hauing seene Paul after he had there preached the spirit in that maide giueth an honorable testimony by a subtill stratageme of Sathan of Paul and Silas saying These bee the seruants of the most high God which shew vnto you the way of saluation a strange testimony to bee giuen from the diuell and farre degenerating from his nature to giue witnesse of the truth himselfe being the father of lies and knowing Paul to be a sworne enemy should yet yeeld voluntarily and proclaime audience and ring the bell as it were to gather the people about him is worth the wonder But what was his drift and subtilty in this sauing that by the maides often repeating it and clamorous noising of it it might perswade the poore disciples and weake followers of the Gospell that Paul and the diuell had both combined and compacted together as if thereby the Gospell might be brought into suspition to bee but the illusion of Sathan and light to bee mingled with darknesse therefore it is said vers 18. that Paul was grieued till he had cast him out euen so heere to bring the people to suspition that the scripture serueth him as well as Christ thereby to make vs forsake our hold and suggesting this that nothing hath brought more disparagement to the Scripture them this that all men of all opinions doe alleage it Heereupon some take occasion to dispense with their conscience for any profession so many places one against another the Diuell alleageth it Christ alleageth it what shall we doe if we goe in either way we may goe a misse and if we turne on the right hand for any thing wee know it leadeth to hell This is most prophane for whereas they pretend to be abused by this incertainty they are so ciuill to displease no part as they are content to take any kinde of tergiuersation or flinching to extricate and shift themselues of the enquiry of the truth whereas they might feare as well to eate lest they should be choked and open the gates and leaue watching because the enemy hath so many
the Tower of Babell should haue beene erected to them and as easie it is to pull God out of his throne as to disgrace vs further then he permits for our saluation is as sure as his owne seate and as stedfast as if our selues had beene in heauen and seene it written with Gods owne singer Yea we shall stand like mount Sion Psal 125.1 and not a feather of a bird much more not the haire of our head nor the hem of our garment shall bee touched or fall without his appointment Wherefore Sathan sinneth against the holy Ghost in labouring to seduce the faithfull whom he knoweth he cannot stirre and when he knoweth wee cannot fall finally since the Angels haue charge ouer vs and cannot but be faithful keepers of that is committed to them And heerein may we embrace the riches of the Lords mercy who when his owne prouidence might be sufficient to secure vs of our safety yet to releeue our infirmity and to support our weaknesse hath giuen vs the gard of heauen to wait vpon vs as if one that were to passe the seas should not onely haue the letters of the Prince for his safe conduct but should be guarded with his royall Nany to assure vs that doing that we doe by the warrant of his word we shall neither be persecuted nor molested but so far as he may haue glory by it and we reape comfort For the third wherein he doth falsifie the text alleaged and this he doth two waies first by wronging the words secondly by wresting the sense for the Psalm 91.11 is He hath giuen his Angels charge to keepe thee in thy waies so as the promise is made with a limitation that hee keepe him in his waies Now from the pinnacle of the temple to fall downe is not the way but hee leaueth out the demonstration of the truth thy waies that is those waies that bee prescribed as from the Temple to come downe by the staires by this meanes dealing fraudulently leauing out the principall Secondly consider the wresting of the sense for where this was spoken that Christ should depend vpon his Fathers prouidence walking in his waies hee laboureth to secure him generally of the same prouidence though he were out of the way heereby to ouerthrow him Now as hee dealt with the head so hee doth with the members for pretending Gods protection hee laboureth to bring men to destruction For predestination hee will tell a man Esau was hated and Iacob beloued before they had done either good or euill Mal. 1.3 that it is not in the willer nor in the runner neither in the affection Phil. 2.13 nor in the action which hee doth onely to make vs rest in the prouidence of Gods predestination without hauing regard to our conuersation whereas heereby we ought the more to bee induced to get as many testimonies as wee can to prooue that this election pertaineth to vs and not to waite till grace should distill by diuine influence or to make the decree of God a meanes of our security to liue as we list as that being elected we cannot perish and being appointed to be damned we cannot auoid it So for Iustification hee will suggest Wee are saued by the bloud of Christ onely and when wee haue done all we are vnprofitable seruants the more we sinne the more grace aboundeth Rom. 6.1 and God hath most glory in pardoning most offences Whereas being elected we worke well not to recompence the goodnesse of God but to shew our thankfulnesse And there is no promise where the commandement is not kept for this is to be performed on our part else God is discharged on his part for being out of our waies the diuell may take vs as vagabonds the protection of the Lord not extending to vs in this course And thus doth Sathan almost labour to peruert all the Scripture that he may finde vs straying out of our Fathers house as to suggest that the Sabbath is made for man therefore hee will labour to make vs worke on this day Mark 2.27 But let vs not giue eare to him for this leadeth out of the way So when it is said He that laboureth not for his house 2. Tim. 5.8 is worse then an infidell if hee abuse any of vs by this to couet after riches away with it for it is said in another place Couetousnesse is the root of all euill and the desire of riches is simply vnlawfull 1. Tim. 6.9 for by this he falleth into many snares It is written againe Thou shalt not tempt c. This is the second generall part namely the repulse of the temptation wherein consider two parts first that Christ answereth againe by Scripture secondly in what sense the place is alleaged For the first we may obserue and see it is no disgrace nor disparagement to the Scripture to proceed from Sathan nor any occasion to make vs leaue our hold for Christ answereth againe and striketh with the same weapon wherewith he was stricken shewing vs that it is lawfull to vse a text well against them that doe abuse a text and if Christs example be our president then wee may alleage Scripture against depraued Scripture For the Bee may gather hony on the same stalke that the spider doth poison And though a swashbuckler kill a man with his weapon yet a souldier may lawfully knit a sword to his side and though there be many piracies committed on the sea yet may the merchants trafficke or though some surfet by gluttony yet may others vse their temperate diet And if the diuell change himselfe into an Angell of light shall therefore the Angels lose their light Or shall Paul therfore deny himselfe to be a preacher of saluation because the Pythonite Act. 16.17 spake it Or because Caiphas by the spirit of the diuell Ioh. 11.50 said one should die for the sinnes of the people must we not therfore beleeue it And though Numb 22. an inchanter wished that his soule might die the death of the righteous yet is it a praier fit to be vsed of all Christians though hee sold his soule for gold For saith hee Numb 24.17 a starre shall come out of Iuda a true speech of a false spirit And heere the diuels owne mouth protesteth that Gods prouidence reacheth ouer his children which we may beleeue with comfort though it proceed from his lying lippes For the second which is the sense of the words heerein Christ doth plainely shew that hee abused the place before alleaged because he inforced the promise contrary to the commandement mandement making it absolute where it was but conditionall that the Lord would protect him if he kept him in his waies and for him to expect the promise if he went astray were meerely to tempt God so as the diuell by concealing that part did poison and adulterate the Scripture Now wee must obserue that God is tempted by man two waies first when we doubt of his power vsing
him but answereth him with one onelie word of detestation Auoid Sathan For the blasphemous may not bee reasoned with if they should it would make them but burst foorth into greater outrage against the peareles and matchlesse wisedome of God giuing vs likewise by this answer secretly to vnderstand that whosoeuer goeth about to withdraw vs from God is of the diuell so likewise are they that seeke by reason to disswade vs from the shame of the crosse Therefore Mat. 16.23 when Christ indeuoured to preuent the ignominy should come vpon the crosse and to make his disciples and the rest vnuanquishable when it should come it is said there Peter tooke him aside and vsed reasons to disswade him from such 〈◊〉 comfortable speeches whereupon Christ not mildly but sharply being displeased with this carnall excoption of his bids him 〈◊〉 Sathan that is as a great enemy to him and others And so whensouer flesh and bloud shal take exception against the mystery of godlinesse it is thus sharply to bee reproued Heereupon Rom. 3.31 exceptions being taken that the law serued to no vse because Christs obedience had absolutely purchased our pardon the Apostle in like wisdome of the spirit of God answereth not onely by a simple deniall but by a deniall with a detestatioâ—â— God forbid as that it is blasphemy to be of such opinion And sometime to this phrase the Apostle addeth more as Rom. 3.8 not replying one word but onely saith their damnation is iust rather setting before them their cursed end then conuincing them by reason for as Salomon saith A foole may not bee answered in his folly Out of the second answer which Christ maketh for our instruction and satisfaction obserue that God must haue both all outward and inward worship so as it is impious to thinke a man can keepe his soule for God when hee humbleth his bodie to strange gods and in this hee doth withdraw his reuerencâ— from his owne religion either through feare or profanenâ—â—â—â— reaching foorth part of the worship to another But wee must know God will haue both and in creating both hee challengeth both besides that of them both hee hath made but one man which cannot be diuided but goeth together For we are not baptised in our bodies onely but in our soules out soules only were not redeemed neither shall they onely bee saâ—ed but the whole man If the bodie then be the Lords both by creation and by redemption let vs giue testimony of his worship in both otherwise it is as if a woman should protest she loued her husband at the heart and in her soule and yet should prostitute her bodie to vncleannesse but wee are espoused and maried to the Lord therefore let vs keepe both for him vnspotted Lastly out of the diuels argument let vs learne to feare and serue the Lord for if gifts may draw on worship as he pretendeth by his proffer to Christ then hath the Lord offered farre more largely for vs I will giue thee saith he eternall life and it is no aduantage to winne the world and to take the diuels offer and after to lose our soules But let vs set God on our right hand in him we liue in him wee haue our being it is hee that feedeth vs with naturall and supernaturall things and blessings godlinesse hauing the promises of this life and of the life to come 1. Tim. 4.8 hee will make vs heires of the earth the world standing for our sakes we shall be heires of heauen Ioh. 1â— 2 Christ hauing prepared places for vs in his fathers house yea fellow heires with his owne Sonne tasting of no other loue Ioh. 17.24 nor feeling any other glory then his Sonne hath and therefore in the iudgement of the diuell hee shall worthily bee damned that refuseth so large an offer at Gods hand who giueth and neuer vpbraideth pardoneth and neuer reperteth Then the diuell left him c. This is the third part namely the issue and euent of the temptations had and sustained by Christ set downe in two things first that when the diuell could not ouercome him he left him secondly that the Angels attended and ministred For the first by this vnderstand that as Christ was tempted for vs and in our flesh ouercame for vs in his person so wee haue good and comfortable security that vsing the same meanes hee did according as we shall be enabled and through the grace of the same spirit wee also shall ouercome the Prince of darknesse for wee must not thinke our selues freed from these assaults the life of a Christian being a warfare the world the campe the first registring and inrolling of vs being in baptisme where we tooke a vow to be true to the Lord Iesus Christ is our victorious Captaine our enemies are the world without vs the flesh within vs as accessaries and the diuell as principall besides temptations on both hands Now the power we haue to repell these is the sword of the spirit the word of God the schoole where we learne this defence is the Church of God where we finde weapons both offensiue and defensiue a shield of faith to defend our selues and a sword of the word to offend the enemy And this may bee our comfort his rage will haue an end and his malice shall not preuaile but as Saint Iames saith If we resist him Iames 4.7 he will flie from vs that is he will hasten as fast away as he came fiercely toward vs for heere is promised victory to all that striue infeare For the second generally we note how it pleased God by wisdome and dispensation to dispose of the exinanition as I may so tearme it or the impairing and abasing of Christ while he was in the flesh that in the midst of the greatest ignominy and reproch yet he bore some marke and badge of his notable and diuine power whereby by the eies of faith hee might bee discerned to be the Sonne of God His basenesse appeareth in this that he liued in the wildernesse he was assaulted of the diuell he had no company but beasts hee was hungry and had no food but stones Sathan was busie with him to make him tempt his Father and in all this there was nothing but ignominy and extreame basenesse But after all this there breaketh foorth like the Sunne through the clouds a matter which maketh him knowen and discerned to be more then a man that the Angels come to doe him seruice And thus did it euer fall our that hee was neuer brought so low nor so neare the ground but there did at last shine forth an impregnable worke of his diuinity hee was borne in a stable his Cradle was a Manger there was lodging in the Inne but none for Mary Mat. 22. yet was there then a starre in the heauens to signifie to the Wise-men the birth of this noble personage hee was baptised by Iohn his seruant Mat 3.15.16 but a voice was heard from
