by the sent and betweene Gall and Hony by the taste so it 's easie to discerne a spirituall man from a carnall by their sauour Dost thou most mind affect sauour earthly and carnall things This shewes thy dung-hill disposition for Spirituall men seeke and mind things aboue Euery thing liues according to his kind the Horse in the Pasture the Fish in the Water A Fish cannot liue out of the Water so talke of good things to a carnall man he presently fals asleepe or railes for hee 's out of his Element but to a Spirituall man such things are a delight As in dyet that which is one mans meat is another mans bane because of the difference of their temperature and constitution So is it here Examine thy selfe in particular The hearing of the Word Prayer c. are Spirituall Is the Word as sweet to thee as the Hony and the Honie-combe as it was to Dauid And is thy Soule neuer at rest till thou canst find opportunity to powre out thy heart to GOD in Prayer Thou art spirituall these things are most tedious to a carnall man Drunkennesse Idlenesse Vanity c. are things carnall Doest thou account that day as lost wherein thou meetest not with thy Consorts to haue fellowship in such things Flatter not thy selfe thou art surely carnall For a spirituall man hates these things and all his delight is in the Saints and in them which excell in Vertue Vse 3. Hee that would sauour spirituall things must be renued by the Spirit of God As he that is Aguish thinks sweet things bitter but being in health tasts euery thing aright So if thou wouldest sauour good things purge out that same choller and ranknesse of corruption which hath infected thee Many think that the priuiledges of Regenerate men belong to them because now and then they goe to a Sermon though they find no more sauour in it then in a dry Chippe No no Thou mayst heare many Sermons and yet haue a carnall heart of thine owne which if occasion serue will shew it selfe As Water-fowles hatcht vnder a Land-fowle a while remain with their damme but anon runne into the Water according to their kind So if the nature and disposition of the heart be not changed wee cannot sauour and take pleasure in good things As a Hare when she is hotly pursued and hunted plies her to some beaten-path not for any loue she hath to it but that there by the feet of passengers shee may lose her sent so many will be in the Church paths not for any Deuotion but that the filthy sent of their carnality might not be discouered Plutarke laughed at such who would be accounted as wise as Plato and yet in the company of Alexander would bee drunken Desirest thou the reputation of one godly and religious Professor Though thou commest to Church and ioynest in Prayer c. thou shalt neuer attaine it so long as thou wilt sweare lye be drunken or any thing for company It s another manner of thing to bee spirituall Wee cannot bee a Lyon in the Forrest and a little Dogge in a Ladies lap There must be a change of nature seeke this VERSE 6. For to be Carnally minded is Death but to be Spiritually minded is life and peace AS Adam hauing sinned the Angell kept the way of the Tree of Life so our Apostle keepeth vnrepentant sinners from the Consolation before propounded Such consolations belong not to wicked men The Argument to proue it was Those which are contrary obtaine not like condition But the wicked and godly are contrary This Minor was partly shewed Verse 5. from their contrary dispositions and is more declared in this Verse from their contrary Ends. Death and life are immediately contrary But these are the Ends of the Wicked and Godly Therefore the Ends of Wicked and Godly men are contrary To be Carnally minded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Figmentum cordis The word signifies the act of a Carnall minde comprehending thoughts desire discourse Moses calleth it that which the heart fashioneth Gen. 6.5 8.21 Is death By a figure Meton Effecti bringeth causeth or endeth in death For death is the end of sinne though not the end of a Sinner A wicked man sinnes not purposely that hee might be damned but damnation followes his wicked doings As a man many times seeking for one thing findes another so wicked men in their sinning seeke another thing The Adulterer his pleasure the Couetous Riches c. but they find another thing that is Death To be spiritually minded That is the Cogitations deuices desires actions proceeding from the spirituall part Is life and Peace that is bringeth happinesse and peace with God and our owne Consciences doctrine The sense and Doctrine Whatsoeuer the flesh or corruption doth mind sauour desire endeuour seeke act bringeth death and so on the contrarie for the Spirit that is the Regenerate part Gal. 5.21,23 The fruits of the flesh exclude vs out of Heauen the fruits of the Spirit exclude the Curse of the Law The more flesh the neerer Hell the more Spirit the surer and neerer Heauen Gal. 6.7,8 As hee that soweth Wheat reapeth Wheat not Barley so if we sow to the flesh we reape Corruption if to the Spirit life euerlasting Vse 1. True wisedome is that which hath the fauour of God and life following it We say many times of a wild gracelesse yong man He hath a good wit a Naughty wit wee should say because being vnsanctified it bringeth death We say also of a Couetous man O a very wise fellow wee should say a very foole For what wisedome can it be for a man to damne his soule by his courses If a man would iudge of wise men without the Word hee might imagine that our wittie Politicks and Carnall men had all the wit and that Spirituall minded men who neglect the present good things were little better then Fooles Indeede Carnall men thinke Spirituall men to bee Fooles but Spirituall men know Carnall men to be so For true wisedome is to feare God which while Carnal men want they cannot be truly wise The Word sometime calls wicked men wise but with a restriction in their generation to doe-euill according to the flesh c. Luke 16.8 Ier. 4.22 2. Sam. 17.23 Thus was Achitophel a deepe Politician but dyed like a Foole in a pettish humour hanging himselfe Therefore Salomon almost alwayes calls a wicked man The Foole. Some thinke it a point of wisedome to beleeue nothing which they cannot fathom with their owne Reason as the Corinthians doubted of the Resurrection but Paul saith to such a one Thou Foole or O Foole. 1. Cor. 15.36 Some thinke it a glory to differ from other in opinion and to contrary them as the Galathians in the point of Justification Gal. 3.1 but Paul cals them fooles for their labour Pharao seeing the children of Israel to increase Exod. 1.10 said he would deale
persons of base and condemned wretched to beare their Shame No suing for this Dauid wisht that he had dyed for Absalon But Christ our Dauid dyed for vs indeed Vse 4. Heere is singular comfort for this is our due from this place The Law must haue its right before a sinner can be saued We cannot of our selues fulfill the right of it Art thou in Christ by Faith Be of good comfort Christ hath fulfilled it in thee and thou hast fulfilled it in Christ Thou mayst bee threatned by the Law in regard of thy dayly failings But here is a non obstante by the goodnes of thy surety As a man hauing broken a penall Statute if hee once haue vndergone the Law he feares not any more either Iudge Officer or Law for that fault So because Christ hath vndergone the Law for vs wee need not feare And as the Debter by the payment of the surety is deliuered so wee by the suffrings of Christ But thou wilt say that thou still sinnest and canst not fulfill the Obedience of the Law I answere that this right also of the Law is fulfilled in thee by Christ if thou beleeuest For hee that hath Christ though hee hath not kept the Law hath the whole righteousnesse of the Law Christs righteousnesse is a large Garment couering himselfe and vs too Iustitia Christi non pallium breue Bernh This Garment is not of our buying or working but it is better because wrought by Christ and wee shall also haue a righteousnesse of our own in the kingdome of Heauen Vse 5. Christ hath stood in thy stead and endured the sharpest of Gods Iudgements which hee deserued not that thou mightest taste the sweetest of Gods Mercies which thou deseruedst not How should this bind thee vnto Him in all obedienced The Borrower is a seruant to the Lender as Salomon saith Prou. 22.7 and the Receiuer to the Giuer Christ hath done and suffred so much for thee shalt thou deny him any thing Euen thy life if He require it Now what would Christ haue thee to do He hath borne the punishment of thy sinnes He would then haue thee cease from sinne Hee endured basenesse and pouerty for thee Repent then of thy Pride His blessed Mouth was buffeted and spit vpon for thee Hee would now haue thee to leaue thy Swearing Lying filthy and vngodly talke and to vse a holy and gracious speech His heart was pearced for thy sinnes thrust not the speare of thy sinnes into his side againe but regent and please thy Sauiour in the amendment of thy life VERSE 5. For they that are after the flesh doe mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit 6. For to * Or the minding of the flesh be carnally minded is death but to ° or the minding of the spirit bee spiritually minded is life and peace 7. Because * or the minding of the flesh the carnall mind is enmity against God for it is not subiect to the Law of GOD neither indeed can bee IN the premises Saint Paul hath deliuered that there is no Condemnation to them which be in Christ because they are deliuered from the condemning power of sinne God hauing condemned their sinne in the flesh of his Sonne And lest any should heere take liberty to sinne hee hath there admonished that such comfort and priuiledge belongs vnto them onely which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit This last point is farther inforced in these three verses by an Argument taken from an Opposition of Contraries The dispositions of Carnall and Spirituall men are contrary Therefore their end must be contrary Of the contrariety of their dispositions speakes the fist verse of their contrary ends the sixt verse one part whereof is prooued in the 7. verse the other part is easily vnderstood First of the fift verse They which are after the Flesh that is which are in a meere vnregenerate estate To be in or after the flesh and the flesh to bee in vs differ This is incident to the Regenerate that proper to the vnregenerate But vnderstand to be after the Spirit not to bee meerely spirituall but to bee Regenerate The things of the Flesh Earthly things which are either good as Moralities Indifferent as Riches or euill as Whoredome The things of the Flesh heere principally meant set downe Gal. 5.19,20,21 The things of the Spirit also set downe Gal. 5.22,23 To mind must be taken largely comprehending Thoughts Meditation Desire Delight Study To Sauour The sense Caruall men sauour Carnall things Spirituall men contrary doctrine Carnall men and Spirituall are contrary Gal. 5.17 2. Cor. 6.14 Iames 3.15,17 And Salomons foole and wiseman so often opposed shew the same Vse 1. Why cannot Carnall and Spirituall Godly and Godlesse men agree together Prou. 29.27 Why is a wicked man an abomination to the Iust and contrary Here 's the reason They are contrary of contrary nature and disposition Fire and Water are not more contrary Clay and Iron wil not weld together so friendship is where there is likenes Birds of a feather will flye together Gods Children wonder that wicked men can bee so ill and wicked men wonder that the children of God will not run with them into all excesse and Ryot From this contrariety is it that Adulterers Drunkards vaine persons find fauour there where a good man is hunched at That an Idle person who will let his worke to runne to the Ale-house and to vanity shall bee borne with but if a poore man let an houre to go to a Sermon hee 's an Hypocrite 't is pitty to do any thing for him A Philosopher being asked why men sought more to rich men then to wise men answered because it was possible they might be rich but not wise So if any aske me why wicked men are of some more fauored then good men the Answere is ready Because they which fauour wicked men either are or meane to bee Whoore-masters Harlots Theeues Drunkards c. but to bee godly they purpose not Doest thou hate good men and rayle on them Well go too shew thy selfe what thou art No body hates an Israelite but an Aegyptian or a Canaanite no body mocks Isaack but Ismael betraies CHRIST but Iudas is an enemy to a godly man but he which is contrary Put Fire to Fire or Water to Water and there is no commotion but put Fire to Water or contrary and then what a noyse and Thundring So if a wicked man meet with a wicked man there 's shaking of hands and much gladnesse but if a good man come in their way hee 's sure not to passe without a mocke or taunt If thou fearest God let not this discourage thee It 's a signe there is some goodnesse in thee otherwise the Diuell would not in his Instruments so rage against thee Vse 2. As it 's easie to discerne betweene Muske and a Muck-hill
goes before in this Chapter So then For they therefore The Aduersatiue being put for an Illatiue Which are in the Flesh Not which are married as one fondly expounded Syriemus Papa for the beginning of the next verse confutes it But which are Carnall and vnregenerate The phrase is significant noting a man drownd in corruption Wee say of a man ouercome of Anger Hee is heat Of a Drunkard Hee is in Beere or Wine Acts 8.23 So Simon Magus is sayd to bee in the Gall of Bitternesse Cannot please God Nor their persons nor their thoughts words or Actions till they be renewed As Snow can neuer be made hot while it is Snow for Fire or heat will dissolue it into Water but then it may be made hot So the Carnall man in that estate cannot please God but change him into a sanctified estate and then he can doctrine The meaning which is the Doctrine A Carnall man cannot please God because hee is not subiest to his Law Heb. 11.6 Rom. 14.18 Gal. 6.16 Q. Why should wee bee punished for that wee cannot doe A. Yes great reason For wee cannot because wee will not and wee will not from our owne corruption which wee haue not from GOD but from our selues Vse 1. A Man may be Prudent Learned Liberall do many beautifull things in Nature and yet not please God An euill Tree such is euery vnregenerate cannot bring forth good Fruit. The substance or matter of the worke may bee good but the worke cannot be so called vnlesse it bee done modo forma Veluet is good matter to make a Garmēt yet it may be so mard in the cutting that it shall neuer obtaine the name of a good Garment Pieces of Timber are good matter for a House but they must be Artificially framed An vnregenerate man giues Almes and in giuing sins not because hee giues but because he giues not in the manner he should Some may then say it 's good not to giue at all Nay not so they are good vsu though not cultu there is good vse of their Almes though they be no pleasing seruice to God He sins that giues not as he should but he sins more that giues not at all Rest not then in this because the matter of thy works is good but adde also the right manner In Faith And the right end The glory of GOD. The matter of Cains Sacrifice for ought wee know was a good as Abels But Abel offered in a better manner and to the right end The Diuell can bee content thou shouldest doe good for matter but if thou wilt please GOD the matter and manner also must bee according to his will Vse 2. An vnregenerate man is most miserable because he cannot please God Prou. 20.2 For if the displeasure of a King be the death of his Subiect how fearefull is the displeasure of God It 's a most sweet thing to please God This is the happines of the Regenerate though they deserue it not yet their Persons and Actions please in CHRIST through Faith Deare is the affection of Parents to their Children so is the fauour of GOD a precious thing and to be desired Dauid preferres the louing Countenance of GOD before all earthly things Psal 4.6.7 And good reason for it brings peace of Conscience breeds confidence in Prayer and is the fountaine of all good things vnto vs. Thousands of Rams and Riuers of Oyle will not please God Micah 6.7,8 but subiection to his Law will If thou beleeuest Vnregenerate regenerate men please the Diuell Pray thou for Renouation that thou mayst please thy GOD. Vse 3. Let this spur thee on to Obedience because therein thou pleasest GOD. If thou beest a seruant displease thy Master and see what thou shalt get by it for they which please are preferred If thou hast a contrite heart thou pleasest Be more contrite If thou giue Almes thou pleasest Giue more If thou Prayest hearest the Word beest Obedient thou pleasest exercise thy selfe in these things the more so serue GOD that thou mayst please him in reuerence and feare Heb. 12.28 VERSE 9. But yee are not in the flesh but in the spirit if so bee that the spirit of God dwelleth in you c. And so to the end of the 11. verse HItherto of the comfort with the Confirmation Now of the third part which is the Application to the Romanes in the 9.10 and 11. verses wherein wee haue two things 1 The Application 2. The Amplification The Application is set downe in the first words of the 9. v. The Amplification in the rest of the words of the 9. verse and in the 10. and 11. verses In the Application are two things 1 The Application it selfe 2. A Confirmation of it in these words if so bee that the spirit of God dwelleth in you There is no Condemnation to them which are in Christ These are such which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Now saith PAVL you Romanes which beleeue are not in the flesh but in the Spirit So then the Application is two waies set downe 1 Negatiuely ye are not in the Flesh 2 Affirmatiuely but in the Spirit Now. or But. Yee Not all the Romanes but beleeuers which are in CHRIST Hee speakes to the Wheat not to the Chaffe to the Corne that is hidden not to the stubble which is appearing a Tritico dixit non paleae massae latenti non stipulae apparenti Ansel Are not in the Flesh Fleshly life saith Chrysostome Vnderstand as often Corruption of Nature Hee denies not the Nature of the flesh but the euilnes not that no flesh is in them but that they are not in it or subdued by it But in the Spirit by the opposition Spirituall Regenerate The consideration of these words is two-fold 1. Relatiue or 2. Simple The Relatiue respects that which goeth before Where is to be noted that the Apostle applies the things deliuered to the Romanes From whence ariseth this Doctine doctrine The Generall Doctrine Preachers are to apply their doctrines to their hearers So did Nathan 2. Sam. 12.7 So did Peter Acts 2.36 whereby diuers Iewes were conuerted So did our Sauiour Christ Luke 13.3,5 Application is a part of Spirituall wisedome wherby things are so transferred to vse as that we growe not onely in knowledge but also in Godlinesse And it is either of the Minister or of the People Of the Minister when he not onely giues the sense and diuideth his Text but also diuideth and distributeth Consolations 2. Tim. 2.15 Threatnings c. to whom they doe belong Of the People when they also lay to their hearts things deliuered bringing all to their Conscience Accusing or Excusing Vse 1. Ministers must apply in their preaching 1. Cor. 4.1.2 They are Stewards and such must be faithfull This Faithfulnesse appeares three wayes 1. To prouide wholesome viands for the Family 2. To distribute the Prouision 3. To doe this
