to franke up themselves with all delight Vse to satisfie their senses with all inordinate desire as if happinesse stood in fatting up the body It is folly to feed a horse that will when pricked with provender cast his master So here Againe this must teach us the rather to keepe our bodies in due subjection because it shall make us justly reputed wise foolish ones may esteeme one a squeamish companion a foole to let passe a present pleasure but wisdome shall be justified of her children and in whom this appeareth young or old they shall be commended for it as prudent Obs Againe Doctr. What often false teachers labour to make shew of viz. of mortification of the flesh We reade of Baals Priests how they did lance and cut themselves shewing great barbarousnesse towards their bodies So wee see amongst superstitious Anachorets this practice of using themselves most severely and secluding themselves from all bodily comforts yea from the society of men The like is now amongst the Papists there being at Antwerp such an one who is kept caged up such was that Alberick the Monke of whom we reade he would whippe himselfe till bloud followed are nothing but barley bread dranke water goe in haire-cloth bare-footed and there are some at this day who will not sticke to serve themselves in this kinde But there is a second branch of this inclemencie which standeth not in doing that which is injurious but in with-holding that which is convenient for the body and this is chiefly here noted when men by too much abstinence macerate themselves and while they spare the flesh of beasts devoure their owne flesh most inhumanely As the woman said to Baldwin sometime Archbishop of Canterbury with us for when it was reported that from what time he was made a Monke hee had never eaten flesh a woman asked him whether it was true to whom he affirmed it was so this woman replying that it was not so for he had eaten his owne flesh up there scarce being left the bones of him Rau. lib. 7. cap. 24. And many doe still place great religion in this letter counting it mortification and an excellent point of perfection the truth is the body must be used with mediocrity we must not wound it as it is a friend because we must not pamper it so as to make it an enemie Stulti dum vitant vitia in contraria currunt Let us not then be beguiled with such austerities Vse as if they were perfection whereas CHRIST Himselfe lived a sociable life Hee did eat and drinke that they said He was a bibber of wine He slept and tooke a pillow under His head yea He did eat not sitting on the ground but leaning on beds which were then in use for such purpose The Manichees would goe up to the top of high mountains and cast themselves down headlong and that they counted the mortification of the body The like mortification it is which substracteth things behovefull from the body or useth it barbarously Neither have they it in any estimation to satisfie the flesh Observe from this explication That seducing spirits will make shew of great abstinence will refraine meates and drinkes which others use gladly and nature after some sort craveth thus these did here they would not touch many things nor tast them which others much affected There have beene some Papists so abstinent that being Bishops it is reported of them Theod hist lib. 7. cap. 13. in vita Oâ—ho nis Bambergensis cap. 23. that they did never eaâ—e bread to satiety in all their time of being Bishops For this they count mortification wholly to refrayne this or that kind of meate But we must distinguish true mortification from selfe affected superstition True mortification is either active or passive Passive is the obedient receiving of such things from Gods hand which he layeth on us for the mortifying of us humble your selves under the mighty hand of God Active mortification is a spirituall endeavour of subduing the lusts dwelling in us that GOD may be glorified and wee more at liberty to serve Him If by the spirit ye mortifie the flesh you shall live Rom. 8.13 Now this endeavour hath belonging to it many exercises 1 Repentance a mournefull spirit under the remnants of sinne for while the heart truely grieveth sinne lyeth a bleeding therefore it is said the sacrifice of God is a broken spirit Psal 51. 2 In presenting our selves with the lawes of lust we feele dwelling in us to CHRIST our High Priest and praying Him to offer us a burnt offering to GOD His Father 3 In holding the perswasion of faith that Christ who is made of God our sanctifier will kill in us will dissolve this life of Sathan which is in us for Christ bruiseth his head that is killeth that old serpent when He killeth this life of sinne which entered through him and is after a sort the Divell living in men For as there is the life of God in the Saints So on the contrary there may be sayd the Divells life in the unregenerate these are principall meanes Now there are other assistant meanes as 1 Not to serve our lustings when they are inordinate thus David did in that water which hee had desired impotently thus Saint Paul did buffet and keep his appetite as a slave in subjection and at the command of his sanctified reason 2 Wee must sometime refraine lawfull things that we may not be under the power of them but have them under us All things are lawfull to me but I will not bee brought under the power of any thing and these exercises are through the whole life as occasion serveth and the conscience warneth us 3 Wee must bee diligent in some good calling for this is a great helpe of mortifying the flesh the Lord having layd them upon us for the humbling of us Let us then take heede of superstitious witcheries Vse which not knowing mortification turne all the practice of it into a Philosophicall austerity Hypocrites may abound in these outward pennances in which they place their mortification yea Philosophers Plato when he thirsted would draw water at a well and powre it downe before his owne eyes not tasting Socrates Pomponius and others though the truth is these non Curios simulant sed Bacchanalia vivunt they like the Manachees dissemble It is read of them they would drinke no wine but they doubted not to eate grapes Aug. lib. 2. de Manich aeorum moribus cap. 16. Contra Faustum cap. 31. their fasts are so pleasant now that they may say with the little boy Mother when shall we fast againe they absteyne from Egges and Cheese but eate dainty fruites and quaffe in wine liberally yet if they should truely doe their taske they goe no further then heathens may who never received the spirit of God and therefore never knew true mortification But how may wee discerne a difference betwixt heathens and Christians and Papists when the one
