ignorance was ineuitable as also because they practised according to that Christian knowledge which then was attainable and sinned not wilfully as we doe against that glorious light which God doth now offer in the ministerie of his most holy word Thirdly considering that our fore-fathers acts are no sufficient warrant for vs wee notwithstanding our reuerence vnto them dare not sweare to their sayings and admit of a blinde imitation of their actions without triall but with a holy anger against that cursed apostasie which misled our deare predecessors and brought them to some acts of superstition we bring them to the touchstone of Gods word and wherein he will haue vs leaue them we follow God and humbly thanke him for that reuelation wherein he will giue vs leaue to goe with them we cheerefully follow them blessing the same God who made them such faithfull guides Thus I feare I haue beene too long in striuing to root out the conceits of noueltie and vnnaturalnesse in those truths which our writings will present vnto you But hauing so good proofe of both your loues vnto me I doubt not but either of you and both of you will spare so much time as may afford diligent reading and obseruation of what is written As for the Writer yee may haue a more complementall not a more heartie well-willer As for the subiect of my writing as Terentius a noble Captaine in daies of old when he saw his petition which he put vp for the Christians to be torne in peeces by the Emperor gathered vp the tottered shreds and said I seeke neither houses nor lands gold nor gaine but a Church So haue I wholly aimed at Conscience and a Church the Church of God amongst vs. What shall I now say To you Sir as Occham said to the Emperour in another case and kinde when he was vexed with the Popes ambition Tu me defende gladio ego te defendam verbo Defend me with your sword and I will defend and second you by the Word the Spirits sword To you Madame as Paul to the Hebrewes Pray for vs Hebr. 13.18 for we are assured that we haue a good conscience in all things willing to liue honestly To you both liue to your selues liue to yours liue to the Church of God amongst vs. So shall hee with more cheare put vp your suits to God who alreadie is much and desires to be more bound vnto your Worships and shall rest Your faithfull Shepherd to vse in any thing within the compasse of his office ROBERT ABBOT TO THOSE CHRISTIAN Readers of whose reading I am well assured euen to my deare and louing Parishioners of Cranebrooke in Kent THE GOD of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus Heb. 13.20 21. the great Shepherd of the sheepe through the bloud of the euerlasting Couenant make you all perfect in all good workes to doe his will working in you that which is pleasant in his sight through Iesus Christ our Lord. Though I cannot say with Paul to the Galathians I beare you record that if it had beene possible Gal. 4.15 yee would haue plucked out your owne eyes and haue giuen them me Yet out of a taste of the singular loue and respect which yee haue had vnto me for my workes sake 1 Thess 5.13 I can with good conscience greet you as the same Apostle doth the Philippians My brethren beloued and lonâ—ed for my ioy Phil 4.1 and my crowne and doe beseech you to continue in the Lord yee beloued Yee see that in publishing these Sermons I doe offer my selfe vnto publike censures In so good a cause I only desire to be found faithful 1 Cor. 4.2 3. and then I care little to be iudged by mans iudgement I know that some of the things which I write of are commonly knowne 2 Pet. 1.12 13 14 15. yet I will not be vnmindfull to put you in remembrance of what yee haue knowledge and of that truth wherein yee are alreadie established And though I cannot say that the time is at hand that I must lay downe this my Tabernacle yet I thinke it meet so long as am in it to stirre you vp yea and to endeuour that you may haue in remembrance the secret of the Gospell euen after my departure 1 Tim. 3.16 For I haue not followed deceiueable fables but the mysterie of godlinesse which may helpe you with or hold you out a right hand of fellowship to keepe out sinne and Antichrist I haue no dominion ouer your faith 2 Cor. 1.24 yet am I vnder God a helper of your ioy Gal. 3.7 In which respect yee haue runne well and yee doe well in that in my weake but by Gods fauour willing Ministery yee haue and doe take heed vnto the most sure word of the Prophets 2 Pet. 1.19 as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place Iames 1.21 and as to that good word of God which is able to saue your soules 2 Thess 1.11 12 And I desire to pray alwaies for you that our God may make you worthy of his calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodnesse and the worke of faith with power That the name of our Lord Iesus Christ may be glorified in you and you in him according to the grace of our God 1 Thess 2.19 20 For what is my hope or ioy or crowne of reioycing Are not euen ye in the presence of our Lord Iesus at his comming Yea yee are my glory and ioy And therefore because one desire of mine is to keepe out sinne I will pray againe for you Ephes 3.14 Vers 16. and bow my knees vnto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory that yee may be strengthned by his Spirit in the inner man Vers 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith Oh how vnwillingly should I say of you with the Apostle Gal. 4.11 1 Cor. 6.15.19 I am in feare of you lest I haue bestowed on you labour in vaine Know yee not that your bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost in you and the members of Christ Phil. 2.1 2. If therefore there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of loue if any fellowship of the Spirit if any compassion and mercie fulfill my ioy In thinking vpon and doing whatsoeuer things are true Philip. 4.8 whatsoeuer things are honest whatsoeuer things are iust whatsoeuer things are pure whatsoeuer things pertaine to loue whatsoeuer things are of good report or if there be any other vertue I know that in times past yee were foolish Titus 3.3 disobedient deceiued seruing the lusts and diuers pleasures liuing in maliciousnesse and enuy hatefull and hating one another But it is sufficient yea too too much for you 1 Pet. 4.3 that ye haue spent the time past of your liues after the lusts of the Gentiles walking in wantonnesse lusts drunkennesse in gluttony drinkings and in abominable securitie Now therefore dearely beloued 1
ministeriall head ouer all the world both for order and iurisdiction ouer all Bishops all Christians to set out the rule of faith lawes dispensations ouer all the world to trample vpon kings and to decree them to butchery or honour as they serue for the good of the Catholike cause Now how this and the like stuffe can bee inferred from the words of Christ to Peter to vphold their monarchicall head I would intreat you to call your best Logicke to an account and to doe your best to iudge Secondly because the Pope pleades more for himselfe than he doth for him from whom he pretends to receiue deputation He is like an vnfaithfull friend who being sent to speake a good word speakes one for his friend and two for himselfe For what is it that doth imbroyle the whole Christian world more than the Popes monarchie All kingdomes must be at his dispose that so such Princes as he can traine vp in dull ignorance may through ambition be prouoked to be his white sonnes that they may attaine to great honours and other mens inheritances vnder him All must be Hereticks that are not within his Pale The word of God must depend vpon his allowance Scripture must be no Scripture except he looke fauourably vpon it and giue it what sense pleaseth him Kings must be no Kings if it pleaseth him to excommunicate them and we must be no ministers because our calues are cow-calues as that blessed Martyr Woodman answered the Bishop of Chichester who wanted the Popes Bull to consecrate or confirme him in his Bishopricke with many other prettie toyes Thirdly because all the notes of the great Antichrist that