Mortification with some other things of Affinitie with them are well laid down in the Sermons following Some straines I beleeve thou wilt meet withall that have beene strangers to thee heretofore and which will doe lively execution and quit themselves like the words of the wise whose propertie is as the wise man informes to be as goades or nailes throughly fastned Holy and learned men amongst whom not to number wer doubtlesse to injure much mine Author are not to bee too deeply charged or too troublesomely expostulated with for some peculiarities of expressions wherein perhaps they give themselves more satisfaction than others And indeed it is a hard thing for any man to write so savourly or warily but that the Reader hath need still to bring a graine of salt with him to make the nourishment wholsome The blessing of the God of heaven bee with this little peece in its going forth into the world that it may goe forth in its might and doe worthily in Israel teaching perswading many to desire with Paul the knowledge of the fellowship of Christs sufferings and how to bee made conformable to his death which is one of the greatest and most hidden misteries of Christianitie and requireth the best and greatest Masters in Israel for its Teachers Thine in the Lord Jesus IOHN GOODWINE The Contents of the ensuing Treatises Treatise 1. To be dead with Christ what Page 5 Propos 1. Wee must die with Christ first if wee will live with him pag. 10 Reason 1. From the contrarietie between sin and grace 12 Reas 2. Else the Spirit dwells not in us 13 Reas 3. Because it is hard to be a Christian ibid. Use 1. Reproofe of men dead in sinne 14 Morall death to sinne distinguished from true death to sinne 16 1. In the Essence of it ibid. 2. In the efficient cause 17 3. In the latitude ibid. 4. In the issue 18 Popish mortification differs from true mortification 1. In the object 19 2. The efficient cause ibid. 3. The formall cause 20 4. The finall cause ibid. Characters of a man dead to sinne 1. When occasions to sinne worke not 21 2. When all sinne is dead in us 22 3. When we doe not the service of sinne 23 4. When we abhorre sinne ibid. 5. When sinnes power is daily abated 24 6. When we can willingly have our sins wounded 25 Meanes to be dead with Christ 1. The Spirit of God 27 2. Faith in Christ ibid. 3. Prayer 28 4. Submission to the ministerie of the Word ibid. Motives to die to sinne 1. The necessitie 29 2. The commoditie ibid. 3. The facilitie 30 4. The equitie 31 5. The treacherie of sinne 32 6. The example of others ibid. The difficultie of being a Christian 33 The method to come to live with Christ 36 Spirituall death what 40 Spirituall life what 41 Propos 2. Those that are dead with Christ shall live with him 42 Reas 1. To whom Christ communicates himselfe he doth it wholly 43 Reas 2. Death with Christ insufficient with out we live with him 44 Reas 3. From the opposition betweene the life of sinne and grace 45 Use Those that are not dead with Christ doe not live with him 46 How to know wee are alive with Christ 1. By the cause of spirituall life 47 2. By the exercises of spirituall life 48 3. By the properties of spirituall life 49 1 Nourishment ibid. 2 Augmentation 50 3 Generation 51 Use 2. To labour for death with Christ 52 1. Because by him wee shall enjoy a spirituall life 53 2. An eternall life ibid. Propos 3. The knowledge of Mortification seales up the assurance of salvation 55 Reason The promises of eternall life are made to the mortified 68 Use 1. For confutation of Bellarmine 72 Use 2. To labour for Mortification 75 Use 3. Those that are not dead with Christ cannot be assured of life with him 77 Propos 4. As our death to sinne so our life to grace both proceed from Christ 80 Reason They are both the worke of grace 81 Christ is the author of the death of sinne and the life of grace 1. As a meritorious cause 83 2. As the exemplarie cause 85 3. The morall cause 86 4. The efficient cause 87 Christ is the efficient cause First in the first working of it three wayes 88 1. By his Spirit ibid. 2. By the Word 89 3. By Baptisme 90 Baptisme is a cause instrumentall 3 wayes 1. As a resembling cause 91 2. As a concurring meanes ibid. 3. By Stipulation ibid. Secondly for the increase of it 2 wayes 1. By Faith 92 2. The Lords Supper 94 Use To indevour to be in Christ 95 Use 2. To returne the praise of grace to Christ 97 Use 3. What to judge of men out of Christ 98 Treatise 2. Observ 1. What Christ suffred was not for his own sin 104 Use 1. To shew how Christ could beare the punishment of sinne 108 Use 2. To discover the malice of the Iewes against Christ 110 Use 3. To condemne those that judge by successe in outward things 114 Use 4. To reade us a Lecture of patience 115 Use 5. Comfort for distressed consciences 116 Obser 2. Christ suffered all for our sinnes 118 Reas 1. The love of Christ ibid. Reas 2. The love of God the Father 119 Use 1. To admire Gods wisedome 120 Use 2. To see the haynousnesse of our sinnes 121 Use 3. To provoke us to sorrow for sinne 123 Use 4. For Consolation 125 Use 5. To set forth Gods love to us 126 Use 6. To returne love againe 127 Treatise 3. Conclus 1. SVrfeiting and Drunkennesse and Covetousnesse to be taken heed of 134 Reas 1. There is danger in these sinnes 137 Reas 2. There is danger of falling into them 139 Use 1. Complaint of neglect of this dutie 141 Use 2. Exhortation to Caution 143 4 Helpes to Caution ibid. Conclus 2. The best men to take heed of these sinnes 149 Reas 1. Because they are but men ibid. Reas 2. Satan envies them most 150 Reas 3. Their falling make others fall ibid. Use 1. To shew the best men are fraile 151 Use 2. Why the best should suffer admonition 152 Use 3. How to demeane our selves 153 Conclus 3. Our care and caution must be continuall 154 Reason Because there is danger of the sinnes judgement 155 Use To discover the abounding of these sinnes 156 Conclus 4. Drunkennesse and Covetousnesse overcharge the heart 161 Reas 1. They presse the soule from heaven to earth 162 Reas 2. They presse it from earth to Hell 166 Use 1. To take heed of these sinnes 167 Use 2. To use Remedies against them 171 Meanes to be disburdened of these sinnes 172 Use 3. To see the false judgement of the world 175 Conclus 5. We should not be overcharged with immoderate eating 177 Danger in conversing with Epicures 178 Reas 1. It unfits us for good Duties 179 Reas 2. It is the nurse of securitie 180 Reas 3. It breeds many lusts 181
when a man dies Simile the soule of a man and the body of a man continue still but there is no life because the soule is not united to the body so I say there may be a spirituall death though there bee the Spirit of God and the Soule if the spirit be not united to the soule that is the first thing Secondly where the Spirit of God is as a consequent of the other there followes the faculties and acts of life the habituall presence of all the graces of the Spirit band the actuall exercise of them In these two consists the nature of this life These things premised I come to shew the necessary conjunction of this spirituall life that I have explained in the kind and nature of it with spirituall death If wee be dead with Christ wee beleeve that wee shall also live with him Which Hupotheticall proposition or supposition affords us this Catagoricall Position that Those that are dead with Christ shall live with him For when the Apostle saith If wee be dead with Christ we beleeve that wee shall also live with him This is supposed as much as if he had said in effect They that are dead with Christ shall live with him Or They that are dead to sinne shall live the life of grace Looke as it was with Christ so it is with the members of Christ as hee being dead rose againe and could not choose but rise againe Act. 2. As it is said Act. 2. the chaines of death the cords of death could not hold him So it is with every member of Christ hee that is dead with Christ must needes live with Christ Death cannot hold him not death in sinne The Apostle affirmes as much in this Chapter verse 5. For as wee are planted into the likenesse of his death so wee shall be also into the likenesse of his resurrection If wee be planted with Christ into his death there is our death with Christ we shall be also in his Resurrection there is the conjunction and connexion of our life with Christ where the Apostle not only averres the truth of the former proposition but withall insinuates the reason of it those that are planted with Christ into the similitude of his death shall also into the similitude of his Resurrection Why because they are planted with Christ As a Plant that is grafted into a stocke it partakes of the whole vertue of the stocke so every member of Christ hee that by faith is grafted into Christ and made partaker of the vertue of Christs death to the mortification of sinne that man also is made partaker of the vertue of his Resurrection to the reviving and quickening of him to a new life of grace The ground of it is this First to whomsoever Christ communicates himselfe hee communicates himselfe wholly to whomsoever hee imparts the vertue of his death for the killing of sinne to him hee imparts the vertue of his Resurrection to revive and quicken him to a new life of grace If wee be planted with Christ into the similitude of his death wee shall be also into the similitude of his Resurrection because wee are planted with him Every plant partakes of the whole vertue of the roote and by consequent wee partake as well of the quickening vertue of Christ to raise us to the life of grace as of his crucifying vertue to kill sinne The second reason is from the insufficiencie of the one