Christ working through that death in the behalfe of all His the death of the creature so farre forth as by the just judgement of God it hath a power through Sathans working to draw us from God to it selfe 3 A death of our corruption Galath 6.15 By the Cxosse of Christ the world is crucified to me and I to it that is by Christ crucified Briefly as Adam becomming mortall and dying to this mortall life wee all so soone as wee are borne members of Him are mortall and tend to death by force of that mortality in the roote of us So Christ dying spiritually to this world and the sin of all us His members that thus they might be abolished we so soone as by faith we are made His members or are borne of Him we begin to dye spiritually till in death we are fully mortified by vertue of that radicall death in Christ our Saviour who dying according to his flesh did so worke by His omnipotent spirit that as the guilt was at once remooved so the life of it was mortified that it lost the raigne and was successively to be abolished in the being of it in all those who by faith should come to be engrafted into him or all those who should spiritually descend from Him 4 Lastly He brought into our nature supernaturall life that so He in our nature might propagate it to all who were His. The use hereof is to stirre us up above all things to seeke with Saint Paul Vse 1 that we may know what is the power of His death the communion of His sufferings while I feele my selfe made like to Him in dying to this world and sin for by this we know that we are untied to Him suffering and dead to sin and this world while we feele our selves by virtue thereof in like case as I know my communion with Adam that I dyed in him while I see my selfe mortall hastening every day to death as he is dead The Lord Iesus make the scales fall off our eyes that we may see the vertue of His most powerfull death toward all that are His. This also letteth us see what we must doe when this world and the things of it are forcible upon us Vse 2 when our hearts feele the life of sin strongly making to them come to Christ dying speake to Him Thou Lord hast crucified this world thou hast overcome the strength of it thou didst dye not regarding the allurements of it why doe I feele it have so mighty a hand over me even bewitching me as it were at the sight of it So when I feele my sin stirring lively in the lawes of it then to fly hither Lord thou dying hast beene the death of the sin of thy people why doe I who am in thee find it stirre as if it never had received wound The more we get to see our selves in Christ dying for the abolishing of all our sins the more we shall feele them wasting in us Let us give glory to this glorious death which maketh us all to dye Vse 3 As in the naturall body kill the head and all the members dye after so here c. This sheweth us why it is that sin liveth in so many men in the world Vse 4 even from this that they are not engrafted into Christ and so doe not partake of the influence of that spirituall life which from Christ the head floweth into all His members Buryed with Him in baptisme you have put off your sins being set into Him dying and buryed ingrafted with Him buryed in or by your baptisme Observe hence Doct. God doth unite us with Christ even by our baptisme the Lord doth by baptisme signifie to us and confirme thus much yea worke it as by an instrument namely the putting His Christ crucified upon us and our ingrafting into Him dying and rising Rom. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For first by baptisme is sealed our communion w th Christ dying and rising secondly our communion in the effects which are mortification and vivification but yet wee must not think though God useth outward baptisme of His minister that this ministeriall action bringeth forth grace as the Papists doe who hold that God doth so use the ministeriall baptisme that He lifteth up that action as an instrumentall cause to worke grace so that it neither commeth solely from God nor yet immediately For this must be held that the power and act of producing grace is only and immediately from God There are two sorts of instruments some worke somthing with the Principall worker others doe not operari aliquid but ad aliquid they worke to something but not any thing having force to cause that whereto they worke such are Gods meanes which He useth and coordeyneth with him selfe in working of all such things which are not wrought but onely by power omnipotent thus he healed the blind with clay and spittle thus He overthrew the walls of Iericho with the blowing of Rams hornes But one may say this is absurd Object to use meanes which shall doe nothing doth any man doe thus Men use meanes which worke something in that they doe with them Answ because their force doth not reach alone to the effect they intend without the helpe of the meanes concurring with them but Gods force being alsufficient it is not absurd for Him to take to Him selfe such instruments in giving grace which are of no force to produce it especially when hereby he exerciseth our obedience faith c. He that planteth and he that watereth is nothing 1 Cor. 3.7 in regard of working in the soule that they tend to the Gospell is sayd to be the power of GOD to salvation Rom. 1.16 because through GOD it is powerfull who accompanyeth it immediately and enty rely working faith by it Yet Papists will not say that the Preachers syllables are elevated by GOD to rayse up the dead in sinnes and trespasses This then is to be firmely held that GOD useth baptisme of engrafting us with Christ and mortifying and quickning us in Him Vse yet the baptisme of water doth not conteyne any force nor is not lifted up to any such agency whereby grace is properly produced But it may be asked Quest how we are set into Christ with baptisme when none must be baptised but those if they be adulti who have faith in appearance and so are already in Him Things are sayd to be done when they are manifested and done in a further degree then before they were Answ thus the believer baptised is by baptisme manifested to be so before the Church yea often to Himselfe the more plentifull grace of God comming into Him while he useth it faithfully and his faith being more strengthened the union is more confirmed The use is to stirre us up that we would looke backe to our baptisme Vse which sealeth unto us so great matters if we have sealed bonds we will have them sometime read to us that we may know what
