the promises of God are generall particular reall personall conditionall free temporall eternall who can go through them all The Apostle saith that the Angels looke with amazement at the mysterie of our redemption to behold the infinite oddes betwixt Gods greatnesse and our vilenesse so to let passe the great and precious promises of his word and Spirit the care and ministery of his Angels and creatures and to consider that our very corrections shall do vs good Psal 94.12 that he will turne our beds in our sicknesse Psal 41. take care of the haires of our heads Matth. 10. Matth. 10.30 it will driue vs to astonishment to consider for there is no end of his goodnesse The heathen Captaine which had care to wash his souldiers wounds they could not sufficiently honour him with praises surely if the God of glorie and Captaine of his Church should do such and so great things for vs let vs say with Saint Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 11.33 O the deepnesse of the riches both of the wisedome and loue of God and his wayes that are past finding out Thus farre we haue dealt in these promises at rouers as I may say and now to bring them home to our hearts which are the true marke Vse 1 Are these promises rarae inauditae Let vs hence learne to ioy in the same Oh how sweete are thy words vnto my throate yea sweeter then honey vnto my mouth Psal 119.103 And againe Thy testimonies haue I claimed as mine heritage for euer for they are the very ioy of my heart Psal 119.111 Thus Sara reioyced and called others to reioyce with her Gen. 21.6 God hath caused me to reioyce all that heare will reioyce with me Luk. 1.46 My soule doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit reioyceth in God my Sauiour this is the song of that blessed euer Virgin mother who reioyced in these promises Secondly are they certissimae Then let vs beleeue and trust in them by the example of our father Abraham who beleeued aboue hope So though they are aboue beside contrary to reason yet knowing that God is powerfull and able faithfull and so ready to make his promise good let vs be strengthened in faith and giue glorie to God Rom. 4.17 Yea and in the second place trust and relie on his promised mercies for hereby we haue accesse to challenge God both for safetie and saluation Thus Moses is bold to charge God with his promise on the behalfe of Israel Exod. 32.13 Remember Abraham Isaac and Iacob to whom thou swarest c. and it followeth ver 14. Then the Lord changed his mind from the euill c. An instance of like nature we haue in Deut. 9.27 Dauid had the like refuge in extremitie Lord where are thy former mercies which thou swarest to Dauid in thy truth Psal 89.49 Calling to minde therefore the certaintie of these promises let vs by the example of Iacob commit our selues to Gods tuition and defence Gen. 32.9 for they are certissimae 3. Are they Gratuitae the free donations of his goodnesse mercy Then where are the blind merits of Monks and Friars and the workes of supererogation of insolent Iesuites their pretended merits either of condignitie or congruity are altogether repugnant to the freedome of these promises a debt of desert as hire to a labourer or of duty as of thankfulnesse to a benefactour farre be it that we should claime any such due from God to vs for to vs belongeth shame and confusion Gen. 32.10 being lesse then the least of Gods mercies It is his great mercie that we are not consumed and therefore in all these promises Psal 115.1 Not vnto vs Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the glorie 4. Are they magnae pretiosae Hence then let vs learne to be thankfull When one told Dauid Sauls intendment to make him his sonne in law he answered For what Seemeth it a small thing vnto you to be sonne in law to a King Sam. 18.18 what am I or what is my life or the familie of my father in Israel that I should be sonne in law to a King His case fits with ours but in some respects it doth not for what comparison betwixt Dauid and vs or analogy twixt God and Saul Dauid had deserued well of his countrey and againe though he were sonne in law yet should not be heire to the Crowne but for our selues I say not what am I but what are we or our fathers house was not our father an Amorite and our mother an Hittite drowned in superstition sold vnto sinne and full of ignorance I say of the best which can best expresse his mind and meaning that he cannot expresse his owne vnworthinesse And betwixt God and Saul what should I say who is the Saul of Sauls in whose respect all the Princes of the earth are but washpots vnto whom the Angels are ministers accounting it their greatest honour to do him seruice yea and the heauens and the earth do bow downe vnto him yet vs tantillos tales so weake and so vnworthy hath he crowned with his honours to make vs sonnes and daughters to himselfe to reigne and rule for euer in his glory Praise ye the Lord therefore all ye his Saints for it becometh the Saints right well to be thankfull 5. Are they Futurae of good things to come Then it behoueth vs expectare impletionem to waite on his mercies vntill he heare vs helpe vs heale vs and crowne vs Patientia vobis opus est Heb. 10.36 Ye haue need of patience that when you haue done the will of God you might inherite the promise therefore must we become followers of them which through faith and patience Heb. 12.1 obtained the promises 6. And lastly are they so generall speciall such as hath bene said tam augustissimae so glorious and in extent so large and liberall Let vs then make the same vse of them which the Apostle here maketh in this place viz. Let vs obey them Let vs cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit Where in the transition of the point from the Antecedent Seeing we haue these promises to the Consequent let vs cleanse our selues c. Doct. obserue The promises of God in Christ are the ground of obedience the Apostle therefore to this purpose maketh the same connexion Tit. 2.11 The grace of God which bringeth saluation to all men hath appeared and teacheth vs to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and that we should liue godlily and righteously and soberly in this present world the grace of God teacheth vs not to do vngodlines but to deny it to cleanse our selues from all the outrages and vngodlinesse of the hand and tong yea and all sinfull lusts of the heart that we should liue towards God piè towards others iustè and to our selues sobriè The grace of God teacheth vs to do euē so as I haue said The