without the other If wee be dead with Christ we beleeve that wee shall also live with him Why because death with Christ is insufficient unlesse wee live with Christ Philosophie saith that nature doth nothing in vaine much lesse doth Christ the God of Nature Now as in Christ it was in vaine for him to die for us unlesse hee had risen againe so it is in vaine and ineffectuall for the members of Christ to die to sin if they be not quickened to the life of grace The reason is this that death to sinne indeed defaceth the Image of sinne but it doth not renew in us the Image of God Now it is the Image of God that makes us fit and capable of eternall life It is true the righteousnesse of Christ gives us title to eternall life but our owne inherent righteousnesse qualifies us and disposeth and makes us fit and capable of it for without holinesse no man shall see God Flesh and bloud shall not enter into the kingdome of God By mortifying of sinne wee cease to be sinners by mortifying of sinne wee have the Image of Satan defaced but the Image of God is not renewed in us therefore besides our death with Christ there is required our life with Christ that so besides the defacing of Satans Image wee may have the Image of God renewed that wee may be capable of eternall life and be qualified and disposed and made fit to partake of the inheritance with the Saints in light The third Argument is drawne from the opposition betweene the life of sinne and the life of grace Philosophy tells us that in those opposites that are immediatly opposite that is such opposites where one must of necessitie be in the subject if one be removed the other of necessitie followes the subject Health and sicknesse are immediate objects a man must either bee sicke or well Now that which removes sicknesse restores health that that expells darknesse out of the Ayre it brings light Now the life of sinne and grace are thus opposite that that takes away the life of sinne then it must of necessitie bring with it the life of grace If Christ mortifie sinne in us and take away the life and vigour of sinne Christ of necessitie must bring into the same subject the life of grace because these are immediate objects hee that takes away the one must bring in the other as that that takes away sicknesse brings in health This shall suffice for the proofe of the point I come to make use of it Vse If wee be dead with Christ wee shall also live with him Those that are dead with Christ to sinne as Christ died for sinne those shall live the life of grace If it bee so if there be such a necessary connexion betweene these two then it followes backe againe that those that doe not live with Christ those are not dead with Christ For looke as it is betweene Faith and good Workes if good workes be necessarily joyned with Faith then where there are no good workes there is no faith So thus it followes if spirituall life the life of grace bee necessarily joyned with death to sinne then where there is no life of grace there is no death to sinne According to that of Saint Chrysostome S. Chrysost saith hee it is true indeed faith without workes is dead so it is true on the other side workes without faith is dead No man can performe good workes though hee may for substance yet not formaliter without Faith hee that hath not
after their first sleepe when they are come to themselves So take not a wicked man now in the fulfilling of his lusts but looke on that man when hee hath slept and you will judge otherwise of him he cannot chuse but give a good testimony of a mortified man Fourthly consider the Equitie of it Christ died for sinne that wee might die to sinne 1 Pet. 2.24 1 Pet. 2.24 who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his owne body on the tree that we being dead to sinne should live unto righteousnesse What did Christ lay downe his life for our lusts and shall not wee lay downe our lusts for Christ did Christ die for our sinnes and shall not we for Christ die to our sinnes Fiftly consider our sins are Traytors and rebels against heaven Tertul. Apol. cap. 2. Well saith Tertullian in his Apologie for the Christians in his second Chapter against Traytors and such as are common enemies every man must be a common Souldier Now our sinnes are Traytors against heaven we cannot better expresse our loyaltie and alleagance to our great Master God then to kill and put to death these rebels it is a most acceptable sacrifice to God Sixtly and lastly consider the example of other men we see what care men take and what paine they will undergoe not for the avoyding but for the putting off a naturall a temporall death for a while Men for the preserving of this temporall life they are content not onely to take harsh Physick but to indure launcing and searing and cutting off the parts a leg or an arme c. so to preserve naturall life if they doe so for preserving of this naturall life Oh what should wee doe for the gaining of eternall life It is true Christ compares lusts to eyes and hands and feete it is true they are eyes but such as when they are pulled out wee may see well enough They are hands but such hands as when they are cut off wee may still doe what wee have to doe without them Now shall a man for the preserving of his temporall life indure a member to be cut off shall not we cut off our superfluous lusts for the gaining of eternal life shal they not for the avoyding but for the respiting of death indure this pain S. Aug. Epist 45. and shal not we for the avoyding of eternall death S. Austin presseth this excellent well in his Epist 45. They doe this not as if there were any hope to put off death quite but only to adjourne and put it off for the present if they do this for the respite of death what should we do for the avoiding of eternal death saith he They undergoe many certaine torments perhaps that they may have hope but of a few uncertaine dayes what do they thus for a temporal life shal not we much more for the procuring of an eternal life Do they so much for the adjourning of a temporall death and shall not wee for the avoyding a perpetuall and eternall death If these arguments perswade us not none can so much for the fourth point the Motives to this death to sin Fiftly if we must die with Christ before we can live with him S. Ierome then as Saint Ierome somewhere hath it It is not so easie a thing as some happily conceive it to bee a Christian It was Iulians scoffe of Constantine Iulian. and in him of all Christians To be a Christian there is no more required but to wash themselves with a little water that is to bee baptised and how great soever their sinnes were before this cleanseth them saith Iulian or if it chance that a man fall into the same sinnes againe saith Iulian It is no more for these Christians but to beat their breasts and to smite their heads and all is well againe in the conclusion of his Caesars But the best is it matters not greatly what Iulian saith it concerned him to speake evill of that saith he was fallen away from if he had spoken well of it hee had spoken against himselfe But he that knew better then Iulian saith Mat. 7.14 straite if the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life Math. 7.14 The way to heaven is straite he that will enter in this way must strippe and divest himselfe of his old lusts The way of Christianitie is a narrow way nay that is not all it is a way full of paine and pressures to the flesh as Camerarius interprets that place Narrow is the way and full of paine to the flesh He that walkes this way must resolve to meet with difficulties hee must take out lessons that are harsh to flesh and bloud to mortifie nay to crucifie the flesh Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Every death is not sufficient to expresse the paine hee must undergoe but crucifying only the death that Christ died that was both a lingring and painfull death Thus every man that will live with Christ must first crucifie his sinfull lusts and affections Which notwithstanding I speake not to deterre or discourage any from entring into the way of Christianitie or having entred for going on in the same way No God-forbid that I should like the ten spies that Moses sent to spie out the land of Canaan bring an ill report upon the wayes of godlinesse but to informe us and arme us Hee that is to travaile into a farre Countrey on which his life and livelihood depends and should meet with a friend that should tell him the way were deepe and troublesome and that there were such difficulties did stand in the way hee would easily perceive that hee did tell him this not to discourage and dishearten him because hee is his friend nor to stay his journey because hee knowes it is upon his life his life lies on it but to arme and prepare him before hand that when he should meet with the difficulties hee might the better encounter them and goe over them I apply it thus Heaven is our countrey we all pretend wee are Pilgrims travelling to heaven the way that leads to heaven is this narrow way our death with Christ the necessitie of walking this way appeares in Math. 7.14 This way Mat. 7.114 and only this leades to life it is the straite gate and the narrow way that leads to life Now when wee tell you of Lyons and Beares in the way the difficulties and incombrances that you shall meet with it is not to discourage you but to arme and provide you It is not to dishearten you you must needs goe your life lies upon it but to arme and prepare you that when you meet with these difficulties you may be the better provided to encounter them It is good saith the Proverbe to know the worst of things before hand lest otherwise after wee have walked in the way we meet with incombrances and dreaming of nothing but delicacies
