Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A06018
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An epitomie of mans misery and deliuerie In a sermon preached on the third of the Romans, vers. 23. and 24. By Mr. Paul Bayne.
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Baynes, Paul, d. 1617.
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1619
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STC 1641; ESTC S101578
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26,964
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49
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root of all mankinde we were in him In whom wee were and sinned and in time to sprout and shoot out of him he being our first parent wee were in his loynes and lineally to descend from him and so as Leui in the seuenth to the Hebrewes 9.10 is said to pay tithe vnto Melchisedeck because Abraham from whom Leui did spring in the third generation yeelded that duty so all of vs being in the loynes of Adam the Lord so decreeing it whatsoeuer he did that was likewise to bee accounted as our deed Whose sinne is therefore iustly charged on vs. Neither is it vniust with God to charge the personall deed of one on the heads of vs all For we see in the iust proceedings of Princes the same resembled who hold guilty not the traitor only but the whole blood race or lineage thus tainted who are therefore iustly dis-inherited And thus much shall suffice touching the first Secondly 2. By sinne inherent in vs. we are all sinners in the eye of God in regard of sinne which as the Apostle speaketh dwelleth in vs. And this is nothing else but the lacke of righteousnesse which originally was in man and a spirituall leprosie of iniquitie whereby all his powers inward and outward are infected but this poynt I will explaine more manifestly There was in man not onely a naturall but a spirituall life which the Apostle calleth the life of God Ephes 4.18 consisting of a singular knowledge in the minde Lacking due righteousnesse straightnesse as Ecclesiastes speaketh chap. 7.31 or righteousnesse in the will holinesse in the affections But now man hath no light in his mind as in the eleuenth verse of this Chapter our author citeth out of the 14. and 53. Psalmes In the vnderstanding no man vnderstandeth that is no man but by nature hee is quite stripped of all vnderstanding in things spirituall and heauenly the inward eye lacketh that straightnesse which clothing the will after a sort should make it to moue after things which are truly good In the place aboue named the Apostle addeth In the will None seeketh or enquireth after God that is the will hath no power whereby it should moue after God and so by consequent any thing that is truly good For as to disallow or approue are functions of the vnderstanding so to eschew or prosecute are faculties appertaining to the will So in the third place In our affections all the affections want that holinesse that should cause their motions to be sanctified and in stead of these excellent graces wherewith we were enriched And being corrupt and prone to ill corruption and vnrighteousnesse haue made seizure of vs and doe occupie vs thorowout In our vnderstanding For in our vnderstanding darknesse is seated as the Apostle speaketh of the Ephesians chap. 5. vers 8. that before their conuersion whilest yet they abode in their naturall condition they were darknesse it selfe hauing as it is chap. 4. vers 18. their cogitations darkened so that not the least sparke of spiritual light did shine in them yea manifold atheisticall doubtings and wauerings touching God his truth iustice and goodnesse are most manifest and frequent in vs and euen possesse vs than the which there is not a more pregnant proofe of our grosse ignorance in things diuine For how could we doubt of these things if with a cleare eye of vnderstanding we did see them Doubting howsoeuer occasionally it be a mother of knowledge yet in it selfe it is the fruit daughter of ignorance In our will The will is altogether rebellious as the Apostle further saith All are gone out of the way The word Psalm 14.3 signifieth to giue backe sturdily as a stubburne heifer that refuseth to admit the yoke implying thus much that the will of man is become crosse and ouerthwart neither is nor can bee subiect vnto any thing that is good Take an experiment heereof in our selues From this rebellion of the will it commeth to passe that our wicked willes the more they are vrged with the righteous commandement of God the more our vilenesse and filthinesse breaketh out and is detected In our desires and affections So for our lusts and desires Gal. 5.17 they are against the spirit that is against that law of righteousnesse which the spirit as the finger of God doth write in our hearts Our ioy our feare our hope our loue these are impurely and vnholily moued in vs being carried after euill and vnlawfull obiects or not contained with in due limits for the manner and measure of them You will aske how I can tell that man is thus void of all righteousnes and couered with corruption Our corruption is discouered 1. From the Law To which I answere this may be knowne by the Law In the 20. verse of this Chapter it is said that by the Law doth come the knowledge of sinne not onely of that which passeth from vs in some act but of that which is still resident within vs. For whatsoeuer righteousnesse the Law requireth it doth presuppose in man an excellent conformity and inward grace sutable and agreeable thereunto For the Lord could not in iustice haue required that of his creature which his creature was neuer inabled to performe Now if we lay our selues vnto the Law To which wee neither doe nor can conforme we shall finde that there is nothing in man that doth or can moue him to fulfill the righteousnesse of it nay that that which is in him doth draw him back as which is not neither indeed can be subiect therunto Secondly 2. By our regeneration whosoeuer are become new men in Christ Iesus may hence perceiue it For this is a maxime in diuinity that whatsoeuer is recouered and found of vs in Christ was first lost in Adam Wherein what good we receiue was before it wanting in vs. Finde you then that since you came to dwell by faith in Christ and he in you you haue receiued to know God your heauenly Father know that by nature this knowledge was cleane gone Perceiue you that knowing the Father you come to this that you can trust in him for helpe in trouble and a supply of all good both bodily and spirituall vnderstand then that by nature there was no such confidence toward God in you Come you further vpon the knowledge of God your Father to loue him his word and those that are begotten of him Come you to delight and reioyce in these perswade your selfe that by nature you were vtterly destitute of this spirituall loue and ioy 3. By the strife of the flesh and spirit in which the flesh wholly is opposite to the spirit Thirdly if thou be a regenerate man thou maist discerne it by the strife of the flesh and spirit in thee In the which obserue if thou canst finde any good in thy flesh Is there any knowledge in it Nay doe not rather the reliques of
