stinking They defile all that comes neer them whatsoever they meddle with whatsoever toucheth them is defiled by them 2. They that are spiritually dead have no use of any of their spiritual senses The soul hath senses as well as the body but he that is dead cannot use any of these They cannot heare they cannot see they cannot taste they cannot smell they cannot feele they cannot heare Christs voice in the Gospel they cannot see the glory of Christ nor of grace they cannot feel the heavy weight of sinne they cannot taste the sweet and delicate pleasures of Jesus Christ they cannot smell the fragrancy of Christs sweet ointments They have no pleasure in those things that are most plesant in themselves and most desirable to such as are spiritually alive They are to all spiritual things and all spiritual things are to them as if they were not 3. This spiritual death if it be not removed is a certaine forerunner of eternal Death Blessed and happy is he that hath part in the first resurrection of him the second death shall have no power Rev. 20 6. but he that continues still in this spiritual death shall for ever be under the power of the second death the eternal death And this is the state of all such as want Jesus Christ Use 2. That that spiritual life which is in the soul of a beleever shall never totally and finally die It may be at deaths door it may be ready to die so it was with the Church of Sardis Rev. 3. 2. A Christian may be in regard of his spiritual life as a tree in the depth of winter no difference to all outward appearance between him and a dead plant but it is impossible that the spiritual life shall utterly be extinguished because Jesus Christ who is our spiritual life lives for ever Your life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 3. hid as in a root for safety and security Because I live ye shall live also John 14. 19. while the root liveth the plant cannot die while the fountaine runneth the streames cannot cease while the olive-trees convey their oyle through the pipes into the lamp the lamp cannot go out A living Christian may grow very weak but he cannot die Jesus Christ must cease to live before the life of grace in a Saint do utterly perish while the cause continueth the effect will Use 3. That there is a true spiritual union between Iesus Christ and a beleever This is one of the great mysteries of the Gospel that Christ and a beleever should be made one it s set out by many examples as of root and branches Iohn 15. init head and members Eph. 5. 3. foundation-stone and the superstructory stones Eph. 2. 20. meat and eaters Iohn 6 56. husband and wife Eph. 5. 32. This very doctrine makes it good He could not be our life if he were not united to us and we to him 'T is by vertue of our union with him that we come to draw life from him As the soul and body are united so are Christ and a beleever the whole mystical body is called by his name 1 Cor. 12. 12. so also is Christ speaking of the Church Use 4. Deadnesse of Spirit want of spiritual Activity is very inexcusable in a beleever The ground of this inference is very cleare Jesus Christ is his life Christ hath life enough in him and he is willing enough to communicate more and more of this spiritual life If the fountaine of this life were a meer creature something might be said for thy deadnesse and coldnesse but now seeing Jesus Christ is thy life thy deadnesse is inexcusable in thy self and it is also dishonourable to Christ The life and greennesse of the branches is an honour to the root by which they live Spiritual greennesse and fruitfulnesse is in a beleever an honour to Jesus Christ who is his life Psal 92. 12 13 14 15. The righteous shall flourish as a Palm-tree c. To shew that the Lord is upright c. The fulnesse of Christ is manifested by the fruitfulnesse of a Christian Use 5. It is the duty of a Christian to live comfortably on this Doctrine It affords very much comfort 1. Against the weaknesse of this life in our selves What Christian is there but finds this life very weak in him at some times well when it is weakest in thee it is then strong in Jesus Christ And God looks upon thy spiritual life not only as it is in thee but as it is in Christ 2. Against the fear of the wanting of the Ordinances of life 'T is a great losse to lose the Ordinances Lev. 26. 31. Well though thou lose these yet thou doest not lose thy life These are but the pipes Christ is the Olive-tree These are but the chanels Christ is the fountaine Man liveth not by bread alone but by the word of blessing Thy soul liveth by Christ not by Ordinances They are but the instrumental cause Christ is the efficient 3. Against the feare of Satans workings to destroy this spiritual life 'T is his great designe to take away this spiritual life He labours to stifle it by sinne he stirs up his instruments to remove the Ordinances Well he cannot prevaile He must destroy Christ before he can destroy our life He must either wither the root or he cannot kill the branches Use 6. Let beleevers be careful to carry themselves towards Christ as he who is their life 1. Acknowledge him the Authour of your life 2. Go to him when you want life 3. Strengthen your union with him Eph. 4. 15. 4. Live to him who is your life Rom. 14. 8. Use 7. It should invite all to lay hold on Christ All men are dead by nature There 's no other way to live a spiritual life If Christ be not thy life of grace he will never be thy life of glory COL 3. 4. When Christ our life shall appear then III. SERM. at Mary Wolnoth Lon. June 1. 1651. shall we also appeare with him in glory I Have handled the first Proposition as it relates to the life of grace viz. that Jesus Christ is a beleevers spiritual life I shall now consider of it as it refers to the life of glory and so summe it up into this conclusion viz. Doct. Jesus Christ is the eternal life of every beleever Christ is the everlasting life of all those that are eternally saved As he is their life of grace so he is also their life of glory He is often called in Scripture not only a Saviour but Salvation The salvation of God Luk. 3. 6. An horn of salvation Luk. 1. 69. And all because he is the salvation of all the Elect. I must here put in that Caution which I did before viz. That the Father and Holy Ghost are not to be excluded they are our life as well as Christ The Spirit and the Father are Saviours as well as the Sonne Opera Trinitatis ad