our hearts faile us as the hearts of the Israelites in the report of the tenne spies Like the foolish builder in Luke 4. Luke 4. that was not able to goe on with his building because hee did not sit downe first and reckon what it would cost him Sixtly and lastly if wee must first die with Christ before we can live with him it serves for direction to teach us what order and methode to take to come to live with Christ He that will live with Christ must be sure to begin at the right end to die with Christ first he that will performe holy duties gracious actions that man must labour to crucifie and mortifie sinfull affections Sinfull affections are like weedes the Husbandman that desires his corne should thrive and live hee labours first to kill the weedes I say sinfull affections in the soule are like weedes in the ground or soyle if wee desire that grace should thrive and to performe gracious duties with content to our selves and to God we must labour to kill our lusts When wee find in our selves an unaptnesse and an indisposition to the performance of gracious duties suppose it bee to prayer to humble ourselves before God to heare the word of God c. let us then reflect on our selves and see what sinfull lusts there have gotten strength and labour to abate the power of that and then certainly wee shall live with Christ wee shall bee enabled to performe holy duties So saith the Apostle in the second place If wee bee dead with Christ wee beleeve that wee shall also live with him Which is the second thing I proposed in the beginning The connexion and conjunction of these two If wee bee dead with Christ wee shall also live with him Where first give me leave to remember you of what I formerly delivered in the unfolding of these words that the life that the Apostle here meanes when he saith If wee bee dead with Christ wee shall also live with him it is the same that in verse 4. hee calls Newnesse of life Therefore wee are buried with him by baptisme into death that as Christ was raised by the glory of the Father so wee should walke in newnesse of life I say the Apostle meanes here the life of Grace which in verse 4. hee calls newnesse of life And in verse 11. hee calls it living to God Likewise reckon yee your selves dead to sinne but alive to God Though secondarily and by consequent I deny not but that the Apostle meanes living with God in life eternall And the reason is as I shewed before that the difference of the life of grace and the life of glory it is not in Nature but in degrees Grace is Glory begun and glory is nothing but grace perfected As the childe in the wombe hath the same life that it enjoyes in the world only then it is in a further degree so the life that a Christian enjoyes in this world it is the same life in nature though it differ in degrees from that hee enjoyes in heaven The Apostle useth the future tense If we bee dead with Christ wee believe that wee shall live with him for these three reasons First to shew the order and Methode betweene this life and the former death because this life in nature though not in time is after our death with Christ As it is in nature the introducing of habites in nature is after the expelling of privations as the enlightning of the ayre in nature is after the dispelling of darknesse Secondly the Apostle useth the future tense because though the life of Grace bee here begunne yet it is not consumate till afterward in which respect the Apostle saith Wee beleeve that wee shall live with him Hee makes this life in respect of the complement and consummation an act of faith according to that in the Creed I beleeve the life everlasting Thirdly because the life of grace doth not fade as the naturall life perrisheth but it is an induring life As Christ being once raised he died no more verse 9. so every member of Christ he that is once quickned and raised with Christ from sinne hee dieth no more so saith Christ Ioh. 5.24 hee that beleeveth hath eternall life What hath every one that beleeveth life eternall Yes every one that beleeveth hath life eternall in hope and in the beginning of grace because hee hath that life for the present that doth not fade and perish but endure to eternitie Verily I say unto you hee that heareth my word and beleeveth in him that sent mee hath eternall life and shall not come into condemnation which expresseth the former Now what this life of grace is this spirituall life will appeare by comparing it with spirituall death It is the propertie of opposites being set together as to impugne and fight against the nature one of another so to discover the nature one of another Now spirituall death as the Naturall includes two things First a separation from the fountaine and principle of life And as a consequent of that a privation of the faculties and acts of life Looke what the soule is to the body the same is the Spirit of Christ to the Soule it is that that enlivens and quickens it so saith Christ Joh. 6.63 Ioh. 6.63 It is the Spirit that quickens Now looke as upon the parting of the soule from the body the body dies so upon the separation of the Spirit of God from the soule the soule dies So it was in Adam when by eating the forbidden fruit hee had cut off and separated himselfe from the fountaine and principle of life he died spiritually I say as when the Soule that enlivens and quickens the body when that is separated the body dies so the Spirit of Christ that enlivens and quickens the soule when that is separated from the soule the soule dies Secondly looke as upon the separation of the soule from the body there follows a deprivation of the faculties and acts of life so upon the separation of the Spirit of God from the Soule there followes a deprivation of the habits and acts of grace The gifts and habits of grace are as the faculties the acts and operations of grace are as the acts of those faculties and as upon the separation of the soule from the body there followes a deprivation of the faculties and acts of life so upon the separation of the Spirit of Christ from the Soule there followes a deprivation of the habites and acts of grace If it be so then spirituall life includes two things First the having of the Spring and fountaine of life the Spirit of God and an union of it to the soule Secondly the having the habites and acts of this spirituall life First the having of the principle of spirituall life the having the Spirit of God in our soules for it is not sufficient that there be a quickening Spirit unlesse it bee united to us For looke as
there is a desire to beget others as Christ saith When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren When thou hast spirituall life begotten in thee labour to beget it in others Wee see it exemplified in Ioh. 1.44 Joh. 1.44 no sooner had Christ called Philip but presently Philip calls Nathaniel No sooner had Christ by his Word begotten spirituall life in Philip but Philip indeavours to beget the same in Nathaniel This is the difference betweene a live and a dead coale a live coale can beget life in another coale and kindle the same fire in another but a dead coale cannot That man that hath spirituall life in him hee will improve all opportunities and occasions that are offered to beget others to a spirituall life The ground of it is hee findes a sweetnesse and a goodnesse in spirituall life and that is the reason out of love to his brethren and an indeavour to glorifie God he desires to beget others to this spirituall life This is the first use The Characters by which we may know whether wee have this life or no. Secondly if such as be dead with Christ shall live with him This should be an argument to perswade us to labour for death with Christ Can any prize be propounded better to a man then life what will not a man doe for life S. Austin in his 45. Epistle saith hee Wee see men indure death almost for life for the enjoying of it for a little while Shall men doe so for a naturall life shall not wee much more for a spirituall life If these bee necessarily joyned if he that is dead with Christ shall certainly live with him then this should bee an argument to perswade us to die with Christ that we may come to live with him And this the rather because by dying with Christ wee shall enjoy not onely a fading perishing naturall life but A Spirituall Eternall Life First a spirituall life in Ephes 1.4 Ephes 1.14 it is called the life of God because it resembleth the life of God Now that which is spirituall is more excellent than that which is naturall and corporall The ground of it is this because the nearer a thing approacheth to that which is more excellent the more excellent that must be Now the life spirituall as it approacheth more neare to the life of God the more excellent it must needes bee it must needs bee more excellent then the naturall life that is the first reason By dying with Christ we shall live with Christ not onely a naturall but a spirituall life such a life as approacheth nearer to God then the life of nature Secondly we shall enjoy a life not fading and momentary but an eternall life for as I sayd the difference betweene the life of grace and glory is not in the nature but in the degrees in whomsoever there is a sparke of true grace begun it will certainly hold out till it grow to a flame of immortality if like the fire upon the Altar it bee nourished with fuell so that a man that is once dead with Christ he shall not live onely a spirituall life for a while but an eternall life in this world and in the world to come and both these should be arguments to stirre us