foreskin of their hearts that is that they should change their vile affections but how this must be done appeareth Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart so Deut. 39.19 there is a commandement to chuse life That thou and thy seed may liue the performance whereof is Ezech. 36.26 A new heart saith the Lord I will giue you and a new spirit I will put into you and I will take away the stony heart out of thy body and I will giue you a heart of flesh which place doeth fully answer all suppositions of our owne ability for if there bee any pliablenesse in a stone then is there so in man For the second we are commanded to liue well and to worke but whence this proceedeth appeareth Philip. 2.13 It is God that worketh in you both the will and the deed so 2. Cor. 7.1 there is a commandement giuen by S. Paul that we should cleanse our selues and 1. Iohn 3.5 Euery man that hath hope purgeth himselfe and 2. Tim. 2.21 He that is a vessell of honour purgeth himselfe but how this is done is set downe Ezech. 36.25 I saith the Lord will powrâ— cleane water vpon you and yee shall be cleane and as the Apostle saith Hebr. 9.14 The bloud of Christ purgeth the conscience from dead workes For the third we are commanded to stand fast and to hold fast our profession so Acts 14.22 Barnabas exhorteth to continue in the faith but from whence this commeth Paul teacheth vs Ephes 4.30 The Lord make you strong for it is â—ee that hath sealed you to the day of redemption and 2. Thessal 1.11 The Lord make you woorthy of this calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodnesse and the worke of faith with power and 1. Thess 5.24 Faithfull is he which calleth you which will also doe it By which wee may perceiue that this exhortation to Repent and other such like inserted in the Scripture are but to wheâ— vs on and to set an edge vpon our praiers and desires that wee may fetch these graces out of the closet and bosome of our Sauiour Christ who is as ready to giue as wee to aske Further learne hence that forasmuch as the most vehement and pithy exhortation to obedience is taken from the manifestation of Christ that the Gospell euen as it is the Gospell requireth reformation of life howsoeuer it bee charged either to giue too much occasion to sinne as that being cleansed in the bath of Christs bloud we may abandon our selues to vncleannesse or to make too much restraint as it were from sinne as that wee must abstaine from all apparence of euill for saith the Gospell 2. Thess 5 2â— 1. Iohn 3.8 Hee that doeth not labour to purge himselfe in euery thing is of the diuell Wherein we must consider that there is a double couenant first of workes by the law which being obserued giueth life but being broken but in cogitation onely doth damne a man secondly of grace that all that beleeue shall bee saued Now in euery couenant there is a restipulation or mutuall agreement of both parties ours in the law was that we would doe what was commanded in grace that wee will beleeue that we may bee saued for as no man can be saued by the law but by absolute obedience so no man shall be saued by the Gospell but by faith and repentance for this is that God requireth of vs to beleeue and amend Againe obserue that when we preach repentance we preach not the law but the Gospell for the law admits of no repentance for though wee could now obserue all that is written in the law yet should we be damned vnlesse we could satisfie for that was broken in our first conception we being borne in the filthinesse of nature Now there is no way of saluation for circumcised or vncircumcised for Iew nor Gentile before the law nor after either before our conuersion in the time of our infidelity or after our conuersion in the time of repentance but onely in the bloud of Christ whom by the power of the holy Ghost by the instrument of the word as the second cause we doe by faith apprehend vnto our euerlasting peace Thus much is set foorth by Saint Paul Rom. 8.1 that there is nothing but condemnation to â—hem that are without Christ and none are in Christ but they â—hat haue receiued the spirit of Christ and none hath this spirit â—ut he that hath receiued the gift of faith which doth ingraft vs â—â—to Christ and none hath faith but hee that hath repentance and none hath repentance but he whose soule is changed cleansed in his conscience reformed in his affections so that howsoeuer he slippeth through infirmity yet his full endeuour is alwaies to please the Lord and no mans soule is changed whose life is not already amended For this must declare a purified conscience and none hath amended his life who doth deliberately persist in any grosse sinne so that whatsoeuer purposelie grieueth the spirit and smiteth God by his sinne hee is not in Christ but consequently in the state of condemnation except hee repent for this that is spoken of 1. Iohn 5.3 Hee that is borne of God keepeth his commandements and they bee not burdensome to him For this is the new couenant saith the Lord Ier. 31.31 I will make with you I will pardon your sinnes and write my Law in your hearts that is whomsoeuer I will pardon I will reforme their hearts both inward and outward mortification that they shall be obedient to my Law So that whosoeuer hath not receiued power to amend his life hee neuer felt the power of God to the pardoning of his sinne for he neuer giueth saith alone but it is euer ioyned with an ability from the same spirit 〈◊〉 amend the life so as vnlesse outwardly thou bee amended that thy light doe shine before men both in thy conuersation and in thy actions for any peace the Gospell can preach vnto thee thou maiest feare thou art in the state of condemnation And if thou hardenest thy heart against this sweet sound of the Lords voice hee will at the length scorne thee and thou maiest crie and not be heard for Esau may weepe too late Gen. 27.38 for we are therefore to repent because by grace we are sure to bee saued as Saint Peter saith 1. Pet. 1.17 if yee call God Father that is if ye will be his children passe your time in feare because he hath redeemed you by his bloud Luke 1.75 Leuit 11.44 So saith the Gospell It yee holy as your heauenly Father is holy for children must be of liâ—â— disposition to their father and he that worketh euill is of the dâ—â—â— as Christ speaketh Iohn 8.44 So Paul Rom. 12.1 doth beseeâ— them by the merits of Christ a forcible argument to perswade that they offer vp their bodies a holy sacrifice vnto God sheâ—ing that the greatest matter to inforce vs to reformation is
take◠from mercy And 1. Cor. 6.15 Your bodies are the temples 〈◊〉 the holy Ghost and yee are bought with a price therefore doe not prostitute them to vncleannesse but let the loue of God constraine vs to loue him againe Yet may wee not heereupon imagine that we make the law of God of no effect through faith nay as S. Paul saith Rom. 3.31 by this we rather establish the Law and that two waies first in the absolute obedience of Christ inherent in himselfe and imputed vnto vs secondly by the spirit of sanctification abiding in vs for the same righteousnesse the law commands the very same doth faith apprehend for we doe challenge the promise of God to saue vs by this that Christ in our person hath absolutely performed it so as there is no difference in respect of the substance but only in the maner of conueiance wherby we apply it vnto our soules So doth the Gospel command the same works that the law exacteth though there be a threefold difference between them for first the law commands works to gaine saluation by them the Gospell because saluation is already gained by the bloud of Christ for as S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 6 2◠we are bought with a price therefore we are debtors secondly the law giueth no power to worke that it commandeth for Moses that was the giuer of it could not frame his owne heart to do it therfore it is called a dead letter written in stones 2. Cor. 3 6◠which prefigured the harts of men but the Gospel in the elect neuer cōmandeth but first giueth grace and power to performe as the Lord neuer pardoneth any mans sin but he first writeth his law in his heart as S. Iohn saith 1. Ioh. 3.8 God sent his son to destroy the works of the diuel in vs and this is the argument of S. Paul Rom. 6.14 Let not saith he sin raigne in your mortal bodies that is haue dominion ouer you for yee are not vnder the law but vnder grace that giueth power to amend Thirdly the law commands works absolutely and admits of no repentance but the Gospel neuer excludes repentance the father euer waiting for the returne of his lost son so as it is true no whoremonger shal be saued continuing such a one but alwaies vnderstand repentance comming between staieth the iudgement for though our sins be of a purple or skarlet die yet if we turne to God the bloud of Christ hath this vertue 1. Ioh. 5.6 that it can make them white as snow so as the summe of al this is bloud water Ioh. 13.8 must go together faith in Iesus and the spirit of the Lord Iesus remission of sins and reformation of life must neuer be disioined Now for that the Papists say the expectation of a reward would make vs worke that in vaine should the worke be if there were no merit Wee answer that if a man freely shall gratifie his bondman with libertie and he shall after preserue his masters life by this hee hath not deserued his freedome for if he had remained still bond he had beene bound to haue done it and all hee can doe after is not to recompence his freedome but to testifie his thankfulnesse So whatsoeuer we can do or deserue we are bound to it by a double bond first of our creation secondly and much more by our redemption and after our saluation promised and purchased to doe well is nothing but dutie for we were bound to doe it before we were saued So as this is the order of exhortation in the Scripture All that haue hope 2. Cor. 7.1 must cleanse themselues not to clense themselues that they may hope but they haue hope therfore they must doe it Mat. 25.34 And not because we releeue the poore therefore wee shall be saued but because in mercy a kingdome is prepared for vs therfore as members of one bodie we releeue the poore And Abraham did not therefore offer vp his sonne that he might be iustified Gen. 22.8 but because he was iustified before Gen. 15.6 therefore he thought nothing too deare to gratifie the Lord with though it were with the sonne of the promise So heere we doe not therefore repent that the kingdome of heauen may come but wee must amend our liues and change our minds because the Messias is already come that will saue our soules Againe obserue he saith it is at hand noting a neere manifestation of him which was more then any of the Prophets could say whereupon Christ saith that there was neuer any Prophet so great as Iohn Baptist Mat. 11.11 yet the least in the kingdome of heauen is greater then he not comparing their persons for there were diuers of the Prophets as excellently qualified as Iohn nor that a Minister of the Gospell now should be greater then hee but that the ministery of Iohn was plainer then that of the Prophets they but foretelling indefinitely that Christ should come Iohn pointing at him with his finger that he was now comming and the ministery now being more excellent then Iohns because he preached but of the Messias at hand wheras we haue seene the fingers of this hand Christ to haue come with power to haue died with triumph and to haue ascended with glorie therefore let him that hath an eare heare and hee that hath hope let him arise for the kingdome is now come not at hand Iohn 14.12 Againe note the excellent Harmonie betweene Iohn the fore-runner and Christ the after-commer for Matt. 4.17 Christ vseth the very same words to perswade to amendement of life because the kingdome of heauen is at hand Which sheweth the agreement ought to be among Ministers and how wee may discerne whether they be of God or no for then as they all worke vpon one foundation so shall they all speake by one spirit and the voice of the herbinger agree with Christ and Christ with him pressing no other doctrine then that Iohn preached before For the fourth circumstance which is the warrant whereby Iohn was authorized to preach wee note that all callings in the Church of God must bee warranted expresly in the booke of God For if any were to bee exempted it was this of Iohns being extraordinarie but he is enforced to prooue it as if hee should say Though I am not Christ nor Elias in person howbeit in power of spirit I am yet looke in Esay 40.3 my authoritie recorded for the place of a Minister is not like the power of the Magistrate which though it be Gods ordinance in generall yet is it not in particular as that there should be this or that Magistrate as an Emperour Duke Chancellor and such like for this is humane and God hath giuen man this freedome by the remnant and portion of reason abiding in him to deuise what may be safest for the state And these offices as they be by man erected so may they be by him abolished But
separates for it is the same word of life in it selfe but not to them that eate it not to the elect it is effectually conueied to the reprobate it is truely offered by God but separate by their vnbeleefe Therefore let vs consider the analogy and naturall relation in baptisme the externall thing is water such as is common the thing inward is the very bloud of Christ answered by the signe The application of water to the clensing of the body is answered by the applying of the holy Ghost the effect of water is to purifie from filth so is it of the bloud of Christ to purge from sinne and this two waies by killing and renewing by nortifying and quickning by the dipping in the water is represented the death of Christ and his resurrection signified by pulling out of the water that as we are buried with him in Baptisme so we shall rise with him by his spirit Why but hath Iohn no power but to put on water euery man may doe so and how is it then that 2. Cor. 3.6 Paul saith God hath made vs ministers of the spirit and not of the letter for there he compareth the Law to the Gospell Moses to the Apostles Moses gaue vnto the people the two tables which was onely a commandement externall for he could not change his owne heart nor apply his owne soule to the performance of the law but it was onely as if a man should write to a blind man to bid him reade or to a deafe man to bid him heare And can Paul doe any more to conuert the Corinths No but this is the difference the preaching of the Gospell which is the ministery of the spirit doth not onely require faith but giueth faith to be saued for of it selfe it is as easie to keepe the law as to beleeue Why but Paul saith to Timothy 1. Tim. 4.6 Attend on the worke of preaching to saue thy selfe and others and Paul of himselfe saith I begat you and Mal. 4.6 it was prophesied of this Iohn that he should conuert the hearts of men This is most true when the externall and internall doe ioyne and iumpe together and when they are not compared by opposition but are comprehensiuely taken together then we can bind and loose sinnes and as Leuit 16.16 then the Priest shall make thy soule cleane But as it was said that there was in paradise Genes 3.22 the tree of life not that it had any life in it but that they that should eate of it should liue for euer and so of the tree of knowledge which was so called by the effect it wrought making vs to know what good we lost and what nakednesse we fell into so it is said that we forgiue sinnes Iohn 20.23 because the word of reconciliation is put into our mouthes not that we doe it by any absolute authority but necessarily because our commission extendeth to it by God And so all morall matters vnder the law were but a meere pageant sauing that they sealed to them the inward which was the blood of Christ and where such efficacy was giuen to the sacrifices there the inward thing was attributed to the outward so as we must still hold that all power and sufficiency is of God 2. Cor. 3.5 Further obserue that Iohn of necessitie must giue water or else Christ can giue no bloud and except there be planting and watering nothing can grow So as we must learne to submit our selues to the ministery else can wee not ordinarily expect for any grace at Gods hands for he giues but increase and blessing to his worke-mens labour and though the voice of the Preacher be but a vanishing voice wanting power to affect the conscience and vertue to illuminate the eies for the voice cannot pierce the soule yet wee must humble our selues to Iohns ministery for by this voice doth the Lord giue life and as hee cannot hope for fruit that neuer sowed nor expect for wine that neuer planted no more can hee looke for life that neuer heard for faith commeth by hearing Rom. 10.17 and without faith there is no saluation So as vnlesse we doe embrace this ordinance of God to follow them whom hee hath made his armes to reach forth vnto vs the bread of life we can neuer beleeue and except we desire to be sealed with the great seale of heauen committed vnto them wee shall neuer be saued for as it is said Gen. 17.14 euery soule contemptuously refusing circumcision shall bee cut off and he that despiseth the bread doth betray and crucifie the Lord Iesus as the Iewes did that bad away with him Iohn must be regarded because he puts on water for who is not glad to receiue his pardon by the person of any and why should their feet bee contemptible that bring vs such newes from the mouth of God And if wee dare not in paine of damnation but thinke reuerently of the seales that is of water and bread in the Sacraments how much more must wee reuâ—â—â—ce the doctrine that is of far greater maiesty for the Sacraments are but blankes without the word Further consider heere in Iohns baptizing to amendment of life that as all Sacraments are couenants and in couenants there is alway something agreed on betweene both parties so in Baptisme God promiseth to receiue Christ to redeeme the holy Ghost to sanctifie and on the other side we promise to beleeue this and to repent vs of our transgressions For as Baptisme sealeth vnto vs remission of sinne so also doth it seale as it were from vs amendment of life and to whom soeuer the Lord sealeth this assurance that he will saue him to him also he sealeth regeneration and newnesse of life And as Paul saith Rom. 2.26 if vncircumcision beleeue well it shall bee saued rather then circumcision that is if the outward signe bee separated from the inward and not accompanied with cleannesse of heart and obedience to the commandement hee that wants the outward seale and yet is circumcised in heart is more to bee accounted of then the other Therefore let vs looke and take heed we performe the vow wee made before God and his Angels in our baptisme namely as to beleeue the promises so to repent and reforme our liues for he that will assure himselfe of the benefite of Baptisme must see what power he hath to subdue his corruptions He will baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire That is by the holy Ghost Christ will seale the pardon of their sinnes who hath the same power that fire hath as first to burne vp all trash and stubble secondly to purifie things that are to be purged thirdly to giue light in darkenesse fourthly to quicken things that are benummed and stiffe with cold So as let vs examine our selues whether wee haue felt these effects of this spirit for if he filthinesse and frâ—â—â—dnesse of our nature be burnt vp and consumed if our harts be swept and cleansed from vile and loose
