as it were receiuing their deaths wound beganne presently to decay being in the first place depriued of that excellent beautie and luster wherewith they were cloathed For at first they were more glorious and beautifull in their bodies then the Lillyes in Paradise but when this filthie pollution had once ouerrunne them then beganne they to be ashamed of their owne bodies and to couer them yea this sinne so wrought vpon them that by reason therof they could not remaine in Paradise but went and hid themselues amongst the trees of the Garden Gen. 3. Such deadly and destroying poyson both to soule and bodie there is in this corruption This naturall corruption is also called a bodie of death because it engendreth and bringeth forth a broode of deadly sinnes Iam. 1.14.15 Which are nothing else but dead workes Heb. 6.1 Dauid hauing committed those two great and haynous sinnes of Adultery and Murther and being greatly humbled and broken in hart for the same went as one would say to seeke out the fountaine by the streame and to enquire how it might come to passe that he should so exceeding foolishly forget himselfe and he findes his naturall corruption to be the originall cause from whence those most hatefull and deadly crimes did proceede Psalme 51.5 Wherefore in this regard with good cause is it termed a bodie of death It is likewise called a body of death because it is destined to euerlasting death as the man in whom it raigneth Rom. 6.23 Euen as Dauid was called a Childe of death not onely because he had killed another but because he himselfe had deserued to die So this corruption is likewise called a bodie of death because it is condemned to die and to death it must goe Colos 3.5 Gal. 5.24 Yea it is a matter of such consequence that what man soeuer doth not in this life begin to kill and crucifie this monster he himselfe shall die eternally As the Apostle sayth Rom 8.13 If you liue after the flesh yee shall die that is to say eternally for wee must all die once Heb 9. ver 27. but if by the spirit yee mortifie the deedes of the bodie that is of this wicked body of sinne which is condemned to die Rom 6.6 yee shall liue Thus then stands it with this naturall corruption this hatefull vgly monster that vnlesse we begin to kill it while we are here it will not onely bring vpon vs the spirituall death of our soules and the temporall death of our bodies but also the eternall death of both whereby we shall perish for euer Yea wee haue all of vs alreadie deserued that we together with our naturall corruption or sinful flesh should be pluckt out of the Land of the liuing and cast into euerlasting darkenesse where is weeping wayling and gnashing of teeth But here in appeareth the wonderfull and vnspeakeable louing kindnesse patience and long suffering of God inviting vs to repentance and saluation in that there is space giuen vs here wherin to repent and crucifie this body of death Therefore it is the greatest madnesse that can be in the world that a poore wretched condemned caytiffe dares be so bold as to put off from day to day his Repentance and the mortifying of the wicked body of his originall corruption which he knowes not in how short a time may bring him into euerlasting perdition Behold these are the reasons for which the Apostle nameth our naturall corruption a bodie of death from whence ariseth this obseruation that the originall corruption wherein wee were all conceiued and borne is a most deformed mishapen bodie of death a monster altogether vgly and fearefull Which is manifest in that it not onely corrupteth and destroyeth soule and bodie but also bringeth them both into euerlasting condemnation vnlesse a course be taken in time as it was plainely proued in the opening of the Text and may also further be gathered out of this that the Apostle himselfe cryeth out so earnestly and complaineth that he is a miserable man because hee was troubled and oppressed therewith For this cause is it that naturall vnregenerate men in whom the corrupt flesh hath the vpperhand are so commonly in the Scriptures compared to most noysome and hurtfull Creatures as Serpents and Vipers Mat 23.33 Lyons Psal 10.9 Beares Pro 28.15 Rauening Wolues Mat 7.15 Wilde Swine Psal 80.13 wilde Asses Iob 1â— 12 Foxes and young Foxes which spoyle and bring to naught euery thing about which they come Cant 2.15 Yea the naturall man is sayd to haue the Diuell to his Father Ioh 8.44 So that a child is not more like to his Father then an vnregenerate man spiritually is to the Diuell and iudge you what a monstrous thing this is that man which was created after Gods owne image should now bee likened vnto those Creatures aforesaid not onely in some respects as God himselfe is vnto some of them but euen in the most odious and hatefull things that are in them and not onely so but in sinne and wickednesse to resemble the Diuell himselfe too therefore the Scripture sayth of carnall men which haue nothing in them but nature that their throte is an open Sepulcher the poyson of Aspes is under their lips their mouth is sull of cursing and bitternesse their feete are swift to shed bloud destruction and calamity are in their wayes as in the way of some deuouring Monster which destroyes and spoyles all things where he passeth or comes For this