not to the height of this obstinacie at the first but it is some time a working by certaine meanes The meanes cooperating with the Diuell in our hardning are two First Custome in sinning euen as a path is hardned by the continuall trampling of the passengers so by custome in euil is the conscience by little and little crushed and made insensible At the first there is shame and trembling but being habited in euill men scorne reproofes as the Leuiathan laugheth at the shaking of the speare Stories record of one who through custome made poyson so familiar to him that hee dranke it without danger Mithridates so wicked men by custome make blasphemies whoredomes drunkennesse and all prophanenesse so familiar that their stomackes are neuer offended with them The second meanes is neglect of the meanes of grace offered This shut vp the Iewes in obstinacy and ordinarily for this is this iudgment of God inflicted vpon men 3. The effects of this hardnesse are two 1 Tim. 4.1.2.3 1. A departing from the faith broaching the doctrines of diuels denying manifest truth and holding and seeming any thing to obtaine our owne ends Eph. 4.18 As when men will be Papists Protestants neuters any thing nothing as they see it best serue their politick plots 2. Committing vncleannesse and other abominable sins with greedinesse delighting in nothing but in besotting voluptuousnesse 4. This hardnesse is two wayes discerned 1. When no Iudgment 2. When no mercy can moue to remorse When the word which is a hammer a sword and water can neither by the thundring of iudgment bruise or make any dint into our hearts nor by the pleasing sound of mercy mollify vs and make vs relent there is hardnesse vnspeakeable The diuill trembles at iudgment the hard heart trembleth not He that can read the bitter passion of our blessed Sauiour for vs wretches and can consider how by his pretious bleeding heart hee intreateth vs to be reconciled offring vs mercy and relents not must needs haue a heart as hard as the nether milstone VERSE 26. As it is written Esay 59 20. then shall come out of Syon the deliuerer and shall turne away vngodlines from Iacob 27 For this is my couenant vnto them when I shall take away their sinnes PAul had this doctrine of the calling of the Iewes by reuelation which is sufficient for our fayth but yet he farther prooues it both by scripture in these words and by vndeniable reasons in the other verses to 33. As it is written Obs Who so obtrudes any opinion to the Church without warrant from the Scripture is a deceiuer This scripture is taken out of Esay who prophesies of deliuerance to the Iewes which Paul interprets of this deliuerance we speake of In this testimonie are fiue things 1. The person deliuering 2. The person deliuered 3. The deliuerance 4. The confirmation 5. The meanes 1. The deliuerer shall come out of Syon The person deliuering is Christ described here by his office and by his originall His office the deliuerer the word which Paul vseth signifies deliuering by strong hand to rescue by force as Dauid deliuered the Lamb out of the Lyons paw This word is vsed in the Lords prayer but deliuer vs from euill And in other places Esayes word signifies a kinsman Ruth 4. and hath respect to the law mentioned Leuit. 25.25 Of which is an example about the marriage of Booz and Ruth So Christ is our Ioel or next kinsman to whom belongs the right of our redemption and therefore Iob calls Christ by that name Iob. 19.25 I know my redeemer liueth In Christ there is lawfull redemption He hath right as Esayes word and power as Pauls word imports and both these are needfull for the prisoner that wrongfully escapes is in more danger The diuell is the strong man Christ the stronger wee the spoyles recouered and redeemed His originall shall come out of Syon De Veniet humâ—…natus Aqu. Syon the church of the Iewes the meaning shall come in the flesh of the Iewes the Septuagint for Syons sake Esay to Syon But Paul out of Syon writing by the same spirit to shew the greater probability of the Iewes deliuerance for if we haue comfort because he tooke the nature of man the Iewes must haue more because hee tooke the seed of Abraham 2. The person deliuered Iacob that is Iacobs posterity The Iewes 3. The deliuerance shall come and turne away iniquities so is their conuersion described for when God forgiues sinne he giues the grace of true conuersion 4. 5. The confirmation is ver 27. That this is Gods couenant which is then fullfilled when God calls them of which Esay speakes Or this latter part is taken out of Ieremy and then it is the substance of the couenant Howsoeuer the argument strongly conuinceth the calling of the Iewes thus Those who shall be pardoned their sins shall be effectually called But the Iewes shall be pardoned therefore The minor is proued because that God hath couenanted to pardon them This is my Couenant vnto them This couenant concerning the pardon of their sinnes and deliuerance by Christ is not yet fulfilled therefore for the truth of God certainly to be expected Ob. Christ shall come sayth the Prophet and he came in his incarnation Answ Christs comming is to be according to his couenant which implieth a comming in regard of his merrit and effecacy In regard of his merrit he came when he tooke flesh of the Virgin Mary but in regard of his effecacy effecting that by his spirit in their hearts which he hath effected by his merit on the crosse hee is not yet come For then are we sayd to reape the benefit of the couenant when we feele the effecacy of it sealing to our consciences the pardon of sinne and turning our hearts to serue God according to his gospell Both these are comprehended by Peter when he sayd Act. 3.25 that the Iewes are the children of the couenant for whose blessing and turning away from their sinnes God sent and raised vp Iesus Christ which is not yet performed but must be for the couenant Ob. Some of the Iewes are conuerted An. But the couenant wins to the people nation house of Iacob if two or three english men get much wealth wee say not the whole nation is inriched this implies the multitude body of that nation doctrine Not only some now and then but the people of the Iewes shall be called Christ shall reigne in the house of Iacob for euer Luk. 1.33 which yet he doth not for they yet acknowledge him not but defie him But this must come to passe because the scripture cannot be loosed Vse 1. Wil Christ yet come and forgiue the Iews What the Iews who fill vp the measure of their fathers iniquitie by blaspheming him dayly Will he come a Sauiour to these O infinite proportion of mercie who shall now despaire Whatsoeuer thy sins are if thou canst repent
A PLAINE EXPOSITION VPON the whole 8. 9. 10. 11. Chapters of the Epistle of Saint PAVL to the ROMANS Wherein the Text is diligently and Methodically resolued the sence giuen and many Doctrines thence gathered are by liuely vses Applyed for the benefit of GODS Children Performed with much variety and conuenient breuitie being the substance of neere foure yeeres Weeke-dayes SERMONS By ELNATHAN PARR Bachelor in Diuinity and Preacher of Gods WORD ROM 2.10,11 10. To euery man that doth good shall be glory and honour and peace to the Iew first and also to the Grecian 11. For there is no respect of persons with God NOLI ALTVM SAPERE LONDON Printed by George Purslowe for SAMVEL MAN dwelling in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Swanne 1618. TO The very Noble and Religious Gentleman Master Nathaniel Bacon Esquire TO The very Honorable and most worthy Lady the Lady Iane Cornwalleys his wife Grace and Peace be multiplied from God the Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ SIR I PRESENT to your Nobleness these my poore labors which shall be much honoured if you will vouchsafe as gracious an eye to them written as you did a reuerent eare to them vttered by voice As a picture attaines not the life so neither can writing expresse that liuely Energie of the voice which consists in Vtterance and Action the two Ladies of Speech yet as the picture of a friend is much esteemed for the representation so I cannot but hope of your fauourable approuall of the Copy to whom the principal was so acceptable The stile must needs lose something because I haue endeuoured to abbreuiate many things in vvriting which I tooke more liberty in speaking to deliuer And yet I hope that nor I nor my labours shall for this lose with the Iudicious for Timantes a famous Painter as your selfe if any know was the more commended because by his pictures more was to bee vnderstood then vvas expressed As all that knowe your Noblenes haue experience of your Religious mind so haue I also of your deepe iudgement by whom no Author can lose you beeing able and vsing accurately to examine euerie vvord wherein any excellent thing may bee couched If I were able to write learnedly I would vvish such a Reader as I am MADAM I Humbly intreat you with fauour to receiue this fruit of yor owne goodnes If I haue performed any good by my poore labours those which receiue it owe the acknowledgement next vnto God to your Ladiship who haue so watered my studies with your coūtenance and beneficence that euen my Barrennes hath both by preaching and writing yielded some fruit which as it may be profitable to some is cōfortable to my selfe to haue brought forth so I hope it shal somwhat further your Ladiships reckoning at the day of Christ I know you take no pleasure to haue your goodnesse published because you account Vertues fairest Theater to be a good Conscience yet it becomes an ingenuous mind to professe by whom he profiteth And I wish that all the world vnderstood of your Honorable disposition and Christian carriage both in publique and priuate that many more might be prouoked by your Noble example For as in all natiue and infused Graces you immeasurably exceed the painted Sepulchers of these dayes so is your Ladiship in holy knowledge discreet zeale and compassionate charitie a liuely Image of those ancient Heroines commended by Saint Hierom and other Fathers and also by vnerring Writers As Ladies delight not onely to see faire Iewels and curious Needleworks but to take them out and weare them so I can truly testifie that your Ladiships care is not onely to knowe but to expresse and weare the good things you know in your conuersation I earnestly pray for the increase of Gods fatherly blessing vpon your soule and I craue your pardon and the continuance of your fauour to him who acknowledgeth himselfe bound vnto you in all humble obseruance ELNATHAN PARR To the Christian Reader increase of faith and loue GEntle Reader thou hast here the summe of diuers of my Lectures vpon that most comfortable Chapter the 8. to the Romanes and also vpon those three difficult Chapters next following viz. the 9. 10. and 11. wherein I haue endeuoured plainly to open the words diligently to vnfold the Argument briefely to comprise the doctrine and being euidently proued liuelily to apply the same In which Application I haue had a principall respect of these three things namely to comfort the distressed sinner to humble the obstinate and to exhort and prouoke the penitent to more obedience Also those mysterious points of Predestination Reiection of the Iewes Vocation of the Gentiles and Revocation of the Iewes are here soberly and diligently discussed and made plaine Beside diuers dangerous Positions of the Romanists and of Arminius oppugned many other material doubts and questions cleered by the way As I haue laboured to doe thee good so I desire thee not to requite me with euill If in some things thou thinkest otherwise abound in thine owne sence but censure not rashly remembring that it is easier to pluck downe a house then to build one If thou blamest the stile as too homely be perswaded that wise men desire rather a carefull then an eloquent Physician If thou readest therein read to profit thy soule which if thou doe not we are both losers but thou must giue account for both our losses For as for vs we are vnto God a sweet sauour of Christ both in them which profit by our paines in them which profit not That thou mayest profit I commend thee to God to whom also I desire thee to commend this labour and Thy true friend in our common Sauiour Elnathan Parr A briefe summe of the Doctrines handled in this BOOKE CHAP. VIII Doct. 1. THose which are in Christ by Faith shall not be condemned Verse 1. Doct. 2. Our vnion with Christ the cause of our good life Doct. Our vnion with Christ frees vs from the power of sinne and of death Verse 2. Doct. 1. The Law cannot iustifie vs because we cannot perfectly keepe it Verse 3. Doct. 2. Christ came into the world and was incarnate of the Virgin Mary not of his owne will and yet not vnwilling but by the will and Decree of his Father Doct. 3. God by the death of his Sonne on the Crosse in our nature hath so taken away and abolished sinne that it can not rule in vs here nor condemne vs hereafter Doct. Whatsoeuer Christ did concerning the Law is ours by imputation so fully as if our selues had done it Verse 4. Doct. Carnall men and spirituall are contrary Verse 5. Doct. Whatsoeuer the flesh or corruption doth minde or sauour bringeth death so on the contrary for the spirit that is the regenerate part Verse 6. Doct. 1. All vnregenerate men are enemies to God and God to them Verse 7. Doct. 2. The Law of God is the rule of our subiection to