For the first of these the Papists say it is meant that none can be saued by the works of the ceremoniall Law that it is not to be vnderstood of the morall law Which is most false as is proued Rom. 3.20 By the works of the law shall no flesh be iustified for by the law commeth the knowledge of sin He doth not say by the knowledge of the ceremoniall law and 2. Cor. 3.7 where he calleth the law the ministration of death written with letters and ingrauen in stones we all knowing there was no law written with the finger of God and ingrauen in stones but the law of the tenne commandements and Gal. 3.21.22 the Apostle maketh an opposition between the law and the promise that if life should bee giuen by the law and by that meanes should iustifie then should it abolish that iustification promised to Abraham and â—o his seed by faith which cannot bee vnderstood but of the mâ—â—all law and Rom. 7.7 He had not knowen sinne but by the laâ—â— for he had not knowen lust except the law had said Thou shaâ—â— not lust and this is the law of the ten commandements Howbeit the â—uestion between the Papists and vs is not whether we performing the precise rule of the law may challenge eternall life as merit for there is no question but wee may the commandement being as Rom. 7.10 ordained vnto life as appeareth Deut. 5.33 If you walke in all the commandements of God ye shall liue and Mark. 10.17.18 vpon the question asked how he should possesse eternall life answer was made by Christ by keeping the commandements but the question is whether any child of God euen in the highest degree of regeneration can doe it in that maner and measure as he ought And this can he not doe and that for two reasons First because of the singular purity of the law Secondly because of the extreme impurity of our nature For the first consider that the law is proportionable to the law-giuer which bindeth not onely the hands from petie larce the tongue from ribauldry and the life from incontinency but commandeth the eie and speaketh to the heart And in the nine first commandements whersoeuer there is an affirmatiue expressed there is the negatiue implied and where the negatiue is expressed there is the affirmatiue implied that is where any duty is commanded there the contrary vice is forbidden and where the sinne is inhibited there the contrary duty is required for if we must not kill our brother then must we by all meanes seeke to preserue his life and if his life must be pretious to vs then must we not hate him for this is a sinne that will beget murther But the tenth commandement is the key that is able to discouer the cabinet of the heart this entreth betweene the marrow and the bones and howsoeuer wee may refraine in action and may bee staied in affection yet this striketh dead extending but to the motion though the heart impugne it and this is the sharpest corasiue to eate forth our proud flesh when we shall see our selues arraigned but for a thought which we would haue withstood and if any man will looke himselfe in this glasse he shal see as foule filthy an Adâ—â—â— as can be And this was that awakened Paul out of that dead â—â—eepe wherinto he was cast by nature namely the knowledgâ— of concupiscence to be sinne for he knew the action and the resolution of the heart to vncleannesse to be sinne aswell by the law of nature as by the law written but that the thoughts should be hedged in and inclosed so precisely he did not conceaue before the excellency of the tenth commandement had reuealed it to him howbeit though not to extenuate and lessen any sinne whereby the maiesty of God is violated so offended we must not imagine the thoughts conceaued by a suddaine motion or sight and quickly suppressed againe to be so sinfull for the thoughts meant here are those of the heart which haue an inclination and pronenesse to sinne proceeding from corruption of nature suffering them to rest with vs for a time though they bee after pressed downe by the speciall worke of God and if we could but register the thoughts of this kinde doe passe from vs in one day wee should finde them abominable in Gods sight and onely pardonable in Christ For though they be hid from men yet do they appeare before God the searcher of the heart and shall receaue their reward which is death if they be not passed ouer in Christ And though some haue thought that thoughts without the consent of the heart are not sinfull yet it is certaine they be so for Salomon Pro. 24.9 saith The wicked thought of a foole is sinne and so may it likewise bee proued by three speciall arguments First whatsoeuer hindreth the absolute and perfect conformity of the power of the soule to the liuely image of God wherein we were at first created is sin but thoughts without consent of the heart doe hinder this our conformity to the image of God because the thoughts being admitted in there must needs be excluded therefore they are sinfull Secondly Adam in his innocency could neuer haue any such by-thoughts being created to the absolute image of God Since then we haue lost this perfect image by his fall and haue such thoughts arise in vs they must needs hinder vs from comming to that perfection againe wherin he stood at first while he walked with God in paradise and therefore they are sinfull Thirdly God hath redeemed all the parts both of our body and soule and therfore we ought to honour him with all parts and the thoughts are some parts which he hath redeemed therefore wee must honour him with them but many one thought be wandering and ranging out of the way there â—ants the honour of that thought to God therefore they are sinfull for where it is said in the law we must honor God with all our heart with all our minde with all our soule Christ Luk. 10.27 expounds it we must also loue him with all our thoughts then so many thoughts as tend not to loue God must needes be sinfull Now as concerning thoughts therâ—â—â— foure degrees one more sinfull then another but the least damnable in the reprobate pardonable in the elect The first are when a man thinketh on some childish toie or on a thing that is not which oft commeth into a mans minde by some occasion or other offâ—ed to the sense and represented to the fancie but soone vanisheth away although the thing offered to the imagination be not sinfull yet the very thought of it is sinfull because it possesseth vs for the time and being idle and vnprofitable for that time be it neuer so short so much of Gods image was thrust out of vs the whole man was not takeÌ„ vp for him as it ought and therefore Genes 6.5 it is said all the thoughts of a
hearing so if the raine fall on the rocke it moistneth it nothing at all neither softneth it and this is onely through the hardnesse of the rocke euen so fareth it betwixt the law and vs for that the law is depriued of the power to saue is not for any defect in it selfe for it is holy perfect righteous iust heauenly spirituall eternall but the fault is in our flesh for we are all weake blind deafe stony-harted not able to receaue any impression of obedience at all Againe the scripture speaketh of the law two maner of waies First either as giuen by the hand of God wrot with his finger in tables of stone which is the ten commandements Secondly or else it speaketh of that is proper to the law that is of the effects of the law The first which is the ten commandements it is double For it commandeth the good and forbiddeth the euill for the second the effects are also double for it rewadeth for the good and condemneth for the euill So as the law hath these foure things it commandeth and forbiddeth it rewardeth and condemneth he then that is not able to fulfill the law is a dead man I speake in respect of the law onlie and not of Christ for Christ himselfe said speaking to one that sought life by his workes If thou wilt haue life euerlasting keepe the commandements which is not possible for man to doe no more is it possible for the law to saue yea it is not onely vnable to doe this but by reason of the law we are made more sinfull for as Rom. 3.20 By the law commeth the knowledge of sinne and chap. 4.15 The law causeth wrath and 1. Cor. 15.56 The strength of sinne is the law So as first it conuinceth vs of the good we do our hearts being of themselues rotten and the root being vnsound so must the tree be the body being corrupt so must the members be and the fountaine being vnclean so must the streames be Secondly it conuinceth vs for not doing good in one thing is straiter then all the lawes of nations condemning our straying thoughts and chargeth vs not simply of sin and transgression but of voluntary treason and rebellion against our God And thirdly it dischargeth vpon vs not onely all the curses of this life from our conception to our death but also of damnation in the life to come so as in respect of the law onely we haue already the sentence of death pronounced against vs and doe eate talke buy sell and such like but as prisoners repriued and staied a while from execution And this is the quality and condition of the tenne commandements inse perse in it selfe and by it selfe separate from all other things for I speake not of the whole doctrine of the law as it was taught by Moses for that as Dauid saith Psal 119. is perfect and conuerteth the soule and giueth wisdome to the simple and teacheth vs faith to lay hold on Christ when wee are ready to sinke in our selues and draweth vs to repentance by commanding the good and forbidding the euill by rewarding the good and threatning the euill But the law as it is a bare letter bidding vs doe such a thing and giuing vs no strength to performe it losing it strength by the strength of our corruption sheweth in what a desperate case they stand that depend vpon the Law for their saluation for weighing our selues in this ballance we shall be lighter then the shickles of the sanctuary if we looke in this glasse we shal be wretched and deformed and trying our selues by this touch stone we shall be no gold but drosse To make this plainer and that our blood may bee vpon our owne ands and the law remaine vnblameable we must 〈◊〉 stand there are two sorts of lawes The one is the substantiall and naturall law the other is an accidentall or occasionall law mentioned by this Apostle Rom. 7.8.9 where we must obserue that sinne receaued no occasion from the law for then occasion had beene giuen but tooke an occasion not of the law but by the law that is because the law forbiddeth therefore we will doe it Now betweene a cause and occasion there is great difference The substantiall law of God which is the morall law of the tenne commandements hath two parts it forbiddeth impiety and vncleanenesse and commandeth sanctification and holinesse but the law occasionall proceedeth out of the first which is substantial for if the law had not said Thou shalt not lust thou wouldst not do it but being by the law restrained thou art in thine owne corruption prouoked vnto that sinne so that heere are two flat contrarieties met together the law and our nature the one commanding the other rebelling the one forbidding the otherser that cause embracing so as but for the law our sinne would not so much appeare for example wee are able to eate more in winter then in sommer by reason in winter there meeteth two contraries the outward cold and inward beat which being driuen into the body encreaseth the appetite which is not so in sommer for then rather heat meeteth with heat which abateth the stomacke euen so the Lord hath set his law as a bull-worke to keepe in sin that it breake not forth of the breast Now when sinne findeth such resistance as it cannot rush through this law then it reboundeth backe againe into our bosome and there kindleth a greater fire of concupiscence then it did before yet is the law holy pure righteous heauenly and spirituall the rule of obedience and of a sanctified life but out nature is impure vnrighteous corrupt and from the earth earthlie the law proceeding from God and our nature from the diuell who powreth this poison into our hearts for euen the law of nature which was the booke for all men and whereby the eternall power of the God-head was discerned that hee might be glorified we see how Rom. 1.20 he was thereby dishonored they turning the glory of the incorruptible God to the similitude of a corruptible mam which proceeded onely from their vaine thoughts and foolish hearts full of darknesse but their end was reprobation so for the law written where it pareth off the dead flesh that we may see how sorely we are smitten by sinne that by this meanes we might run to Christ who is a ready Physitian skilfull and pitifull in healing all wounds we still keepe at home and run backe into our selues as if thereby we could be cured where in truth our disease by this negligence is the more increased nothing being able to heale but the bloud of the son of God so for the Gospell whose end is to make peace between God and man and betweene man and man shewing there is but one God one spirit one faith therby we but one mans childrē euen Gods which should be the power of saluation to vs and the bond of loue among vs through the malice of sathan and
life for direction and of the commandements of God for instruction yea do taste in som measure of the sweetnesse of grace for our inlightning yet if we suffer our soule to be the fountaine of all vncleanenesse and doe make the members of our body as so many pipes or conduites to conuey that vncleanenesse into our liues the most part of our thoughts of our words and deeds of our affections and desires tending more to the dishonoring of God the satisfying of our delights in the flesh then to the furthering of our saluation making riches our hope the wedge of gold our confidence and trusting in the strength of our malice as Dauid saith Psal 52.7 Then are wee in the damnable state of flesh these being iniquities to bee condemned and as Iob saith chap. 31.28 A plaine denying of God which must of necessitie displease him in the highest degree Further obserue hence that none but sanctified men can please God and that all the workes of carnall men and reprobates with what face soeuer they be done are hatefull to him the reason is because none of them consent to the law of God in any other sort then to make them inexcusable for the vnderstanding whereof wee must know that there is a two sold writing of the law in the hearts of men the one by the singer of God the other by the spirit of God and that which is written by the spirit is onely in Gods children the other is in all men and in all nations being the law of nature which is the light of reason and by this they doe know and see their sinnes and so farre they consent to the law but not in this to loath their sin or to be grieued at it hauing a striuing with the sinne but not against the sinne against the sense and feeling of it that they may more eagerly follow it for hauing this law written in his conscience which accuseth him for sinne he laboreth to race it out that he may sinne without controulement for pride selfe-loue cruelty hatred and such like are passions alwaies working inwardly vpon their members that is vpon their wils vnderstandings affections which sometime lie hid like a toade vnder a stone this proceeding from the goodnesse of God for the loue he beareth to his Church 〈◊〉 if the Lions of the field should euer roare what should becâ—â—â—e of the poore lambes And if they should hatch all the sinnes they haue conceaued they would liue worse then wild beasts wee should haue no peace nor face of a Church among vs and therefore what the Lord cureth in his elect he restraineth onely in the wicked by â—n inferior working of his grace that they burst not forth into outragious sinnes he being likewise hindred from the height of his impiety partly for feare of punishment and partly for feare of shame and discredit the world euer liking it well that men should liue ciuilly lest a ruine of the whole might ensue And yet herein we may see the exceeding bountie of God that euen for liuing morally and aiming but at earthly praise and commendation without any respect of the loue of God these being fruits not of the woorst sort he rewardeth them in this life with his outward blessings for their ciuil obedience and outward cariage in the life to come though not with heauen yet with mitigation of their punishment in hell Iehu we know was but a carnall man for he departed not from the sins of Ierobeam that made Israel to sin 2. Kin. 10.30.31 yet because he did diligently execute that was right in Gods eies he rewarded him in this life with the promise of posteritie to the fourth generation to sit vpon the throne notwithstanding all that