with a hot yron but by drinking whoring rioting c. get the markes of Bacchus and Venus in their bodies For if these be the markes of Christ those must needes be the marks of Satan Lastly hence we are taught a speciall dutie and that is to suffer bodily affliction in the profession of the truth though bonds and imprisonment abide vs in all places not to passe for them so that we may fulfill our course with ioy according to Pauls example both here and Act. 20. 24. as also his commandement to Timothie Suffer affliction as a good souldier of Iesus Christ. 2. Tim. 2. 3. The reasons are these First by suffering bodely affliction we are made conformable vnto Christ and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in our flesh Coloss. 1. 24. Secondly they teach vs to haue a sympathie and fellow feeling of the miseries of our brethren to remember those that are in bonds as though we were bound with them and those that are in affliction as though we also were afflicted in the bodie Ebr 13. 3. Thirdly our patient induring of affliction doth not onely serue as a president and example to others to suffer patiently but also is a notable meanes to confirme them in the truth 2. Cor. 1. 6. Philip. 1. 14. Lastly they serue to scoure vs that are earthly vessels from the rust and filth of sinne that cleaues so fast vnto our nature 18. Brethren the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with your spirit Amen Here the Apostle concludes his epistle with his vsuall farewell commending the Galatians to the grace of God wishing vnto them all things appertaining to spirituall life godlines 1. Pet. 1. 3. which he signifieth here by grace There is a twofold grace mentioned in Scripture Grace which makes a man gratious or acceptable to God gratia gratum faciens and grace which is freely giuen gratia gratis data Gratia gratum faciens is the fauour and loue of God whereby he is well pleased with his elect in Christ and this grace is in God himselfe and noe qualitie infused or inherent in vs and it is truly called the first grace as beeing the cause of all other subsequent graces Gratia gratis data is the free gift of God bestowed vpon men whether naturall or supernaturall naturall eyther in the state of innocencie before the fall as originall iustice c. or in the state of Apostasie since the fall as the gift of illumination Ioh. 1. 9. and such like Supernatural eyther common gifts as the gift of miracles prophecying tongues c. or sauing graces as the grace of election effectuall vocation iustification adoption glorification c. all which are called the second grace because they flow from the first as the streame from the fountaine Thus Paul distinguisheth them Rom. 5. 15. calling the former the grace of God the latter the gift by grace Nowe grace in this place is not to be restrained onely to the benefit of our redemption as it is 2. Cor. 13. 13. where the grace of Christ is distinguished from the loue of God and communion of the H. Ghost but to be vnderstood of the fauour loue of God which is the first grace and of the sauing grace of regeneration which is the second grace or the gift by grace And it is called the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ first because he is the fountaine of it Ioh. 1. 16. of his fullnes all we haue receiued and grace for grace Secondly because he is the conduit or pipe by which it is conuaied vnto vs. Ioh. 1. 17. Grace and truth came by Iesus Christ for he is our propitiator by whome alone we receiue grace that is the fauour of God and reconciliation for grace that is for the fauour and loue which God the father bare vnto his sonne we beeing accepted of God and beloued in his beloued Eph. 1. 6. Christ is further called our Lord in fiue respects First by right of creation Ioh. 1. 3. All things were made by him Secondly by right of inheritance Hebr. 1. 2. He is made hoyre of all things Psal. 2. 8. I will giue thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the endes of the earth for thy possession Thirdly by right of redemption 1. Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price which is neither siluer nor gold but the pretious blood of Christ. 1. Pet. 1. 18 19. and this he performed by a double right namely by right of proprietie as a King redeemes his subiects the master his seruants or by right of affinitie as the father may redeeme the sonne one brother an other and one kinsman an other Fourthly by right of conquest Luk. 11. 21. When a strong man armed keepeth his palace c. but when a stronger then he commeth vpon him and ouercommeth him he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted and diuideth the spoile Lastly by right of contract and marriage Hos. 2. 16. Thou shalt call me Ishi and shalt not call me Baali and v. 19. I will marrie thee vnto me for euer in righteousnes iudgement mercy and compassion I will marrie the vnto me in faithfulnes and thou shalt know the Lord. The Apostle proceeds and saith the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with your spirits For the better vnderstanding of which phrase we are to know that Man consisteth of two essentiall parts of soule and bodie Eccles. 