extra sunt indivisâ— Prophets Act. 10. 43. Apostles 1 John 5. 11. Christ himself Joh. 14. 16. do all bear witnesse to this truth That Jesus Christ is life eternal to every true beleever In what respect Christ is our life of glory I shall shew in the following particulars viz. 1. In regard of merit and acquisition Jesus Christ is the procurer of this life of glory Heaven is called a purchased Redemption or Possession Epb. 1â—4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ is the purchaser of this possession and his blood is the price of the purchase As he hath by his death purchased the Elect so hath he also by his blood purchased this life for those redeemed ones 1 John 4. 9. in this was manifested the love of God towards us because he sent his only begotten Sonne into the world that we might live through him Had not Jesus Christ shed his blood no sinner had ever tasted of this life eternal Eternal life is the free gift of God and yet it is merited by Christ Christ who is the price and meritorious cause of life is the free gift of Gods grace and therefore our salvation is both free and yeâ— merited 2. He is our life efficaciously Though salvation be purchased for the Elect yet must the Elect of God be fitted and prepared for this salvation before they can be put into the possession of it The Apostle speaks of making the soule meet for the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The best of men are unfit for salvation as well as unworthy of salvation Though heaven be prepared for them yet cannot they enter into heaven till they be prepared This fitnesse or preparedness stands in the changing of our nature by the working of grace in the heart and in the merciful acceptation of God covering our infirmities and reckoning our weak endeavours for perfect obedience Natura mentis humanae quantumvis perfect a naturalibus donis absque gratiâ non est susceptibilis gloriae Parisiens lib. de vâ—rt cap. 11. The Apostle tells us that a man must be wrought for glory 2 Cor. 5. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Elect of God come into the world rough and unpolished filthy and defiled as well as others and they are not fit for this life till they be refined and polished Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15. 50. Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the Kingdome of heaven Aquinas saith well Gratia haec divina eò infunditur electis ut peragant actiones ordinatas in finem vitae aeternae Now Jesus Christ doth fit and work the Elect for this glory He doth by his Spirit change their nature he doth by his grace renew the spirit of their minde he doth set up his own image in their soules and by working grace fit them for the enjoyment of that life of glory which he hath purchased 3. He is our life He is the fountaine of our eternal glory 1 John 5. 11. This is the record that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Sonne 'T is in him as in the head as in the root as in the fountain or spring All our glory is laid up in Jesus Christ as in a publick treasury Iesus Christ and all beleevers make up one mystical body of which he is the head and they the members therefore is their glory laid up in him 4. Jesus Christ is our life in regard of preparation As he doth prepare us for heaven so doth he prepare heaven for us This is attributed to his Ascension Iohn 14. 2 3. I go to prepare a place for you Not as if the place of glory were not created till the Ascension of Christ There were many souls in heaven glorified before Christ did corporally ascend thither Abel Abraham Isaac Iacob and the Prophets the meaning of it is onely thus much that Iesus Christ did not ascend only for himself to dwell in glory alone but he ascended for our sakes in our stead and place to possesse the purchased inheritance for us and to keep it for us till we actually come to be possessed of it our selves 'T is by way of allusion to the practices of great Kings who send their harbingers before them to make ready for them against their coming Iesus Christ is pleased to stile himself so in reference to the Elect. And therefore the Apostle calls him our forerunner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and tells us that he is entred into the vaile for us Heb. 6. 20. and hence it is that we are said to sit down together with Christ in heavenly places Eph. 2. 6. 5. He is our life as the way to life He calls himself the way Iohn 14. 16. No man comes to the Father but by Christ This is that new and living way which the Apostle mentions Heb. 10. 19 20. 'T is through the vaile of Christs flesh that we enter into the Holy of Holies Iacob in his vision at Bethel saw a ladder which reached from heaven to earth Gen. 28. 12. upon this ladder the Angels of God ascended and descended This ladder is Iesus Christ so he tells us himselfe Iohn 1. 