the wicked do tend to death because they performe onely the letter not the sense of the commandement in their best works Now in that the wicked are recompenced in this life it is in two respects first to encourage vs to performe the like duties outwardly which they doe secondly to comfort vs in this that if the Lord carrieth his eie of bountie toward them that are without and strangers from his fold much more will he reward vs which are his elect and sheepe of his owne pasture And yet in that their best fruites bring death vpon their soules and cannot please God it is to meet with the bold presumption of them that think they shall be saued what profession soeuer they be of and that they be greatly in Gods fauour if their actions be a little varnished ouer with hypocrisie which is as much as if they should thinke to goe to heauen backward which will deceaue them for if a theefe going to the gallowes should thinke himselfe in as good case as a true man would we not iudge it madnesse since the one escapeth and the other is hanged yet fareth it thus with worldlings and profane men who sleeping in the middest of the sea thinke to escape drowning and liuing in the lusts of the flesh imagine to escape damning which cannot be no more then they that sleepe in the toppe maste without any hold can thinke to escape falling Now in that the Apostle saith Yee are not in the flesh we must vnderstand he speaketh generally to all the Iewes who at this time were the house and garden of God for then none were admitted into the church but onely such as were outwardly reformed and seemed to be regenerate by their submitting themselues to the publicke ordinance of God in the word and prater and as for outragious and shamelesse sinners as adulterers blasphemers prophaners of the Sabbath and such like they were not to bee receiued without repentance that as they signified their disobedience by their sinne so should they testifie their sorrow by their confession and then they ceased to be such for as it is treason in the Chancellor to passe any thing from the Prince without the Prince his seale so they accounted it in those times treason against God to set the seale of Baptisme on that childe that had neither of the parents a beleeuer where we may learne that we must esteeme hypocrites as regenerate and to be in the spirit of Christ because they are outwardly reformed in their liues and in profession doe resemble the children of God but if they be open and notorious offendors in any grosse sinne committed with a high hand then ought they to be excluded for a time till shame and separation from their brethren may worke their humilitie to amendement but if they continue obstinate not to be reclaimed then are they to be cut off as putrified and rotten members that may infect others otherwise dissembling hypocrites must bee wrapped vp in the praiers of the Church and the tares must be suffered to grow vp with the wheate and the goate may giue as much milke as the sheepe and for the goodnesse of it it must be left to the secrets of God till
he must sauour of death which cannot be proued by this The wisedome of the flesh is enmitie to God but he that is borne of God cannot be Gods enemy on the other side hee that walketh in the wisedome of the flesh obeieth not the law of God and by consequent saith the Apostle cannot but sinne Whereupon it followeth that they that liue after the inclination of the heart of man cannot please God and so cannot bee saued now hee that is in Christ cannot but please God because he cannot but performe his will Another reason that being a true Christian a man cannot but amend his life is taken out of Rom. 6.5 Whosoeuer is made partaker of Christ is made partaker of the death of Christ then is he dead to sinne proued thus Christ by his death deserued not onely remission of our sinnes but also to haue the holy Ghost in those that bee his to mortifie their sinne and this spirit cannot bee idle but worketh and his worke is to dâ—â—troy oâ—â—â—nemie that is sinne Lastly it is proued thus Whosoeuer is in Christ hath the spirit of Christ he that hath this spirit liueth in the spirit for the life of the spirituall man is the Lord Iesus euen as the life of the bodie is the soule and hee that hath a soule must needs breath and walking Galat. 5.24 in the spirit hee cannot fulfill the lustes of the flesh for the flesh and the spirit bee contrary And vers 24. it is said They that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections thereof and who these bee appeareth 1. Peter 4.2 such as suffer in the flesh and these be they that cease from sinne Now then for thee to say thou art flesh and blood is not a shelter pleadable when thou art reprehended for sinne for he that is a good Christian cannot but forbeare it and if thou art all flesh and blood then hast thou not the spirit of God which is proued 1. Corinth 6.16 Do you not know how he that coupleth himselfe with a harlot is one flesh with her and hee that is one flesh with a harlot cannot bee one spirit with Christ Iesus Euen so for wrath toward thy brother thou saiest thou canst not loue him Consider that if the Lord should iudge thee out of thine owne mouth thou couldest not bee saued Thou wilt say the iniury is so great as no man can put it vp but hee that is more then a man can doe it and if thou beest all man Christ Iesus will neuer put vp thy name among the Saints Looke 1. Ioh. 5.3 Hee that is borne againe counteth all the commandements of God light so as if thou be of God it is an easie matter to forgiue the brother If he repent not of the wrong done vnto thee leaue the vengeance to God Rom. 12.20 and heape thou coles of fire on his head and if he do repent and seeke reconcilement it is the easier to forget it and flesh and blood doth pity the case of the suppliant For the third point which is the way how to assure our selues to be the sons of God wee must learne that there is no so certaine a marke to discerne a man to be of God as holinesse of life not but that Gods children may fall most grieuously and blemish their profession most foully but that if Sathan happe to blindfold them that they goe astray yet with the lost sonne they will returne with double sorrow and vnfold to their shame their owne sinne Example wâ—â—ere â—f wee haue in Dauid who though he was ingaged to the Lord by his many benefites that tooke him from the sheepe-hooke and gâ—â—e him a Scepter that by his protection had made him escape the snares of his enemies and by his mercy had freed him from many tribulations yet did he fall into great vncleannesse euen the sinne of adulterie 2. Sam. 11.4.5.6.7 which by the law of God deserued depriuation of this humane life When he had done this hee glauered and flattered with the womans husband and bad him goe home to refresh himselfe with his wife seeking thereby to father the bastard on him When this succeeded not he thought to make him drunke that he might thereby bee more irritable to lust and so to haue gone to his wife And though Vriah answered hee could not doe it because the Arke of the Lord was in the field which had not Dauid beene desperatly sicke in his soule how could he haue beene so forgetfull of the Lord as to haue dealt so with him that was no Iew but a conuert to religion heereby to make the name of the Lord euill spoken of Yet when this preuailed not hee went further and vnto adultery hee added murther that hee might make his sinne knowen and his vnholy life to appeare both to God and man and carry as the greefe of it in his heart so the shame of it in his fore-head And in this hee wrought worse then Iesabel for hee made Vriah the instrument and messenger of the letters for his owne execution yea hee sent them to Ioab who had himselfe beene a murtherer which might harden his heart in that sinne seeing Dauid that was the King not onely a fauourer but the cause of such bloody actions And after what manner should this be done namely that hee should fall by the sword of the vncircumcised a most ignominious and shamefull and grieuous death for so Christian a Gentleman and that hee should so murder him as to colour the grieuousnesse of his fault not hee alone but many other should die innocent and that hee should continue senslesse in this sinnefull course by the space of a yeere yet when it pleased God to cure his disease of hypocrisie and to cleare his eyes that hee saw not his sinne but his chaine of sinnes beâ—â—â—â—â—im then he calleth himselfe not a man of blood but of bloâ—â—â— â—nd then â—is conscience is open to grieue for it and then with his teares he washeth away his vncleannesse and wallâ—â—â—â—â—s a man cleansed and purged from his filthinesse So as if aâ—y bee a whoore let her remember the teares of Mary Mâ—gâ—alene if a persecuter of the Saints let him repent with Paâ—â— Luk. 7.38 Gal. 1.15 Mat. 26.75 if a murtherer let him soundly confesse his sinne with Dauid and if he be Apostasied weepe with Peter for these be the workes of righteousnesse whereby they are knowen to be of God And seeing others deliuered from the pit wee must learne as Dauid saith Psal 56.3 to feare and to trust so as wee must alwaies feare to fall into the sinne before being fallen we can trust to bee deliuered for this is one part of the righteousnesse of Gods children to tremble at the sight of sinne and then shall wee neuer swallow it without remorse Secondly from hence learne that a man may know in what state another man is If I see thee a despiser of religion a profaner of the Sabbath a butcher to the poore and an vncleane liuer what shall I beleeue thee to be but the child of the diuell for this may I know by thy fruites Why but loue biddeth you hope the best 1. Cor. 13.7 and beleeue the best True it is loue biddeth me beleeue all things but not a sow to bee cleane wallowing in the mire or a dogge not to bee filthy that is regorging vp his stomacke Mar. 6.44 or that grapes can grow vpon brambles or that mercy can bee found in the heart of an vsurer or that thornes may bee touched and will not pricke For as loue bids mee not to determine too soone so not to bee abused too late and God bids me looke vpon the tree to iudge of the fruite I may say thou art in the state of damnation for by thy snarling I know thee to bee a dogge Mat. 7.6 and I see thy heart through thy hands but whether thou shalt be finally damned I leaue thee there for the Lord may haue mercy on thee vpon thy repentance I may come to the tree and say heere is no fruite or here is small fruit or heere is bad fruit but I cannot say Neuer fruit grow on thee heereafter as Christ did Mark. 11.13 And it is not the commers to Sermons but the doers of Sermons
the skinne as wee seeme to stand but on one foote from slipping into hell the other striking so deepe into the ioyes of this life that feeling as it were a quotidian ague of discomforts hanging vpon vs we can hardly weane our thoughts from listening to the knell of iudgement founding in our eares it is fit we prouide for our inward peace there being no outward balme able to asswage a raging conscience nor no externall Physicke of force to relieue a distressed soule We may not therefore iudge our selues safest when wee are freest from the buffetings of Satan for bearing in our bodies a diuided kingdom between the flesh the spirit represented vnto vs in the wrestling of Rebeccahs twins within her wombe Gen. 25.22 if we haue peace with God we shall haue warre with the dragon hauing forsaken Egypt in the way to Canaan Reu. 12.9 Exod. 14.9.10 we shal haue Pharaoh his captaines flie like grashoppers to feed vpon vs yea the liberty we haue in Christ the corruption of our hearts will labour to inuert to voluptuousnes the sweetnes we taste in his word Gal. 5.13 the vanity of our minds will endeuor to ouercast with drowsines Act. 20.9 the faith which we ground on his promises Gen. 3.4 the subtilty of the serpent will seeke to vndermine by doubtfulnes the conscience we make to offend the lusts of our flesh will contend for to couer with hypocrisy the detestatiō we haue of sin the concupiscence of our eies wil striue to out-reach with profanenesse the interest we haue to heauen the pride of our liues will perswade vs to exchange for trifles Gen. 25.30 With which temptations we may not be dismaied for where the siege is layd there is watchfulnesse to withstand but where no feare of the enemy is there the weapon rusteth and feeling a continuance of this contention between the law of the flesh and the spirit of life wee may bee assured that the seed of grace giuen vs from aboue which first drew vs into fight with our vncleannesse is well growen and that imputing the first thought of our peace to the loue of God Iohn 3.16 the full accomplishment of it to the death of Christ and the alone messenger and perswader of it to the holy Ghost and knitting the whole power of the worke the mercy in our preseruation the glory in our victorie to the arme and action of the almighty we shall haue our corruptions as it were closed in our hands and the pride of our resistance so abated in our liues as sinne shall but droupingly be seene in vs and mortality that cannot bee priuiledged with perfection shall yet be beautified with sanctification in such measure as we shall walke heere but as dispatcht from heauen on our Lords message to giue the sonnes of men a paterne of good life to forewarne them of their woes 〈◊〉 7. 〈◊〉 28.20 by bounding our desires within Iacobs compas the presence of the Lord to guide vs that we doe not stray his prouidence to feed vs that we do not starue and his bounty to cloth vs that we do not perish On the otherside so tender are our thoughts and so iealous our meditations of the loue of God Io◠6.4 as we are stricken with a trembling distrust to haue lost the starre of our direction and comfort in Christ when wee see our selues exposed to the shame of the world and the winds still to beate on our rudders where the wicked saile away proudly in a set calme our houses to be inclosed with snares when theirs are peaceable without feare and our liues to be bound vp in sorow Iob 21.24 when their brests as Iob speaketh are full of milke and their bones of marrow And when the apprehension of this feare hath taken such hold of our flesh as we thinke our selues smitten in displeasure and the tree of our hope to bee torne downe in wrath wee then wrastle with sinne as if the steps of our strength were restrained and looke vpon death as the Iailer that commits vs to the graue as a dungeon Hobeit euen in this doth the Lord reach forth a most approued cordiall to remoue the faintnesse of our hearts for hauing accesse into his sanctuary through the vnion communion we haue with Christ the vncleanues of our birth being wiped away in the sanctification of his nature our transgression remoued in his innocency our rebellion discharged in his obedience and the vtmost farthing paid in his sufferings and hauing the image of God we lost in Adam not renewed onely but a fairer and deeper stamp thereof engrauen and set vpon vs it being not now in our power to listen any more to the counsel of the flesh Christ bearing our names before him as his brest-plate and our bodies with him as members whereof he is head and hauing this written in the tables of our heart by the finger of no forgerer but of that comforter was sent from heauen and testified by ourselues in the pietie of our religion and purity of conuersation setting saluation before vs as a binding benefite euen to the losse of our souls to venture for the Lords glory Rom. 8.33 we may in a Christian resolution giue challenge at the gates of hell that nothing can be charged vpon vs as a debt and therefore nothing can light vpon vs as a punishment Wherefore if the Lord doe cast his cloudy countenance vpon vs it is that we should watch against the weaknesse of the flesh Mat. 16.41 which is then readiest to sleepe when temptation is nearest and yet if the streame of temptation cary vs into some sin from thence we slip into some shame in his compassion he cureth vs and yet in kindnesse doth correct vs. If he mingle our bread with care and lodge vs in the bed of darknes discomfort it is to weane vs from the flesh pots of Egypt and to aduance vs in the way to Canaan yet being driuen to any strait or exigent in this wildernes rather then we shall want it shall raine Manna Exod. 26.4 27.6 rather then we shall thirst the rocke shal yeeld vs water yea though the wicked be like the bramble who in confidence of their shadow dare chalenge to be kings ouer the trees of the forrest and our selues like sheepe Iudg. 9.15 who in simplicity grazing vpon the mountaines are either fleeced of the shearer when we are growne in wooll or snatched vp by the butcher when we are growen in flesh yet when death hath made vs both euen with the earth the graue shal be to vs a fold till our shepheard come and to them a shambles till the destroier of their soules shall haue receiued an endles commission to torment them What cause then haue we to shut our gates against the gasps of death or like trembling leaues to entertaine the gale or blast of sicknes which doth