12. 7. Dust that is the bodie returnes to the earth whence it was taken and the spirit returns to God that gaue it Albeit the Apostle els where deuideth man into three parts spirit soule and bodie when he praieth for the Thessalonians that their whole spirit and soule and body may be kept blameles vnto the comming of Christ. Where he subdiuideth the soule into two parts into reason or vnderstanding which he calleth the spirit will or affection which he tearmeth by the common name agreeing to both the soule God hauing giuen reason to see and will to seeke after that which is good that reason hauing eyes might guide the will that is blinde and goe before that it might follow So that the spirit and soule are not two seuerall substances but one and the same euen as the bodie and the flesh are one bodie and yet are they distinguished for doctrine sake Heb. 4 12. the word of God is said to enter through euen to the diuiding a sunder of the soule and the spirit and Eph. 4. 17. 18. the Apostle distinguisheth the soule into three Faculties the mind cogitation heart when he saith the Gentiles walked in the vanitie of their minds and had their cogitations darkened because of the hardnes of their hearts by minde meaning the hegemonicall part or vnderstanding by cogitation the inward senses as memorie phantasie c. and by heart the affections Now by spirit in this place is not ment the vnderstanding alone or the soule alone but by a synechdoche the whole man is
ignorance of the one and hinder the malice of the other and so to profitte the most beside the meaning he hath briefly drawne out such doctrines as naturally arise from the text shewing withall how they ought to be applied for confutation correction instruction consolation Which he hath donne with such dexteritie artificially matching together two things heretofore insociable Breuitie and Perspicuitie that the like I take it hath not beene performed heretofore by any Expositer vpon this Epistle which we may well call the key of the new Testament in that it handleth the waightiest points of doctrine whether we consider the necessarie knowledge thereof or the controuersies of these times Therefore Luther after he had once publikely expounded it toke in hand againe and interpreted it the second time beginning as himselfe saith where he ended according to the saying of Syracides When a man hath donne what he can he must beginne againe Which Commentarie seeing it hath found such good intertainement amongst vs beeing but a forrainer and hauing lost much of his strength and taken winde by changing from language to language as wine from one vessell to another I doubt not but this beeing a free-denizen will find the like fauour and acceptance therather if it will please your Honour to vouchsafe it your countenance To whose protection and patronage I here commend it as S. Luke did his Histories to the most noble Theophylus desiring hereby to testifie my humble dutie vnto your Honor and my thankfulnes to God for the riches of his grace bestowed vpon you in my sterie of the Gospell for your zeale of gods glory your loue of the truth and of all those that vnfainedly embrace the truth And thus fearing to hinder the course of your more serious cogitations actions I humbly take may leaue Desyring the Lord who hath promised to honour those that honour him that as he hath made you Honourable in your noble progenitors so he would make you thrise Honourable in your future successors and long continue you a notable instrument vnder his Highnes of the peace and welfare of your country as hetherto he hath done accomplishing all your desires for present prosperitie and future felicitie From Emanuell colledge in Cambridge August 10. 1604. Your Honours most humbly deuoted RAFE CVDWORTH TO THE COVRteous Reader I Here offer to thy view gentle Reader a Comment and a Supplement the Comment begunne by an excellent workeman and drawne in excellent proportion in all points suting to the analogie of faith and the doctrine of the Orthodoxe Fathers of the Church beeing the substance of his three yeares Lectures vpon the Lords day If his former workes either of Positiue Diuinitie in sundrie of his Treatises or Controuersall Diuinitie in his Reformed Catholike or Case-Diuinitie in his Cases of Conscience haue ministred any comfort vnto thee or giuen thee content I doubt not but these Commentaries will abundantly satisfie thy expectation For to omit the varietie of matter as also the breuitie and admirable perspicuitie in regard of the manner beeing the chiefest commendation of Oecumenius or any Interpreter in them as in a mirrour thou maist more clearely see his knowledge in the mysterie of Christ and his dexteritie in exemplifying that by practise which