these for all that were before him and shall come after him being true beleeuers thirdly the graces of Christ doe farre exceed the sinne of Adam else would Saâ—â—â— in perswade thee thou art halfe saued and halfe damned for if the vertue thou hast by Christ were but equall with the corrupâ—â—on thou hast by Adam it could not produce so incomprehensible a worke as thy saluation is and therefore Rom. 5.17 it is said If by the offence of one death raigned through one much more shall they which receiue that superfluity or superabundance of grace raigne in life through one that is Christ thereby shewing that the righteousnesse of Christ made ours by grace is of greater power to bring life then was the sin of Adam to bring death to his posterity Therefore seeing through faith God reuealeth to thee these riches laid vp for thee in Christ bend thine eie toward him and he will so supply thee with spirituall wisdome as thou shalt answer with ease and comfort the sophistry and deceits of Sathan who willingly would plunge thee into terror and trouble of conscience Which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Vnto such as thus walke there is no condemnation and this is the third thing spoken of at first namely that a sanctified life must be the sure euidence of our ingrafting into Christ for howsoeuer the spirit which is within vs testifieth thus much that we are Christs and Christ is ours as 1. Cor. 2.10 The things which God hath prepared for them that loue him he hath reuealed to vs by his spirit and vers 12. We heaue not receaued the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God yet because through selfe loue no man will say but he hath the spirit therefore steppes in the other testimony of holinesse of life and this is visible reall vndeceiuable and true as 1. Ioh. 3.6.8 Whosoeuer abideth in him sinneth not and he that committeth sinne is of the diuell which place we must not vnderstand simply of sinners for all of vs are so but of such as fauour themselues in their sinnes blesse their soules in them make a trade of sinning and persist in it so as we that are made mystical members of Christ must labour to extinguish the life of any grosse sinne and not to make them the members of an harlot of an vsurer of an Idolater of a flatterer and such like for being ingrafted into Christ it is as odious in Gods sight for vs to commit these sinnes as if Christ should commit them and by them without repentance we doe rend our selues from Christ for the Sonnes of God are led by his spirit Rom. 8.14 And they are led by it that liue in it Gal. 3.25 And this life is knowen by the effects that is by walking in the spirit And they walke in it that fulfill not the lusts of the flesh Gal. 5.16 And they fulfill them not that haue crucified the flesh vers 14. And they onely haue done this that cease from sinne 1. Pet. 4.2 with a full purpose of heart to liue better for as the dead body hath no breath so must sinne haue no strength in vs and he that doeth not this is a reprobate I speake not of a finall reprobate but of a reprobate for the time for such stand in the state of condemnation But if we labour to liue godly as neere as we can after the example of Christ and make holinesse of life as the load star whereby we may be seen to direct our iourney toward heauen then this doth knit vs in the persawsion of our vnion with Christ prouided alwaies that there be speciall repentance for speciall sinnes extraordinary repentance for extraordinary sinnes great repentance for grosse sinnes and daily repentance for daily sinnes Threfore let euery of vs examine our selues what sinnes remaine in vs vnrepented and what vnsubdued what be blushing and shamefast and what be crying and insolent sinnes and let vs take the same course with them all cast them from vs and purge our selues cleane of the leauen of Sathan for a sinne supprest and not destroied will at lengh breake forth to the hinderance of our walke in the spirit and if we be stopt in this course then so long do we stagger in the assurance of our being one with Christ which is the only helmet of our saluation Secondly obserue hence the order the scripture setteth down namely that first we must be in Christ which is the cause and then we shall walke after the spirit which is the effect euen as iustification goeth before sanctification our ingrafting into Christ being our iustification and being so it causeth holinesse of life so as both must goe together making no difference betweene faith and a godly life in the person but onely in the properties and maner and therefore if it be asked who shall be saued Such as leade a sanctified life But if how we shall be saued the answer is by the merits of Christ apprehended by faith so as by faith wee are saued for the fruit maketh not the root good but the root the fruit the streames are not the cause of the fountaine but the fountaine of them and the streames are but the effects euen as breathing is the effect of life so we are not saued because of our workes and walking in the spirit but because of our faith for workes are the fruits of faith yet we shall receiue according to our workes 2. Cor. 5.10 and shal be recompensed for them not for the dignity of the worke but in the benignity of the Lord who hath accepted our persons in Christ and therefore Tit. 2.11.12 the Apostle doth not say Because we deny vngodlinesse therefore the grace of God hath brought saluation but saluation being offered in the Gospell we must thereby learne to be profitable schollers in holinesse of life So Mat. 11.28 Christ doth not call vs to ease vs of our sinnes because we liue godly after his example but faith being wrought in vs by the power of his calling vs we then liue godly euen as the thiefe vpon the crosse Luke 23.40 was no sooner called but he brought foorth fruit his confession being a token of his faith So we must first be within the couenant of God and then we shall walke in the couenant as Gen. 17.1 God said to Abraham I am sufficient therefore walke before me so that he made not his couenant with him to be his God because he walked before him but first he made his couenant with him that being assured of his protection he might more chearefully walk before him euen so fareth it with vs we are first made members of Christ and then being vnited to his body we must shew forth the life of Christ in our coÌ„uersation And here we must further learne to answer two obiections First the carnall man will say Christ hath satisfied for his breach of the law and supplied the imperfection of his
made more plainâ— Paul Rom. 7.18 said hee knew no good thing dwelling in his flesh and heere he saith he is freed from the law of sinne and of death so as it may be thought these two places and speeches doe not agree The answer is Paul was carnall sold vnder sinne and thereby made a slaue to Sathan euen as a slaue that is sold in the market is to his master but this was onely in respect of the spirit of life which was in himselfe but now he speaketh of the spirit of life which is in Christ and applied vnto him by the vnion betwene Christ and him and so may boldly say hee is now no flesh but all spirit and doth the good he would To make it plainer 1. Ioh. 5.6 it is said that Christ came by bloud and water signifying thereby that as his bloud washeth away the guiltinesse of our sinnes so his water washeth away the filthinesse of our sinnes and that as his bloud doth iustifie vs in heauen so his water doth sanctifie vs heere on earth with which water of his because it answereth to the spirit of life which is in vs we had neede daily to be washed for as the skinne cleaueth fast to the flesh and the flesh to the bones so doth sin to our corrupt nature that we haue need continually to be cleansed by the holy Ghost which is the spirit of life of Christ in vs. And this is that water spoken of Ioh. 3.5 Except a man be borne of water and of the spirit he cannot be saued meaning thereby our regeneration and so Ioh. 13.10 where Christ alluding to them that comming out of Bathes had neede wash their lower parts because the filthinesse descendeth to the feet perswadeth vs thereby to a daily increase in a sanctified course because some corruption will hang at least at our singers end according to that Iob 9.30.31 If I wash my selfe with snow water and make my hands most cleane yet my owne clothes shall make me filthy so as though wee haue the spirit of God in vs yet our best actions are sinfull for as it is said Esa 64.6 our righteousnes is as filthy clouts the originall signifieth such clouts as come from children newly borne or such as Surgians vse to make cleane vlcers or such as beggers finde vpon dung hils to patch their ragged cloakes withall or such as are not once to be named as the Ancient writers of the Iewes doe make mention to whom this was chiefely spoken the Prophet in that place alluding to the manner of purifying in the ceremoniall law For we reade Leuit. 15.19 that vncleane things were separated both from the seruice of God and from the vse of man which being then but ceremoniall both in bodie and soule and thereby vnfit for Gods seruice and is really and morally in vs for we are vile and polluted not worthy the society one of another for feare of infecting each other and yet these are our best actions as Esay speaketh meaning thereby both the greatnesse of the number of them and the greatnesse of the excellency of them for they are all accursed before God I meane in respect of the spirit of Christ which is in vs not that the spirit causeth this vncleanenesse but through the lust sensuality and corruption of our natures euen as faire water from a cleere fountain is made filthy by running thorow vnclean channels the cause wherof is that concupiscence which through the serpents temptation entred into our first parents when they transgressed this being the first sinne that liueth and the last sinne that dieth euen as the heart is in the body of a man and this lust causeth and forceth vs to commit the euil we would not and to omit the good wee would and if it cannot preuaile this way with vs then it will entice vs partly to commit the euill and partly to omit the good by the consent of the heart onely and if it â—â—â—le in this it will cause such a crossing and corrupt thought to come in the way to poison the good we do that though we do it yet it deserueth death because wee are commanded to loue God with all our thoughts which if any one be ranging we doe not This is vrged the more that we may see and acknowledge how far our best actions which are in highest price and estimation with vs and which runne from the cleerest part of the wel-head are from deseruing any thing which we may yet see as in a glasse more plainely Gen. 6.5 where it is said concerning the naturall man that the mould of the desires of the thoughts of a mans heart are euill only euill and euill euery day and for euer 〈◊〉 may bee spoken of the best childe of God leaning out but this word onely For the spirit of Christ which is in vs begetteth some good thoughts and bringeth forth some good fruits that they are not onely euill though in respect of our corruption and that they taste of the vnsauory saltnes of our nature they may be said to be nothing but euill for in the choisest child of God there is the seed of the sin against the holy Ghost of apostasie of all sins but that by the working of the spirit they are so choked and weakened as they are not able to breake foorth hobeit by the remainder of sin abiding in vs all our actions are so infected poisoned as they are lothsome in the sight of God which must teach vs to humble our selues before him to craue pardon euen for our praiers which are polluted with many by-thoughts then wil he as Mal. 3.17 spare vs as a man spareth his sonne that serueth him for the Lord regardeth rather the good affection than the good action the holy fountaine from whence it procedeth rather then the effects of the fountain that it runneth thorow some corrupt veine of this earth and flesh of ours and this is in respect the spirit of life of Christ is in vs. But now if we speake of the spirit of life which is in Christ himselfe then we may boldly say we are all spirit and not flesh that Christ by his satisfaction hath taken away the accusation can come against vs for any sinne and the imperfection can be laide against vs for any action for all we doe is accepted of God in him and we can be charged with nothing for Christ maketh intercession for vs and as Eph. 2.1 God in Christ hath quickned vs that were dead in sinnes and as Heb. 2.9 Christ hath tasted death for all men So as if we speak of the spirit of life which is in Christs person we may well conclude wee are freed from the law of sin and of death Secondly obserue hence that they that will take comfort by the life of Christ must be able to apply the power of his death to the crucifying not onely in generall but euen of euery particular sinne in them as the
