Spirit of God and the Soule if the spirit be not united to the soule that is the first thing Secondly where the Spirit of God is as a consequent of the other there followes the faculties and acts of life the habituall presence of all the graces of the Spirit and the actuall exercise of them In these two consists the nature of this life These things premised I come to shew the necessary conjunction of this spirituall life that I have explained in the kind and nature of it with spirituall death If wee be dead with Christ wee beleeve that wee shall also live with him Which Hupotheticall proposition or supposition affords us this Catagoricall Position that Those that are dead with Christ shall live with him For when the Apostle saith If wee be dead with Christ we beleeve that wee shall also live with him This is supposed as much as if he had said in effect They that are dead with Christ shall live with him Or They that are dead to sinne shall live the life of grace Looke as it was with Christ so it is with the members of Christ as hee being dead rose againe and could not choose but rise againe As it is said Act. 2. the chaines of death Act. â— the cords of death could not hold him So it is with every member of Christ hee that is dead with Christ must needes live with Christ Death cannot hold him not death in sinne The Apostle affirmes as much in this Chapter verse 5. For as wee are planted into the likenesse of his death so wee shall be also into the likenesse of his resurrection If wee be planted with Christ into his death there is our death with Christ we shall be also in his Resurrection there is the conjunction and connexion of our life with Christ where the Apostle not only averres the truth of the former proposition but withall insinuates the reason of it those that are planted with Christ into the similitude of his death shall also into the similitude of his Resurrection Why because they are planted with Christ As a Plant that is grafted into a stocke it partakes of the whole vertue of the stocke so every member of Christ hee that by faith is grafted into Christ and made partaker of the vertue of Christs death to the mortification of sinne that man also is made partaker of the vertue of his Resurrection to the reviving and quickening of him to a new life of grace The ground of it is this First to whomsoever Christ communicates himselfe hee communicates himselfe wholly to whomso ever hee imparts the vertue of his death for the killing of sinne to him hee imparts the vertue of his Resurrection to revive and quicken him to a new life of grace If wee be planted with Christ into the similitude of his death wee shall be also into the similitude of his Resurrection because are planted with him Every plant partakes of the whole vertue of the roote and by consequent wee partake as well of the quickening vertue of Christ to raise us to the life of grace as of his crucifying vertue to kill sinne The second reason is from the insufficiencie of the one without the other If wee be dead with Christ we beleeve that wee shall also live with him Why because death with Christ is insufficient unlesse wee live with Christ Philosophie saith that nature doth nothing in vaine much lesse doth Christ the God of Nature Now as in Christ it was in vaine for him to die for us unlesse hee had risen againe so it is in vaine and ineffectuall for the members of Christ to die to sin if they be not quickened to the life of grace The reason is this that death to sinne indeed defaceth the Image of sinne but it doth not renew in us the Image of God Now it is the Image of God that makes us fit and capable of eternall life It is true the righteousnesse of Christ gives us title to eternall life but our owne inherent righteousnesse qualifies us and disposeth and makes us fit and capable of it for without holinesse no man shall see God Flesh and bloud shall not enter into the kingdome of God By mortifying of sinne wee cease to be sinners by mortifying of sinne wee have the Image of Satan defaced but the Image of God is not renewed in us therefore besides our death with Christ there is required our life with Christ that so besides the defacing of Satans Image wee may have the Image of God renewed that wee may be capable of eternall life and be qualified and disposed and made fit to partake of the inheritance with the Saints in light The third Argument is drawne from the opposition betweene the life of sinne and the life of grace Philosophy tells us that in those opposites that are immediatly opposite that is such opposites where one must of necessitie be in the subject if one be removed the other of necessitie followes the subject Health and sicknesse are immediate objects a man must either bee sicke or well Now that which removes sicknesse restores health that that expells darknesse out of the Ayre it brings light Now the life of sinne and grace are thus opposite that that takes away the life of sinne then it must of necessitie bring with it the life of grace If Christ mortifie sinne in us and take away the life and vigour of sinne Christ of necessitie must bring into the same subject the life of