dying was after a sort all of us for in our Nature Hee made Himselfe one with us and had us all by name as a body unto Him and all our sinne He tooke as His owne having made Himselfe one mysticall Person with us Secondly you must know that CHRIST thus having us all with Him as members belonging to Him through the gift of His Father and having all our sinne made His He dyeth for us all and for the abolishing of all our sinnes so that we all lye dead with Him and out sinne is all crucified with Him for it beginneth not to be crucified when wee dye to it no here was the beginning of it Thirdly CHRIST lying dead with all His dead in Him having taken away the guilt and wrought the death of sin in all His or the death of all His members to sin CHRIST with His body being dead is raised and receiveth that treasury of supernaturall life which is to be derived in the order of it to all His so that CHRIST rising all of us rise in Him as our Head for the members have society in whatsoever is done in the Head 2 As a thing may be said to be in the cause of it so was all our resurrection in His which was to be the cause of all our resurrection As Adam and Eve were the cause of propagating a naturall life to all mankinde Fourthly CHRIST thus raised and made the conceptacle and fountaine of supernaturall life sendeth out His vitall influence into such as belong to Him 1 By faith giving them a being spirituall or an union in Him even as Adam gave a naturall being or participation of his substance unto his members 2 He doth send into them thus united with Him the Spirit of life from Himselfe that is the HOLY GHOST to dwell in them by the created gifts of grace which is life supernaturall They shall heare my voice who are dead that is they shall beleeve and they shall live 3 CHRIST doth successively perfect this life never leaving till He have in soule and body conformed us for our module to His blessed Soule and glorious body And these may serve to open this point of beliefe The difficulty of conceiving it commeth hence 1. That we know not how straitly and neerely we are united to Him for as all were within the loynes of Adam by the determinate Counsell of GOD to come from Him so all the Elect by GOD's predestination and donation were within CHRIST as one in Him and with Him 2. Wee are not able to see that vertue of His resurrection The use is first Vse to incite us to seeke to have our eyes opened that we may know the treasury of good things we have in CHRIST and the power which Hee hath put forth in us We should love CHRIST a thousand times more if wee knew feelingly what Hee were to us We are not able to see how we in the womb are formed how much more will our eyes dazle here further than GOD doth cleare them This also must make us hold to our head CHRIST even as we will have life in us get a member away from having communion with the Head it is presently livelesse having neither sense nor motion So in us with CHRIST We see whither we must have recourse for life Even to CHRIST Come to me and your soules shall live to GOD in our Nature looke at thy owne flesh in heaven and draw from it as a Conduit-pipe increase of grace sent thee from it by the Spirit which dwelleth with it Having forgiven you all trespasses Now he commeth to the order of our new quickening which hee setteth downe by three antecedents which made way to it 1 He pardoned our sinne 2 He crossed our Bill 3 He freed us from the power of Satan and all infernall spirits Before I enter them let this in generall be premised to cleare the text Suppose that we stood in great debt unto any say againe that he had to shew for all the debt under his owne hand Put the case thirdly that wee were cast into prison and in the custody of some Gaolour or any officers to that purpose If hee at whose suite wee are in hold be willing to set us free what doth he first he doth pardon the debt Secondly he doth Cancell our bills and bonds for he that keepeth our bonds seemeth not to forgive nor willing to let us goe otherwise than that he may have a saying to us when he pleaseth Thirdly he doth release his action and setteth him out of bands that held him and after all this dismisseth him to his liberty So here we are in for debt such debt as toucheth life it selfe the matter is under our owne confession the Divell holds us under chaines of darknesse GOD is willing to restore us to life 1 He pardoneth our faults 2 Rendeth the Articles of our confession 3 Taketh us out of their hands who were ministers of His justice in the close keeping of us This shall suffice to illustrate it in generall We see hence Doct. That in order of nature first we have pardon of sinne before wee have the life of grace begun in us there must be a removall of evill before there can be a conferring of good Thus in CHRIST Himselfe He was acquit from all our sinne which was upon Him before He was raised up yea if the least sinne of any of us who are His had beene unanswered Hee had not beene raised up and for this cause Rom. 4.25 The raising of CHRIST is said to be our justification that is God in raysing Him up did manifest that Hee was fully answered for all our sinnes so that we now are quit from all our sinnes in CHRIST our Head Even as if one lye sentenced a dead man for treason against the King he cannot have His life given him but pardon of his fault is first given So here answerably we are not restored to feele the life of God take place in us till our sins which caused our death are removed In a sinners restoring this is the order 1 God by faith setteth Him into CHRIST who is His righteousnesse in whom belongeth to Him forgivenesse 2 God when by beliefe He is in CHRIST doth pronounce Him just or acquit Him from sinne 3 The LORD doth send the Spirit of His Son into His heart This is the order in Nature though in time these things goe together This is to be noted against the Papists who when a sinner hath by deadly sinne lost the life of grace as they say though he after come to have never such love to God yet will not have the sinne forgiven till the Priest hath absolved him As if God did restore the life of grace before He gave the pardon of sinne This out of the order The words have foure things to be marked 1 Who forgiveth God the Father He raised up both CHRIST and us when He had forgiven 2 The manner of forgiving in