are in Scripture doe agree to him to wit the Pope as is maintained to his face by our dread Soueraigne and the reuerend Father Bishop Downame in his treatise of Antichrist and in his Diatriba of the same subiect It is true indeed they would make vs beleeue that his chayre is made of Irish wood to which no copwebs of falshood can cleaue nor any venomous creature come neere without death and that his Church is like that which the mariners built in Illiria to Saint Iohn de Maluatia whose very morter was tempered with malmsey a sweet and precious Church but all the water in Tyber will not wash off that imputation except he doe penance for his ambition and opposition and become such a Bishop as the primitiue godly Fathers were Fourthly because it cannot be shewed that Christ hath appointed the Pope to be his Vicar hee often speaketh of the Holy Ghost as when he saith Ioh. 14.26 The Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things and againe When he is come which is the Spirit of truth Ioh. 16.13 hee will lead you into all truth but he neuer speaketh of the Pope If he doe let him shew it if he doe not let him consider how hatefull it is for a man to put himselfe into such high commissions without warrant from God and how iustly wee may lay this in his dish No man taketh this honour but he that is called of God as Aaron was Thus I hope you perceiue that we cannot be assured that that is the true Church whereof the Pope is the head Vse Oh therefore my beloued countrey-men leane not to him and to his politicke apostasie lift vp your heads and behold by faith the bowing pillars of his proud monarchy All his diuine vnction cannot foresee nor all his keyes and swords helpe himselfe from that miserie which the Kings of the earth who are and shall fall from him shall bring vpon him As therefore Moselanus a Iew when hee had killed a fowle whose flight the hoast of Alexander expected to prognosticate good or euill successe by said vnto them What a foule shame is it for so many worthy men to seeke knowledge of her that knew not what should happen to her selfe So say I What a shame is it for so many wise men to seeke wisdome and direction from him who is not wise enough for himselfe but rageth now like the deuill because his time is but short and yet cannot see it Surely as he that died of the bite of a weasell lamented because it was not a Lion so will such at the last lament that they haue fallen by that weake one though neuer so great in the eyes of his flatterers whose very throne shall fall as a milstone into the sea to wit with great violence noyse horrour and trouble to the world But now you will say Put case that we account Iesus Christ our head yet if we are not of his body we are not of that Church whereof he is the head It is true therefore that you may know your selues to be of the body I must goe two steps further Richar. Transire in Christum et coalescere cum Christo Membra secundum praescientiam et sâ—cundum praesentem iusticiam First I must shew you how God doth fit vs to be made one with our head and to be members of his body We are falsly charged to require inward qualifications of holinesse in euery member of the Church for there are members in Gods Book before calling as well as such as are called and of such as are called there are members by profession which do admit of a cutting off yet if we would assure our hearts that we are so in the Church as wee are also of it Membra 1. Numero 2. Merito et electione ut corruptè à scholasticis pro opere et electione we must be inwardly coapted and fitted to be made one with him Now for this fitting of vs for our head it must be by three actions of our good and mercifull God First God must cut vs from the wilde oliue that is he must separate vs from corrupted Adam as we are borne after his cursed image To this end God giueth vs by the law a sight of some one sinne which hath haply made deepest gashes in our consciences together with the punishment due vnto it At which sight we suspecting what all our sins may deserue if God shall muster them together through compunction of heart we are brought to a detestation of our former estate and so to a casting off of our transgressions that we may not die Secondly God must pare vs to put vs into the true oliue Christ by humiliation when we see how fearefully wee lie liable to Gods iustice we despairing of all helpe and comfort elsewhere doe humbly lay our selues downe at Gods feet to bee disposed to shame sorrow feare confession prayer and application of spirituall reasons to our carnall hearts to mortifie and dead our corruptions according to Gods Word Thirdly God must ingraft vs into Christ How is this When by the power of the Word and Spirit he doth worke faith in our hearts by which wee comparing the bottomlesse pit of our sinful estate with the height length bredth
till it hath brought vs downe to the desperation of hell Thus we haue passed the generalls of this reasoning In reasoning there is first the to descend now vnto the particulars wee shall first meet with the proposition which is the first part of reasoning wherein wee doe propound and beare witnesse vnto that truth which is made knowne vnto vs. 1 Proposition Whence I offer this point to be considered that In our selues there is a witnesse which will propound the truth according to knowledge From hence is it that Paul ioyneth these two together to wit the knowledge of God and the knowledge of our owne hearts 1. Cor. 2.11 No man knoweth what is in man saue God and the spirit that is the conscience From this witnessing power Dauid saith Psal 51.3 My sinne is euer before me and the brethren of Ioseph were compelled to vtter this speech Wee verily sinned against our brother Gen. 42.21 in that wee saw the anguish of his soule when he besought vs and we would not heare him therefore is this trouble come vpon vs. Yea and God himselfe implying this power vnto Kain Gen. 4. saith Sinne lieth at the doore Sinne lieth at the doore What is that We ordinarily looke vnto one of these three senses either the punishment of sinne is at hand for amongst the Hebrew sinne is taken for the punishment of sinne as Christ is said To be sinne for vs 2 Cor. 5.21 or else thy sinne is not secret for thou shalt be no more able to conceale it than that which doth lie at the doore in euery ones view or else the conscience of thy sinne shall forthwith fly vpon thee because the witnessings and twinges of the conscience doe ineuitably follow sinne But if wee take all these three together they make one intire sense as if God should say Kain thou canst not so hide thy sinne from mee but that it will inwardly fret and gnaw vpon thy conscience and outwardly draw speedie vengeance But more fully to open this witnessing power of conscience I would consider foure points First Whether wee in our courses can lie hid from our consciences I answer for a time wee may both through the weaknesse of nature when the naturall conscience doth not take notice of sinne Acts 15. as when the Gentiles accounted fornication a thing indifferent when the people of Calicute and Narsinga doe without regret worship the deuill when we walke in the waies of our Fathers whether good or bad without checke and the like as also by the iust iudgement of God when he doth giue vs ouer for our sins to hardnesse of heart and to a cauterized conscience as the Gentiles Rom. 1. who because they did not glorifie God with their naturall knowledge were giuen ouer to vnnaturall sinnes Yet wee shall not alwaies sleepe thus securely it will looke vpon vs with a witnesse and speake so loud in our eares that we shall see a map of our miseries as Theodoricus did the face of Symachus whom he had murthered in a fish-head on his table and shall make vs leaue behinde vs such a desperate will when wee die as English Hubertus did who had beene a couetous oppressor I yeeld my goods to the King my bodie to the graue my soule to the deuill The second point is this to consider seeing we cannot lie hid from our consciences what conscience doth witnesse I answer It witnesseth