grace because these are immediate objects hee that takes away the one must bring in the other as that that takes away sicknesse brings in health This shall suffice for the proofe of the point I come to make use of it If wee be deed with Christ wee shall also live with him Vse Those that are dead with Christ to sinne as Christ died for sinne those shall live the life of grace If it bee so if there be such a necessary connexion betweene these two then it followes backe againe that those that doe not live with Christ those are not dead with Christ For looke as it is betweene Faith and good Workes if good workes be necessarily joyned with Faith then where there are no good workes there is no faith So thus it followes if spirituall life the life of grace bee necessarily joyned with death to sinne then where there is no life of grace there is no death to sinne According to that of Saint Chrysostome S. Chrysost saith hee it is true indeed faith without workes is dead so it is true on the otherside workes without faith is dead No man can performe good workes though hee may for substance yet not formaliter without Faith hee that hath not Faith hath not Workes If good Workes be necessarily joyned with Faith then where there are no good Workes there is no Faith so if our life with Christ bee necessarily joyned with death to sin then where there is no life with
surfeiting ibid. Many wayes of sufeiting 186 Treatise 4. SEeking things aboue enforced 196 1. In respect of God 197 2. In respect of our selves 204 Things above what 209 Why so called 211 Seeking What. 212 Propos Those that are risen with Christ must seeke the things above 213 Conditions requisite in seeking 3. 214 Meanes of seeking 218 Signes of seeking 223 Use Exhortation to seeking 226 FINIS THE GATE TO HAPPINESSE ROM 6.8 Now if we be dead with Christ we beleeve that we shall also live with him Scope of the words THe aime and scope of the Apostle in this place is by the occasion of an objection proposed verse 1. to shew the necessary coherence of sanctification with justification The objection is this If where sinne bath abounded grace doth much more abound which the Apostle S. Paul affirmes in the former Chapter treating of free justification by grace then saith the carnalist let us continue in sinne that grace may abound this is the objection To this the Apostle answers two wayes First by way of detestation Secondly by way of confutation By way of detestation in the beginning of the second verse God forbid farre be it from such gracious premises to make so dangerous and pestilent an inference What saith he shall we continue in sinne that grace way abound God forbid Secondly by way of confutation and that by a double argument answerable to the two parts of Sanctification Mortification and Vivification both of them pregnant and full of sinewes to enforce and presse the cause and conclusion in hand The first argument is thus such as are dead to sinne with Christ they cannot wilfully and wilingly live and continue in sinne but such as are justified from their sinnes by Christ they are dead to sinne with Christ therefore such as are justified by Christ they cannot live and continue in sinne The Minor proposition the Apostle proves First by the efficacie of baptisme vers 4. and 5. and by conformities Christ in his crucifying and sufferings verse 6. The second argument as a consequent and dependent upon the former is thus Those that are quickned by Christ to a new life of grace they cannot willingly and wilfully continue in sinne but those that are justified by Christ are quickned to a new life of grace they cannot therefore willingly and wilfully continue in sinne The Minor proposition the Apostle proves thus those that are dead with Christ are quickned to a new life of grace Such as are justified by Christ are dead with Christ therefore they are quickned to a new life with Christ and therefore they cannot continue in sinne The Major proposition is in the words of the Text Now if wee be dead with Christ wee beleeve that we shall also live with him You see the Logicke and argumentation of the Apostle which words being a proposition and argument hupotheticall observe in them two parts First an Antecedent according to the law of such propositions And then a Consequent Or more properky one thing supposed and another thing inferred First the thing supposed in the former part of the verse that wee are dead with Christ The other inferred in the latter part wee beleeve that we shall also live with him More particularly you may please to observe these foure parts First the method and order of the parts first we must be dead with Christ before we can live with him If wee be dead with Christ wee beleeve that wee shall also live with him Wee must first die with Christ before wee can live with him Secondly the inseparable connexion and conjunction and union of these two though the one goe before yet the other followes inseparably and unavoydably as Iacob tooke Esau by the heele In the latter part Now if we be dead with Christ we beleeve that we shall also live with him there is the conjunction of these two Thirdly the assurance