things to them but the Ministers of God are bound to preach so as they may discover mens particular sinnes not so as people may point one at another but so as every conscience may feele its owne sinnes Thirdly particulars are most sensible If the Minister preach home in particular there is not a false heart then in the congregation but he will finde it out if he preach in particular he will discover every mans corruption â—ling wilde-fire in every wicked mans face and throw balme of comfort into every godly troubled spirit As King James saide well of a reverend Prelate of this Land Me thinkes this man preacheth of death as ifâ— death were at my backe so should Ministers preach as if Heaven were at mens backes or as if hell were at mens backes When he preacheth of mens sinnes and corruptions he must preach so that their consciences may see that the word of God lookes into the very thoughts and hearts when he preacheth of the wrath of God and of condemnation c. he must preach so that the conscience may feele even the fire of hell flaming in it this is the way to teach the people the good knowledge of the Lord as it is called 2 Chron. 30. 22. every Minister may teach the knowledge of the Lord but not the good knowledge of the Lord. There is great difference betweene teaching of the knowledge and of the good knowledge of the Lord. Men may know God and his word and their sinnes but if they goe on in their sins it is not good knowledge then indeede a Minister teacheth good knowledge when he makes his people so to know sinne as to loath it and to come out of it so to know repentance as to repent indeed Secondly Discrimination As if he should say there are some that are in him and some that are not in him if any man say he abideth in him he ought himselfe to walk even as he walked so that here the Apostle would put a difference betweene the sound and the rotten-hearted in his congregation Hence observe this point That every Doct. 2 Minister is bound to preach so as to make a difference betweene the precious and the vile Saint John preached so as that his hearers might say the Spirit of Christ is in me or the Spirit of Christ is not in me that themselves might know whether indeede they were true members of Christ or but hypocrites This is the duty of Ministers Ezek. 44. 23. They shall teach my people the difference betweene the holy and prophane and cause men to discerne betweene the cleane and uncleane Here is two things First they shall teach them the difference betweene the holy and prophane Secondly they shall not onely shew it before them but if they will not see it they shall cause them to see it that is they must beate it into them and rubbe it into their consciences it may be when men may see they will not then he must make them to see If there be any prophane person any lukewarme or dead-hearted professor or close hypocrite in the congregation the Minister must make him see his prophanesse his deadnes and hypocrisie in Gods worshippe or if there be any godly soule or broken heart the Minister must make them to see that they have a broken heart First reason because else a man defiles the Reas 1 pulpit and prophanes the holy things of God Ezech. 22. 26. Her Preists have violated my law and prophaned my holy things they have put no difference betweene the holy and prophane neither have they shewed difference betweene the cleane and uncleane Those Ministers prophane the holy place of God when they make not mens consciences know which is holy and prophane when prophane persons may come and goe from Church and have not their prophanesse discovered to them a drunkard a swearer c and hath not his sinnes laide open to him Is there any prophane person here that hath not an arrow shot into his heart but he can goe away and not take any comfort from the Sermon these men prophane the holy things of God When God gave Benhadad into the hands of Ahab and Ahab spared him and let him goe 1 King 20. the Prophet tells Ahab ver 42 Thus sayth the Lord because thou hast let goe a man whom I appointed to utter destruction therefore thy life shall goe for his life c so if there be any Minister over any congregation in which there is any drunkard any swearer or whoremaster or worldling or lukewarmeling or any other that lives in such sinnes which God hath appointed and decreed to eternall destruction in hell if we tell them not their sins and make their consciences feele them then our life shall goe for their life our soule for their soule for we might have given them such a wound as might have beene a meanes to have cured their soule Secondly We are not the Ministers of Reas 2 Christ if we preach not so as that men may know that they are not converted if they are not c. God sayth to the Prophet Jeremiah if thou take forth the precious from the vile thou shalt be as my mouth Jer. 15. 19. Jeremiah could not be Gods mouth to the people unlesse he would divide betweene the precious and the vile Vnlesse Ministers preach so as to make the consciences of their hearers feele in what state they live in they may be Ministers of Sathan Idoll shepheards but they are not the Ministers of Christ Thirdly because otherwise they can doe Reas 3 no good Ezek. 34. 17. and as for you O my flocke thus sayth the Lord God behold I will judge betweene cattell and cattell c. as if he should say woe unto the shepheards will they not preach so as to make a difference betweene cattell and cattell woe unto the Preists will they not preach so as to feede my flocke I will require my flocke at their hands and now sayth God will not the shepheards of my people doe it I will now doe it my selfe I will convert those that are to be converted c. I will feede and provide for my flocke my selfe Austin notes that after that Peter had smote off Malchus his eare Peter came to be a shepheard and an Apostle of Christ after Paul had persecuted the Church he came to be a Preacher and an Apostle of Christ so after Moses had killed the Egyptian God made him the Captaine and Deliverer of his people Austin observes from this that God appoints none for his Ministers but Smiters such as be men of blows men that will smite men home to the heart men that will wound the consciences of their hearers This I speake that you may not be offended at the Ministers of Christ when they apply the word of God to your severall consciences and whensoever you have the truth of Christ preached to your soules let your hearts make use of it for if thou apply not
he given his bloud for thee that thou shouldest part with thy sinnes with thy drunkennesse with thy oathes thy pride security luke warmenesse earthlinesse prophanesse from thy vaine thoughts thy vaine words and thy vaine lusts and wilt thou not if God had redeemed us with silver and gold that were but drosse no he hath redeemed us with the bloud of his Sonn if now thou wilt part with the bloud of Christ rather then with thy sinnes that the word of God commands thee to part with how great is thy hatred of the word Bloud it is necessary to the life of every living creature I am sure the Bloud of Christ is necessary to the life of a Christian without it a man can never be washed nor never be sanctifyed nor made acceptable to God That man that will rather part with his bloud rather then lay downe his hatred of such a one whom he hates he hates him for ever he hates him to the death Thou that rather then thou wilt part with thy evill courses from those sinnes that Gods word would have thee to give over and forsake wilt part with the bloud of Christ I say thou hatest the word and thou hatest a reformation of thy wayes for ever with an everlasting and damnable hatred That man that had rather be damned then leave his sinnes that had rather goe to hell then be a new creature he hates the parting with his sinnes he hates to be a new creature It is truth man is a reasonable creature and therefore cannot reason so in expresse words as to say I had rather be damned then to give over my drunkennesse my lying my swearing my lust I had rather goe to hell then be so pure and so holy c. But every wicked man is so unreasonable in very deed for the word of God tells that wicked men that live and dye in such sinnes and such sinnes shall be damned yet they will not give over their sinnes Doth not your owne conscience tell you that as long as you pray no better as long as you walke no better in your profession God abhors you and all that you doe and will damne you doth not thy conscience tell thee that yet thou hast no assurance of salvation that as yet Jesus Christ was never given to thee that as yet you never had the Spirit of Christ to kill sinne in you if that thou wilt goe on in thy sinnes and not get Christ and his Spirit into thy heart as the word of God commandeth thee and thy owne conscience perswadeth thee I say if yet thou wilt goe on in thy sinnes then thou choosest to be damned rather then to part with sinne Doe we not say such a rogue will be hanged that such a hasty furious man will undoe himselfe doe we not say of a rebellious child that he will be disinherited not that any man reasons so in words I will doe thus and thus and undoe my selfe I will steale and be hanged I will be a rebellious childe and be disinherited I will goe on in my sinnes let the world say what it will and be damned But when a man knowes that the wages of sinne is death that the end of drunkennesse of swearing of lying of pride security hypocrisie formality in religion c. is death When a man knowes that the end of that sinne which he lives in is damnation and yet will goe on in those sinnes he wills to be damned Ezek. 18. 