up to labour for this death with Christ because wee shall live with him not onely a spirituall life but such a spirituall life as is eternall So much for the second proposition Now I addresse my selfe to the third If we be dead with Christ we beleeve that we shall also live with him We beleeve Or we are perswaded or wee are assured saith Cardinall Caietane upon this place wee are undoubtedly assured The word in this place is a word of affiance and confidence As if he had sayd in more words thus not onely the thing is sure and certaine in it selfe that they that are dead with Christ shall live with him for so many things are sure and certaine in themselves and yet wee may remaine uncertaine of them The reason is because the assurance of them proceedes not so much from the certainty of the thing as from our apprehending and knowing that certainty It is not a thing onely sure in it selfe but it is a thing whereof they themselves are sure and certaine If we be dead with Christ we beleeve we are perswaded or assured that we shall live with Christ Which being so the conclusion is That the knowledge of a mans owne mortification doth seale up to a mans soule and conscience the assurance of his salvation Or thus They that are dead with Christ may beleeve or rest assured that they shall also live with him Not onely with the life of grace although as I heretofore proved from the scope and drift of the Apostle in this place this life the Apostle principally intends for this they actually doe they that are dead with Christ actually for the present live to God vers 11. but they shall live also the other life of glory they that are dead with Christ may be assured that they shall live with the life of glory not onely of grace here but of glory hereafter Where first that you may not mistake or misconsture me observe I doe not say that he that is dead with Christ or mortified is presently assured that hee shall live with Christ The reason is because a man may be mortified and yet not know that hee is mortified at some time Now our assurance springs not so much from our mortification as from the assurance and knowledge of our mortification In which respect it is ordinary for those that are babes in Christ and young beginners to make doubt and question of their title to heaven as the aged also in Christ sometimes may doe The reason is because though they be mortified in part yet because grace is weake it is almost undicernable in respect of the infinite masse of corruption In which respect it is with them as it is with the Marriners needle which though it be truly touched yet it takes not the North point at the first Simile but it first shakes and trembles and then is fixed So a man that is regenerate and mortified presently as soone as he is regenerate he is not assured of salvation but first shakes and trembles there is a kinde of spirituall palsey a trepedation in the soule The reason is not because of mortification it proceeds not from the nature of it but because mortification is weak therefore he cannot have great assurance for assurance comes from the long continuance and experience of the power and practise of mortification And as it is in young beginners in respect of the weakenesse of grace so it may be in a growne man in Christ in respect of the strength of temptation He that hath beene assured of his salvation by the evidence of his owne conscience and Gods Spirit that he hath the beginnings in truth and sinceritie of mortification yet he may have his
provided If wee adresse our selves to this who knowes if God will not graciously spare us and not afflict us or if it come wee shall have infinite comfort then when our dores shall bee shut up and we have no other comfort yet then our conscience will witnesse comfortably that notwithstanding wee die yet wee shall come where wee shall live for ever Oh then as the Apostle saith let us give all diligence to make our calling and election sure It is a matter of paines it is not easily gotten but it will abundantly recompence the paines If wee looke and finde our sinfull lusts mortified in part let not that satisfie us let us not rest there but goe further and proceed in the worke of mortification for looke as our mortification is so is our assurance the weaker our mortification is the weaker our assurance of salvation the stronger our mortification the better assurance wee have of salvation Thirdly if they that are dead with Vse 3 Christ may rest assured that they shall live with him then by the rule of contraries they that are not dead with Christ cannot assure themselves that they shall live with him If only he can be assured of salvation in whō sinfull lusts are mortified then hee in whom they are not mortified that man cannot bee assured of salvation Indeed hee may have a kinde of a wilde hope a presumptuous confidence but it is such as will faile him in the time of need Like to your Winter brookes or land-floods In the time of Winter when a man hath no use of water they flow abundantly but in Summer in the time of drought when men have need they are gone they are not to bee had So that assurance that a man hath as long as hee goes on in the practice of his sinfull lusts it is a wild deceitfull presumption such an assurance as will doe him no good when hee comes to need it I have read it was the manner of tryall that was used when there was a controversie of land whether it belonged to Ireland or to England they did take Snakes and Toades and poysonous Serpents and put there and if they lived there they concluded it belonged to England if they died they judged it belonged to Ireland the reason was because no venemous thing will live there I apply it thus sinfull lusts are like Snakes and Toades and venemous creatures looke what soule they live in if they live in a mans soule it is an argument that hee belongs not to heaven and wee know what place he belongs to then onely to hell if it dye in us we may assure our selves that wee belong to heaven Hee in whom sinne lives and his lusts continue unmortified that man cannot assure himselfe of salvation The reason is because all assurance comes from the promise of God God hath made no promise to men that continue and goe on in the service and obedience of their sinfull lusts hee threatens nothing but death and destruction to such If yee live after the flesh yee shall dye Rom. 8.13 Rom. 8.13 This shall suffice to have spoken of the third point the certainty of this connexion If we be dead with Christ we beleeve that we shall also live with him Mortification seales up to a mans soule and conscience the assurance of salvation for they that are dead with Christ may rest assured and perswaded that they shall live with him I come to the fourth and last point The cause and ground of this death to sinne and this life to grace which is Christ If wee be dead with Christ we beleeve that we shall also live with him If we be dead with Christ that is if we be dead by the vertue and power of Christ then wee beleeve that wee shall also live by vertue and power of the same Christ The conclusion is this that As our death to sinne so our life to grace they both proceede from Christ If we be dead with Christ saith the Apostle that is if wee be dead by the vertue and power of Christ if sinne be dead in us then wee beleeve that wee shall also live with Christ the life of grace here and of glory hereafter by the power and vertue of the same Christ I say the point on which I shall insist is this that as our death to sinne so the life of Grace they both proceede from Christ Christ is the author and the producer of both So saith Saint Paul in Gal. 2.20 Gal. 2.20 saith the Apostle I am crucified with Christ yet notwithstanding I live yet not I but Christ liveth in mee and the life that I live in the flesh is by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himselfe for me Looke what the Apostle Paul speakes of himselfe the same may every Christian in whom sinne is dead and mortified and the life of grace wrought speake of himselfe saith the Apostle I am crucified with Christ that is sin is crucified in me sinfull lusts are crucified and mortified in me by the vertue of Christ so saith he I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me I live by the faith of the Son of God As I am crucified to sinne by Christ so I live by the vertue of Christ Phil. 3.8 9 10 So in Phillip 3.8 9 10. He desires so earnestly to be found in Christ that he contemned and undervalued all things but this that he might be found in Christ saith he I account all losse for the excellent knowledge of Christ for whom I suffer the losse of all things nay I account them not onely losse but dung that I may winne Christ and be found in him we see in verse 10. the reason that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffeings being made conformable to his death The reason why the Apostle desired to be found in Christ and why in comparison of this he accounted all things as drosse it was because he might bee made partaker of Christs death What is the fellowship of Christs death but to bee partaker of the Spirit of Christ that raised him from the dead that by the same Spirit of Christ hee might bee raysed from the death of sinne to the life of grace The reason of it is this because as our death to sinne so our life to grace are both the worke of grace from whom can wee expect the worke of grace but from him in whom is the fulnesse of grace so saith Saint Iohn Ioh 1.14 The Word was made flesh Ioh. 1.14 that is Christ and dwelt among us and wee saw his glory as the glory of the onely begotten Sonne of God full of grace and truth Our death to sin and our life to Christ are both the effects of Gods grace Now from whom can we have the effects of Gods grace but from him in whom alone is the fulnesse of grace The word was made manifest among us