of this connexion or conjunction If we be dead with Christ wee beleeve we shall live with him Fourthly and lastly the cause and ground as of the two former so of the latter both of our death with Christ and of our life with Christ it is Christ Christ is the cause of both If we be dead with Christ that is as Aquinas rightly interprets the place through or by the vertue of Christ Wee beleeve that wee shall also live with him or bee raised to the life or grace by the same vertue Thus you have the parts If wee be dead with Christ wee beleeve that we shall also live with him First of the order and method of the parts which is the first part or proposition Wee must first die with Christ before we can live with him To be dead with Christ what To be dead with Christ is in imitation or conformitie with Christ to be dead to sinne as Christ dyed for sinne So we are sayd to dye with Christ when we dye to sinne Now we are sayd to be dead to sinne when sinne is dead in us when the command and dominion of sinne is broken downe when the power and force of it is enfeebled when we doe what we can that sinne may not have any vigour or power or command no nor quiet being in us then sinne is sayd to be properly dead in us Now we must not conceive that as long as we live sinne will utterly and totally dye The reason is this it is a comparison of St. Basil saith hee it is with sinne S. Basil and with the corruption of nature as it is with the Ivie and the wall Simile when the Ivie is fastned and incor porated into the wall a man may cut the boughes and branches but hee can never roote it out except hee pull downe the wall As Ivie is to the wall so is sin and corruption to our nature it is so scrued and got into our nature that so long as we live so long as this house of clay stands wee cannot utterly roote it out wee may mortifie and kill it in some measure but when this house of clay shall be demolished and dissolved then sinne shall be utterly extinguished I say then we must not conceive sinne to be so dead as that it hath utterly no life in it but it is sayd to be dead in a double respect First it is dead Civilly Secondly it is dead Naturally It is a rule among Civillians he that it a servant is halfe a dead man The reason is because hee is no longer at his owne command but what he is he is that he is as hee is inspired and animated by the command of his master So sinne is said to bee dead because it is made a servant it is forced to undergoe the yoake to be subject to the Spirit of grace therefore it is sayd to bee dead civilly Secondly it is sayd to bee dead naturally too the reason is this because howsoever there bee some life left in it yet it hath its deaths wound that wil
cause it to die at the last In the meane while it is in the wane and languisheth away so that as a man that hath received a mortall wound he is a dead man the reason is because that wound will bring death at the last So we may say though sinne have some life in it yet it is dead naturally too the reason is this because by the death of Christ it hath received its deaths blow that it will never recover and so at the last it will altogether die As sinne is thus sayd to bee dead in us so we are sayd to be dead to sinne in a threefold respect You know death is nothing but the separation of the soule from the body the separation of that that is the principle of life Now looke what the soule is to the body the same is sinne in a sort in a naturall unregenerate man hee lives not so much by his soule as by his sinne his sinne is the life of his life it is that that enacts and enlivens and animates him therefore it is called the body of sinne why because sinne is in an unregenerate mans body as the soule is in the body it gives life to it A naturall man esteemes sinne as his soule and life so the members of his body are called the members of sinne the reason is because looke as in nature the members exercise their functions by the influence and vertue of the soule so an unregenerate man in the corrupt estate of depraved nature such a man his members worke as they are inabled and commanded by sinne that dwells in him Secondly we are sayd to be dead to sinne in respect of those antecedent convulsions and pangs that goe before death Ordinarily there is no death without pangs and convulsions Now as it is in naturall death so it is in this there is no part of crucifying and mortifying of sinne without paine and dolour therefore it is justly called death the mortifying of sinne wee are said to be dead to sinne when we mortifie sinne because it is with so much paine with convulsions and anguish So saith Peter Martyr The parting of a naturall man the foregoing of his sin it is not without much torment and anguish so in that respect it is said to be a death in regard of those convulsions and pangs that usually are the forerunners and harbingers of death Thirdly wee are dead to sinne in another respect for as a dead servant is no longer at the command of his Master let him command what hee will hee heares him not hee doth nothing So it is with a man that is dead to sin let sin command what it will he heares not hee listens