31. Turne you turne you why will you dye O ye house of Israel why were any so madde as to be willing to dye to perish for ever yet sayth the Prophet why will you dye as if he should say why will you sinne that man that wills to sin he wills to be damned that man that will be damned rather then part with his sinne that man loves sinne for ever and so hates the light Beloved be ashamed to carry so many plague tokens upon your hearts so many sinnes in your soules so many oppositions and rebellions against the word That man that hates and rebells against the word can never be saved by the word You that have had the preaching of the word looke that you give way to it take heed that you withstand not the breath of it I could tell you one thing and I pray God to send it home to your hearts commonly when God sends his word to a people those that are wrought upon for the most part are wrought upon at the beginning generally it is so I will give you a convincing place for it Acts. 13. 48. And when the Gentiles heard this they glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Paul and Barnabas were come to Antioch and had preached one Sabboth day and now had preached another The Gentiles glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved as if he had said all that were ordained to eternall life beleeved at those Sermons as if he should say againe all that beleeved not at these two Sermons were reprobates Those that did belong to God they did beleeve and hearkened to the preaching of the word to them on those two Sabboths All that were ordained to life they beleeved at these two Sermons the rest that beleeved not are branded and marked out for despisers and wonderers Heare O despisers and wonder and perish c. Agree with thine Adversary whilest thou art in the way Math. 5. Beloved you are now in the way of salvation your Adversary is the Lord himselfe till he be reconciled unto you you are in the way while you are under the preaching of the word you know not how soone God may take you out of the way you know not how soone God may take his word away or if that continue yet he may withdraw his Spirit and then if God once take away his Spirit then you may seeke to be converted but shall never finde it you may seeke for grace but shall never get it you may seeke for Christ but never obtaine him if men stand out against the Word and Spirit of Christ while it is beating upon their hearts and offering them grace then Christ will be a swift witnesse against them Malach. 3. 5. Doth Christ come to thee now obey now beleeve now give over thy sinnes Doth he bid thee now repent c. O give way to the Words of Christ give way to the Spirit of Christ otherwise Christ will come swiftly I will be a swift witnesse I tell you the Covenant of grace will not stay long God is about to put up his wares When no Customers come the Merchant puts up his wares so God will even close up all his graces then Preachers may preach but none shall be converted People may heare but none shall be converted People may heare but never be turned which the Lord deny from ever being amongst us therefore while it is called to
Answ It is spoken Hyperbolically to declare the great misery the creatures are into serve sinfull man p. 76. 2. Analogically in regard of a naturall instinct of blind reason that is in all the creatures ibid. 3. It is spoken by way of supposition if they had reason they would groane p. 77. 4. Intelligently because a man cannot wrong the creature but he wrongs God in the creature p. 78. 5. Specifically because the Godly come before God in the behalfe of all the creatures and mourne for the abuse of the creatures p. 79. Foure Reasons why the creatures groane 1. Because they are distracted in their service p. 80. 2. Because of the unprofitablenesse of their service p. 82. 3. Because of the uncessantnesse of their service p. 83. 4. Because of that misery and woe the creatures lye under p. 84. Every creature hath 1. A specificall end p. 85. 2. An ultimate end ibid. A wicked man hath no true right unto the creature p. 86. But he hath 1. A civill right ibid. 2. A providentiall right ibid. 3. A vindicative right p. 87. 4. A Creatures right as he is a creature ib. But he hath no filiall right no son-like right in Christ p. 89. Use To shew that wicked men have little cause to be merry at any time because there is nothing neare them but groaneth under them p. 90. All creatures groane to God for vengeance to be powred upon the wicked p. 92. And these groanes are 1. Upbraiding groanes p. 95. 2. Witnessing groanes p. 96. 3. Accusing groanes p. 100. 4. Judging and condemning groanes ibid. Use For exhortation 1. To take heed how we doe abuse the Creatures of God p. 101. 2. Take heed of sinning against God by the Creatures ibid. 3. Take heed of setting thy heart upon the Creature p. 102. 4. Use all the Creatures in humility and thankfulnesse p. 102. 5. Use the Creatures as so many Ladders to help thee to climb up towards Heaven p. 103. The Contents of that Sermon 1 JOHN 2. 6. THE opening of the words in foure particulars p. 108. Doct. A true Christian walks as Christ walked p. 109. A man must first be in Christ before he can walk as Christ walked p. 110. Object Can any man walk as Christ walked p. 111. Answ None can walk as Christ walked in regard of equality but in regard of similitude they may p. 111. The life of Christ should be the Example of our life p. 112. Christ came into the World to redeeme us for our justification and to be an example of life unto us for our sanctification p. 114. This Question answered viz. What it is to walke as Christ walked p. 116. Foure Reasons of the point 1. Because as Christ came into the World to justifie the ungodly so he came to conforme them to his image p. 117. 2. Because in vaine we are called Christians if we be not imitators of Christ and live as he lived p. 119. 3. Because all that are in Christ are Members of his body therefore they must have the same life and be quickned by the same Spirit p. 121. 4. Because of that neere relation that is betwixt Christ and every one of his Members p. 123. 1. Use To shew that all men that live not the life of Christ doe blaspheme the name of Christ p. 127. Of all sinnes under Heaven God cannot endure the sins of them that take the name of Christ upon them p. 198. Doct Every Minister is bound to preach home to men in particulars p. 132. 3. Reas 1. Particulars are most operative p. 133. 2. Particulars are most distinct and most powerfull p. 135. 3. Particulars are most sensible p. 137. Doct Every Minister is bound to preach so as to make a difference betwixt the pretious and the vile p. 138. Reas 1. Because otherwise a Minister prophanes the holy things of God p. 139. 2. Otherwise he cannot be the Minister of Christ p. 141. 3. Otherwise he is like to doe no good by his Ministery ibid. The Contents of that Sermon on JOHN 3. 20. THE Context opened in foure particulars 1. What mans naturall estate and condition is without Christ p. 145. 2. Gods gracious provision for mans salvation p. 146. 3. The condition required viz. Faith ibid. 4. The reprobation of the World if they doe not believe ibid. But Christ is neither the efficient nor deficient cause thereof ibid. But the cause of their damnation is from themselves proved 1 By their owne conscience p. 147. 2 By experience p. 148. 3. By Reason p. 149. In the words are two parts 1. The wickeds rejection of the word of grace ibid. 2. The cause of that rejection ib. viz. 1. First from the qualification of their persons 2. From the disposition of their nature ib. Doct A wicked man hates the word of Gods grace yea grace it selfe p. 150. This hatred is 1. An actuall hatred ibid. 2. It is a passion of the heart p. 151. 3. It causeth the heart to rise up against an union with the word p. 153. This union of the word is set in opposition 1. To generall preaching p. 154. 2. To mercifull preaching p. 155. 3. To now and then preaching p. 156. to p. 160. If the World doe not hate a righteous man it is either 1. Because he is a great man p. 160. 2. Because he is a man of admirable wit â—nd knowledge iâ—id 3. Or because God gives him favour in the eyes of the World ib. 4. This hatred causeth the heart to ris e against that which is repugnant to its lusts p. 162. A wicked man may love 3 kinds of preaching 1. Eloquent preaching that savours more of humanity then of Divinity ib. 2. Impertinent preaching p. 163. 3. Now and then some preaching to satisfie the cravings of his conscience p. 164. Reas 1. A wicked man hates the word because he hates all truth even the very being of the word p. 165. 2. Because he hates the very nature of the word p. 167. 3. Because he cannot endure the knowledge of the word p. 169. All naturall men hate the word 1. Because no entreaties no beseeches can possibly reconcile them p. 171. 2. Because neither mony nor price can make them friends p. 175. 3. Because all the love in the World cannot unite them together p. 176. 4. Because neither the love of God nor the bloud of Christ will soder them together p. 177. Every naturall man had rather be damned then leave his sinnes rather goe to Hell then be a new creature p. 178. The contents of that Sermon on ESAY 42. 24. THE words contain five things 1. The Author of the destruction p. 185. 2. The causes of it ibid. 3. The judgement it selfe p. 186. 4. The people on whom it was inflicted ibid. 5. The effects of it p. 187. 1. Doct. God is the Author of all judgement that befalls a Nation ibid. 1. Use For comfort to Gods children seeing God is the Orderer of all events p.