S. Iohn to an Eagle because hee flieth aloft and beginneth with the eternall generation of the Sonne of God according to his Diuinitie It it is true indeed their beginnings are as before but their comparisons are too curious for as the finger of God directed them so did they write and such was the Lords loue to his church as not to suffer vs to be vnfurnished of any thing that might further vs in the course of our saluation but from time to time to raise vp instruments and pen-men to set downe his will that seeing the way wherein to walke we need not nor cannot pretend ignorance The whole chapter diuideth it selfe into two general parts first is set downe the lineall descent of Christ secondly the maner of his natiuitie from the eighteenth verse to the end In the first part note three members first a generall comprehension of the matter in the first verse secondly the large narration of it from the second to the seuenteenth verse thirdly the conclusion in the seuenteenth verse In the first of these obserue two parts first what matter he will intreat of secondly of whose pedegree namely of Christs the great King of immortality In that it is said the booke of the Generation it is not to be taken as a title prefixed to the whole booke but it is meant according to the Hebrew phrase that it is a Catalogue or recitall of such a stocke as our Sauiour Christ came of For the second which is the narration it is distributed into three members euery one by equall proportion hauing foureteene persons the first of the Patriarkes the second of the Kings of Dauid the third of the Captaines and inferior Gouernors which had onely some fragments left of the roiall regiment after the transportation and carying them away into Babylon Now the cause why the Euangelist diuideth them thus into three foureteenes is not onely that the number and the story might the better be borne away but principally because he is to proue that Christ came lineally from the Iewes he setteth downe the threefolde estate of the Iewes and wherunto they were subiect till Christ came who should raigne in the hearts of men shewing how at the first the Tribe of Iuda increased greatly till it was established and setled in the kingdome of Dauid then the greatest excellency thereof was in Dauids sonne Salomon and then the abatement and greatest diminution that could be which was in their cariage away into Babylon and that a Carpenter should be right heire to the Crowne sheweth the great eclipse whereunto it was fallen so as in the Patriarkes it was like the Sunne dawning in Salomon like the Sunne in his full glory and afterward like the Sunne set and gone downe leauing the right of the kingdome as in a darke place namely in Ioseph a poore Carpenter of a base trade and meane condition nothing at all respected Now further in the narration the Euangelist as we may see in the old Testament reckoneth vp some that liued before the going downe into Egypt some that were borne and died in Egypt and some that returned out of Egypt and were led as slaues into Babylon In that it is said Iudas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar obserue that our Sauior Christ did not disdaine to debase and disparage himselfe so farre as to come of the line of such as were borne of an incestuous generation that we might be rauished and astonished with his loue who refused not to come out of the family of grosse sinners that he might saue the sinfull soules of beleeuers And whereas in the blazing of Christs armes by this Herauld the Euangelist there are but foure women named euery one of them hath their seuerall blemish and reproach left behind them in the booke of God The first Thamar incestuously abused by her father in law Gen. 38.18.29 The second Rahab Iosh 2.1 by nation a Cananite as vile as to be a dogge by profession an idolater Iosh 6.17 by city of Iericho a place so cursed as that no soule should escape thence aliue in trade a victualler and in conuersation a whore yea the place she dwelt in so cursed that who so should build it vp againe should do it in the bloud of all his family and yet this woman must be put in the roiall descent of Christ The third is Ruth who came of that nation that was begot in incest and caused the children of Israel to sinne in fornication Numb 25.1 so as it is said for the Edomites the Lord esteemed them no more then as an old shooe and Moab should be but as a chamber-pot and as appeareth in her owne booke Psal 60.8 Ruth 2.3 she was poore gleaning after the reapers the eares of corne For the fourth which is Vrias wife she was the worst of all of her Salomon was borne 2. Sam. 12.24 whereby the holy Ghost doth insinuate the adultery committed before his birth and consider Salomon borne of such an infamous woman that he should be heire and yet not the eldest sonne it was meerely of Gods mercy and not of any merit and by reason of this woman Dauid not onely committed adultery to haue made a bastard to haue inherited the Crowne but to this added bloud 2. Sam. 11.4.17 the death of her husband and of many others and such a death as to die by the sword of the vncircumcised which was most reprochfull that now the holy Ghost should direct the pen of the Euangelist to draw Christs linage by name from these not to deriue him from Sara Rebecca that were excellētly famous and that Dauid the type of the Messias should be such a bloudy man may be a consolation to al bleeding christians may teach vs that though our sins be neuer so hainous in respect of the qualitie of them or neuer so many in respect of the multitude of them yet if at any time we be wearie with a full detestation of them Mat. 11.28 and a resolute purpose to amend them Christ will refresh vs and will scatter them before him euen as the dust before the winde and the greater is our condemnation if hauing so much mercie we repent not Secondly obserue in that it is said Iesse begat Dauid and Dauid Salomon wheras Dauid onely is named king being the last of the first fourteene that the estate of the Patriarkes was now changed into kings and though Iuda had some preheminence before that the kingdome fell to them yet this was the greatest glorie that it should be such a kingdome whereof the king that should be borne should be God the Son which may teach vs that the highest honor that can befal a family or a cuntry or a Christian is to haue the Lord to dwel with them for all other titles are folded vp in time that perisheth but the presence of the Lord bringeth comfort that decaieth not Howbeit we must note that as this kingdome of Iuda
Secondly from hence note the riches of the Lords mercy who to shew the power and vertue that was in this Sauiour begins to draw them and to open their hearts who had run furthest from him and giuen themselues most ouer to the diuell for such were these Wise-men who consulted with Sathan and practised the most detestable art of coniuring and witchcraft which by the iudiciall law of God was death yet at the doores of these men doth his spirit knocke From whence euery man may draw this particular comfort to himselfe that whatsoeuer his former conuersation hath beene though most irreligious towards God and vnrighteous to men yet there may a power bee giuen him from aboue to trauell toward that heauenly Ierusalem the Citie of God where he shall not now see Christ in his basenesse as these Wise-men did but in his absolute and perfect glory For if wee haue but faith to beleeue Gods promises and shall so far proceed in the worke of repentance as being called to the light to walke in the light and not to thinke much of our paines though we go farre to worship Christ but can walke on cheerefully after the example of these Wise-men we shall be sure with them to haue our ioyes more increased at our iourneys end than they were a first Now where they shew they were directed by a starre first vnderstand that the Natiuity of Christ depended not vpon the starre but the starre vpon his Natiuity Secondly we must not thinke that the Wise-men had this power to diuine by the starre that Christ was borne for first the starre was not naturall for it kept not a set course but as we may see in the text it did appeare and not appeare neither could this diuine light speake that such a Messias was borne though it might portend the birth of some great Monarch but this light was purposely created by God in heauen for vers 2. it is called Christ his starre and there was a secret impulsion by Gods spirit in the harts of these men on earth otherwise they would not haue tolde so dangerous a matter to Herod a king so cruell and an enemy to the king of Persia whence they came and though perhaps their Art might tell them somewhat and that they had the prophesie of Balaam the coniurer Num. 24.17 There shall come a starre of Iacob and a scepter shall rise of Israel and though they had the prophesie of Daniel chap. 9.24 of the 70. weekes in which this great king should come yet by all this they gathered it not but by Gods owne opening it vnto them Out of which we learne that when we haue any thing reueled to vs from God or that wee haue a commandement to doe a thing that we cast off all doubts and shake off all feare euen of the greatest tyrants for let Herod be neuer so much perplexed at the name of the true and new-borne King of the Iewes yet must the Wise-men aske the question and not depart from his Court till they be resolued And let Pharaoh be neuer so cruell and Exod. 10.28 threaten Moses if he doe but see him to kill him yet must he runne on in his duty and pronounce the death of the first borne euen the first born that sitteth on the throne of Pharaoh But the more speciall doctrine from hence is that God in wisdome doth so strangely qualifie the basenesse of Christ his birth that howsoeuer hee might seeme to the eies of men a vile abiect as Esay prophesied chap. 53.3 void of outward dignity yet God beautified him alwaies in his greatest vilenesse with some certaine marke of his Diuinity that it might be discerned that he that was in that flesh was more then a man as euen at this time that hee hauing but an oxe stall on earth for his cloth of estate should haue a starre in heauen to set foorth his glorie and that when there was no more thinking of Christ than of the man in the Moone among Herods Courtiers then he prouides that some Magicall practisers should humble themselues before him when the high Priests did despise him Thus did the Lord Luk. 2.8 reueale him first to shepheards the basest of ten thousand but to testifie his maiesty at the same time an host of Angels and a multitude of heauenly souldiers sang glory to him So was he Mat. 4.1.11 led into the wildernesse among wild beasts but the Angels waited on him as his pensioners and ministred to him in his wants So Mat. 17.25.27 he must pay tribute a token of subiection and yet the kings sonne ought to pay none but as this shewed him to be a man and a subiect so he told Peter his thought saying I will pay it but go to the sea and take it out of the fishes mouth so as to shew his diuinity he commanded the sea to pay it Againe he was maintained eleemozinarily hauing no garment but what was giuen him and the good women kept him by their contributions yet to magnifie himselfe againe he oftentimes fed many thousands with a little So Mark. 11.12.13 he comes hungry to the fig-tree wherein appeareth his basenesse but in the same action springeth foorth his maiesty as when he said Neuer fruit grow on thee heereafter and it was presently dried vp So God had appointed he should die and before his death to be whipped Mat. 26.67 to shew his humility but see how he exalted himselfe againe Mark 11.15 he whipped out the exchangers out of the temple and none durst so much as looke or make resistance against him Againe he must be hanged betweene two theeues but Luk. 23.42 he so qualifieth the basenesse and shame of his crosse as he worketh faith in the heart of one of them to call on him as a Sauiour and him he saueth And though at last he died to declare his manhood yet that hee was more then a man was expressed by the breaking of the veile of the Temple and by the strange eclipse of the Moone which was in plenilunio when it was full Moone For the second generall circumstance which is the effect of their inquiry what feare it wrought For the word Feare it signifieth such a troubling of the water as that mud ariseth shewing that this kind of feare seized on Herod and his Court howbeit their feare arose vpon seuerall respects Herod feared because he was somewhat acquainted with the prophesies which foretold that one should come to deliuer his people out of seruitude and he knew that all would worship the Sunne rising rather then the Sunne setting And that he was strangely affraid is noted by this that hee called vnto him the Wise-men and would haue learned of them somewhat whereas if he had beene prouident hee would haue sent some of his Courtiers on the iourney with them in colour of doing them courtesie that so they might haue gone to the very place to haue seene the child and by them the King might haue beene
ieopard his owne soulâ— in suffering the soules of others to famish he will instantly and shamelesly deny their consciences condemning them in the particular So will the Atheist and prophane person confesse in generall that God is iust that he hateth sinne yea and that he will bee auenged for sinne but that Gods hand shall euer come neere him or that the euillday shall fall vpon him though he wallow in his owne filthinesse his senslesse soule will neuer allow of Howbeit let euery one of vs beware after the example of these great Scribes who found that to bee true to their particular condemnation which they onely held to be true in their owne generall opinion namely that the Messias was borne but that Christ was he though he wrought with power and taught with authority they vtterly denied it For though in the whole booke of God most of the promises and cursings be set downe in generall yet they are not effectuall to comfort vs nor powerfull to terrifie vs if our owne soules do not assume particularly to our selues as generally to beleeue that whosoeuer is weary shall be refreshed yet shalt thou neuer find rest in thy soule vnlesse thou likewise beleeue that Christ shall euen be the water of life to thee Lastly in the resolution of these Diuines obserue how diuersely men vse the Scripture which are heere set downe to bee of three sorts First the Scribes they vsed them for speculation onely thinking it enough if they so studied them as they could know such a thing should bee strengthening onely their iudgement and neuer suffering it to sinke into their affections Secondly Herod hee inquireth of the Scripture to compasse mischiefe that this babe might likewise haue fallen within his butchery Thirdly the graue wise men they enquire after them with a single eie and an honest heart that being resolued according to the truth they may goe to the worship of the Messias So as euen of those that will bee accounted professors we see there is but one sort onely that bring foorth the simple fruites of righteousnesse Answerable almost to these may we say we haue three sorts of congregations in this time The first of them that loue the euill which they haue contenting and pleasing themselues with a dumbe Minister committing the cure of their soules to them that know no Physicke The second of them that haue not the good they loue they wanting a good Minister and heartily desiring him that he might leade them foorth into the pleasant feedings of the Lord. The third of them that loue not the good they haue enioying a good Minister and not regarding him And all these may well be counted miserable though the affection of the second sort be most righteous The fourth generall circumstance is Herods pretending of piety and vsing of policy to destroy the babe our Sauiour set downe by three circumstances First how after the resolution deliuered he calleth the Wise-men priuily and in secret for this newes came vpon him like the pangs of death and commands them to enquire of the babe not the King for this was it that gauled him to the heart Secondly to returne what successe they had Thirdly he pretendeth a good end namely that he also would goe to worship as they had done In the first of these note two things first his extreame sottishnesse secondly his extreame fury His sottishnesse that hauing a remedy at hand to haue beene sure to haue caught the child namely to haue sent some of his Courtiers vnder pretence of gratifying these Wise men and then hee could not doubt but haue grasped him in his clawes howbeit though this was a matter touched the kingdome and his crowne yet the Wise-men goe alone and he sendeth not one with them Thus the Lord deliuereth his Church out of the pawes of the Lion by striking their enemies with the spirit of giddinesse and astonishment that either they cannot see the way to reuenge or being in their hands they become foolish His extreame fury impiety and audacious hardnesse appeareth in this that hee knowing this babe spoken of by the Prophets was to be set vp and aduanced for King and that heauen and earth could not depose him whom God would haue lifted vp and that considering the starre appeared that these Wise-men came so farre to worship him whereby he could not but know that it was the ordinance of the most high yet hee goeth about to crosse the Lord and to resist his prouidence yea hee knew out of the Oracle cited by his owne Scribes that such an one was to be borne yet hee laboureth to dispossesse him when he might as easily lay siege against the seate of God and seeke to batter heauen or to stay the course of the Sunne or to hold the winds in his fist as to keepe this babe from the kingdome But thus doe the wicked make God an Idoll and so lightly regard him as they dare fight hand to hand with him saying as it is Iob. 21.15 Who is the Almighty that we should serue him Exod. 8. 9. Thus did Pharao beare often plagues sent by the immediate hand of God before he would let the Israelites depart against the expresse charge and commandement sent vnto him by the mouth of Moses And thus did Saul follow Dauid at the heeles to haue had his life 1. Sam. 15.28 though he knew he was set vp of the Loâ—d to succeed him Howbeit we must incline to the counsell of Gamaliel Act. 5.35 to say that if it be of God it will preuaile for how can the hand of the creature destroy that which the breath of the Creator will haue preserued or how can the Lord giue blessing to that course which his hand hath cursed Nay his decrees shall stand vnchangeable being farre more wise then the law of the Medes and Persians Dan. 6.8 that altereth not how euer Herod and his brethren haue made a couenant with hell that come what can come they feare it not for vengeance is both aboue from heauen to smite them and beneath on earth to swallow them and they can no more auoide it then the old world could auoid the floud Further obserue in this speech of Herod to the Wise-men that he also would goe to worship the babe that some man may speake that in hypocrisie to the damnation of his owne soule which another beleeuing in simplicity may heare with comfort For no doubt the Wise-men heere were glad when they heard Herod say he would also worship though himselfe meant nothing lesse Which example we that are Christians must still follow for so long as men beare vp their heads in the Church of God and ioyne with vs in his seruice we must leaue their hearts to him that made them and reioyce that by the leaues of their profession they seeme to be trees of the Lords planting The fift generall point is what befell these Wise-men both in their iourney from Herods Court and
