body of death thorough this Prince of life as we should that then we betake our selues vnto a serious and due consideration of the manifold and wonderfull hatefulnesse and vilenesse of our sinnes how miserably the image of God is thereby depraued and defaced in vs how vnfit it maketh vs for the seruice of God how fearefully by it the wrath of God is kindled against vs how thereby wee haue deserued eternall death and damnation and consequently what great neede we haue of the mediation of Iesus Christ and this will make vs aboue all things vnlesse we are dead in sinne seeke our deliuerance from this body of death thorough Iesus Christ our Lord as the Apostle did Now in that the Apostle thus earnestly and aboue all things in the world as here it is manifest wisheth desireth and longeth more and more to be deliuered and freed from the power of sinne and in as much as he elsewhere requireth vs to be his followers from hence ariseth this instruction that it behooueth vs aboue all things in the world with all diligâ—nce to endeuour more and more to be deliuered from the power of sinne We see here in our Text that it is the practise of the Apostle and his example being good we ought to make it our rule This hath euermore beene the opinion and practise of all the seruants of God as it is here the out-cry of the Apostle Who shall deliuer me from this body of death Such is Dauids wish Psal 119.5 O that my way were directed to keepe thy statutes and it hath not onely beene the longing and desire of the seruants of God but also their daily practise and endeuour to attaine vnto it as the Apostle Paul witnesseth of himselfe that he desired in all things to walke honestly Heb. 13.18 Yea that it was his daily occupation his greatest exercise and endeuour to haue alwayes a cleare conscience toward God and towardes men Act. 24.16 And Dauid also testifieth as much of himselfe that he refrained his feete from euery euill way that he might keepe Gods word Psal 119.101 First This must be the endeuour of euery one that will serue God because true Religion and vndefiled before God euen the Father is to visite the widdow and fatherlesse in their aduersitie and to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world Secondly If so be we were in slauery vnder the Turkes should wee not by all meanes labour for our libertie If we were griped in the clawes of a Lyon should we not desire and striue to come forth If we were in danger of some fearefull fire or ouer-flowing of water should we not make the best speed we could to escape Now the bondage the tyranny the brunt the flood of sinne is worse then the bondage of the Turkes the crueltie of a Lyon or the vnmercifulnesse of fire or water for these fasten onely on the body and but for a short space but the other on the soule and that for euer Therefore vnlesse wee will make it appeare that we be vnbeleeuing contemners and mockers of the Doctrine of heauen and hell and whatsoeuer appertaineth thereunto accounting it as meerely verball and vaine babbling Let vs aboue all things in the world labour and endeuour more and more to be deliuered and freed from the bondage of sinne Vses First Here is matter of mourning and lamentation euen that there are so few that labour and exercise themselues in this notwithstanding it be matter of such necessitie and consequence You shall find men that are plunged vp to the eares in sinne yet neuerthelesse take no paines at all to get out of it yea they are so farre from vsing any diligence of themselues to worke out their libertie and freedome from the bondage of sinne as that they cannot suffer any man to admonish them of their sinnes or to lend them a hand to pluck them out of them being in madnesse and folly like vnto him which being possessed with a deep sleepe and hauing an Adder creeping vpon him is angry and taketh it in ill part when his friend awaketh him to the end that he might auoyd the present danger so truely is it a miserable and lamentable thing and yet common that worldly men which doe lie in wickednesse 1 Ioh. 5.19 as a beast lyeth in hay for so the word there signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are so farre from stirring and rousing vp themselues to rise out of their sinnes and to harken vnto the voyce which cryeth awake thou that sleepest stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light as that they had rather goe seeke some bodie to set a cushin vnder their elbow to the end that they might sleepe the more easily and soundly in their sinnes but it shall be with them as the Lord protesteth Ezech. 13.18.19 Secondly let this moue vs to stirre vp our selues aboue all things according to the manner of the Apostle to labour and endeuour to haue our selues deliuered from the body of death and set free from the power thereof for we see that we are altogether and wholly in the captiuitie and bondage of sinne therefore to endeuour to get our libertie must we preferre before all our workes and especially seeing the glory of our good and gracious God and the eternall well-fare of our owne soules doe stand vpon it yea it is most certaine that whosoeuer setteth not himselfe against his sinnes for to be freed and deliuered from his sinnes shall die in his sinnes Iohn 8.24 For this body of sinne shall peirce him with the venemous and cursed sting thereof which shall bring him not onely to temporall but also to eternall death 1 Cor. 15.56 For as those that die in the Lord are blessed and rest from their labours and enioy eternall happinesse Reuel 14.13 So those that die in their sinnes are certainely accursed