sinnefull flesh wherein we are to beleeue that Christ is the naturall sonne of God and the sonne of Dauid but not naturall for he was not begotten of man his seed being vncleane but he was conceaued of the holy ghost and so became man like vnto vs sinne excepted therefore it is heere said in the similitude of sinnefull flesh not in sinnefull flesh and in this similitude he was both in the sight of men and of God in the sight of men for all the while he was on earth he was seene to be subiect to the miseries of sinnefull flesh both in his life and death to hunger for he was oft so to pouerty for he had not whereon to lay his head to persecution for he fled and withdrew himselfe from much violence intended against him to griefe for he wept and sighed for the death of Lazarus and the destruction of Hierusalem to slanders for they vpbraided him that he wrought by the power of the diuel to temptations for he was carried by the Spirit into the desert for that purpose to accusation by false witnesses to colour the sentence of death against him to scourgings to scoffings to reuilings to the crosse to death it selfe all which was seene to men by some that grieued at it by most that iested and reioyced at it He was also seene in this similitude by God himselfe for though he was deliuered and tossed as it were from pillar to post from Annas to Caiaphas from Caiaphas to Pilate from Pilate to the Souldiers from the Souldiers to the Citie from the city to the Iudgement seat from thence to the inferiour officers to be beaten with reeds from thence to the gibbet though all cried by the perswasion of the high priests Crucifie him doubling it in the aire with a most damnable echo yet was all this done as Peter saith Act. 2.23 by the determinate counsell of God the heauens hauing decreed that the earth should open as it were to swallow him because he represented our persons more liuelie then Iacob did the person of Efau Gen. 27.21 so as for the time he was heauily crushed with the weight of Gods indignation which appeared by the conflict he had with the wrath of God sweating droppes of blood by the basenesse deiection he felt in himselfe crying out that hee was forsaken an 〈…〉 doth proue he was in the similitude of sinnefull flesh in the sight of his father and that it was necessary it should be so being man to satisfie for man and God to get the conquest of death hell and condemnation For the fourth which is the purpose he was sent for It was to abolish sinne and to condemne sinne in the flesh speaking metaphorically or in a borrowed speech meaning heereby that there was great pleading in heauen before the seat of God betweene Christ and the diuell the seed of the woman and the serpent the diuell challenging of vs to be his first because in our first parents we gaue more faith credit to him then to God for when God had wrapt vp condemnation in the forbidden fruit we thought it to be the hidden treasure of diuine knowledge when he had sweetned his inhibition of this one tree with the free vse and liberty of all the rest as if we should starue for meat our appetite must be enflamed to this aboue the rest and when he had enioyned a law vpon our fingers as not to touch it then doe we through the strength of suggestion prefix our eies on no other marke then to gaze on it thereby to insnare our hands to snatch at it Secondly whereas Adam had his birth and creation in innocency which was but a particular allegation for him yet we that are his posterity haue our beginning from corruption as if in our generation we vowed a course of vncleanenesse and doe performe this vow by plunging the whole man into the lake as it were of impiety and therefore in our liues resembling his likenesse by walking in the workes of darkenesse he impudently would haue faced out the matter as if heauen had beene but the hall of iustice fit for the maiesty of God to sit there and not for vs to abide there longer then while sentence is in giuing But when Christ against this had truly alleaged the eternity of his generation in respect of his God-head the cleannesse of his conception in respect of his man-hood how in this person of ours he was euer sanctified in this flesh of ours had vanquished the fierce temptations of the diuell and how we in our owne persons by the water of the holy ghost are daily washed when by this hard pleading of Christ on our side we were by the sentence of God vnshakled as prisoners vniustly detained and had our absolution written in our foreheads that the damned might see it to their discomfort then the sonne of God hauing by this his trauell oâ—ened the insearchable riches of his fathers mercy toward vs he condemned sinne in this flesh and purged as it were euery veine of the hidden filthinesse lay in it and made vs members of his body So as from hence learne to measure the benefit thou hast by Christ that he is no further sent to thee then he hath destroied sinne in thee for if thou settest vp a seat for profanenesse in thy heart sowing thy fruit to the flesh and liuing to thy selfe then as 2. Cor. 5.15 Christ died not for thee and he was sent to die that by his death thou mightest liue to him beware therefore thou doest not examine thy selfe too slightly in this matter for it was easier for the Lord to create a new heauen and a new earth then to raise thee from the dead and to abolish sinne in thee which kept thee vnder the dominion of death hee hauing no resistance in the one and in the other hauing the rebellion of thy nature to hinder him so as thou must not measure the death of sinne in thee by the auoiding of grosse sinnes which the sunne hates to shine vpon but euen by thy practise and delight in smaller sinnes for if these doe keepe their course in running priuatly through thy life as the bloud doth in runnig secretly through thy veins it keepes out the spirit which should raise thee from the old Adam to the new from rebellion to obedience from darknesse to light from hell to heauen Striue therefore as in thy ignorance to please the flesh so by thy knowledge to content the spirit that as pride pleased the flesh so humblenesse of heart may please the spirit and that for the assurance of Christ to be thine thou maist doe euery thing contrary to that thou didest before after the example of Domitian the Emperour who was answered if hee would gouerne vprightly he must doe contrary to that the gouernours had done before who ruled with crueltie and tyrannie ROM chap. 8. vers 4. verse 4 That that righteousnesse of the law might
the obedience of the law in some measure and stirre vp our affections to a delight in it Thirdly we are dead to the power of prouocation which was in the law to vrge vs to sin because our sins being taken away in the passion of Christ the law bringing vs as it were vpon the scaffold and shewing vs hell gates and heauen a farre off not able of our selues to make passage to it teacheth vs to auoid all sinnefull occasions whereby our feete might be found slipping and to lay the better hold vpon the bridge the Lord Iesus by whom the conscience is so pacified as wee are euer directed in the right way so as we are dead to it in the curse of it and aliue to it as it is the rule of our direction we are dead to it in the bondage of it and aliue to it in the obedience of it Gods spirit directing our hearts to doe that willingly which the law requireth Since then there is this necessity laid vpon vs to be dead vnto sinne for which sinne the curse of the law is due and to be liuing to newnesse of life though wee see this rich benefit of hauing the righteosnesse of the law fulfilled to bee performed by Christ onely and that for vs we must beware we fall not either into profane security or else into presumptuous hypocrisie the one thinking the fauour of God not greatly requisite the other that it is easily obtained the one running on still to sinne the other couering their nakednesse with fig-leaues which are not broad enough to couer all nor thicke enough to hide them from his eies that pierceth into the deepest darknesse for these may haue a knowledge of the law and subscribe vnto it a glimmering sight of Christ in the Gospell and reioice at it and yet not haue sinne condemned in their flesh but their flesh damned for their sinne whereas if we straitly trie our selues by the law and see our sinnes as sores runnig full of corruption and damnation to bee awaiting vpon the least sinne then is the commandement come vnto vs and then sinne being reuiued we know to what Physitian to goe and what eie salue to craue for we cannot looke into the bottome of our hearts vnlesse we looke into the bottome of the law and if we faile in this wee shall know no sinnes and so consequently no Sauiour for sinnes for God being a fearefull Iudge and a consuming fire we cannot stand before him without peace of conscience nor haue this peace without grace from Christ nor partake of this grace without acknowledgment of misery nor come to this acknowledgment without a through sight of our sinnes nor attaine to this sight without a sight of damnation due for them nor see this damnation without a triall of our selues by the commandement so as Christ hath not by his vertue abated but aduanced the power and excellency of the law in the right vse of it for which it was ordained namely to set our hearts on God and our waies in the trade of his commandements and therefore let vs by all meanes shun two extremities First a restlesse desire to performe the law so precisely as to seeke life in it which is harder for vs to doe then to remoue mountaines or to clime vp to heauen to see the seat of God Secondly rechlesse impiety to liue profanely because we cannot liue so precisely as we ought for the law is the goale wee must time at and the perfection we must striue to and though in our best workes we are vnprofitable yet must we worke lest wee be abominable Now for the second part namely for whom Christ tooke this paines to establish and fulfill the righteousnesse of the law it was for such as walke not after the flesh but after the spirit which teacheth vs to know a child of God from a reprobate the life of the one being like the darkenesse of Egypt grosse and palpable the other like the Sunne-shine cleere and comfortable And this life in the elect may be discerned by two markes First by a spirituall inuisible internall testimony secondly by a reall externall and visible The first is discouered two waies first by the spirit of adoption whereby we cry in confidence to the Lord as to a father secondly by the spirit of sanctification whereby we liue in obedience and subiection as to a Lord. The outward euidence of a Christian is likewise knowen two waies first by an outward profession secondly by walking in that profession Now lest we be deceaued in the inward signes first through pride in our selues and the policy of sathan to make vs thinke we haue them when we want them as Matth. 7.23 Many by doing great things in the name of Christ will entitle themselues to heauen which is a purchase for the elect only but he will professe he neuer knew them secondly through the secrecie of them they being knowen onely to God as 1. Cor. 2.10 The spirit searcheth all things and no man knowes the heart but he that made it therfore an inuisible faith must be discerned by visible fruits and who can tell that the powers of his soule be reformed if it breake not forth into his life for which cause the badge of a renued Christian is first a proclamation as it were whose he is and vnder whom he serues secondly a blamelesse course in conuersation the first of these is communicable to hypocrites who will seeme to carry a weapon for the Lord but with weake hands and false hearts making a flourish as if hee would defie the diuell yet secretly and couertly feeding on him and defending him in his desires and therefore he that is truely elect must be measured by his life and we must not looke into the spirit which is in him but into the fruites of the spirit which hang about him not to his inuisible faith but to his visible workes of faith not to his outward profession but to his walking according to his profession as Gal. 5.25 If we liue in the spirit wee must also walke in the spirit so as men are not to bee iudged by their tongues but by their steps and since we must iudge them this way if we see one liue inordinately sweare outragiously blaspheme mightily oppresse cruelly haunt wicked company and such like we may well say he is wicked and if he reply iudge not thou maiest answer thou maiest safely iudge the roote by the tree and the tree by the fruit a fountaine by the streames and the streames by their cleerenesse a sicke man by his weakenesse and the danger of his weakenesse by the nature of the disease and what is in the heart by that commeth out of the heart Mat. 15.19 for how could such a sea of sinnes swell ouer their bankes if thou wert stable minded those hauty lookes could neuer so transforme thy countenance if pride did not possesse thee nor thy vsury and oppression so rage and some out in thy