both our sins and our righteousnesse As for our sinnes this is that ancient officer of God whereby he doth reproue vs and set our sinnes in order before vs. If wee sinne in our thoughts Psal 50.21 conscience taketh notice of it for as we will say for our owne cleering In my conscience I did not so much as thinke it so Paul said of the Gentiles their thoughts accused or excused them Rom. 2. yea and those that are come from the knowledge of conscience to the feeling of it can with griefe tell that conscience doth thus If we sin in our wills and affections conscience taketh notice of it As Paul saith Rom. 9.1 My conscience beareth mee witnesse by the Holy Ghost that I haue great heauinesse for you So on the contrary if his will and affections had not beene carried the right way his conscience would haue beene vpon the backe of him for it as we see in his reluctâ—tion betweene the flesh and the spirit Rom. 7.15 I allow not that which I doe yea what I hate that I doe If we sinne in our words conscience presently heareth therefore Solomon obseruing it saith Take no heed to all words for oftentimes thine owne heart knowes that thou hast also cursed others If we sinne in our actions conscience will not ouerpasse them It told Iudas that hee had sinned in betraying innocent bloud and makes infinite complainâ—s and conâ—essions in all sorts of people at some times or other Seâ—ondly as for oâ—r righteousnesse conscience doth witnesse our sonship as the Apostle saith Rom. 8.16 The spirit of Goâ— beareth witnesse with our spirit that wee are the children of God as also our new obedience and holinesse For this wâ— see plaine in the example of Paul Heb. 13.18 2 Cor. 1.12 Act. 23.1 whose conscience told hiâ— That hee was willing in all things to liue honestly that in simplicitie and godly purenesse he had his conuersation in the world and that in all good conscience he serued God In the third place if it be demanded how the conscience doth witnesse I answer that you that feele it know and from my feeling I expresse it thus The vnderstanding is the spy to informe from that light which it doth receiue either from Nature or from the Word of God the Memorie is the recorder of the court within for all the passages of mans life we cannot in this kinde learne the art of forgetfulnesse for though wee may seeme to forget it for a time as the sonnes of Iacob did the selling of Ioseph yet in day of affliction houre of death and day of iudgement our reckonings will be bleeding new and then this diuine power doth take a view of our whole liues and from that office which God hath giuen it witnesse truly and bring to passe all our doings as in the sight and presence of God If now in the fourth place you will aske me Why the conscience doth in these reasonings as a witnesse propound the truth I answer In two respects First In respect of God that God may bee manifested to be a iust God in his proceedings There aâ—e many secret sinnes which no man in the world can witnesse for which if God should proceed against vs he might seeme vniust To the end therefore that God might be cleered in the day of vengeance hee hath set a witnesse within our selues which will not lie Secondly In respect of our selues because it might be of excellent vse through the whole course of our
not to wonder that it should bee called a new creation or else haply wee may call it a new structure or building as when the Apostle saith Ephes 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wee are his workemanship built in Christ to good workes And the reason is because the foundations of sin are ruinated the rotten posts of sinne pulled downe and when the drosse of the substance and faculties of bodie and soule which still remaine are scowred and pared off through the worke of the Spirit we grow vp into a holy building fitted for God to dwel in Would you haue in a word now what this new creature is I answer It is The hid man of the Heart which contrary to all powers of darknesse and the corruption of our owne hearts is through the worke of the Spirit by the Word builded vp from the seeds of grace towards a full age in Christ to resemble the excellencie of Gods image in all the parts and powers of the bodie and soule Secondly Why is hee that is in Christ a new creature This being the second point to bee considered Why he that is in Christ is a new creature 1. In respect of acceptation receiue I beseech you a fourefold reason of it First in respect of acceptation because God doth account them that are in Christ new creatures accepting the will for the deed and couering our imperfections with his merits Whence are those speeches of Christ to his Church My loue behold Cant. 1.14 15. thou art faire behold thou art faire thine eyes are like the doues my welbeloued behold thou art faire and pleasant Whence doth the Apostle say That the Church hauing receiued sanctification from Christ Ephes 5.26 27. is a glorious Church to him not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing Whence I say doth the Holy Ghost speake vnto Gods people Let vs as many as be perfect bee thus minded Philip. 3.15 as if they had no sin but onely because God doth accept vs for such seeing wee are in Christ 2 Of apparition Secondly He that is in Christ is a new creature in respect of apparition to the world A burning candle cannot lie hid in a light lanthorne no more can grace in the heart of him that is in Christ Faith that inrighteth vs to Christ cannot but be seene It will easily make an apparant difference in vs from what we were When the Apostle Peter saith 1 Pet. 1.3 It is sufficient for vs that wee haue spent the time past of the life after the lusts of the Gentiles walking in wantonnesse lusts drunkennesse in gluttony drinkings and in abominable idolatries doe we not thinke that this difference in the Christians liues did easily appeare to the Gentiles 1 Pet. 4. â— Yes surely therefore it both seemed strange vnto them that they runne not with them into the same excesse of riot and also they spake euill of them euen so is it with all new creatures As they appeare to the good to be new as Paul did Gal. 1.21 23. when of a persecuter he became a preacher of the faith which before he destroied insomuch as they glorified God for him so they appeare to the wicked to be new and therefore their by-words tants reproaches and disgraces are more ordinary with them then their thanksgiuing to God for so gracious a change 3 Of inchoation Thirdly He that is in Christ is a new creature in respect of inchoation Old things are passed away behold all things are become new There are new eyes leauing with delight to behold vanitie 2 Coâ— 5.17 Psal 1â— 9. â—â—b 31.1 couenanting against lust and searching into the wonders of Gods law there are new eares stopped against the inticements of the serpent and open to heare what God will speake there are new tongues Psal 85.8 not to sing the old dittie of nature Psal 40.3 but to sing a new song to the praise of our God and Sauiour that so the tongue of the righteous may be like fined siluer there are new hands Prou. 10.20 Esay 58.4 not to smite with the fist of iniquitie not to pull in with rapine and robbery but to deale according to abilitie the dole of mercy to men in misery Eccles 11.1 to cast our bread vpon the waters to turne ouer the pages of Gods Booke that the Word of God may dwell plentifully in vs Coloss 3.16 Apocal. and to giue the right hand of fellowship to euery good action within our reach there are new feet Rom. 3.15 Psal 122.2 not to bee swift to shed bloud but to stand in thy gates O Ierusalem and so farre as the bodie can execute it to run the way of Gods commandements Psal 119. there are new vnderstandings to know and acknowledge the truth that is according to godlinesse Titus 1.1 new wills and affections to come vnto Christ to loue him Matth. 11.28 to feare him to cleaue vnto him to put a mans whole trust in his mercies and merits Matth. 