God Doct. A carnall man cannot please God because he is not subiect to his Law Verse 8. Doct. 1. Preachers are to apply their Doctrines to their hearers Verse 9. Doct. 2. Those which are regenerate are not carnall but spirituall Doct. 3. The holy Spirit dwelleth in the regenerate Doct. 4. Our vnion with Christ is by the holy Spirit Doct. 1. Though Christ be in the regenerate yet are they subiect to death Verse 10. Doct. 2. Though the bodies of the regenerate be subiect to mortalitie and death yet their soules are not Doct. Those which haue the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them shall haue a ioyfull resurrection Verse 11. Doct. All the regenerate are to liue to God in obedience not to the flesh Verse 12. Doct. Saluation is promised on the condition we liue not after the flesh but after the Spirit Verse 13. Doct. They which follow and obey the Gospell are the sonnes of God Verse 14. Doct. The Regenerate haue the spirit of Adoption whereby they are inabled to cry Abba Father Verse 15. Doct. The holy Ghost witnesseth with them which are regenerate that they are the Children of God Verse 16. Doct. 1. All that are the children of God are heires with Christ Verse 17. Doct. 2. The condition of our heauenly inheritance is the Crosse which glory followes Doct. The glory to come doth euery way surmount the present afflictions Verse 18. Doct. The insensible creature expecteth the Reuelation of the sonnes of God Verse 19. Doct. The creature faileth and laboureth vnder a great burden and bondage of mutabilitie against the naturall inclination of it Verse 20. Doct. The creature shall be freed from corruption into Glory Verse 21. Doct. The children of God because they haue receiued the first fruits of the Spirit doe grone for the present corruption expecting the redemption of their bodies from the same Verse 23. Doct. Hope is a certaine expectation of eternall life with patience expectation Verse 24 25. Doct. 1. God helpeth his children in trouble by his Spirit Verse 26. Doct. 2. Ability to pray is not of our selues but the holy Spirit Doct. 1. God knoweth and approueth the prayers of his Saints Verse 27. Doct. 2. The way to haue our prayers heard is to pray according to Gods will Doct. All afflictions further the good of Gods children Verse 28. Doct. All such as are elected are predestinated to be conformed vnto Christ Verse 29. Doct. The way from Predestination to Glorification is by Vocation and Iustification Verse 30. Doct. Nothing can hurt them for or with whom God is Verse 31. Doct. To whomsoeuer God giues Christ he giues all good things Verse 32. Doct. No accusations can hurt or preuaile against them whom God iustifieth Verse 33. Doct. Those whom Christ dyed for can not be condemned Verse 34. Doct. The Diuell with all his complices cannot separate vs from Christs loue Verse 35. Doct. True Christians are alwaies in danger and ready to die for Christs sake Verse 36. Doct. 1. In all Afflictions Gods children obtaine a Noble victory Verse 37. Doct. 2. Christ is the Cause of our constancy and victory in time of trouble Doct. 1. Gods loue can neuer faile to his Church Verse 38 39. Doct. 2. All other estates and things in this life are vncertaine onely the estate of Gods children is certaine CHAP IX Doct. 1. MInisters are to speake the truth though it displease yet with sobriety of wisedome Verse 1. Doct. 2. It is lawful for Christians in due time cause maner to sweare Doct. 3. They which sweare must sweare by God Doct. 4. A mans conscience beares witnesse of all his words and thoughts either with him or against him Doct. The children of God grieue for the hardnes of heart and condemnation of the wicked Verse 2. Doct. Wee ought to redeeme the saluation of our very enemies with the losse of heauenly ioyes to our selues rather then Christ should lose his glory Verse 3. Doct. 1. The Iewes were a most honourable people Verse 4 5. Doct. 2. The Iewes are not to be hated but to be loued Doct. The promises of God are sure Verse 6. Doct. All beleeuers are the children and seed to which belong the promises Verse 7 8 9. Doct. Where nature is common and alike there grace makes a difference Verse 10. Doct. 1. The Election or Reprobation of men is before they are borne or haue done good or euill Verse 11 12 13 Doct. 2. The purpose of Gods Election and Reprobation is not of workes but of the will of God Doct. 3. The Predestination of God is sure Doct. Though God saue some and condemne others yet he is iust Verse 14 15 16 Doct. 1. Hearers are to receiue nothing but that which is signed and sealed by the hand of God Verse 17. Doct. 2. God is not vniust in reprobating sinfull men to shew his power Doct. The will of God is the cause of Election and Reprobation Verse 18. Doct. The will of God is distinguished to be his secret will or his reuealed will Verse 19. Doct. Corrupt man is not to dispute against God about his Iudgements Verse 20. Doct. 1. Both the Elect and Reprobate are Gods vessels Verse 22. Doct. 2. God is patient towards sinners and Reprobates Doct. 3. The Scriptures describe God angry with sinners Doct. 4. God suffers Reprobates for the manifestation of his wrath and power Doct. The wrath of God shewed on the Reprobates doth amplifie and commend his mercy to the elect Verse 23. Doct. They which are effectually called are elect vessels of glory Verse 24. Doct. The Calling of the Gentiles to the state of grace and saluation was long agoe foretold by the Prophets Verse 25 26. Doct. But a remnant of the multitude of the Iewes shall be saued Verse 27 28 29 Doct. None can be iustified in the sight of God by a righteousnes of their owne making Verse 30 31. Doct. Christ is a Rocke of offence to them which beleeue not nor repent Verse 32 33. CHAP. X. Doct. MInisters are not only to exhort their people to obedience but also to pray for them Verse 1. Doct. Zeale if it be not according to knowledge is not acceptable to God Verse 2. Doct. Ignorance breeds Pride and Contempt Verse 3. Doct. God gaue the Law in writing to bring men to Christ Verse 4. Doct. Faith not the Law makes vs certaine of our saluation before God Verse 5 6 7 8. Doct. Faith and Confession are necessary to saluation Verse 9 10. Doct. He that beleeueth is sure to be saued Verse 11. Doct. The fauours of God concerning Iustification and Saluation are dispensed without any respect of persons to them which beleeue and call vpon him Verse 12. Doct. God will saue all such which call vpon him Verse 13. Doct. Without the preaching of the Gospell there is ordinarily no saluation Verse 14. Doct. Nothing should be so welcome as the preaching and preachers of the Gospell Verse 15. Doct. When the Gospell
is preached all are not conuerted by it Verse 16. Doct. The Gospel was preached to all the world in the time of the Apostles Verse 18. Doct. The corruption of our hearts leades vs to the practice of those things which we know to be sinne Verse 19. Doct. 2. God will forsake them which forsake him Doct. Ministers are boldly to preach the Truth Verse 20. Doct. 2. Our Conuersion and Calling is onely from Gods mercy Doct. Disobedience and persecution of Gods messengers was the cause of the reiection of the Iewes Verse 21. CHAP. XI Doct. 1. ALl the Iewes are not cast away from the hope of saluation Verse 1. Doct. 2. The Elect of God are sure of their estate and know it and shall neuer perish Doct. 1. It is profitable to be acquainted with the Histories of the Bible and to make vse of them Verse 2. Doct. 2. We must be zealous for the Lord. Doct. 1. God suffers sometimes the enemies of his Church to preuaile against it Verse 3. Doct. 2. The Enemies of True Religion are sauage and cruell Doct. 1. All doubts in matters of Religion are to bee decided by the Word of God Verse 4. Doct. 2. The Church of God shall neuer be in such an exigent but that there shall be many thousands to worship God in Spirit and in Truth Doct. 3. Those which in dangerous times are preserued in grace it is by the power and goodnes of God Doct. 4. Sincere worshippers of God must not in the least manner worship an Idol Doct. The cause why some are reserued in dangerous times is their Election Verse 5. Doct. Election and Saluation are of Grace not of Merite Verse 6. Doct. No Elect cast away No Reprobate but cast away Verse 7. Doct. God in his iust iudgement giues ouer such as are enemies to the Gospell to the Diuell to be blinded that they cannot conuert Verse 8. Doct. Persecutors of Christ and his Gospell are iustly accursed of God Verse 9 10. Doct. 1. The Iewes are reiected that the Gentiles might be called Verse 11. Doct. 2. The Vocation of the Gentiles is the prouocation of the Iewes Doct. The generall Calling of the Iewes shall be the enriching of the world Verse 12. Doct. The way for a Minister to make his office glorious is to bee diligent in preaching Verse 13 14. Doct. The Calling of the Iewes shall be a new life and happinesse to the world Verse 15. Doct. The Iewes are still a people Verse 16. Doct. The Gentiles may not despise the Iewes Verse 17 18. Doct. Our standing is by Faith our breaking off by Infidelitie Verse 19. Doct. 1. Faith shuts out boasting Verse 20. Doct. 2. He that beleeueth feareth God Doct. All without respect which continue not in Grace shall be broken off Verse 21. Doct. 1. It is the duty of all diligently to keepe a note-booke of the mercies of God to themselues and of his Iudgements to others Verse 22. Doct. 2. Perseuerance is a necessary condition of true sauing Faith Doct. Whatsoeuer sinner beleeueth and repenteth it is possible he should be saued Verse 23 24 25 Doct. 2. Before the end of the world the Iewes in regard of their multitude shall be Called Doct. Not onely some now and then but the people of the Iewes shall be Called Verse 26 27. Doct. The Iewes are beloued of God Verse 28. Doct. God repenteth not of his gifts and Calling Verse 29. Doct. The Gentiles were Infidels Verse 30. Doct. The Iewes are now in an estate of vnbeliefe but they shall be receiued to mercy Verse 31. Doct. God hath shut vp all in vnbeliefe that he might haue mercy on all Verse 32. Doct. It is neither lawfull for man to search nor possible to finde the hidden wayes of God Verse 33 34 35 Doct. God is of all his Creatures specially of his Church to be praised glorified Verse 36. THE SVMME OF THE Eleuen first Chapters of the EPISTLE to the Romanes SAint Paul in the eleuen first Chapters of this Epistle intreateth of Iustification his order is this In the fiue first hee proueth against all obiections of Iewes and Gentiles that all men are iustified by the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ apprehended by Faith In the sixe next hee ouerthrowes the engines whereby Satan went about to oppugne this heauenly Doctrine These Engines were 4. First that this Doctrine brings in liberty and licentious liuing 2. That it makes God inconstant and not so good as his word to the Iewes 3. That it abolisheth the righteousnesse of the Law 4. That from thence it followes that GOD hath quite cast away the people of the Iewes The first of these Paul remoues Chapter 6. 7. 8. the second Chapter 9. the third Chapter 10. the fourth Chapter eleuen Chap. 6. The Doctrine of Grace teacheth men not to liue loosely but to deny all vngodlinesse and to walke in newnesse of life Therefore all beleeuers are to fight against sin which they may doe with so much the more comfort in as much as they are not vnder the Law but vnder Grace Chap. 7. Indeed before they were conuerted they were subiect to the curse of the Law and by it became more sinfull but hauing receiued Grace to beleeue they are freed by Iesus Christ notwithstanding the lusting of the flesh against the Spirit which is the condition of euery regenerate man in this life Chap. 8. Therefore though sinne remaine in them and for it they bee chastised of God yet it raignes not in them nor can condemne them neither can any tribulations separate them from the loue of God in Christ AN EXPOSITION vpon the eighth ninth tenth and the eleuenth Chapters of the Epistle to the ROMANES CHAP. VIII THis Chapter hath two parts First a sweet consolation to all that are regenerate to the 31. verse Secondly a conclusion to the end The Consolation is double against two speciall sore tentations whereby it might seeme that a regenerate man were miserable and destitute of inward peace the one arising from the remainder of sinne then which nothing is more heauy the other from the Crosse then which nothing is more bitter Against the first hee dealeth from the beginning of the Chapter to the 17. verse Against the second from thence to the 31. verse The first hath 4. parts First the Consolation it selfe propounded verse 1. Secondly the Confirmation to the 9 verse Thirdly an Application from the 9. to the 11 verse Fourthly an Exhortation from thence to the 17. verse VERSE 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit IN this verse are two things 1. The Consolatory proposition There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ 2. A description of one of the Termes namely Who are in Christ such as walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit In the Proposition as in all of this kind there are 3. parts 1. The subiect or
there is plenty When Satan shall trouble thee looke vnto Christ in whom thou art by Faith and Inuincibly relye herevpon There is no Condemnation to men in Christ See thou hast good euidence of thy being in Christ and then resolue that it is as possible for Christ himselfe to bee damned as for thee For thou art a part and a member of him which to perish is impossible Examine thy Faith and Repentance and labour to feele in thy heart thy vnion with thy Sauiour It is not enough to be neere him thou must be in him If thou finde so Reioyce be thankefull and walke worthily Now followes the Description of them which are in Christ viz. All those which walke not after the Flesh but after the Spirit and thus he describes them from their proper effect I say proper for it is as proper for Gods Children to walke in holinesse as it is proper for the Sunne to shine and the Fire to giue heate These words containe a double Answere to each part of the proposition viz. Affirmatiue Negatiue If you aske who are not in Christ The Affirmatiue answere is They which walke after the Spirit If you aske who are not in Christ The Negatiue answere is They which walke after the flesh If you aske who are Iustified The Affirmatiue answere They which walke after the Spirit If you aske who are Condemned The Negatiue answere They which walke after the Flesh Here we haue three things which bee of great reckoning in the Scriptures 1. Vocation They which are in Christ 2. Iustification Shall not be condemned 3. Sanctification Which walke not after the Flesh but after the Spirit The Generall meaning is Those which liue holily mortifying the Flesh and obeying the Spirit are in Christ The holy life of a Christian is compared to walking and Trauelling which is not done without a Guide Two things may be noted in those words 1. The manner of the Metaphor 2. The nature of the Argument In the Metaphor are two things 1. The Act. Walking 2. The Direction or Guide which is set downe two wayes 1. Negatiuely Not after the Flesh 2. Affirmatiuely But after the Spirit The false Guide the Flesh The true Guide the Spirit Quest But why speakes the Apostle of the false Guide Answ Because most men are enclined to this Guide being wedded to their owne opinions and taking their owne directions from the wisedome of the flesh to be best Therefore he giues them an Item of a false Guide The Scripture vsually compares liuing to walking as here So Gen. 5.24 and 17.1 c. the Reason because of the suting of one to the other for in diuers things here is great Correspondence 1. Trauellers ignorant of the way enquire after the right and neerest way So wouldst thou trauell to heauen If thou enquirest for the way of Merit it is Christ If for the way of our Obedience it is the Law There are many by-pathes Search the Scriptures the Rule of our Faith and Obedience Ioh. 5.39 2. Trauellers in dangerous and vnknowne wayes seeke for a good Guide so must he which would safely trauell to heauen Act. 8 31. For as the Eunuch vnderstood not without an Interpreter so cannot wee walke that way without a Guide Two Guides will offer themselues A false treacherous deceiuing guide which is the Flesh which will boast of her cunning and ablenesse and a true Guide which is the Spirit Both these are set downe in the Text. Take heede of the Flesh Take the Spirit 3. Trauellers enquire for good Company loth to goe alone and yet loth to goe with euill Company as with a Thiefe or a Robber So beware thou of ill Company as of Swearers Drunkards Whoremongers c. These will drawe thee out of the right way for they trauell not to Heauen-ward Let thy delight be in the Saints and in them that excell in vertue that thou maist the more cheerefully walke Psal 16. being holpen by their Prayers and vertuous examples As in a Teame a good sure Horse being among a sort of Iades is many times made shuttle and vntoward so looke for no furtherance in thy iourney to heauen by the society of wicked men 4. Trauellers especially in a long iourney clogge not themselues with things superfluous but onely take necessaries so ouerload not thy selfe with vnnecessary cares delights of the world As a heauy burthen or a long garment to a Traueller so is the world to vs in our iourney towards heauen a hinderance of our speed 5. Trauellers going a dangerous way prouide themselues of some weapon as a Sword or a good Staffe for they may meet with Robbers which would lighten them of their money So get thee a good weapon The way is dangerous Thou shalt be sure at one corner or Crosse-way or other to meet with the Diuell that old Thiefe who would bee glad to rob thee of Grace and is as greedy of it as a Thiefe of a purse The best weapon is Faith which serues for a Weapon to fight withall and also for a Staffe to rest vpon For a weapon Therefore Saint Iohn saith that Faith is the victory that ouercommeth 1. Ioh. 5.4 It is a weapon both Offensiue and Defensiue For an offensiue Weapon it is as good against the Diuell as a Pistoll against a Thiefe 1. Pet. 15.9 Iam 4.7 So saith the Scripture Resist the Diuell stedfast in the Faith and he will flee from you If a Thiefe see a case of Dags at a mans side hee will not deale with him hastily so if the Diuell perceiue vs furnished with Faith he will haue small list to meddle with vs. For a defensiue Weapon also there is none to this It is a Target of proofe or a Shield So Saint Paul cals it and exhorts Ephes 6.16 Aboue all take the shield of Faith whereby ye shall bee able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked Faith also serues for a staffe to rest vs vpon Wee stand and are stablished by Faith Rom. 11.20 Children learne to go by the finger or by a stoole 2. Cor. 1.24 such a thing is Faith to vs. An old man will not goe out of the dores without his staffe so if thou neglectest Faith thou canst neuer bee able to hold on thy iourney of which wee haue an example in Peter who so long as hee kept in his hand in his heart this staffe Mat. 14.30 walked on the Sea but when hee let it fall himselfe began to sinke 6 Trauellers on foote prepare for their feete that they bee well shodde lest beeing wounded by the sharpe stones and thornes on which they must tread they bee layd vp by the way If thou trauellest toward Heauen thou must tread vpon thornes the points of Needles burning Coles thou canst not want shooes These are the preparation of the Gospell And your feete shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace saith Paul Ephes