he had formerly taught by precept theÌ„ in any of his writings besides as hauing a double eminencie aboue the rest First in that they were penned the last of all his workes beeing come to ripenes of iudgement and that vpon mature deliberation after his Sermons as his manner was Secondly in that they were written with his owne hand whereas all his other writings except some short Treatises were taken by some diligent auditors and perused by himselfe Herein resembling the Epistle it selfe which was written with Pauls owne hand all the rest except that short one to Philemon by his â—â—ribes And as they doe exceede his other Writings so I might say perhaps more truly then discreetly that they surpasse in this kinde all the moderne writers that haue gone before them so that he which will vouchsafe to read them shall not greatly neede nor desire any other Interpreter vpon this Scripture the which I speake not as esteeming of Antiquitie no better worth then to be put vnder a bushell that Noueltie might be set vpon the candlesticke but for that I see not but that Iohn Baptist the last of all the Prophets was as goodly a burning and shining candle as any of the rest and that he pointed forth Christ more distinctly then the rest But I hope I shall not neede to vse many words in commendation either of the worke or of the Author beeing so well knowne and sufficiently commended by others for soundnes of doctrine and integritie of life which whilst he was liuing did parallel each other his doctrine beeing a patterne of his life and his life a counterpaine of his doctrine And now beeing dead his sauorie-writings which he hath left behind him breathing forth as it were the sweete smell of a sanctified spirit like a field which the Lord hath blessed hath got him a name neuer to be forgotten which giueth him after his death a second life I am further to aduertise thee good Reader that there were some places in the originall copie to which the Author would no doubt haue giuen some reuiew and correction if God had drawne out the line of his life but a little longer which I haue filed and polished according to my poore skill though very sparingly in such places onely as were obscure or had any phrase of doubtfull construction or otherwise seemed to be mistaken pointing and interlining the rest to fit it for the Presse It may be my vnskilfull handling of them hath depriued them of their due lustre yet sure I am it hath giuen them no tincture Touching the Supplement it was my purpose at the first to have made a supplie of that which was wanting out of the Authors owne writings as it hath beene done in Aquinas Summes and others but afterwardes perceiuing that his workes alreadie extant would not affoard me sufficient matter to furnish out that argument I was inforced to take an other course and to make a supplie with courser stuffe of mine owne as I could Which if it shall seeme not to sure the former in all points I shall desire thee to consider that it is not so easie a matter for Asâ—lepiodorus accustomed to draw with a cole or chaulke only to finish a picture he 〈…〉 nne by Apelles with so curious a pensill and that it is an argument wherein I confesse I haue not beene so much conuersant as perhaps in some other neither chosen out of purpose to make ostentation of witt reading or inuention but left as a necessary task to be performed by some for the perfecting of the worke and the good of the Church if this poore mite may conferre any thing to the Treasurie of the Lords
seeke deliuerance This conformitie with Christ in his passion is an infallible worke and token of the child of God and a signe that we are crucified with Christ. Againe here we are to take notice of the false faith of many men They can be content to beleeue that Christ was crucified for them but there they make a pause for they doe not beleeue that they are crucified with Christ. Their faith therefore is but halfe a faith and their profession is according For they haue the forme of godlines without the power thereof They thinke that they beleeue the Articles of faith aright but they are deceiued For to beleeue in Christ crucified is not onely to beleeue that he was crucified but also to beleeue that I am crucified with him And this is to know Christ crucified Lastly here we are to consider the abomination of the Church of Rome For it most abuseth that which is the greatest treasure in the world namely Christ crucified For they make a very Idol of him in that they worship him in at and before painted and carued Crucifixes For there is no such Christ in heauen or in earth that wil be present when we pray and heare vs at Crucifixes Againe they giue Latria diuine honour to deuised and framed crucifixes and thus they robbe Christ of his honour Thus much of our Communion with Christ in his passion now followes the second part of preparation namely Abnegation J liue yet not I any more that is I liue a spirituall life yet not