the liuing God though he had the warrant of the King of Ashur to doe it but in these and such like sinnes they hazard and aduenture their owne soules therefore let euery of vs keepe the ground that Balaam at first stood vpon Numb 24.13 not for a house full of gold to passe the commandent of the Lord yet I doe not say rebell but obey not Let Saul himselfe fall vpon the Priests if he will haue them slaine and let not vs assist him Let Iesabel her selfe sit in iudgement vpon Naboth but let not vs condemne him we are bound to do good to the saints of God much lesse to persecute them And it is said in the Gospell hee that clotheth a poore prisoner Mat. 35.36 clotheth the Lord Iesus Now what shall we say then of him that standeth vp like Tertullus against Paul Act. 24.5 to plead against him and to reproch him with the name of a pestilent and seditious fellow For if they shall bee condemned that haue not ministred to the necessity of the saints Luke 16.25 but haue been ashamed of their bands If Diues shall hang in hell for not refreshing Lazarus at his gate what shall become of them that take the bread from Lazarus and put Paul into bands or else enforce crimes against him to retaine him in bands Looke Iudg. 5.23 Cursed be Meroz because they helped not the Lord nor stood in defence of his truth A double curse then shall light vpon them that oppose themselues against the truth Obediah against the expresse edict of Iezabel 1. King 18.4 hideth the Prophets and Rahab Iosh 2.3 ventureth her life to preserue the spies Exod. 17.12 Psal 106 23. And what better spies can there bee then Preachers which stand in the gap betweene God and vs as did Moses which watch ouer the soules of the people and shew vs the way to heauen Ionathan being often incited by his father to kill Dauid 1. Sam. 20.2 protesteth Dauids innocencie though Saul perswaded him that Dauids glorie could not bee without Ionathans ruine and would not be drawne to doe it And if hee would not compasse such a mischiefe at the commandement of Saul which had a threefold force in it first as proceeding from his Father secondly from his Soueraigne thirdly being ioyned with the temptation of a kingdome much Iesse ought we to gratifie the State with the affliction of Gods Saints for we must rather Act. 4.19 obey God then man yet disobey not the Prince for his commandement standeth on these two feet either to doe the thing or to sustaine the punishment for not doing it Fourthly obserue that assoone as Christ is borne there is trouble and commotion ciuill and forren warres yet is not Christ the cause of it but the wickednesse and peruersenesse of Herods heart for righteousnesse must not yeeld to iniquity and Christ must be borne and being borne must raigne though the diuell rage and the world swell neuer so much Certaine it is no Gospell teacheth so much peace as this of Christs for it teacheth peace betweene God and man betweene man and man yea betweene man and his inward soule and maketh the wolues to become lambes and the Lyon to lodge with the Beare But Herod would haue the Gospell abolished and Christ murthered which cannot be Shall Dagon 1. Sam. 5.3 yeeld to the Arke or the Arke to Dagon Shall the ten Tubes go to Iuda or Iuda to them Ishbosheth to Dauid 2. Sam. 2.16 or Dauid to him Herod loues not Christ therefore hee murthers the children and Dauid especially being king must not yeeld to Saul house nor Iuda goe to the ten tribes nor Christ giue place 〈◊〉 Herod but if his Crowne cannot stand with the gouernment of Christ well may he harbour murther in his thought against him but iudgement shall fall on his owne head for God will wateâ— ouer his owne sonne and fight for his owne truth So as wheâ—â— religion hath beene granted by Parliament and suppressed by priuate commandement there may the subiects stand on the part defensiue to ward the blow being smitten but if it hath not beene established by publike authority then may they not take vp armes to set it vp Out of the murther it selfe gather that though there be many flaine yet Christ escapeth and that in the greatest persecution yet Christs religion shall neuer bee abolished For heere is great bloudshed yet Christ liueth great persecution yet the Gospell flourisheth When Iezabel thought she had had her hands full of bloud and that she had rooted out all the Lords Prophets you and when visibly there was no face at all to be seene so as Eliâ—â— thought himselfe onely to be left then the Lord 1. King 19.18 reserued seuen thousand to himselfe that had not bowed theâ—â— knees to Baal And when by scattering the sheepe and smitiâ—â— the shepheard the diuell thought himselfe flush and that 〈◊〉 Christ sleepe in the earth he had vtterly stung him to destruction then was his resurrection most glorious and then did the Churches of God increase daily For such is the nature of the Gospell that the more it is troden downe the higher it riseth the more it is maligned the broader it spreadeth and whâ—â—â— seemeth to be dead then is there most life in it For the third point which is the prophesie Ieremy chap. 13.15 to declare the greatnesse of Gods mercy in the deliuery of the Iewes sheweth them that they were like to the Beâ—â—â—mites or Israelites that is vtterly destroyed and caried away insomuch that if Rahel the mother of Beniamin could haue riâ—â—â— againe to seeke for her children shee might haue wept 〈◊〉 want of them but she should haue found none remaining Thâ—â— doth the holy Ghost bring in heere as a butchery foretold 〈◊〉 the end that none might either wonder or be offended at it for it might haue beene said Is this the consolation of Israel nay he is the discomfort and destruction of Israel his birth hauing kindled such a fire as neuer was the like before leauing so many sad hearts for their lost children And how may we hope he shall be our Sauiour when his beginning is with this bloud And the more to increase the cruelty of it the holy Ghost speaketh excessiuely bringing in Rachel dead many yeares before howling and wringing her hands at the rufull spectacle of this bloudy tragedy as if the calamitie of the liuing might seeme to touch and affect the dead That therefore this might not seeme strange the spirit of the Lord recorded it long before that when it came to passe they might digest it as a thing foreseene in the wisedome of God necessary to fall out MATH chap. 2. vers 19 20 21 22 23. verse 19 And when Herod was dead behold an Angell of the Lord appeareth in a dreame to Ioseph in Egypt verse 20 Saying Arise and take the babe and his mother and goe into the land of Israel for they are dead which sought
the Lords followers to be betrayed of their owne fathers and to be entangled with sundry afflictions to bee banished into Egypt and if thou beest called backe againe yet neuer to haue but a steppe betweene thee and death as Dauid saith 1. Sam. 20.3 But for all this we may not be dismaied for in all these wee shall bee more then conquerours through Christ The third point is in what state Ioseph found all things in Indaea not quiet but still troublesome where we see how God exerciseth the faith and patience of this his seruant shewing heerein as in a glasse the state and condition of the godly how one trouble succeedeth another as if they were thornes folded one within the other Ioseph long expected his deliuerie out of Egypt and now in his returne he is as much grieued at the raigne of Archilaus as he was comforted at the death of Herod which the Lord doth not to presse him downe but to giue him the greater occasion to praise his name in the experience of his many deliuerances Iob 5.19 As Iob saith Out of six troubles the Lord will free me and the seuenth shall neuer come neere me And this is the vse which all Gods children ought to make of the varietie of their dangers the more to strengthen and confirme their hope that Gods hands shall euer be stretched foorth to send them deliuerance from his tabernacle as they were to Dauid Psal 32.6 and as they be in this place to Ioseph who riddeth him likewise out of this second feare Heere also we learne not to be negligent and secure when the Lord hath taken awaie one enemie of his Church for though the principall Doeg be gone that through flatterie abused Saul and that none is like to succeed him that shall haue such grace with the king yet still to keepe vs awake after Herods death comes Archilaus that beareth the same heart and the same affection that Herod did though he hath not the same power and though this be some comfort that hee shall neuer be crowned And thus did the Lord subiect his people still vnder the hand of some succeeding Pharaoh that they might cast vp their hearts to him and bewaile their wants and powre foorth their soules vnto the Almightie And thus shall the forrest neuer be without some Bore or other that would destroy the vine but if we be rooted into Christ and may beare him about vs as Ioseph did he will teach vs to watch or at least if we sleepe he will awake vs as he did his drowsie disciples Mat. 26.40 when danger was at hand For the fourth point how in this perplexed feare an Angell was sent vnto him we learne first wholly to depend on Gods prouidence seeing that in the seuerall extremities of Ioseph the Lord sent him seuerall comforts For first in the suspition and iealousie of his wife an Angell was dispatched from the heauenly palace to resolue him then the same messenger warned him of the imminent persecution and now releeueth him in his distresse And thus will the Lord deale with all his seruants that walke aright if they be not either too forward through hope or too backward through feare Secondly as this was one cause of Iosephs turning into Galiley namely to be succoured in his feare so in this the Lord had another end vnknowen to Ioseph which was the fulfilling of a prophesie that his sonne should be called a Nazarite that is one set apart vnto the Lord by speciall sanctification of nature which was praefigured by Sampson and others vnder the Law Where we learne how the Lord executeth his will both by his seruants and his enemies when as they meane nothing lesse then to doe it Thus did not Dauids father know when he set his sonne to keepe sheepe that he should fight with a Lion 1. Sam. 17.34 nor Sauls father know or once dreame that his sonne should bee anointed king when he sent him to seeke his Asses 1. Sam. 9.16 nor Mary when shee went to Bethlem to be tasked that therein the Prophesie of Michah should bee fulfilled that out of Bethlem should come the gouernour of Israel Michah 5.2 nor Herod in the cruell massacre little thought of performing Ieremiahs prophesie A voice of lamentation Rachel weeping for her children Ier. 31.15 nor the chiefe Priests when with the 30. peeces of siluer which Iudas brought they bought a potters field neuer dreamed of the prophesie of Zachariah chap. 11.13 that for so much should Christ be valued and therewith should such a field be brought But such strength hath the Lord and such power ouer the hearts of men as he can secretly moue them to be executioners of that himselfe hath appointed shall come to passe MATH chap. 3. vers 1 2 3 4 verse 1 And in those daies Iohn the Baptist came and preached in the wildernesse of Iudea verse 2 And said Repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand verse 3 For this is he of whom it is spoken by the Prophet Esaias saying The voice of him that crieth in the wildernesse prepart yee the way of the Lord make his pathes strait verse 4 And this Iohn had his garment of Camels haire and a girdle of a skinne about his loiâ—es his meate also was Locusts and wild hony NOW the Euangelist goeth forward and passeth from the infancy of Christ vnto his manifestation to the world when hee was to be inuested into the office of his Priesthood before whom as before a mighty Monarch was to goe a harbinger to the vp lodging for his Lord in the hearts and consciences of men which was this Ioâ—â— Baptist. In the words consider first the time when this fore runneâ— did preach which being by this Euangelist set downe indefinitely is precisely declared by Saint Luke chap. 3.1 Secondly the place where hee exercised his ministery in the wildernesse Thirdly the summe and effect of his Sermons Repent and change your minds and amend your liues for the great King that shall open the doore of saluation vnto all is now at hand Fourthly by what commission he was warranted and authorized to doe this namely by Esay chap. 40.3 who had prophesied this long before Fiftly is described the wonderfull precisenesse and strictnesse of his life by his garments and diet wheâ— by all the people cast their eies vpon him admiring his austeritie For the first circumstance which is the time we must not vnderstand an immediate successiuenesse that Iohn began to preach as soone as Christ was brought to Nazareth but that it was while Christ liued there which was some 25. yeeres after for this Iohn was stirred vp that hee as the day-starre might goe before the Sonne of righteousnesse Saint Luke setteth it downe to be in the fifteenth yeere of Tiberius and Christ was borne in the fifteenth yeere of Augustus so as Christ was about thirtie yeeres of age when he began to preach Out of which learne generally that we must
affections if our vnderstandings be illuminated and lightened with the lampe of the Gospell if we be inflamed and set on fire with the zeale of Gods glory and well hearted toward his children then may wee hope to haue beene baptized truely for the holy Ghost worketh these things in beleeuers But he that is drossie or luke-warme in his profession that is hard hearted to the Saints that followeth the sent of his affections and that is weary of the candle of truth hath cause to suspect that he is not yet baptized with the holy Ghost In Ioh. 3.5 this spirit is compared to water cleansing the soule inwardly which hath three properties first to wash away filthinesse secondly to moisten that which is drie and to quench thirst and allay the scorching heate thirdly to fructifie as Psalm 1. willowes are said to bee fruitfull planted by the water side euen so the holy Ghost doth purifie and wash the soule refresheth the conscience scorched with the feare of Gods vengeance and giueth power to make our drie and barren hearts to prosper in euery good worke MATH chap. 3. vers 12. verse 12 Which hath his fan in his hand and will make cleane his floore and gather his wheat into his garner but will burne vp the chaffe with vnquenchable fire BEcause it falleth out in great auditories and assemblies that there bee many wilfull and peruerse persons which doe not esteeme of the Lords rich bounty but doe scorne and tread vnder foote tâ—â— mercy offered Iohn Baptisâ— doth heere denounce peremptory vengeance and intollerable torment against all â—â—ose that shall not submit themselues to the ministery of the Messias and that they which will not bee baptized with the fire of the holy Ghost and of Christ that is with his bloud and with his spirit shall be baptized with the fire of hell The words doe containe an Allegorie or continued borrowed speech which may be thus resolued First by the Fanne vnderstand the ministerie of the Gospell which should begin at the preaching of Iesus and should winnow the people to make a separation betweene the bastardly brood of Abraham and the true Nathaniels Ioh. 1. chap. 47. Israelites in whom is no guile betweene them that had onely the marke of circumcision in the flesh and them whose hearts and vile affections were inwardly circumcised By that it is said In his hand is ment that it is presently to be manifested By floore vnderstand all places where a Church may be gathered or more specially for a visible Church alreadie gathered Iohn addressing his speech heere to the Iewes which were at this time the Church of God By wheate is ment all that should beleeue either Iewes or Gentiles By the Garner is ment the kingdome of heauen By chaffe is ment hypocrites and vnbeleeuers mis-liuers or the children of perdition that refuse to bee fanned by the Lords voice By cleansing is ment that separation the Gospell should make betweene the apostate Iew and the beleeuing Iew. By vnquenchable fire is ment the torment of hell prouided for vnbeleeuers Out of this first generally obserue that where the Gospell comes and is preached with power and with a good conscience and not huckstered nor merchandized as men doe their wares but that they so labour as not to be ashamed of that they doe preaching their doctrine not to the eare but to the doore of the conscience that there it makes a manifest difference betweene true and false children whereas before all was shuffled together for though before this time the Pharisees and all others were as one bearing the same title of Abrahams seed yet saith Iohn afterward shall come the venting of the Gospell which with the powerfull blast thereof shall scatter the hypocrites and make knowne the faithfulnesse of them that with honest hearts embrace and cherish it After this maner is the word in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Heb. 4.12 compared to a sword with two edges that cutteth two waies either to conuersion if it be beleeued or to confusion if it be despised Hereupon it is that Simeon did prophesie to Mary Luk. 2.34 to preuent any conceit might rise in her minde of her dignitie and glory being the mother of the eternall Lord heereby thinking that all the world should applaud her for her Sonne telling her that this child should be set vp for the rising and ruine of many a marke that euery man should shoot at and by his comming should the hearts of many be discouered For the sound of his mouth Heb. 4.12 deuides betweene the ioynts and the sinewes and the marrow and the bones anatomizing the hearts of men to see whether they be sound or rotten And they that before seemed to bee all one shall when the fan comes differ then the poison that before lurked shall bee layed foorth and the hidden gall shall be displaied Heereupon also the word is compared to fire which hath a double effect to wast stubble and drosse and to purifie that is refinable as siluer and gold For the Gospell hath this vertue to inflame some mens hearts with a zealous loue of God and his glory setting others on fire to persecute it to quench and to impugne it This effect had it in Iohns time some saying that he was an honest man some that he was Christ others that he was a Galilean Luk. 3.16 Mat. 11.16 whence could come no good thing and others more plainely that hee was a diuell all before being as they thought well circumcised and the children of Abraham So when Christ spake in his owne person the chaffe flew away and then was easily knowen who was an hypocrite hee comming to some place where they had rather haue their hogges Mark 5.17 then their soules saued Luk. 4.29 and to others where they brought him to the side of a hill of purpose to haue throwne him downe and to Iairus house where some Mark. 5.40 laugh him to scorne for his speech This fanne by Christ was committed to his Apostles that they likewise should make a separation where they came Paul Preaching at Antioch the Iewes railed against him when the Gentiles desired him to preach the same sermon the next Sabbath And by the power of this Fanne Act. 22.23 the Iewes cast vp dust in the aire and crie that Paul is vnworthy to liue And Act. 23.12 certaine doe bind themselues by oath not to eate nor drinke till they had killed him when as others in Iudaea did submit themselues and became the true disciples of Christ Yea Luk. 12.53 it appeareth that there is no bond so streight nor so well knit but religion will violate and cause the father with the sonne the mother with the daughter to impugne the Gospell with hostility not that it is the property of the Gospell to breed dissention but it is the malice of Sathan to enrage mens hearts that they should not receiue it that his barnes might be full And then must Ahab 1. King 21.19