not to the suggestions he practiseth not the commands of sinne he is as a dead man to sinne As a dead man performes not the offices of the living a dead servant doth not obey the commands of his master so it is with a man that is dead to sinne Let this be sufficient to be spoken for the meaning of that phrase If we be dead to sinne that is as Christ dyed for sinne Secondly saith the Apostle If wee be dead with Christ we beleeve that we shall also live with him There is a twofold life Naturall Spirituall The naturall life is not here meant but the spirituall life that is principally the life of grace and consequently the life of glory The reason is this because the life of grace glory be not two lives but one and the selfe same life they differ onely in degrees Looke as the life of the child in the wombe is the same life that the child enjoyes when it comes to bee borne and brought to light in the world so the life of a Christian in this world it is in a manner the same that he lives in heaven onely I say it differs in degrees For looke as grace is nothing but glory begun so glory is nothing but grace consummate But if he meane the life of grace Quest why doth the Apostle say shall live If we be borne with Christ we shall live with him I answer briefly for two reasons Answ First 1. to denote the time when wee shall enjoy this life perfectly that shall be hereafter When this naturall life shall have an end then wee shall enjoy that spirituall life perfectly therefore the Apostle reflects on that life respectively to that time and saith wee shall live the life of grace because then wee shall enjoy this life perfectly whereas here we have it but in some measure and degree with interruption Secondly it is sayd in the future we shall live to affirme the perpetuity of this life this life is not like the life of nature a fading and perishing life of its owne nature It is the observation of Tolet the Iesuite upon the place saith hee though the Apostle meane the life of grace as we see by the 11. Verse yet hee useth the future tense to shew that this life is a perpetuall life and such a life as hath no date nor period I say it is in the future tense to signifie that the life of grace once begunne it never hath date Well the words being cleared I come to speake of the first thing proposed the order and method of the Apostle in these words If we be dead with Christ wee beleeve that wee shall also live with him Wee must first die with Christ if wee will live with him For looke as it was with Christ Propos 1. We must first die with Christ if we will live with him so it shall bee with every member of Christ Christ first dyed before hee was raised to life hee was first brought low and humbled before he was exalted before he had his glory As it was with Christ so it must bee with every member of Christ hee must first die before he can live he must first have his Good Friday before hee have his Easter day hee must first die to sinne before he can live to God It is otherwise in the life of nature then it is in the life of grace there a man must live before he die but here hee must die before he can live Ephe. 4.22.24 So saith S. Paul Ephes 4.22.24 Put off concerning your conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceiveable lusts look in Ver. 24. saith he put on the new man which after God is created in holinesse and righteousnesse Then the Apostle here compares the life of grace to a new garment before wee can put on the white and pure Stole of Christs righteousnssse we must first put off the filthy ragges of our owne corruption put off concerning your conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceivable lusts Eph. 5.8 So in Ephes 5 8. The life of grace is compared â—o light the life of sinne is compared to darkenesse you know before the Medium be enlightned the darknesse must be dispelled First
a good testimony of a mortified man Fourthly consider the Equitie of it Christ died for sinne that wee might die to sinnes I Pet. 2.24 who his owne selfe bare our sinne in his owne body on the tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. that we being dead to sinne should live unto righteousnesse What did Christ lay downe his life for our lusts and shall not wee lay downe our lusts for Christ did Christ die for our sinnes and shall not we for Christ die to our sinnes Fiftly consider our sins are Traytors and rebels against heaven Well saith Tertullian in his Apologie for the Christians in his second Chapter Tertul. Apol. cap. 2. against Traytors and such as are common enemies every man must be a common Souldier Now our sinnes are Traytors against heaven we cannot better expresse our loyaltie and alleagance to our great Master God then to kill and put to death there rebels it is a most acceptable sacrifice to God Sixtly and lastly consider the example of other men we see what care men take and what paine they will undergoe not for the avoyding but for the putting off a naturall a temporall death for a while Men for the preserving of this temporall life they are content not onely to take harsh Physick but to indure launcing and searing and cutting off