great strength To goe away cleare with all that presseth us and make a play of them this showeth excellently glorious blessed therefore was that strength of GOD which made the Apostle rejoyce in infirmities blessed of God are ye that carry your burthens cheerefully and such who are heavy in spirit who goe mourning oppressed with sorrow Que. they are weake yet and though they have attained strength yet not all strength But what strength can make us rejoyce in afflictions Ans when no affliction is joyous for the present Iames 1.3 Some thinke this a fruite of the spirit given in times of extraordinary tryall but Saint Iames his precept seemeth to binde in every season count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations Afflictions therefore must be distinguished either they are for castigation of some sinne which liveth in us being used too gently or of some guilt unrepented of or else they are for manifestation of graces the Author to the Hebrewes speaketh of those former wherein GODS brow is bended and His angry countenance toward us for so the word signifieth and the conclusion insinuateth afterward they bring the quiet fruite of righteousnesse in the second which are accompanyed with Gods favourable countenance we may rejoyce these are like sunshine showers wherein the Sun is more pleasant then the showers tedious Doe we not feele when we would be best occupied evill then most present If Gods inward strength should not uphold we could not endure If we have afflictions to suffer we are white-livered and the least word of a wenches mouth would make us be ready to deny with Saint Peter and as in this regard we have need so how can we walke to the glory of God if we be not resolute and valorous doe such souldiers credit their Captaine which will faint and fly for any thing and leave a man on the plaine field rather then suffer any incumberance could any master endure to be so jaded with a servant that would upon the least paine or hardship show him a paire of heeles Wherefore the use of this is to stirre us up to begge strength which may make us couragious in all evill Vse not give in though we feele difficulties great enmities against us We see how lewd servants of men have chosen to live no longer then their masters but have by their owne hand dyed beside them The subjects of mortall men as Kings will follow them and at their pleasure fight in the Canons mouth and run upon death valorously What a shame is it that wee should not bee resolute for our God to endure the worst that can befall for His Name The want of this is to bee rebuked this maketh some they cannot abide to bee noted as men more strict call them Puritane you dash them out of countenance they cannot endure any displeasure from men O cowardize ô naked Christians whom a little paper shot from a pot gun doth dismay and cause to shrinke in from the colours of their God! you timorous heartes were you truely just you should be confident as Lions With all might We have not need of strength only Obs but great strength as Paul bids Christians get cōpleate furniture to cover them the whole armor of God We are every where weak could we see the enemies we have what strength we have need of by us that we may not be daunted could we marke what foyles wee take what neede we have of strength to renew our battell and charge them againe standing up from our falls if wee consider the manifold adversities the allurements with which the Divell doth fight what might is sufficient to keepe us that our mindes be not broken neither with one or other The LORD open our eyes then wee who take no thought of these things we will seeke to that heavenly armory for this spirituall amunition Let us therefore by this be stirred up if we heard Vse as we did in eighty eight that an infinite Armado were comming against us would wee not raise all the strength of the Land to encounter with them Shall we make skar-crowes of the flesh the world and legions of evill spirits that we neglect to levie any forces to provide any strength wherewith to resist them According Observ or by his glorious might Observe from whom commeth all our strength even from the strong GOD. It is GOD that strengthneth us to suffer afflictions Phil. 4.13 Psal 18.2 wee are able to doe every thing in Him strengthning us He is the rocke He is the strength of Israel blessed for ever Like as a valorous Captaine when his souldiers droope doth with speeches of incouragement put new soules as it were into them animating them to battell So our heavenly Captaine further than He doth inspire and create strength in us we are void of it We by nature are of no strength this day Rom. 5 1◠the LORD must give it us He giveth strength to His people yea He must when we have it stirre us up to use it girding our loynes to this battell teaching our fingers to warre and our hands to fight or else to draw it forth I have heard it twice that strength is of the Lord. Psal 18.34 Psal 62.11 This teacheth us where to seeke our supply Vse 1 even in povertie of spirit to come unto the Lord who is the Fountain Courage for evill we have but no courage for good It is thou Lord must make our faint hearts couragious thou must inspire them We can trouble our selves with many things and goe away with it but if any thing be to be affected or suffered for thy Name-sake we cannot abide it This sheweth to whom all praise is to be returned Vse 2 from Him and to Him are all things the waters that come from the Sea returne unto it Now for the consequent of this strength in us it is set downe in three effects the one Patience the other Long-suffering which have annexed a companion even Ioyfulnesse in afflictions These three are daughters of spirituall courage though they are not twins all got at once in us First then mark Observ What is a fruit of Christian strength needfull for us even the Patient abiding of all evils Patience is such a vertue as maketh us stand under not fainting If wee should see a man beare two or three thousand waight would wee not gather surely that man had great strength If we should see one standing his ground being assailed with an hundred would we not say he were very strong that could ward off all these assaults needs then must that Patient be strong that standeth under evills heavier than the sand evils within evils without that endureth when hell and the world yea our owne treacherous hearts doe lye heavie on us So Salomon concludeth of impatient fainting under afflictions that it is a token of weaknesse If thou faintest in the day of adversitie thy strength is small as if we should