5.6 Psal 119.5 new desires to hunger and thirst after righteousnesse and new consciences to bee watchfull ouer all our waies 2 Tim. 4.5 Psal 39.1 and not to let the least sinne to passe without a strict examination condemnation and settled purpose and resolution against it In all parts there is newnesse and as Christ hath giuen vs a new commandement so we through the power of Gods spirit do giue him a new obedience in all the powers of our soules bodies Fourthly Hee that is in Christ is a new creature in respect of communion because hee hath fellowship in the holinesse of Christ which doth as it were cast him into a new mold Col. 1.19 It pleaseth the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell Iohn 1.16 and out of his fulnesse wee doe all receiue grace for grace Which grace doth not onely couer sinne but cure sinne according to that of the Prophet Esay 53.5 The chastisement of our peace is vpon him and with his stripes we are healed How therefore can it be otherwise but that such a man should be a new creature seeing before times hee had fellowship with corrupted Adam and so was the childe of wrath but now he hath fellowship with him who aboue Dauid is a man after Gods owne heart euen his welbeloued Sonne in whom he is well pleased 2 Application You haue heard now the Doctrine of the Text opened vnto you namely that hee that is in Christ is a new creature now if you will be attentiue you shall heare the application of it for the benefit of our soules To apply it then we shall make a double vse of it Vse 1 First we learne as wee doe desire to finde our selues to be in Christ so to be carefull to see our selues to be new creatures No new creature no Christ wee must be in Christ as I haue shewed vnto you if we
be in Christ we are new creatures as I haue cleared what then must be our care but only to proue our selues to be new creatures that so we may assure our hearts that we are in him How we may proue our selues to be new creatures Yea but now you will say vnto mee How may I proue my selfe to be a new creature I answer Wee may doe it two waies First if we be cut off from the old stocke Secondly if we be grafted into the new 1 Wee must be cut off from the old stocke Ephes 2. The old stocke is Adam corrupted in whom we are by nature and in which condition wee are the children of wrath as much as the most cursed wretch in the world as he is borne and so dead in sinnes and trespasses Now from this stocke we must be cut off for as a sience must be cut off from one tree before it can be concorporated into another so we must be cut off from the wilde Oliue before wee can be planted into Christ If therefore wee can finde our selues to be cut off from the naturall root wherein we are by birth then we may secure our selues that wee are in a good way to be in Christ Perhaps you will say that heere is difficultie still for how shall I know that I am cut off from the old Adam I answer that through Gods blessing I shall giue you two manifest signes of it The first signe is taken from the cause of it 1 How we may know that wee are cut off from Adam Col 2.11 Dan. 2.45 which is God only As our circumcision is made without hands as Paul speaketh so must our cutting off be As our Sauiour Christ is that Stone which was cut out of the mountain without hands as Daniel speaketh so wee that are his members must be cut from the quarrie of Nature Of his owne will begat he vs by the word of truth saith Iames Iames 1.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 3.9 and we that are borne of God are borne not of blouds the highest prerogatiues that births can afford vnto vs cannot make vs more pretious with God nor of the will of the flesh all humane obseruation and outward righteousnesse attained vnto by the power and policie of man Phil. 3.6 7. can stead vs little with God nor the will of man heroicall gifts of wisdome valour noble spirits in which respect men of old haue beene called the sonnes of God which is translated The Sonnes of the Mightie cannot make vs any thing sooner deare to God but we are borne of God saith Iohn Psal 29.1 1 Cor. 1. Iohn 1.13 There are many men seeme to be cut off when they desist from the outragious sinnes of nature who yet are not in Christ because they are cut off with hands for the meanes to restraine them are some of these Sometimes their complexion pulleth them in cholericke Saul finding his opportunitie threw his jaueline at Dauid he would haue writ the malice of his heart in bloud but sanguine Dauid though hee had his opportunitie tooke but Sauls water-pot Speare and lap of his garment and that iustly with touch of Conscience also Though Dauid fell into murther in temptation thinking so to couer his sinne Sometimes Natures impotencie pulleth them in to some sinnes are required the courage of a Lion to some the craft of a Fox to some comelinesse to some strength to some the heat of youth to some the experience of age and the like In any of which when Nature is defectiue there is a restraint Sometimes they are pulled in by knowledge when a man is not giuen vp to a reprobate minde hee seeth dutie and comelinesse and is restrained from thence As some know their masters will and doe it not so there are others that do it not because they are ignorant whereas if they had knowledge but according to that light which Nature can afford it would be a bridle Sometimes they are pulled in by prosperitie He that hath enough will not steale and if he sometimes doe steale by oppression bribery vsury or the like so much the greater is his sinne by how much more violently God pulled him baâ—ke by taking away the cause Sometimes they are restrained by aduersitie Hee that is poore cannot exercise the outward acts of pride he cannot ordinarily ambitiously climbe to honour hee cannot be actually couetous in keeping seeing he hath not what to keepe So that in these cases his pouertie is a bridle Sometimes they are held in by Education and imployment A Citizen will carry himselfe more grauely in habit complement and conuersation than a Courtier for his credit sake and who seeth not that imploiment doth hold backe from many sinnes Vellem si non of sem imperator Scipio could say when an Harlot was offâ—red vnto him I would haue her if I were not a Gouernour Sometimes they are restrained by the power of naturall conscience for though it bee much wounded and weakened in the offices of it yet euen naturall men cannot be rid of those blowes which it doth giue in secret In which respect they haue beene and are kept from many sinnes made knowne from the light of nature Sometimes againe they are restrained and pulled backe by policie because they might the better conceale and couer their aimes and intentions Thus was Iezabel restrained from the open murther of Naboth and of Haman it is said Hester 5.10 that though he was full of indignation yet he refrained himselfe All these bridles we may obserue to be in the hand of Nature to restraine Or thus These eight kniues are in Natures pocket to cut vs off from the old stocke But all this is but a seeming cutting off for it doth but cut off from the outward practise of sinne it weakneth not the root one iot The habits of sinne are no lesse powerfull the will no lesse willing the affections no lesse vehement and the desires no lesse violent Vnder all these Nature sinneth not either because Nature cannot or because Nature dare not and not because there is disabilitie either in the seeds and spâ—wne of sinne or in a willingnesse to sinne if it either could or durst Durst I say because naturall conscience may plie a man with club-law and awe him from that which with all his heart he would be doing But now on the contrarie when our cutting off is wrought without hands and is such as Nature with all her bridles and kniues cannot reach vnto then we doe not only desist from the practise of sinne but we doe weaken the power of sinne wee doe not only not commit sinne bâ—cause we cannot or dare not but because we will not And though sometimes through the power of the flesh fighting against the spirit in our mindes wills affections and desires we are against our wills ouer-taken with sinne yet because sinne doth defile vs who are the temples of God and doth