the worke of holinesse we striue against the streame of our affections and if we desist or be slacke in weldoing they draw vs backe to cuill Vse 1 1. To teach vs the danger of apostacy as of those which fall from their holinesse which begin with Peter and end with Iudas hauing entred the couenant of grace they fall away like vntimely fruites trees that are twise dead and plucked vp by the roots Iude v. 12 whose end is to be burned which turne to their old bias of iniquitie as the dog to his vomite and as the sow that is washed to her wallowing in the mire Gen. 19.29 Lots wife for this we know was turned into a pillar of salt and set vp in example to season others and that we forget not our Sauiour sets a memento before her name Remember Lots wife Luk. 17. 31. for as it was with her Vbirespexit ibiremansit where she looked backe there she stood so no man putting his hand to the plough of holinesse and looketh backe is fit for the kingdome of God Saint Paul giueth the reason which who so considereth in heart it will cause the heart-strings to ake and the bones to quake for feare It is impossible saith he that they which were once enlightened and haue tasted of the heauenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost and haue tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if they fall away that they should be renewed againe by repentance Heb. 6.4.5 For they after they haue escaped the fil thinesse of the world saith Saint Peter 2. Pet. 2.20 through the knowledge of the Lord lesus Christ and are againe intangled therein and ouercome the latter end is worse then the beginning for it had bene better for them not to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse then after they haue knowne it to turne from the holy commandement giuen vnto them 2. It serueth to condemne our standing still our dulnesse and slacknesse in the pursuite of holinesse A miserie it is to see how the men of this our age are fallen from their stedfastnesse from zeale to coldnesse For where is that discipline in manners zeale to the word hunger and thirst after righteousnesse which doth become and adorne the Gospell of Christ May I not speake in generall and your consciences beare me witnesse Reu 2.4 that as the Church of Ephesus was charged so you are become changelings and haue forsaken your first loue And what should I name in particular that stedfastnesse in faith modestie in words that vprightnesse in actions mercie in workes that discipline in manners loue and vnitie among brethren which in the primitiue Church was the glorie of the first Christians Yea and brethren I must tell you that you did runne well and what should turne you out of the way of holinesse that you should haue an euill heart to depart from the liuing God This you know of a suretie that to him that striueth and contendeth to him is the kingdome giuen The kingdome of God suffereth violence and the violent take it by force To him that ouercometh to him will I giue the crowne of life Math. 11.12 Reu. 2.17 Math. 24 13. Reuel 2.17 And againe He that endureth to the end he and he onely shall be saued And of full holinesse we haue thus farre heard and spoken And now followeth the measure thereof viz. in the feare of God in the feare of God This last part of my text and labour sets downe 1. the measure of our holinesse viz. in feare and 2. the obiect of this feare viz. God For the former I finde by obseruation generally three kinds of feare a naturall feare a foolish feare and a feare of God the two former I finde not in my text neither will the time giue me leaue to seeke them out But for the last I finde it generally to be of two forts the feare of God it is either seruile or filiall the obiect of the former is Gods iudgement but the ground of the latter are the effects of his loue and mercie and both these in a different maner are the measure and foundation of holinesse And looke what difference is betwixt a seruant and a son they feare to offend the one for punishment the other for loue so howsoeuer good men loue God euen of zeale vnto his glorie yet it is not amisse to be restrained from sinne euen for feare of iudgement It is best saith Augustine to be a sonne yet better to be a seruant then an enemie Si non potes propter amorem iustitiae fac propter timorem poenae The affection of an enemie is hatred of a seruant is the rod of punishment but of a sonne is loue and reuerence And accordingly I find three sorts of feare the first of which is meerly slauish lumpish vnprofitable and dogged kind of feare full of hatred and diuellish despite and indeed the feare of diuels and reprobate spirits which findes no mercie because it seekes no mercie And the diuels do thus beiecue and tremble But there is a feare of Gods righteous iudgements which euen in good men hath a good effect for it restraineth from impietie Et maxima est poena timorem amisisse poenae Bernard I considered my wayes Psal 119.59 saith Dauid and so I turned my feete vnto thy testimonies For who so considereth his wayes shall find his wants and withall remembring the terrour of Gods iudgements and the necessitie of his iustice to punish yea and to punish according to the nature of offence it will daunt and terrifie the heart of any from offending if it be not past feeling And this is that which Augustine hath to like purpose Atimore tenera conscientia à tenera conscientia bona vita hinc decrescit timor seruitutis atque inde dulcescit Deus peccanti and thus the feare of Gods righteous iudgements is to good purpose for it is a bridle to restraine from finne and a step to beget the third which is the filiall feare of loue But Saint Iohn saith Perfect loue casts out feare 1. Ioh. 4.18 viz. this seruile feare and begets another borne of the free Spirit Psal 51. viz. this filiall feare the feare and reuerence of a sonne to a louing father Of this the Prophet speaketh There is mercie with thee O Lord therefore shalt thou be feared And this is that of which Saint Luke speaketh We must serue God without feare Luk. 1. Luk. 1.74 And Saint Paul makes it more plaine Rom. 8. not in the spirit of bondage for feare of punishment but in the spirit of adoption and freedome euen of zeale vnto his glorie And this is the best and most excellent way of feare which I do take to be the principall aime and intendment of my text And so to bring this feare backe to my text and my text home to your selues First because we must grow to full holinesse in feare