a true Christian he Doct. walkes as Christ walked if he be in Christ Before we make entrance hereupon let me expound to you two things lest we meete with rubs in the way First the conditionall IF Secondly the exemplary AS First for the conditionall if it is not a precedent condition of life as a condigne preparation unto or a previall disposition for Christ for a man cannot first walke as Christ walked and then be in Christ A grafâ— cannot live the life of the stocke and then be inoculated into the stocke No but it is a subsequent condition if ever a man be in Christ Christ holds him to these termes to live as he lived to walke as he walked The first act is before the latter act life before the actions of life so walke as Christ walked this notes the actions of life Now a man must first be in Christ before he can walke as Christ walked Indeed this condition is first quoad cognâ—sâ—â— to our knowledge but it is not first quoad esse and in its owne nature So then to walke as Christ walked being a necessary consequent of being in Christ we cannot be said to be in Christ if we walke not as Christ walked for take away the necessary consequent and you take away the antecedent take away the walking as Christ walked and you take away the abiding in Christ This condition is put in by our Saviour John 15. 10. If ye shall keepe my commandements ye shall abide in my love as I have kept my Fathers commandements and abide in his love This was the walke of Christ he kept his Fathers commandements and abode in his love This must be your walke too that looke to abide in Christs love If ye keepe my commandements ye shall abide in my love But if there be any commandement of Christ in all the Gospell that you will not conforme to it is an evident signe that ye abide not in Christs love 2 For the exemplary As even as he walked Can any man walke as Christ walked Object is it possible that dust and ashes that is corrupt with sinne can walke as he walked This word as hath a twofold signification Answ there is a two fold as either such an as as imports an equality or secondly similitude As this as imports an equality so it is impossible that any flesh can walk as Christ walked so purely so unspottedly so steadily so effectually as he lived No for our Saviour Christ was filled with the Holy Ghost and of his fulnesse have we all received grace for grace John 1. 16. Marke he doth not say that we receive his fulnesse but some of his fulnes so that none can walk as Christ walked with an as of equality but there is an as of similitude A scholer writes as his masters coppie directs him he begins every line as his master begins he ends as he ends he sets himselfe to frame every letter as his master framed it to joyne letters and syllables together as his master joyned them together Though there be no equality he cannot write one stroke or dash with his penne so well as his master yet he doth write as his master sets his coppie his hand followes his masters hand So it is saide of all that are in Christ Revel 14. 4. that they follow the Lambe whether soever he goeth they follow Christ in all duties in all holinesse in all his commandements they tracke Christ in all his stepps though they cannot walke with such long strides so steadily so purely so constantly as Christ yet they labour to tracke him with this as of similitude Doe all that are in Christ walke as Christ walked yea Beloved this is a clause of the covenant of grace so that a man cannot be in Christ unlesse he walke as Christ walked For thus runs the tenour of the covenant of grace Math. 11. 29. Learne of me for I am meeke and lowly of heart and ye shall finde rest unto your soules Marke there is no rest to the soule no grace to the conscience no assurance of the pardon of sin Christ gives no comfort to the heart unlesse the heart will learne of Christ follow Christ his copy be holy as he is holy pure as he is pure walke as he walked This will the better appeare if we consider that Christ his life must be the example for our life according to which we must live Now the exemplatum must be conformable to the exemplary saith Aquinas the draught must be according to the copy so if Christs life be the patterne of our life then our life must be conformable to his life therfore Christ declares his ways unto us as our samplers Christ was humble and serviceable to all in the days of his flesh with this Motto John 13. 15. I have given you an example that you should doe as I have done Thou art of thy master the devill and his copy thou followest if thou account it an indignity to stoope a disgrace to condescend to thy brother Christ was willing to suffer disgrace with this Motto 1 Pet. 2. 21 Leaving us an example that we should follow his steps Art thou loth to practice Religion for feare of the crosse loth to reproove sinne for feare of a flout or of the displeasure of a great man least thou shouldest procure his ill will it is evident that thou followâ—st not Christ because he hath left us an example that as he suffered so also should we Christ was obedient to the death of the crosse not looking to his owne things so much as the things of others so the Apostle warneth us Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus 1 John 2. 5. you that be in Christ must have the same mind that Christ had 1 John 3. 3. He that hath this hope purgeth himselfe even as he is pure Howsoever the world nick-names and reproaches purity yet if any have this hope indeed he may have other hopes he may have vaine rotten dead hopes and never seeke after purity but he that hath this hope a true saving hope to be redeemed by Christ he purifyeth himselfe even as he is pure Thou then which art not pure but makest a mocke of purenesse and of conscience of every sinne thou canst have no true sound faith in the Lord Jesus Thou must be righteous even as he is righteous Thou happily saiest thou art righteous thou doest this and that righteousnesse this and that good action take thou heede saith the Apostle that thou deceive not thy selfe thou must be righteous as Christ is righteous In a word love is the fullfilling of the law and Gualter carrieth it along through all the law which Christ walked in Christ loved us and gave himselfe for us with this injunction a new commandement give I unto you that you love one another as I have loved you John 13. 34. This was one of the maine reasons of Christs comming into the world to redeem
us for our justification and then to be an example of life to us for our sanctification saith Saint Basil Christ was set for a signe to all nations Isay 11. 10. A land-marke to all people to take their aime how to thinke how to speake how to walke how to live As men â—t Sea if they see a Land-mark or the Pole-star therby know how to guide the Ship so Christ he is a signe to all Nations a signe of zeale in prayer a signe of reverence in the Temple of perseverance in holinesse of piety in life and of unspotted purity and constancy in death Yea to winde it up a little higher to walk aâ— Christ walked is an As of participation We must not onely walke as Christ walked with an as of proportion for so the beasts may walke every creature the Sunne the Moone c. walke according to their rule wherein God hath set them as Christ did walke in his course that God set him in but this is not enough he that is in Christ must walke as Christ walked with an As of participation he must partake of the same life with Christ and be led by the same Spirit of Christ guided by the same grace of Christ Even as lesse white is like more white though not alike in the same degree yet in the same nature there is the same nature in the lesser that there is in the bigger So we must have the same life obey the same commandements be guided by the same rule swayed by the same motions led by the same Spirit that was in Christ If any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 9. What saith one can there be any man Obj. that is none of Christs doth not he say that every beast in the field and the cattell on a thousand hills are his Psal 50. 