5.25 then how many are there among vs worse then they that neuer heare it but thinke that which is in truth the onely food to preserue them the only poison to destroy them And if shee be dead that sauoureth so much of the flesh as to liue in pleasure 1. Tim. 5.6 then how many are there in the world as euill as shee that would neuer haue the Sunne to set vpon their delights but would haue their life without limitation that they might follow their sports And if he be dead that fals asleepe in his sins Eph. 5.14 then how many of this kinde are with vs that neuer tooke but one nap since their birth making the end of one sinne the beginning of another And if they be dead that walke according to the course of the world Eph. 2.1.2 then alas how few are liuing among vs many great starres falling from heauen to the earth daily that is many great professors being either ashamed or wearied of their precisenesse in religion falling away daiely renouncing that their faith wherwith they were once comforted embracing the world like Demas who shooke off Paul as if he had beene as pestilent as the viper that Paul himselfe shooke off Act. 28.5 And if he be dead that followeth not his calling faithfully Mat. 8.22 then how many such are there among vs that either through idlenesse neglect or through fraud and deceit peruert those means that God hath appointed for their increase And if he be dead which strengtheneth not himself in the things which remaine in him Reuel 3.1.2 then how doe we abound with such as want this zeale of supporting their faith suffering it daily to decrease and smothering and pressing it downe with the sent sauor of fleshly ease and preferment And if they be dead that haue not part in the first resurrection Reue. 20.5 then how many of this brood haue we that haue not yet receiued Christin true faith at all nor are awaked to any better life then they brought from their mothers wombe thinking too wel of themselues and for want of knowing themselues being not able to know Christ aright wanting this knowledge of him they are ignorant what benefit they may receiue by Christ and being ignorant of this it is impossible for them to partake of any benefits Christ bringeth they finding no better taste nor sweetnesse in them then there is sauour in the whit of an egge as Iob saith cap. 6.6 Therefore let wickednesse come form the wicked and let it be a bird onely of their hatching let them fill themselues with the bitter morsels of the flesh which turne to gall in their stomackes for God at length shall draw it out of their bellies Iob. 20.15 and shall cause his wrath to raine vpon them burierâ—â— that call vpon the name of the Lord depart from iniquity and being borne of the spirit let vs distast euery thing that is not spirituall for in this opposition of contraries of the flesh and of the spirit we must cleaue as close to the blood of Christ and the water of a holy life as the fleshly men doe to the diuell and to the course of their corruption This rule then which the Apostle heere giueth to be guided and conducted by the spirit condemneth and conuinceth all them that haue such froth in their words and some out of their monthes that men are too full of the spirit and too vehement in the spirit taking vpon them like Schoole-masters to reach the holy Ghost how to speake but since the spirit taketh it vp as a phrase fit for him let not vs be ashamed to vse it as a garment fit for vs for the world hath beene full of scoffing from the beginning and though it ingendred in the flesh of Abraham yet came it from the bastard brood of Hagar Ismael being the first Gen. 21.9 that mocked Isaac And what was Elisha the worse 2. Kin. 2.23 for being mocked of the children or the Prophets the worse for being mocked of the people or Christ the worse for being railed on in the open Synagogue and mocked at in the iudgement hall and vpon the Crosse Mat. 26.41 Or Paul the worse for being called by Tertullus that flattering oratour Act. 24.5 a pestilent fellow and a mouer of sedition Hath not this beene the lot of the righteous since the beginning and the true badge of a Christian since Christs ascension For Isaack had the blessing both vpon his soule and vpon his seed notwithstanding the curse of his brother the Prophets went on in their calling giuing as Esay speaketh their backe to the smiters and their face to the nippers they were not dismaied and Paul continued worshipping the God of his fathers after the way which was called Heresie Act. 24.14 notwithstanding the rage malice of the vnbeleeuing Iewes And therefore shrinke not thou in thy head a whit nor let not thy zeale be cooled for the quips and tants of peruerse persons for either thou must be a sheepe or a goate and better be laughed at of men for thy sheepish simplicitie then destroied by God for thy goat-like qualities since there are but two orders rankes of men in the world the one fleshly the other spiritual we know he that was borne after the flesh euer persecuted him that was borne after the spirit euen so is it now which can nothing hurt thee because the spirit doth defend thee nay it toucheth not thee at all for they scoffe at God which dwelleth in thee and he at length will laugh at their destruction Besides it is but the reuiling of Sathan which possesseth their flesh and who will esteeme of the diuels frumps since he doth it onely in enuy at thy saluation and in malice against the God of heauen Heere againe are conuinced all such who of their owne drowsinesse frame and pretend excuses for not doing as they say they should but this is but one of the deceits of sin to wind thee further into her snares for the spirit cannot be idle but is like the miller alwaies grinding anâ— mouing thee forward to some good duty for when the stronger entreth he driueth him out that was there before therefore examine thy selfe whether thou be as earnest in praier as at thy pleasure whether as diligent in counting thy sinnes as casting thy accounts at home as desirous to heare the word as a stage-play as earnest in repenting as in coÌ„mitting of offences as hungring after the foode of thy soule as after the nourishment of thy body for if thou be not thou art so far from fauouring spiritual things as the spirit hath set no footing in thee at all for we read of Dauid in the whole volume of his Psalmes how greatly he delighted in the law of God how he longed after it as the Hart after the riuer brookes how he valued it better then thousands of gold or siluer how in his estimation one day was better in the
this life Thirdly to make them the more inexcusable at the last day when they cannot say but the light was shewed them and they shut their eies and that grace was offered but they spurned against it in their hearts This preaching and exhorting and reproouing is also necessary for the elect as an instrument to conueie vnto vs that grace whereby we are conuerted as Lydia by hearing Act. 16.14 had her heart opened for though wee might liue by Gods prouidence without our appointed foode of bread Deut. 8.3 yet if we should reiect bread thinking to liue by bare prouidence wee should tempt God euen so though the grace of Christ doth onely saue vs yet is his word as the golden vessell wherein it is reached foorth vnto vs. Out of this then that hath beene spoken generally obserue that the best choisest and chiefest actions of a naturall man are enimitie against God that is doe directly sight and offend the maiestie of God the reason is because we are in this estate so farre from yeelding subiection to his law that therefore we sinne the more because the law forbids vs for as there is great contrarietie betwixt cold and heat so is there greater betwixt the spirituall law of God and the corrupt law of our flesh and as the fire compassed about with the force of the winde hath the heat that struggleth to come foorth beaten backe by the power of the winde whereby it increaseth the rage of the fire as experirience teacheth vs in scalding more in winter than in summer euen so is it with vs for sinne that would come foorth and is driuen backe by the power of the commandement prooueth the more fierce and enraged sinne Since then it is our nature to sinne the more because we are forbidden to sinne and that the successe and fruite of sinne is so dangerous as to keepe vs at enimitie with God with whom if we make no peace but continue at warre we shall haue the woorse being to him but as the drie stubble bfore the fire let vs beware how in this lethargie of sinne we fall asleepe since watchfulnesse is the cure prescribed by our Physician Christ but let vs tremble at the first motion of sinne shake off the least occasion that may prouoke vs to it checke it when it begins first to start out and cut it off while it is yet tender lest growing strong headed it makes vs grow stiffe necked and stubburne hearted for it is not the way to amend barely to wish thou could leaue it and yet to excuse thy sinne because it is thy nature for aswell maiest thou acquit the theefe that robbeth thee for he will pray thee to beare with him and tell thee it is so old and sweet a sinne to steale as he cannot chuse but follow it But thou must submit thy selfe to be reprooued for thy sinne range thy selfe equally to the obedience of euerie Commandement not excluding couetousnesse as thy enemy and yet suffring thy selfe to be surprised by flatterie as a friend to thy promotion reiecting hatred and yet harboring deceit gaine-saying pride and yet abounding in oppression defying poperie and yet embracing blasphemie for they end all alike in destruction of body and sorrow of minde let vs not therefore go neere the stewes if our eies bee bent to lust nor affect preheminence if our hearts be bent to pride nor handle treasure if our affection encline to couetousnesse nor haunt the tauerne lest our appetites bee enflamed with wine for this were to quench the fire with oile which is as fuell to maintaine it But let vs so moderate our selues in these inferior blessings as we auoid prouocations to sin because of our pronenesse to sinne and suffer not our weake nature to be too sharpely assaulted by these deceiueable delights which are in themselues but as sugred sinnes the more easily to ensnare vs in the nets of the diuell ROM chap. 8. vers 8.9 verse 8 So then they that are in the flesh can not please God verse 9 Now yee are not in the flesh but in the spirit because the spirit of God dwelleth in you but if any man hath not the spirit of Christ the same is not his IN these verses the Apostle concludeth his former argument of the opposition betweene the flesh and the spirit both waies proceeding as it were by steppes and degrees in this sort They that walke after the course of the world sauour the things of the flesh and relishing nothing else they sauour of damnation their consciences being alreadie scorched with the fire of hell and this is all the excellencie of mans wisdome because it is not at slight variance but at vtter defiance with God and it continueth in this enimitie because it is not in subiection to his law and it is not because it can not and since it cannot but rebell it is impossible it should please God On the other side they that make a conscience of their waies sauour the things of the spirit and by this their taste and delight in heauenly things they purchase to themselues life and peace for such is the wisedome of the spirit and not being in the flesh they can not but please God which is partly expressed partly implied vpon direct consequent of the former words in the end of vers 8. For since they that are giuen ouer as reprobates to the flesh cannot please God they that haue but flesh and infirmities onely in them hauing the greatest part of their soule and body seasoned with the graces of God they cannot but please God and such are yee vers 9. the Apostle speaking of the elect which containeth three parts in it First a proposition assumed S. Paul taking it as granted and as a matter without controuer sie that they were not in the flesh but were in part sanctified Secondly the reason that mooued him so to take it because the spirit wrought in them holinesse of life for God and an vncleane liuer cannot lodge vnder one roose Thirdly a reason of that or a confirmation of the reason by the contrarie they that want Christs spirit are none of Christs but yee are elect and chosen and ingrafted into Christ and therefore yee haue his spirit and hauing his spirit he hath so crucified your corruptions as you are no longer in the flesh and then being dead vnto sinne yee are aliue vnto God Hence obserue first the great force and efficacy of those words They that are in the flesh for it is a greater matter to be in the flesh then for flesh to be in vs for this maketh vs more fleshly the first being true onely of the reprobate and castawaies the other onely of the elect euen as it is a greater disgrace to say that a man is in his wine whereby is meant drunkennesse then that wine is in a man for the best may take it to comfort their hearts so to say that a man is cholericke is more then to say