A DIVINE ENTHYMEME OF TRVE OBEDIENCE OR A Taske for a Christian Preached at Pauls Crosse the tenth of September 1615. by ANTHONIE HVGGET Maister of Arts and Parson of the Cliffe neare Lewis in Sussex Viuendo morimur monendo viuimus The Text. Seeing we haue these promises dearely beloued let vs cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and grow up to full holinesse in the feare of God 2. Cor. 7.1 London Printed by Richard Field for Francis Faulkner and are to be sold at his shop in new Fish-street vnder Saint Margarets Church 1615. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND MY VERY GOOD LORD WILLIAM Lord Howard Baron of Effingham increase of all true honour and happinesse c. RIght Honorable the importunitie of some good Christians that heard this Sermon at the Crosse hauing ouercome mee to publish it to the world I haue presumed vnworthy though it be to present your Lordship with it as being the best meanes I had to manifest my dutie and how much I honour your Lordship your zeale to true religion your honorable respect and loue shewed to schollers and to me in particular your vnworthy Chaplaine makes me hope it shall find a fauourable acceptation The which if it shall please your Lordship to grant I haue a condigne counterpoise of all my labour Thus in all humblenesse crauing pardon for my boldnesse with my dayly supplications that God would multiplie vpon you all temporall blessings in this life and eternall in the life to come I rest Your Honours most dutifull and deuoted Chaplaine ANTHONIE HVGGET A DIVINE ENTHYMEME OF TRVE OBEDIENCE 2. COR. 7.1 Seeing we haue these promises dearely beloued let vs cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and grow vp vnto full holinesse in the feare of God THE proeme of Moralitie holds good in Diuinitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Aristot Eth. l. 1. c. 1. omne appetit bonum and it is a sure axiome Finis bonum conuertuntur that vaste Vniuersall like that confused Chaos in the beginning Gen. 1.2 out of whose wombe were first drawn all things which were made each particular with the whole it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do endeuour their end as the smoake flieth vpward which truth is well seene in the great bodie of nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the little bodie of man which is a compendium of all this All. And hath not mortall man his supernaturall end where his soule a stranger here may stay it selfe for euer Yes sure he hath and the end is the accomplishment of Gods promises for by faith we stand and receiue in hope 1. Ioh. 3.2 Now are we the sonnes of God but it doth not appeare what we shall be c. The Apostle therefore in the precedent Chapter hauing earnestly warned his Corinthians to flee the societie and pollutions of Idolaters as being themselues temples of the holy Ghost in the two last verses he setteth downe the scope and summe of mans blissefull end the full period of all their desites euen the sweete and comfortable promises of God in Christ Iesus as namely ver 16. I will dwell in them Leuit. â—â— 12 and walke in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people And againe ver 17 18. I will receiue you Isa 32.1 Ier. 31.1 and wil be a father vnto you and you shall be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almightie Now vpon the consideration of these premised promises promises he inferreth and inforceth that sanctitie whereof my text doth treate Seeing we haue these promises dearely beloued let vs cleanse c. Which words containe in them an exhortation not barely and simply propounded but syllogistically and perswasiuely inforced and may very well be called A diuine Enthymeme of true obedience The Antecedent part whereof is the Foundation and the consequence is the Building or if you will the roote and growth of godlinesse The Apostle thus layeth the case Seeing we haue these promises dearly beloued and makes the issue this Let vs cleanse our selues from c. Let vs begin as he doth that we may end as he did He begins his suite vpon a sure ground Seeing we haue these promises and followes the cause for our welfare Let vs cleanse our selues from c. Thus who so begins and ends his dayes shall die the death of the righteous and his last end shall be like vnto his Turne backe your eyes once more vpon the words and you shall find in them a grounded motiue to holinesse in which obserue the matter the maner and both are Euangelical 1. Modus compellendi dearly beloued vox verè apostolica issuing from no other lips but such as had bin touched from the Altar of the high God with the hote burning coales of zeale and loue Isa 6.6 and well beseeming the scholler of such a Lord who both in life and death did shew himselfe to be the Lord of loue 2. Causa vel fundamentum competendi viz. promissiones In which maine ground of his inforcement he makes vs ioynt purchasers with himselfe viz. Nos habemus and that of an inheritance which shall stand for euer viz. has promissiones Promissiones that is the maine thing Obiectum Obiectum the ground point of this exhortation and that we may build vpon this ground he sheweth our interest and iust claime and that is Subiectum Subiectum Nos habemus We haue these promises and that is the Antecedent the ground the reason the roote of that which followes and that which followes is an exhortation to sinceritie and sound obedience to integritie and perfect holinesse To the perfection whereof there are two maine labours 1. Remotio mali Remotio mali Let vs cleanse our selues 2. Substitutio boni Substitutio boni and grow vp c. For the former that we may take our worke with vs let vs remember the passages 1. Let vs cleanse that is the propertie of the worke 2. Our selues that is the proprietie of the person 3. From filthinesse that is the matter to be wrought vpon 4. All filthinesse there is the generalitie of the taske 5. Of the flesh and spirit there is the specialitie of the parts and powers infected Hitherto my text hath brought vs downeward the way and path of the death of the righteous Mortificatio wherein we must crucifie the old man not leaue one hoofe behind not one sinne vnsearched Mortifie therefore your earthly members c. Colos 3.5 The Apostle tels vs that he which ascended is he which descended first Ephes 4.9 and as I haue descended with you to the similitude of his death so must you be ingrafted to the similitude of his resurrection Rom. 6.5 For you must rise againe the hill of holinesse when we are rooted in humilitie we must rise and spring Substitutio boni so the text faith Let vs grow