10. and doth he say that there are some men that are none of his Yea saith the Apostle If any man be not Answ led by the Spirit of Christs the same is none of his Indeed he is Christs as the beasts are his by creation and preservation c. but thou art none of Christs by grace and redemption unlesse thou hast the same Spirit that was in Christ to live in thee What is it to walke as Christ walked it is to contemne the same gaine and pleasures and vanities of the world that he contemned to yield to the same precepts that he obeyed to yeild to the same reproaches hatred and persecutions that he endured to take up the same duties to preach the same truths to live in the same rule and in all to be led by the same Spirit Thus you see the explanation of the doctrine come we now to the Reasons which are principally these foure The first reason is taken from the scope Reas 1 and end for which the Lord did send his Son into the world as to justifie the ungodly so also to conforme all those that are justified to the image of Christ You may read that this was Gods purpose that he laid downe in himselfe from all eternity before the foundation of the world was laid when he predestinated that his Son should come into the world he predestinated that all that should be redeemed by him should be conformable to the image of his Son Rom. 8. 29. whomsoever he did foreknow with the foreknowledge of Love and predestination them he did predestinate to be made like unto Christ that looke what Christ was by nature they might be by grace If this be the end of Gods predestination then it is impossible that any man should be in Christ and not have the image of Christ Chrysostome saith that as Christ was holy by nature so those that are predestinate should be holy by grace God shall never be frustrated of his end and purpose If God have purposed it who shall frustrate it Man indeed may be frustrated of his end because of his weaknesse and inability to accomplish by himselfe what he purposeth some other person or thing prevents him of his end But God as he hath a purpose in himselfe so he is powerfull and able to bring his purpose to passe We may conclude that that man that prayeth for mercy and wisheth Oh that I might have redemption by Christ Oh that I meght goe to Heaven and yet lives in his sinnes and slavery to his lusts he prayeth to have benefit by Christ and to goe to Heaven in spight of God against the will and purpose of God God hath predestinated that all that shall have life glory shall be made conformable to his Son that they shall be holy pure and â—ighteous as Christ was that they shall be lowly humble and mecke as Christ was Our owne consciences may tell us that God cannot be frustrated of his end and purpose but that thus we must be made conformable to Christ or else we shall never have benefitt or salvation by him or else Gods purpose would be frustrated and in vaine That thing must be frustrated and in vaine that attaines not its end if this be the end that God hath purposed in himselfe in the giving of Christ for life and salvation to the world that all that are redeemed and saved by him should be made conformable to him either all such as are not conformable to the Image of Christ shall never be saved but shall perish for ever without Christ or else Gods purpose must be frustrated and in vaine The second reason is taken from the Reas 2 practise of Christianity saith Leo in vaine are we called Christians if we be not Imitators of Christ and live as he lived The Disciples are called Christians Acts. 11. 26. The very name tells us that we must be followers of Christ or else we are not in Christ if any man be in Christ he must really be a Christian As a man if he be of a trade he must set up that trade all his layings out and travell and paines must be in that trade why it is his profession so if a man be in Christ all his conversation must be Christian his labours and indeavours must be in the trade of Christianity he must walke as Christ walked He must be a Christian in all his courses in all his ways or else he is not in Christ As the Platonists are denominated from Plato so are Christians from Christ The Franciscans from Francis the Dominicans from Dominicke these were bound to follow the rules of their order or else superstition would not suffer them to be of that Order much lesse canst thou be of the Order of Christ if thou observe not his rules if thou live not as he lived Christ hath given thee a law for thy mind for to governe thy thoughts Thou wilt not busie thy thoughts with holy meditations thy heart is not christian Christ hath given a law to thy affections thou wilt be fretâ—ull and impatient malicious proude and
ambitious and carnall thy passions are not christian Christ hath given a law to thy life that thy life may be holy therefore if thy life be not according to the Gospell of Christ thy life is not christian neither will Christ owne thee for his but will slay thee with curses as an enemy of his crosse and not as a follower of his death these mine enemies that will not that I should reigne over them saith Christ Luke 19. 27. Bring them hither and slay them before me Thou canst not looke for a Saviour to have mercy on thee if thou wilt not be ruled as a Disciple of Christ but thou shalt be damned in the presence of Christ Slay them before me saith Christ Christ Jesus which is the Saviour of the world will damme thee and see thee confounded before his face he himselfe will see thee in hell thou mayest cry for mercy and for the bloud of Christ yet if thou wilt not live as Christ lived but wilt rebell and sin against Christ Christ will see thee in hell and though he looke on thee yet he will destroy thee without mercy If ever thou beest in Christ thou must walke as Christ walked thou must be a Christian like to that good Martyr who to all demands answered that he was a Christian When they asked him what his name was he answered it was Christian his thoughts were Christian his words and actions Christian his countrey his hopes his aime all that ever he did they could get nothing out of him but all was Christian and so he gave testimony to the Lord Jesus So I tell thee thou must be a Christian all over a Christian in thy thoughts in thy words a Christian in thy calling and in all thy imployments being swayed by the Gospell of Christ or else thou art not in Christ The third reason is taken from the essentiall Reas 3 or rather from the integrall union that is between Christ and all these that are in Christ they are all members of his most gracious body Ye are the body of Christ and members in particular 1 Cor. 12. 27. now we know that all the members have the same life and are quickened by the same soule the soule is whole in the whole body and whole in every member of the body so if Christ be our head we are his members and the christian life of Christ must be diffused thorough us so that one man cannot be a drunkard another a worldling another an Epicure another a swearer another a whoremaster another a lyar another a lukewarmeling another a mocker another a vaine Jester another a man-pleaser and yet be a member of Christ All the members of Christ must have one life As in a mans body there be veines arteries and nerves that are the channells to convey life and motion and sence to every member that all the members may have the same life dispersed through the body So it is in the body of Christ every member of Christ hath fayth for his veines to convey the same life and the same spirits and the same gratious motions to all the body that it is not now the member that lives but Christ that lives in it Gal. 2. I live not saith the Apostle but Christ liveth in me As in the body it is not the eye that seeth if we speake properly but the man that seeth with the eye so it is not the knife that cuts but the man that cuts with the knife it is not the eare that heareth but the man that heareth with the eare so in the body of Christ it is no more the man that speaketh but the truth of Christ speaking in him We have the minde of Christ saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 16. if we be in Christ Christ thinks in us Christ speaks in us Christ walkes in us Christ doth all in us As in the same body the soule rules and quickens every member The body of Christ cannot be a monster like those Locusts spoken off Revel 9. 