cause is it that the Saints of GOD whose eyes he hath opened for to see the hatefulnesse of this Monster our naturall corruption which wee all brought with vs into the world from our Mothers wombe had rather die then fulfill the lusts thereof which are alwayes against God and contrary to his holy Commandements Such is the nature of this body of death that it will no longer do any worke of God then it may with profit or pleasure and when eyther of these is crost then farewell obedience If Nabuchadnezzar commands contrary to the Law of God that all men must worship the Golden Image or els be cast into the fiery furnace naturall corruption flesh and bloud will straight way conclude that it is best to obey the King but the Saints of God which know the hatefulnesse of this Monster will rather vndergoe the punishment then giue it his desire If that adulterous woman Potiphars wife should goe about to draw Ioseph to commit folly with her this monster our naturall corruption would presently consent but Ioseph the seruant of God rather then he will doe so will leaue his garment behinde and venture his life too for he knoweth that this body of death is a fearefull vgly monster the lusts whereof are enmitie to God Yea the accursed vnregenerate wretches themselues whose ioy delight and chiefest happines is placed in pleasing their corrupt sinfull flesh and whose onely care and studie is to satisfie the lustes of this vile and
is not defiled and polluted with this naturall corruption the vnderstanding is hereby darkened the will peruerted the affections disordered the members of the body fit and readie instruments and weapons of vnrighteousnesse c. yea the vnregenerate man which is nothing but flesh hauing not the spirit Iud. ver 19. is in regard of this naturall corruption named darknesse it selfe Eph. 5.8 And in the regenerate man himselfe which hath now receiued the spirit 1. Ioh. 3.24 and in that respect is called Light it selfe Ephes 5.8 yet this corruption spreadeth it selfe in such sort thorough all the parts and powers of his soule and body that it is as a Law in his members Rom. 7.23 there is no more difference herein betweene the regenerate and the vnregenerate then betweene the darke night wherein there is no light at all and the breake of the day wherein the light beginneth to appeare but is not wholly broken forth the light darkenesse being mixt together thorough the whole ayre For the vnregenerate are totally possessed with this corruption in all the parts and powers of their soule and body so that in them there is not any spirituall light and therefore they are called children of the Night and of Darkenesse 1. Thes 5.5 But on the contrary side the regenerate are onely so ouercome with this naturall corruption in all the parts and powers of their soule and body as the ayre is with darkenesse when the day beginnes to breake at which time the light and darkenesse doe as it were struggle together thorough the whole ayre in which regard the break of the day is called light and men are wont to say beholde it is day although that there bee much darknesse in the ayre and in this sence are the regenerate in the Scripture named light Eph. 5.8 And children of the light and of the day 1. Thes 5.5 although that there be much spirituall darkenesse in them and that they are not wholly free from the sinfull flesh but are in euery part polluted therewith and for this cause in the regenerate themselues is this naturall corruption called a body of sinne Rom. 6.6 For it is crept thorough euery part and power of their soule and body So then this naturall corruption is a body but it is a body altogether vgly and monstrous the parts whereof are wholly inuerted or rather peruerted as if the eyes stood in the place where the eares should and the mouth were set in the forehead and all the rest of the members were most deformedly mis-placed To be short it is a simple body of confusion and darknesse it is the image of the Diuell the draught and proportion of Sathan it is in euery degree contrary to the image of God wherein at first he made Man It is therefore idle and foolish that the Papists pretend who say that this naturall corruption or concupisence which lusteth against the spirit is not finne For there is nothing more abominable in the eyes of God then this body for there is nothing in the world more dissonant and contrarie to the will of God and the image that he himselfe hath made he seeth that the image of the Diuell is therein It is truely a monster mishapen in euery member with sinne yea when it worketh not but lyeth still without stirring or mouing it is altogether hatefull before God euen as a wolfe or a Beare is to vs when he lieth still and sleepeth and as we know the Diuell is abominable before God although hee lyeth bound in chaynes of darkenesse and sealed vp in the bottomlesse pitt Iud. 6. Reu. 20. Secondly this naturall corruption is called a body and likewise the flesh Gal. 5.17 because it lyeth and hangeth vpon vs euen as our owne bodie or flesh therefore it is called the sinne that hangeth so fast on Heb. 12.1 For whither we goe or stand we carry it with vs as we doe our owne body and flesh Yea when wee were conceiued formed had our being in our mothers wombe it receiued also forme and being