would now giue a world if he had it for one drop of cold water to coole his tong to teach vs that there is great differēce twixt the rich mans non mouebor c. their downfall imply descendunt in infernum Psal 30.6 Iob. 21.13 O how suddenly do they vanish perish and come to a fearefull end but as for Gods Saints be they despicable in the eies of men yet their prayers and teares are written in the booke of Gods remembrance Esa 38.5 and right deare and precious in the sight of God is the death of all his Saints Psal 116.15 6. Seeing these promises for this life and a better life redound to vs to vs only then hence let vs learne to take comfort in these promises in all things whatsoeuer our dangers and distresses are for God euen our God is Pater omnipotens both able and willing for to do vs good Art thou then in affliction know that there is no darknesse but flieth from the Sunne no poyson but yeeldeth to medicine no winter but is remoued by Sommer for if God doth suffer calamity to befall vs for his glory and our good he will take it away againe Psal 34.19 For many are the troubles of the righteous but here is the Lords promise which is our comfort he will deliuer out of all we haue this promise which is as the faithfull witnesse in heauen for our comfort 7. Seeing the faithfull onely haue these promises then ought we to labour for a true faith for this is the instrument of our redemption the fruite of the Spirit the clothing of our soules the ioy of the godly the perfection of the Church the euidence by which we hold both our Being Mark 9.24 and well being Lord we beleeue helpe our vnbeleefe 8. Lastly hath God giuen vs these promises Let vs then learne to giue vnto God that which is Gods viz. thankes and praise For he that offereth me thankes and praise hehonoureth me Psal 50.23 Surely brethren there is not the least of his mercies but deserues a Quid retribuam Psal 116.12 Psal 8.4 And What is man that thou art so mindfull of him or the sonne of man that thou sor egardest him c. What is to be found in man which might moue the Lord to be so gracious or to be expected from man which may adde vnto his honour to whose complete and all-sufficient fulnesse nothing can be added Surely this is some and all Thou shalt glorifie me Psal 50.14 to sing and say Corde cordis fide fidibus Glory be to God on high on earth peace goodwill towards men Luk. 2.14 Our hearts shall be glad when our lips speake his glorie and our tongues shall sing of his righteousnesse while we liue will we praise the Lord and giue thankes vnto him for a remembrance of his holinesse for to vs hath he giuen these promises and therefore Regi saeculorum 1. Tim. 1. 17. Now saith the Apostle Now is a time to lift vp your hearts and say as he saith To the King eternall immortall inuisible and God onely wise be honour and glory for euer and euer Amen And of the subiectum thus far and now the Praedicatum cometh in place viz. these promises Promises Promissiones 1. Politicae Promises I finde to be generally of two sorts politicall or ciuill and religious or diuine vnder the former are ranked all contracts compacts bargaines and other cases of commutatiue iustice in the Common-wealth betwixt man and man 2. Religiosae Legales Euangelicae Religious promises I name such as wherein God doth more properly challenge a share as being either the inlargemēts of the bounty from God to man or the ingagement of obedience from man to God and these I find to be double Legall or Euangelicall 1. Deut. 27.26 Gal. 3.10 Legall ex pacto simpliciter hoc fac viues and againe Cursed is he that continueth not in all things that are written in the Law 2. Euangelicall ex pacto secundum quid being the free donations of Gods soueraigne bounty which worketh all good in all Come vnto me all ye that trauell and are heauie Haba 2.4 Mat. 11.28 Ioh. 3.16 Isa 43.25 c. So God loued the world that he c. I am he behold I am he that putteth away thy vnrighteousnesse euen for my names sake Isa 43.25 These are called the promises of Gods grace because freely giuen and so performed gratis the promises of the Spirit Eph. 1.13 Rom. 10.8 because the Spirit is both the author and applier of them the words of faith because they are made with the condition of faith to apprehend and apply them they are also the promises of hope because that our haruest is in hope onely Heb. 6.17 The hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie hath promised Tit. 1.2 God hath made a couenant with his people and it is called the couenant of promise Eph. 2.12 the Arke of which testimony is the sure words of the Gospell the keepers and interpreters whereof are his holy ones vpon whom he hath put his Vrim and Thummim Exod. 28.30 to cause Israel to heare and know and do his couenant The franchised liberties thereof are his promises the hedges or walles of defence are his iudgements the feales of assurance are his counsell his word his oath his Sacraments the earnest penny is the spirit of sanctification the stipulators are the Maker and his creature God and man God of his free bounty promising all good things for this and a better life in Christ for the glory of his goodnesse and man protesting faith and perfect obedience to his heauenly Maker So that Subiectum huiusfaederis are the sonnes of God onely as I haue shewed before the sonnes of promise Gal. 4.28 Rom. 9.8 such as through faith in a pure conscience keepe his commandement alway This couenant by faith we apply it we hold it in hope and shew forth the fruites thereof in a godly life and holy conuersation Thus farre we haue walked at large but now returne I pray you with me from whence we haue digressed for the bounds of my text do bound me within the liberties of this holy couenant for so my text tels vs Has promissiones Sinne is a bad Mistresse which makes men serue long for little and in the end paieth with bad wages For the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6.23 but our God is liberall as an Emperour who hath bestowed a great gift vpon vs in our creation and that being lost hath giuen vs a greater and promised greatest of all As a good Physitian he healeth vs and as a good merchant hireth vs non vt duram seruiamus seruitutem but that we should be made coheires with Christ Has promissiones these promises also God hath promised saluation to his people which haue bene since the world began from Adam to Abraham Gen. 3.15 from