we be thus thankefull what praise should wee offer to our God for bringing us under the Kingdome of His deare Sonne If we had some grievous Tyrant ruling over us and God should take him away and set a Prince of singular Clemency over us should not the blessing of all the kingdome come upon him for so singular a change But when he taketh the Divells iron yoaks off our necks and bringeth us under the Kingdome of that most meeke King who will not bruise a broken reed nor quench the smoaking flaxe here none in comparison is thankefull This giveth us to consider of our happy estate Vse 2 who are brought to live under Him reade Psal 72. To live in such a Kingdome were a great felicity but no more to be compared with this then the shadow with the substance What a blessing is it that we have His spirit to be a law in us good lawes in a Kingdome are no small benefit What a blessing is it that we have true peace from accusation of sinne from feare of death from disturbance which the remnants of sin doe cause before they be better mortified Say I am spiritually opposed and molested yea have great corporall enemies what a mercy is this that looking to CHRIST our King and crying for helpe we have succour they are weakened defeated scattered we are strengthened and comforted I see that I am besieged with enemies too mighty for me yea with Traytors in my owne bosome what a favour is this that we should be protected our King being such a wall and as a mighty flood about us that they cannot come neere us I want things looking to CHRIST I have supply I feare time to come looking to Him I heare it spoken This is our King Psa 48.14 Hee shall leade us to death VERSE 14. In whom we have redemption through His bloud the forgivenesse of sins NOw followeth the description to shew the excellency of this former blessing from the excellent benefit wee have by him and the worthinesse of his Person In whom in which deare Sonne and this phrase in whom noteth both the Author of the benefit next adjoyned and likewise the order or meane by which it commeth to be applyed in us viz wee being by faith in Him in whom then is through which Sonne we being set into Him by faith wee have redemption which word is taken Actively or Passively Actively for the act of CHRIST His working it Passively for the receiving of it into us or the applying of it in us that are believers so it is here as if it were said we are redeemed The force of the Word is ransomed brought forth of some miserable penall condition a price or ransome payd for us which was His bloud See Ephes 1.7 14. 1 Tim. 2.6 Who gave Himselfe a ransome for all He construeth this redemption to be Pardon of sinne freedome from all that penall condition to which wee were subject by reason of sinne For to pardon sinne is to release the punishment to which the guilt of sin doth bind us What is the singular love of our King unto us Obs 1 even such that Hee hath bought us with His bloud wee are ransomed by Him and not with silver or gold but with His pretious bloud 1 Pet. 1 18 19. If that a King should empty all his coffers and alienate all his Crowne Land to rescue his Subjects he should shew himselfe a naturall Prince but what is this to that ransome which our King hath tendered This doth let us see what cause we have of thankefulnesse for CHRIST not onely in regard of his love Vse 1 and naturall affection to us but for this great benefit which we have by Him Were we slaves in the Turkish gallies taken prisoners in the warre were we kept hard in debters hall how would we give thankes to God for such a one as should purchase our liberty with some summe of money How much more to be released from that woefull captivity in which the Divell doeth hold us through sinne and the curse of God whereof he is the executioner This letteth us see our duties towards CHRIST Vse 2 not to be young masters our owne men walking after our owne hearts but to live to Him who hath bought us dearely the Apostle Saint Peter on the same ground inferreth this exhortation For as much then as CHRIST hath suffered for us us in the flesh 1 Pet. 4.1 2. arme your selves likewise with the same minde for hee that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin that He no longer should live the rest of His time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God If men doe but small matters for us we are theirs to be commanded their servants theirs while we live to the utmost of our power but God may come from heaven take thy nature to the fellowship of His Person shed the pretious bloud of His man-hood and when He hath done all have no thankefull duty acknowledged Lastly we see hence our woefull estates by nature Vse 3 wee are bondslaves further then this our King doth set us free True it is we are like the Iewes when they were told of being set free from this thraldome we say they were never any mans servants never other then free So wee thinke we are free enough ô no beloved we are all by nature sold under ignorance under sinne under condemnation neither shall we ever come forth till this Sonne of God the truth set us free Remission of sins Observe hence Obs What is the greatest blessing which CHRIST our King doth procure us pardon of sinne great indeed binding us to be thankefull for our King We see how Kings at their Coronations when they enter upon their people they doe every way endeavour to winne their hearts testifie their princelike bounty and clemency hence come the customes of giving pardons to sundry even of capitall offences of releasing subsidies and such like dues otherwise of giving and enlarging and confirming charters to sundry places thus our Saviour that King of glory doth give a full pardon to His Subjects a generall pardon for it is sayd indefinitely none excepted that in Him we have forgivenesse of sinnes which Saint Iohn doth conster in these words the bloud of CHRIST clenseth us from all sins 1 Ioh. 1.9 originall actuall past future the most royall Charter that ever was given to the sonnes of men This is the grace promised I will be mercifull to their iniquities and remember their sinnes no more It is the justification and absolving of us sinners by God for that satisfaction or redemption which Christ tendered we are justified saith Saint Paul freely by His grace that is we are set free from our sins through Christ His redemption Rom. 3.21 Christ was made sinne that is a sacrifice or surety for sinners bearing all our sin that we might be made Gods righteousnesse righteous before God in him