7. that had shapes like horses heads as it were like Crownes of gold and their faces like the faces of a man and had haire like women and teeth like Lyons this is a monster and not a simple body such a one cannot the body of Christ be a mocker for one member an ignorant sot for another an hypocrite for another a carnall gospeller for another a covetous worldling for another As in the body of a man every member in this mans body must be this mans member and not the member of another man As for example Peter must have Peters legs and not Simon Magus his legs Peter must have Peters eyes and not Alexanders eyes Peter must have Peters hands and not Judas hands you cannot take the eye of an Horse the leg of a Dog and the paw of a Beare and put them together and say here 's a man no this would be a monster every perfect body must have its own members So it is in the body of Christ every member in Christ his Body must have Christ his Members every member in a mans body acts with reason so every member of Christ acts with direction of Christ it is informed by Christ his minde is quickned by Christ his life so that a man cannot be a member of Christ but he must walke as Christ walked I know the best Christian may fall seven times a day though he be in Christ it doth not therefore follow that every particular action savours of Christ but as every member in the body lives the life of the whole body or else it is a dead member so thou must live the life of Christ or else thou canst never be saved You know that all the actions of a man are guided by reason yet there are some particular actions that he doth and not by reason as it may be he shakes his head or moves his hand and jogs his foote and considers not what he doth they are the actions of a reasonable man though not reasonable actions so there may be many actions that are the actions of Christians though not Christian actions The sinnes of the godly they are the actions of a Christian but they are not Christian actions there may be stoppings in the body though the same life and quickening runnes through the whole body yet through the stopping of the liver and the pipes distempers and ill humours may be raised in the body so it may be in the body of Christ and so many a Christian may fall through infirmity but the course of a Christian the life of a Christian the ordinary trade of a Christian the walke of a Christian is to live with the same spirit that lived in Christ to walke in the same way that Christ walked in The last reason is taken from the neere Reas 4 relation that is to be betweene Christ and every member of Christ They are not onely the Servants and Disciples of Christ but they are the
this preaching any longer Secondly in opposition to mercifull Preaing A wicked man loves mercifull Preaching why it takes no union with his heart it is like a Plaister that will never sticke A mercifull Sermon can never sticke on a prophane heart it is likened to a greasie paper that will never fasten so mercifull Sermons they will never fasten on his heart they cannot take away his sinnes from him Ahab he loved his foure hundred meale-mouthed mercifull Preachers well enough but when Micaiah came to him O I hate him for he never Prophesieth good unto me but evill he is alwayes upon hell-strings he is alwayes preaching judgement unto me I cannot claw off one of his Sermons in a month scarse I cannot catch hold on any of his Points to comfort my heart there is not one sentence in all his Sermons to refresh my conscience he never prophesieth good unto me but evill I hate him When a Minister comes to the conscience of a man and tells him this is the truth of God and this is thy sinne and damnation and makes his Sermons sticke as a burre on his conscience and as an arrow shot into his bowells his heart risith against it and hee cannot endure it Thirdly in opposition to Preaching when the Minister is dead A wicked man loves the word when he that preacheth it is dead Why then there is none to urge a union of the Word with his conscience A wicked man loves to read Saint Paul Saint Peter and Saint John c. why these men are not alive to urge a union of the word with their consciences but if Saint Paul or Saint Peter c. were alive to tell them if this be the word of God then thou art a damned man if thou doest not obey it if this be a grace then thou art a cursed man if thou have it not if these men were alive now their Sermons would cut to the quicke So when the Ministers are dead men love to buy their bookes and to read their Sermons Now Master Perkins is dead all the world honours him and men buy up his bookes but when he was alive the drunkards made ballads of him and profane Belials would make songs of him why they could not endure this union of the word If the Minister be by he cannot be drunke but the Minister will preach condemnation to him for it if he repent not he cannot sweare or lie or deceive but the Minister will tell him that this will be a core to his conscience another day Men cannot endure this Saint Paul and Saint Peter c being dead they like well enough but if they were alive they would hate them why they cannot endure an union with the word This was the religion of the Scribes and Pharisees Math. 23. 29 30. they built the tombes of the Prophets and garnished the Sepulchers of the righteous and said if they had lived in the dayes of their fathers they would not have bin partakers with them in the bloud of the Prophets You are the children of those men that killed the Prophets sayth Christ ver 31. Are not you the children of those men doe not you doe those sinnes which the Prophets cried out against and for which the Prophets denounced such fearefull judgements upon them I tell you if the Prophets were now alive they would crie hell and damnation to you if the Prophets were now alive and did see those sinnes you commit they would denounce woe and vengeance to you as they did to their fathers Oh saith one if I had lived in the Jewes time I would never have opposed Christ and his Apostles I would have kissed the very ground that they trod on then wretch why doest thou not doe that which these men preached looke in the writings of these holy men of Paul of Peter c. Dost thou doe that which Paul and Peter have wrote thou shouldest doe doest thou look in their writings and not obey what they have wrote I tell thee if Peter and Paul were alive they would tell thee thou shouldest be damned if thou repentest not if John and James were alive they would tell thee that the wrath of God will take hold on thee if thou yeeld not obedience to that word they preached to thee If Paul were alive he should have many a Tertullus to oppose him if John were alive he should have many a Herod to imprison him if Amos were alive he should have many an Amaziah to banish him and to silence him but now they are dead men can like them well enough A righteous man in the way is an abomination to the wicked Prov. 29. 27. he doth not say an upright man when he is dead â—s an abomination to the wicked for when he is dead they may praise him and love him and love to have his picture amongst them then they will speake well of him and commend him I speake that because I would not be misconstrued Let a man be a godly man indeed a Saint indeed as long as he lives the men of the world will hate him I have chosen you out of the world saith Christ and therefore the world hates you c. It hath beene an old haunt and custome of the world to hate and maligne the righteous to reproach them to call them Puritans c though very heathens have acknowledged that there is no religion without purity Cicero Horace and others describing a man that is religious say that he is an intire man a man pure from sinne If any man will not beleeve it let him trie it let him be holy and gratious and shew forth the power of religion in his life let him contemne the world c. and see whether wicked men will not hate him reproach and disgrace him what they can not as if a godly man could not be godly and religious unlesse he be hated and reproached by the world for it may be First when a man that is truly religious and godly is a great man and all the Countrey are loth to lose his favour or to purchase his ili will then he may be free from hate and reproach Secondly when he is a man of admirable witte and knowledge that the world admires him for his learning and for his understanding and for his parts such a one men will rather admire then revile Thirdly it may so be that God may give a godly man favour in the eyes of the world howsoever the world would hate and reproach them yet God may so strike their consciences that they cannot doe it Otherwise a godly man especially if he be such a one by whose godlinesse and purity a wicked man is judged and condemned in his conscience for his ungodlinesse and prophanesse the wicked will hate him Lastly I put it in opposition to now and then preaching a wicked man loves preaching though never so sharpe and terrible so it come but now and then if the Minister preach never so