he thrust his sickle into the haruest Howbeit this order of proceeding against knowne and infamous sinners as to thrust snarling dogs out of the Church to cast the acornes among swine is not to be done by euery priuate man but by the church and congregation and if they admit any such the fault lieth in them not in those that ioyne with them for the children may take their appointed foode though some snarling and snatching curres and bastards stand by And where it is said in another place by this Apostle Eate not with him it is not meant of the Communion at the Lords table but that wee must haue no familiaritie with him not take delight in his companie Further out of the reason giuen why they were not in the flesh namely because the spirit of God was in them we gather that a man may be sure of his saluation and this is the whole drift of S. Paul in this Chapter to secure the elect of the euerlasting loue of God in his Sonne sensiblie felt in themselues for hee beginneth with this generall ground of their comfort That there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ then must they needs be saued But now all the question is who they be that are ingrafted into Christ for proofe hereof he descendeth to examine the particular course of their life which is visibly seene to all but particularly and best knowne to ones selfe this is if they walke in the spirit by a religious kinde of conuersation and their way in this is discerned by their life in the spirit that is by their ioy and comfort in godlinesse and this spirituall life is seene by not gratifying the flesh in the lustes and desires thereof and this crossing and correcting of the flesh in the pride of her lusts is seene by crucifying and killing of it with the affections thereof that is not onely beating and pressing it downe but stifling and braining of it altogether and this violence to the flesh is performed by them that haue suffered with Christ in the flesh that is that haue not listened or giuen eare to the pleasures of sinne but haue Heb. 12.1 cast away that presseth downe and the corruption that hangeth so fast on and this is done by them 1. Pet. 4.1 that cease from sinne that is that slip into it vnawares as a bird into a snare and such bee they as bestow the rest of their time after the will of God and his will being our worke we cannot but please him pleasing him it is his pleasure Lu. 12 32. to giue vs a kingdome Besides we may know whether we haue the spirit of God in vs or no as appeareth 1. Cor. 2.11.12 No man knoweth the things of man saue the spirit of a man euen so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God which we haue receaued that we might know the things are giuen to vs of God which proueth that as we know our owne thoughts or words so the spirit of God in vs maketh knowen the wil of God to vs as far as is needful to be reuealed if we then know the will of God we may assure our selues we know his spirit to be in vs for his wil is not known without his spirit this spirit teaching truth but the spirit of the world broching error And 1. Io. 4.13 hereby know we that we dwel in Christ and he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his spirit which prooueth that though we know not what maner of thing the spirit is because it is inuisible and secret yet we may know we haue it by the fruits of a sanctified life after this maner speaketh Paul 2. Corint 13.5 Know yee not that Christ is in you except you be reprobates And yet the Papists would haue all reprobates counting it presumption to say we haue the spirit It is true if any presume he hath it when his life is not answerable to it he is deceaued and abused by presumption but if wee walke and trade in the spirit by a holy conuersation we may be sure we haue it for that is the argument of the Apostle that our sanctification is an vndoubted testimonie and an assured certaintie that Christ dwelleth in vs for there being but two spirits that rule in the hearts of all men the one the spirit of the world the other the spirit of God why should not our course be as prophane as others and our carriage runne after the flesh aswell as theirs if the mightier and stronger that is the spirit of Christ did not possesse our soules Yet say they No man can secure himselfe he shall be saued But as we may be sure of the spirit so may we likewise be of the riches that it bringeth which is saluation for it cannot hide so great a treasure from vs it being as an earnest pennie giuen vs that perfecteth the purchase of our inheritance in heauen for as we may trace a Hare in the snow by her footeing and come to the forme where shee sits euen so by those holy steppes that wee tread and by those spirituall bounds wherein we keepe our thoughts and our affections we may well and certainely perceaue that the spirit leades vs to the seate of God Besides this spirit of God within vs keepeth not his fruit and comfort secret to himselfe but discouereth it to vs and beareth witnesse to our spirits that we are the chosen of God and the spirit of man knowes what is in man whether his heart be filled with hypocrisie or with sinceritie with humilitie or with pride with true zeale or with counterfait that howsoeuer wee may bleare the sight of men by our dissembling yet we carrie our owne eies downe to our heart that see by what false waights we measure our fruits to God that is our religion and our righteousnesse to men that is our conuersation so as we haue a double euidence of our saluation the one backing and strengthening the other which is set foorth 1. Ioh. 5.8 There be three which beare record in earth the spirit and the water and the bloud and these three agree in one and where water is there hath bloud gone before for these two goe together as they came foorth of Christs side together Ioh. 19.34 repentance being the leader and remission of sinnes following after bloud washing away our guiltinesse and water the vncleannesse of our liues and the spirit of Christ sealing vp these things in our hearts that as by the sealing of the conueiance the purchase in law is made perfect so by the setling of our consciences in an vpright course toward God our saluation in Christ is made perfect and sure euen to vs. Yet say they wee cannot assure our selues wee shall thus continue for we haue examples of many that haue begun in the spirit and haue ended in the flesh that haue seemed fruitfull for a while and haue beene barren euer after that
the Saints of God beloued of the Lord hauing our long robes in signe of statelinesse as Senators palmes in our hands in signe of victorie as conquerours Reu. 7.9 for we in Christ haue ouer come Satan Further wee must obserue and know though this spirit of life dwell in vs yet so long as wee are inclosed in this earthly tabernacle and haue the corruption of nature clasping about the soule as Ivie to the Oke Ioh. 13.8 we cannot be free from infirmities and sinnes nor washed so cleane but that some filth will cleaue to our hands or our feet Yet there is great difference betweene the slips and sins of him that hath and of him that hath not the spirit of God as great difference as there is betweene him that is drenched and plunged ouer head and eares in a puddle and him that hath onely fouled his foote according to the speech of Christ to Peter Ioh. 13.10 He that is washed needed not saue onely to wash his feete as if he should haue said Peter thy head and thy hands are cleane onely thy feet need washing 〈◊〉 that is alwaies in this life some inferior affection is vncleane and there will be a litle boiling against the working of the spirit but the principall purpose of our hearts shall be to please God and to loath the world For the children of God are as poisoned vessels washed by the holie Ghost 2. Cor. 10. â—â— wherein notwithstanding there rests some taste and tang of their former filthinesse but the wicked are as vessels full of the poison of the diuell wherein the spirit of God neuer set footing Againe sinne in the regenerate hath a wound and is like the Sun faintly appearing through some thicke cloud but in the wicked it hath it full stroke Againe the wicked are so chained that they cannot stirre one foote to heauen and being cast from God they so little care for it as they wil with Cain Gen. 4.17 fall a building of cities and hauing lost the harmonie of a good conscience they will get some Iubal or other Genes 4.21 to plaie on the organs to make them merry but the godly though they be loosed from the chaines of the diuel yet while they soiourne heere they must draw some irons after them Againe the wicked from their birth haue turned their backs to God and their face to the diuell but the godly though they be hindred in their course and staied in their profession of godlinesse and of sanctification by some infirmities inseparable from the flesh yet doe they striue in their running to recouer their fall and wrastle for a prize that shall neuer fade And yet no doubt there is a contradiction in the wicked euen in finning as it is said Gen. 4.7 sinne lieth at the dore of Caine that is the blood of his brother Abel should torment his conscience Howbeit this combat and contradiction is but betweene his conscience that condemneth his sinne and his heart that loueth it but in them there is neuer any strife betweene affections and affections whereas the godly haue this fight betweene affections and affections as the flesh desireth to doe such a thing but the spirit that dwelleth in the flesh doth alwaies abhorre it and striueth against it So as if God hath sealed thee vp to saluation and hath giuen thee the stone of absolution and pardon for thy sinnes though thou art now discouraged at that remnant of sinne that rests in thee and fearest lest God should frowne at thee and turne his face from thee for thy weake seruice of him yet lift vp thy head thou shall bee sure heereafter through the power of this spirit to cast downe that great Goliah 2. Cor. 3.18 and thou shalt haue the full fruition of that hope thou yet doest apprehend and see as in a glasse Eph. 1.14 and if thou hast receiued but the earnest penny of the spirit in this life thou shalt be sure to receiue thy full wages and hire in the life to come Neither need we be dismaied that we limpe like Iacob 2. Cor. 5.5 2. Cor. 12.8 Genes 32.25 and be imperfect in this life for if we had not infirmities we would bee as proud as the diuell whereas now they make vs to expresse our thankefulnesse to God that hee so mercifully restraineth them and so fatherly passeth by them they serue to multiply our grones in the spirit to God Phil. 1.23 Rom. 7.24 Heb. 13.3 that we might be deliuered from this body of death and bondage of sinne yea they stirre vs vp to the loue of others to sorrow for the afflictions of Ioseph and of our brethren whereas if wee our selues were not infirme and weake we would neuer be touched with compassion Vers 11. But if the spirit of him that raised vp Iesus from the dead dwell in you hee that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you Howsoeuer wee haue aduantage and comfort by the former doctrine that by the extinguishment of this light which wee haue heere beneath and by the separation of our bodies from our soules sin must die and cannot otherwise be mortified than by mortalitie yet in this verse the Apostle stirreth vs vp to greater ioy and to the top of all Christian comfort shewing that the time shall come when our vile bodies shall bee made like to the glorious bodie of Christ Iesus The verse standeth on two parts first of the raising vp of Iesus Christ secondly of the raising vp of our bodies to bee made conformable to Christ our head First obserue the maner of the Apostle his speech If the spirit c. consider wisely this speech propounded by Paul as it were conditionally which doth not argue any suspended doubt fulnesse of the matter or make it any whit subject to exception but carieth with it a peremptorie necessitie that it is so the Apostle taking that for granted which cannot be denied without falling into grosse absurdities For if he should haue doubted whether Christ had beene risen againe then in vaine had he gone about to prooue that we should rise againe and therefore by this maner of phrase the Apostle cals not the matter in question as a doubt but doth boldly assume it to all Christians that Christ is risen And this is the common course of the Scripture and of the Ministers of God in all times vsually to say If there be a day of iudgement 2. Pet. 3.11 and if it be so that this booke of Gods word shall be wâ—â—â—â—â—â—â— our hearts then is there a fearefull reckoning to bee exâ—â—â—â— for which they do not as doubting of these things but taking them as granted of all men they be so certaine without contradiction So the Apostle before in this chapter vers 9. If the spirit be in you speaking to the elect for all that is spoken in this chapter belongeth onely to them that
God can haue no roome to dwell in such a soule Further from the Metaphor or borrowed speech dwelleth note that there is a residence of the holy Ghost in all those that be his so as it must not be a so iourning of the Lord with vs to come like a stranger for a night or for a meale and away againe but he must be a houshold guest to go in and out with vs so that we must know it is not euery pang of conscience or fit of prayer or hanging downe our heads for a day whereby we are sometime perplexed and wringed with sorrow that is the dwelling of the spirit in vs no more then was that fit of Balaam Numb 23.10 when he praied that his soule might die the death of the righteous and that his last end might be like his Neither is this spirit knowen to bee in thee by doing many good things for Herod Mark. 6.20 did many things at the perswasion of Iohn Baptist yet was he a most cruell incestuous bloudy tyâ—ant nor yet by leauing many euill things vndone for the very Heathen had many morall vertues which made them decline from many viâ—â—â— â—ut by this shalt thou know that thou hast this spirit if aâ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—â—osseth and repugneth thy affections if thy affections â—â—e â—â—t against it but that in the meditation and purpose of sin thou please thy selfe and take part with thy affections against God to fulfill it as Balaam did when by the proffer of riches Num. 24.13 he would faine haue cursed where the Lord had blessed it is certaine this spirit of God abideth not there but the diuell Lastly obserue since there is no hope of the resurrection but so farre as wee are sealed in this life to that glory wee shall haue heereafter by the earnest of Gods spirit giuen vnto vs we may truly say of the wicked whom the Son neuer kissed Psal 2.12 that when they die they go to the damned for he that hath not his part of this spirit in this life vnlesse the Apostle be a liar which were blasphemy to thinke that man shall neuer haue the glorie of the life to come And therefore such as do scorne and scoffe at the seruants of God as Ishmael did at Isaac Gen. 21.9 calling them Men of the spirit they do commit most sacrilegious scurrilitie and in this state wherein they stand they are as surely the diuels as the diuell is not Gods yea in this they do with their owne mouths pronounce and subscribe to their owne damnation for the Apostle saith we must haue this spirit else it is impossible to bee saued Heere it may be said Since there is only ioy and peace in the spirit how is it that the wicked runne on in the course of their life prosperously and in the end of their daies go away quietly whereas the godly walke through many snares and are in their life scratched as it were with many thornes and in their death oft times are much troubled and depart in great agonies True it is the wicked may perhaps die quietly and to the sight of man comfortably hauing as Iob speaketh no bands in their death Iob. 21.13 Psal 73.4 but looke thou iudge him no more by his death than by his birth for many women haue had more easie trauell of a reprobate than an elected child of God especially the cause of their quiet being because hypocrisie hath put their consciences to silence heere that