is made a cuppe of fine wine to carry to the heart more effectually a cuppe of deadly poyson whereas the faithfull ones they commend good things in us that they may more equally in their just reproofes be heard of us As a Physitian guildeth a pill that it may be taken the better or to encourage them and excite them to thankefullnesse or some such purpose To teach us godly wisedome Vse and by learning the cunning of these men to bee fore-armed against the hurt of them If the tongue of Angells should withdraw us from CHRIST or any part of his truth the Lord give us power to accurse them and turne from them as most dangerous Syrens that thus goe about to bewitch us VERSE 5. For though I bee absent in the flesh yet am I with you in Spirit rejoycing and beholding your order and your stedfast faith in Christ NOw hee commeth to prevent an objection Why Saint Paul might they say you know not us how we are in beliefe it may be these Ceremony-masters told them he was one that thought least of them to which S. Paul answers though I have not beene with you in body yet you are in my heart I in my mind by relation of others know how it is with you I am in mind with you rejoycing and fixing mine eye on your order and the solidity of your faith towards Christ Marke hence first Doctr. There is a presence whereby Saints are one with another though never so farre disjoyned Saint Paul absent in body with the Colossians present in spirit We believe the communion of all Saints Now were there no way for them by which they might bee each with other how could they communicate together but as we say where the minde is there is the man Now the minde may be in heaven in the utmost corner of the earth wheresoever the thought and affection is hither we are transported in spirit thus Eliah saith to Iehu was not my spirit with thee because God by vision showed him what his servant did For looke as a man may be corporally present without his mind there so he may be in mind here or there where his body commeth not By the mind is to be understood the operation of the mind namely the thought and affections This therefore doth shew us an excellent priviledge of Gods people Vse 1 that after some sort as Christ is with us all to the end of the world so we are with him and one with another For His bodily presence is not with us but the presence of spirit and power never forsaketh us Yea this must teach us one to be in the thought of another Vse 2 not to suffer it to be out of sight and out of mind as we speake in the proverbe It is to be bewailed that our hearts are no more with the Churches everywhere then they are If wee could sit still in our Chayres and goe hither and thither bodily whither would we not goe Rejoycing and seeing That is in spirit discerning as an absent thing but by the image of it made present to the mind for this is the difference of the Greeke words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and with joy seeing their order and faith Observe first Doct. The nature of love it rejoyceth as Saint Paul speaketh in the truth in the worke of grace where it is discerned Iohn 3.4 thus Saint Iohn what greater joy have I then that you walke in the truth How glad are loving Nurses and Parents of all comelinesse and lovely qualities in their Children Even so those who have Gods Nurceries and are Fathers in Him they joy in nothing more then in the externall and internall graces of his children On the contrary how was Saint Paul grieved when the Church of Corinth had such a blemish as that incestuous one uncast forth Alas we want spirituall love Vse let which end will goe forward keepe from being whore or theefe though there be no power of godlinesse no heavenly mindednesse no opennesse of heart love appearing we grieve not though the soules of men lye in a dead swoone for any vitall action of the life of God our spirits moove not if we perceive not forwardnesse of grace we like Iosephs brethren envy it rather then take comfort in it censure it as pride humor singularity nay Pulpits sometimes speake this english Your order Observe hence Doct. That all things in the Primitive Churches were most orderly constituted and carryed Looke at the government at the administrations at the conversations of Christians all you shall see were full of order First there was an order of government for where there is no government there is no order If all were one member there were no order in the body there were some governing some governed Governours such as laboured in word and Doctrine publiquely and ordinarily receiving calling thereto from Christ by his Church or else such as attended the inspection of manners not dealing ordinarily with the Word and Sacraments but as occasion required not by authority directly from Christ but as delegates from the Pastors There were Deacons ministring in carefull oversight of the poore Finally the assembly which was governed by their leaders For ministrations all were comely in their holy native simplicity which became all seemely circumstances of time and place observed in them As I have received of the Lord Iesus Christ so have I delivered unto you 1 Cor. 11.23 Let all be done decently For their conversation they went out and in about their own businesses keeping their owne rankes If one did walke inordinately but as an idle tattler he was noted and they severed from him 2 Thes 3.11 They did goe by rule as in an orderly march 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 6.16 they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thes 4.12 walke honestly towards them that are without Hence we may learne to mourne at the disorder every where Vse the pompous tyranny the idle toyish ceremonies and fopperies in the Worship of GOD by Popish masse-Priests the most wicked and yet uncensured conversations which may be seene amongst Christians Lastly Doct. marke hence What a joyfull sight it is to see soules cleave to Christ and hold by him A true hearted subject cannot but joy to see the subject cleave fast in all allegiance to his soveraigne Lord the King So it feedeth the hearts of the true servants of Christ to see others stand fast to Him If you stand fast wee are alive It is a pleasant sight to see a valiant man being assaulted on every side stand his ground and quit himselfe bravely But for a souldier of Christ by faith on Christ to subdue all hostility of Sathan and not give backe a foote is much more goodly and glorious to behold Thus Saint Paul now he saw the Divell brave them with tearmes of learning the depth of philosophicall speculation and offering to make them ashamed of the simplicity of