subtilties as it will be hard to keepe him out Whereas God doth this to exercise his seruants in praier and to make them more diligent in searching and not that we should turne it to a matter of security and idlenesse these men not being so deuout as they that worship the Sunne and Moone Reu. 12.4 for they haue some conscience We must know that Sathan is able to pull starres from heauen as it is in the Reuelation and hee doth not alwaies speake with the mouth of a Dragon therefore in these perplexities wee must approch to God Mat. 7.8 whose promise we haue Seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened and Iohn 7.17 if any man haue an honest heart and good inclination to liue well I will shew him saith Christ from whence my doctrine is And the Lord hath promised to be a Schoole-master to the humble they being not prepossessed with preiudice and he will giue plentifully and neuer vpbraid O most bountifull inuitation of our gracious God whereby wee may bee assured that asking the truth hee will not giue error Luke 11.12 and desiring to be conducted in the right way he will not leade vs into by-paths no more then asking bread hee will giue vs a Scorpion but he will vphold vs in the most dangerous temptations whereas others hauing no desire at least in a single affection for their malice and preiudice may be iustly damned 1. Thess 2.16 But what shall we doe shall we make them like waxe flexible to euery impression or like bels tuneable to the eares of the heater What resolution is there for the conscience the text cannot speake It is written saith Christ It is written saith the diuell if they be written they are both true and must needs be contrary being cited by enemies We answer it is true the letter printed cannot speake and they that writ it are in heauen The Church therefore hath prouided certaine meanes whereby a man not preiudicate may know the truth which bee sixe first praier with Dauid that the Lord would open our vnderstandings and shew vs the light of his statutes Psal 25.12 and the way that wee may choose whereby our steps may be assured Secondly wee must vnderstand the words of the place in the originall tongue of the old Testament in the Hebrew of the new in the Greeke for this was the instrument sanctified to that purpose Thirdly we must consider the words what they be by themselues and what they bee together ioyned with others whether they bee to bee taken properly or figuratiuely which shall bee knowen if either they be not proportionable to the analogie and rule of faith or not agreeing with the circumstance of the place Fourthly to examine the drift of the place what went before and what followeth as Christ to one asking him how hee should get eternall life answered by keeping the commandements Luk. 18 2â— not meaning thereby that wee must come to it by our workes as the Papists gather Luke 10.26.29 but he speaking to one that iustified himselfe by keeping the Law spake after that sort to shew him his wound namely that that was not the way vnlesse he fulfilled all Fiftly by comparing and conferring of places one with another the true sense of the Scripture against the Scripture abused as Christ in this place doth and as else-where Loue couereth the multitude of â—â—nes 1. Pet. 4.8 conferre with this Prou. 10.12 Hatred stirreth â—peontention but loue couereth all trespasses loue being taken â—or the loue of men whereby things are qualified and the best made of the worst and not for couering of sinnes before God â—s the Papists would haue it but inding it before men So Aâ—raham was iustified by faith faith Paul Rom. 4.3 by works saith â—ames chapt 2.21 Saint Iames dealing with them that denied â—orks altogether S. Paul with them that stood too much vpon â—â—em the one speaking how aman might approue himselfe before men to be iustified the other how men are iustified before God Sixthly approue of no interpretation nor accept of any scripture which is not proportionable to the analogy and agreeable to the rule of faith which is threefold first the tenne commandements secondly the Lords praier thirdly the Creed of the Apostles As when it is said This bread is my body I must not take it for the very substantiall body of Christ as it was on earth because it is against my Creed which teacheth me to beleeue he is in heauen Againe if we eate him in the bread flesh and bone it crosseth a commandement Thou shalt not kill for it is cruelty so to rend his flesh betweene our teeth Oh but how shall vnlearned men doe this Let vs know that God is the teacher of the vnlearned and he wil not giue a stone if we aske food but he will instruct the humble and in compassion will bring them foorth of darknesse if they will confer with the learned as the Eunuch did with Philip Act. 8.31 and if they will frequent the word preached with the same hearts that the men of Beroea did heare Pauls sermons Act. 17.10 comparing then with the verity of the word written For the second how truely Sathan applied the Scripture he brought the place is taken out of Psal 91.11 and though his purpose was to abuse Christ hauing no promise of protection going out of his waies yet in this he saith truely that hee applied the pomise especially to Christ the naturall Sonne of God though it extend to all the faithfull for Christ is that ladder of Iacob Gen. 28.12 whereupon the Angels ascended and descended and so much did he himselfe tell Nathaniel of 1. Iohn 51. that he should see the Angels ascend and descend vpon the sonne of man for they are seruiceable properly to him as the sonne of God and of him it is principally true that the Angels do attendeâ— for though they serue vs it is but for his sake not that they are inferior to vs in themselues but God hauing for his sonnes sake made vs heires of glory and Christ vouchsafing vs to bee companions with him in his kingdome they minister vnto vs and by that ladder doe descend vnto vs hauing of our selues nothing Further note that the diuell doth know that Christ and 〈◊〉 Gods children must haue sufficient security from God thâ—â— walking in their calling and in the waies prescribed them they shall be guided by the prouidence of the most high which is our comfort that neither the pestilence that walketh by night Psal 91.5.6 nor the arrowes that flie by day neither the dragon nor the aspe the open furious nor the secret malicious tyrant shall once hurt vs for Sathan knowes and doth heere testifie that we dwell in the secret of the Highest and vnder his shadow that shall shelter vs from stormy blasts and boiling heate and no more shall wee need to feare Gen. 11.4 then did the heauens when
courts of God then a thousand in the kings palace and if this spirit was in him in the time of the law then ought there to bee a double spirit in vs that liue in this golden time of the Gospell But I would it might not be said of vs that the children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light for they lie stretching themselues vpon their beds straining their wits how to please the flesh with choice and variety of delightfull sinnes whereas wee through the smoke of that corruption that flieth vp to our eies are so blinded as wee thinke our selues incumbred with the comlinesse of the spirit straitning the times wherein the graces of God should be blowen vp and cherished in vs and giuing too large an allowance to the portion we share out for the flesh therefore if we will be spirituall men indeed we must lay vp the word of God in our hearts binding it as a signe vpon our hands wearing it as a frontlet before our eies and writing it vpon the posts of our houses that it may be as a master to instruct vs and as a line to direct vs that as neere as we can our thoughts may be hedged in that they range not after the concupiscence of the flesh our affections restrained that they rise not against the worke of the spirit our actions so squared as they may be fit timber for the building of such Temples wherein the Lord shall dwell by his spirit Lastly obserue the fruits the wisdome of the spirit bringeth which be two peace and life euen the two speciall benefits that the carnall man seeketh for yet misseth of for the flesh neuer giueth peace but is continually perplexed eating and being neuer satisfied flying and chacing themselues when none pursueth them neither can it bring foorth life the wicked being euer groping as in the darke so as we see what worldly men most seeke for that they are most destitute of for we all agree in the end of our desire that we would be blessed but in the substance wherein true blessednesse consisteth there is great difference The Philosophers speaking of happines were distracted into two hundred eighty eight opinions euery one intending some thing and yet resoluing nothing some pointing to the right hand some to the left some to the vally some to the plaine and yet all of them out of the way yea and the inlightened Christian that hath a true contemplation of right happinesse doth notwithstanding by the halting of his conscience confute that in practise which hee in heart alloweth confessing it to be ascribed to the spirit and yet seeketh it in the flesh placing it in heauen and yet looking for it in hell whereas it is better goe to heauen a begger then to hell an Emperour and as Mat. 8. better goe to heauen lame then to hell sound and yet such is our spirituall blindnesse that we had rather put it on the hazard of our soules then to lose any present comfort in the body But how canst thou thinke to finde hony in a waspes nest or to make a good garment of a spiders webbe or to receaue holesome food of a cockatrice egge or to perswade thy selfe of peace and life in following the flesh which the Lord hath cursed The onely happinesse of a Christian resteth in his wisedome in the spirit for by this he hath peace about him and peace aboue him though iudgement smiteth on euery side yet it spareth him for his conscience being vpright hee hath euer his pardon in his hand to plead though he be compassed with all the crosses in the world yet hauing the first peace in the forgiuenesse of his sinnes he is assured of his last peace also that is his lasting peace in life eternall That king was miserable that vnder his cloath of estate had a sword hanging ouer his head by a little threed and in this suspensed felicity he was so perplexed that he wished to be out of his rich misery much more may they wish it that haue the sword of the Lords vengeance shaking ouer them for studying onely the wisedome of the flesh which is so far from peace as it would hide it selfe vnder the hils and so farre short of life as it is the vndoubted messenger of a most desperate death But these be onely fruits of such a tree as the feare of God hath made wisely old betimes being planted by the spirit and growing vp in the spirit shewing by their conuersation vpon what stocke they are grafted and by what sap they are nourished tasting nothing but the true seruice of God wherby they are able to stand before him with a cleere conscience which is walled about in euery corner with the peace and fauour of God and reserued in his due time for the perfection of glory in the life to come ROM chap. 8. vers 7. verse 7 Because the wisedome of the flesh is enimity against God for it is not subiect to the law of God neither indeed can be THe drift of the Apostle in this verse as in the former is to shew that our sanctification is the onely security we haue of our saluation for to them that are in Christ there is life and peace and this our vnion with him is discerned by our walking in his spirit and this shall wee know when the things wee doe sauour of the spirit and this sauour is seene by performing the fruits of the spirit in the course of a godly life And that this is so he hath proued by opposing two contraries as namely by the godly life of a spirituall man and the godles life of a carnall man Now heere he sheweth a reason why the wisedome of the flesh is damnation because it is enimity against God So this verse standeth on two parts First he sheweth what the wisedome of the flesh is at plaine hatred with God Secondly patience that coles of fire may be heaped vpon their heads and whether these three meete together in any one man or any of them alone possesse him the wisdome of the flesh euer rebelleth against the wisdome of God and this I speake not of the folly of man but of the very best actions that flesh and blood can doe for the very best wisdome of the flesh was that of Peters toward Christ Master pitty thy selfe Mat. 16.22.22 and yet for this he was called Sathan so that to consult with flesh and blood is but to take aduice how to damne our selues for if we be at enmity with God it must needes follow wee are at friendship with the diuell Now for the second part which is the reason of this enimitie betweene God and the flesh obserue that if we will know how to please God it is taught vs in his law for if we would yeeld our selues subiect to it it being giuen and pronounced at first by the mouth of God written with his singer and sent by his Angell deliuered