with vs and in vs and sticketh in vs as it were in our marrow and bones and hangeth as fast vpon vs as the blacke skinne vpon the Moore and the spotts vpon the Leopard which doe spring of their owne nature Ier. 13.23 Hence it is that the restraining and bridling of our sinfull Concupiscence is termed in holy Scripture hands cut off and eyes put out it being as grieuous for vs to doe it as to dismember our selues yea we are as vnable of our selues to put away this naturall corruption as the Leopard his spotts and as we our selues are to plucke of our skinne and lay aside our flesh nothing but the hand of God is able to doe it Now it followeth that wee enquire why It is named a body of death and for that there are these reasons First it is so called because ir worketh the death both of the soule and body of man This naturall corruption no sooner entereth vpon the soule but it killeth it spiritually leauing it no more power to doe the will of God then a bodie without a soule hath to performe the office of a man yea it maketh it stinke like a dead karkase in the nostrills of God Psal 53.2 There is no carrion that hath lieu long stinking in a corner cralles so full of filthy Maggotts and wormes as the soule of that man in whom this corruption hath had vndisturbed possession but a little while Hence it is that the Scripture sayth of vnregenerate men that their throte is an open Sepulcher Rom. 3.23 Out of which corrupt and rotten conuersation proceedes Ephes 4.29 And from whence is it thinke you that this noysome stench of sins breakes forth thorough the whole world but from the soules of men which lie dead and stinking by meanes of this naturall corruption And looke what it hath done no the foule the like also hath it done to the bodie it eates and consumes that as a moath doth a Garment Psal 39.12 It is like a wolfe or a beare which hauing taken a man by the throte still suckes his bloud and neuer leaues till all be vp From whence comes it thinke you that man being such an admirable peece of worke decayes consumes and with eâ—s away in such short space as wee see It ariseth originally and principally from this naturall corruption which is in our bodies as a moth in a garment eating them and consuming them by a little and a little whereby it plainely appeares that this sinne is the sting of death both of soule and bodie 1. Cor. 15.56 The lamentable experience hereof had our first Parents Adam and Eue who as soone as by their disobedience they had pluckt vpon themselues this corruption for it is the very same wherwith they were polluted from whom it is descended vnto vs they felt in themselues the sting of death Foreuen then their soules vtterly lost their spirituall life and their bodies
our selues and looke about vs and ioyne all our forces together to kill and destroy this fell and cruell monster Seâ—ing it hath beene so manifestly and vndeniably made to appeare vnto vs that vnlesse we kill it it will kill and destroy vs and that eternally Rom. 8.13 And to the end that the Apostle might the more thoroughly make vs to vnderstand this and consequently the better deterre and affright vs from the loue and seruice of this our corrupt flesh which we so gladly and readily obey he calls it in our Text a bodie of death now there is nothing more terrible and fearefull to man then death yet there is nothing more pleasing vnto him then to obey his corruption in all its filthy lustes notwithstanding the Apostle declareth it how-soeuer it slatteringly laugheth and smileth vpon a man to be a deadly and destroying monster a body of death hauing in it selfe the sting both of temporall and eternall death wherwith it giueth the deaths-wound to euery carelesse and vnprouident person which serueth and obeyeth it euen as Ioab did vnto Amasa when he embraced him 2. Sam. 3. Wherefore euery one that loueth his soule must lay to heart the Apostles admonition Rom. 13.14 Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ and take no care for the flesh to obey it in the lustes thereof yea hee must set himselfe against his corrupt flesh which is no other thing then a most dangerous monster how sweet and louely soeuer it seemeth to be he must in nothing take care to please and obey it for then it will grow more strong and hurtfull but he must weine it of its lust and denie it of whatsoeuer it desireth and so crucifie it and by little and little as it were hunger-sterue it that he himselfe may liue What we are to know and doe further as touching this body of death shall be declared in the parts of the Text which now follow to be handled 2. Who it is which here complaineth against this body of death IT is the Apostle himselfe which complaineth against the body of death which was in him for in the verse following he speaketh of himselfe and sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I my selfe and thus speaketh he euery where not as being vnregenerate but as hauing an vnfained and sincere loue and delight in the law of God which flesh and bloud did neuer teach him in which regard also by the testimony of the Psalmist he may be knowne to bee blessed Psal 1.2 From hence followeth this obseruation The body of sinne and of death is in the best that is the naturall corruption which maketh man of himselfe vnapt and