not of an humane but a divine Person for though the Nature according to which they are wrought be humane yet the Person working is the Person of the Sonne of God Saint Paul giveth graces by laying on of hands with Prayer But 1 Not as if this were any way His worke but as intreating it from God in CHRIST whose it is 2 Not from power any way within His person but without Him even the power of another 3 Not conjoyned with God as the body with the soule but as an instrument with God as when I use another thing or person in doing this or that without my selfe bence it is that CHRIST-Man doth give graces authoritativè and effectivè yea according to humane action doth effect them in the highest degree that an instrumentall operation cān effect any thing Whereas Saint Paul giveth them Ministerialitèr signifiing what God doth in Christ rather than what Himselfe doth He that planteth and watereth is nothing all the efficacie of his action is to get CHRIST GOD-Man give the graces he intreateth The use is Vse that we should hence be exhorted not to rest in man The flesh profiteth nothing the spirit quickeneth that is my humane nature could not give all these precious benefits unto you unlesse the quickning Spirit did dwell in it in Him in whom all fulnesse dwelleth you are compleat 2 From the words observe That being in CHRIST Doct. we receive all kinde of graces and benefits that we lacke nothing Eph. 4.11 He is said to have ascended above all these aspectable heavens that He might fill all viz. with the gifts of grace as the context following cleareth Eph. 1.3 We are blessed in Christ with all kinde of spirituall blessings and they are said to be full of love and filled with all knowledge Rom. 15.14 These gifts may all be reduced to these two Ioh. 1.17 By Christ commeth grace and truth GODs favour pardoning our sinnes and restoring the life of God and true holinesse for so truth with Saint Iohn often signifieth There is a double fulnesse the one of gifts infused into us or to be given us the other of condition when the state is so full that there is no lacke Now for the first the Saints receive not that plenitude of inherent graces in this life though respectively in regard of such as have small degrees others may and are said to be full as the Romans and others 2. In regard of condition when we have all things so bestowed that nothing is wanting now this in Christ all the Saints have They have not that fulnesse in themselves but in Him their Head who is made of God every thing unto them wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption and this Text is most fitly construed this way they need no other Teacher no other Law-giver no other Mediatour The use of it is against the Papists Vse 1 they are not compleat in Christ other mediators workes their owne righteousnesse satisfactions indulgences imputing the sufferings of men to them they have left the LORD IESUS and are run a whoring with their owne inventions This must make us rest only in Christ Vse 2 like Paul caring to know nothing but Him counting all things dung and drosse in comparison of Him Fill your selves with Christ and there will not be roome for ought else Were a vessell full of any liquor it would receive no more if a womans heart be full of her husband she hath no roome for other lovers So shall it be with you if you see by faith that your estate is full in Christ lacking nothing what will you care to looke further Lastly Vse 3 on this ground invite men to Christ how is the case altered if a poore woman should marry the Prince So if we blinde naked beggarly things marry this Prince of glory our poverty shall be exchanged with riches Who is the Head of all Principality and Power That is of all supreame and inferiour powers which are seene in the creatures visible or invisible Doct. Obs What is the dignity of Him who is every thing to us Hee is the chiefe above all the creatures this is it we beleeve of Christ as man ascending into heaven fitteth at the right hand of GOD He is placed at GODs right hand in heavenly places Eph. 1.21 above all principalities and powers and might and domination and every name that is named not in this world onely but also in that that is to come 1 Pet. 3.22 Which IESUS is at the right hand of GOD gone into heaven to whom the Angels and powers and might are subject To whom of the Angels said He Hebr. 1. Sit at my right hand till I make thy enemies thy foot-stoole Which the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. construeth thus He must reigne till His enemies be put under His feet There are three Preeminencies subordinate 1 GOD above all 2 The Mediator under God but Head over all the Creatures 3 Creatures over other creatures but under Christ and God Looke as if a mighty King doe marry any woman he maketh her Queene next in dignity to himselfe above all subjects So our great GOD IESUS CHRIST coupling our Nature with Himselfe hath in so doing extolled it above all creatures which are but the workmanship of His hands a part of whose Person this Nature is The Vse is the more to binde us to Christ Vse to have so great benefit as to lacke nothing is a great matter yet if we receive or hold good things from meane persons we weigh them the lesse and doe the easilyer part with them but when wee have great things and that from great personages in highest authority we joy as much that we hold under such as in the things which are our tenure Oh worldly wisdome will hold in Capite they will forfeit any thing rather than their Princes favour the LORD make us all as carefull to hold in this head Still remember from these descriptions Vse 2 thus interserted what causeth our looking further than CHRIST we know not His excellencie that rest not in Him And secondly what is the next way to bring us from turning to any lying deceit not according to CHRIST even this to insist much in inculcating the dignity of Christ and all-sufficiencie of Him thus Iohn the Iewes Oh their Moses had seene GOD CHRIST was not so ancient as himselfe they would leave him to follow Christ Oh saith Iohn He that commeth after me is before me none ever saw GOD but CHRIST all have received from His fulnesse that they had He is the Fountaine of grace and truth VERSE 11. In whom also yee are circumcised with Circumcision made without hands by putting off the sinfull body of the flesh through the Circumcision of CHRIST NOw he commeth to set downe more definitely what blessings Christ had brought them they may be recalled to two heads 1 The removall of their evill 2 The conferring of good The first is in the