in whom is the fulnesse of truth and grace Look as it is in the naturall body so it is in the misticall body as in the naturall body all the naturall motion proceeds from the head and from the vertue that is derived from the head to the members so in the mysticall body all the spirituall motion it proceeds from the influence of the head Christ is the head and from him as from the head is derived all the vertue to the members of Christ by which the death to sinne and the life of grace is wrought in us likewise Looke as it was in the oyle of Aaron the oyle that was powred on the head of Aaron it stayd not on his head but descended to the skirts of his cloathing So the Spirit of Christ it rests not on Christ onely but from Christ as the head it descends upon all the members of Christ The reason thereof why as our death to sinne so the life of grace proceeds from Christ is because both are the workes of grace according to that of the Evangelist in him dwells all the fulnesse of grace and in Collos 2. the Apostle saith In him dwells the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily For the better and fuller opening of the point give me leave to propose and resolve one question and that is this Quest If our death to sinne and our life of grace both proceede from Christ that Christ is the author of them actions then how is Christ the author of them what kinde of cause is Christ sayd to be both of our death to sinne and of the life of grace I answer briefly Answ Christ may be sayd to be the cause both of our death to sin and of the life of grace in a fourefold respect or hee is a fourefold kind of cause Christ is the 1 meritorious 2 exemplary 3 morall 4 efficient Cause as of our death to sin so likewise of our life to grace First Christ is the meritorious cause for Christ did by his death and obedience not onely purchase for us a release and freedome from hell and consequently title to heaven but Christ merited for us the donation of the Spirit of God whereby we are made fit for and capable of that inheritance Christ not onely purchased a right to heaven but grace holines whereby we might come at last to jus in re For as I sayd before by the righteousnes of Christ onely we come to have right to heaven but it is our owne righteousnesse whereby we come to be made capable of that right to heaven for saith the Apostle flesh and blood shal not enter into the kingdome of heaven Flesh and blood that is nature uncorrected unsanctified and uncontrolled it shall not inherit the kingdome of God therefore Christ hath purchased not onely redemption from hell and title to heaven but the donation of the Spirit of God whereby we are made fit and capable of heaven whereby wee are made meete as the Apostle saith to be partakers of the inheritance with the Saints in light Ioh. 17.19 So saith the Evangelist Ioh. 17.19 For their sakes saith our Saviour I sanctifie my selfe that they also may be sanctified through the truth Christ sanctified himselfe not onely to redeeme us from hell and to procure title to heaven but he sanctified himselfe that his members might bee sanctified that by the merit and vertue of Christs sanctification we might be sanctified So saith the Apostle to Titus he hath bestowed on us the spirit through Christ Tit. 3.5 Tit. 3.5 not by the workes of righteousnesse that wee had done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Iesus Christ our Saviour It is through Christ onely as through the meritorious cause by whom wee obtaine the Spirit of God by which Spirit our sinfull lusts are mortified in us and by which we are quickned and revived to the life of grace so Christ is the meritorious cause hee deserved the donation of the Spirit from his Father Secondly Christ as hee is the meritorious so he is the exemplary cause as of death to sinne so of our life to grace Christ in dying to sinne he set himselfe as a patterne to us to teach us also that wee should dye to sinne Christ in rising from the grave hee set himselfe a patterne to us to teach us to rise from sinne so he is the exemplary cause For Christ is a patterne for our immitation in his morall actions and wee must resemble after a sort some of his Mediatorious actions also not onely in the good duties that are commanded in the Law but in those that he performed for our redemption It is true in a different manner Christ is a patterne to us in actions morall that is in the good things that he performed that are commanded in the Law he is our patterne to be imitated in the same kinde As Christ was gracious to the poore so should wee to them that are poore and in distresse in the same kind as he was temperate so may wee imitate him in the same kinde though not in the same degree But for his actions Mediatorious we are to resemble some of them too though not in the same kinde yet in some way of use As hee died for sinne so wee should dye to sinne as he rose from the grave so wee should rise from sinne to newnesse of life so still Christ is our patterne As Saint Austin saith Christ came not onely to helpe us and to performe the things that wee ought to have done but he came to teach us by his example what we ought to do And he teacheth us he is our Schoolemaster not only in his actions morall but in his actions mediatorious in the former we may imitate him in the same kind though we cannot in the same degree in the latter wee cannot imitate him in the same kinde yet in some sort wee may We should be as the Heletropium that opens and shuts with the Sunne so wee may follow the lambe wheresoever he goeth as hee dyed for sinne so we must dye to sinne as hee rose from the grave so we must rise from the death of sinne to newnesse of life so Christ is the exemplary cause of our death to sinne and the life of grace Thirdly Christ is the morall moving perswading cause of both That the Apostle wills Timothy to remember 2 Tim. 2.8 Remember saith hee that Iesus Christ of the seede of David was raised from the dead according to my Gospel he bids him remember it why remember it because the very thought and remembrance that Christ dyed and rose againe it cannot chuse but be a powerful motive to holinesse for it makes men conclude argue with themselves what did Christ lay downe his life for us and shall not wee lay downe our lusts for him Did Christ arise againe the third day
from the Grave and shall not wee rise from the death of sinne to newnesse of life Doe wee professe our selves to bee members of Christ and not indeavour conformitie with our head Christ Shall wee be like the Image or statue of Nebuchadnezar to have a head of gold and to have feet of mire and clay So Christ is not only the meritorious and exemplary but the moving perswading cause the very thought that Christ died for sin and rose againe it will move us to die to sin and to live the life of grace Fourthly and lastly Christ is the cause efficient as of our death to sinne so of the life of grace It were in vaine that Christ were the meritorious cause that hee had merited the donation of Gods Spirit whereby sinne might be killed and wee be quickened to the life of grace It were in vaine for him to set himselfe as a patterne for us to imitate and that hee is a morall cause to move and perswade us to imitate him unlesse hee were also the cause efficient to worke in us this death to sinne and this life of Grace therefore Christ also is the efficient cause hee workes in us both a death to sinne and the life of grace For the understanding of which know that Christ not only saves us by merit but hee saves us by efficacie too not only by Merite in deserving of life for us but in efficacie in fitting and preparing us to partake of life Hee not only by death hath abolished and removed death for sin but hee abates in us daily the power of sinne so hee is the efficient cause as well as the rest Quest But you will aske how comes Christ to be the efficient cause of death to sinne and of the life of grace by what meanes doth hee worke in us these two Answ I answer in Christs working in us these things there are some things that concurre in the first working of this life of grace and death to sinne and there are others that concurre not to the first worke but to the increasing and augmentation of it Those that concurre to the first worke are three 1. The Spirit of God 2. The Word of God 3. And Baptisme Now those againe that concurre not to the first worke of our death to sinne and kindling of this spirituall life but to the further increase and augmentation of it when it is wrought they are two 1. Faith 2. And the Lords Supper Of every one of these briefly First I say the principall cause of death to sinne and of the life of grace is the Spirit of Christ so saith the Apostle in that place before alledged Rom. 8.12.13 saith he Rom. 8.13 If yee live after the flesh yee shall die but if yee mortifie the deedes of the body through the Spirit yee shall live It is through the Spirit of Christ whereby sinne is mortified in us and through the Spirit of Christ that we are quickned to the life of grace In which respect it is called the quickning Spirit saith Christ Ioh. 8. The spirit quickneth Joh. 8. 