he thrust his sickle into the haruest Howbeit this order of proceeding against knowne and infamous sinners as to thrust snarling dogs out of the Church to cast the acornes among swine is not to be done by euery priuate man but by the church and congregation and if they admit any such the fault lieth in them not in those that ioyne with them for the children may take their appointed foode though some snarling and snatching curres and bastards stand by And where it is said in another place by this Apostle Eate not with him it is not meant of the Communion at the Lords table but that wee must haue no familiaritie with him not take delight in his companie Further out of the reason giuen why they were not in the flesh namely because the spirit of God was in them we gather that a man may be sure of his saluation and this is the whole drift of S. Paul in this Chapter to secure the elect of the euerlasting loue of God in his Sonne sensiblie felt in themselues for hee beginneth with this generall ground of their comfort That there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ then must they needs be saued But now all the question is who they be that are ingrafted into Christ for proofe hereof he descendeth to examine the particular course of their life which is visibly seene to all but particularly and best knowne to ones selfe this is if they walke in the spirit by a religious kinde of conuersation and their way in this is discerned by their life in the spirit that is by their ioy and comfort in godlinesse and this spirituall life is seene by not gratifying the flesh in the lustes and desires thereof and this crossing and correcting of the flesh in the pride of her lusts is seene by crucifying and killing of it with the affections thereof that is not onely beating and pressing it downe but stifling and braining of it altogether and this violence to the flesh is performed by them that haue suffered with Christ in the flesh that is that haue not listened or giuen eare to the pleasures of sinne but haue Heb. 12.1 cast away that presseth downe and the corruption that hangeth so fast on and this is done by them 1. Pet. 4.1 that cease from sinne that is that slip into it vnawares as a bird into a snare and such bee they as bestow the rest of their time after the will of God and his will being our worke we cannot but please him pleasing him it is his pleasure Lu. 12 32. to giue vs a kingdome Besides we may know whether we haue the spirit of God in vs or no as appeareth 1. Cor. 2.11.12 No man knoweth the things of man saue the spirit of a man euen so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God which we haue receaued that we might know the things are giuen to vs of God which proueth that as we know our owne thoughts or words so the spirit of God in vs maketh knowen the wil of God to vs as far as is needful to be reuealed if we then know the will of God we may assure our selues we know his spirit to be in vs for his wil is not known without his spirit this spirit teaching truth but the spirit of the world broching error And 1. Io. 4.13 hereby know we that we dwel in Christ and he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his spirit which prooueth that though we know not what maner of thing the spirit is because it is inuisible and secret yet we may know we haue it by the fruits of a sanctified life after this maner speaketh Paul 2. Corint 13.5 Know yee not that Christ is in you except you be reprobates And yet the Papists would haue all reprobates counting it presumption to say we haue the spirit It is true if any presume he hath it when his life is not answerable to it he is deceaued and abused by presumption but if wee walke and trade in the spirit by a holy conuersation we may be sure we haue it for that is the argument of the Apostle that our sanctification is an vndoubted testimonie and an assured certaintie that Christ dwelleth in vs for there being but two spirits that rule in the hearts of all men the one the spirit of the world the other the spirit of God why should not our course be as prophane as others and our carriage runne after the flesh aswell as theirs if the mightier and stronger that is the spirit of Christ did not possesse our soules Yet say they No man can secure himselfe he shall be saued But as we may be sure of the spirit so may we likewise be of the riches that it bringeth which is saluation for it cannot hide so great a treasure from vs it being as an earnest pennie giuen vs that perfecteth the purchase of our inheritance in heauen for as we may trace a Hare in the snow by her footeing and come to the forme where shee sits euen so by those holy steppes that wee tread and by those spirituall bounds wherein we keepe our thoughts and our affections we may well and certainely perceaue that the spirit leades vs to the seate of God Besides this spirit of God within vs keepeth not his fruit and comfort secret to himselfe but discouereth it to vs and beareth witnesse to our spirits that we are the chosen of God and the spirit of man knowes what is in man whether his heart be filled with hypocrisie or with sinceritie with humilitie or with pride with true zeale or with counterfait that howsoeuer wee may bleare the sight of men by our dissembling yet we carrie our owne eies downe to our heart that see by what false waights we measure our fruits to God that is our religion and our righteousnesse to men that is our conuersation so as we haue a double euidence of our saluation the one backing and strengthening the other which is set foorth 1. Ioh. 5.8 There be three which beare record in earth the spirit and the water and the bloud and these three agree in one and where water is there hath bloud gone before for these two goe together as they came foorth of Christs side together Ioh. 19.34 repentance being the leader and remission of sinnes following after bloud washing away our guiltinesse and water the vncleannesse of our liues and the spirit of Christ sealing vp these things in our hearts that as by the sealing of the conueiance the purchase in law is made perfect so by the setling of our consciences in an vpright course toward God our saluation in Christ is made perfect and sure euen to vs. Yet say they wee cannot assure our selues wee shall thus continue for we haue examples of many that haue begun in the spirit and haue ended in the flesh that haue seemed fruitfull for a while and haue beene barren euer after that
if we haue his inuisible spirit wee haue himselfe and may equally assure our selues of both and that wee are flesh of his flesh expressed in the Scripture as hath beene before declared by naturall proportions and supernaturall as first by the coniunction of the head and the members of a mans bodie secondly by the vine and the branches thirdly by the husband and wife fourthly by meates and drinkes that as they being eaten really doe nourish the bodie so wee eating the flesh and drinking the bloud of Christ spiritually he nourisheth and feedeth our soules to life eternall This vnion is also set downe vnto vs supernaturally Iohn 14.20 Yee shall know I am in the Father and you in mee and I in you howbeit wee are not in the same measure in Christ and hee in vs as he is in the Father but according to that proportion of faith which is in vs and in that abundance that shall make vs blessed for euer Againe learne hence that wee are not to looke for any perfection in this life but so long as wee beare about vs this masse and lumpe of flesh which is the bodie there will remaine certaine reliques of corruption which can not be extinguished but by death nor wholly remooued but by mortalitie and this is the case of Gods best children Paul speaking of himselfe as in the part vnregenerate and as but in part spirituall Romans 7.14 said he was sold vnder sinne and carnall meaning thereby that so much as he had of the spirit so much was the image of God restored in him and so much he delighted in the law of God but so much as was wanting of the spirit so much was wanting of Gods image and so much he rebelled against the law of God and serued the law of sinne And Peter that chosen vessell of God Iohn 13.10 by the wisedome and instruction of Christ himselfe hath neede of water to wash his feete and 1. Iohn 5.8 Christ came not onely by bloud but also by water that by daily regeneration we may purge and cleanse our selues And to this may be referred that speech of Christ Iohn 13.33 Whither I goe yee cannot yet come which prooueth wee haue still some corruption that maketh vs yet vnfit for the kingdome of heauen vntill wee haue washed our feete cleaner and mortified our selues better for wee know yet but in part But then it may be said since wee haue these imperfections how shall we be knowen from the reprobate Verie well for there is great difference betweene our imperfections and their sinnes our scarres and their vlcers our limping and their halting downe right for as 1. Iohn 3.9 Hee that is borne of God sinneth not that is as the world sinneth the one sinning of ignorance the other of knowledge one of infirmitie the other of presumption the one with griefe the other with greedinesse one through weakenesse the other through obstinacie and malice the one striking and checking his heart for the euill thought it produced the other feeding and encouraging his heart not to staie at the thought till it breake foorth into the hands yea God doth bring vs vp that are his children thus imperfectly for two ends for first hee will not suffer vs to haue our perfection heere for feare wee lose it as Adam did secondly hee doth exercise vs with these imperfections to humble vs lest wee should waxe proud and so care not for him and this is his great mercie that hee doth trie vs with infirmities but not destroy vs vex vs but not vâ—nquish vs giuing vs power in the end through the sufficiencie of his grace to ouercome them Now for the second part which is his satisfaction giuen to the faithfull that they must not so sinke vnder the burden of their infirmitie as to mistrust their saluation obserue when it is said the spirit is life we must vnderstand no naturall life but such a life as Paul speaketh of Ephes 4.18 where hee saith the Gentiles that walked in the vanitie of their mindes were strangers from the life of God that life whereby God dwelleth in vs and to be strangers from this life is to be strangers from holinesse of life for God and an vncleane conuersation cannot companie together And this life of the spirit is that whereby as Peter saith 2. Peter 1.4 wee are made partakers of the diuine nature not really but by renouation hauing obtained this mercie to bee borne a new of immortall seed by the word of God For as the soule infused into the bodie quickeneth a massie peece of flesh which had no motion before so the soule to make it a liuely and good soule must haue a soule powred into it that is the spirit of God and if this spirit be absent we are as dead from holy motions as the bodie naturall is from outward actions by the priuatiâ—â— of the soule So as wee learne hence that a man may liue â—â—fe in the flesh and yet be dead in respect of the life of God which ought to mooue vs to worke out our sanctification in feare knowing that if wee be all flesh wee shall neuer see the face of God Now as to liue a naturall life there must bee a generation according to the flesh so if wee will attaine to this life in the spirit we must be brought to a second birth not to bee turned into our mothers wombes againe as Nicodemus thought Iohn 3.4 but as Christ saith wee must be borne of the will of his Father that is of the seed of the holy Ghost Heere it followeth as a man naturally borne hath his life maintained by being nourished with meat and drinke so when we be borne againe of the seed of the spirit we must be maintained and fed by the flesh and bloud of Christ spiritually and as we are borne of the holie Ghost by the word so wee must be nourished by the holie Ghost in the word or else we shall neuer be saued In the desire therefore of our saluation we ought to thirst and part after the riuers of life which doe plentifully flow in the booke of God Againe as men in this naturall life haue their degrees to proceed in which doe neuer change as that first they bee children then after grow to a more vnderstanding age which was euen true of Christ in this flesh who Luk. 2.52 is said to haue increased in wisdome and in stature euen so we must know that our spirituall birth is not perfect at the first day but it hath as it were a childhood and wee are babes to be fed with milke as S. Peter saith 1. Pet. 2.2 and then afterward we grow from faith to faith and from one degree of grace to another yet heerein they differ that in our spirituall life in this world we cannot come to any perfection sinne hangeth so fast about our heeles but in our naturall life we attaine to a fulnesse and ripenesse of strength And in this also they differ that
man deceiue you he beginneth with a preoccupation to possesse their minds before hand He that doth righteousnesse saith he is righteous not he that can discourse and talke of righteousnesse and therefore one saith truely Tace lingua loquerevita talke not of a good life but let thy life speake This the Apostle there proueth by the contrary for he that committeth sin is of the diuell that is he that committeth fâ—â—â—â— the world doth and doth not purge himselfe for the Apostle opposeth sinning to purging and he that is of the diuell cannot please God For therefore was Christ sent to destroy the workes of the diuell so as if these workes be not destroyed in thee and his building pulled downe Christ was neuer sent vnto thee Againe he proueth it by the contrary He that is borne of God doth not sinne for he hath the seed of the spirit therefore it is as if he should say when such wicked men shall bee saued the diuell shall be saued This is further proued by the words which Christ himselfe spake in the flesh Ioh. 8.34 He that so sinneth as to make a trade of it he is the seruant of the diuell vers 44. and if no chastisements nor benefites can reclaime you ye are the diuels for the lusts of your father ye will doe Lastly adde to this that of the new couenant made with Israel and so with vs Ier. 31.31 I will write my law in their hearts vers 33. And I will be their God and they shall bee my people So as if God pardoneth any hee doth promise him grace to amend his life and if that grace be denied him he neuer couenanted to saue him The couenant then implieth thus much If thou hast not grace to abstaine from grosse sinnes thou shalt be damned and if thou hast the grace of sanctification giuen thee thou shalt be saued But if ye mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit c. This is the second proposition which the Apostle layeth downe namely that a good course of life leadeth to a good end Wherein first is questionable whether it standeth in the power of the heart of man to subdue the corrupt desires and affections of his nature as well as it doth to fulfill the lusts of the flesh for 2. Tim. 2.20.21 Paul shewing how that in a great house there be vessels some for honour and some for dishonour some for base and some for higher seruices which house he meaneth to be the Church of God saith that if any man purge himselfe hee shall be a fit vessell for Gods house and 1. Ioh. 5.18 He that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe from that wicked one which is the diuell that he touch him not Which places may seeme to attribute the purifying and cleansing of our selues to our selues by our owne inclinations and wils but it must be vnderstood that the Scripture in these and such like places setteth not downe the cause of this cleansing but the execution of it For the cause of this our mortification appeareth Ezech. 36.26 I saith the Lord will giue you a new heart and a new spirit so as there it must be had euen of God but it must be in vs otherwise we pertaine not to the Lords election Hereupon the Scripture vouchsafeth vs that honour to say we do it because notwithstanding the reforming of our iudgements and the changing of our affections is wrought by the supernaturall power of the holy Ghost working in vs yet this holy Ghost doth worke in vs as the subiects and by vs as the instruments as when it is said I will write my law in your hearts the spirit writes but the heart is the place and whatsoeuer is written in our hearts is ours To make this more plaine by a naturall proportion As a man that rectifieth and guideth the hand of a child to write the writing is said to be the worke of the child and not of him that directed him though without such direction the child could not haue done it euen so the Lord doth guide vs in all things we doe well and what doth hee guide but our wils so as the worke proceeding from our wils is ours yet without the guide of the spirit we could not doe it And in this working there is not a double effect one of the holy Ghost and another of our selues but we doe it euen as before there were not two writers though the child was directed but the child onely writ it Secondly where it is said If ye mortifie c. ye shall liue it may be demanded whether by the same reason we deserue saluation by this mortifying of our fleshâ— as by walking in the flesh we deserue damnation It is certaine vnlesse we doe well we can not be saued yet the holy Ghost sheweth that there is not the same perfection to doe well in our natures as there is in vs agilitie and dexterity to follow wickednesse For by our fall we are throughly corrupted as the Prophet Esay speaketh chap. 1.6 From the sole of the foot to the top of the head there is nothing but wounds and swelling but by our regeneration in this life we can neuer perfectly bee renued It sufficeth we haue obtained the blessing of Iacob Gen. 32.28.29 to haue such power from God as to be lame in sinne all our life long So Paul Rom. 6.23 saith The wages of sinne is death but the gift of God is eternall life through Christ whereby appeareth that the contraries themselues are not perfect for sinne of it selfe deserueth death but being good of it selfe deserueth not life for it is the gift of God and so the consequents of these two cannot be perfect and agree together Againe it is one question to aske who shall be saued and another to aske how we shall be saued for true it is that none shall be saued but they that mortifie themselues if they liue and for children they are changed in a moment by a supernaturall power of the Lord. As it is said Esa 33.14 Who shall dwell with the deuouring fire He that walketh in iustice and speaketh righteous things refusing the gaine of oppression shaking his hands from taking of gifts stopping his eares from hearing of blood and shutting his eies from seeing of euill And Dauid Psal 15.1 asketh the question and bringeth in the Lord to answer it Who shall dwell in thy tabernacles He that walketh vprightly he that taketh no reward against the innocent and such like as it followeth there as if the Lord should say Such and none else for the words haue an exclusiue nature So if it be asked who they be that shall be set at the right hand of God in heauen Mat. 25.34.41 it must be answered They that visite the members of Christ in affliction and leade their liues answerable to their religious profession And if Who they be that shall be set on the left hand the answere is They that refuse to releeue the