they may soone after roare out in hell and there is such a crust growen vpon their hearts 1. Tim. 42. that they rot and fester within and feele it not whereas in the elect the 〈…〉 is kept alwaies open and wee cannot feele the least bâ—◠〈…〉 Lords displeasure but we are anguished neither can wee 〈◊〉 that we euer feare enough which tender heart of a Christiâ—â— is like the Adamant to draw the oile of comfort into his soule and to hasten and quicken the life of the spirit in him Let vs all therfore earnestly pray for this spirit hauing obtained it let vs cherish and welcome it so as it may take delight in vs for wee all know it must one day come to this In manas tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit and it is now at this In manas tuas homo commendo spiritum meum Into thy hands O man I commit my spirit And therefore as we will haue the Lord gratious to our spirits at the latter day so let vs well vse and entertaine his spirit in this acceptable time which vouchsafeth to dwell with vs. ROM chap. 8. vers 12. verse 12 Therefore we are debters not to the flesh to liue after the flesh VPon that which went before the Apostle inferreth a most vehement exhortation to this effect that seeing Christ hath saued them and freed them not onely from the condemnation of sinne but also from the power of sinne therfore the Lord doth indent with them and in them with vs all not to merit saluation but because saluation is already merited for vs to be engaged and obliged to the Lord and that since he hath taken the hand writing away from Sathan Coloss 2.14 and hath cancelled it in Christ that therfore we should be debters not to the flesh but to the spirit Hâ—â—reupon obserue that the greatest argument to perâ—◠〈◊〉 rather to inforce vs to good workes is taken from 〈…〉 of our redemption as appeareth by Saint Paul who 〈◊〉 â—â—â—t argument Rom. 12.1 I beseech you by the mercies of God that you giue vp your bodies a liuing Sacrifice vnto the Lord that since the Lord hath beene so mercifull vnto you as not to looke vpon your nakednesse but as you are cloathed in Christ you would therefore returne vnto him conformitie of obedience in sacrificing your selues vnto him After the same manner doth Saint â—eter perswade 1. Pet. 2.11 I beseech you as stangers and pilgrimes abstaine from fleshly lusts As if hee should say Since you are now a chosen generation and a people set at liberty by the death of Christ and by this meanes made Citizens of heauen walke according to the lawes of that heauenlie citie Heere are they condemned that say If by doing good works we can deserue nothing what heart can we haue to doe them And since we are bought already why should the Lord be twife fatisfied Whereto we answer that though we can deserue nothing Luk. 17.10 yet by this meanes we shew our thankfulnesse in doing as much as we can and though in all things we are vnprofitable seruants yet must wee bee thankfull for that which Christ hath done for vs. And since Christ hath fully satisfied for vs it is not further required that wee keepe the law to satisfie it but to testifie our obedience and thankes that wee are made partakers of such grace and haue receiued so great a pardon And so by this our working we
man deceiue you he beginneth with a preoccupation to possesse their minds before hand He that doth righteousnesse saith he is righteous not he that can discourse and talke of righteousnesse and therefore one saith truely Tace lingua loquerevita talke not of a good life but let thy life speake This the Apostle there proueth by the contrary for he that committeth sin is of the diuell that is he that committeth fâ—â—â—â— the world doth and doth not purge himselfe for the Apostle opposeth sinning to purging and he that is of the diuell cannot please God For therefore was Christ sent to destroy the workes of the diuell so as if these workes be not destroyed in thee and his building pulled downe Christ was neuer sent vnto thee Againe he proueth it by the contrary He that is borne of God doth not sinne for he hath the seed of the spirit therefore it is as if he should say when such wicked men shall bee saued the diuell shall be saued This is further proued by the words which Christ himselfe spake in the flesh Ioh. 8.34 He that so sinneth as to make a trade of it he is the seruant of the diuell vers 44. and if no chastisements nor benefites can reclaime you ye are the diuels for the lusts of your father ye will doe Lastly adde to this that of the new couenant made with Israel and so with vs Ier. 31.31 I will write my law in their hearts vers 33. And I will be their God and they shall bee my people So as if God pardoneth any hee doth promise him grace to amend his life and if that grace be denied him he neuer couenanted to saue him The couenant then implieth thus much If thou hast not grace to abstaine from grosse sinnes thou shalt be damned and if thou hast the grace of sanctification giuen thee thou shalt be saued But if ye mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit c. This is the second proposition which the Apostle layeth downe namely that a good course of life leadeth to a good end Wherein first is questionable whether it standeth in the power of the heart of man to subdue the corrupt desires and affections of his nature as well as it doth to fulfill the lusts of the flesh for 2. Tim. 2.20.21 Paul shewing how that in a great house there be vessels some for honour and some for dishonour some for base and some for higher seruices which house he meaneth to be the Church of God saith that if any man purge himselfe hee shall be a fit vessell for Gods house and 1. Ioh. 5.18 He that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe from that wicked one which is the diuell that he touch him not Which places may seeme to attribute the purifying and cleansing of our selues to our selues by our owne inclinations and wils but it must be vnderstood that the Scripture in these and such like places setteth not downe the cause of this cleansing but the execution of it For the cause of this our mortification appeareth Ezech. 36.26 I saith the Lord will giue you a new heart and a new spirit so as there it must be had euen of God but it must be in vs otherwise we pertaine not to the Lords election Hereupon the Scripture vouchsafeth vs that honour to say we do it because notwithstanding the reforming of our iudgements and the changing of our affections is wrought by the supernaturall power of the holy Ghost working in vs yet this holy Ghost doth worke in vs as the subiects and by vs as the instruments as when it is said I will write my law in your hearts the spirit writes but the heart is the place and whatsoeuer is written in our hearts is ours To make this more plaine by a naturall proportion As a man that rectifieth and guideth the hand of a child to write the writing is said to be the worke of the child and not of him that directed him though without such direction the child could not haue done it euen so the Lord doth guide vs in all things we doe well and what doth hee guide but our wils so as the worke proceeding from our wils is ours yet without the guide of the spirit we could not doe it And in this working there is not a double effect one of the holy Ghost and another of our selues but we doe it euen as before there were not two writers though the child was directed but the child onely writ it Secondly where it is said If ye mortifie c. ye shall liue it may be demanded whether by the same reason we deserue saluation by this mortifying of our fleshâ— as by walking in the flesh we deserue damnation It is certaine vnlesse we doe well we can not be saued yet the holy Ghost sheweth that there is not the same perfection to doe well in our natures as there is in vs agilitie and dexterity to follow wickednesse For by our fall we are throughly corrupted as the Prophet Esay speaketh chap. 1.6 From the sole of the foot to the top of the head there is nothing but wounds and swelling but by our regeneration in this life we can neuer perfectly bee renued It sufficeth we haue obtained the blessing of Iacob Gen. 32.28.29 to haue such power from God as to be lame in sinne all our life long So Paul Rom. 6.23 saith The wages of sinne is death but the gift of God is eternall life through Christ whereby appeareth that the contraries themselues are not perfect for sinne of it selfe deserueth death but being good of it selfe deserueth not life for it is the gift of God and so the consequents of these two cannot be perfect and agree together Againe it is one question to aske who shall be saued and another to aske how we shall be saued for true it is that none shall be saued but they that mortifie themselues if they liue and for children they are changed in a moment by a supernaturall power of the Lord. As it is said Esa 33.14 Who shall dwell with the deuouring fire He that walketh in iustice and speaketh righteous things refusing the gaine of oppression shaking his hands from taking of gifts stopping his eares from hearing of blood and shutting his eies from seeing of euill And Dauid Psal 15.1 asketh the question and bringeth in the Lord to answer it Who shall dwell in thy tabernacles He that walketh vprightly he that taketh no reward against the innocent and such like as it followeth there as if the Lord should say Such and none else for the words haue an exclusiue nature So if it be asked who they be that shall be set at the right hand of God in heauen Mat. 25.34.41 it must be answered They that visite the members of Christ in affliction and leade their liues answerable to their religious profession And if Who they be that shall be set on the left hand the answere is They that refuse to releeue the
their right hand whom they meane to make their equals as Gen. 41.40 Ioseph was set at the right hand of Pharaoh being made ruler ouer all Egypt and 1. King 2.19 Salosom set Bathsheba his mother on the right hand so is it said by Dauid in the Psalmes the Queene fitteth on the right hand of the King So as the meaning is Psal 45. â— that Christ Iesus hath receiued from God the copartnership of soueraigne authority ouer all natures whatsoeuer and as he is man being also the Sonne of â—â—d and our elder brother is aduanced ouer all and hath received a name aboue all so as now the Father ruleth nothing but 〈◊〉 the person of his Sonne Secondly vnderstand that this sitting at Gods right hand though it was due to his humane nature and flesh from the moment of his conception and vniting the flesh to his diuine nature yet it is properly assigned to him after his resurrection or rather after his ascension For hauing in the forme of a seruant performed all obedience then did the Father crowne his obedience with this excellent glory and then was this soueraignty bestowed on him Which must teach vs much more patiently to wait vpon the Lord and not to expect our reward before we set forth or while we be running but when our race is finished and that wee haue borne the heat of the day and haue fought a good fight in the Lord. Thirdly for this his sitting that is the receiuing of his absolute authority though Christ as God neuer receiued it being equall to God much lesse after his ascension yet after his ascension he was in some sort aduanced in his diuine nature for as the Scripture saith The Sonne of God descended meaning thereby abased himselfe Rom. 10.7 and his glorie did not so fully appeare being hidden in the cloud of his infirme flesh yet as the Apostle saith by his rising and ascending was he mightily declared to be the sonne of God and by that was more manifested to be so Rom. 1.4 then he was vpon the earth This also he sheweth himselfe Iob. 17.24 when he praied to be glorified with the same glory he had with his Father from the beginnig not that it should then be bestowed vpon him but then miraculoussy declared to haue had it from eternitie Howbeit this his sitting heere spoken of is properly meant to be exalted in his flesh because this authority is giuen him as Mediator And in this respect Christ may bee said to be greater then himselfe and lesse then himselfe because his flesh is beneath his diuinity and his Godhead farre aboue his humanity And by this power giuen him he is glorified in the Godhead in the manifestation of it in the flesh by abolishing all his infirmities and replenishing his flesh with all maner of graces Colos 2.8 as it is said lâ—â— him dwelt the fulnesse of the Godhead Concerning the second point namely what fruits come tâ—â— vs by this his sitting at Gods right hand they are principally three first we learne by this that he doth inrich his Church generally and euery member particularly with so many graces 〈◊〉 the holy Ghost as shall be necessary to the glory of the head the edification of the whole body and the saluation of euery particular member according as it is set downe Eph. 5.26.27 that this Church might be without spot or wrinkle and without blame Secondly by this his presence with God he doth defend and protect his Church from all enemies whatsoeuer so as the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it And this is our comfort that since all power is giuen him he that hath felt our infirmities hath the tempering of the cup of our afflictions which we may boldlie drinke of and not refuse it no more then he did the bitter cup his Father gaue to him and assure our selues that no tyrants hand can touch vs further then he permits him which shall neuer be aboue our strength for Christ hath power enough to performe it and God hath will enough to doe it And since while he was in his humanity on earth the diuell could not enter into a heard of swine without his licence and permission Math. 8.32 and that as it is said in the Reu. 5.3 he doth so seale the doore as none can enter in vnles he open it what shall we thinke he will doe now being in his glory and at his Fathers elbow And while he was in the flesh being able by the word of his mouth to stay the raging of the sea Mat. 8.26 much more now can he and will he represse the rage and fury of our persecutors