6.15 that is with a firme resolution that come Fire Sword what will come we will hold our way Thus was Dauid prepared Psalme 13. Though I walke in the valley of the shaddow of death I will feare none ill and Psal 119.106 I haue sworne and am stedfastly purposed to keepe thy Law So Paul elsewhere manifests his resolution and readines Acts 20.24 21.13 to die for Christ 7 Trauellers carry with them some Cordiall and comfortable waters to cheere their Spirits when through wearinesse they begin to faint So in the way to Heauen through weaknesse thou maist faint and fall the water of Repentance is precious a draught of it will recouer and repaire thy spirits fill thee full of godly care and confirme thy assurance Thus much of the manner of the Metaphor now followeth the nature of the Argument which is as was sayd a description of such which are in Christ by the effect Such walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit that is liue holily doctrine Our Vnion with Christ the cause of our good life Ioh. 15.5 1. Ioh. 1.6,7 Vse 1. Hee saith not there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ because they walke but which walke for hereby wee are not iustified nor called but they which are iustified and called so carry themselues This walking is necessary not as a cause of saluation but as a condition without which there is certaine condemnation Vse 2. Heere wee haue a touch-stone to try whether wee bee in Christ or no and so whether wee shall bee damned or saued When thou seest the Impe which thou hast grafted to budde and leaue and bring forth fruit thou saist it takes well so if thou bring forth Holinesse the fruit of the Spirit thou takest well and art surely grafted into Christ This then answeres a Question of which many desire to be resolued viz. Whether they shall be saued or no Examine thy walking If in the way of Enuie Blasphemy Pride Drunkennesse Vncleanenes this is the way of the flesh vnto assured condemnation the spirit leades not this way thou art yet out of Christ and therfore far from saluation He that would be saued must walke after the Spirit in righteousnesse and holines As the palpable prophane wretch is heereby excluded so also he that is a meere ciuill man and no more for though he seeme to be in a good way as of iust dealing temperance liberality courtesie c. yet hee walkes in these waies after a wrong guide which is the flesh doing these things for the praise of men and with the opinion of Iustification thereby besides hee neuer descends into his owne heart mourning for and mortifying inbred corruption vnto which the Spirit principally leades but onely glorieth in outward moralities If then thou wouldst bee saued approue thy selfe to bee in Christ by walking after the Spirit But remember thou must walke now and then will not serue the turne as he that sets now one step then another is not sayd to walke so thy walking implies a continuall motion in godlines and yet not such a motion as of a Horse in a Mill but as proceeding and getting forward As in walking there seemes to be an Emulation between the feete to be one before another so in our liuing wee must striue to be euery day more forward in goodnes and to be better to morrow then we are to day Vse 3. There is nothing more irksome to the children of GOD then the rebellion of the flesh though wicked men bee not sensible of it And many times weake Consciences are so distressed by the sense of their corruptions that they doubt much of their estates Let such wisely marke these words Hee saith not There is no condemnation to them in whom there is no flesh but which walke not after it nor saith he there is no condemnation to them which are not tempted or which sin not but which walke not after sinne for the children of God must be tempted and wee neuer receiue such Grace in this life as not at all to fall or sin but not to walke after it but to striue and resist it and if downe through weakenes not to lye and wallow our selues as swine in the mire but by the power of the Spirit to start vp to wash away our spots in the Bath of Repentance and euer after to bee the more vehement and strong against our corruption It is not a willing seruice which they performe vnto the flesh when they are ouertaken as a man willingly walkes in his Garden but a most vnwilling for the which true Conuerts are often heard to sigh mourne and lament and are often seene with teares in their eyes Concupiscence will be to thee so long as thou liuest here but walke not after it and then all shall bee well When thou walkest abroad thou canst not hinder the Birds from flying ouer thy head but thou maist hinder them from lighting vpon thy head and making nests so thou canst not be wholly void of corruption but if thou bee in Christ thou hast receiued grace not to obey it Thou art it may bee much inclined to Anger Doest thou let it remaine with thee till being sowred it turneth to malice and rancour and bringeth forth reuenge Gen. 15.11 Then hast thou suffered it to nestle in thy heart and if thou lookest not to it it will bee thy destruction so of Lust Pride Couetousnesse but if thou scarre away these Harpies as Abraham the birds from his Sacrifice and suffer not an euill thought to lodge with thee all night surely thou art in Christ and neuer shalt be damned VERSE 2. For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of Sinne and Death IN this Verse is an Argument prouing the Proposition before deliuered That there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ The Argument is taken from an effect of our Being in Christ Thus They which are freed from the Law of Sinne and Death shall not be condemned But those which are in Christ are so freed Therefore they shall not be condemned The Minor is thus proued They which are quickned by the same Spirit which is in Christ are so freed But all in Christ are so quickned Therefore they are so freed This Verse then intreates of the freedome and deliuerance of the Regenerate which are in Christ Concerning which freedome or Manumission foure things may be obserued 1. From what namely from Sinne and Death 2. The extent of this Deliuerance not from sinne and death simply in this world but from the Law of Sinne and Death that is from the power and authoritie of Sinne which power is called a Law by the Apostle for two reasons 1. Because carnall men obey sinne as they should obey a Law 2. Because sinne holds vs bound by the Law vnto eternall death 3. The subiect of this Deliuerance Mee saith Paul meaning himself
art not deliuered If a man sicke in his bed burning of an Ague fetching his breath with difficulty looking gastly c. should say he were well thou wouldest not beleeue him So when thou seest a man swell with Pride burne with Lust c. If he say he is in Christ and hopes to bee saued beleeue him not All the world cannot saue him VERSE 3. For what the Law could not doe in that it was weake through the flesh GOD sending his owne Son in the likenes of sinfull flesh and for sin Or by a sacrifice for sin condemned sinne in the Flesh 4. That the righteousnesse of the Law might bee fulfilled in vs who walke not after the Flesh but after the Spirit IN these Verses is a declaration of the deliuerance spoken of in the second Verse In which are two things 1. The necessity of it 2. The meanes whereby it is wrought The Necessitie in these words For what the Law could not doe in that it was weake through the flesh There is much diuersity in the reading of these words That of Camerarius is very plaine but the best and plainest is that of his Maiesties translation which I follow In these words of the Necessity are two things 1. Something vttered of the Law viz. that it could not deliuer vs. 2. The reason Because it is weake through the Flesh This is brought in by a Prolepsis Thus. What needs deliuerance by Christ seeing wee haue the Law which promiseth life to the obseruers If the Law be able to deliuer what need Christ If not able what auailes the Law To this Paul answeres by a Concession That indeed the Law is not able and therefore GOD sent his Sonne to do that which was impossible to the Law This then is affirmed by Paul that the Law cannot iustifie and deliuer Acts 13.38,39 Heb. 7.18 Q. What vse then of the Law A. Very great It teacheth vs Gods will concerning Obedience it shews what is right and wrong It is a Schoole-master to bring vs to Christ and the Gospel So that though the Law cannot saue vs yet neither can the Gospel without the Law which Ambrose elegantly sets forth by a similitude of the vpper and nether Milstone The Law saith he Ambrosius Ser. 29. per. totum is as the nether-Milstone which is slow and stirreth not the Gospell quick as the vpper-Milstone without which the nether-Milstone may seeme vnprofitable Yet cannot the vpper grind without the nether but both together make good Meale So Iustification as fine Flower is between the Law and the Gospell prepared for vs. Seeke not Iustification by the Law This were to seeke Life in Death Heauen in Hell Saluation in Condemnation There are two things necessary to saluation Iustification and Sanctification The Law can giue neither of these Pardon sinne it cannot Deut. 27.26 for it is the Office of the Law to curse transgressors Renew vnto holinesse it cannot though it can command vs to be holy The Law is holy in it selfe But to bee holy and to make holy are two things That the Law is in This the Law is impotent Vaine therefore is the hope of many who thinke to be saued only by their good seruing God and their iust dealing and that their good deeds shall preuaile against their badde For first our best deeds haue so much defect that though in some consideration they might bee worthy yet in other they stand in need of pardon Secondly all our good deeds though wee had as many as Abraham are of finite perfection and therefore cannot satisfie for the least sinne whereby an Infinite Maiestie is offended Thirdly if wee could doe good perfectly yet such doing is duty and duty dischargeth no debt In that it was weake through the flesh The Law cannot deliuer The reason because it is too weake How comes it to bee weake It is weakened through the flesh That is corrupted sinfull rebellious nature The Law is not weakened either in Precept or in Doctrine but onely in Iustifying of Man and this not in it selfe but by accident because wee are naught and not conformable vnto it If wee could perfectly keepe the Law it were as able to iustifie vs as euer There is no fault then in the Law but in vs. A blind man cannot see though the Sunne shine most cleere The fault is not in the Sunne but in his blind eyes So that wee are not benefited by the Law is our fault not the Lawes A cunning Caruer can cut the similitude of any Creature but not on a Rotten sticke yet no imputation to the Caruer So the Law hath skill to Iustifie but cannot doe this feat in our Rotten Nature doctrine The Law cannot iustifie vs because we cannot perfectly keepe it 2. Chron. 6.56 Iam. 3.2 Question How can we be guilty of the breach of that Law which is vnpossible for vs to keepe Ans 1. It is vnpossible here but in heauen it will be possible 2. It is possible to the Elect in regard of Christ in whom they haue fulfilled it 3. It is possible in regard of perfect obedience begunne in this life most certaine to be perfected after this life Yet it is impossible for Iustified men in This life perfectly to keepe the Law in themselues though the Councell of Trent haue determined it possible Concil Triden Sess 6. Can. 8. and wee also are bound to this impossible Law and that Iustly The Reason is Because to Adam in whom we were it was at first possible and by his transgression in whom wee sinned it became impossible So that God may iustly require it now of vs as a man may iustly require a debt of him who through his Ryot and Luxury hath made himselfe vnable to pay it A King loseth not his authoritie to command because some refuse to obey him nor God his right to command though wee by our naughtinesse haue made our selues vnable to performe his commands That seeming Contradiction attributed to Hierome is true on both parts Cursed is hee which saith God hath commanded impossibilities and Cursed is he which saith the Law is possible Vse 1. Thou failest in thy obedience yet if thou beleeuest and thy heart be vpright be of good Comfort Nor Abraham nor Dauid nor any of the Saints did perfectly keepe the Law or were saued by their Workes but by their Faith Doest thou beleeue and endeuour with an honest heart to obey though in much weaknesse Thou shalt be saued as well as Abraham For he hath the perfection of the Law which beleeues in Christ But thou wilt say that thou art vnworthy 'T is true So certainly was Abraham Let thy faylings humble thee and seeke for increase of Faith Vse 2. The Law is weake to saue so much as one but it is strong enough to damne thousands Remember that If thou beest a Blasphemer a Drunkard c. thou shalt finde it a Gyant If thou hast but one sinne vnrepented for it will
vs. Art thou afraid of Damnation because of thy sinnes Bee of good Comfort Thou hast Christ for thy Aduocate 1. Ioh. 2.2 If we be to sue downe a Commission we desire to haue the wisest and ablest men to sit vpon it If we haue a suit at Law wee couet to get the best and learnedest Councell and in most fauour with the Iudge Now wee haue a suit for Saluation wee haue strong Aduersaries The Flesh the World the Diuell the Law Who shall be our Man of Law to plead for vs Shall an Angell No we haue Christ himselfe the Lord of Angels The wisest for hee is the Wisedome of his Father and most in fauour with the Iudge for in him is God well pleased And indeed Christ hath taken our Matter vpon him God hath retained him for vs. How then shouldest thou not haue the Sentence passe on thy side Committit se homo viro disertae linguae non perit committis te Verbo periturus es Aug. Thou committest thy other causes sometimes to a man and speedest if thou committest thy selfe to that Word canst thou perish He knowes the moment of thy cause and the reasons whereby he should perswade It stands him vpon that thou preuaile because thou art of his bone and his flesh Be sure to bring him his Fee that is Faith Repentance and Obedience and thou canst not lose the day If thou canst beleeue hee can saue thee nay he must it is his Office God hath inioyned him and hee is faithfull as Moses nay more faithfull Moses as a Seruant he as a Sonne Let him that hath an Office Heb. 3.2,5,6 Rom. 12.7 wait on his Office saith he to vs and can hee neglect his Office Reade Ioh. 6.37,38,39,40 It is the will of his Father which hee alwayes delighted to obey that hee should cast away no poore Sinner which beleeues and repents Goe therefore thou Penitent Soule to Christ desire him to doe his Office to take away thy sinnes and comfort thee Hast thou no feete Hast thou stumps Creepe to him It is as possible for him to reiect thee as it is possible for him to be vnfaithfull Vse 2. Seeke not to the Virgin Mary to Angels or Saints for Saluation it is not their Office but Christs Hee offers it thee in his Word see thou refuse not to receiue it This refusall brought wo vpon Corazin and Bethsaida Mat. 11.21 Yea the dust of the feet of our Preachers is to be shaken off as a witnesse against such as contemne the grace offered in the Gospell and it shall bee easier for Sodom and Gomorrah then for such Mat. 10.14,15 Let vs not then harden our hearts any longer but while hee speaketh let vs heare his voice while hee calleth let vs make obedient answere while he stretcheth out his hands let vs runne into the Bosome of his mercy that we may be saued Amen Condemned in the flesh The former effect was a Commission from the Father to his owne Sonne In these words is the second effect containing the Returne of the Commission All Commissions speed not This sped according to the intent of the granting for sinne was condemned and taken away In this effect are 4. things First the Efficient God Secondly the Action Condemned Thirdly the Obiect Sinne. Fourthly the Subiect in the Flesh God the Father as before Condemned To Condemne is an Action of a Iudge giuing sentence against a guilty Person So is it not heere for sinne is not guilty but makes guilty Condemnation is also many times taken for the punishment which the delinquent condemned suffers neither is it so here but after a similitude as condemned Persons executed cease to bee and are taken away so Sinne is taken away Tollūtur èmedio * Beza Some expound it Hee abolished it Caluinus Some Hee abrogateth the power and reigne of it as a man hanged loseth his Offices Aquinas He weakened Ambrose Hee tooke away the authority of sinne So Martyr Hee put out of authority and Office as if the King should take away his Commission from a Subiect and disgrace him So God by Christ put sin out of Office with all the reproach that might be As Souldiers and Captaines are sometimes cashierd and sent away disarmed so Christ hath cashierd this Captaine Sinne. 