as I as a naturall man For in that regard I carrie my selfe as a man crucified or after the manner of a dead man suffering nothing that is in me by nature to raigne in me that Christ alone may liue and raigne in me Here is a notable dutie to be learned we beeing crucified with Christ must carrie our selues as men crucified and that in three respects First in respect of corruption of sinnefull nature For in regard of our sinnes we are to esteeme our selues vnworthie of meat drinke sleepe breathing yea we are to esteeme ourselues to be as vile as any of the creatures vpon earth and we are to denie vngodlines and worldly lusts not suffering any of them to raigne ouer vs. Secondly we must carrie our selues as dead men in respect of the good things that belong to nature as honours riches pleasures friends all which in respect of preparation of minde we must daily forsake for Christs sake not suffering any of them to take place in our hearts Lastly we must be as dead men in respect of our owne reason and will and we must tread them vnder foote making Gods will our wisdome and will and giuing it lordship and dominion ouer vs our owne wills in the meane season lying dead in vs. Thus are we to carrie our selues as dead men and we are to be carefull of it that God may haue pleasure in vs we must forget our owne people and our fathers house Psal. 45. 10. That we may buy the pearle we must sell all we haue our wills our affections and the dearest things in the world He that would liue when he is dead must die while he is aliue and we must now lay out our selues as dead persons Corruption of nature reason and will must be dead in vs that Christ alone may liue and raigne in vs. The third point concerning spirituall life is touching the Originall and well-spring thereof in these words That Christ may raigne in me For the better conceiuing whereof three points are to be obserued The first that Christ is not onely the Author with the father the H. Ghost but also the Roote of life hauing life in himselfe that he may conuaie it to all that beleeue in him He is the true vine and we are the branches Ioh. 15. 1. he is an appointed head to his Church Eph. 1. 22. he is the prince of life Act. 3. 15. he is a quickning spirit 1. Cor. 15. 45. And in this regard is he said to liue in vs namely as a roote in the branch or as the head in the members The second point is that there must be an Vnion with Christ before we can receiue life from him and he liue in vs. If ye abide in me and I in you ye shall bring forth much fruit Ioh. 15. 4. We must be grafted with him before we can be conformable to his death and resurrection Rom. 6. 5. And againe we must be taken out of the wild oliue and set in the true oliue Rom. 11. 24. Thus much Paul signifieth when he saith Christ liues in me Of this coniunction two things must be noted The first that it is a substantiall vnion in that the person of him that beleeueth is vnited to the person of Christ. For we must eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his blood before we can haue life abiding in vs Ioh. 6. 53. and our bodies are members of Christ. 1. Cor. 6. 15. Againe this Vnion is spirituall because it is made by the bond of one spirit 1. Cor. 12. 13. By one spirit we are baptised into one bodie And no man is to maruaile that we on earth should be ioyned to Christ in heauen By ciuill contract man and wife are one flesh though distant many miles asunder why then may not we be ioyned to Christ by vertue of the couenant of grace considering no distance of place can hinder the beeing of the spirit of Christ in vs. The third point is that after this vnion with Christ he must further communicate himselfe vnto vs before we can liue by him and he in vs. To this purpose S. Iohn saith that God hath giuen vs life that this life is in the sonne that he which hath the sonne hath life 1. Ioh. 5. 12. For the conceiuing of this truth two questions may be demanded One in what order Christ giues himselfe vnto vs Ans. Christ first of all giues his flesh and blood that is himselfe and then secondly his gifts namely the efficacie and merit of his death The institution of the Lords Supper sheweth plainly that we are not partakers of the benefits of Christ vnlesse first of all Christ himselfe be giuen vnto vs. The second question is how Christ can be said to liue in vs Ans. He is not in vs in respect of locall presence but by the supernaturall and speciall operation of his spirit 1. Cor. 6. 17. The operation of the spirit is threefold The first is when God imputes the righteousnes of Christ to them that beleeue and withall giues the Right of eternall life and the Earnest of this right namely the first fruits of the spirit Hereupon iustification is called the Iustification of life Rom. 5. The second is Viuification by the vertue of the resurrection of Christ. Phil. 3. 10. And this vertue is the power of the Godhead of Christ or the power of the spirit raising vs to newnes of life as it raised Christ from the death