neuer so entire affection and laboured our callings with neuer so great diligence we are altogether vnprofitable hauing left more vndone then those we haue performed yea and whatsoeuer we haue done is in such great weaknesse Psal 143. 2. that Lord if thoushouldest marke what is done amisse who shall be able to abide it In conclusion therefore let him haue the glory in all things who giueth seede vnto the sower and bread to him that needeth 1. Cor. 9.10 who worketh in vs both to will and to do and we let vs cleanse our selues for when we haue done all we are still vnprofitable seruants Luk. 17.10 And of the Subiectum thus farre now to the praedicate wherein is set downe Remotio mali Remotio mali in 5. viz. Let vs cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit Wherin obserue the fiue forenamed passages 1. The property of the worke Cleanse 2. The propriety of the persons our selues 3. The matter to be wrought on filthinesse 4. The generality of the taske all filthinesse 5. The speciality of the parts and powers infected flesh and spirit For the first c. Cleanse which is a metaphoricall speech taken from outward washing for as filth is done away by water so by the helpe of Gods Spirit must we cleanse our selues from sinne You shall reade to this purpose diuers lawes and statutes in Israel of cleansing the Altar Exod 29. of cleansing the Leaper Leuit. 13. of cleansing the house of the Lord 2. Chron. 29. of cleansing Iudah and Ierusalem 2. Chron. 34. of cleansing the people with the gates and entrances of their cities and houses Nehem. 11. And these lawes we know were typicall hauing resemblance of things to come and the same God being our God requireth the same of vs in substance which was prefigured in these ceremonies and shadowes For the Altar is our heart Cor mundum Psal 51. a cleane heart the leprosie is our sinne which stings like a scorpion and infects like a leprosie the house of the Lord are our bodies and soules which are the temples of the holy Ghost Iudah and Ierusalem are the Israel of God which must be holy euen as he is holy and the people and their gates are we here assembled whom of no people he hath made a people that we should sanctifie our gates viz. our affections and actions through which the Spirit of grace shall go in and out Lift vp your heads O ye gates and be ye lift vp ye euer lasting doores purge the altar of your hearts Psal 24.7 cleanse the leprosie of your sinne sanctifie your bodies and soules and though Israel play the harlot yet let not Iudah sinne but make cleane and prepare the doores of your tabernacles Psal 118.19 that the King of glorie may come in Againe I finde by obseruation generally that we are said two wayes to be cleansed which I may call the former and the after labour viz. the inchoation and progression of repentance Man in the former is meerly a patient dead vnto sinne Rom. 7.18 2. Cor. 3.5 in whom dwels no good thing hauing no power to raise himselfe but euen the disposition of the will which is otherwise blindly led and captiue vnto sin it doth proceed of him which workes all good in all 1. Cor. 12.6 But in the other we are in some sort agents cooperary Dei liuely instruments to worke out our owne saluation For the former it is no more possible for a man to cleanse himselfe then to change the spots of a Leopard or to wash white the skin of a Morian The heart of naturall man is so hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne that except a more powerfull spirit doth incline and soften and dispose it inwardly to good a man with as good successe may plow on the rocke or sow on the shoare as by words thinke to winne a man to repentance for this cleansing it is the gift of God Ephes 2.4 and the first act thereof is his immediate hand such as all the naturall eloquence and force of man cannot effect For as the wise man speaketh Who can say I haue made my owne heart cleane Prou. 20 19. And as that cripple which eight and thirtie yeares waited at the poole of Bethesda if he had not bene helped by our Sauiour had liued and died a cripple because he was not able to moue himselfe into the waters Ioh. 5.5 so except a more powerfully spirit doth moue yea and compell vs into the maine of Maries weeping water of life we should liue and die and be damned for want of penitencie Dauid therefore for the example of all others thus teacheth vs to turne to the God of our saluation Haue mercie vpon me O God according to c. Psal 51.1 And againe ver 1. Wash thou me throughly from mine iniquitie And againe ver 7. Purge thou me with bysope c. And againe ver 10. Create in me a clane heart O God And so the Prophet Ieremie teacheth See Ez. 36.25 Conuert thou me and I shall be conuerted for thou art the Lord my God Ier. 31.18 And yet not this but the after labour of renouation is the proper and most genuine interpretation of my text Wherein through the grace of God we are become instrumentall agents to cleanse our selues And to this purpose runne all the precepts and commandements which call for our obedience and amendments Ezech. 18.30 Rom. 12.2 Isa 1.16 Turne you turne you c. Wash you make you cleane c. Fashion not your selues like vnto this world but be yerenewed c. And the like These precepts we call Euangelicall which do alwayes presuppose Gods mercifull hand to helpe whose grace is prest and readie to all that call vpon him more willing to giue then we to aske and giueth more then we can desire yea and is not wanting to any except they be wanting to themselues And to what end doth God lend vs eyes and eares and hands and feete but to see and heare and worke and walke So his grace which is giuen vnto vs must not be idle but operatiue to all good workes to adde to our faith vertue to vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance c. 2. Pet. 1.5.6 A man therefore in his renouation is not ficulnus inutile lignum like the image of Baal or the stumpe of Dagon 1. Kin. 18.17 1. Sam. 5.4 Psal 13 5.15 or the idols of the Gentiles which haue eyes and see not eares and heare not mouthes and speake not hands c. But as the sicke which was healed must take vp his bed and walke Mar. 2.11 as the dumbe the blinde the lame and the dead which were restored to speech and sight and strength and life they spake and saw and leaped and gaue glorie to God and as Paul after his conuersion Act. 9.20 must presently preach the Gospell so must we not suffer the grace of