3 Sinne That is All sin whatsoeuer had any consideration of sin Originall with the fruit which is Actuall sin and both these with the effect which is Condemnation Hee condemned and abolished it in regard of dominion and damnation and so it answeres vnto the freedome spoken of in the second verse 4 In the Flesh Flesh heere for the nature of Man which Christ assumed The Article would heere be expressed in That flesh The Syrian Translator In His flesh The sense Wee are freed by the Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ for He abolished sinne in his Flesh so that wee being Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone must needs also be deliuered doctrine God by the death of his Sonne which Hee did suffer on the Grosse in our Nature hath so taken away and abolished sinne that it cannot rule in vs heere nor condemne vs heereafier Esay 53. Iohn 1.29 Heb. 2.10 to which adde Heb. 5.9 Vse 1. Sinne was condemned in the humane Nature of Christ not in the Diuine for that is impassible but the Person must bee Diuine For neither Men nor Angels could haue borne the punishment of sin but themselues must haue beene for euer condemned withall To sin is Mans worke But to condemne sin is Gods worke Q. Why did not GOD pardon sinne at once and spare his own Sonne A. The threatning Gen. 2.17 required that Man must dye for his transgression which if hee had done in this owne person he could not haue been saued Neither indeed is it to be imagined that God can forgiue sin without satisfaction to his Iustice not for any defect of power but for the perfection of his Nature which cannot but hate and punish sin Nothing is impossible to God 2. Thes 1.6 but that which hee willeth not and hee cannot will that his Iustice should be vnsatisfied Q. How can the Temporall punishment in the Flesh of Christ satisfie for the Eternall to be suffred by vs A. Though he suffred not long yet he suffred much And though the Action or rather Passion was of short continuance yet the vertue is euerlasting and infinite sutable to his Person which suffred who is Infinite Vse 2. Sinne is fully destroied because it is Gods worke and iustly because condemned And Beleeuers cannot iustly be now condemned because Christ hath payd the Debt Sinne is condemned our greatest enemy What should let vs greatly to reioyce If a man in authority being our vtter enemy should bee imprisoned put from his place and made Iacke out of Office as wee vse to say it would make vs exceeding glad or as if thou hadst a
spitefull enemy by whom thou wert afraid whensoeuer hee met thee to bee stabd thou wouldst be much afraid euen as Saul was though otherwise a valiant man at the sight of Goliah But when hee saw Dauid had kild him hee reioyced and all Israel with him So it is with vs Sin aliue and in authority will make the stoutest of vs afrayd But CHRIST our Dauid hath kild sinne our Goliah This comforteth our hearts But thou wilt say Alas I feele sinnee struggling with me and molesting mee and I many times smart full sorely for it Yea it may be so and shall bee so God will haue it so to humble thee and to make thee cleaue the faster vnto him But if thou beleeuest it rules not nor can condemne thee Sinne liues indeed but as a condemned person A man receiuing his deaths wound sprawleth and mooueth a while And Fire though it be quenched yet there ariseth a smoke for some small time after which may trouble thine eyes So is it with finne And for the Crosse it 's necessary not as a punishment or satisfaction but as an instruction which is to be vsed so long as we beare about vs the remainder of sinne for a helpe to Mortification and that it may appeare that God no way approoueth of sinne when hee correcteth his Children for it though hee hath pardoned them Vse 3. Christ hath done and suffered whatsoeuer his Father appointed him he hath borne hard words harder deeds He neuer gaue ouer till that comfortable consummatum est was vttered Imitate him Whatsoeuer God commands thee obey thought it be hard and tedious to flesh and bloud Repent thee of thy faylings who like a lazie seruant hast made Exceptions of thy seruice And see that thou hate for euer and abhorre all sinne seeing Christ came to condemne and take it away Thinke seriously of it God hath in the flesh of his owne Sonne condemned thy Anger Pride Couetousnesse Blasphemy c. Wilt thou iustifie them Christ hath kild sinne Wilt thou giue it life Christ came to demolish and abolish it wilt thou build it God set a curse on him which should build Iericho Iosh 6.26 1. Kin. 16.34 which afterward tooke Effect Sinne is this Iericho and cursed shall hee be that buildeth or maintaineth it 1. Ioh. 3.8 Christ came to destroy the workes of the Diuell which are Whoredome Drunkennesse c. Wilt thou liue in the practice of them This is to take the Diuels part against thy Sauiour Iesus Christ Sinne is Condemned in Christs Flesh if it liue and rule in thy flesh thou hast no part in him thou art not of his flesh and bone for thou art contrary to him VERSE 4. That the Righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in vs which walke not after the Flesh but after the Spirit HItherto of the two Effects of God God sent his Son and gane him a Commission He executed it So did God So suffered Christ But why Cui bono Who haue the benefite of all this This Paul shewes in this Verse Where are two things First what the Benefit is viz The fulfilling of the righteousnesse of the Law 2. Who receiue this Benefit Wee that beleeue In vs. Described by a proper Effect Which walke c. That This noteth not here the euent onely as though it so fell out but the Counsell of God purposing this to be the end of the sending of his Sonne c. The Righteousnesse of the Law So many As though it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some Iustification as though it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Beza well renders Vt Ius Legis that the Right of the Law might be fulfilled in vs. What Right The Law hath a double Right One of Obedience it doth rightly challenge obedience and the Law hath not the right if it bee not obeyed The other Right is to Condemne vs for Disobedience for it is right and equall that those which doe euill should suffer euill Both these are here vnderstood Of the Law Law sometime is taken for the strength of a thing as in Verse 2. sometime largely for the whole Word of God sometime more strictly for the Morall Law in the Decalogue and for the Doctrine Precepts Promises Prohibitions Threatnings which the Law speakes of So here Fulfilled Perfectly satisfied by Christ in regard of both the Rights In vs. Not by vs. By Christ In vs. For Christ in our Nature hath fulfilled the Right of the Law and therfore in vs because of our Communion with him The meaning God hath Condemned sinne in the Flesh of his Sonne that All that which the Law by any right could require of vs might be performed by him for our Benefit so as if we our selues had in our persons performed the same doctrine Whatsoeuer Christ did concerning the Law is ours by Imputation so fully as if our selues-had done it Mat. 3.15 5.17,18 As if he should say Euery Tittle of the Law shall be fulfilled If it require Obedience it shall haue it If it threaten Curses they shall be borne The Precepts shall be kept the Promises receiued the Punishments endured 2. Cor. 5.21 Vse 1. If Adam had not sinned by fulfilling the Law in the Precepts hee should haue beene saued and the Damned fulfill it in hell in regard of the Curse by suffering it and cannot bee saued If wee would be saued we because sinners must fulfill it in Praecepto poena in the Precepts and Punishment The Precepts must bee kept that there may bee place for the Promises The Curse also must be endured which is the wages of our Sinne. The Law must haue our Bloud and without bloud there is no remission Heb. 9.22 We can doe neither of these in our selues Wee haue done both these by our Surety Faith is here necessary that Christs doing and suffering may bee applyed to vs that The Right of the Law may be fuifilled in vs. Vse 2. The Wonderfull wisedome of God appeares in our Redemption Who Executes his Iustice vpon Christ Exerciseth his mercy toward vs. Without Infinite Satisfaction his mercie could not be appeased Without Infinite mercy wee could not be saued One Deepe calleth another The Deepe of his Iustice the Deepe of Christs Satisfaction The Deepe of our Misery the Deepe of his Mercy If he had laid his Iustice vpon vs where had beene his Mercy If hee had shewed Mercy without Satisfaction where had beene his Iustice Both these must meete that we may haue Righteousnesse and euerlasting peace This the Angels admire doe thou labour to vnderstand Vse 3. Christ suffered for vs not onely nostra Causa but nostra vice for our sake but in our roome and stead Wee should haue beene Buffeted Spit vpon Crucified Cursed Hee represented our Persons was in our roome O infinite Loue Many desire to represent Great Personages to partake of their Honour but none desire to represent the
wisely but indeede he played the foole as appeared in his fearefull end Gehezi thought himselfe wifer then his Master 2. King 5.27 when he would saue something by the Leprous Assyrian but this wisedome got him the Leprosie of Naaman Mat. 16.22.23 Peter would be counted a wise fellow and takes vpon him to aduise our Sauiour to auoide his Passion but this was carnall wisedome as our Sauiour told him calling him Satan There is wisedome in a Carnall man as life in one that hath the Falling Sicknesse or sense in a mad man but no more to be compared to the wisedome of the Spirituall then such life and sense is to be compared to the life and sense of sound men Vse 2. Great is the misery of a man vnregenerate for hee cannot thinke a thought or speake a word but it is his death nay the very wisedome of the flesh is so how much more the foolishnesse we pitie naturall fooles and it 's a misery to bee so but it 's more to be a foole in spirituall things So on the contrary the happinesse of them which are spiritually wise is great For whatsoeuer they deuise desire speake or doe according to the teaching of the Spirit is for their great good Euery Sob Teare euery good deede hitcheth them neerer to Heauen Euery Prayer they make euery Sermon they heare increaseth their peace and their assurance of life Surely they are blessed Labour thou to be such a One. Vse 3. In nothing follow the Counsell of the Flesh For it 's a Traitor and seekes thy destruction will a King counsell with a Traitor This were to ruinate himselfe and his Kingdome Many when any thing is to be done Counsell not with the Spirit but with their owne fleshly heart as Rhehoboam with the yong men and so they miserably perish Will any man chuse him for a guide which will lead into a ditch But such a blind Guide is the Flesh will any man commit his body or Goods to that bottome which is steered by such a Pylot which drownes euery vessell he gouernes There was neuer any man followed the wisedome of the Flesh without deadly danger Seeke therefore another Directer which is the Spirit There is no Condemnation to them which walke after this Guide Gal. 1.16 When Paul should take vpon him the Calling of an Apostle hee counselled not with Flesh and bloud For his Flesh would haue said Why Paul this Calling wil bring Persecution pitie thy selfe thou art in place a learned Pharise c. So is there a falling out betweene thy neighbour and thee The Flesh will say Sue him throw him into Prison bee reuenged c. but the Spirit will counsell to meeknesse and forgiuenesse which is pleasing to God Take heed in these and the like thou follow not the wisedome of the Flesh for that is the way to destruction And indeede who shall at any time pray heare the Word doe any good or especially suffer for the Gospell if he counsell with the Flesh As Abraham therefore when he went to offer vp Isaak told not Sarah lest she might disswade him So in all things to bee done or auoyded bee iealous of thy corrupt heart take no counsell of it but of the Spirit by the Word for the wisedome of the Spirit is life and Peace VERSE 7. Because the Carnall minde is Enmitie against God for it is not subiect to the Law of God nor indeed can be IN this Verse is proued that to bee Carnally minded is death or deadly The Argument is from the Efficient Cause Thus That which is Enmity bringeth Death But the Carnall mindednesse is Enmity Therefore c. The Proposition is manifest for as Friendship with God and Reconciliation is the cause of life Deut. 4.4 so on the contrary The Minor is the first part of the Verse and it is proued from the property or Effect of such Enmity Thus That which neither is nor can bee subiect to the Law of God is Enmity But the Carnall man neither is nor can be c. Therefore So that in this Verse are two things 1. A Proposition in the former distinction of it 2. a Reason in the latter First of the Proposition The Carnall minde is Enmitie against God The Carnall Minde That which wee reade Minde or Wisedome some expound Sensualitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the word wil not beare it which notes the best part of Corrupt man euen his wisedome not simply but in respect of Corruption Euen Lady-Reason and therefore Paul hath in another place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coloss 2.18 The Minde of the Flesh Is Enmitie Not as the Vulgar is an Enemy in the Adiectiue or Concrete for that will agree neither with the Gender of the Substantiue nor with the Accenting of it but in the Abstract noting an excesse as if we see a proud man we say There goes Pride so here Is Enmity nothing can be said more For an Enemy may be reconciled but Enmity cannot a vicious man may become vertuous but vice cannot Enmity is a mutuall maleuolence betweene men with a mutuall desire to hurt each other So God hates the Flesh and it hates God and yet man by this hatred hurts not God but himselfe for hee is Gods Enemy not by hurting his will but by resisting it Non nocendo sed resistendo Anselm doctrine All vnregenerate men are Enemies to God and God to them Iam. 4.4 Rom. 5.10 Gal. 1.27 Vse 1. From whence is it that we are Enemies to God and God to vs Not from God but from our Sinne. The Cause is in vs Adam was created in Gods Image The friend of God and God the friend of Adam Hee transgressed Gods Commandement and hence came this Enmitie which wee haue cause to bewayle with teares of bloud But few thinke of it as is meete Vse 2. Here is the Reason why wicked men hate the godly Maruell not saith Iohn though the world hate you One would thinke it should be maruellous But if they hate God 1. Ioh. 3.13 Ioh. 15.18.20 surely they will hate vs as our Sauiour shewes Hee that loues mee loues my Children and friends for my sake And a malicious man will mischiefe euen the Cattell of him whom hee hates Doest thou hate any godly man Ah wretch Thy ill will is not originally and properly to them but to God himselfe Vse 3. A wicked man is Gods Enemy What warrant hast thou to keepe their company to entertaine familiarly their Acquaintance to countenance them Remember that there must be alwaies Enmitie betweene the Seede of the Woman and the Seede of the Serpent Psal 139.21 2. Chron. 19.2 Remember Dauids protestation remember how Iehoshaphat was rebuked Wouldst thou helpe the wicked and loue them which hate the Lord The Iudgement of the Heathen is That friendship is then dissolued when one of the friends becomes notoriously wicked Vse 4. Carnall men are enemies to God