sendeth into their hearts the Spirit of his Sonne Gal. 4.6 that spirit of promise Ephes 1.13 I meane that promised spirit which doth regenerate them throughout so that though they were by nature darknesse Jn all parts yet they now become light in the Lord Ephes 5.8 though they were rebellious such as could not bee subiect yet now they come to delight at least in the inner man of their mindes in the Law of God though their affections were prophane and vnsanctified yet now they are renewed to that image which is in holinesse so that their ioy is not fixed in outward things as wisedome strength riches but in this that they know the Lord to be their God in Christ Ier. 9.23.24 and that their names are written in heauen Luk. 10.20 their loue is setled on God their hearts speaking with Dauid Psalm 73.25 What haue I in heauen but thee and whom in earth in comparison of thee So also their feare and hope is turned from the world and things temporall vnto God and matters euerlasting And though before what euer they did was sinne yet now they doe those good workes which the Lord hath prepared for them to walke in And thus the life of glory is againe restored For this their sanctification is the beginning of glory so that euen while they are on earth Which is a beging of glory they haue euerlasting life He that beleeueth hath euerlasting life Ioh. 3.36 And Rom. 8.23 wee are said to haue here the first fruits of the spirit The first fruits and the whole lumpe differ not in substance and kind but in the measure and circumstance What were the first fruits of corne oliues or any other fruit of the earth offered to the Lord vnder the Law but a part and a prime part of the whole haruest and so the sanctifying graces of Gods spirit which wee receiue on earth are parts and beginnings of our glorious life in heauen from which they differ not in kind but in measure and degree Now when Gods faithful ones depart 3. By glorification begun in death they goe neerer to the fulnesse of this glory as whose soules goe into Paradise as our Sauiour speaketh to the thiefe Luk. 23.43 and whose spirits are gathered to the spirits of iust and perfect men in the heauenly Ierusalem Heb. 12.23 But at the resurrection of the iust Consummate at the resurrection then shall this life of glory bee consummate their bodies being made conformable to the glorious body of Christ Iesus Phil. 3.21 the Lord being glorified in his saints made maruellous in all them that beleeue 2. Thes 1.10 Thus farre then it goeth well that wee who were condemned persons and had our faces couered as being ready to bee carried away to execution should bee iustified that wee who were drie wood fruitfull onely in the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse should become greene trees planted in the true temple of the God-head Christ Iesus and so be made to beare good fruit abundantly euen to abound in euery good worke that wee finally who were dead should liue Now it is some comfort for any man labouring of a desperate disease to heare say there is cure for it But come to one whom some griefe incurable as it is reputed doth hold and tel him there is remedy for him as he will be glad to heare it so hee will hardly beleeue it wherefore he will aske what be the ingredients or simples of which that medecine should be made that by this meanes the force of these well considered he may see if it bee likely to doe the deed yea or no. So in maladies spirituall which no power in heauen or earth but that which can subdue all things to it selfe can correct To say there is a salue for these sores is somewhat comfortable but it will not presently passe for currant You will therefore aske in the first place how this should come to passe for man is full of sinne and the Lords eyes are too pure to behold nothing but filthinesse When there is nothing then in him which may moue God vnlesse it be to iudgement how should the Lord come to-restore him very well Looke on the next words We are iustified freely by his grace Though there bee nothing in vs yet the Lord of his free grace doth iustifie vs. Doct. 5. This then is our lesson that the grace of God that is We are iustified freely by Gods meere grace God himselfe of himselfe in great fauour and riches of mercy bowing downe to succour his miserable creature altogether vndeseruing God I say thus meerly mercifull doth iustifie vs. So the Apostle teacheth euery where Tit. 2.11 The grace of God bringing saluation vnto all men hath appeared So Ephes 2.8.9 We are saued by grace not of workes where it is to bee marked how the meere grace of God not excited by any workes but working of its owne accord hath the whole stroke in our saluation For workes are secluded from working any whit therein And although these speeches be plaine enough to cleere the poynt yet loe how it is affirmed more plainly 2. Timoth. 1.9 Who hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace c. Our saluation is of grace and what grace not such as doth follow vpon any goodnesse inherent in vs or works foreseene which should come from vs but onely vpon the intent and purpose of God within himselfe This is a truth which was well knowne in the time of the old Testament By mercy and truth saith Salomon Prou. 16.6 iniquitie shall bee forgiuen and by the feare of the Lord men depart from euill What mercy and truth is heere meant what that of man toward man no surely It cannot bee fitly vnderstood but of Gods meere grace whereby he promiseth good things to men and his fidelity in performing most constantly what he promiseth from which we obtaine this fauour to get our sinnes couered and pardoned As the reuerence of Gods Maiesty doth cause his children to eschew euill so his mercy toward them being in Christ a most mercifull Father vnto them doth bestow on them the pardon of their sinnes And what else meant the Saints of old but to ascribe all to Gods mercy when they did alwaies make their request to God and craue of him to haue respect vnto them not for their owne sake but for his mercies which last for euer his kindnesse and goodnesse his names sake c. That God may haue the glory of our saluation For Gods glory is most deare vnto him neither can he endure therein to haue any partner Wherefore in the businesse of our saluation hee doth so worke that man may haue no matter of reioycing out of God who doth all this worke in himselfe and out of man that who so reioyceth might reioyce onely in the Lord 1. Cor. 1.31 Vse 1 This doctrine serueth first