51. hereafter ye shall see heaven opened and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Sonne of man He hath not only shewed us the way to heaven by his example but he is the way himself in which we go to God 6. He is our life in regard of distribution and communication As he hath purchased life for us and keeps possession of it for us so he it is that shall put us into possession of it when we come to enjoy it I will come againe and receive you unto my self Iohn 14. 3. The Apostle speaks of this in 2 Tim. 4 8. There is laid up for me a Crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me in that day 'T is to be understood of Christ he that hath purchased the Crown for us will in that day visibly set it upon our head Come ye blessed of my Father receive the Kingdome c. Matthew 25. latter end 7. He is our life formally Iesus Christ is the matter of eternal life Our eternal life and glory stands in the full enjoyment of Iesus Christ in heaven The seeing of God the enjoyment of Christ is our very glory Rev. 22. 3 4. The Throne of God and of the lamb shall be in it and his servants shall serve him and they shall see his Face and his Name shall be in their foreheads The glory of heaven is called the eating of the tree of life Rev. 2. 7. Iesus Christ is the tree of life the enjoyment of him is the souls glory Iob therefore reckons up all his eternal glory by this very thing I know that my Redeemer liveth c. I shall behold him not with anothers but with these very eyes Full and perfect â— immediate
communion with Christ that is the life the glory of the other world Vid. Rev. 7. 17. the lamb which is in the middest of the Throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountaines of waters The whole felicity of glorified Saints is held out in those expressions The Uses of this Point Use 1. Away then with the Doctrine of eternal life by the merit of good works If Iesus Christ be our life then cannot the merit of our works be our life or the cause of it either in part or in whole Christ and works are opposites as to this businesse of salvation The affirming of Christ is the denial of works and the affirming of works is the denial of Christ Act. 4. 11 12. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders c. neither is salvation in any other for there is no other name given under heaven c. And the truth is all the things required to make a work meritorious are wanting in the best of our good works A meritorious work must be 1. Nostrum So are none of our good works Eph. 2. 10. 2. Perfectum So are not our works Our wine is mixed with water We halt upon our best legs Isa 64 6. Remember Lord my good deeds and spare me was Nehemiahs prayer ch 13. 22. we never did any thing we should do perfectly not any one thing Our most sublimated thoughts are full of the dregges of earthly mindednesse our best words are too scanty and light c. 3. It must be indebitum A man cannot purchase your land by paying an old debt All our obedience to God is an old debt which we owe upon another score Remember that Parable Luk. 17. 9. Doth he thank that servant because he did that which was commended I tell you no. That which will not deserve thanks cannot merit heaven We are fallen into an erroneous age mans will is cried up much High Arminianisme is within a few dayes journey of this piece of Popery 'T is time to give antidotes when such deadly poyson is scattered and drunk in by many injudicious Christians Let Papists make works their life let Arminians make free-will their life but let us make Christ our life He that will not live by Christ solely shall die for ever without Christ I shall conclude this with that of the Apostle Gal. 5. 4. Christ is become of none effect to you whosoever of you are justified by the Law ye are fallen from grace Use 2. The cerâ—ainty of the salvation of beleevers They shall so certainly be saved that Scripture speaks of their salvation as of a thing already done 1 Cor. 1. 18. the Preaching of the crosse is unto us that are saved the power of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is reported as a thing in facto and not in fierâ— Eph. 2. 5. By grace ye are saved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 30. Whom he justified them he also glorified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He writes as if they were already in glory All this to shew the certainty of their salvation This depends on many things upon this in the text for one If Christ be their life they shall live He that will keep them out of heaven must first pluck Iesus Christ out of heaven because I live ye shall live also John 14. 19. if the Sonne make you free ye shall be free indeed if the Sonne be your life ye shall live and that for ever in despight of devil in despight of corruption he is able to save 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 7. 25. Use 3. Let this provoke all men to get an interest in Christ There 's nothing but eternal death without him He that hath the Sonne hath life he that hath not the Sonne hath not life but the wrath of God abideth on him 1 Iohn 5. 12. There 's no way to glory but by him Deceive not your selves cling to him lay fast hold on him and on him alone Other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid already even Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 3. 11. We hope we have an interest in Christ Well He that hath a good assurance that Christ is his for life must have these three things else he deceives himself 1. He must be a true beleever in Christ vid. Ioh. 3. 36. He that beleeveth on the Sonne hath everlasting life he that beleeveth not the Son shall not see life c. 2. He must be an obedient subject to Christ Though we exclude obedience from the cause of salvation yet we do make it a qualification of the person that shall be saved Christ is the Author of eternal life unto them that obey him Heb. 5. 