wisely 1. For the prouision 1. Good must bee layd in that is truths grounded vpon Gods Word No singular fancies of our owne braine must be obtruded for these fill full of winde not of sound nourishment 2. It must be for the Season All things are not at all times so seasonable The present occasions of publique sinnes Mercies Iudgements are to be obserued 2. For Distribution They are not to sing to themselues and to account it enough to haue store in their owne heads and bookes but they must dispense it to the Family not only to make purueyance but to giue euery one his portion and this not in the grosse of Doctrine onely but in the Re-tayle of particular Exhortation as the Surgeon makes the playster and layes it on too As a whole loase among little Children so is a Generall Doctrine among the Auditors not diuided by Application As a rich man onely discoursing of bread to a hungry Begger or a Physicion describing his Patients disease and leauing him to himselfe so is a Preacher not applying As Nurses chewe and prepare the meate for the Child so must Preachers Generalities profit little euery man being ready to put off from him selfe that which is generally spoken to all If Nathan had not come home to Dauids Conscience he would neuer haue thought himselfe to be meant But Then hee is striken and repents So then if euer our Profane wretches will leaue their sinnes when they are told they are the Men and the secrets of their hearts are made manifest 1. Cor. 14.24,25 3. Wisely For all things sute not all persons All persons are not in the same Estate some repent some are Impenitent All both Repentant and Impenitent are not in the same degree All distresses are not alike c. There is therefore requisite much faithfulnesse and wisedome to giue euery man his due Some preach Comfort to all Some to All Iudgement not making difference Some in preaching Iudgement let sinners goe and strike the vpright in the Land There 's neither Wisedome nor Faithfulnesse in this as it is no wifedome in that Steward that either serueth all alike or sendeth that to his Masters Boord which was prouided for the Men and contrarily There is the childrens bread Mat. 15.26 which is not to bee giuen to Dogges and there is Fire and Brimstone for the wicked which is their portion to drinke Psal 11.6 The Bread of Consolation is for the Child The Staffe and whip of Reprehension is for the Dog that is the Profane Vse 2. The People mist remember two things 1. To receiue with meekenesse that which is their Appointment Blasphemers vncleane Persons Lyers Sabbath-breakers c. are to bee threatned with Damnation Art thou such a one Thy portion then is the Curse and eternall Wrath when thou amendest thy life and repentest then these things are not spoken to thee If thou beest angry with thy Minister for reproouing thee Remember the fault is in thee for being so ill 2. To apply things deliuered to themselues If any vertue bee commended to practise it if any vice condemned to shunne it If any Consolation to feele it If any good example to follow it Whatsoeuer thou hearest take as spoken to thy selfe Is it Comfort Repent and 't is thine Is it Iudgement If thou repentst not it is to thee We vsually heare Sermons as we entertaine newes out of the Indies not pertaining to our selues and so we profit not Amend thou this Thus much of the Relatiue Consideration now of the Simple From whence as these words are to bee considered in themselues ariseth doctrine This Doctrine Those which are Regenerate are not Carnall but Spirituall 1. Cor. 2.14,15 Gal. 5.25 6.1 1. Pet. 2.5 Vse 1. To be in a spirituall estate is comfortable for such please God and are in the way of life Examine therefore thy estate Thou wert Carnall see if there be a Change in thee if there bee no Change but thou art the same man that euer thou wert thy state is naught Some say they alwayes loued God and beleeued but Beleeue it that state which was alwayes good in very deede was neuer good Thou wilt say then How shall I know whether I be changed or no It is as easie to know as to discerne darknesse from light Ephes 5. foule from cleane You were Darknesse but now are light You were vncleane ryotous c. but now ye are washed So if thou canst say as the blind man I was blind but now I see if thou canst say this in truth 1. Cor. 6. Iohn 9. doing thereafter thou art Spirituall But if thou walkest after the Flesh thou art not Spirituall whatsoeuer thou sayst The Flesh remaining will tempt thee Is the Action as ready as the temptation 2. Sam. 20.8 That Ioabs sword doth not more vsually fall out of the sheath then thou goest after thy Concupiscence Surely Thou hast not a dramme of the Spirit For where it is it so amates the Corruption that it cannot preuaile If thou beest Spirituall let it appeare by thy new conuersation What hast thou to do with Whoredome c. These are the Agags which may not bee spared by the Saul of thy Flesh but hewed in pieces by the Samuel of the Spirit Thou must exercise thy strength not in doing but in subduing of these Domitian perceiuing many of his Predecessors in the Empire to be hated asked one how he might so rule as not to be hated The party answered Tufac contra Doe thou Contrarie to that they haue done So the Spirituall man must be in his affections and actions contrary to the Carnall If thy mind bee changed so must thy behauiour A Certaine Yong man as the story goes Ambrosius lib. 2. de poenitentia cap. 10. hauing long liued in Lust and whorish company trauelled and was conuerted When he returned home he met with one of his old lewd acquaintance but did not salute her at which the Strumpet wondring thinking he had not knowne her crosseth and meeteth him againe with this on-set What haue you forgotten mee It is I. Yea saith he But it is not I. So if thou art become Spirituall it becomes thee to manifest this change in resisting such temptations and shewing the power of the Spirit He that is furnished with weapons and suffereth a feeble vnarmed Enemy to ouercome him hath no courage in him so if thou sufferest the Flesh hauing receiued its deaths wound as it bath in all the Regenerate to foyle thee at euery bout thou hast not the Spirit within thee If so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you In these words is the Reason to proue that the beleeuing Romanes are Spirituall from the efficient cause which is the In-dwelling of the Spirit If so be that The word is Causall not Conditionall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If not that he doubteth but that he is plaincly confident saith one Chrysost as 2. Thes
1.6 The Spirit of God that is the Holy Ghost who in the words following is called the Spirit of Christ as proceeding from the Father and the Sonne Dwelleth in you You that is the Regenerate Romanes and so all others Dwelleth not formally or Essentially but in regard of the Gifts it produceth not by the immensitie of his Essence whereby he is in all but by the presence of his Grace whereby he dwelleth in the Regenerate as in his owne Temple noting thereby a fauourable residence doctrine The holy Spirit dwelleth in the Regenerate 1. Cor 3.16 Vse 1. The Apostle iudges the Holy Ghost to be in the Romanes from their holy obedience Take heed that thou pronounce not the Spirit to be wanting where thou seest a spirituall walking nor affirmest a presence of it where thou feest a fleshly Vse 2. As Ierusalem was the Glory of the world because of the Temple of God So are the Regenerate of all men most Glorious because they are the Temples of the Holy Ghost In matters of the world an vnregenerate man may be before vs but in this hee cannot He may haue gold in his purse but wee haue God in our hearts the right owner of them which is the top of our happinesse Tenants make hauock and suffer all things to fall to Ruine but owners are alwaies repayring when the Diuell held our hearts all was out of frame Ignorance ruled in the Mind Rebellion in the Will Disorder in the Affections But the comming of the Holy Spirit Enlightens leades into all truth certifies of the fauour of God fashioneth to euery good worke and enricheth with all spirituall grace all those in whom hee dwelleth Euen as Fire makes Iron fierie so the Spirit makes vs Spirituall This is that Spirit which is the Comforter which cheereth and sustaineth the desolate and despairing Conscience and feedeth it with heauenly Manna Surely the Conscience of a Regenerate man is a very Paradise in which Gods good Spirit dwelleth not for a short time but for euer Vse 3 Despise not neither wrong them which haue the Spirit by odious nicknames accounting it as their disgrace which is their Glory to be Spirituall or full of the Spirit Vse 4. The Spirit dwelleth in thee Looke well to thy heart because thou entertainest such a guest Thou art carefull so to receiue thy friend by whom thou art benefited that hee may delight to stay and abide with thee So vse thy selfe that the Holy Spirit forsake thee not Grieue not saith Paul Ephes 4.30 the Holy Spirit If he depart from thee his Grace also departeth with him And though being once Regenerate thou canst not fall from Election and Regeneration yet thou mayst lose the gracious feeling of thy Assurance and in thine owne sense the Spirit be vtterly departed as Dauid no doubt felt as appeareth by the 51. Psalme Which state is more bitter then death If therefore thou hast this treasure take heed thou lose it not if thou wouldest haue it remaine with thee to comfort thee night and day and in the houre of Death purge thy heart and sweepe all euill out of it As Kings Courts haue Porters so Ward thy heart that the Enemy of the Spirit the Diuell Enter not 'T is a Cleane Spirit it delighteth to dwel in such The Temple of Salomon had a golden inside and there was the Incense and the Lampes c. Thy heart is the Temple of a Greater then Salomon euen of the Holy Ghost Let all be Gold and Light and Sweet Let there bee no drosse nor Darinesse nor stinking sauours but Knowledge Righteousnesse Repentance Peace c. Now if any man haue not the Spirit of Christ hee is none of his Hitherto the Application with the Reason now followes the Amplification which hath two parts 1. A Caution in these words 2. A Consolation Verse 10 11. In this Caution is a Commination from the Contrary shewing the danger that followes the not-dwelling of the Spirit in vs. We are none of Christs If any In generall Haue not the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them as before He is none of his Whose Christs He is his Creature but not his Disciple his member For this Spirit vniteth vs to Christ as a member is vnited to the Head by which vnion wee are partakers of the benefits of Christ This vnion is not Corporall by touching or by a reall entrance of his body and soule into our bodies and soules Neither is it onely an vnion of mindes in loue But a Mysticall coalition and growing vp together of the faithfull with Christ into one body by one Spirit which Spirit is in that whole body and in euery part as our soules are in our whole bodies and in euery part doctrine Our vnion with CHRIST is by the Holy Spirit 1. Cor. 12.13 1. Ioh. 3.24 Vse 1. Great is the Glory of the Regenerate As Dauid saith What am I to be the sonne in law of the King so it is no small matter to be the member of Christ Vse 2. They which haue not the spirit are none of Christs Whose are they then The Diuels and that as sure as hee is not Christs Alasse thou wilt say How shall I know whether I haue the spirit or no As a woman knowes her selfe to bee with childe by the stirring of it So by the working of the spirit thou shalt know it for it is alwaies operatiue When Salomon builds the Temple all the Countrey shall know it and euery workman shall be called vnto it So if the Spirit be in thee there is such pulling downe of the olde man and building vp of the new that thou canst not be ignorant of it Math. 2.3 When Christ is borne Herad and all Ierusalem is troubled so when thou art borne againe it is with so much trouble and resistance of the flesh that thou must needes bee priuie to it Marke the works of the spirit both inward and outward When thou buiest a piece of cloth or a vessell thou viewest the inside and outside so examine the worke of the spirit in thy inside which is thy heart and in thy outside which is thy Life 1. The inward worke of the Spirit is to Renew thy mind and Affections according to the Image of God and this is in knowledge holynesse and Righteousnesse Now then heare a parable I passed by the field of the slothfull and by the Vineyard of the man destitute of vnderstanding and loe it was all ouergrowen with thornes and Nettles couered the face thereof and the stone wall thereof was broken downe Prou. 24.30,31 Thy heart is this field What growes in it Ignorance Hardnes of heart Pride Couetousnes c. Surely an Ill Husband owes it Heere is not the Holy spirit but the vnholy That heart where the spirit of Christ dwels is as a Garden well fenced and inclosed where knowledge faith hope loue patience and the Flowers of all heauenly graces abundantly spring
question their hauing the Spirit but as taking it granted both that Christ is risen and that they haue the Spirit so our Sauiour Ioh. 14.15 If you loue me keepe my commandements not doubting of their loue but from thence vrging their obedience Two things are supposed 1. That the Spirit of God is in them 2. That Christ is risen by the power of the holy Holy Ghost Verse 9. Of the former of these before The later is a part of the Creed which I purpose not to runne into at this time The Conclusion declareth the Argument Thus If the Spirit of God be in you then the Spirit will quicken your mortall bodies But the Spirit of God is in you as hath been declared Therefore c. The Consequence is proued from the like The Spirit hath raised vp Christ therefore will it you being his members Here two things 1. The Action Quickning 2. The Amplification 1. From the Efficient God described by an Effect The Raising vp of Christ 2. The Subiect Quickened Your mortall bodies 3. The Condition of them whose mortall bodies shall be quickned Theirs in whom the Spirit dwelleth He that raised that is the Father so the Soune so the Holy Ghost raised Christ it was the worke of the whole Trinitie who in workes without are vndiuided Shall quicken Not raise for the wicked shall bee raised but they shall not be quickned as the Godly namely with a Spirituall life And yet Paul saith 1. Cor. 15.22 As in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made aline vsing the same word which heere But the Answere is that All may bee taken distributiuely thus As many as are in Adam dye and as many as are in Christ shall bee made aliue Hee saith All and All to shew that none dye but in Adam and none are made aliue but in Christ Your mortall bodies Aug. Epist 57. Dard. that is soules dead in sinne say some a Piscator but that 's too hard Your mortified bodies say others b Sarcerius but better your mortall that is your base vile bodies subiect to dying They shall be quickened That is their naturall body shall rise a Spirituall c 1. Cor. 15.44 and their mortall shall put on immortalitie d 1. Cor. 15.54 so that they shall haue no death nor mortalitie e Vt non solum non sint mortua sed ne mortalia Anselm Your euen your as it is in the Greeke By that his Spirit which dwelleth in you That is by reason of their vnion with Christ through the Spirit All that are Regenerate shall in the power of Christs Resurrection be raised by his Spirit that dwelleth in them Luke 20.35,36 Ioh. 6.40 1. Cor. 15.20,21,22,23 Here haue we an Argument against the seeming impossibilitie of the Resurrection The Sadduces account it vnreasonable * Mark 12.18 The Philosophers Ridiculous f Act. 17.18 Hymeneus and Phyletus said it was past g 2. Tim. 2.18 and many yet doubt of it To all which I say Consider the Author and cease to Doubt Paul illustrates it by naturall things As Wheat dyes and riseth i 1. Cor. 15.36.37,38 so the day k Dies moritur in noctem c. Trees also wither and re-flourish Why not our bodies we hauing a Promise Doest thou beleeue Christs Resurrection Else wert thou nor a Christian The Iewes beleeue he dyed the Christians that he rose againe Beleeuest thou this Then beleeue thine owne as the body drownes not so long as the head is aboue water so if thou bee a member of Christ thy Head thou shalt not be left behinde but euen thy body shall be receiued into Heauen Whither hee hath carried the pledge l Tert. ib. c. 37. of it in his owne humanitie Bee secure O flesh and bloud you vsurpe Heauen in your Head Christ Adam had a possibilitie to dye if he sinned and a necessity of dying because he sinned Our mortall bodies shall receiue an impossibilitie of dying by the Quickning of that Spirit That as Christ dieth no more m Rom. 6.9.18 so death hath no dominion ouer vs. This comforted Iob in the day of his sore trouble n Iob 10.25 and this was the Comfort of the poore Iewes vnder Antiochus Epiphanes they looked for a o Heb. 11.35 better Resurrection to be as Sugar to rellish the bitternesse of the Crosse Note a secret Your mortall bodies The same which they carried about with them shall be raised vp and a revnion of the bodie and soule at the last day No accidentall thing can vtterly destroy an Essentiall But death is accidentall and the vnion of body and soule essentiall Therefore that vnion cannot in reason perpetually faile Some of the Heathen e Plato acknowledged that the separation of body and soule could not be finall Ruffinus saith that his people in repeating the Creed would say I belieue the resurrection of this Flesh f Carnis huius Ruff. in exposit simbol inter opera Cypr. as though they had clapt their hands on their breasts So Paul saith This Corruptible g 1. Cor. 15.54 But some will say Some men are lame some deformed shall those bodies rise so I answer The same in substance shall rise not in infirmitie Lazarus without his sores Mephibosheth without his lamenesse Such things shall be taken away in the elect for defect and deformitie cannot stand with that glory And for the Reprobate it is thought by some Diuines to be probable that their defects shall not be supplied but suffred for the encrease of their shame and punishment h Tilen syntag disput Theolog. parte altera loc de Resurrect Thes 37. The Iustice of God requires that the same not another body should rise to punishment or blisse That hand those feet those prowd adulterous eyes that blaspheming tongue shall rise againe to receiue condigne punishment And on the contrary those hands that haue beene lifted vp in prayer and stretched out to relieue the Saints those that haue wept for sinne that tongue which hath glorified God That body that hath suffered for Christ shall also rise to be partaker of his glory doctrine Vse 5. Those which haue the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them shall haue a ioyfull Resurrection others not As the sleepe of sound and sicke men differ So the Resurrection of good and bad Sound men are refreshed sick men haue sick sleeps and are the worse when they awake so shall the Resurrection be Then shall bee a generall gaole-Deliuerie but some shall be acquitted some deliuered to the Executioner to bee tormented and these are said to perish not Physically but Theologically being depriued of blisse We must all rise How wouldst thou rise which readest these things wouldst thou rise with feare and terrour or with ioy and confidence If thus then repent and forsake thy sinnes and thou shalt For the hope of such resurrection depends vpon an holy