against this truth are answered p. 44 45. 4 Vses 1. To teach us to blesse God that he hath not given over striving with us as he hath done with others p. 46. 2. For reproofe of those who negleect the day of their visitation p. 47. 3. For terrour to all wicked and ungodly men with whom the Lord hath given over striving p. 48. The condition of such is miserable 1. Because if God forsakes them then all comfort forsakes them p. 50. 2. When God goes restraining grace goes ib. 3. When God leaves us then common protection leaves us p. 51. 4. Tâ— exhort us to redeeme the time and to yeild to the motions of Gods Spirit p. 52. For this end consider 1. The fearefull condition of such as are given over pag. 53. 2. The great danger of deferring repentance ibid. 3. All the time of our life is litle enough for this worke ibid. 4. Our lives are but short ibid. The Contents of that Sermon COLOS. 3. 5. THE Words of the text opened in three particulars pag. 56. Sinne may be civilized five wayes 1. When it is laide asleepe not dead p. 57. 2. When the heart is taken off one lust by another comming in the roome thereof p. 60. 3. When the sappe of sinne is taken away and no contrary grace infused p. 61. 4. VVhen it is overtwharted by an higer principle pag. 62. 5. By Gods giving only common graces such as he gives to many wicked men p. 63. Doct. If we looke to have any benefitte by our Interest in Christ we must mortifie all our sinnes ibid. 3 Reas 1. Otherwise Christ will not be a Jesus a Saviour unto us pag. 65. 2. It is impossible for sinne and grace to live and subsist in one subject p. 67. 3. Otherwise we cannot possibly enter into heaven pag. 69. A wicked man could finde no delight in heaven ibid. VVhen the divels had sinned they could not endure to stay any longer in heaven p. 71. 3 Uses 1. To condemne those that goe on in their sinnes and never endeavour to mortifie them pag. 72. 2. To teach us that it is not enough to let our sinnes dye in us but we must endeavour to mortifie them pag. 73. 3. To shew that mortification is no easy worke pag. 75. They that have begun must persevere in this worke of mortification pag. 77. 1. Because the very same sinne that hath beene mortifyed will live againe unlesse it be continually mortifyed pag. 78. 2. Else if not that Sinne yet another will arise in the roome of it ibid. 3. Because in this life we can mortify Sin but in part ibid. Markes to know whether Sinne be mortified or no. 1. They that have mortifyed their Sinnes live in and act the contrary graces p. 80. As they give up all the wayes of Sin so they take up all the wayes of Grace ibid. Grace takes not away a mans affections but qualifyes them aright ibid. And it sets them upon right Objects p. 8. 2. He that is mortifyed aright is dead unto every Sinne. ibid. So long as a man liveth in Sinne he is altotogether uncapable of Christ p. 83. THE GREAT DIGNITY OF THE SAINTS HEB. 11. 28. Of whom the World was not worthy COncerning the Author or Pen-man of this holy Epistle I will not now stand to discusse But this is certaine who ever was the Scribe the Spirit of God was the Inditer and all Scripture is given by Divine inspiration 2 Tim. 3. 16. For the Coherence the Spirit of God having exhorted the Believers how to continue in the Faith and with patience to undergoe those tryalls which accompany the profession of it and having backt it with Arguments he commeth in this Chapter to presse the same And you shall finde in this whole Chapter he layes downe Arguments to back the exhortations which are taken from the Excellency of Faith The Holy Ghost discovers it two wayes First by a generall description in the three first verses and after by the worthy examples of the faithfull in the Church of old First the generall description of Faith in the first verse Faith is the ground of things c. Faith makes things hoped for subsist to a Beleever Secondly he describes the essentiall properties of it it makes Believers to be well accounted off both of God and man verse second Thirdly he shewes that Faith makes beleevers to understand and beleeve things incredible to reason Secondly he describes Faith by examples and patternes of Faith in the Church of old and those are set downe severally one by one from the fourth verse to the 32 where he sets downe the example of Moses and Abraham and then from verse 32 to the end of the chapter he sets downe the example of the Saints together and that because the number of them was infinite Ergo he dispatches them and passes by them with bare naming of them as what shall I make mention of Gedeon c and so he shewes what great things they did by Faith and then he brings in this verse of whom the world was not worthy To come to the words they are brought in by the holy Ghost to answer to a secret Objection that the holy Ghost did foresee that the wicked persecutors of the Church would conceive against the godly viz. Why did they wander up and downe Object were beleevers cruelly dealt withall yes for alas what were they they were and are baggage people not worthy to live in the world Now the holy Ghost takes away this Answ objection as if he should have said you are deceived in them for the world is not worthy of them they were and are too good to live in the world But before I come to the maine we will note something in generall Viz. That it hath been the property of wicked Doct. 1 men and is still to thinke whatsoever the godly have is too good for them Yee shall be hated of all men Matth. 24. And have not the Saints of God found it so what a hard conceit had the Jewes of Christ He is not worthy to live So of Paul Acts 22. They were accounted the off-scouring of the world 2 Cor. 4. 13. And as it was in the Apostles times so it is now and would you know the reason First because God hath chosen them out Reason 1 of the world Joh. 15. 19. For when Gods people were as the world is carnall and sensuall c. then the world gave them the right hand of fellowship But when a change appeared in the godly then the world changed too 2. Because the wicked know not the godly viz. they know them not to be Gods children so saith the Apostle They speake evill of the things that they know not Jude 10. They know him as he is rich or as he comes of such and such a parentage but as he is a child of God they know him not This world knowes you not because it knowes not God 1 Joh. 3. 1. And hence
your houses are left unto you desolate Matth. 23. 38. All the creatures are up in armes against us the stiles we goe over look up to Heaven and say Master shall we breake his neck the Horse we ride on says Master shall I throw him downe to destruction thou knowest that he hates thee and thine So the ayre we breath in and all Creatures are readie when the Lord gives the watchword to lay us in the goale Conscience will witnesse against us then fight Dogg fight Beare as we use to say oh what will become of such men I will tell you either the world heales them up or else some carnall companion saith you have been a good neighbour you have kept a good house amongst us c. tush tush man it may prove a lye for all this I but the Minister tells me so pish pish as if all were true the Minister speakes I but the Scripture sayes it Is all true that is in the Scripture the Lord have mercy upon us and thus like fooles they build with untempered morter Ergo I exhort all such as are yet in the gall of bitternesse to listen to what I say Redeeme the time yeild to the motions of The Authors Exhortation Gods Spirit and blesse God for Mercy offered unto you in the meanes and if any affliction be laide on you intreat the Lord that he will doe you good by it If thy Conscience speak or the Spirit worke doe as Joseph did who got him into a corner and there wept his belly full so intreat the Lord that he will breake the Heavens and come downe on thee to thy comfort put not off till thou art old A gentleman will not alwayes waite at the gate neither say thou as Felix to Paul I will send for thee at another time but say with Samuel speake Lord for thy servant heareth Meanes Meanes First consider the fearfull condition of such as are given over Suppose one should come from Hell with the fire about his eares you would aske what is the newes the cry is my time my time Oh my people sayes the Minister Oh my Minister saies the People The young man cries oh my time Doe not make a tush at this lest thou say the word was preached but I scorned it the Spirit said this is the way walke in it the meanes of grace was sent unto me but I refused Mercie and now for ever I am in Hell to be tormented Secondly consider the great danger of putting off If thy will be stubborne to day it will be worse to morrow Thirdly consider the time 1. Pet. 4. 