without it Thus we shall resemble that man after Gods owne heart Psal 84. whose soule longed and fainted for the Courts of the Lord. Fourthly we must desire the word by supernaturall instinct By instinct Babes in desiring the dugge doe not respect the profit the pleasure the goodnesse and nourishment of it but are carried vnto it by a naturall instinct so we must be addicted vnto the word not for eloquence learning law or times sake but by a supernaturall instinct and spirituall inclination to seeke nourishment from thence from whence we receiued our being in grace Let these foure be tokens of our nâ—w â—irth which if wee finde in our soules yea but in desire prouided there be a purpose and endeuour to increase let me then say vnto vs all with ioy that if we care a while we shall be for euer safe Secondly we may know that we receiue motion from Christ our head How wee may know that wee receiue motion from Christ our head if our heads and hearts be not moued to the world as the world but as it may be in any of the kindes of it a testimonie of Gods loue and a necessarie supply for our pilgrimage in this vale of teares It is true â—hat Agar may be in the familie for seruice but Sarah must be mistresse Abraham may build a Groue for his delight Gen. 21.33 â—ut hee must not forget God but call vpon the Lord the euerlasting God there The things of this world are but left-hand blessings and they must be vsed accordingly We all feele to our griefe that naturally we are carried to the earth but Christ swayeth his members another wâ—y For as it is wiâ—h the waters of the Sea though by their naturall course they follow the Center yet by obedience to the Moone they are subiect to her motion As it is conceiued and resolued by the wise men of nature and so turne and returne ebbe and flow and are kept in continuall motion to keepe them from corruption so is it with Christs members though by their owne motion they are carried to the earâ—h yet by obedience to Christ their first mouer they seeke the things that are aboue to keepe themselues from corrupting Lastly we may know that we as members doe worke for Christ How wee may knoâ— that wee worke for Christ our head if we seeke to aduance the honour of Christ in all things but especially in our selues If we looke into our owne soules wee shall finde that there is a cursed carnall wisdome which will worke a glorying in our worldly happinesse and an aduancing of our owne righteousnesse and moralitie together with a drawing vs to pride our selues in the many graces which God hath giuen vs. But if wee can wisely separate the worke of Christ from our owne working and when we feelingly consider our selues cry out with that holy Martyr Gehennah sum Domine I am hell Lord I am hell and with the blessed Apostle I am the least of Saints I am the chiefe of sinners and notwithstanding all the graces that are in vs to say in humble wise with the same Apostle I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 7.25 and againe thanks be to God for his vnspeakable gift then with a holy confidence in the merits of our Sauiour wee may write our selues members of Christ Thus I hope that through Gods goodnesse I haue in some measure satisfied the first demand and made it appeare vnto vs how wee may discerne our selues to be the members of Christ What are those gifts of members which we doe receiue in our ingrafting into Christ The second question may be this What are those gifts which we doe receiue in our ingrafting into Christ by which it may be manifested vnto vs that we are new creatures and in Christ I answer that there are many gifts which God bestowes vpon vs at that time but I shall onely speake of those that are most sensible in their working as being most manifest discouerers of our new estates in Christ These gifts are two The first is the death of sinne the second is the life of grace Sinne must die and by degrees perish Grace must liue and by degrees flourish in vs if we be new creatures in Christ First sinne must die in vs. This the Apostle expresseth by mortifying our earthly members Mortification by crucifying the old man with the lusts thereof and by casting off concerning our conuersation in times past Col. 3.5 Gal. 5.24 Eph. 4.22 which is corrupt through the deceiueable lusts For the effecting whereof I would haue you distinctly conceiue these two points First what we must doe against sinne Secondly what we must suffer for the death of sinne As for our doing against sinne we must imitate the crucifying of Iesus Christ What we must doe against sinne which is an exact patterne of Gods iustice against sinne First wee must attache sinne by not suffering it freely to doe that mischiefe which it hath done It hath conuersed formerly in our soules without controll but now we must begin to thinke that it is possible for sin to be our enemie We must suspect it of felonie and treason against God therefore we must lay hands vpon it and resolue that it shall not haue that liberty to play its prancks as it hath had This counsell Paul giues to the Romanes when he saith Let not sinne reigne that is Rom. 6.12 13. call the authoritie of it into question giue not your members as weapons vnto it call in your forces from it and put it in hold that it may be forth-comming to answer that which shall be laid vnto its charge Secondly We must arraigne sinne by bringing of it vnto a iudiciall triall before the barre of our consciences as before Gods deputie We must examine it vpon the dishonour which it hath done to the God of mercy the wounds it hath made in our soules and the hurt it hath done to all which wee are and haue want of this it was that God complained of by Ieremy when hee hearkened and heard and no man spake aright saying What haue I done That is Ier. 8.6 no man betweene God and his owne soule called his sinne to an account Thirdly wee must indite sinne by making the accusation of it as large as the flying booke of Zacharies curses As if we should say O my God Zach. 5.2 this rebell sinne dishonoureth thee defaceth thy image makes me like the deuill hides thy fatherly countenance from me grieues thy spirit and wounds my conscience Luk. 15.17 18 19 and the like Thus the prodigall laid to the charge of sinne that he died for hunger that he had sinned against heauen that he departed from his father and that he was not worthy to be his sonne 1 Cor. 11.31 Fourthly we must condemne sinne by iudging of it out of measure sinfull and our selues for it worthy of
actiuitie it was in sinning we rushed into wickednesse as a horse into the battaile we drunke iniquitie like as the wilde Asse doth water But now our heat is much abated As it was with Iob when God had brought him to see himselfe hee was cold in his pleadings against God and said Once haue I spoken but I will answer no more Iob 39.38 yea twice but I will proceed no further so it is with all Gods people so that if euer they fall into sinne againe they are very buâ—glers at it they cannot hide it and colour it as they did before they cannot giue it the full strength and force of will and affections yea as there is great difference betwixt the naturall worke of a childe and of a man so is there no lesse difference betwixt sinne in the childe of God in whom it waxeth more cold euery day than other and in the wicked who is a man in sinning and in whom it is vigorous and like the Leuiathan in the sea in its owne proper element Secondly sinne must as it were stinke in our nostrils It must be like Lazarus in the graue Iohn 11. of whom it was said he stinketh alreadie As therefore Dauids enemies said to him Fie vpon thee fie vpon thee so must we with loathing say to sinne The Prophet speaking of those that should be true conuerts from Idolatrie Esay 30.22 saith Yee shall pollute the couerings of the Images of siluer and the rich ornament of thine Images of gold and cast them away as a menstruous clout and thou shalt say vnto it Get thee hence Thus muâ—t all true Conuerts deale with all sin If the righteous man can smell sin and iniquity euen in his holy