vnfit to any good and prone and readie to all euill is euen in the best and most holy of all This appeareth out of that the Apostle himselfe here complaineth that it was in him who without doubt was one of the best Christians in the world at that time and he further declareth vnto vs that the faithfull among whom he shuts himselfe also while they are here vpon earth how farre soeuer they are proceeded in the new birth doe know but in part 1. Cor. 9.10.11.12 And he sayth of the Thessalonians that there was something wanting in their faith 1. Thes 3.10 When in another place he witnesseth of them that vnto other Christians they were notable examples and patternes of true faith 1 Thes 1.7.8 Yea in this regard Elias himselfe was subiect vnto the same passions vnto which other of Gods children are Iam. 5.17 and all the children of God are sayd to haue in them fleshly concupiscences which striue against their soule 1. Pet. 2.11 The best as long as they remaine in this life haue alwayes somewhat in them which they must crucifie which they must mortifie thorough the spirit Whereby it manifestly appeareth that there is in euery one an euill eye which must be pluckt out and a bad hand that must be cut off Mar. 9.43 c. Here it may be asked why God doth suffer his best Children thus to be oppressed and cumbered with this body of death so long as they liue here vpon earth First God doth it for the greater glory of himselfe and of his children and the greater shame and disgrace of the Diuell for truely it tendeth greatly to the prayse and glory of God and to the honour of his children and to the shaming of the Diuell that he knoweth how is able to keepe and preserue such weake and feeble vessels against all the power of Hell and to make them conquerours ouer Sathan in that very flesh which is so polluted with sinne and was once depraued by the Diuell Secondly the Lord doth it because it is fit that there should bee a difference put betweene the cursed earth and blessed heauen to be without finne and free from combat with it is a prerogatiue and priuiledge belonging onely to the seate royall and court of heauen it cannot be that we should enioy it here vpon earth no we must long after the fruition of it in heauen It may be demanded againe that seeing the very best are polluted with this naturall corruption what difference is there then betweene the children of God and the children of the world betweene true beleeuers and carnall men There is as great difference betweene them as is betweene the darkenesse of the darkest night and the light of the morning at the breake of the day as we heard before yea the difference betweene the carnall and spirituall man in respect of this inherent corruption is great euery manner of way for in the vnregenerate man this monster of sinne sitteth as it were vpon a throne ruling and hauing dominion in his heart where it commandeth and is obeyed in euery thing For experience makes it plaine that there is nothing wherein worldly men doe take more delight and pleasure then in seruing their corrupt flesh in all its lustes whether it be in couetousnesse voluptuousnesse pride ambition or in any thing else whereunto their appetites carry them But on the contrary side in the children of God how s oeuer it hath place in them yet it sitteth not as vpon a throne ruling and commanding as a King but lyeth as it were stretched out vpon a racke where thorough the working of the spirit it is euery day more and more disâ—joynted weakned and mortified Furthermore the daily practise of the true Children of God is not to take care for the flesh to obey it in the lustes thereof as carnall men doe but to beate it downe and bring it in bondage to the will of God as the Apostle did 1. Cor. 9.27 Here by the way we may consider the exceeding sottishnesse of many poore and wretched persons which serue the flesh and liue in sinne who when they once heare that all men yea the very best are sinfull and that the most holy and sanctified haue their wants and defects and are clogged with the sinfull
need to feare hell yea heauen is their due notwithstanding they are conuinced in conscience that they are sinfull yet they know no other sinnes that they haue then some small sinnes which they hold to be veniall and those they thinke are so few in number that they need not to make any doubt of their saluation and in the meane time they forget that howsoever they carry it outwardly there is a whole body of death in them which maketh them accursed before God and lyable vnto eternall condemnation this they consider not but say in their heart I am no thiefe no murtherer no drunkard no cheater no whore-monger I can go to Church with my neighbours I need not hide my head for any man and why should they tell me then that I shall not come to heauen as well as another And in the meane while poore men they thinke nor what God hath to say vnto them and what he can alledge against them they weigh and consider not that there is a body of death in them which maketh them to be damnable and accursed before God yea though while they liue they should neither moue nor stirre and doe neither good nor bad But O thou poore man that art thus minded how lamentable is thy case Thou hasf a whole body of sinne with in thee and that