9. Christ will be King where-ever he is Saviour 3. He must live the life of grace Christ is the Author of spiritual life before he be the Author of life eternal We must live in Christ before we live with Christ Christ must live in us before we live with him Christ in you the hope of glory Col. 1. 27. if Christ be not in you a fountain of grace he will never be yours for glory 4. You that have Christ for life eternal carry your selves as those that beleeve this truth 1. Despaire not No sinne disparageth Christ so much as despair there is more ground of hope and confidence in Christ then there can be of distrust in our selves The sacrifice is sufficient for the guilt Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2. 6. a ransome a full ransome 2. Let salvation be so much the more precious to you for his sake who is the Author of it 3. Attribute your salvation to Christ onely 4. Live to Christ 5. The greatnesse of Gods love to the Elect. He gave Christ to be their life to die for them Rom. 5. 8. 6. Live with Christ here as much as you can 7. The greatnesse of mans misery he could not be saved without Christ COL 3. 4. When Christ our life shall appear then IV. SERM. at Mary Wolnoth Lon. June 8. 1651. shall we also appeare with him in glory I Have handled the first Proposition that Jesus Christ is a beleevers life both in regard of the life of grace and of the life of glory I proceed to the second viz. Doct. Jesus Christ who is a beleevers life shall certainly appear There will be a manifest appearance of Jesus Christ The Scripture makes mention of a threefold appearance of Christ 1. A bodily appearance in the flesh Thus Iesus Christ appeared in his Nativity when in the fulnesse of time he took our nature in the womb of the Virgin Mary Of this the Apostle speaks 1 Tim. 3. 16. God manifested in the flesh Old Simeon in his song rejoyceth for this Luk. 2. 30. Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy Venit ad homines salvation Venit ad homines 2. A spiritual appearance of Christ in
far from them wondrous confident have the Saints of God been in times of danger upon this very ground God is our refuge and strength saith the Church a present help in time of trouble therefore we will not fear though the earth be moved c. Psal 46. 1 2 3. A Saint that beleeves this may laugh at fear he may esteeme iron as straw and brasse as rotten wood as the Scripture saith of the Leviathan Job 41. 27 28. 'T is a disparagement to your hiding place that you should be afraid If Christ be able to hide you you shall not be undefended Let the world rage let devils roare let men lift up their voice let sinne be never so furious Christ is a hiding place he hides you from Gods wrath and he will hide you from mans fury Let unguarded sinners fear and tremble but let Christs hidden ones rest in setled peace in firme security Your sinking doth upbraid your hiding place with weaknesse and insufficiency 2. Acknowledge from whence all your safety and protection comes That you are hid from danger when others are exposed to danger that you are sheltred when others 〈◊〉 without shelter that your soules bodies graces comforts are secured it is not because of your own care but because Christ hides you If the Lord himself had not been on our fide now may Israel say they had swallowed us up quick when their wrath was kindled against us Psal 124. 1 2. If Christ did not prepare a place for the woman the Church and if he did not give her the two wings of an Eagle to carry her to her hiding place the Dragon would soon devoure both her and her childe Rev. 12. 14. Acknowledge the protection of Christ let him have the praise of all your safety The ancient Romanes used to pay tribute for shadows let Christ have praises for his shadowy protection Whosoever are the instruments he is the principal Authour of all your hiding 3. Take heed of making any other hiding places Men are very apt when danger approacheth to dig created hiding places for themselves We may reade how the Prophet reproves this practise Esay 22 9 10 11. A providential use of outward means is not onely lawful but necessary but carnal trusting to any such hiding place is sinful To trust to creatures in time of danger is very Atheistical God hath cursed such confidence Jer. 17. 5 6. But to descend to particulars There are sundry places which men create to themselves in time of danger 1 Many make great men their hiding place When troubles arise they have recourse to men that by the strength of horses and Armies they may hide them Alas what a vain confidence is this Ahaz thought to have hid himselfe under the wing of the King of Assyria but what was the event 2 Chron. 28. 20. The King of Assyria came unto him but strengthened him nâ—t The skirt of men the strength of horses is weak and very vaine Prov. 21. 31. The horse is prepared against the day of battel but safety is of the Lord. We must say as the Church Lord give us help in trouble for vaine is the help of man He that makes a chariot his hiding place shall not be hid God will drive the wheeles over their own back If men and horses could be a hiding place from men to your bodies they cannot be any competent shelters to your soules they cannot hide the inner man I shall conclude this with Psal 20. 7. Some trust in chariots c. They are brought down and fallen but we are risen and stand upright He that makes men and horses his hiding place shall bring down the fire of Gods anger upon his hiding place and upon himselfe Esay 31. 