and shall haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Reuel 21.8 Therefore must wee make it our chiefest worke to get our selues deliuered from the power of sinne vnlesse we be willing thereby to bee brought into eternall condemnation But if we find our selues to bee alreadie truely deliuered from the power of sinne so that it hath no dominion ouer vs howsoeuer it remaineth in vs Rom. 6.12 yet we must with the Apostle Paul earnestly labour and endeuour more and more to be freed from it because the comfort of our souls and the peace of our consciences doe stand vpon it for it is most sure and certaine that we can no further reioyce comfort our selues in our faith and good conscience then we refraine our selues from sinne and endeuour in all things to walke honestly Psal 119.101 Heb. 13.18 Here may some man demand What are we to doe to the end that we may be deliuered from the power of sinne and more and more set free from the bondage thereof To the end that we may be set free from the power
corruption is named a bodie 1 Reason Because it spreadeth it selfe thorough all the powers and parts of the whole man Reason 2. Because it hangeth vpon vn as our owne flesh Mat. 5.29.30 Why our naturall corruption is named a body of death Reason 1. Because it worketh the death both of soule and bodie Reason 2. Because it ingendreth and bringeth forth a broode of deadly sins Reason 3. Because it is destined to euerlasting death Rom. 2.4.2 Pet. 3.9 Doctrine 1. That the originall corruption wherein we were all conceiued and borne is a most deformed and mis-shapen body of death Rom. 3.13.14.15.16 Vse 1. To teach vs to mourne and lament in the consideration of it Vse 2. To admonish vs to take notice of this deadly monster I Cor. 15.16 The opening of the second part of the Text. Doctrine 2. That the naturall corruption which maketh man of himselfe vnapt and vnfit to any good prone to all euill is in the best and most holiest of Gods children Gal. 6.24 Col. 3.5 Rom. 8.13 Quest Answ Quest Answ Vse 1. To teach euery one to walk warily and circumspectly seeing we carry in and about vs such a bodie of sinne and of death Vse 2. A iustreproofe of all such as content themselues with a ciuill life Vse 3. To teach Gods people to put far from them that conceipt of carnall men Vse 4. To worke a sound humiliation in all mankinde Vse 5. To administer comfort to the Warriours against this corruption The opening of the third part of the Text. Answ The bodie of death hath these miserable effects which follovv It defaceth the Image of God in vs. Being thus defaced wee become the children of wrath and disobedience Doctrine 1. The more holy a man is the more sensible is he of his naturall corruption Reasons 1. Because they haue a feeling conscience sensible of sinne 2. They haue their eyes open to see the vglinesse of sinne Vse 1. For examination by this whether we be Gods children yea orno Vse 2. To cause lamentation in regard of the commonnesse of correction and yet the great want of a sensible feeling of it Vse 3. To terrifie all hard-hearted people which delight in sin neuer sorrowing for sinne Vse 4 To reproue all those which wonder at the humilitie of Gods children The last part of the Text. Doctrine 2. The true sense of our miserie by sinne causeth vs to seeke deliuerance by Christ Reason 1. It is naturall for all Creatures in distresse to seeke deliuerance Vse 1. To shevv from whence it commeth that men are in miserable bondage vnder sin and yet neuer seeke for deliuerance Vse 2. Sheweth the necessitie of the sound preaching of the Law Vse 3. To admonish all which would be deliuered from the misery of sin that they would suffer themselues to be reproued Vse 4. Toteach vs when we feele the lack of our Ioue to Christ then duely to weigh the hatefulnesse of our sinnes Doctrine 3. That it behooueth vs aboue all things in the world to seeke to be deliuered from the power of sinne Reason 1. Because true Religion teacheth vs to keept our selues vnspotted of the world I am 1.27 Reason 2. Because the bondage of sinne is the greatest bondage that a Christian can vnder-goe Vse 1. To inforce vs to mourne because men lie in their sinnes without once seeking any deliuerance Vse 2. To teach vs to labour to be deliuered from the bodie of death Quest What must we doe to be deliuered from the power of sin
filthy monster so that they cannot sleepe till such time as they haue giuen it its fill of disobedience and iniquitie when they once thorough some stirring of their conscience come to haue their eyes opened whereby they beginne to perceiue the terriblenesse of this monster they become hatefull and fearefull vnto their owne selues and oftentimes murther themselues hoping thereby to get out of the sight and presence of that grim hellish monster which now they begin to see in themselues whereat they are affrighted as it came to passe with Iudas and many others Now the reasons for which originall sinne or naturall corruption may truly be held to be such an hatefull and deadly monster may besides that which shall be hereafter spoken be taken out of those reasons which we haue already giuen in the opening of the Text wherein wee shewed wherefore this naturall corruption is termed a bodie of death And if so be that it bee a monstrous thing when in a bodie the members are all mishapen and misplaced and moreouer in themselues exceedingly depraued so must this naturall corruption needs be held to be a monstrous thing wherin the vnderstanding which should be gouernour and leader of the will and fleshly lustes and affections not onely lieth subdued