3. It is enough for the time of our life we have lived that we have wrought the workes of the Gentiles let us live no longer in sinne it is too much that you have resisted the Gospell so much say then oh that the Lord would break this heart of mine Fourthly and lastly though God should be calling and egging you all the day long yet your lives are but short and Ergo crie out with David teach me o Lord to numbet my dayes that I may apply my heart unto wisedome doe not say it is too late as one did once say of Prayer doe you thinke that I can pray now which never prayed in all my life I am sure it will be too late when God comes to Judgement for then the Devill will stand on tip toe and say what dost thou now thinke to goe to Heaven the Lord did waite on thee untill he was weary but here is a company of Drunkards I did but hold up my finger and they presently followed me Heaven came downe to them but they would none of it they could not heare of that eare and would you now goe to Heaven Ergo goe for now the Lord Jesus Christs sake and when Mercie is offered refuse it not but blesse God for it A SERMON FOR Spirituall Mortification COLLOSS 3. 5. Mortifie therefore your Members which are upon the earth Fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection evill concupiscence and Covetousnesse which is Idolatry THE Apostle having in the Chapter foregoing shewed that the Colossians were buried together with Christ in his death and that they were also risen with him maketh two speciall uses thereof First in regard of the resurrection if then yee be risen with Christ seek those things that are above The second is in regard of their buriall with Christ in these words Mortifie therefore your members c. There be many men that looke for participation in Christ yet notwithstanding wortifie not themselves they would faine live with Christ yet are loth to dye to sinne but we may say to these men as Paul to the Atheist thou foole that which thou sowest is not quickned unlesse it first die so unlesse the seed of the word be sowen upon thy heart thou canst not be quickned unlesse thou first die The things to be mortified are described two manner of waies either in generall the members or else in particular Fornication uncleannesse evill affections c. or as in the tenth verse all the fruites of the old man The words containe in them these three Parts parts or truths First He that ever meanes to have Christ must have him with a therefore As if he should say if you looke to have benefit by the death of Christ looke to have a therefore with it for no man can have Christ without a Condition Secondly this condition consists in mortification we must mortifie our earthly members this is the qualification of all those that partake of the death of Christ even mortification Thirdly those that are made partakers of the death of Christ are enabled thereto so as the Apostle may well put this exhortation unto them mortifie therefore your members c. He doth not say civilize your members many there be that civilize their earthlie members as from mortifying to purifying of them they come out of prophanenesse and enter into Civility and a formall kind of profession but the Apostle saith mortifie and not civilize your members doe not pare the nailes of your corruptions but cut them quite off and give them their deaths wound that so your sinnes may breath out their last breath in you Sin may be civilized five waies First when it is laide asleepe Pharaohs sinnes were asleepe but not dead Many mens sinnes are asleepe in them though they seeme to be dead in them for a time A man while he is asleep is like a dead man yet he is alive yea and his sinnes are alive in him also but when temptation comes to awaken him out of his sleepe though before he seemed to be patient and meeke and hardly to be provoked yet let a temptation come and rouze him then he will finde his old wrath anger and impatiencie So likewise for a covetous man though he seeme to mortifie that sinne yet it is but asleepe in him for let a temptation come and he will quickely finde out his
set them on worke so though sinne be in you still yet let it be like a dead corpse wanting life like a dead Tyrant that can no longer rage and hence it is that the Apostle saith Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodies he doth not say let it not be but let it not reigne Sinne when it is mortified is like a dead King that can call no more Parliaments but a man may doe for him what he listeth because his strength lieth in the dust If Christ be in you saith the Apostle the bodie is dead because of sinne but the spirit is life for righteousnesse sake Rom. 8. 9 10. Againe if a man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of Christs now if Christ be in you the bodie is dead if you consider the bodie as it hath relation unto sinne Againe if you live after the flesh you shall die verse 13. as if he should have saide if your flesh be alive in you if your pride live in you and if your infidelity live in you if your hardnesse of heart live in you if your wrath c. live in you and if you walke after these you shall surely die he meaneth not a temporall death for so they must doe howsoever they live but his meaning is they shall die eternally but if you mortifie the deedes of the body by the spirit you shall live so then it is plaine there is no life of Christ to be had so long as you retaine your sinnes and therefore sinne must be mortified First because Christ is a Saviour and Reason 1 hence he is called Jesus Math. 1. 21. for he shall save his people from their sinnes if therefore Christ doe not save thee from thy sinnes and if by the power of Christ thou mortifie not thy sinnes and give them a deadly blow assure thy selfe he will never be a Jesus unto thee It is true indeede Christ dyed for sinners but it was not to let them goe on in sinne and therefore if thou goe on in sinne it is for thy damnation and not for thy salvation for he will first save thee from thy sinnes or else he will never save thee from hell so then consider if thy sinnes beare sway in thee if they doe then know thou art delivered up unto the power of thy sinnes and to everlasting darkenesse For Christ is the true Physitian of the soule and you know that a Physician doth not bring a potion to put it unto deaths mouth to kill death and so to save the sicke person alive no but he putteth it into the sicke mans mouth to kill the ill humours that are in his bodie that so he might not fall into the hands of death so Christ came not to quench the flames of hell by his spirituall Physicke but to let his Physicke fall upon the heart and soule of man to save him from hell Therefore unlesse the bloud of Christ doe mortifie thy sinnes and crucifie thy lusts there is no hope ever to get Christ to save thee from hell and everlasting damnation This is a true saying saith the Apostle and worthy to be received that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithfull saying and wicked men like it well indeede For saith the drunkard I am a wicked man yet Christ came to save me The whoremonger saith I am an uncleane person yet Christ came to save me The swearer will say Christ came to save sinners and therefore I hope he will save me to No no Christ came to save sinners that is such as were sinners but now are none they have and doe repent Jesus Christ came to save sinners saith the Apostle whereof I am cheife I was a blasphemer a persecuter but now I am not Hence then is the faithfull saying Christ came to save sinners not still sinning No before Paul was injurious a persecuter and lived in ignorance and unbeleife but now the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ was wonderfully abundant through faith and love towards him so that the grace of God hath appeared to draw men out of blindnesse and ignorance therefore to say that Christ came to save such as live in their sinnes of drunkennesse prophanesse or uncleanesse is a rotten saying and this onely is the faithfull saying that Christ came into the world to save sinners in whom the power of sinne is broken therefore if ever welooke to have benefitte or interest by Christ we must mortifie our earthly members Secondly because it is impossible for 2. Reason sinne and grace to live and subsist in one subject it is impossible that they should ever stand together and be in a man at one and the same time it cannot be that one and the same creature can have the life of a swine and the life of a man for if he have the soule of a swine he cannot have the soule of a man for they are two contrary distinct lives and where the one is the other cannot be It is like hot water and cold if it be cold it cannot be hot if it be hot it cannot be cold Even so the life of sinne and the life of grace are two contraries and therefore they that walke in their sinnes walke contrary to God Now the Lord saith if you walke contrary to me I will walke contrary unto you Levit. 