the parts a leg or an arme c. so to preserve naturall life if they doe so for preserving of this naturall life Oh what should wee doe for the gaining of eternall life It is true Christ compares lusts to eyes and hands and feete it is true they are eyes but such as when they are pulled out wee may see well enough They are hands but such hands as when they are cut off wee may still doe what wee have to doe without them Now shall a man for the preserving of his temporall life indure a member to be cut off shall not we cut off our superfluous lusts for the gaining of eternal life shal they not for the avoyding but for the respiting of death indure this pain S. Aug. Epist 45. and shal not we for the avoyding of eternall death S. Austin presseth this excellent well in his Epist 45. They doe this not as if there were any hope to put off death quite but only to adjourne and put it off for the present if they do this for the respite of death what should we do for the avoiding of eternal death saith he They undergoe many certaine torments perhaps that they may have hope but of a few uncertaine dayes what do they thus for a temporal life shal not we much more for the procuring of an eternal life Do they so much for the adjourning of a temporall death and shall not wee for the avoyding a perpetuall and eternall death If these arguments perswade us not none can so much for the fourth point the Motives to this death to sin Fiftly if we must die with Christ before we can live with him S. Ierome then as Saint Ierome somewhere hath it It is not so easie a thing as some happily conceive it to hee a Christian It was Iulians scoffe of Constantine Iulian. and in him of all Christians To be a Christian there is no more required but to wash themselves with a little water that is to bee baptised and how great soever their sinnes were before this cleanseth them saith Iulian or if it chance that a man fall into the same sinnes againe saith Iulian It is no more for these Christians but to beat their breasts and to smite their heads and all is well againe in the conclusion of his Caesars But the best is it matters not greatly what Iulian saith it concerned him to speake evill of that faith he was fallen away from if he had spoken well of it hee had spoken against himselfe But he that knew better then Iulian saith Mat. 7.14 straite is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life Math. 7.14 The way to heaven is straite he that will enter in this way must strippe and divest himselfe of his old lusts The way of Christianitie is a narrow way nay that is not all it is a way full of paine and pressures to the flesh as Cameraritus interprets that place Narrow is the way and full of paine to the flesh He that walkes this way must resolve to meet with difficulties hee must take out lessons that are harsh to flesh and blond to mortifie nay to crucifie the flesh Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Every death is not sufficient to expresse the paine hee must undergoe but crucifying only the death that Christ died that was both a lingring and painfull death Thus every man that will live with Christ must first crucifie his sinfull lusts and affections Which notwithstanding I speake not to deterre or discourage any from entring into the way of Christianitie or having entred for going on in the same way No God-forbid that I should like the ten spies that Moses sent to spie out the land of Canaan bring an ill report upon the wayes of godlinesse but to informe us and arme us Hee that is to travaile into a farre Countrey on which his life and livelihood depends and should meet with a friend that should tell him the way were deepe and troublesome and that there were such difficulties did stand in the way hee would easily perceive that hee did tell him this not to discourage and dishearten him because hee is his friend nor to stay his journey because hee knowes it is upon his life his life lies on it but to arme and prepare him before hand that when he should meet with the difficulties hee might the better encounter them and goe over them I apply it thus Heaven is our countrey we all pretend wee are Pilgrims travelling to heaven the way that leads to heaven is this narrow way our death with Christ the necessitie of walking this way appears in Math. 7.14 This way 7.114 and only this leades to life it it the straite gaâ—â— and the narrow way that leads to life Now when wee tell you of Lyons and Beares in the way the difficulties and incombrances that you shall meet with it is not to discourage you but to arme and provide you It is not to dishearten you you must needs goe your life lies upon it but to arme and prepare you that when you meet with these difficulties you may be the better provided to encounter them It is good saith the Proverbe to know the worst of things before hand lest otherwise after wee have walked in the way we meet with incombrances and dreaming of nothing but delicacies our hearts faile us as the hearts of the Israelites in the report of the tenne spies Like the foolish builder in Luke 4. that was not able to goe on with his building Luke 4. because hee did not sit downe first and