on the Lords day But this doctrine seemes not to stand with the fourth commandement It seemes to be a truth more probable that euery seauenth day in the weeke must be set a part in holy rest vnto God for this is the substance of the fourth commandement And it is also very probable that the Sabbath of the new Testament is limited and determined by our Sauiour Christ to the Lords day For Paul and the rest of the Apostles obserued the first day of the weeke for a Sabbath day Act. 20. 7. and he saith Whatsoeuer ye haue heard and what ye haue seene in me that doe Phil. 4. 9. Againe it was the decree or constitution of Paul that the collection for the poore should be the first day of the weeke at Corinth now this collection in the Primitiue Church followed preaching praier sacraments and it was the conclusion of all other exercises in the assemblie 1. Cor. 16. 2. And this first day of the weeke is called the Lords day Apoc. 1. 11. and it is so called because it was dedicated and consecrated to the honour of Christ our Lord. And who is the author of this Dedication but Christ himselfe the Lord of the Sabboth It is alleadged that the Sabbath and the commandement touching the Sabbath is Ceremoniall and vpon this ground they take libertie keep no Sabbath at all But the truth is that the commandement touching the Sabbath is not wholly Ceremoniall It may be the first words Remember the Sabbath day to sanctifie it and the words In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke c. are spoken of the Iewes Sabbath but the wordes Sixe daies shalt thou labour and the seuenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God are morall and containe a perpetuall truth Therefore the words of Paul must be conceiued with an exception of the Sabbath day which is the seuenth day in euery weeke which day Christ hath limited by his Apostles to the Lords day The vse This text of Paul discouers vnto vs a great part of the superstition of the Popish Church in the obseruation of holy daies First beside the Lords day they appoint many other sabbaths whereas it is the priuiledge of God to appoint an ordinarie day of rest and to sanctifie it to his owne honour Secondly they bind mens consciences to the obseruation of their holy daies which Paul here forbids and Col. 2. 16. Thirdly they place the worship of God in the obseruation of their holy daies but God is worshipped in vaine by mens precepts Matth. 15. Fourthly they place a great holines in their festiuall daies more then in other daies Fiftly they dedicate many of their holy daies to the honour of Saints and Angels whereas the dedication of ordinarie and set daies is a part of diuine or religious worship Lastly their holy daies for number are more then the festiuall daies of the Iewes and thus they bring people into their old bondage nay to a greater bondage then euer the Iewes indured in respect of daies and times It may be said that the Church of the Protestants obserue holy daies Ans. Some Churches doe not because the Church in the Apostles daies had no holy day beside the Lords day and the 4. commandement inioynes the labour of sixe daies Indeede the Churches of England obserueth holy daies but the Popish superstition is cut off For we are not bound in conscience to the obseruation of these daies neither doe we place holines or the worship of God in them but we keepe them onely for orders sake that men may come to the Church to heare Gods word And though we retaine the names of Saints daies yet we giue no worship to saints but to God alone And such daies as contained nothing in them but superstition as the conception and assumption of the virgin Marie we haue cut off Thus doth the Church with vs obserue holy daies and no otherwise Indeede the ignorant multitude among vs faile greatly in the obseruing of daies For they greatly solemnise the time of the birth of Christ and then they keepe few or no markets but the Lords day is not accordingly respected and men will not be disswaded from following of faires on that day Againe to obserue daies of good bad successe according to the constellations of the heauens is an heathenish fashion to be auoided For it is here condemned in the Galatians Here therefore we must be put in minde not to obserue the planetarie houres for men suppose that the houres of the daie are ruled by the planets and hereupon that some houres are good and luckie as they say and some vnluckie that men are taken with planets and borne vnder vnluckie planets But these are heathenish conceits Neither must we respect our Horoscope or the time of our birth and the constellation of the heauens thē as though we could hereby know what should befall vs to the end of our daies And we must not put difference of daies as though some were luckie vnto vs and some vnluckie according to the course of the starres The like I saie of the Criticall daies that is the 7. and the 14. daie after that a man beginnes to be sicke For they are groūded vpon the aspects of the moone which are not to be regarded And the Climactericall years are not to be obserued as dangerous and dismall The obseruatiō of the signes is of the same nature For the 12. signes are nothing els but 12. parts of the first mooueable which is but a supposed heauen Therefore there is no danger in the thing but in our conceit We are to feare God and not to feare the starres neither are we to make differences of daies in respect of them as though the affaires we take in hand should prosper the better or the worse in respect of their different operation Gods commandement is Feare not the signes of heauen Ierem. 