1 3. When God shall stretch out his hand both he that helpeth shall fall and he that is holpen shall fall down and they all shall fall together 2 Others make strong Castles and desenced Cities their hiding place When danger approaches they slie to such places and there think to be safe But alas how insecure are all these places The high walls of Jericho fell down with a shout when Jesus Christ gave commandment for their downfal Josh 6. 20. such hiding places are made of perishable materials Nineveh was a strong place but it could not secure the inhabitants thereof See how the Prophet derides their confidence Nah. 3. 12 13 14. Tyrus was very strong Ezek. 27. 11. The Gammadims were in thy Towers They were a people of Phenicia called Gammadims as if we should say viâ—i 〈◊〉 becausâ— of the grâ—â—t strength they had in their 〈◊〉 〈…〉 lacâ—rtosi saith Juniâ—s And not for all their strength they could not preserve their Towers nor their Towers them from the rage of Nebuchadnezzar Chap. 26. 7 8 9. If any defenced place could hide you yet it could but hide the outward man it could be no security to the soul either from sinne or temptations Devils can climb the highest walls brazen wals cannot keep out his temptations much lesse can they secure you from the wrath of God 3 Others make their silver and gold a hiding place The rich mans wealth is his strong City and as a high wall in his conceit Prov. 18. 11. but alas how unable are these things to secure us riches sometime lay men open to danger poverty is a better securer then riches even from bodily danger Osiander reports that in that bloody Epit. Cent. 16. l. 3. c. 69. Parisian Massacre many rich Papists were murthered for their wealth as well as protestants Though their profession made them Papists yet their wealth made them Hugonots as well as others However riches cannot secure a man from a disease nor from death Luke 16. nor from temptation nor from troubles of conscience nor from the wrath of God Prov. 11. 4. and Zephan 1. 18. Neither their silver nor gold can deliver them in the day of the Lords anger 4 Others make their outward priviledges a hiding place This the carnal Jewes did ever betake themselves to when the Prophets threatned any stormes Nothing is more frequent in Scripture then this Jer. 7. 4. The Temple of the Lord c. Mic. 3. 11. and Mat. 3. 9. Think not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our Father c. But alas all this will not hide you Go to my place at Shiloh saith God Jer. 7. 12. Go to Jerusalem and see how it is there go to the seven Churches of Asia and see how it is there These priviledges are so farre from being hiding places that if he that enjoyes them be not hid savingly in Christ they will expose him to more sudden more certaine and more dreadful ruine Reade Mat. 11. 20 21 22 23 24. Ioab was slaine at the horns of the Altar Gods Temple shall not be a Sanctuary except he who is the Lord of the Temple be our hiding place Indeed whatever hiding place is made besides Christ shall not shelter
that long sickness how unlike himself was he he had no actual repentance till Nathan came to him with a message from God and quickned him Sinne quencheth the Spirit in Godly men as the water quencheth the fire Sinne takes off the edge of the soul deads the appetite and affection to the things of God It locks up the heart that it cannot act as it was wont to do 2 Sicknesse begets torment and anguish in the body When sicknesse is in extremity in the body how doth a man cry out of paine head and heart and every part is under torment What restlesse tossings are men under when diseases are violent heare how Job complaines Chap. 30. 16 17 18 Sinne is a Creator of torment and painfulnesse in the soule Felix his sinne made him tremble Acts 24. 25. Cains sinne put his spirit into such anguish that he cries out My punishment is greater then I can beare Gen. 4. 13 14. Judas his sinne did bring such despairing torment upon his soule that he takes away his life to end his misery Matth. 27. init And even Gods own people when they fall into this spiritual disease they are pained at the very heart till by pardon and remission they have obtained a healing from God How full of paine was Davids spirit by reason of his sinne He was as a man upon the rack for a long time if he did ever recover his former serenity Vid. Psalme 6. per totum Psalme 38. per tot Many of the deare children of God do by sinne fill their hearts with such anguish that they are never without much smart to the day of their death 3 Sicknesse doth bring uncomelinesse The most beautiful body in the world if pining sicknesses continue long upon it becomes like a garment that is moth-eaten the eyes sink the colour is lost the skin is shriveld the bones stick out c. Job observes this Chap. 16. 8. Thou hast filled me with wrinkles which is a witnesse against me and my leaâ—nesse rising up in me beareth witnesse to my face Sicknesse makes streight bodies how down beautiful faces look ghastly well-coloured cheeks look pale and oftentimes the more beautiful sicknesse findes us the more uncomely doth it leave us Sicknesse turnes youth into old age vid. Lam. 3. 4. My flesh and my skin hath he made old Sickness dries up the spirits Prov. 17. 22. A merry heart doth good like a medicine a broken spirit dries up the bones Sin takes away the comelinesse of the soule The first sinful sicknesse that ever entered into the world hath turned the soules and bodies of all mankinde into deformity and uglinesse Could we see the picture of Adams soule in the state of innocency and compare it with the soules that are diseased with sinne we would wonder at the sad change Sinne is a very deformed thing it turned Angels of light into ugly devils Those who were never healed by regeneration and remission of the disease of sin what deformed souls have they they have not one spot of beauty upon them Psal 14. 