reckon what it would cost him Sixtly and lastly if wee must first die with Christ before we can live with him it serves for direction to teach us what order and methode to take to come to live with Christ He that will live with Christ must be sure to begin at the right end to die with Christ first he that will performe holy duties gracious actions that man must labour to crucifie and mortifie sinfull affections Sinfull affections are like weedes the Husbandman that desires his corne should thrive and live hee labours first to kill the weedes I say sinfull affections in the soule are like weedes in the ground or soyle if wee desire that grace should thrive and to performe gracious duties with content to our selves and to God we must labour to kill our lusts When wee find in our selves an unaptnesse and an indisposition to the performance of gracious duties suppose it bee to prayer to humble our selves before God to heare the word of God c. let us then reflect on our selves and see what sinfull lusts there have gotten strength and labour to abate the power of that and then certainly wee shall live with Christ wee shall bee enabled to performe holy duties So saith the Apostle in the second place If me bee dead with Christ wee beleeve that wee shall also live with him Which is the second thing I proposed in the beginning The connexion and conjunction of these two If wee bee dead with Christ wee shall also live with him Where first give me leave to remember you of what I formerly delivered in the unfolding of these words that the life that the Apostle here meanes when he saith If wee bee dead with Christ wee shall also live with him it is the same that in verse 4. hee calls Newnesse of life Therefore wee are buried with him by baptisme into death that as Christ was raised by the glory of the Father so wee should walke in newnesse of life I say the Apostle meanes here the life of Grace which in verse 4. hee calls newnesse of life And in verse 11. hee calls it living to God Likewise reckon yee your selves dead to sinne but alive to God Though secondarily and by consequent I deny not but that the Apostle meanes living with God in life eternall And the reason is as I shewed before that the difference of the life of grace and the life of glory it is not in Nature but in degrees Grace is Glory begun and glory is nothing but grace perfected As the childe in the wombe hath the same life that it enjoyes in the world only then it is in a further degree so the life that a Christian enjoyes in this world it is the same life in nature though it differ in degrees from that hee enjoyes in heaven The Apostle useth the future tense If we bee dead with Christ wee believe that wee shall live with him for these three reasons First to shew the order and Methode betweene this life and the former death because this life in nature though not in time is after our death with Christ As it is in nature the introducing of habites in nature is after the expelling of privations as the enlightning of the ayre in nature is after the dispelling of darknesse Secondly the Apostle useth the future tense because though the life of Grace bee here begunne yet it is not consumate till afterward in which respect the Apostle saith Wee beleeve that wee shall live with him Hee makes this life in respect of the complement and consummation an act of faith according to that in the Creeds I beleeve the life everlasting Thirdly because the life of grace doth not fade as the naturall life perrisheth but it is an induring life As Christ being once raised he died no more verse 9. so every member of Christ he that is once quickned and raised with Christ from sinne hee dieth no more so saith Christ Ioh. 5.24 hee that beleeveth hath eternall life What hath every one that beleeveth life eternall Yes every one that beleeveth hath life eternall in hope and in the beginning of grace because hee hath that life for the present that doth not fade and perish but endure to eternitie Verily I say unto you hee that heareth my word and beleeveth in him that sent mee hath eternall life and shall not come into condemnation which expresseth the former Now what this life of grace is this spirituall life will appeare by comparing it with spirituall death It is the propertie of opposites being set together as to impugne and sight against the nature one of another so to discover the nature one of another Now spirituall death as 〈◊〉 Naturall includes two things First a separation from the fountaine and principle of life And as a consequent of that a privation of the faculties and acts of life Looke what the soule is to the body the same is the Spirit of Christ to the Soule it is that that enlivens and quickens it so saith Christ Joh. 6.63 Ioh. 6.63 It is the Spirit that quickens Now looke as upon the parting of the soule from the body the body dies so upon the separation of the Spirit of God from the soule the soule dies So it was in Adam when by eating the forbidden fruit hee had cut off and separated himselfe from the fountaine and principle of life he died spiritually I say as when the Soule that enlivens and