God and his good meanes to sleepe or be idle in vs but we must set our hands to his plow labour in his vineyard worke the saluation of our selues and others worke I say and that for life euen with feare and trembling Phil. 2.12 The carter driuing by the way let me craue your honourable patience for a familiar and homely comparison sodainly his wheele chopped into a dangerous pit and the poore man well perceiuing the difficultie and streights to escape presently fell downe on his knees and besought his god iupiter to come and helpe but a voice was returned vnto him saying Set thy shoulder to the wheele and lash on thy horses and then I will helpe thee euen so the helpe of Gods sauing health is proper to the generation of Seekers which are not slacke no nor weary of well doing but seeke him with the whole heart Psal 24 6. viz. with all the force and power of the parts and powers both of bodie and mind so that as it is true in common experience Fortes Deus adiuuat God doth helpe and blesse the endeuours of a diligent hand so is it most true in our purgation Vp and be doing Neh. 2. and God will be with you for seeing God doth enable vs we must stirre and bestirre to cleanse our selues Reason 1 1. Iob 25.5 Because our God is most pure and holy which hath found folly in his Angels yea and the heauens are not cleare in his sight Iob 15.15 how much more is man abhominable and filthy which drinketh iniquitie like water yea our God is iealous and iust God Haba 1.13 whose eyes cannot see and spare offenders Slow to anger but great in power and cannot iustifie the wicked Nahum 1.3 He spared not the world which sinned but ouerwhelmed all with a floud of water He spared not his Church Gen. 7. the Quintessence of the world no nor his Saints Psal 106. iude 6. ver the Quintessence of his Church not the Angels which were in his presence but threw them downe from heauen like lightning no nor his onely Sonne standing in our place Math. 27.46 but he bare the full viall of his wrath Magna amaritudo peccati quae tantam amaritudinem peperit Surely it is time that we cleanse our selues for our God is a iealous God to visite the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children Exod. 20. Heb. 12.29 to the third and fourth generation of them that hate him 2. Because it is his will and pleasure that we should be pure and holy As obedient children saith Saint Peter not fashioning your selues to the former lusts of your ignorance but as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conuersation because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy Deut. 10.17 And if you call him Father which without respect of person iudgeth euery man according to his worke passe the time of your dwelling here in feare I. Pet. 1.15 16. 3. Because the pure in heart shall onely stand in his presence to which purpose were all the oblations and washings of the Leuiticall law together with the differences and distinguishments of the cleane and vncleane Leuit. 11. in birds and beasts and men also to teach that no vncleane or sinnefull person shall stand in his presence 1 Cor. 15. neither doth corruption in herite incorruption For if the question be Who shall ascend into the mountaine of the Lord or who shall stand in his holy place The answer is Euen he that hath innocent hands and a pure heart Psal 24. 3. 4. And Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Math. 5. 4. Because the promises both of this and a better life belong to them onely Vnto the pure are all things pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their minds and consciences are defiled they professe that they know God but in workes they deny him and are abhominable and disobedient and to euery good worke reprobate Tit. 1.15 And for a better life God is light saith Saint Iohn and in him dwelleth no darknesse if we say that we haue fellowship with him and walke in darknesse we lie and do not truely but if we walke in the light as he is in the light we haue fellowship one with another and the bloud of Christ his Son cleanseth vs from all sinne 1. Ioh. 1. 6.7 Vse 1 1. The vse of this point is that seeing in the worke of renouation man is meerely a patient dead vnto sinne c. not to ascribe the worke of renouation or corruption vnto our selues but vnto God onely For as it was not possible for the Israelits to passe through the red sea if God by a speciall miracle had not prepared their way and made a passage for them so for man to passe from the waies of death to the waies of life from the waies of sinne to the waies of righteousnesse without the speciall meditation and helpe of diuine grace is impossible This is that which our Sauiour speaketh of Ioh. 15.5 Without me you can do nothing For can we promise any thing more to our selues then Dauid in the 119. Psal I will run O Lord saith he the way of thy commandements when thou hast set my heart at liberty Can we run with our feete before our hearts be prepared or can we run with our heart before God hath enlarged it Can we run the way without the way which is Christ Iesus away which we cannot see till our eies be enlightned Not so but when God shall haue opened the eies of our vnderstandings then with Dauid may we see the wonderfull things of Gods law For there is gratia praeueniens before we can do any good and there must be gratia cooperans to assist vs in well doing and gratiaperficiens vel subsequens to continue vnto the end so that we cannot perfect the worke of renouation Nisi gratia praeueniat gratia cooperetur gratiaperficiat vel subsequatur 2. Seeing God of his mercie doth deuide the worke of our purification with vs and doth challenge the former to himselfe it remaineth in the latter that we be not wanting to our selues but seeing he hath begun conuerted cleansed vs let vs second this inchoation conuersion purgation by cleansing our selues and working out our owne saluation For whereas formerly we were blinde now he hath enlightned vs we were cast downe but he hath raised vs we were dead in sinnes trespasses but he hath quickned vs illuminating our minds rectifying our willes disposing our hearts from euill to good Let vs not be the enemies of God and our owne saluation to quench the spirit but endenour our selues to know the good pleasure of his will for he hath enlightned vs to walke in his waies for he hath raised vs and by all meanes to make our election sure for he doth enable vs to euery good worke