3. They are altogether become stinking A dead carrion a putrefied carcasse is as beautiful and as sweet an objâ—ct as a sinfully-diseased soul Yea even Gods own children by falling into sinne though but in one or two particular acts do lose much of their beauty They do not look with that grace they did before Every act of sin casts a dark thick shadow upon the soul As deep wounds leave skars upon the body so sinful acts leave some skarres of infamy upon the soul A Saint doth not look like the same man he was before he fell into sin 4 Sicknesse brings death Dorcas was sick and died Act. 9. 37. Long sicknesses if they be not removed will bring the strongest body to the dust of death Sicknesse is indeed Anteambulo mortis the forerunner of death The sick-bed is the direct way to the dark bed the grave Sinne doth bring death to the soule One disease of sinne if it be not healed by Christs bloud will certainly bring the soule to eternal death Rom. 6. 23. it hath brought many to hell and it will certainly bring all others to the same condition that live and die in it unhealed He that dies in his sinne shall die for ever II. For the nature of this sicknesse 'T is a more dreadfull sicknesse then any other sicknesse I shall set it out in a few particulars 1. It seizeth upon the most noble part of man All other sicknesses do infest the body onely but sinne is a disease in the soul Those sicknesses are most painful and most mortal which seize upon the vitals and inward parts A disease that feeds upon the spirits doth soone drink up the natural moisture and is not so easily cured Sinne is a disease that doth immediately reach the spirits 'T is the sicknesse of the heart O Jerusalem wash thy heart from wickednesse that thou mayest be saved Jer. 4. 14. The Apostle it 's true speaks of the filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit 2 Cor. 7. 1. Some sins are onely acted by the brutish fleshly and sensitive part others rest in the spirit as pride vain-glory envy c. yet notwithstanding even those filthinesses of the flesh have their chief seat and residence in the heart according to that of our Saviour Matth. 15. 19. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts c. All sinne is spiritual wickednesse in regard of the fountaine and root of it As grace is seated in the heart so also is sin Ier. 4. 18. This is thy wickednesse because it is bitter because it reacheth unto thine heart 2. Sinne is a sicknesse which God never made All bodily diseases are the handy work of God He created Plagues Feavers Consumptions c. Amos 3. 6. But sinne is a sicknesse of which God never was the Author 'T is true God sometimes punisheth sinne by sinne not by creating sinne but by suffering a sinful creature to fill up his sinne by withdrawing denying his grace which onely can preserve from sin 3. Sinne is a sicknesse which separates between God and men No other disease can divide between God and the soule Hezekiahs plague Asa's gout Iobs sores none of all these did make any division between God and them Some sicknesses do separate between the husband and the wife the father and the childe at least in regard of actual communion though not in regard of affection but no bodily sicknesse divides between God and men But sinne doth separate between God and the soule Esay 59. 2. It makes God stand at a distance from his own children to hide his face from them and to deale with them as with enemies 4. Sinne is the cause of all other sicknesses All bodily diseases come from this disease Hast thou not procured this thy unto self Thine own doings shall correct thee c. Jer. 2. 19. A distempered soul is the true cause of a distempered body Sinne was the first
's very like the Pharisee spake no more then what was true for they were generally men very inoffensive as to all such things For the discovering of this false foundation I shall lay down foure things viz. 1. 'T is a very great mercy to be freed from these scandalous sinnes If God have preserved you from these visible diseases that you have none of these botches of Egypt upon you it is to be acknowledged as a very great blessing The Pharisee did not amisse in blessing God that he was no Extortioner if he had done it upon a right ground if he had not gone on to censure the Publican he had not been blamed but commended for it David blesses God for preserving him from the sinne of murther upon Abigails perswasion Vid. 1 Samuel 25. 32 33. And there is very great reason for it For 1 Hereby we are delivered from much anguish and torment of conscience These scandalous sinnes as they do in an extraordinary manner waste the conscience so they do lay a foundation of much horrour and trouble in the soul every sinne creates much torment but these great abominations create exceeding much What horrour did Davids Adultery and Murther cast into his spirit Though God pardoned them both to him yet he was filled with anguish a long time after vid. Ps 6. Ps 38. Ps 50. 1. Now t is a great mercy when God prevents any anguish 2. Hereby we are delivered from being hurtful examples to other men Grosse scandalous offences are very prejudicial to others The hearts of those that are good are grieved and such as are wicked are caused to stumble oftentimes to their eternal ruine Davids sin gave great occasion of sin to others Now it 's a great mercy when God keeps a person from being an instrument of hurt to others especially of hurt to their soules 2. Such as expect salvation must keep themselves from such wickednesses Vid. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Heaven is not a place of common receipt for good and bad 'T is not like your ordinary Innes which lodge all kinde of passengers without difference such Lepers so living and dying must expect to go to another place Rev. 22. 15. Without shall be dogs c. 3. 'T is possible for a person to be free from these abominations and yet to be mortally sick of spiritual diseases Every sick man hath not the plague A man may die of a consumption as well as of a Fever A person may be in a damnable state that never committed murther or uncleannesse 1. The Pharisee was free from all these impieties and yet deadly sick in his soule Luke 18. 11. Paul when he was a Pharisee saith that he was blamelesse concerning all such enormities Phil. 3. 6. and yet at that time sick even unto death so he in Mat. 32. 11. so the five Virgins Mat. 25. 1. Those in 2 Pet. 2. 18 20. A natural conscience may keep men from such enormities The penalty of humane Lawes may preserâ—◠〈…〉 these great wickednesses Civil education may preserve a man from falling into these wickednesses A desire to keep our reputation in the world with men with whom we converse may keep us from these high impieties Meer restraint may do this 2. If freedome from these offences were enough to proclaime men to be spiritually whole then no hypocrite should be sick A man must be free from all these sinnes before he be advanced into the hypocrites forme Now we know that every hypocrite is spiritually and mortally sick Yea the Scripture tells us that hell is prepared for the hypocrites other sinners are said to have their portion with the hypocrites Mat. 2â— 51. The hypocrite is of all sinners the special proprietor of Hell and yet he is free from all these offences 3. It 's possible for one that hath no saving grace in his heart to be free from these offences Though every one that hath grace will abandon these sins yet every one that is free from these sins hath not grace The instances mentioned before will prove this But every one that wants saving grace is under the rage of spiritual sicknesses Yea he that is without true grace is not onely sick in sinne but dead in sin Eph. 2. 1. and yet those that are dead in sin may be free from these wickednesses 4. Although many be free from the actual commission of these sinnes yet they have the roots of these sinnes in their hearts Every sinne is in that bundle of sinne which we call original There is pride and murther and theft c Now the pollution of nature if it be not healed by justifying grace and pardoning mercy and sanctifying grace is enough to make the soule sick and that unto death Yea indeed the great sicknesse of the soul lies there There lies the strength of sinne and the heat of sinne David when he bewailes his murther goes to that as the root of it Psalme 51. 5. All a mans actual sinnes be they never so grosse might soone be healed if that were but healed This is the fountaine of blood This is the law of sin here is the devils magazine 5. Though thou art free from thâ—se foule sins yet thou mayest have some secret idol or other set up in thy heart Now the least sin a vaine thought is a mortal sicknesse in it selfe and if it be not healed will prove a soul-destroying sicknesse The Papists have devised a distinction of sinnes venial and sinnes mortal That there are some sinnes that in their own nature do not make a man liable to eternal death but onely to temporal chastisement so Bellarmine teaches The Scripture knows no such distinction nor can we allow it All sinnes are venial to true repentance except that one sinne against the holy Ghost He that commits that shall never be forgiven But there is no sin venial in its own nature the least is a mortal sicknesse and deserves eternal death So saith the Scripture Gal. 3. 10. Rom. 6. ult the Apostle speaks of all sinne that is opposed to legal righteousnesse and there is no sinne so small but it is a breach of the Law of God For of every idle word that a man shall speak he shall give an account at the day of judgement Mat. 12. 36. What is lesse then an idle word and yet that doth in its own nature deserve wrath By all these things it appeares that a man may be spiritually 〈…〉 thief nor drunkard c. 4. Yet may a person gather evideners of grace from his acting against sinne in some cases David argues so Ps 18. 23. And therefore for the winding up of this point I shall lay down some Rules whereby a person may know whether his acting against sinne be from a principle of saving grace or meerly from common restraint 1. He that forbears sinne from a principle of true grace doth act from the Authority and declaration of anaked truth When the immediate declaration of Gods Will in his Word
Vine I shall present you with four clusters by which you may judge of the rest First the fruits of his death There are many particulars in this cluster I name but six 1. The satisfaction of Divine Justice The appeasing of Gods anger towards the Elect Esay 53. 6. Christ by his death did as perfectly satisfie the demands of justice as though God had never been offended he made full payment 2. The reconciliation of beleevers to God He hath not onely paid what justice required but he hath perfectly made agreement between God and the sinâ—er that now thorough Christ God is as well appeased and is become as perfect a friend to the beleever as he was to Adam iâ— Paradise God hath not in his heart the least grâ—dge towards his person Of this the Apostle speaks Eph. 2. 14 15. and Col. 1. 21 22. 3. The working out of a compleat righteousness for the sinner Such a righteousnesse as that the sinner may with a holy boldnesse chalenge the Law of God to finde fault with it Of this the Apostle speaks Rom. 5. 