10. 2. And good reason For no man can by learning knowe the operation of the starrs because their lights and operations are all mixed togither in all places vpon earth and therefore no obseruation can be made of this or that starre more then of this or that hearbe when all hearbes are mixed and compounded togither Againe the operation of the starres is by their light and light hath no operation but in heat or cold moisture or drinesse In this respect though we may well obserue the full and the change of the moone it is foolishnesse to ascribe the regiment of our affaires to the starres they beeing matters contingent which depend on the will and pleasure of man Lastly it is a great ouersight to hold sundrie of the starres to be malignant and infortunate in respect of vs whereas they are the creatures of God and their light serues for the good of man In a word we are not to make difference of daies neither in respect of holines nor in respect of good or badde successe V. 11. I am afraid
els but to haue the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons Iam. 2. 1. The second conclusion is that the new creature is the onely thing that is acceptable to God Circumcision c. â—â—aileth nothing but a new creature By the new creature the Apostle vnderstandeth the image of God or renouation of the whole man both in the spirits of our minds and in the affections of our hearts which is also called the new man We shall the better conceiue it by the contrarie namely by the old man which is want of knowledge in the minde and delight in ignorance want of subiection and conformitie in the will and rebellion withall want of holines in the affections and pronenes to euill The new man then is the restoring of all these defects For the vnderstanding hereof consider that there are three things in the soule The substance of the soule the faculties or powers of the soule and the qualities of these faculties Now neither the substance nor faculties are lost by the fall but onely the qualities of the faculties as when an instrument is out of tune the fault is not in the substance of the instrument nor in the sound but in the disproportion or iarre in the sound therefore the qualities onely are renewed by grace These qualities or habits are either in the Vnderstanding or will and affections The qualitie in the vnderstanding is knowledge Coloss. 3. 10. Ye haue put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him In the will and affections they are principally two righteousnes and holines both which are in truth and synceritie without all hypocrisie Eph. 4. 24. Put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnes and true holines where holines and righteousnes are opposed to concupiscences and lusts of the old man Truth which hath relation to both to spiritual guile and dissimulation so that each of these qualities haue two parts a want of the contrarie euill and a positiue qualitie or habit of goodnes Holines respecteth god and containeth all duties of pietie contained in the first table Righteousnes respects man and the creatures and compriseth all the duties enioyned in the second table Truth respecteth the manner how both the former are to be practised viz. with an vpright and sincere heart free from all hypocrifie and deceit These three making a perfect harmonie in all the faculties of the soule Holines performing all the duties of pietie righteousnes the duties of humanitie truth seasoning both the former with sinceritie But may some say how is the new creature opposed to all externall things or said to be of any force in the kingdome of Christ seeing it is not auaileable to iustifie a man before God ' beeing stained with manifold imperfections For answer whereof we are to know that outward things are sometime opposed to Christ and his righteousnes as Coloss. 3. 11. There is neither Iew nor Grecian circumcision nor vncircumcision c. but Christ is all and in all things sometime to faith as Gal. 5. 6. Neither circumcision auaileth any thing nor vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue sometime to the new creature or sanctification as in this place and 2. Cor. 7. 