offerings Exod. â—8 38 â—â—aâ—â—4 â— in which respect our righteousnes is as a menstruous and polluted cloth how much more must a penitent man smell hell in his sinne to make him to abhorre it for euermore Me thinkes now my beloued I haue laid a glasse before you wherein you may view your soules God make it to cause a comfortable â—eflexion vpon you that yee may see your owne pictures My hope is that the more yee view it the more yee shall see that it is none other but what yee feelingly and from experience finde to be wrought in you alreadie towards the eternall death of your cursed enemie 2 Viuification Yet yee must goe one step further as I haue told you for as sinne must die and perish so grace must liue and florish The second gift therefore which we doe receiue in our grafting into Christ 2 Cor. 4.10 â—pheâ— 4.18 1 Pet. 4.2 is a new life This is called the life of Iesus and the life of God and liuing after the will of God and Christs liuing in vs liuing vnto God â—al 2.20 Rom. â— â—7 and obeying from the heart vnto the forme of doctrine to which we are deliuered and the like Looke as when there shall be a new heauens and a new earth wherein righteousnesse shall dwell as Peter speaketh there shall be a new life â— Pet 3.13 and a new mâ—nner of liuing for wee shall not need the ordinarie supplies in this world for our necessities or infirmities when the Lambe shall be all in all vnto vs so when wee are new creatures in Christ Iesus wee doe receiue a new life and a new manner of liuing The old course of sinning cannot agree with this estate Rom. 8.1 He that is in Christ must not walke after the flesh but after the spirit Hence is it that Christ saith He that abideth in mee and I in him Iohn 15.5 the same bringeth forth much fruit And Iohn doth strongly second it saying If we say that we haue fellowship with him 1 Iohn 1.6 and walke in darknesse we lie As therefore when we looke vpon the Impes which we haue grafted and see them bring forth bud leafe and fruit we reioyce in the worke of our hands and say they take well so when we looke vpon our selues who are grafted into Christ Philip. 1.11 and see that wee bring forth the fruits of râ—ghteousnesse which are by Iesus wee may reioyce in the worke of Gods hands who hath wrought all our workes for vs and say that we take well Esay 26.12 The Spirit of Christ which in our grafting into him he conueigheth vnto vs is a Spirit of life it is an actiue and operatiue Spirit Rom. 8.2 in which respect the second Adam is called a quickening Spirit What must we doe now I will tell you 1 Cor. 15.45 Seeing those that are new creatures in Christ must liue a new life therefore euery one of vs must trie whether we haue this new life in vs yea or no. I know that the newest life wee can procure cannot deserue Gods presence and fauour yet by Gods gratious acceptation it giues a fit qualification for the entertainment of such a guest as God is For if to bring vs vnto Kings we must not be base and sordid in our persons and conuersations yea we must be acquainted with fit complements for such a presence for Mordecai might not enter into the Kings gate when hee was clothed with sackcloth Host 4.2 much more must we be furnished with fit complements and qualities for the presence of God in Christ and to haue communion and fellowship with him How wee may discouer this new liâ—e Lift we vp our hearts then and let vs consider whether we haue this life in vs yea or no. It may be you will say How shall we know whether we haue this new life of the new creature I answer that this may be discouered vnto vs two waies 1. By our aptnesse in procuring the helps of life 2. By our imployment of our strength in the acts of life First Where there is the life of grace there is an aptnesse to preserue it selfe by procuring the helpes of life Now these helpes doe either respect our selues Helpes of a new life or our enemies That which respects our selues is fit maintenance for grace Fit maintenance Grace thriues not where it cannot bee maintained and wheresoeuer it is it will seeke for more As I said before that in the very entrance of our new birth We will as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word so at that time when our ingrafting into Christ is more manifested vnto our consciences wee still ayme at meanes to maintaine and preserue it Oh how doe we pray to God That God would stablish vs by his free Spirit Psal 51. and not take his holy Spirit from vs How doe we pant vnto God That hee would grant vs according to the riches of his glory â—â—hes 3.16 17. that wee may be strengthened by the Spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith and that wee may bee rooted and grounded in loue How doe we hunger and thirst after
Doctrine and secondly to Manners and because both these are in danger in these last and perillous daies In which respect Iesus Christ saith Apoc. 16.15 Behold I come as a theefe Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments of faith and loue lest he walke naked and men see his filthinesse therefore we must watch for the health and securitie of them both First we must watch in respect of Doctrine that so we be not nuzled vp in falshood and errour There is a stabbing of our soules as well as a staruing of them and that is by false doctrine against which wee must watch For the pressing whereof I shall keepe the same course which I did in the former namely to shew you wherein it standeth and how we may be stirred vp to the practise of it If first you aske me wherein this watchfulnesse in doctrine standeth How wee must watch in doctrine Philip. 3.2 1 Thess 5.21 I answer It standeth in a holy care to obserue that rule of the Apostle to the Philippians Beware of dogs beware of euill workers beware of the concision And that to the Thessalonians Trie all things and keepe that which is good 1 Iohn 4.1 And that of Iohn Trie the spirits whether they are of God When we are thus vigilant and watchfull ouer that doctrine which is taught vnto vs as the men of Berea who as they receiued the Word with all readinesse so they searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so or no Act. 17.11 which were taught vnto them when wee are carefull not presently to admit of euery point that is shrowded vnder the authoritie of a Teacher 2 Cor. 1.24 Who hath not dominion ouer our faith when we are not sluggish to enquire and search into euery doctrine that is offered vnto vs but doe humbly resigne our selues vnto Gods teaching Psal 25.9 14. Psal 119.18 34 Iohn 7.17 doe pray that God would open our eyes that we may be taught doe striue to doe the will of God that wee may know of the doctrine whether it be of God or no and doe get a forme of doctrine or the doctrine of the beginning of Christ Hebr. 6.1 2. or the doctrine of Baptismes and laying on of hands or whatsoeuer else you will call the grounds of Religion laid downe by way of Catechismes and vse all other meanes appointed for the finding out of the truth then may wee be said to watch in doctrine If in the second place you shall aske me what may stir vs vp to be watchfull in doctrine Motiues to watch in doctrine I doe humbly offer vnto your considerations diuers motiues First by this meanes we shall discouer those drugges of falshood which by the deceit of euill workers are gilded ouer as if they were no other than Gods truth It is possible that the Deuill should transforme himselfe into an Angell of life and that falshood should bee so washed ouer with craftie distinctions and a seeming allowance of Scriptures and hore-headed antiquitie that it may be taken by the simple hearted for no lesse than truth Ye know that though God be the Ancient of daies yet the deuill hath beene from the beginning and that both truth and falsehood got into Paradise and that the deuill hath had a succession of his seruants as well as God of his Ministers and that it hath beene an old tricke of the deuill to them that rested in the Scriptures to alledge Scriptures Scult Delit. Euang cap. 30. pag. 109. as to Christ whether by mutilation or deprauation as some