17 18 19. This is called in divers respects righteousnesse of God Rom. 1. 17. The righteousnesse of faith Phil. 3. 9. Rom. 4. 13. The righteousnesse of Christ Rom. 5. 18. 4. The destroying of him that had the power of death Of this you may â—eade Col. 2. 15. and Heb. 2. 14. Saâ—ans supremacy over the soule is abolished and the captived soul made the Lords freeman 5. The sweetning and perâ—uming of the grave and the freedome of the sinner from the fear of death This fruit is mentioned by the Apostle Heb. 2. 15. 6. The killing of the power of sinne Christ by dying for sinne slew sinne so as that it can never damne any of the Elect. Of this you mâ—y read Rom. 6. 4 6. Secondly the â—ruits of his resurrection These are many I shall set a few before you these foure 1. Spiritual vivifiâ—ntion The soule of a beleever is raised up and empowred to walk in â—â—â—â—nesse of life This the Apostle applieth principally to the resuâ—â—◠〈…〉 2. 12 13. You being deâ—â— i◠〈…〉 He â—ath quickâ—ed together 〈…〉 2. An assured evidence 〈…〉 from sinne This the Apostle 〈…〉 resurrection of Christ Rom. 4. 25. He was 〈◊〉 again for our justification The resurrection of Christ from the grave is a full proof that all the debt is paid the discharge of the prisoner is a cleare testimony of the discharge of the debt The Prophet puts them together Esay 53. 8. He was taken from prison and from judgement And hence the Apostle argues against those that deny the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. 17. If Christ be not raised we are yet in our sinnes 3. An Argument of the resurrection of our bodies at the last day If the Head be raised the body shall not lie for ever in the grave the Resurrection of Christ is a pledge of ours as the first fruits were unto the Jewes a pledge of the ensuing harvest The Apostle alludes to that 1 Cor. 15. 20. And therefore the Apostle saith that Beleevers are raised up together with Christ Ephes 2. 6. They did rise in their representative when Christ was raised 4. The Confirmation of our hope of heaven This fruit of Christs Resurrection the Apostle sets down 1 Pet. 1. 3. We are begotten againe to a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead The Doctrine of Christs Resurrection is the nourishment of the grace of Hope Thirdly The fruits of his Ascension This is a very rich cluster I shall name a few these five 1. Leading captivity captive The Apostle mentions this Eph. 4. 8. By â—eturning to heâ—ven from whence he came he did publickly â—arâ—y his spoile with him he did declare that â—ll the enemies of our salvation were perfectly brought under As great Conquerours when they have subdued their enemies do lead captive those whom they have overcome so Christ the great Captaine of our salvation did by his Ascension let his people see that their spiritual enemies were all eternally vanquished 2. The conferring of Mâ—nisterial gifts yea of the office of Ministery on his Church Of this the Apostle speaks Eph. 4 8. The Ministery of the Church is a fruit of Christs Ascension And t is as possible to pull him out of Heaven as to destroy that which he so solemnly settled at his Ascension 3. The more pleâ—tiful effusion of his Spirit upon his Church Of this fruit of his Ascension our Saviour speaks John 16 7. If I go not away the Comforter will not come but if I go away I will send him Christ when he departed powred forth his Spirit in greater plenty then ever it was before to supply the want of his bodily presence And then 4. Preparations of Mansions for his members This fruit is mentioned John 14. 3. As a man when he hath espoused a wife provides a house for her abode against the day of marriage so Christ having espoused the Church goes to heaven before-hand to make all things ready for their entertainment against the marriage day 5. An assured evidence of their corporal Asâ—ension Christ ascended and 〈…〉 as the fore-runner of his Churâ—◠〈…〉 The Apostle tells us that Christ 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not onely for ou◠〈…〉 our stead to give us an undoubted 〈…〉 that weâ— also shall personally entertaine the ascension of the head is the praeludium of the glorification of the members Fourthly The fruits of his Intercession These are very many I shall name these four 1. Assurance of the Application of all his benefits Whatsoever Christ purchased by his death â—e doth actually apply to the Elect by his intercession The Prophet puts them together Esay 53. ult This is one fruit of Christs intercession beleevers are sure to be put into full possession of all that which Christ hath merited for them by his blood-shed This some make to be the meaning of that Scripture John 14 3. They refer it to his intercession Christ by his satisfaction obtained for the Elect a right to heaven and by his intercession he doth actually apply it to them 2. The superseding and stopping of all Accusations made against them The Law accuseth Satan pleads the Law against beleevers and hence accuseth them Christ is interceding continually at Gods right hand to invalidate all these accusations There can no sooner come in any complaint but Christ throws it out Of this fruit of his intercession the Apostle speaks Rom. 8. 33 34. 3. Manuduction into the presence of the Father with boldnesse Christ is at Gods right hand for this very purpose that when ever a beleever hath any request to preâ—er to God he may take them by the hand and bring theâ— to the Father with confidence This fruit of his interâ—ession is set down by the Apostle Heb. 4. 14. 16. 4. Assurance of the acceptance of our weakest services This fruit of his intercession is mentioned Rev. 8. 3 4. The ascending