first But wee must giue our heart freely and with a willing minde our whole heart must we giue and that continually Deut 6.5 Vae duplici cordi saith Saint Austen They dissemble with a double heart saith the Psalmist Psal 12. But this I say Cor diuisum moritur A diuided heart is a dead heart Et qui diuidunt partem diabolo partem Deo iratus Deus à sua parte discedit diabolus totum possidet and therefore giue God all or thou giuest him nothing at all yea and do it continually non Deo in iuuentute diabolo in senectute like the foolish Galathians which began in the spirit Gal. 3. but would end in the flesh In a word we may giue our knowledge to the ignorant our goods to the poore our taxes to Ceesar but our hearts only to God freely and wholy Because that as one flie corrupteth the whole boxe of ointment Reason so one sinne makes vs liable to condemnation The Apostle therefore speakes of sinne in singular Rom. 6.23 Stipendium peccati The wages of sinne not of many but of any sin is death And if we should suffer so many deaths as we haue committed sinnes yet were Gods iudgements iust and right A ship is endangered by one leake in the side and a citie surprised by one breach in the wall and a fowler catcheth the bird as well by one part as the whole bodie So sinne is like leauen and a little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe Gal. 5.9 2. King 2. one Coloquintida brought death into the pot and one dead worke of darknesse destroyeth the soule Vse It serueth to condemne the halting profession of our dissembling age wherein many will be content to leaue some sinnes 1. Sam. 1 5.9 but keepe others as Saul spared Agag and the fatlings and as Herod spared his lust and vnlawfull marriage Mat. 6.12 Ananias and Saphira were willing to bring a part to the Apostles but they were loth to bring all The yong man in the Gospel would follow Christ but he was loth to sell all so that this word all marres all Euery man would go to heauen with his darling The couetous would go with his gold the vicious with his harlots the ambitious with his braue attire c. But touch the world in these their profitable pleasant darling and bosome sinnes and you shall heare men speake as in the house of Rimmon like Naaman the Assyrian God be mercifull to me in this 2. King 5. Preach to the vsurer or oppressour That he which doth not prouide for his owne familie is worse then an infidel or against prodigality or suretiship and your word shall be as the first and latter raine and sinke deepe into his romembrance but turne him to Psal 15. where no vsurer shall rest in Gods holy hill or 1. Cor 6. where no extortioner shall enter into the kingdome of heauen or to Saint Matthew concerning workes of mercie or to Saint Luke against couetousnesse and you shall finde him eared like the deafe adder and his heart harder then the nether milstone But it is written If thy right eye offend thee that is Math. 5. if thy sinne be as deare vnto thee as the apple of thine eye yet pull it out and let not thine eye spare it or if thy right hand offend thee that is if thy sinne be as profitable and commodious as thy hand whereby thou gettest thy liuing yet cut it off and cast it from thee or if thy foote offend thee to cause thee to sin that is if thy sinne be so necessary as thy foote wherewith thou bearest thy selfe yet spare it not For it is better to enter into the kingdome of God blinde and lame and maimed then otherwise to be cast into hellfire For one sinne in the soule is like a serpent in the bosome cast it from you or it will sting you to death and as Dalila neuer left fawning and flattering Sampson till she made him a mill horse to the Philistimes so your sinne if you trust it will betray you to the diuel and he will send you with such a grist to grinde that you shall pay your soule for the tole As therefore it is said of Iob. 1. that he was integer rectus and so must we be integri sound and not hollow and recti straight and not crooked and so are all good men and euery good worke both within and without And to this purpose ought we to set God alwaies before our eies 1. 2. 3. 4. Eph. 6.6 and to think vpon iudgement and our account and to consider that eye seruice is nothing pleasing to God and to remember that as Christ gaue his heart bloud for vs so as Saint Bernard saith Iustè cor nostrum vendicat quisuum pro nobis dedit He I say hath redeemed vs and therefore ought we to cleanse our hearts from all sinne and giue all to his seruice This is the point which I aime at viz. the triall of out integrity when a man can say with good conscience as Psal 139. Try me O God and know my heart proue me and knew my thoughts and consider if there be any way of wickednesse in me or at the least as it is Psal 7.3 if there be any wickednesse in my hands Surely brethren I say to you that are the elect of God Let vs thus examine our owne hearts vpon our beds Psal 4. and in our chambers secretly and cleanse our selues from all filthinesse All filthinesse I say both of the flesh and spirit which is the last passage of this point viz. The speciality of the parts and powers infected 5. 5. The speciality of the parts and powers infected Of the flesh and spirit There was a law in Rome De purgandis fontibus and it holds good in Scripture where we must purge our hearts which is fons vitoa tam naturalis quà m spiritualis and in purging of our heart we must cleanse our bodies yea and our soules also from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit whence note Doct. We must mortifie our bodies and mortifie our soules and so giue the whole to Gods seruice Rom. 12.1 I beseech you brethren by the mercies God that you giue vp your bodies and soules a liuing sacrifice c. In stead of the bodies of dead beasts we must giue our bodies a liuing sacrifice and in stead of the bloud of beasts which was a shadow and pleased not God of it selfe we must giue vp the acceptable sacrifice of the soule and this is iuge sacrificium viz. a perpetuall mortifying of the will reason affections and members Atque haec obedientia non potest plus dare dedit enim se And therefore must we mortifie both that we may sanctifie him both in body and soule not onely saying in the outward organe of speech My soule praise thou the Lord Psal 103.1 but body and soule flesh and spirit must