26. and two contraries we know cannot goe together He that walks in sinne walks contrary unto God but he that goes on in the waies of grace he walks towards God Now it is impossible to walke towards Dover and towards London at one and the same time for every steppe he goeth forward to the one it carries him backward from the other so then if ever we will have the life of grace we must forsake our sinnes as it was with the house of Saul and David Sauls house grew weaker and Davids stronger so must it be with sinne and grace as grace growes stronger so sinne must grow weaker as grace goes up so sinne must goe downe And as Saul told David he would not give him Michal his daughter to wife unlesse he brought unto him an hundred fore skinnes of the Philistins Even so the Lord saith that he will not marry the Lord Jesus Christ unto any soule unlesse he bring the fore-skinne of every lust he must circumcise the fore-skinne of his pride of his covetousnesse of his prophanesse this must be the offering and condition of marriage unto Christ even the circumcision of the heart and the mortification of all the corruptions Thirdly because else it is impossible to Reason 3 enter into heaven if we mortifie not our sinnes a man can never be capable of glory hereafter that doth not mortifie his sinnes here in this life Suppose a wicked man should enter into heaven it is impossible that he should delight in heaven if he were there You will thinke this a strange point but give me leave to explaine
but I will let them alone till they die of themselves sure I am that they will one day die no no the Prophet gives other counsell plough up saith he the fallow grounds and sow not among thornes if thou dost not they will grow up to that height and ranknesse that they will spoile the whole harvest Even so if thou kill not thy sinnes but suffer them to die of themselves they will spoile all thy spirituall harvest and quite banish thee out of Heaven for evermore The third use may manifest unto us that Vse 3 the worke of our Redemption is no easie worke as many men in the world thinke it to be The Apostle saith mortifie your members now can a man stab his owne arme through with ease can he cut off his Legg or any other member without feeling any great paine no more can a man kill his sinnes and mortifie his lusts with ease it is called mortification to shew that there is a great deale of miserie and paine in it The Apostle saith that those that are Christians have crucified the flesh c. Gal. 5. 24. and therefore Repentance is set out unto us by crucifying which is the hardest of all kinds of mortifying Can a man set his flesh upon the Tenter peirce his hands and feet with nailes laying his whole weight upon the Tenter and yet feele no paine Cicero a wise Heathen saith that crucifying was a torment that cruelty it selfe had invented to put a man to death it being the soarest kind of death that could be devised And the Apostle to set forth Repentance what it is shews it by crucifying It is an easie matter to cut off the outward act of sinne as of swearing or drunkennesse c. this is an easie matter but to crucifie a mans lusts and to mortifie daily the body of death which he beâ—reth about him this is a hard thing indeed A Father saith it is the hardest Text in all the Bible and the hardest dutie in all Christianitie that we can goe about they that doe itâ— an doe all things and therefore let a man resolve with himselfe that unlesse he attaine unto this there is no Christ for him How shall we saith the Apostle that are dead to sinne live any longer therein Rom. 6. 2. The Apostle makes it a Paradox and wonders that men should be so unreasonable as to thinke that they are crucified with Christ and yet live in their sinnes Is it possible that you can be dead with Christ and yet live in your sinnes no no it cannot be But some may object and say what Object doth the Apostle meane to exhort the Colossians unto Mortification were they not alreadie mortified did he not say a little before that they were crucified and buried together with Christ Yes it is true but they that have mortified Sol. their earthly members must goe on and persevere in this mortification and that for three Reasons First because the very same sinne that hath been killed will live againe unlesse it be continually mortified for sinne is strong-hearted it is not every blow that will kill sinne stone-dead no no we may say of sinne as some say of Catts they have nine lives kill sinne once and it will revive againe kill it the second time and it will yet live kill it the third time it will yet have life unlesse it be continually mortified it will never be starke dead and therefore the workâ— must be continued as Christ said of his Disciples if you continue in my word then are you my Disciples indeed So if we goe on in mortification then verily are we Christs Disciples Secondly suppose the sinne mortified doe not rise againe yet if we goe not on in the way of mortification there will arise another sinne in the roome of it Sinne is like the Monster Hydra cut off one head and many will rise up in its roome Even so it is in the bodie of sinne therefore thou must dayly mortifie it or else it will grow again There is a History that speaks of a Fig-tree that grew in a stone wall and all meanes was used to kill it they cut off the branches and it grew againe they cut downe the bodie and it grew againe they cut it up by the root and still it lived and grew untill they pulled downe the stone wall Even so it is with sinne lopp off the branches it lives cut downe the body it will not die digg up the rootes and it will still revive and will never leave growing untill God pull downe the stone wall of this our earthly Tabernacle and lay it in the dust and therefore we must still be mortifying of it Thirdly because as we mortifie so we mortifie but in part as saith the Apostle in another case we know but in part c. so may we say of this dutie we mortifie but in part as we say of a man breathing out his last breath he is adying but not quite dead so we may say of sinne though it lie sprawling upon the ground yet it is not dead the last gaspe is not past Nay it may be sinne is more striving in the heart of a child of God converted then it was before conversion As an Oxe or an Asse when they have their deaths blow will lash and struggle more then then they did in all their life time before but this is nothing but the panges of death being giving up their last breath Hence it is that the Apostle saith that the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh Gal. 5. So that they could not doe what they would verse 17. as if he should say sinne is so mortified that it hath his deaths wound in thee else thou canst not be the child of God yea such a deaths wound as it cannot possible recover againe If a man that hath received his deâ—ths wound should send for all the Phisitians in the world and take all the Physick he could and use all the meanes under Heaven yet they can never recover him So when a man is converted unto God as soone as ever the worke is wrought in him sinne hath his deaths blow and although the Devill come as Physitian with all the Cordialls Julips and Balmes under Heaven and use all the shifts and devises in the world yet he shall never be able to recover it againe all will not doe why because it hath received its deaths blow it may be with his industrie and cost he may make the face of sinne looke fresh and faire for a time but it hath it deaths wound and it will downe at the last Now that we may know whether we Marks have mortified our sinnes or no let us observe these markes following First they that have mortifyed their sinnes live in the contrary graces Hence it is that the Psalmist saith that they worke no iniquitie but walke in thy pathes Psal 119. 3. First they crucifie all their sinnes they doe