when it please him Thirdly he shall sit at the right hand of the father vntill all his children be fully glorified and his enemies destroied which are of two sorts first such as are to be abolished as death secondly or such as perfectly are to be vanquished and yet perpetually to be tormented as the diuel and the damned spirits for to them shall it be a day of horror and of howling Now for the fourth which is his intercession or his making request for vs consider two things first what is meant in that he is said to make petition for vs secondly what benefits redound and arise to vs by these his requests for vs. For the first that he is said to pray for vs it is the exaltation and aduancement of Christ Iesus in the office of his eternall priest-hood whereof there were two parts the one to expiate or offer sacrifice for sinne the other to pray for the people Now Christ was such a Priest as the power of his sacrifice continueth for euer and no more sacrifice is to be offered vp as it is said Heb. 10.12 this man meaning Christ after he had once offered one sacrifice for sinne sitteth for euer at the right hand of God Howbeit the second duty of his Priest-hood which is to pray for vs remaineth still but after an other maner not as he did vpon the earth when he prostrated himselfe to the ground and lifted vp his eies to heauen with trembling of heart and anguish of minde offering vp praiers as Heb. 5.7 with strong cries and teares vnto God being himselfe then but as a seruant to his Father but he exerciseth this office now not by any submission of gesture but by representing and setting before the eyes of his Father his sacrifice fresh and bleeding which turneth his Fathers countenance from our indignities and misdeeds to looke vpon himselfe as Heb. 9.24 He is entred into heauen to appeare now in the sight of God for vs standing there to be beholden For the second namely what benefits we haue by this his intercession and they are three first by this he fulfilleth all the types and figures of the law that heereby he might fully declare vnto vs that he is the euerlasting Priest prefigured by them that were vnder the law as Heb. 10.19 hee is said
a candle then had Obadiah hid an hundred of the Lords Prophets in a caue 1. King 18.4 that neuer bowed their knees to Baal Iob. 5.22 For the Lord doth but laugh at the policies of the wicked and he in his time will discouer their shame to their faces and lift vp the heads of his seruants aboue all the tyrants of the world Now for the meanes whereby wee obtaine this victory obserue that it is by a spirituall power of the holy Ghost enabling vs to so great a worke for such is our ambition to be great men as if Demas find no preferment by the Gospell 2. Tim. 4.10 he will nothing esteeme of Pauls company Such is our desire to be rich as if we gaine by our seruants that worke with the Diuell we had rather they should be possessed still then we would lose our gaine which we may see Act. 16.19 where Paul and Silas were haled before the Magistrates onely for casting out the spirit of diuination in the maide that got her masters great aduantage by diuining Yea such and so vehement are our naturall and earthly affections and so great our greedinesse to enioy the pleasures of our life that the mariage of a wife or the triall of a yoke of oxen shall keepe vs from Christ Mat. 22.5 Luk. 14.19.20 So that it must be a greater power then the faculty or abilitie of a man for if naturally we are not able to abide the snuffe of a candle much lesse to burne in the fire Why then so many examples as we see patiently induring death for the testimony of the truth of God so many testimonies haue wee of the Lords power to enable weake vessels to hold such scalding liquer For many through presumption of their owne strength haue apostated and Peter was well neare it notwithstanding his bragge that he would not leaue his master to the death if Christ his eie had not pierced his soule to repentance for his former denials Luk. 22.61 Dauid 1. Sam. 17.45.46 confesseth that it was not in his strength to contend with Goliah neither did he come to him with sword or with speare but in the name of the God of Israel who would close him into his hands And this in truth must be our paterne and our praise in these temptations and afflictions to flie out of our selues and to run to the wings of the Lord Iesus whose grace onely is sufficient for vs and whose power is made perfect in our weakenesse for where the flesh carieth a confidence in it selfe there is no roome for the spirit for the spirit helpeth onely those that be infirme and Christ is onely a Physition for a sicke sinner Mark 2.17 Now as wee are conquerors through him that loueth vs so let vs labour that Christ may thinke his loue well bestowed his bloud well spent and his victory for vs well gained by our loue of him againe that it may be as hot as the flame that whole flouds of waters may not quench it and so strong as neither terrors in persecution nor pleasures in life nor the anguish of death may make vs forsake our ankor Christ Iesus but that wee may hold our confidence in a hope sure and stedfast which shall at the last giue vs entrance into the veile whither Christ our forerunner is for vs entred in Heb. 6.29 ROM chap. 8. vers 38 39. verse 38 For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Augels nor Principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come verse 39 Nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. HEere the Apostle setteth downe a conclusion full of all consolation proceeding from a diuine and heauenly resolution and christian magnan unity extended and offered by the Apostle in the person of all the faithfull wherein he doth couragiously challenge and exultantly triumph ouerall creatures being assured that nothing that euer was created could finally separate him from that loue wherewith the Lord had loued him in Christ This conclusion standeth on two parts first in the enumeration or reckoning vp of some particulars which if any thing could seuer vs from the Lord it were likely to bee some of these he named Secondly because the Apostle could not insist in the induction or bringing in of particulars he vseth a generall comprehension of all things that nothing might bee excepted in these words nor any other creature the things reckoned vp are nine which be either one contrary to another or else diuers from other For death that cannot separate vs from God for though it be most terrible to the flesh to see his prefixed end yet this is so farre vnable to seuer vs as nothing hath greater power to ioyne vs to God through the death of him that ouercame death which appeareth likewise by this that euen the wicked though they loue not to liue the life of the righteous because it is tedious through afflictions yet they can wish with Balaam Num. 23. vers 10. that their last end may be like theirs who alwaies resigne vp their soules in rest vnto the Lord. And though some wicked may make a peaceable end whereby Satan hardeneth others to thinke they are beloued of the Lord because they depart like the light of a candle and some of the elect die troublesomely whereby Satan maketh his instruments to condemne the generation of the godly yet in their inward man they doe not onely patiently expect but deepely sigh for the day of their dissolution that being vncloathed of this corruption they may be crowned with the Lords glorie for they that haue receiued the earnest of the spirit the pledge of their inheritance and the first fruits of the Lords loue and vnto whom he hath sealed and assured pardon of their sinne they do know they haue cause to expect the reuelation and shew of their happinesse being heere tossed with sundrie waues of perplexed miseries and being sure there to arriue from a tempestuous voyage to a most blessed hauen And it is ioyfull to a Christian to bee deliuered from this careful life wherein euery day is the messenger of fresh sorrowes and wherein hee findeth his corruption so burdensome so as though Paul was taken vp into the third heauen 2. Cor. 12.4 yet hee cried Who shall deliuer me from this body of sinne For heere wee know our selues to be scarce worth the ground we go on we are so worne with care and so ground with affliction but then we shall enter into the presence of God and dwell with him perpetually To be short many haue beene so rauished with this ioy which wee see but as in a mist as they haue not onely giuen vp themselues to naturall death but euen suffered violent death embracing it as chearefully as the souldier that comes after his valour shewed to be made a knight or as the King that goeth to his
to her wallowing in the ruire Some will say True it is the spirit may bee quenched in 〈◊〉 hypocrite but neuer in the elect as 1. Iohn 3.9 Hee that is borne of God sinneth not And whom God loued once hee loueth alwaies This is true but then looke that thou stand vpon good and sound euidence when Sathan troubles thee for thou knowest how the burning lampes went out how the seed in the blade came to nothing and it is certaine that a man illuminate may sinne against the holy Ghost and therefore see that thou hast good title and groundest vpon good interest when thou shalt bee vexed with temptations For Rom. 8.13 if wee liue after the flesh wee shall die and as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God and who hath this spirit looke 1. Iohn 3.14 We are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren for hee that hath a soule must needes breath and he that hath the spirit must needs fulfill the fruits of the spirit Secondly albeit the elect haue receiued an euerlasting spirit whereof the Lord can neuer repent and which can neuer vtterly be quenched yet let vs feare and tremble for in the elect it may so bee obscured and ouerwhelmed that some of the graces of Gods spirit nay most of the graces yea the chiefest of the most nay all almost of Gods graces may in them be quenched as Dauid praieth Psal 51. Lord create in me a new spirit and yet he had it in him for in the same place he saith Lord take not thy spirit from me So as this exhortation not to quench the â—â—â—rit hath a double fruit in the hypocrite to make him vnexcusable in the elect to make them more circumspect and carefull in their conuersation for we must not be secure in as much as albeit the spirit of God in those that be his cannot bee absolutely quenched and wholly put out yet there may bee a great abatement of the spirit as not to be recouered without great touch and terror of conscience For first while a man feeles the presence of this spirit there is giuen him such ioy and with that a singular peace in the inward man and such securitie of his saluation that he feeles the loue of God spiritually to do him as much good as his meat and vpon this assurance he doth as it were behold the heauens open for the Lord to embrace him liuing or dying and he knoweth himselfe to be sealed vp in the blood of Christ vnto eternall life Now if this spirit be gone absenteth it selfe in spirituall operation together with this is our former ioy abated and the foundation of our hope begins to be shaken and being weake of our selues we are surprised with many feares and suspecting our selues to bee cast from the feare of God and our sinnes arising and flying vp like smoake in our eies we almost are brought to the case of Cain Gen. 4.12 to thinke that whosoeuer meeteth vs will slay vs. Secondly as vpon the enioying presence of the Lords spirit there springs an vnspeakable ioy and comfort in our hearts and we find that the Lords loue breedeth in vs an heauenly assurance of eternall peace and filleth our hearts with a mutuall and reciprocall loue of God our loue streaming and flowing from the well head of the Lords loue then it followeth that the lesse we feele the Lords loue toward vs the lesse we loue him againe and then we droope and languish in our selues our praiers be faint our meditations cold and when we should watch we with the Disciples fall asleepe and we feeling not the life of the spirit Mat. 26.43 we are greatly abated in our loue of holy and Christian exercises and we then only keepe a generall course in our profession and performe euery good thing as it were tedious vnto vs like Eutychus Act. 20.9.10 who came to heere Pauls sermon but was ouercome with sleepe Thirdly when the spirit is abated by the diminishing of the Lords loue towards vs and the withdrawing of our loue from him then because we haue grieued the spirit the Lord suffereth vs to fall into fearefull and presumptuous sinne as hee did suffer Dauid to fall into the sinne of whoredome with Bathsheba aggrauated with the murder of Vriah wherein hee lay frozen by Satans subtilty nine monthes at the least before he confessed it to God for it appeareth 2. Sam. 11.27 that the child was borne before Nathan the Prophet came to him and howsoeuer no doubt he could no more escape the pricke of conscience then he could stay the panting of his heart yet before that time not a word to God of any serious humiliation for his adultery So as neuer any of Gods children sinned more grieuously then he Mat. 26.70 except Peter who was not so much kindled at the fire of the high Priest as he was cold in his soule for first he lied in that he said hee knew not Christ secondly burst foorth into swearing and thirdly gaue himselfe to the diuell if it were he that was with Christ which the Lord most iustly suffered to befall him as a great chastisement since he neglected the louing forewarning of his master and though hee was neuer so much elect yet would the spirit neuer comfort him till he had with drawne himselfe to bewaile his sinne bitteâ—â— All which is liuely expressed Cant. 3.1 In my bed by night saith the church I sought him that my soule loued I sought hâ—â—â—â—â—t I found him not I went and rose and walked about the citie and by the streeâ—s and by open places I sought him but found him not thereby to declare that when the Lord once withdraweth his face from vs how hardly we shall win his fauour againe Fourthly when the Lord hath suffered vs to fall thus farre as we shall euen seeme to be swallowed vp of hell already though in the end he will restore thee yet first he will suffer thee to beare the shame of thy sinne in this life Gen. 9.23 1. Sam. 15.14 as Noah for his drunkennesse to be a scorne to his owne children and Dauid for his adultery to bee thrust out of his kingdome by his owne sonne which was such a griefe to him as all the ioy of his sonnes life did not so much comfort him as the sorrow of his death did wound him he mourning for Absolon 2. Sam. 19.33 as if he had doubted of his saluation But happy is hee that hath the thornes in his sides in this life and that is afflicted heere for though the Lord will neeuer take his louing kindnes from thee yet he will scourge thee not for any satisfaction of his iustice for Christ hath paied all but onely for a chastisement Lastly besides all this when the spirit is gone and abated it shall be such a terror to thy conscience such smart and vexation to thy whole minde as thou wert better bee almost