eleventh and twelfth verses the other followeth For the former three things are to be marked for the opening of it 1 He setteth downe the benefit In whom ye have been circumcised with circumcision not made with hands 2 He setteth down in what this benefit did formally consist viz. In putting off the bodie of sinnes viz. the flesh the originall corruption dwelling in spirit and flesh through Christ's Circumcision 3 He noteth the maner or instrument by which Christ did further work and seale up in them this benefit mentioned being buried with Him in Baptisme The intent of it is to confirme the former truth That they were not to follow any thing which is not after Christ and standeth not with walking in Him thus You must not listen to any thing which draweth you from Him who hath taken from you the masse of your naturall corruption But it is Christ in whom your hearts have beene circumcised from selfe-love of this world and the things of it and all other evill inclinations Therefore you must not follow the deceitfull vanities which are not after Christ but seduce you from Him First then that the Apostle doth to this purpose bring in this benefit Doct. We see what is an excellent meane to hold us fast to Christ to remember what great evill of sinne He hath subdued for us and taken from us Truely when we fall from Christ either to seducing errours in judgement or errours in practice it commeth hence as Saint Peter intimateth We forget that we were washed from our sins in His bloud Did we confidently weigh what we have received from Him wee could not but cleave faster to Him If a man did heale us of some deadly leprosie could we forget duty to such an one while wee remembred this great good we had received from Him So here much more while Aegypt kept in minde what Ioseph had done for them they clave to him in those he left behinde him but when new came up who knew not or regarded not what good they had received they turned Turkes to him in his Seed whom they were to have honoured So here Wherefore Vse let us hence marke how wee may strengthen our selves in cleaving to Christ ponder upon the mercy He hath shewed thee in healing in some measure the corruptions of thy nature Say with thy selfe shall I start from Him who hath done such wonderfull things killed this life of my owne in sin which I have felt so strong and lively in me healed such a leprosie as is above all I can speake or thinke Doe it the rather for we are like those Israelites all their deliverance out of Aegypt was quickly forgotten and this made them upon all occasions start aside like a deceitfull bow Againe we are weake in judgement babes in understanding and know not the things bestowed on us Thirdly Satan is most malicious to keepe us at least from thankfull considering of GOD's blessings when he cannot hinder us from receiving them In whom yee are circumcised with circumcision not made with hands Doct. Observe hence What Christ hath done for us who are in Him Hee hath given us a spirituall Circumcision Here are two things to be opened 1 The Circumcision it selfe 2 The Author of it The first is specified by this distinctive propertie it was not made with hands that is such a Circumcision as was spiritually wrought in their spirit not in their flesh the old Testament distinguisheth it by calling it the Circumcision of the heart Deut. 30.6 Ier. 4 4. And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart This is no small benefit it was a priviledge to have Circumcision in the flesh it was GOD's Cognisance as being the signe of a confederacie with GOD it was a seale confirming him that beleeved by it that God would take away his sin both by not imputing it and killing it Rom. 4.12 for so Saint Paul saith of Abraham's circumcision But yet many had this whose Circumcision was before GOD as nothing to them Wherefore if this were a priviledge what a gift is this to have the heart circumcised with the finger of God 2 Againe for the Authour of this benefit in the Law the Priest did circumcise the males brought the eight day and it was no small thing that God by His Minister should doe so to an infant but to have our High Priest in Heaven who is the great God handle our leprous hearts and by force of His Spirit take off the corruption which sticketh faster to our spirits than our skinne doth to our flesh what a prerogative is this this then must stirre us up to thankfulnesse It doth shew us whither we must have recourse when we feele the remainders of our corruption cleaving to us Vse as selfe confidence whorish love of the creature self-love we must come to Christ He is our Priest who onely can take away this impure fore-skin of our hearts that even as they brought their young ones in the Law to the Priest so must we bring our selves by a renued faith every day to our LORD IESUS and pray Him to goe through with this His Circumcision which Hee hath begunne in us 2 This is to be noted that he calleth it not made with hand Whence observe Doctr. That no outward action of the hand of man reacheth to the cleansing of the soule The hand of man putteth forth no efficiencie to that which is done in the heart as nothing that goeth into the body can defile it so nothing that is done to the body can sanctifie it This maketh Saint Paul say That he that planteth and he that watereth is nothing for a bodily action can worke nothing but a bodily effect Which is to be observed against the Papists Vse who will have the Priest's action lifted up by GOD to the taking away of the soules sin but then it could not truly be said that the removall of corruption from the spirit were not done with the hand of man as because God doth by meats maintaine our life He by His blessing giving that vertue to them it cannot be truly said that our life is sustained by meat and drinke Now to the second thing in the putting off Observe That sinne and grace are to the soule Doct. as apparell is to the body therefore he saith by putting off the body of sin that is the flesh the body this is a borrowed speech because that as mans body is a systeme or a frame not having one but many kindes of members So sin is such a frame of corruption as containeth in it many distinct kindes which are as members of this masse of corruption Coloss 3. â—â— Rom. 6. But it may seeme strange that he sorteth these metaphors of putting off a body when clothes not bodies are put off But you must know that the body is the soules rayment as it were and therefore the soule is most fitly said to put off a body the body of corruption the flesh this