1 Thess 2. It is called also the Spirit of sanctification 1 Thes 2. Why is it called the Sanctifying spirit because by it we are sanctified Now what are the parts of Sanctification They are two first our death to sinne the subduing of the power of sinne secondly our enlivening and quickning to grace Now the Spirit of God is said to be a sanctifying Spirit in respect of both these for from the Spirit of God it is that sinne is mortified in us and it is from the quickning Spirit that we are enlivened to a new life so the principall cause is the Spirit of God There are two other causes and those are instrumentall First the Word of God that is a powerfull meanes whereby God workes in us this death to sinne and the life of grace it is a powerfull meanes that God useth as the Apostle saith for the battering and demolution of all Satans strong holds Our lusts of themselves are too strong for us to vanquish it is the Spirit only that is mightier that can vanquish them but by what meanes doth the Spirit doe it It is by the Spirit as the principall cause but by the Word as the instrumentall cause or by the Spirit of God concurring with the Word For the Word of it selfe is not of power to mortifie sinne and to quicken us to a new life of grace but as it is a meanes to convey and derive to us the Spirit of God It is with us as it was with Lazarus when he was raised from the grave to a new life hee was raised by the word of Christ it was indeed by the word of Christ but it was not only the word of Christ that raised him but the vertue of Christs Spirit went along with that word and made that effectuall for the raising of him So it is with us it is not the Word only that is available for the mortifying of our sinfull lusts or that quickens us to the performance of the holy duties of a new life but the Word as it is the instrument of the Spirit of God which is the chiefe Agent Secondly another instrumentall cause is Baptisme that also is a meanes whereby the Spirit of God workes in us this death to sin and life of grace Now Baptisme is a cause of both these three wayes First as it is a cause resembling or as a type shadowing and pointing out to us our death to sinne and our life of grace which type and resemblance was farre more expresse in hotter clymates and Countreys in which in Baptisme they used to drench the child to dippe it in the water which dipping of the child in the water was a resemblance and type to them of their death to sinne with Christ and their rising out of the water exprest their rising to newnesse of life so by Baptisme wee are said to bee dead to sinne and alive to God through it as a resemblance expressing to us this death and life Secondly not only as a resemblance but as a speciall meanes whereby the Spirit of God concurres and goes along with the Element of water and makes it effectuall for the cleansing of us as from the guilt of sin so for the subduing the power of sinne and working in us a new life in which respect it is stiled by the Apostle in Titus 3. T it 3. The laver of regeneration that is it is that meanes whereby the Spirit of God workes regeneration this death to sinne and life of grace Thirdly and lastly Baptisme is said to be a cause as of our death to sinne so of the life of grace in regard of the stipulation or covenant because when wee are baptised wee enter into a solemne vow and covenant with God that we will forsake the Divell and all his workes there is mortification and that wee will lead a new life there is vivification So it is
deceivable lusts So in Ephes 5 Eph. 5.8 8. The life of grace is compared o light the life of sinne is compared to darkenesse you know before the Medium be enlightned the darknesse must be dispelled First the darkenesse must be dispelled before it can be lightned So this new life it is sayd to be a new Image it is a new Image indeede but it is such an Image as we are not capable of till first wee be made pure Tables the former Image of Sathan and the Characters of sinne be defaced till then wee are not capable of the Image of God and the faire impressions of Grace It is called an ingrafting or inocculating now wee cannot bee grafted into Christ till we be cut off from the old stocke I say generally as wee must die to nature before we can live to glory so wee must die to sinne before wee can live to God Looke what the Angell commanded Ioshua Iosh 5.8 to put off his shooes before he came to converse with God If you please to take the allusion of Philo which is this and it is pertinent to our purpose put off thy shooes before thou come to God that is put off dead workes because shooes are made of the skins of dead beasts I say before wee can live with Christ wee must die with Christ we must die to sinne before wee can live the life of grace The reason is plaine Reas 1 First because of the contrarietie and opposition betweene the life of grace From the contrarietie betweene sin and grace and a life in sinne A man may live many lives if one bee subordinate to another as a mâ—n lives a vegetative a sensative and a reasonable life because these are subordinate one to another but to live in sinne and to God a man cannot because these lives are contrary they come from contrary principles they cannot consist in the same subject It is an ordinary saying The Bed and and the Throne admit not of partners It is true as Christ saith No man can serve two masters It is true when they command contrary things Now sinne and grace command contrary things therefore no man can serve them both eyther he will cleave to the one and deny the other or forsake the one and cleave to the other No man can serve sinne and Christ because they are contrary masters No man can serve two masters when they command contrary things that is the first reason Wee must first die to sinne before wee can live the life of grace because they are opposites that will not admit of one another in the same subject Secondly till we be dead to sinne we cannot Reas 2 live the life of grace Else the spirit dwells not in us because we cannot till then admit of the principles of the life of grace where sinne raignes and dominiers the Spirit of grace dwells not and where that is not there is no life of grace Therefore wee must first die to sinne before wee can live the life of grace because before wee be dead to sinne the Spirit of grace that quickens and revives us doth not dwell in us Thirdly if it were not needefull first to die Reas 3 to sinne before wee live the life of grace Because it is hard to be a Christian wherein consisted the hard taske of a Christian How easie were it for a man to bee a Christian if a man might bee a Christian and live after the lusts of his owne heart if he might take libertie to doe what his corruptions prompt and suggest if a man that were ignorant might bee ignorant still and yet be a Christian if hee that is a swearer might sweare still and hee that is proud bee proud still and he that is prophane might be so still what great matter were it to bee a Christian how easie were it to perswade Agrippa not to be almost but to be altogether a Christian Therefore wee must first die to sinne before we can live to grace before we can be true Christians the reason is because the taske of a Christian is a hard taske such a taske as a man cannot performe without denying of himselfe without crucifying and mortifying of his lusts This shall suffice to have spoken for the confirmation of that point by occasion of the method of the Apostle If we be dead with Christ we shall also live with him That wee must first be dead As Christ died for sinne so wee must die to sinne before wee can live the life of grace Now I come to make use and application of it Vse 1 Reproofes of men dead in sinne Which if it be so how justly doth the censure of Christ Revel 3.1 fall upon many Christians that of the Angell of the Church Reas 3 of Sardis that they have a name to lâ—ve but are dead why dead dead because they are not dead dead to grace because they are not dead to sinne many men though they seeme to be lively and active are no better then walking breathing Carkasses The reason is this because till a man be dead to sinne hee cannot live the life of grace wee must first die to sinne with Christ before wee can live the life of grace with Christ Gal. 5. In Gallat 5. Those that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Why then on the contrary such as have not crucified the lusts and affections of the flesh they are not Christs Wheresoever any sinne reignes in whom soever any lust dominiers what lust soever it be that man is a dead man there is no true life of grace in him The reason the Apostle gives in these words because wee must bee first dead to sinne before wee can live the life of grace first our lusts must bee mortified and crucified in us before wee can live with Christ the life of grace wee must first passe this red Sea that is to die with Christ before we can enter into the Land of Canaan to this life with Christ But that I may make it more usefull to you let me shew you these foure things First let mee discover to you some false deaths for as there is a false and counterfeit life of grace so there are false and counterfeit deaths to sinne Secondly let mee shew you some characters whereby a man may know a true death to sinne whereby hee may judge and examine himselfe and know whether hee be dead to sinne or no. In the third place I will shew you the meanes whereby if a man bee not dead a man may get this death whereby hee may come to mortifie and crucifie the lusts and affections of the flesh and if hee bee dead whereby hee may proceede on in the worke of mortification because mortification is not one individuall act but hath a latitude and admits of degrees Fourthly I will shew you arguments to perswade you to this death to sinne with Christ especially such as are immergent