29. Circumcision is nothing c. but the keeping of the commandements of God But the sense is all one for they are opposed to Christ as to the matter of our iustification to faith as to the instrument apprehending it to the new creature as to the signe of them both Further whereas both here and 2. Cor. 5. 17. the image of god is called a new creature or as it is in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a new creation the meaning is not that either the substance or faculties of the soule are created a new but that the worke of regeneration is wholly to be ascribed to God alone not as though we were stocks or stones without life or motion but because God doth create these new qualities in vs quickning vs when we were dead in sinne and working in vs both the will and the deede Philip. 2. 13. If regeneration then be a new creation it must needes follow that before our conuersion we were not onely dead but euen flat nothing in godlines and grace By which we see what to iudge of the Semi-pelagian heresie which teacheth that a man by an internum principium may dispose himselfe to will that which is truly good and that man is not starke dead in sinne but onely sicke or wounded and halfe dead as the man which fell among theeues Luk. 10. or as a prisoner that is shackled and manackled who can walke of himselfe if his fetters be taken from him so we if Christ loose the chaines of our sinnes haue power of our selues to mooue our selues Which doctrine we know is most iniuâ—ious to the mercie of God and most derogatorie to the merits of Christ seeing it makes him in the worke of our saluation to be but causa removens prohibens which as Logicians teach is but causa sine quâ non which in truth is no cause at all So that they make themselues their own Sauiours and Christ to be but an instrument whereby they saue themselues for if he doe but remooue the impediment they without any more adoe are able to mooue and act themselues When as the conuersion of a sinner is as great a worke as the creation of heauen and earth for Paul calleth it here a new creation Nay here is a greater power required if I may so speake then that whereby the world was created For though an infinite power be required as well to the creating of the great world as the recreating or regenerating of the lesse world as our Sauiour Christ signifies Mark 2. 9. Whether is it easier to say to the sicke of the palsie Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee or to say Arise take vp thy bed and walke yet the holy Ghost seemeth of the two to make it more difficult to create a new hart then a new world in that speaking of the creation of the world he saith it was made by the word of God By the word of the Lord were the heauens made Psal. 33. 6. or by his fingers when I consider the heauens the workes of thy fingers Psal. 8. 3. or by his handes Psalm 102. 25. The heauens are the workes of thy hands But the redemption of man and the conuersion of a finner is said to be wrought by the arme of God Marie in her Magnificat saith He hath shewed strength with his arme Luk. 2. 51. nay he was faine to set his side to it and it made him shed many a teare and sweat as it were drops of blood trickling downe to the ground Luk. 22. 44. Before our conuersion we are like the drie bones Ezek. 37. for as when the winde of God came vpon them bone came to bone and were ioyned with sinews and couered with
And withall he laies downe two conclusions The first is that in Christ Iesus that is in the kingdome of grace neither circumcision nor vncircumcision are any thing that is are neither acceptable to God nor auaileable to saluation Vnder these two synecdochically comprehending all outward priuiledges and prerogatiues dignities and regalities or whatsoeuer can be named vnder circumcision comprising the preheminence of the Iewe and the profit of circumcision which was much euery way Rom. 3. 1. seeing that to them appertained the adoption and the glory and the couenants and the giuing of the Lawe and the seruice of God and the promises Rom. 9. 4. Vnder circumcision containing the Gentiles with all their wealth wisdome strength lawes pollicie and whatsoeuer is of high account and glorious in the eies of the world All which he exclude and accounts as nothing in respect of regeneration For that which is highly accounted of among men is abomination in the sight of God Luk. 16. 15. Therefore wisedome wealth nobility strength are nothing 1. Cor. 1. 26. Outward callings as to be King or Kaesar Prophet or Apostle Outward actions of fasting almes praier Nay kindred and alliance as to be mother or brother of Christ is nothing for if the blessed virgine had not borne Christ in her heart as she did in her wombe she should neuer haue beene saued Luk. 11. 27 28. if his kinsmen had not beene his brethren by spirituall adoption as well as by naturall propagation they should haue had no inheritance in the kingdome of God Mark 3. 