as thou liest and sleepest there is a moustrous deformitie in thee which maketh thoe most abominable before God and being not couered will certeinly bring thee to hell thy naturall corruption possesseth thy soule killeth it and maketh it stinke before God Psal 53.2 It destroyeth thy body also for from whence thinkest thou doth it come that thy body is subiect vnto so many paines and difeases that it so decayeth and consumeth away commeth it not from this inward bodie of sinne which hath in it selfe the sting of temporall and eternall death 1 Cor. 15.56 So then yee need not be a thiefe or a murtherer or an adulterer or a drunkard or a deceiuer or an vsurer thou mayest chuse whether thou wilt take so much paines for to goe to hell remaine the same that thou art by nature and thou shalt not escape it continue still an olde wife vnto the olde Man as by nature thou art and thou canst not be saued thou must perish Luc. 13.3.5 if so be thou art not renewed in the spirit of thy minde if the hand of God come not vpon thee if his spirit worketh not in thy heart and create in thee a new heart and a new spirit if hee causeth not the light of his grace to arise in thy heart that thou mayest no longer remaine darkenesse but mayest be light as the day beginning to breake if this I say be not wrought in thy heart it is not possible that thou shouldest euer enter into the kingdome of heauen or inherite eternall life for thou hast a bodie of death in thee which will bring thee into euerlasting death except thou begin to kill the works of this body which thou canst not doe but thorough the spirit which by nature thou hast not neither canst haue but from God alone O what a lamentable thing is it that the naturall man is so blockish and dull that hee not so much as once thoroughly considereth this admonish and exhort these men to marke Gods word diligently to repaire to the Congregation of the faith to watch and pray to redeeme the time and to worke out their saluation with feare and trembling they cast it in the wind they see no reason why they should so trouble themselues they suppose it standeth well enough with them because they are not so openly scandalous and offensiue in their conuersation as others and peraduenture somewhat better then some of their neighbours of whom they report that there is no goodnes in them when as they themselues know not yet what it meaneth to be renewed in the spirit of their minde and what it is to mortifie the deeds of the body thorough the spirit Thirdly let this serue to exhort all the people of God to put farre from them this opinion and conceite of worldly and carnall men let vs giue out selues no rest till we finde that we are renewed in the spirit of our minde and that wee haue some power thorough the spirit to mortifie the workes of this body of death let vs also take heed that we be not so foolish as to seeke our iustification in our selues or in our owne works nothing but that which is perfect can stand before the judgement of God but wee haue a body of sinne in vs which hinders vs from perfection therfore let vs seeke it onely in Iesus Christ our Lord. Fourthly this may moue vs to humilitie shall we be proud and insolent which beare about vs and in vs a body of death which are condemned men vpon whom by the law of God the sentence of death hath already passed Is it a seemely thing that persons condemned and readie to be executed should be proud and arrogant shall we then be high minded and grudging shall we be enuious and malicious shall we be wanton and carelesse which haue in vs a body of death whereby we are lyable vnto eternall death Shall wee in the pride of our hearts make of our body of death a body of insolencie and murmuring a body of voluptuousnesse and mirth a body of wantonnesse and iesting let that be far from vs humilitie becommeth condemned men Abraham was humbled because he was but dust and ashes Gen. 18 27. and shall not we be so too which are nothing els but an accursed lumpe Iob was humbled because the fores had ouer-runne his body but the naturall corruption hath runne thorough all the parts and powers of our soule and body and shall we not be humbled shall a man be cast downe for a disease in the body and shall wee that are so deadly sicke in soule not be cast downe at all Fiftly here is matter of comfort and encouragement to all good hearts who knowing that there is a body of death in them are therewith vnfainedly grieued and troubled and earnestly busied and exercised in mortifying and killing the same by the spirit doe notwithstanding feele in themselues the prickes of the flesh and the continuall buffetts and assaults of this body of sinne Behold my beloued brothers and sisters bee not dismayed and thinke not therefore that you are Bastards among the sonnes of God No as you haue before heard it is the lot of all the Children of God marke in all the foregoing verses of the seuenth chapter to the Romanes what the Apostle himselfe had to doe with his naturall corruption be not then discouraged but stand to it stoutly and although the Deuill goes about to perswade thee that thou art no child of God because thou feelest the pricke of the flesh so strong in thee yet know for certaine that in as much as thou striuest manfully with thy corruptions