I come to the third thing I propoposed to shew the meanes whereby wee may come to be dead with Christ for if wee cannot come to live with Christ but wee must first die with Christ then it mainely concernes us to labour to die with Christ to sin that so wee may come at the last to live with him The meanes are foure The first cause which is the principall cause is the Spirit of God so saith the Apostle Rom. 8.13 the place before alleadged If yee mortifie the deeds of the flesh through the Spirit yee shall live Rom. 8.13 It is true we are enjoyned mortification but wee cannot doe it till by the Spirit of God our sinnes be mortified Simile It is with sinne as it is with some wilde beasts they cannot bee taken and apprehended till they be shot and wounded So it is with sinne till the Spirit of God give the deaths blow to sinne wee cannot mortifie it of our selves therefore the first and principall cause is the Spirit of God he that is in us is stronger then he that is in the world The Spirit of God is strong and powerfull to subdue sinne Secondly Faith in Christ for by faith we must be ingrafted into Christ and so partake of the Spirit of Christ whereby sinne is dead in us so saith the Apostle Rom. 6 5. Rom. 6.5 For if we be planted into the likenesse of his death wee shall be also into the likenesse of his resurrection First we must be planted and grafted into Christ As a Syens must be planted into the stocke of a tree before it partake of the juice of it So we must be planted into Christ by faith before we be made partakers of the vertue of the death of Christ to kill our sins Col. 2.13 so saith the Apostle Wee are raysed through the faith of the operation of God it is through faith not onely as a perswading mooving cause but as an efficient cause because faith as a pipe of Silver conveyes the juice the water of life the Spirit of God whereby our sinnes are mortified it unites us to Christ and makes us partake of the vertue of his death whereby our sinnes are killed Psal 19.13 The third meanes to worke this death in us it is Prayer so David Psal 19.13 Lord keepe mee from presumptuous sinnes let them not have dominion over me that is mortifie and crucifie them so that they may not have dominion over me or not have a being if it were possible Let them not have dominion over me Fourthly and lastly a speciall meanes to put sinne to death is to submit our selves to the Ministery of the Word such as can manage and brandish the two edged Sword of the Spirit against sinne And so in private by meditation to apply to our selves the curses and judgements that God hath threatned against such sinnes as wee give most way to for if once the principall and vitall sinne as I may call it be destroyed then other sinnes will die of themselves this shall be sufficient for the third part touching the meanes to die with Christ I come now in a few words to the motives to perswade us to die with Christ The first ariseth from the necessitie of dying to sinne eyther wee must die to sinne Rom. 8.13 or die for sinne woe to us if we doe not die to sin If yee live after the flesh yee shall die Rom. 8.13 that is if yee live unmortified yee shall die how eternally not onely the death of the body but of the soule too here is the choyce we must eyther mortifie our lusts or incurre the danger of damnation there is no other way to escape it If yee live after the flesh yee shall die that is eternally therefore there lies a necessitie that should perswade us to die to sinne Secondly from the commoditie of it by dying to sinne we shall not onely free our selves from eternall death but from much trouble and molestation and disquiet also that wee should be sure to have by keeping sinne alive and by yeelding to the lusts of sinne Most true it is that it is with our lusts as with little children humour and observe them Simile and give them that they cry for and you shall never have rest but still they will cry for something more so it is with our corruptions and sinfull lusts yeeld to them upon every desire and we shall never have done when we have satisfied one lust it will call upon us againe and will never have done whereas by mortifying of it we shall bring to our selves much quiet and free our selves from much molestation Thirdly consider the facilitle by mortifying the deeds of the flesh we loose nothing that will make to our happinesse Adam in innocencie in Paradise was happy without these lusts Christ on earth was happy without them the Saints in heaven are happy without them Iam. 1.21 these are but superfluities Iam. 1.21 Lay aside all superfluitie of naughtinesse and malice Wee may have all true contentment whatsoever yet part withour lusts they are things that we may well spare By mortification of them a man looseth no profit nor pleasure nor honour whatsoever but there is recompence with advantage Let a man mortifie his lusts that bring him profit hee shall have profit in durable riches not onely in this life but for his reward hee shall have a whole kingdome to enjoy Let him loose some present pleasures as we have all too much of common Souldiers in us we love present pay hee shall have infinite recompence he shall have pure pleasures peace of conscience God will praise him and say well done good and faithfull servant he shall have peace of conscience that will lift a man above ground an infinite recompence in the losse of other pleasures Secondly for honour what if a man for the crucifying of his lusts be reproached and contemned in the world yet he shall have true honour of God in heaven he shall have honour of Angels of good men honour did I say of good men nay wicked men shall honour him God is able to command honour from the hearts even of wicked men so much as hee is mortified Let a wicked man see one that is a mortified man that as David was he behaves himselfe as a weaned child from the world he cannot but give a good testimony but if he will not now let him be on the racke in sicknesse let death appeare then he will desire to die the death of the righteous and that his last end may be like his It is true while he is in his jollitie and bravery then such men load a mortified man with reproach and contempt but wee must doe as Phisitians doe when they judge by urine of the state of the body they looke not on the urine that is voyded when men are walking up and downe before they goe to bed Simile but that which they make
die because though hee were not guiltie of any personall sinne yet hee was so guiltie as our sinnes were translated and imputed to him and so it was requisite hee should die Looke as it is among men it is no injustice that a man should require a debt of him that hath undertaken to pay it for another especially if hee bee able and willing to pay So God was just to exact the debt of obedience and suffering hee having undertaken it and being both able and willing to pay Joh. 10.18 Hee was willing Ioh. 10.18 I lay downe my life there is no man that takes it from mee Hee layed it downe unforced Secondly Christ was able to pay the debt hee was able by dying to satisfie the justice of God to the utmost to drinke the cuppe of Gods wrath to the dregges for us and to free us by death Heb. 2.26 Hee is able to save them that come to him to the very utmost Nay he not only freed us but himselfe too from being held captive under the power and dominion of death Let this suffice for the first Use for instruction that if Christ had no sinne of his owne how it could stand with the justice of God that he should beare the punishment due to sinne Secondly it serves to discover the extreame malice of the Iewes against Christ especially the Scribes and Pharisees whose heads as they were busiest in plotting so their hands were deepest imbrued in the executing of Christs death notwithstanding such was his innocencie avouched to their faces by him that betrayed him Iudas I have betrayed the innocent bloud and by him that condemned him Pilate I find no fault in this man Yet such was their malice they laid the greatest things against him that the wit of man could devise or impudencie object and yet they were not satisfied with this till as Wolves of the evening they had torne the Lambe of God without sorrow or compassion The blood of a meane man unjustly spilt is a crying sinne a skarlet sinne of a deepe crimson dye every wound is a mouth and every drop a tongue to cry as the blood of Abel for vengeance on the murtherer but the death of Christ the crucifying of Christ it was a sinne of so high a straine that for this sinne God hath spent his plagues hee hath emptied the quiver of his judgements on that nation and made them ever since a reproach to the world a hissing and gasing stocke and an astonishment to men and Angels If any enquire the way how it must be that the crucifying of Christ should bee so grievous a sinne in the Iewes Quest when that which they did was no other then that which God in his determinate counsell had fore-ordained Act. 2.23 Him have yee with wicked hands taken and crucified Act. 2.23 being delivered by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God How then could it be so hainous a sinne in the Iewes to crucifie Christ seeing what they did was according to the determinate counsell of God I answer briefly thus Answ It is true indeede they did no other then God had ordained to be done but yet it was little thankes to them who least intended it they did performe Gods purpose but all this while they had little thought and purpose in them to performe it Isay 10.5.6 See the like Isay 10.5.6 Oh Assirian saith God the rod of mine anger and the staffe in their hand is mine indignation I will send him against an hipocriticall nation and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoyle and the prey and to tread them downe like the mire in the streets Howbeit hee meaneth not so neyther doth his heart thinke so What then doth he thinke Surely I will cut off and destroy nations not a few See what the Lord saith in Vers 12. Wherefore saith the Lord by the mouth of the Prophet when I have performed my whole worke upon Mount Sion and Ierusalem I will punish the fruite of the proud heart of the King of Assiria Observe the King of Assiria was Gods instrument his officer and executioner to inflict that punishment that the Iewes had deserved and it was Gods will and decree notwithstanding because though hee did that that God had purposed to bee done yet hee had not a purpose to doe it because that that he did was not out of obedience to Gods will it was not for the glory of God but out of a proud humour therefore when God had scourged them God would punish him and when his people of Israel had felt the rod hee would cast the rod into the fire of his indignation So then to apply it looke as it stood with the King of Assiria in punishing the Iewes so it was with the Iewes in their crucifying of Christ It is true what Caiphas unawares prophesied that it was expedient that one man should die and give his life for the people yet the Iewes intended it not when they put him to death but did it out of malice Matth. 