vnder them both but also is in it selfe vtterly obscured darkned and the will and affections in themselues altogether peruerted and disordered Furthermore if the death and pollution of body and soule if a deadly broode of all manner of haynous and deadly sinnes nay if eternall death and damnation are most odious and terrible things then this naturall corruption must needes be judged to bee a hatefull and fearefull thing which occasioneth and bringeth forth all these things as was made manifest before in the opening of the Text Wherefore we conclude as wee beganne that the naturall corruption wherein we were all conceiued and borne and which we all brought into the world with vs from our mothers wombe is a most vgly deformed body of death a fearefull and deadly monster Now let vs see what Vse we can make of that which hath beene spoken and in the first place here is great cause of mourning and lamentation even because that although this body of death our naturall corruption which in euery place is knowne by the name of brittle weake and corrupt flesh bee such an abominable and deadly monster as that it deserues and ought to bee of euery one persecuted and hunted euen to death yet is so generally serued and obeyed in the lusts thereof as at this day it is Behold and marke the course of the world and consider well the actions of the most part of men and you shall finde that they tend chiefely to the fulfilling and satisfying the desires of this horrible monster their corrupt flesh to the susteyning and supporting of it and to the giuing it the fill of whatsoeuer it requireth if it will haue men eat till they surfet and drinke till they be drunke you shall find multitudes of them that will doe it although they should eat and drinke vp goods bodies and soule and all if it lusteth after wantonnesse you shall find those that fit and addresse themselues for that also by lurking here and there in corners gazing and staring out at Windowes and doores and frequenting dishonest places or by vsing idle and immodest exercises as lasciuious dauncing wanton sporting amorous songs corrupt and rotten communication stuffed with vaine and vnfruitfull iestes and prophane passages and that vpon the Sabboth day the which although some seeme to obserue and keepe by resting from the workes of their calling and seruing the world yet you shall haue the same men prophane and violate that blessed day which God hath set apart for his own seruice by doing the workes of their corrupt flesh and toyling to serue it in the lustes thereof as in taking their carnall sports and such pas times as their base and sensuall affections shal lead them vnto when they should be best employed in spirituall exercises Wheras if they saw their spirituall estate and were sensible of the wants thereof they would thinke one day too little for them to spend in bewayling their sins miseries in prayer meditation reading and hearing the word of God or if they did but know and duely consider the wonderfull bountifulnesse mercy patience and long-suffering of God who hath so safely protected them so carefully prouided for them and so mercifully spared them notwithstanding their sinnes vnworthinesse they would thinke that time rather too short then too long for them to blesse him and prayse him enough and to spend in godly and sanctified discourse and conference vpon those things which appertaine and tend to Gods glory and their owne mutuall comfort and edification in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Furthermore how many doe wee see whose daily practise and trade of life is to fulfill and satisfie the lustes and desires of this vile and vgly monster their corrupt flesh in lying deceiuing vsury seeking vnlawfull and vngodly gaines slandering and backbiting their neighbours vndermining for offices and places of dignitie by a thousand vngodly and sinister meanes and deuises and infinite wayes els which would be too long here to be repeated so that it is a thing most lamentable and neuer enough to be bewayled that Man that excellent creature which at first was created to serue the Lord his God in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of his life to his euerlasting comfort should be found to be so base as to sell himselfe to be a slaue and a drudge to his corrupt and sinfull flesh and to serue it in the vile and contemptible lustes and appetites thereof to his euerlasting woe and destruction yea I say that it is a thing altogether lamentable that this bodie of death this pernicious and deadly monster our naturall corruption should be thus diligently obeyed and serued notwithstanding the wages thereof be death eternall both of soule and bodie when in the meane time the seruice of our good and gracious God is vtterly neglected and yet the reward which hee offereth is euerlasting ioy and happinesse In the second place this serues to warne and admonish all the children of men that they take good notice of this cruell and deadly monster which keepes all this quarter in the world and which they all haue brought with themselues into the world When some noysome beast is discouered to be in a Countrey the people of the same are not a little moued therewith how doe they bestirre themselues consult and lay their heads and helpes together to chase it or ensnare it that they might by some meanes bring it to death how shall we then behaue our selues which haue receiued such credible and certaine information that such a pernicious and deadly monster as the corrupt flesh is risen vp amongst men shall we be idle and secure shall wee not bestirre