33 35. Nay the outward element of baptisme without the inward grace is of no force for it is not the washing away of the filth of the flesh that is acceptable to God but the stipulation of a good conscience which maketh requests vnto God 1. Pet. 3. 21. and if the communicant at the Lords table doe not eate panem DominuÌ„ as well as panem Domini as Augustine speaketh that is if he doe not receiue Christ spiritually by the hand of his faith as he doth corporally receiue the element by his bodely hand he receiueth vnworthily and so eateth and drinketh his owne iudgement 1. Cor. 11. 39. Now the reason why these outward things are nothing availeable is because the things that are accounted of with God are spirituall and eternall not tempoÌ„rall and carnall as these are which as they shall vtterly cease in the kingdome of glory Matth. 22. 30. for then Christ will put downe all rule authoritie and power 1. Cor 15. 24. so are they not of any moment or account in the kingdome of grace as Paul teacheth 2. Cor. 5. 16. Gal. 3. 28. Coloss. 3. 11. It may be said these priuiledges and outward things as Prince and people Master and feruant bond and free c. haue place in the kingdome of grace seeing Christianity doth not abolish nature nor ciuill pollicy To which I answer that man must be considered two waies in respectof the outward or inward man Consider him as he is a member in ciuill society as of the family church or common-wealth there are sundry differences of persons as bond free magistrate subiect poore rich c. in which sense the Apost exhortation taketh place wiues submit your selues to your husbandâ— Coloss. 3. 18. children obey your parents v. 20. seruants be obedient to your masters v. 22. But if man be considered in respect of his spirituall estate as he is a member of the inuisible or catholique church vnder spirituall gouernement consisting in righteousnes peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. there is no distinction of calling condition or sexe for we are all on in Christ. Gal. 3. 28. or Christ is all and in all things Coloss. 3. 11. in that though we be many yet are we but one body in Christ. Rom. 12. 5. seeing we are quickned with one spirit Eph. 4. 4. The Popish opinion therefore which teacheth that there be some outward callings and actions which commend vs to God as to lead a single life to fast to vow voluntary pouerty to performe regular obedience to professe monkery to be buried in a friers cowle or to abstaine from these and these meates is here condemned when Paul saith that outward priuiledges will not serue the turne and that meate commendeth vs not to God 1. Cor. 8. 8. Againe neither this nor the like places Gal. 3. 28. Col. 3. 11. do any thing fauour the Anabaptisticall fancy of bringing in an anarchie that is an ataxy into Christian society by taking away christian magistrates and distinction betwixt masster and seruant for by the same reyson we may consound the sexe of man and woman for Paul saith there is neither male nor femalle but we are all on in Christ the meaning thereof is this that although in respect of our inward or spirituall estate before God there be no such difference yet that hindreth not but there may be in respect of our outward estate Further we learne from hence that no man is to thinke highly of himselfe in regard of outward priuiledges as birth honour welth fauour nor to glory in them Ier. 9. 23. rich men must not be high minded 1. Tim. 6. 17. Nay the King may not lift vp his mind aboue his brethren Deut. 17. 20. Pauls example is notable who accounted all the priuiledges which he had before his conuersion whilst he was a Iew as that he was a citizen of Rome a Pharise a great Rabbin instructed by Gamaliel of the tribe of Beniamin circum cised the 8. day c. and after his conuersion beeing a christian as that he was an Apostle taken vp into the 3. heauen c. to be as nothing or worse then nothing euen as losse or dunge in respect of beeing a new creature in Christ that is in respect of iustification and sanctification And therefore we may not set our minds to much vpon outward things as riches honours pleasures seeing they are not â—â—â—ylable to saluation Besids this teacheth all those that are but in meane and base estate to be content for outward priuiledges auaile nothing outward wants and miseries hinder nothing If a man be rich he is nothing the neâ—rer and if he be poore he is not a whitt the further off it is the pouerty of the spirit which makes a man rich in grace for though the poore man be the rich mans flaue yet he is the sonne of God and sellow heyre with Christ and though the rich man be the poore mans master yet he is the seruant of Christ as Paul saith he that is called beeing a seruant is Gods free man and he that is called beeing free is Christ seruant 1. Cor. 7. 22. Lastly this crosseth the opinion of the multitude who think that if a man be increased in riches graced with fauour aduanced with honour that he is a godly wise religious man and that religion which he professeth is the truth This is nothing