Conuersation Alasse what shall become of thee thou Drunkard c. When thou dyest thou hast done but God hath not done with thee Thou shalt no sooner peepe out of thy Graue but thou shalt see him come to judge thee whom thou hast pierced despised disobeyed What Confusion shall it be vnto thee Thinke of it and repent lest at that day thou wish thou hadst beene a dog or a toad for that shame and condemnation thou shalt then vndergoe VERSE 12. Therefore brethren we are debters not to the Flesh to liue after the Flesh Verse 13 14 15 16 17. HEre beginnes the Exhortation the Effect wherof is this seeing we expect such things the state of them which liue after the flesh is so miserable wee ought to liue after the Spirit and not after the Flesh There are diuers Arguments whereby this Exhortation is vrged The first is in the 12. verse which is taken from Equitie and Iustice Suum cuique To giue euery man his owne is the voyce of Iustice But we are debters to the Spirit therfore our life must be spirituall Therefore an Illation sending vs to the things before deliuered wherin me thinks the Apostle dealeth like a braue Generall who hauing spoken of the glory of them which conquer and the shame of them which are conquered doth animate his souldiers to fight it out manfully and to subdue the Flesh Brethren This is an Insinuation the better to perswade them Wee Not including others and excluding himselfe but concluding all Are Debters Debters are of two sorts Ciuill which owe money c. to men Secondly Theologicall And this is also double 1. Sinne. 2. or Obedience Sinne is a debt so called in the Lords Prayer not that we owe sinne or that our sinnes are owing to be done but because we owe the punishment to be vndergone hauing by our sinnes forfeited body and soule to be damned And therefore sinnes are so called by a double figure Metaphora Metonim effecti but this debt is not here meant The other Theologicall debt is the debt of obedience which we owe to God for our Election Vocation Iustification c. So it is taken here not so in the Lords Prayer for we doe not pray neither may we to haue the debt of obedience forgiuen Not to the Flesh Flesh here not for the body but for corruption for we are debters to the body to cloath it to feed it c. that it may bee a fit instrument for the soule to serue God but we are not debters to the corruption to liue thereafter Here the Antithesis is omitted but necessarily to bee vnderstood But to the spirit to liue after the spirit that is holily This verse hath two parts First an Affirmation Secondly an Amplification The Affirmation We are debters This is amplified first by an Illation Therefore Secondly by a Friendly compellation Brethren Thirdly by a generality We. Fourthly by the Creditor who is here set downe Negatiuely Not to the Flesh The Affirmatiue to bee supplied But to the Spirit Fiftly by the debt which we must pay Life or liuing that is thoughts words deeds And this is also negatiuely set downe and to bee marked Not to liue after the Flesh For we owe something to corruption but death not life doctrine All the Regenerate are to liue to God in obedience not to the Flesh This is proued out of the Preface of the lawe Where before God requires any thing he shewes that we are in his debt I am the Lord thy God c. So Ioshua 24.15,16 2. Corinth 7.1 Gal. 5.25 Vse 1. Here is a double note for Ministers first to vse louing and friendly words to winne their Auditours to suffer the words of Exhortation Secondly not to exempt themselues but as they would haue part in the promises they offer so to acknowledge the duties which they vrge As Nepthali they must giue goodly words * Gen. 49.21 and also bee examples to their flocke * 1. Pet. 5.3 putting their own shoulders to the burden which they lay vpon other * Mat. 13.4 Vse 2. Our Obedience is debt therefore not merit What wee receiue of GOD is of Grace what wee render is due debt and when wee haue payd all wee can wee are vnprofitable seruants Vse 3. The Grace wee receiue frees vs not from Obedience but binds vs the more If thou make another vse of Gods fauor thou art a Libertine The mercies of God make vs debters to offer vp our bodies and soules to his seruice Rom. 1. ver 1. Vse 4. Thou owest Obedience to God Pay pay The borrower is a seruant to the Lender Pro. 22.7 and hee that receiueth to him that giueth Thou hast receiued all of GOD therefore thou owest for all Thinke of payment So did Dauid O saith he Psal 116. I am greatly indebted to God What shall I pay As men that hauing gotten other mens goods into their hands will not pay but breake or run away are infamous So thou if hauing receiued Body and Soule and all from God shouldst deny thy seruice Hee that lets a Farme lookes for his Rent and hee that hires a seruant expects his worke yea Baalam is offended if his Asse serue him not Should not God much more exact thy seruice who hath Created Preserued and Redeemed thee euen by the bloud of his Sonne If a Prince commit to his subiect a Peece of Importance and hee render it vp to the Enemy will not all men hold such a subiect for a ranck traytor What art thou better then a Traytor if hauing receiued many Castles of thy Lords to keepe as thy Tongue thy Eyes thy Hands thy Body thy Soule thou yeeld and sell them to the Diuell by Blasphemy Drunkennesse Pride Vncleannesse c. Ah wretch thou receiuest with one hand from God and giuest to the Diuell with the other If thy neighbour bee offended with thee thou vsually saist I care not for him I owe him nothing Remember thou owest the Diuell nothing why shouldst thou serue him When Sathan tempts thee to sinne answere him thus I owe thee nothing Sathan why requirest thou my seruice which is due onely to GOD from whome I haue receiued all things Policarpus being vrged to remember Christ and to sweare by Caesars fortune answered Euseb Eccles hist lib. a. cap. 15. This 86. yeeres haue I serued my Lord Christ and he hath been alwaies my good Master I will not now deny him Remember this holy man and pay thy Vowes and Debts to God Vse 5. Men that are runne farre in debt and pay and pay and see no end of their debt many times grow desperate Thou owest much to God and art vnable to pay be not thou therefore negligent and carelesse The Prodigall Child spent all but he recouered all and more by humble repentance begging pardon Doe thou so Pay as farre as thou canst Craue pardon and remission for the rest by the
Obedience of Christ God accepts of a willing minde for the deede There is great difference betweene debts owing to men and owing to God The more wee pay of our debts to men the lesse we haue but the more we pay to God the more we haue and are the better able to pay The more thou prayest the better able thou shalt be to pray c. VERSE 13. For if yee liue after the Flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the Spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the body yee shall liue IN the 12. Verse the Apostle had an Argument ab aequo honesto which were enough to perswade but in this Verse he more strongly vrgeth it Adhibet calcaria sortiora Martyr The Argument is drawne from the contrary Ends of obedience and disobedience and so containeth two Arguments the one a Cōmination in the first part of the Verse the other a Promise in the latter both Conditionall as all Promises and Threatnings are If yee liue after the Flesh Following the lusts of your corrupt heart Yee shall dye Not onely the death of the body in the separation of the soule from it but of the soule in the separation of it from God Q. But why saith he Ye shall dye and not Ye shall bee damned in as much as that is chiefly meant A. Because the Spirit of God would driue men from Sinne by that which is most fearefull which is Death The remembrance of Death doth more forcibly moue the minde then the remembrance of Hell though hell bee a thousand times more grieuous then Death For our Affection is moued according to our knowledge of the thing That which most wayes is knowne affecteth most wee know hell onely by Faith but wee know death to bee fearefull by Faith by Reason and by Sense By Faith because the Scripture declares it By Reason because it is a separation of things so neerely and naturally ioyned and consenting By sense because we feele it growing vpon vs euery day But if yee mortifie that is beate downe cut off cast away cause to dye a Metaphor taken from Surgeons who before they cut off a Limbe mortifie the place The deeds of the body That is Actions and Affections but actions are named because by actions affections are manifested The body is either taken for Corruption or rather euill deeds are called the deeds of the body because the body is the instrument of working them By the Spirit Sarcenus That is the helpe of the Holy Ghost or by the Regenerate part Ye shall liue Eternally in happinesse Of the which Sanctitie is the way This life scarce a shadow In the latter part there is the Promise Ye shall liue The Condition If ye mortifie the deeds of the body by the Spirit Where 1. The action mortifie 2. The Obiect The deeds of the body 3. The meanes By the Spirit doctrine Saluation is promised on the Condition that we liue not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 6.22 Gal. 6.8 Vse 1. A hard thing it is to forsake sinne it is mortification It is hard for old friends to part wee lay together in the same wombe and it hath beene our vnhappy play-fellow and companion euer since wee were borne Yea sinne stickes as fast in our nature as a tooth in our heads or our soule to our body as we cannot part from these without paine so neither from Sinne. It is the nature of Sinne not to bee driuen away without force and violence A few angry lookes and sharpe words will not doe it You may rate away your dogge but sinne will not stirre for words as appeares in many who will speake bitterly against their sinnes and themselues with Beast Wretch c. and yet anon to the practice of them When thou hast to deale with Sinne haue no compassion but fight against it with a bloudy and cruell mind So much as thou sparest it so much thou hurtest thy selfe 1. Sa. 15.20,23 1. Kin. 20.42 Saul spared Agag and Ahab spared Benhadad but it was their ruine so if thou sparest sinne it will cost thee euen the Kingdome of Heauen Kill therefore thy sinnes or they will kill thee It is a case of life and death Be carefull Old wounds must haue strong medicines O what adoe haue wee with Pride Hypocrisie Couetousnesse Lust Hee that fauoureth these let him want fauour Vse 2. The deeds of the body are mortified by the Spirit Wee doe the worke but by the power of the Spirit The strength vnto mortification is put into vs from Heauen We are as able with our little finger to shake the foundation of the earth as to shake out sinne by our owne strength He that goes among Lyons must needs be torne in pieces Sinnes are Lyons Hee that stands vpon the shore when the tide comes thinking to beate backe the water with his hand is soone eaten in and drowned Sinnes come vpon vs as waues we must drowne if God help vs not By Gods helpe the walles of Jericho fell downe Samson kild a Lyon and Daniel is safe in their very den and Moses diuides the Sea So mortification of Sinne is possible by the helpe of the Spirit otherwise impossible When therefore thou feelest Pride Couetousnesse Lust growing vpon thee begge the help of the Spirit or else thou art vndone Pray with the words of Iehoshaphat 2. Chron. 20.12 O Lord God there is no strength in me to stand against these sins neither do I know what to do but mine eyes are toward thee Vse 3. If you mortifie he speakes to them which had mortified sinne before they must continue so doing In this life thou shalt neuer want something to be mortified Hast thou begun to repent Neuer giue ouer so long as thou hast a heart to sigh for thy sinnes We weede our Gardens and are euer weeding Sinnes are ill weedes and grow apace our hearts are a Step-mother to Goodnesse and a naturall mother to Vice therefore be alwayes dealing with it The Captaine that batters the Enemies Fort a day or two and then giues ouer giues the more courage to the enemie and loseth his labour So is it if wee continue not our course of mortification Elisha was angry with Ioash for smiting the ground but thrice with the arrows 2 King 13.19 O saith be thou shouldest haue smitten fiue or sixe times and then thou shouldest haue smitten the Aramites till thou hadst consumed them So leaue not thy sinnes till thou hast consumed them lest they consume thee Vse 4. There is a necessity of mortification the want wherof brings a Necessity of damnation Those things which God hath ioyned no man can part Hee hath ioyned vnmortified sinnes and death together they cannot be parted When thou goest to buy a commodity if the price bee great thou forbearest and shalt thou fly vpon sinne knowing what it will cost thee If Iudas had knowen as much before he betrayed his Master as hee