27.28 Matth. 27.28 and that with God that eyes not so much the worke and action of the hand as the intent and affection of the doer I say with God they were esteemed no better than cruell murderers and butchers of Christ So Saint Peter stickes not to tell them to their face Act. 2.23 Act. 2.23 Your wicked hands have crucified him that God in his determinate counsell delivered still he calls them wicked hands though they did that which was Gods determinate counsell It is not sufficient to make an action good and warrantable that it bee conformable to Gods secret will in the thing willed except there be a conformitie in the manner of our willing For a man while the will of God is hid may doe that that God wills not without sin our rule being the revealed will as the Glosse hath it As a man that hath a Father or a Friend sicke his friend knowes not whether hee shall recover though God have determined that the man shall dye yet hee may pray for his recovery he wills a diverse thing from that of God and yet it is warantable A man may doe that which is Gods secret will and yet be faultie if hee doe not doe it in that manner that God wills Let this suffice to bee spoken of the second Use Thirdly as it serves for the just condemnation of the Iewes and such as unjustly condemned Christ so in the next place it seemes to remoove the grosse carnall conceit in the vaine hearts of men in our dayes men that make the square and rule of their judgement successe in outward things and pronounce of men of their innocencie or guilt of their favour or disfavour with God according to their prosperitie or adversitie according to the successe of things below A thing that falls foule upon the Papists that make outward prosperitie an inseparable note of the Church Thus
the death of his Sonne but when wee were enemies S. Aug. psal 113. So saith S. Austin upon Psal 110. God loves us when hee hates us hee loves us as creatures when notwithstanding hee hates us as sinners So I say God doth not then begin to love us when wee are actually reconciled by the death of his Sonne but hee first loved us and because hee loved us therefore hee gave his Sonne Pet. Mart. As Peter Martyr saith excellently as the pledge and pawne and earnest of his love So then that is the second reason that as Christ gave himselfe out of love so God gave Christ because he loved us Thirdly as the love of God was the cause of this so the justice of God required that Christ should die For God had no purpose to redeeme man and man being not able to satisfie Gods justice for his sinne it was needfull that Christ as our suretie should answer that that wee were not able to doe and to take our burden Vse 1 And here when wee consider the infinite wisedome of God devising so to fit a means for the reconciling the mercy and justice of God in our salvation and redemption wee have cause to crie out with the Apostle Oh the deepnesse and riches of the knowledge and wisedome of God how unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out It is true I denie not the print and footsteppes of the wayes of God in the Creation the Heathens themselves discovered by the darke and dimme light of reason The Heathen could discerne it in the Creation but for the print of his footsteps in Redemption men and Angels could not conceive how infinite justice and infinite mercy should come together how sinners should die eternally and bee saved eternally and live for ever How God should be just and yet man that had sinned not die these wayes are past finding out But now in the death of Christ all these seeming contradictions are easily reconciled For now as in the cōposing of Davids Ditty Mercy and Iustice are met together truth and mercie kisse each other For first that God should punish sinne at all it was an act of Gods justice but that God should punish sinne not in our selves but in Christ it was an act of mercy That God should exact the payment of the debt to the utmost far thing it was an act of severe justice but that hee did not exact it at our hands our selves but at the hands of our Suretie this was mercy infinite mercy So that wee have great cause to say and so wee may well with David wee may say on this occasion of Redemption as hee on the Creation Psal 104. Psal 104. How admirable are thy workes In wondrous wisedome thou hast made them all That for the first use Secondly as it serves to set up the wondrous greatnesse of Gods wisedome so likewise it serves to set forth the grievousnesse and haynousnesse of our sinnes It is a true saying No glasse can represent so fully the grievousnesse of our sinnes not the torments of the damned in Hell as the torments of Christ on the Crosse for sin Surely those sinnes must needes bee great that could not bee expiated but at so deare a rate as the shedding of the bloud of Christ I come not to dispute here as the Schooles nicely and curiously and unprofitably whether God could have devised another means to worke the redemption of man kind besides the death of his Sonne I know it is not for man to confine the wisdome of God and to say this God can doe as he saith to the Sea Hither shalt thou goe and here thou shalt stay thy proud waves shall goe no further It is not for man to say so to Gods wisedome and power this God can doe and hee can doe no more But let me tell you thus much that the Sonne of God was more precious and deare in the eyes of his Father then to suffer him to die a cursed death if the worke of redemption could bee so well and so conveniently accomplished otherwise I cannot thinke but that the Sonne of God was more precious in the eyes of his Father then to suffer him to undergo such a cursed Ignominious death if redemption could have beene effected by other meanes Nay I speake more boldly for I may doe it upon good ground the satisfaction for mans sinne it was such a worke as could not have beene performed but by the finger of God Men nor Angels could not doe it they might have given some satisfaction but they could not give a valuable satisfaction 1 Tim. 1.6 As it is 1 Tim. 1.6 Christ gave himselfe a ransome for all that is not all he gave himselfe not only a ransome but a full valuable sufficient ransome I say all men and Angels could not have given to God a sufficient ransome First not men because no man can pay his owne score therefore hee cannot satisfie for others Secondly not Angels being finite created natures they could not undergoe the punishment of our sinnes which was infinite there was an infinite punishment due to our sinnes because we had offended infinite justice and there is no creature can undergoe an infinite punishment Nay I say more all the Angels and Arch-angells in Heaven if they had united their forces to sustaine and indure one moment those exceeding unexpressible agonies that Christ indured on the Crosse when hee said My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee they would have broken them and have crushed them downe irrecoverably to Hell Then farr bee it from us to set light by those sinnes the weight and burden whereof none but Christ could undergoe and when hee did undergoe them it made him bow and buckle and by his owne confession it made his soule heavy to death Thirdly as it serves to discover the greatnesse of our sinnes so it serves to provoke us to sorrow and humiliation for our sinnes for what did Christ shed droppes of bloud for our sinnes and shall not wee shed teares for them Thus it was with the converts Act. 2 37. Act. 2.37 when Peter told them your wicked hands have crucified Christ saith the Text they were pricked in their hearts Nay that is not all they were pricked through in their hearts or violently as it were all the floud-gates of sorrow were opened they were pricked thorow with sorrow And mistake mee not Brethren thinke not that it was the souldiers and the Iewes only that crucified Christ no it was every one of us our hands are as deeply imbrewed in the bloud of Christ as theirs Our wicked thoughts are as thornes that goared his precious head Our wicked actions are as nayles that fastned his hands and feete to the tree Our oathes and blasphemies are as swords and speares that pierced his sacred side Oh then can wee choose but bee pricked in our hearts when wee have crucified Christ If Peter went out and wept bitterly when