quickens the body when that is separated the body dies so the Spirit of Christ that enlivens and quickens the soule when that is separated from the soule the soule dies Secondly looke as upon the separation of the soule from the body there follows a deprivation of the faculties and acts of life so upon the separation of the Spirit of God from the Soule there followes a deprivation of the habits and acts of grace The gifts and habits of grace are as the faculties the acts and operations of grace are as the acts of those faculties and as upon the separation of the soule from the body there followes a deprivation of the faculties and acts of life so upon the separation of the Spirit of Christ from the Soule there followes a deprivation of the habites and acts of grace If it be so then spirituall life includes two things First the having of the Spring and fountaine of life the Spirit of God and an union of it to the soule Secondly the having the habites and acts of this spirituall life First the having of the principle of spirituall life the having the Spirit of God in our soules for it is not sufficient that there be a quickening Spirit unlesse it bee united to us For looke as when a man dies Simile the soule of a man and the body of a man continue still but there is no life because the soule is not united to the body so I say there may be a spirituall death though there bee the
Philip Joh. 1.44 but presently Philip calls Nathaniel No sooner had Christ by his Word begotten spirituall life in Philip but Philip indeavours to beget the same in Nathaniel This is the difference betweene a live and a dead coale a live coale can beget life in another coale and kindle the same fire in another but a dead coale cannot That man that hath spirituall life in him hee will improve all opportunities and occasions that are offered to beget others to a spirituall life The ground of it is hee findes a sweetnesse and a goodnesse in spirituall life and that is the reason out of love to his brethren and an indeavour to glorifie God he desires to beget others to this spirituall life This is the first use The Characters by which we may know whether wee have this life or no. Secondly if such as be dead with Christ shall live with him This should be an argument to perswade us to labour for death with Christ Can any prize be propounded better to a man then life what will not a man doe for life S. Austin in his 45. Epistle saith hee Wee see men indure death almost for life for the enjoying of it for a little while Shall men doe so for a naturall life shall not wee much more for a spirituall life If these bee necessarily joyned if he that is dead with Christ shall certainly live with him then this should bee an argument to perswade us to die with Christ that we may come to live with him And this the rather because by dying with Christ wee shall enjoy not onely a fading perishing naturall life but A Spirituall Eternall Life First a spirituall life in Ephes 1.4 it is called the life of God Ephes 1.14 because it resembleth the life of God Now that which is spirituall is more excellent than that which is naturall and corporall The ground of it is this because the nearer a thing approacheth to that which is more excellent the more excellent that must be Now the life spirituall as it approaches more neare to the life of God the more excellent it must needes bee it must needs bee more excellent then the naturall life that is the first reason By dying with Christ we shall live with Christ not onely a naturall but a spirituall life such a life as approacheth nearer to God then the life of nature Secondly we shall enjoy a life not fading and momentary but an eternall life for as I sayd the difference betweene the life of grace and glory is not in the nature but in the degrees in whomsoever there is a sparke of true grace begun it will certainly hold out till it grow to a flame of immortality if like the fire upon the Altar it bee nourished with fuell so that a man that is once dead with Christ he shall not live onely a spirituall life for a while but an eternall life in this world and in the world to come and both these should be arguments to stirre us up to labour for this death with Christ because wee shall live with him not onely a spirituall life but such a spirituall life as is eternall So much for the second proposition Now I addresse my selfe to the third If we be dead with Christ we beleeve that we shall also live with him We beleeve Or we are perswaded or wee are assured saith Cardinall Caietane upon this place wee are undoubtedly assured The word in this place is a word of affiance and confidence As if he had sayd in more words thus not onely the thing is sure and certaine in it selfe that they that are dead with Christ shall live with him for so many things are sure and certaine in themselves and yet wee may remaine uncertaine of them The reason is because the assurance of them proceedes not so much from the certainty of the thing as from our apprehending and knowing that certainty It is not a thing onely sure in it selfe but it is a thing whereof they themselves are sure and certaine If we