And of the former generall part of my text viz. the worke of mortification thus farre Now followeth the other viz. viuification And grow vp c. Where before we further passe consider with me a little this copulatiue particle And. And I his word standeth as a bridge in the passages of my text may it please you to stand vpon it a little and looke both wayes you shall obserue the Apostles order whose order is first dehorting from sinne and then exhorting to holinesse first killing the old man with the fil thy workes of darknesse and then raising the new man which according to God is created in holinesse and righteousnesse First Cleanse your selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and then grow vp to full holinesse in the feare of God whence obserue Sinne must be rooted out before holinesse can be planted in Doctr. For Sarah can haue no contented peace so long as there is an Hagar in the house or family and therefore saith the Scripture Cast out the bond woman viz. sinne and let not thine eye spare her though she hath had fauour of the flesh and spirit yet make a cleane riddance and leaue not a brat or rag of her behind Psal 34. 14. Isa 1. First ceasse to do euill saith Dauid then learne to do well Eschue euill saith Isaiah and then do good First we must die vnto sinne and then liue vnto righteousnesse for viuendo morimur moriendo viuimus in liuing we must die and dying we shall for euer hue Ambrose And therefore Saint Ambrose inuerteth that saying of the preacher Eccles 2. There is a time to line and a time to die nay rather saith he there is time to die and a time to liue Leo. Et melius est mori Christo saith Leo qui mortuos erigit qrà m viuere diabolo quistantes deprimit Better to die to Christ which raiseth the dead then to liue in sinne which destroyes the liuing 1. Reason 1. Math. 9.17 Ab incommodo because no man putteth new wine into old vessels for the vessels breake and the wine is lost but new wine must be put into new vessels that both may be preserued no more can the word of Gods grace take effect or newnesse of life be begun in the old vessels of sinne Luk 8.14 For as the thornie cares of the world do choake the word so to the wicked Iew and Grecian and man of sinne the grace of God is a stumbling blocke blindnesse and foolishnesse and to offer his promised graces and fauours vnto such is but to cast pearles before swine or to giue holy things vnto dogges 2. 2. 2. Cor. 6.15 Ab impossibili because two contraries cannot at once agree in one subiect and What fellowship hath light with darknesse or Christ with Belial The altar of the heart therefore must first be cleansed before the sacrifice of righteousnesse be offered the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse must be purged out before that holinesse can be planted in Vse This serues for the condemnation of those which think to attaine grace sufficient yea and glorie also although they cleanse not themselues from sinne but these are those foolish builders which would build the house of holinesse without a foundation and ioyne the same together with the vntempered morter of iniquitie but the grace of God pertaines not to such neither haue they part in the promises yea in this state of sinne they are altogether excluded from the kingdome for it is written euen of the best which doth otherwise best approue himselfe Luk. 13.3 Except you repent you shall all perish So that sinne so long as it reignes or remaines in a man not repented of it is the barre of Gods grace and our owne saluation We reade of him which came to offer his gift Mat. 5.23 that he was sent backe first to purge the altar of his heart from the leauen of malice and strife And it is most true of any person so long as he continues in any sinne not repented of and cast out his seruice is not acceptable but his prayers are abhominable Nay suppose further that he hath done many good works as the wicked shall one day pâ—eade In thy name haue we prophesied and through thy name cast out diuels yet if he commit iniquitie all his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not be mentioned Ezech. 18.24 but in his transgression that he hath committed and in the sinne that he hath sinned he shall die In the transition of the points of my text therefore let me exhort you in the name of Christ and the words of the holy Ghost as it is written Ezech. 18.30 Returne therefore and cause others to turne from all your transgressions and so iniquitie shall not be your destruction cast away all your transgressions whereby you haue transgressed and make you a new heart and a new spirit that holinesse may be planted in for why will you die O house of Israel It followeth Grow vp to full holinesse in the feare of God Which part of the conclusion I haue formerly viewed vnder three heads 1. The growth Growvp 2. The perfection to fall holinesse 3. The measure or rule to maintaine and preserue godlines viz. in the feare of God 1. Grow vp After mortification hauing once cleansed our selues we must not stay there as Israel at the foote of the hill Exod. 19. but with Moses ascend into the mount of God and increase in holinesse whence note Doctr. Such as are mortified to sinne must rise a gaine as impes transplanted out of the common of this world into the Eden of God Psal 1. So Saint Peter wils to grow vp 2. Pet. 3.18 But grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ The poesie of Apelles was Nulla dies sine linea and I subscribe Nullalinea sine linea No day without a line and no line seene or read without some fruite Titus the Emperour was wont to say of a day that passed him without some good Perdidi diem to teach vs that all time is not time to vs which is not lent to this seruice In the old law the seruant which after seuen yeares seruice would abide with his maister Exod. 21.6 he was to bore a hole through his eare and naile him to the post of his doore As the maister dealt with his seruant so must we deale with our selues viz. bore an hole through not our eare but our heart and naile that to the house of holinesse God in the beginning saith The euening and the morning was the first day Gen. 1. and so of the rest but of the Sabboth there is no mention made either of morning or euening to teach that our seruice to God must be without euening viz. without ending and so must be our growth in godlinesse The kingdome of God is compared to a graine of mustard-seed Math. 13. which is first an herbe then the greatest