These witnesses are two that we might be the more confirmed 2. The Thing witnessed That wee are the Children of God The Spirit it selfe that is the Holy Ghost So witnesseth Not by an outward voice as God of Christ nor by an Angell Mat. 3. Luke 1. as to the Virgin Mary but by an inward and secret inspiration raising in our hearts a Confidence and perswasion that God is our Father and we his Children With our spirit Not to our eares but to our spirit 1. Thes 5.23 nor this onely but with our spirit Our Spirit is a witnesse whose testimonie is then good when confirmed by the Holy Ghost Our Spirit not our Soule but our Regenerate part so called The witnesse of the Holy Ghost is the worke of Faith Reu. 2.17 the witnesse of our spirits the sense of Faith wrought This is better felt by experience then expressed by words known altogether and onely to them which haue it for mee to speake of this to them which haue it not were as if I should speake a strange language That we are the Children of God Not that wee shall bee or may be but are in the present Tense doctrine The Holy Ghost witnesseth with them which are Regenerate that they are the Children of God 2. Cor. 1.21 1. Ioh. 3.21 Ephes 1.13 4.30 Vse 1. The state of Gods Children is full of sweet certainty and assurance He that hauing a cause to be tryed hath two sufficient witnesses doubts not of the day Now Gods Children haue two witnesses omni exceptione maiores 1. Their owne Spirit which is not to be contemned for if Conscience a naturall thing be a thousand witnesses much more the Spirit which is a supernaturall power giuen of God 2. The Holy Ghost which cannot deceiue or be deceiued witnesseth with our spirits It is maruellous then that the Church of Rome denyeth assurance to Gods Children What though some haue bragged of assurance that haue beene deceiued Doth it follow therefore that none are sure There bee some poore and base are there therefore none rich And what though my very name bee not written in the Scripture Thou Thomas Thou Iohn shalt be saued It is not conuenient What a huge Volume should the Bible be if euery Saints name were there written It is not necessary because all particulars are included in their Generals As he that saith All my Children are here meanes euery one in particular though he name them not So God that saith All Beleeuers shall be saued Meanes euery one as though they were named And yet the Scripture doth speake in particular If thou Confessest c. Thou shalt be saued When the Law saith Rom. 10.9 Thou shalt not Kill Steale c. Euery one is to take it spoken to himselfe as if he were named Why should not such particulars in the Gospell be also so taken True say the Papists If you beleeue you shall be saued but where doth the Scripture say that you doe beleeue Ridiculous The Act of Faith is not set downe in the Scriptures but the Obiect The Faith which I beleeue is in the Bible The Faith whereby I beleeue is not in the Bible but in my heart and is not beleeued for that were absurd but knowne by feeling We doe not beleeue that we beleeue but wee feele it as Paul saith 2. Tim. 1. I know in whom I haue beleeued hee knew by feeling and this witnesse of the Holy Ghost in his heart with his Spirit Of all things of which the Holy Ghost witnesseth with our spirits we may be certaine But the holy Ghost witnesseth with our Spirits both of our Present and also of our Future estate Therefore c. The Minor is proued by Paul who auoucheth that the things which are prepared for Gods Children are reuealed to vs by the Spirit and By the Spirit of God we know the things which are giuen to vs of God 1. Cor. 2.9,10 What things Faith and Perseuerance Grace and Glory If Man should witnesse or an Angell there might bee doubt but when there is such a witnesse as is the Spirit wee ought not to doubt The Flesh will doubt The Spirit doubts not but ouercomes doubting and this is the state of Gods Children They doubt from the Flesh but from the Spirit they are assured through Faith If a man of a weake braine were on the top of some high Tower and should looke downe it would make him wonderfully afraid but when hee considers the Battlements or Rayles that keepe him from falling his feare abates So fares it with the Regenerate when we looke on our sinnes and so downe and downe to Hell Alas whose heart quailes not But when we consider the brazen wall of the loue truth and promise of God in Christ wee may be assured without feare Looke vpon thy defects but forget not the truth and power of God Pretend not the Testimonie of the Holy Ghost without thine owne spirit nor contrarily for they go together Faith Repentance c. are the Testimonie of Gods Spirit if from these thy Spirit witnesseth then it is currant But if thou beest a Drunkard a Sabbath-breaker vncleane c. and saist the Spirit witnesseth thy Saluation it is not Gods spirit but a lying spirit for such workes are of the Diuell Gods Spirit indeed witnesseth but the witnesse is that they which doe such things shall be damned VERSE 17. And if Children then Heyres Heyres of God and Ioynt-heyres with Christ If so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together THis Verse is a Confectary of that which is deliuered in the 16. Verse The Confectary is inferred from the proper adiunct of Sonnes We are Sonnes Therefore Heyres Here are two things 1. That we are heyres in the first part of the Verse 2. The Condition of the Inheritance in the latter part The first part is amplified by the Person whose heires wee are The Heires of God This is amplified by an Occupation But God hath an Heire euen Christ True and wee are Co-heires If Children then Heires Seruants looke for wages Sons for the Inheritance The Law of Nature giues the Inheritance to the Children Municipall Lawes it may be to the Eldest but by nature euery Sonne is an Heire the eldest to haue a double portion Heires of God An heritage is a succession into the whole right of the dead wee are Heires therefore of all the good things of God Q. But how heires seeing God dies not A. We may say that there is not the same Reason of temporall and spirituall things Temporall things cannot bee wholly enioyed without the death of the possessor Spirituall things may a Tho. Aquin. For here such a one makes thee an heire saith one b Aug. Ser. 13. de verb. Apost not whom thou shouldst succeed beeing dead but with whom thou shouldst liue for euer And Ambrose amplifies it b Ambros in locum by the Parable in the
bee most probable if the restoring be onely to some singulars of all kinds And whereas it may bee obiected why these of the kinds rather then other I would aske them also why at the Deluge these of the kinds rather then other were preserued in the Arke But it is not safe walking in the darke without a light Wee know not how it shall be but this I am sure of that all things shall be most wisely and excellently brought to passe Vse 3. Seeing all these things shall bee dissolued what manner of persons ought wee to be in all holy conuersation and godlinesse 2. Pet. 3.11 If our seruants shall be changed why are we yet intangled in old things Let vs become new Creatures that we may be worthy Inhabitants of the new Heauens and new Earth which shall be Vse 4. Glorious liberty is proper to the Children of God what shall become of the wicked Alasse they shall be holden in the bondage of euerlasting torments They shall bee worse then many bruit Creatures for many of them shal cease to be and therefore to be miserable They shall neuer cease to be that they may neuer cease to be miserable As they now follow the liberty of the flesh so then they shall bee in the bondage of euerlasting punishment VERSE 23. And not onely they but our selues also which haue the first fruits of the Spirit Euen wee our selues groane within our selues waiting for the Adoption to wit the * Luc. 21.28 Redemption of our body IN this Verse is the Application of the former Example The words haue no difficulty if wee vnderstand to whom the Application is referred Wee Some expound Caietanus We Apostles which Apostles had the first fruits that is the Riches of the Spirit As the first fruits are most precious so they receiued Grace both before others and in greater measure and then the Argument is from the greater to the lesse Aretius If we Apostles which are sydera as starres if we sigh and grone then much more inferiour Christians But it is rather to be taken of Christians in generall the Apostle neither in the precedent or subsequent verses speaking of himselfe as of an Apostle but as of a Christian as in the next verse we are saued by Hope which is not the prerogatiue of Apostles but of all Christians We then that is we Christians both of that and all times So here is an Argument from the lesse to the greater thus If the Creature which hath not such sense of the glory to come as we haue do abide the Lords leisure expecting a day of deliuerance then much more ought we to waite c. In this verse are two things First a practice of Christians Secondly a reason of the practice The practice is set downe in two words 1. Grone 2. Wayte 1. We grone Among our selues say some Beza but better in our selues And so it is an Amplification from the manner or measure of Groning That is our Grones come from our very heart roote as we say There is a reioycing which is but in the face and appearance so there is a groning but in appearance therefore he saith in our selues 2. Cor. 5.12 to note the Greatnesse and the Truth of it that it is not fained but without hypocrisie or to shew that there is matter within the best of vs to make vs mourne Pareus Ansel The second practice We wayte amplified by the thing we waite for The Adoption which is expounded The Redemption of our bodies these words being added by apposition But we are the sonnes of God why then should we wayt for that which we haue already The answere is wee haue the Right but not the Complement Wee haue the right of the Inheritance Habemus Ius haereditatis non possessionē Iuris but wee shall not haue the full possession of our Right till the Resurrection of our bodies But why of the bodie because all miseries are conueyed to the whole man by the bodie or rather because the body is subiect to death corrupting and rotting in the graue when the soule is in Heauen it is the last is redeemed and all wayt euen for that Luk. 21.28 The reason is because we haue the first fruites of the Spirit which breeds sighes and grones in them which haue it The first fruites that is the Prelibation A say or taste which we receiue here in righteousnesse peace and ioy being but a sip in comparison of the full draught we shall haue hereafter Saint Paul here alludes to the law of the first fruits which were a pawne to the offerer of Inning his whole crop Leuit. 23. so the first fruits of the Spirit which we receiue here in remission of sinnes is as a pawne to vs of receiuing the whole masse of Glory promised doctrine The Children of God because they haue receiued the first fruits of the Spirit doe grone for the present corruption expecting the Redemption euen of their bodies from the same Ephes 4.30 2. Cor. 5.2,3,4,5 Phil. 3.20,21 Vse 1. The power of Sinne brings death of body goes with it to the Graue remaines with it turnes it into dust and neuer leaueth it till the day of the Generall resurrection Vse 2. Gods children now mourne yet they are called to Ioy and Ioy they shall haue going from the vale of teares to the Mountaine of Ioy. Heauinesse may endure for a night the time of this life but ioy commeth in the morning Psal 30.5 Illo Mane Psal 49.14 in That morning which shall haue no night to succeed it And this with as vndoubted assurance as the first fruites assured of the whole crop and as the earnest assureth of the bargaine Now the first fruites of the Spirit are the earnest of future glory Ephes 1.13 Vse 3. We haue no perfection in this life for we haue but the first fruites and hence the diuell would deceiue vs perswading vs that we haue no faith no sanctification not the Spirit at al because we haue not al faith perfect sanctification and the fulnes of the Spirit Well Remember that God requires according to that he giues he knows thou canst haue no grace but from him and therefore he expects obedience no farther then he giues Hast thou much grace He expects from thee much obedience And a man is accepted according to that he hath not according to that he hath not Be humbled for thy wants but despaire not Vse 4. He that hath the first fruits of the Spirit grones to be deliuered from the power of sinne not onely to condemne him but also to rule and raigne in him Where are thy sighes and Teares for thy sinnes and manifold faylings The godly are euery where brought in in their mourning apparell Dauid waters his couch with his teares Psal 6.6 Iobs mourning came before his meat Iob. 3.24 and Paul cries out lamenting Rom. 7.24 If then thou
hath done such things for vs It is true that this ought to follow but this is not so proper 2. That these should bee the words of one amazed and ouercome with the consideration of Gods goodnesse not knowing how to expresse himselfe This comes neerer 3. As if he should say Who can say any thing against these things which I haue deliuered let all the world say and do what they can These two last ioyned together gine the full sense Vse 1. Paul teacheth vs heere by meditation to receiue that which we heare and reade chewing it down againe as cleane beasts for that which before hee deliuered hee recalleth to minde staying his thoughts vpon it by meditation and application Many will bee moued while they are in the Church hearing But if we will soundly profit we must reason of things heard when we are gone and say to our selues and others What shall we say to these things and so enter Application vpon the Conscience otherwise as a flash of lightning leaues vs in more darknesse so such flight hearing increaseth hardnesse of heart The Answere If God be on our side who can be against vs What shall we say why saith Paul this I will say if God bee for vs who c. If. This is not spoken doubtfully but affirmatiuely being a supposition taking a thing for granted vpon which some other thing is inferred as in that old verse Cato Si Deus est Animus c. If God be a Spirit that is seeing he is a Spirit he must be worshipped in spirit truth as Christ speaketh Ioh. 4. Who can be against vs That is none But this is a more forcible denying Who can Dost thou Paul aske who can I le tell thee The Diuell can Tyrants the whole world our owne corruption c. True these may set themselues against vs but it shall not preuaile it shall be to no purpose but euen as throwing stones against the winde They may hasten but cannot take away our Crownes Mee thinkes these are words of great resolution as if hee should say Wee haue many enemies let the proudest shew their face I feare them not Who can who dare bee against vs Quis contra nos scilicet esse poterit Efficaciter Aquinas Here is an Enthymeme from contraries God is for vs Therfore none can Efficaciter be against vs or it is an Hypotheticall Syllogisme where there is a hiding of the Minor and of the Conclusion If God be for vs then c. But God is Therefore doctrine Nothing can hurt them for or with whome God is Psal 23.4 and 56.4 Iosh 1.5 Heb. 13.6 No flesh nor death shall hurt Dauid no enemies shall hurt Ioshua nor pouerty Gods children because God is with them Great is the security of the faithfull they shall haue many enemies that the loue of God may be the more conspicuous in their protection for they shall ouercome them all He that is with them is stronger then all who is omnipotent doing what hee will and suffering no resistance in that hee will not Onely he which can ouercome God can hurt vs. Nemo nos laedit nisi qui deū vincit Pharaoh followed the Israelites but he and his mighty men were drowned and Israel escaped for God fought for Israel Ansel Exod. 14. Saul hunteth Dauid as a Partritch in the mountaines 1. Sam. 26.20 but Saul perisheth and Dauid is King for God is with Dauid 1. Sam. 31. and 2. Sam. 2. Haman hateth Mordecai but Haman is hanged and Mordecai is aduanced for God is for Mordecai Hester 6. and 7. In Queene Maries dayes the Papists sought the destruction of the Lady Elizabeth but they are confounded and Elizabeth is made Queene for God was with Elizabeth In 88. fierce enemies intended the Inuasion of England but they were foyled and England triumphed for God is for England Many Enterprises haue beene vndertaken against our most learned most wise most religious most mighty King Iames especially that Hellish attempt of Popish monsters in the Powder-treason but they are executed as Traitors and King Iames still reigneth O long long may he reigne for God is with King Iames. The Lord be with him and with his posteritie for the good of his Church to the end of the world Amen Vse 2. Let Turkes Iewes Papists profane persons and all the Enemies of the Gospell desist from their diuellish enterprises against Protestants for God is for the Protestants against whom when they arise they arise against God himselfe and therefore must needes fall Acts 9.5 It is hard to kicke against the prickes it is madnesse to runne our naked bodies against a swords point Cease therefore Papist to plot against the Gospell it is impossible to preuaile If any policy counsell lying cursing strength cruelty could haue preuailed it had beene rooted out long agoe A prophet like thy selfe will teach thee euen Balaam Numb 23.8 that it is in vaine to curse whom God blesseth Vse 3. The wicked are most miserable for God is against them What if thou haue riches honours friends if God hate thee and deny thee if in euery corner thou meet with the Angell of God with a sword in his hand against thee God sitteth vpon the Circle of the Earth and all the Inhabitants are as Grashoppers yea all the Nations as a drop of a Bucket and lesse then the dust of the Ballance Esay 40.22,15 How easily can hee be reuenged by fire by water by drought by sicknesse by sea and by land Seeke therefore Reconcliation Vse 4. Examine whether God bee with thee It appeares here that God is onely with them which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit who are predestinated called iustified if thou be such God is with thee and will take thy part otherwise he is against thee When the Angell of the Lord said to Gedeon Iudges 6.12,13 The Lord is with thee thou valiant man Gedeon answered Ah my Lord if the Lord be with vs why then is all this come vnto vs The Earth parcheth the Clouds are restrained the fire rageth c. What shall we say to these things Is God with vs Is he not rather against vs Wouldst thou haue comfortable seasons If God be against thee how wilt thou haue them Thou blasphemest art drunken vncleane profane Is this the way to obtaine God and good things Let vs repent and humble our selues that wee bee not all swallowed vp in the heauy Iudgements of God VERSE 32. Hee that spared not his owne Sonne but deliuered him vp for vs how shall hee not with him also freely giue vs all things PAVL here begins to remoue the tentations of the godly in speciall Which are of two sorts Either concerning the defect of good or the presence of ill In this Verse hee dealeth about the first sort in the rest of the Verses about the second Pareus Chrysost Martir Grynaeus Pareus