dispute it it is no matter That we may not be deceiued therefore and drinke the poison of Antichrist in stead of the wholesome liquor of Gods truth and that without suspicion it is necessarie that wee watch in respect of doctrine Secondly by this meanes we shall be brought to reuerence and obey our Pastors and Teachers I know that our aduersaries will tell vs that this watchfulnesse in doctrine is the next way to make the people which are as sheepe to be Iudges of their Pastors who are as shepherds which is as much as if wee should say that by setting a watch in the night-season to examine all passengers wee make them Iudges of Superiours who are many times stayed by them the folly whereof is apparent to the simple For though the people doe examine according to their charge yet they are so farre from passing iudgement otherwise than by the helpe of such meanes as God hath appointed by applying the rule of the Word to the Doctrine to be ruled that it breedeth vnspeakable respect when the people shall see that their Teachers teach them no other doctrine than that which is warranted by the word of God Thirdly to this end God hath giuen the gift of tongues and interpretation to the Church that we might haue translations whereby we might be enabled to doe it Euen as when a King doth will a Proclamation and cause it to be published he doth it to this end that his subiects may examine their actions sutable to that matter in hand and reforme or conforme accordingly So when God doth giue authoritie and power vnto men to publish his will in the Scriptures in our vulgar tongues he doth it vnto this end that we should examine our doctrines and deeds by it and know and liue accordingly Except therefore that we will not answer Gods end and expectation we must watch ouer Doctrine Fourthly this is one reason why the Apostles did confirme their doctrine by the Scriptures of the old Testament to wit not because they wanted authoritie to put what they deliuered vpon the word of God but because we might be drawne on and encouraged to see the consent of the Prophets and Apostles and to search with the men of Berea in the Scriptures for those doctrines which wee doe entertaine Fiftly and lastly we may be moued to watch ouer that doctrine which is deliuered vnto vs by considering what glorious meanes in appearance the aduersaries of the truth haue to gaine vpon our affections that they may infatuate our iudgements For doe but marke what vsually they plead first against vs and secondly for themselues Against vs what is more frequent in their mouthes and writings What the Papists plead for themselues Walsingh search into matters of Religion than to vrge these two things first that we haue no other doctrine opposite vnto them than that which hath beene taught vs by vicious deformers of religion such as Luther was who as they say besides his notorious wickednesse receiued by his owne confession some of his doctrines from the deuil secondly that as it seemes out of the guilt we haue in our consciences and suspicion of the badnesse of our cause we refuse disputations and other publike trials Oh what faire pretences are here if they were true to draw our hearts to hearken to their Antichristian doctrine But as we loue our
all of these nor any one or more of them preuaile with vs to admit of that doctrine which wee haue not receiued in our Church but watch we against all false doctrine whatsoeuer what pretence soeuer the Teachers may make shew of They that serue not the Lord Iesus but their owne bellies Rom. 16.18 may with faire speech and flattering deceiue the hearts of the simple like the Popish shauelings by Benedictions Absolutions Sacrifices and the like By how much more carefull therefore they are to plead against vs and for themselues and to liquor their speeches with sweet though deadly words by so much more diligent let vs be to watch ouer doctrine But we must not leaue here for as our watchfulnesse doth referre it selfe to faith so likewise to loue and that it may be in this place more principally Hearken therefore to this second branch of watchfulnesse that we must watch in respect of manners For the pressing whereof I shall not vary from my couâ—se in the former first to shew you what it is and secondly how wee may be stirred vp to practise it I conceiue watchfulnesse to be a dutie which lookes to a double obiect namely to sinne and to grace What watchfulnesse in manners is Watchfulnesse about sinne is a holy care either to preuent or to crush it be it neuer so small Euen as if the plague were about vs carnall wisdome it selfe would make vs to looke to our feet and to beware that wee come not neare those dwellings Ephes 5.15 Hebr. 12.13 So doth watchfulnesse make vs walke cicumspectly and make straight steps to preuent the plague of sinne Or as if a Wolfe were about our houses euen naturall wisdome would make vs carefull to kill him so will spirituall watchfulnesse make vs watchfull to crush sinne yea euen as if wee should see a Boy creepe in at our windowes we would watch him as narrowly as if he were a man because though he could not doe vs much hurt himselfe yet he could let in men which might depriue vs of our goods and liues so if we apprehend the least sin gaining vpon vs we must be as diligent in watching against it as if it were of a greater size because it doth open the soule and prepare it for the greatest sinnes that are Secondly watchfulnesse about grace is a holy care to nourish the spirit and to take all good occasions to bring forth and practise grace and godlinesse As a man that doth desire and will to be rich doth cherish in himselfe all endeuours to that end and wait all occasions to be fingring the pence So watchfulnesse doth worke in a man an attendance vpon all holy meanes to increase grace with the increasings of God Where we must watch If now you shall aske me where this watch must be set Let me tell you that your listening to this will make you the better to conceiue and see what it is It must be kept in all the parts powers and faculties of soule and bodie First we must watch in our hearts Prou. 4.23 as Salomon saith Keepe thine heart with all diligence A negligent watch is for the most part set in this place because wee walke not as in Gods sight and presence but when wee doe consider that the heart is the principall commander in this little world and that according to the charge of the heart the tongue speaks Luke 8.45 Matt. 15.18 19. the hand workes and the eye sees by how much more authoritie the heart hath in vs by so much more carefull we must be to watch ouer the faithfulnesse of it Secondly we must watch in our minds that they do not roaue about vnprofitable and vnnecessarie things Though we labour to know other things which are of vse in this world yet we must watch that this be our chiefe care to know Iesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 3.2 Si Christum benè scis satis est si caetera nescis si Christum nescis nihil est si caetera discis Malum seminatum Malum innatum Iob 31.1 For as ignorance in other things can doe vs little hurt if wee doe soundly know Christ so knowledge of others can doe vs little good if wee are ignorant of Christ Thirdly we must watch in our senses for they are the cinqueports of the soule both to let in that euill which the Deuill doth sowe in the creatures and to let out that inward corruption in our hearts to strengthen our outward enemies Hence is it that as Iob made a couenant with his eyes Psal 119.37 so Dauid prayed that God would turne away his eyes from beholding vanitie Fourthly we must watch in our tongues in which point Dauid hath giuen vs a good president when he said I will take heed to my waies Psal 39.1 that I sin not with my tongue If he was so watchfull ouer his tongue Psal 57.8 which notwithstanding he calleth his glory much more must wee seeing wee may well call ours our shame Remember therefore what Dauid saith in another place Psal 34.13 Keepe thy tongue from euill and thy lips that they doe speake no guile especially considering what Iames saith If any man