mire by this token that the Gospell hath saued thee from hell For the second benefit it was singular fauour to be freed from the former misery but the Lord together with that hath aduanced and raised vs to speciall dignity that of the bond-slaues of the diuell we are made heires not of this world onely but of the world to come fellow heires with the Lord Iesus to be beloued with the same loue and to tast of the same glorie Iohn 17.22 so as wee may say with Ioseph Thus and thus bountifull hath the Lord beene vnto mee how can I then commit such wickednesse against the maiesty and in the presence of so good a God Hence learne since the Gospell exhorteth vs by this sauing argument to reformation of life whensoeuer we are assaulted inwardly by our owne lusts by the instrument which is the diuels to vse the benefit of this saluation to stay vs from that sinne we are tempted to let it be it were to wantonnesse then let euery of vs argue thus with himselfe And what shall I vse the members of Christ bought with such a price as the blood of the Sonne of God and shall I make them the members of an harlot 1. Cor. 6.15 shall I thus requit the Lords kindnesse and so lightly esteeme the riches of his mercy Why now hee doth not command to performe the law and so be saued but because I am already saued he doth beseech me to amend my life and shall I set no more by all his benefites bestowed both vpon my soule for instruction and vpon my body for health and comelinesse shall I not remember the manifold temptations he hath freed me from and the multitude of his compassions extended towards me shall I make no more reckning of his fauour that hath bestowed on me so many graces and pardoned so many sinnes Far bee it from me that aduisedly and deliberatly I should so despite the Lord as to grieue his spirit and dishonor that God that hath giuen me Christ out of his owne bosome and with Christ all things else and through him saluation Now for the instruction and first for the things we are to forbeare the first is vngodlinesse that is not onely the superstition of the heathen and palpable Atheisme but all carelesse seruing of God when men regard nothing lesse then the purity of a good conscience in the seruice of God and when they little respect the true worship of God but onely make a shew and a semblance to serue him so as the word vngodlinesse doth signisie all dispising of him openly or seruing of him negligently Now all vngodlinesse prophannesse and urreligiousnesse doth touch first the exercises God hath appointed to testifie our sincerity secondly it toucheth God himselfe For the first when wee come to heare the word or to pray if we doe not perswade our selues that hee that despiseth the teacher despiseth God as wee may see Luk. 16.29 by the answer of Abraham to the rich man They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them And further if we doe not beleeue that what so is preached out of the Bible shall as fully be executed as if it were now performed as we may see Reuel 22.19 this is open vngodlinesse and for this diminution of the truth of Gods word his part shall be taken out of the booke of life for a man must iudge of vngodlinesse by the effects of vngodliness as to say a mans good meaning is good beleefe for then was Vzziah vniustly punished and smitten with the Leprosie for burning incense vnto the Lord 2. Chron. 26.19 for his intention was good but his action was accursed because it was not for the King to deale in the Priests office So when we heare men say It were no matter if there were no more going to Sermons since there is no more following of them these and the like are speeches of open vngodlinesse for did euer any man grow colder for sitting by the fire or leaner for eating of bread The second thing to be eschued is worldly lusts which be two fold first to lust after vnlawfull things which be either the fleshly desires of a carnall man in himselfe or which may hurt our neighbour either in name goods or body Secondly when we lust after worldly lawfull things vnlawfully and immoderatly both which are set downe in three generall points by Saint Iohn 1. Ioh. 2.16 first the lust of the flesh that is that the flesh would liue at ease as we may see by she reasoning of the rich man with himselfe Luk. 12.19 after great store gotten Now soule saith he liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime Secondly the lust of the eye to liue wantonly and to haue an adulterous eye as Euah had that could not see the fruit but shee must eate it Genes 3.6 and as Achan had Ioshua 7.21 that could not see the Babylonish garment but hee must haue it and as Shechem had that could not see Dinah but hee must rauish her Thirdly the pride of life that is the desire of honour and thirsting for preferments in this life for it is impossible for that soule that is surfeited with these things to carrie any true loue toward God or any burning zeale toward his truth And these bee they that wrought so forcibly with our first mother in yeelding to the first temptation that euer was in our flesh for first the apple seemed faire to the eye Gen. 3.6 secondlie it was good for meate thirdlie it was good for knowledge which implied pride of life shee thinking thereby to bee as wise as God These three the Gospell denieth vs of when we sauour so of them as our greatest care is to enioy them and wee affect them more then the righteousnesse of Gods kingdome And as the Gospell teacheth vs to forbeare these things so also doth our Baptisme for who so is dipped in the water which representeth the blood of Christ hee is thereby instructed to denie himselfe and to hate the workes of the diuell this being a Sacrament which not onely sealeth to vs remission of sinnes in the blood of Christ but also sanctification by the spirit of Christ which consisteth in mortifying the old man and quickening the new The first standing on these two first death secondly buriall that as wee beleeue Christ to bee dead to obtaine pardon for all our sinnes so we beleeue that hee by his obedience obtained the spirit of God to mortifie all our corruptions and when hee went into the graue our old man was buried with him that we might bee raised vp with him to newnesse of life and this is set downe 1. Peter 1.2 where he saith We must suffer in the flesh that is die in corruption and in sinne daily euen as Christ did in his bodie And he that doth not crucifie his affections performeth not his vow in Baptisme nor cannot chalenge any part in Christ his death for he is said to
present euen as the time of our life is for Gods children most bee like the rod of the Almond tree spoken of Ierem. 1.11 which in those countries where it groweth is the first that blossometh yea we must not onely giue the first fruits as vnder the law but euen all the fruits of our liues to the Lord for God often punisheth the want of his fear in our youth with the want of wisedome in our age if our godlines be not present he oftentimes cutteth vs off before we can see the time to come Neither yet must we thinke it sufficient to cherish godlinesse in our hearts no not in our chambers but it must be as a light set vpon a hill that not onely Gods children may see it for their direction but that euen the world may see it for their condemnation as Christ saith to his disciples I haue sent you to walke in the midst of a froward and crooked generation yet must they walke still for by this open profession of godlinesse we shew whose liuerie we weare and that we are not ashamed of the crosse nor abashed at it Howbeit this course of godlinesse which we must liue in is no more nor no lesse then an absolute resignation and giuing vp of all things in respect of God which standeth in three things first in giuing vp our reason secondly in denying our affections thirdly in framing our mind to a moderation in what estate the Lord shall set vs in For the first wee must resigne vp our reason to religion in two respects first for that it is an incomprehensible mysterie which is vnsearchable secondly for that the ignominie thereof is vnsufferable in our reason as to thinke that he is blessed that is hungrie they vnhappie that bee rich and that the Lords correction is loue For the second which is the giuing vp of our affections it will teach vs so to walke and so to deale as in the presence of God it will make vs plough vp those furrowes of pride and vaine-glorie which lie so deepe in our hearts and when by the instigation of our affections we are mooued to riot or voluptuousnesse it will make vs abstaine because we haue giuen our selues to God For the third to haue a willingnesse to suffer what the Lord sendeth will make vs resigne vp those inordinate cares of getting wherewith wee are oftentimes perplexed and to content our selues with that portion the Lord hath shared out vnto vs so as by religion and a godly life we shall learne to say with Dauid O Lord thou hast done it therefore I hold my peace and not only to beare an outward contentment in worldly things but euen in all calamities to rest vpon the mercifull hand of God IAMES chap. 2. vers 20.21 verse 20 But wilt thou vnderstand O thou vaine man that the faith which is without works is dead verse 21 Was not Abraham our father instified through workes when he offered Isaac his sonne vpon the altar THe word of God hath two parts in it first it is a word of wisedome secondly it is a word of knowledge by knowledge to reforme the iudgement and to conuince the conscience by wisdome to perswade the affections to the obedience of that we haue truly learned Saint Iames here indeuoreth to perswade that none could be saued without works and he proueth it by a double example of Abraham and of Rahab Wilt thou vnderstand c. as if he should say If that set downe before cannot sufficiently take root to affect thee and to perswade thee that without the workes of a holy life thy faith is no better then a diuels faith take this example of Abraham for all thou wilt grant that Abraham was an excellent person and had true faith and that the couenant was so made with him that none should be saued vnlesse they were of his seed either according to the flesh and spirit or at least according to the spirit And since the couenant was made with him and he was saued by faith so must all we be saued by his faith that is by a faith of the same kind that his was for there is but one faith though there be diuers measures of it Now Abraham had an approued faith as it is proued by this one act and worke of his for all because it was the principallest of all in that he staied not nor demurred vpon the Lords commandement in offering vp his fonne the greatest worke that euer flesh and bloud did except his that was more then flesh and blood namely Christ And because the Iesuits as hardened enemies against the truth haue strangely peruerted this place we must vnderstand a difference betweene these speeches Faith without workes is dead and Faith that is without workes is dead for by the first speech may bee thought that works giue life to faith which is most false but the second speech is true workes being a necessarie consequent of faith and an infallible signe that faith hath gone before euen as in these speeches to say The body is dead without breathing and the body that is without breathing is dead for if wee affirme and attribute the cause of life to breathing it is false for the soule is the cause of life in the body but the other speech is true for the body that hath no breath in it is deadâ— and where breath is it is a signe there is life So to say the tree that is without fruit is dead is true but not to say the tree without fruit is dead for the tree that standeth in the ground is not fruitfull we may well say is dead at the root but when the sap lieth at the root we may well say there is life in the tree though there be no fruit on the branches Now the aduersaries argue thus No dead faith can iustifie faith without workes is dead therefore no faith can iustifie without workes as if they should say Christ Iesus neuer raised vp himselfe without his humanity therefore his humanity helped in raising vp his flesh which is most blasphemous Howbeit Christ separated from his humanity was neuer raised vp this is must true So they in their former argument referre iustification to workes which is most false but if they had concluded therfore faith that is without workes cannot iustifie they had done well for thereby had been proued that works had been inseparable from faith but not that they concurre for faith is alone euer in iustifying but neuer alone in the person iustified euen as the eye alone of all the parts of the bodie doth see but the eye that is alone separate from the other parts of the body doth not sece at all but is a dead eye Was not Abraham c. Heere consider two points first in what sense this is true secondly why this worke aboue the rest is commended and registred for a proofe of Abrahams faith The words heere set downe are directly contrary to the