by the Masse that most execrable idoll and say it is sworne out of the country Can a man thinke himselfe rich that is indebted to all the world and hath nothing wherewithall to pay them And can such men that bee very beasts and without sense before God esteeme themselues vertuous and religious because they are onely highly praised of men They see not their owne estate because they haue not examined themselues according to the former rule When a man hath swept his chamber he thinkes all is cleane but when the Sunne commeth it sheweth many a mote hee could not before spie out so if the spirit would once shine into these mens consciences they should see not onely motes but most deformed and enormous sinnes in their hearts And how friuolous is it to stand vpon mans witnesse without religion which pierceth and looketh into the soule For otherwise he that thinketh himselfe in best health carieth his deaths wound in his bosome The basest gold is better then the purest led and the greatest imperfections of Gods children better then the highest vertues of the wicked and neuer shall they bee exalted that haue not before beene humbled The law is a hammer not onely to bruise the conscience but to breake it into powder which if it be not done wee shall neuer haue the spirit of adoption to seize vpon vs. The law commands but giueth no power to obey and is as if we should say to a beggar Buy such a mannor when he hath neuer a penny to helpe himselfe nor yet we giue him any money to do it euen so purchase heauen with thy works saith the law and yet knowes we are spoiled of all abilitie and doth not enable vs to doe such workes all one as if we should say to one hold vp the heauens with thy finger and yet giue him no strength to do it or as if we should say to the blind see it is comfortable and to the deafe heare it is profitable and yet giue them no meanes whereby they should doe these So the law is but a dead letter and hath but a dolefull and dreadfull sound vntill the spirit come and arme vs with power and abilitie to performe what the law requireth Lastly where it is said Luk. 15.21 Ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage againe obserue that all that are conuerted and with the lost sonne are come home againe haue beene once brought to a terrour and fright of conscience which hath beene after a diuers measure for the Lord keepes some longer in the schoole of the law then he doth others according as hee findeth their hearts and dispositions inclinable to stoope and to be humbled or else for example sake as seemeth best to the Lord. But yet euery one of Gods chidren must come to this that is Act. 2.37 being moued and pricked in conscience to say and crie out What shal I doe to be saued I see my debt where shall I get surety I perceiue my nakednesse where shall I be couered I am fallen how shall I be recouered And being touched in their hearts if they fall not into that exclamation then as it is said of Ely his sonnes 1. Sam. 2.25 they obeyed not because the Lord would slay them so for these men to be baked in their sinnes and to see their destruction and not to shunne it and by this meanes to despaire finally is the iust iudgement of God that he may be auenged of their great hypocrisie for mercy offered and refused or set light by doubleth the punishment Euen as in this nation by the blessed preaching of the Gospell Sathan is cast out in the generall profession of the Land if now he labour to creepe in againe by hypocrisie and make vs thinke religion to rest in shewes and consist in ceremonies growing more leane and ilfauoured after we haue deuoured so many yeeres of store and plentie in preaching the word we doe erre in our hearts and do arme our enemie against vs who at his reentrance will bring seuen spirits worse then he did before Luk. 11.25 and will so fortifie his habitation with hypocrisie and other great and monstrous sinnes as there shall be more profannesse in this nation then euer there was before But ye haue receiued the spirit of adoption In this the Apostle proueth that we are the Sonnes of God because we are so adopted in the euerlasting grace of his blessed Sonne And to proue we haue this spirit he doth it by the contrary thus we are deliuered from the spirit of feare and redeemed into such a Christian liberty as we now loue God not for feare but feare him for his loue In this there are two parts to be considered first what this spirit of adoption is secondly the inseparable effect that followeth it namely an assured confidence to come boldly before the Lord euen as children before their parents to craue pardon for our sinnes For the first this spirit is the holy Ghost assuring vs by the word of grace that is the Gospell that the Lord hath auowed vs for his children in that one and best beloued Sonne of his Christ Iesus so that no extremities of this life nor sorrowes of death nor sinne it selfe shall be able to ouer whelme vs. Therefore it is said in the Scriptures that the holy Ghost setteth a seale vpon the heart of his elect Ephes 1.13 and writeth a deed in their consciences which is but a draught of that originall deed which is in heauen in the booke of the Lords gouernment And this is sealed vnto vs by the finger of the spirit to free it from the forgery of Sathan and by this euidence we make our title to the kingdome of heauen â— Cor. 5.5 Also it is called an earnest penie because as in contracts by giuing a penie in earnest the partie is obliged and bound to pay the rest so this being as it were the first fruites of the spirit the Lord doth assure vs that as verily as we haue receiued thus much in hand in this vale of misery so this shall bee a pawne and pledge vnto vs that he will giue vs the rest in the fuâ—â—eâ—â—◠〈◊〉 is glory vnder which assurance we rest and lie down in hope with ioy vnspeakeable And as the first fruits in the law made the whole crop holy so this sparke of the Lords grace being kindled and set on fire in vs doth embolden vs to an expectation of the full enioying of our whole Lord Christ Iesus This testimony oft times is very weake especially when Sathan doth sift and winnow vs as he did Peter Luk. 17.5 so as we had need to pray with the disciples Lord encrease our faith Yet as a prisoner in a darke dungeon seeing but the Sunne at a little grate doth know and beleeue that the Sunne shineth vpon the whole earth so though we be shackled and imprisoned in this flesh as in a dungeon that we are not able to
conscience in an vndefiled heart not stained with hypocrisie nor growing so hard as to be burned with a hot iron 1. Tim. 4.2 For the second point which is the grieuousnesse of the affliction befals Gods Saints it is to be considered two waies first their crueltie that nothing will staie their hunger nor stainch their malice but bloud for either we are killed or daily haue death before our eies the sight whereof oft â—â—mes is more bitter then death it selfe Secondly the indignitie they offer vs and the disgrace not onely to slay vs but to slay vs like beasts to set foorth and expresse their exceeding rancor and malice toward vs. Concerning the crueltie and indignitie hath beene vsed toward Gods â—aints for the old Testament let the Apostle to the Hebr. 11.36 speake who teckoneth vp twelue seue all kindes and sorts of persecutions wherewith the faithfull haue bene pursued and yet were neuer dauned nor dismared knowing they should receiue a better resurrection And how they haue beene vsed since Christ his ascension the stories of the ten persecutions in the Primitiue church do tel vs that Christians were so odious as they were out of the protection of law for not onely were lawes made against them that publikely they should be tormented but euery priuat man might be a butcher to a Christian and neuer come in danger nor question of law for shedding of bloud yea there was such exquisite torments deuised for them by Sathan as could not be greater as that some should be couered with the skin of a beast and then cast to a wolfe to be rent like a beast some smothered with a little smoake proceeding from a continual soft fire some scorched in the flame and powdred with falt and vinegar some cast downe headlong from the toppe of mountaines some hauing their flesh scrapt with shels and many such like torments so as though it may seeme Homo homini Deus man to be to man a God that is a helper and defender where there is loue yet in the difference of religion it prooueth Homo homini lupus that man becommeth a destroier of man Hereupon doth Christ foreseeing the affections of tyrants Mat. 10.16 tell the Apostles in plaine termes that he sent them as sheepe among wolues and presently expounds himselfe ver 17. Beware of men whose mouths be as open sepulchers to deuour vs and who are in nothing so wily and watchfull as in setting snares to intrap vs. We are killed all the day Wherein obserue that it is a portion ordained to euery Christian not to bee exempt from any calamitieâ— common with the wicked but to bee subiect to all these and to farre greater because iudgement must begin at the house of God and this indgement is to last not for a time or an houre but euen to continue all the day giuing no truce nor intermission but as one waue beateth vpon another and one day followeth another so must we learne Patiendo pati by suffering how to suffer and the end of the former trouble must beesteemed to be the beginner of another as Christ himselfe saith Take vp my crosse daily Neither yet must we thinke that we are called to any hand condition or that the calling of a Christian is any vncomely calling for wee haue Christ as a glusse before vs who walked as it were continually vpon the ice and was not one moment free from some subiection and basenesse in the outward man Secondly by sheepe appointed to the slaughter learne that a Christian must neuer thinke hee hath suffered enough till hee hath suffered death for it is not said appointed to the whip or to the racke or to the prison but euen to death which is the thing our flesh most abhorreth For this must be the Christian mans account not to bee cast and cassiered out of this warfare till death hath perfited our sanctification as Hebr. 10.33 the Apostle reckoning vp the afflictions of the godly as partly while they were made a gazing stocke by reproches partly while they suffered with other in compassion mourning to see them distressed partly while they did beare the losse of goods cheerefully yet as if this were but a small matter and as if yet they were farre short in their reckoning chap. 12.4 hee telleth them they haue not yet resisted vnto bloud nor suffered death as if the number of death made their account perfect and that they must still be casting till they come to death for hauing fought so many battels as went before in their sufferance of so many inferior blowes and as it were weake afflictions they must not cast away their confidence till they haue fought the last skirmish and haue ouercome death by dying Thirdly learne that by the Lords decree we are not all appointed to be offered vp in sacrifice but by the malice of the enemie we are all destinated and set forth for such a bloudy end though the Lord in prouidence do oftentimes rescue vs euen out of the iawes of the Lion howbeit God appoineth all to some I doe not say affliction but persecution for in the scripture we reade of a double martyrdome Cruentum and Incruentum a bloudy martyrdome and a martyrdome without bloud as when we suffer any shame imprisonment losse of goods c. And this appeareth in two of the first enemies of Gods Church Ismael and Esau the first scoffed at his brother Isaac the other out of the hidden malice of his heart could say Gen. 21.9 Gen. 27.41 If my Father die I will haue Iacobs life So as though we escape bloud yet wee must witnesse the trueth of Christ by bearing at least the sting of the tongue from which neuer any of vs was exempted And though Ismael said not so much as Esau yet assure thy selfe they haue both the same minde for sometime the butcher wanteth his knife and therefore settle thy heart and carry death as a seale vpon thy finger Heauen is compared to a treasure hidden Mat. 13.44 and woorth more then all thy substance meaning thereby that a man should not refuse to bestow any thing vpon the field of Grace that is the Gospell that thereby hee may enter into the kingdome of glorie And though the Lord calleth not all foorth to this sharpest combat to be slaine in the field yet must euery man carrie this Christian resolution that if he be called not to prize or esteeme any thing but to leaue all and with patience and cheerefulnesse to kisse and to embrace the sword of death We are more then conquerors c. Heere followeth the comfortable issue and as it were the gate of ioy set open vnto vs in our extreemest miseries namely that in all things we ouer come wherein obserue two points first the victorie it selfe secondly the meanes whereby we obtaine it that it is not by the naturall strength of flesh and bloud but through the power of Christ that loued vs. For the first we are more
to her wallowing in the ruire Some will say True it is the spirit may bee quenched in 〈◊〉 hypocrite but neuer in the elect as 1. Iohn 3.9 Hee that is borne of God sinneth not And whom God loued once hee loueth alwaies This is true but then looke that thou stand vpon good and sound euidence when Sathan troubles thee for thou knowest how the burning lampes went out how the seed in the blade came to nothing and it is certaine that a man illuminate may sinne against the holy Ghost and therefore see that thou hast good title and groundest vpon good interest when thou shalt bee vexed with temptations For Rom. 8.13 if wee liue after the flesh wee shall die and as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God and who hath this spirit looke 1. Iohn 3.14 We are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren for hee that hath a soule must needes breath and he that hath the spirit must needs fulfill the fruits of the spirit Secondly albeit the elect haue receiued an euerlasting spirit whereof the Lord can neuer repent and which can neuer vtterly be quenched yet let vs feare and tremble for in the elect it may so bee obscured and ouerwhelmed that some of the graces of Gods spirit nay most of the graces yea the chiefest of the most nay all almost of Gods graces may in them be quenched as Dauid praieth Psal 51. Lord create in me a new spirit and yet he had it in him for in the same place he saith Lord take not thy spirit from me So as this exhortation not to quench the â—â—â—rit hath a double fruit in the hypocrite to make him vnexcusable in the elect to make them more circumspect and carefull in their conuersation for we must not be secure in as much as albeit the spirit of God in those that be his cannot bee absolutely quenched and wholly put out yet there may bee a great abatement of the spirit as not to be recouered without great touch and terror of conscience For first while a man feeles the presence of this spirit there is giuen him such ioy and with that a singular peace in the inward man and such securitie of his saluation that he feeles the loue of God spiritually to do him as much good as his meat and vpon this assurance he doth as it were behold the heauens open for the Lord to embrace him liuing or dying and he knoweth himselfe to be sealed vp in the blood of Christ vnto eternall life Now if this spirit be gone absenteth it selfe in spirituall operation together with this is our former ioy abated and the foundation of our hope begins to be shaken and being weake of our selues we are surprised with many feares and suspecting our selues to bee cast from the feare of God and our sinnes arising and flying vp like smoake in our eies we almost are brought to the case of Cain Gen. 4.12 to thinke that whosoeuer meeteth vs will slay vs. Secondly as vpon the enioying presence of the Lords spirit there springs an vnspeakable ioy and comfort in our hearts and we find that the Lords loue breedeth in vs an heauenly assurance of eternall peace and filleth our hearts with a mutuall and reciprocall loue of God our loue streaming and flowing from the well head of the Lords loue then it followeth that the lesse we feele the Lords loue toward vs the lesse we loue him againe and then we droope and languish in our selues our praiers be faint our meditations cold and when we should watch we with the Disciples fall asleepe and we feeling not the life of the spirit Mat. 26.43 we are greatly abated in our loue of holy and Christian exercises and we then only keepe a generall course in our profession and performe euery good thing as it were tedious vnto vs like Eutychus Act. 20.9.10 who came to heere Pauls sermon but was ouercome with sleepe Thirdly when the spirit is abated by the diminishing of the Lords loue towards vs and the withdrawing of our loue from him then because we haue grieued the spirit the Lord suffereth vs to fall into fearefull and presumptuous sinne as hee did suffer Dauid to fall into the sinne of whoredome with Bathsheba aggrauated with the murder of Vriah wherein hee lay frozen by Satans subtilty nine monthes at the least before he confessed it to God for it appeareth 2. Sam. 11.27 that the child was borne before Nathan the Prophet came to him and howsoeuer no doubt he could no more escape the pricke of conscience then he could stay the panting of his heart yet before that time not a word to God of any serious humiliation for his adultery So as neuer any of Gods children sinned more grieuously then he Mat. 26.70 except Peter who was not so much kindled at the fire of the high Priest as he was cold in his soule for first he lied in that he said hee knew not Christ secondly burst foorth into swearing and thirdly gaue himselfe to the diuell if it were he that was with Christ which the Lord most iustly suffered to befall him as a great chastisement since he neglected the louing forewarning of his master and though hee was neuer so much elect yet would the spirit neuer comfort him till he had with drawne himselfe to bewaile his sinne bitteâ—â— All which is liuely expressed Cant. 3.1 In my bed by night saith the church I sought him that my soule loued I sought hâ—â—â—â—â—t I found him not I went and rose and walked about the citie and by the streeâ—s and by open places I sought him but found him not thereby to declare that when the Lord once withdraweth his face from vs how hardly we shall win his fauour againe Fourthly when the Lord hath suffered vs to fall thus farre as we shall euen seeme to be swallowed vp of hell already though in the end he will restore thee yet first he will suffer thee to beare the shame of thy sinne in this life Gen. 9.23 1. Sam. 15.14 as Noah for his drunkennesse to be a scorne to his owne children and Dauid for his adultery to bee thrust out of his kingdome by his owne sonne which was such a griefe to him as all the ioy of his sonnes life did not so much comfort him as the sorrow of his death did wound him he mourning for Absolon 2. Sam. 19.33 as if he had doubted of his saluation But happy is hee that hath the thornes in his sides in this life and that is afflicted heere for though the Lord will neeuer take his louing kindnes from thee yet he will scourge thee not for any satisfaction of his iustice for Christ hath paied all but onely for a chastisement Lastly besides all this when the spirit is gone and abated it shall be such a terror to thy conscience such smart and vexation to thy whole minde as thou wert better bee almost