amongst you seemeth religious and refraineth not his tongue but deceiueth his heart this mans religion is vaine Lastly Iam. 1.26 2 Tim. 4.5 wee must watch in all things whether for our soules or bodies whether in our spiritual or corporal imployments In our commerce and trading with men in our talking walking buying selling we must be carefull that no iniustice vncharitablenesse or deceit doe creepe in and then we watch in bodily things In our reading praying conference hearing and receiuing the Sacrament Luke 8.18 wee must take heed how wee heare how we pray how we receiue and the like that no wandering thoughts either wicked or good besides the purpose that no hypocrisie dulnesse or securitie doe hinder our comfort in these things and then we watch in spirituall things Now at the length yee may fully conceiue what it is to watch It is to haue through Gods working a holy care and diligence in all the parts powers and actions of our soules and bodies against all sinne and for the doing of all good as in Gods sight and presence If now yee will aske me how we may be stirred vnto practise it Motiues to watchfulnesse I answer by a through considering of these foure points That when the end of all things commeth the righteous shall scarcely be saued In which respect mens hearts shall faile them for feare and for looking after those things which shall come on the world Luk. 21.26 for the heauen shall be shaken 1 Pet. 4.18 Oh where then shall the vngodly and sinner appeare We are too easily lulled asleepe with the facilitie of our attaining to heauenly happinesse And hence it comes to passe that sometimes we dreame not of entring into the way of heauen
is able to receiue it for the nourishment of his soule which communion doth in this differ from a bare spirituall communion Signis adhibitis vel non that all sacramentall communion is spirituall but all spirituall is not sacramentall because this is in the lawfull vse of Gods signes to this purpose So we haue a spirituall fellowship with Chirst when the spirit of God doth apply Christ vnto vs by faith and doth so bring home and concorporate him vnto vs that from the fountaine of his holinesse in whom all fulnesse dwelleth we finde our selues inclined and quickned to all holy obedience and can feelingly say That in that we forsake sinne it is from the power of Christ and in that wee purpose and endeuour good it is by the same power also And of this spirituall communion doth the Apostle speake in this place The fourth phrase is in these words I liue in the flesh He doth not say that he liued of the flesh or after the flesh as if he danced after natures pipe but In the flesh As all are not Israel that are in Israel so all are not of the flesh or after the flesh that are in the flesh What therefore is it to liue in the flesh It is to liue in the body for as flesh is taken for corrupted man when the Apostle saith That flesh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdome of heauen and for the corruption of man as when the holy Ghost saith The flesh lusteth against the spirit so is flesh taken for the body of man by an elegancy of speech when a member is taken for all the parts integrall or for the whole And thus it is taken in this place I liue in the body The fifth hard phrase is in these words I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God What doth he meane by this I liue by faith which doth its right office to spie out to run vnto and to receiue the Sonne of God For whereas vpon the former speech that Iesus liued in him it might be said Must not the heauens containe him Yes saith the Apostle for he liueth in me by faith not by sight But you will say why is it called the faith of the Sonne of God Not because wee should conceiue that faith which Iesus Christ had in himselfe but that faith in vs whereby he is had and possessed of vs and is so called for three reasons First because the Sonne of God hath purchased it for vs. The Father would not haue willed it vs the Holy Ghost would not haue wrought it in vs if Christ had not bought it for vs. Secondly because only the Son of God in Christ doth make our faith to be lawfull and laudable As Christ is man he is a creature and we must not flie to any creature for life and saluation and therefore not beleeue in him This then is it which makes our faith in him to be warrantable that hee is the onely Sonne of God Thirdly because it is not beleefe in any other person in the diuine nature that doth conueigh life vnto vs. As veines arteries sinewes muscles and the like doe not conueigh life sense and motion into the parts of a mans body but as they doe receiue them from their owne proper head and heart from whence they are shot so faith doth not conueigh spirituall life but as it doth receiue it from our spirituall head Christ Iesus Thus you may see our faith Relativè Obiectivè Instrumentalièr called the faith of Christ in respect of that relation which is betwixt him and it he being the sauing obiect of it and that being the instrument to conueigh life from him to euery beleeuer Thus we haue the seuerall phrases of the Text which in their totall sum make vp the Apostles meaning to be thus much Summe of the Text. Doe not thinke that by the doctrine of Iustâ—fication by faith alone in Christ I doe abolish the doctrine of Sanctification by the same Christ for by vertue of my vnion with Christ by faith I doe finde that from the fountaine of his holinesse out of whose fulnesse I doe receiue grace for grace my sinful lusts are crucified and I perceiue my selfe so quickned in the inner man translated from one glory to another into the Image of God that I dare say It is not I that now liue but my Sauiour who liueth in me by faith whereby hee purifieth my heart to make mee a peculiar Christian to himselfe chosen vnto good workes We hauing now stayed long enough vpon the sense may it please you from the seuerall deductions to desire further benefit And to this end in these words let vs consider two things First Paul his method which is this He was first killed and then he was made aliue Secondly Paul his matter in which he doth in his owne person set downe a double estate of ours First our estate in nature which is implied and may â—e thus expressed that vntill we haue faith we are but dead men For if wee liue only by faith in Christ then before we haue it we are but dead men Secondly our estate in grace which is expressed and may be set downe in three chiefe points of doctrine First that wee haue communion in the death of Christ Secondly that by vertue of this communion we liue by Faith Thirdly that it is from the vertue of Christ that we are quickned vnto all holy obedience To come first to Pauls method we are to obserue that as Paul saith He is crucified before he liueth So We must die before we can be made aliue I might here distinguish betwixt death naturall death ciuill as it is termed in Law death spirituall and death eternall that so I might signifie what death I meane but that it is plaine enough without that labour Only remember that it is one thing to die for sinne as malefactors who are put to death another thing to die in sinne as finally impenitent sinners and another thing to die vnto sinne as the godly In which sense we must die before we can be made aliue As it is with the bodie we must all die or all be changed 1 Cor. 15. before we must liue for euer which the holy Ghost maketh plaine by the similitude of Wheat or some other graine so is it with the soule Hence is it that God doth both exhort vnto this death Coloss 3.5 when he saith Mortifie your earthly members and also promiseth life vpon that death when hee saith Rom. 8.13 If yee mortifie the deeds of the bodie by the Spirit yee shall liue Neither may we wonder at this truth whether we consider the goodnesse of grace or the malice of sinne First if we respect the goodnesse of grace it is expressed by two effectuall words for this purpose For sometimes it is called a Resurrection Apoc. 20.6 Iohn 5.25 as Iohn saith Blessed are those that haue part in the first Resurrection And