be dead with Christ we beleeve we are perswaded or assured that we shall live with Christ Which being so the conclusion is That the knowledge of a mans owne mortification doth scale up to a mans soule and conscience the assurance of his salvation Or thus They that are dead with Christ may beleeve or rest assured that they shall also live with him Not onely with the life of grace although as I heretofore proved from the scope and drift of the Apostle in this place this life the Apostle principally intends for this they actually doe they that are dead with Christ actually for the present live to God vers 11. but they shall live also the other life of glory they that art dead with Christ may be assured that they shall live with the life of glory not onely of grace here but of glory hereafter Where first that you may not mistake or misconsture me observe I doe not say that he that is dead with Christ or mortified is presently assured that hee shall live with Christ The reason is because a man may be mortified and yet not know that hee is mortified at some time Now our assurance springs not so much from our mortification as from the assurance and knowledge of our mortification In which respect it is ordinary for those that are babes in Christ and young beginners to make doubt and question of their title to heaven as the aged also in Christ sometimes may doe The reason is because though they be mortified in part yet because grace is weake it is almost undicernable in respect of the infinite masse of corruption In which respect it is with them as it is with the Marriners needle which though it be truly touched yet it takes not the North point at the first Simile but it first shakes and trembles and then is fixed So a man that is regenerate and mortified presently as soone as he is regenerate he is not assured of salvation but first shakes and trembles there is a kinde of spirituall palsey a trepedation in the soule The reason is not because of mortification it proceeds not from the nature of it but because mortification is weak therefore he cannot have great assurance for assurance comes from the long continuance and experience of the power and practise of mortification And as it is in young beginners in respect of the weakenesse of grace so it may be in a growne man in Christ in respect of the strength of temptation He that hath beene assured of his salvation by the evidence of his owne conscience and Gods Spirit that he hath the beginnings in truth and sinceritie of mortifiation yet he may have his assurance interrupted there may be a kinde of interposition he may loose it in respect of the present sense and apprehension of assurance Iust as it is with the Sunne Simile so long as the Sunne is continued so long there is
no other comfort yet then our conscience will witnesse comfortably that notwithstanding wee die yet wee shall come where wee shall live for ever Oh then as the Apostle saith let us give all diligenec to make our calling and election sure It is a matter of paines it is not easily gotten but it will abundantly recompence the paines If wee looke and finde our sinfull lusts mortified in part let not that satisfie us let us not rest there but goe further and proceed in the worke of mortification for looke as our mortification is so is our assurance the weaker our mortification is the weaker our assurance of salvation the stronger our mortification the better assurance wee have of salvation Vse 3 Thirdly if they that are dead with Christ may rest assured that they shall live with him then by the rule of contraries they that are not dead with Christ cannot assure themselves that they shall live with him If only he can be assured of salvation in whō sinfull lusts are mortified then hee in whom they are not mortified that man cannot bee assured of salvation Indeed hee may have a kinde of a wilde hope a presumptuous confidence but it is such as will faile him in the time of need Like to your Winter brookes or land-floods In the time of Winter when a man hath no use of water they flow abundantly but in Summer in the time of drought when men have need they are gone they are not to bee had So that assurance that a man hath as long as hee goes on in the practice of his sinfull lusts it is a wild deceitfull presumption such an assurance as will doe him no good when hee comes to need it I have read it was the manner of tryall that was used when there was a controversie of land whether it belonged to Ireland or to England they did take Snakes and Toades and poysonous Serpents and put there and if they lived there they concluded it belonged to England if they died they judged it belonged to Ireland the reason was because no venemous thing will live there I apply it thus sinfull lusts are like Snakes and Toades and venemous creatures looke what soule they live in if they live in a mans soule it is an argument that hee belongs not to heaven and wee know what place he belongs to then onely to hell if it dye in us we may assure our selves that wee belong to heaven Hee in whom sinne lives and his lusts continue unmortified that man cannot assure himselfe of salvation The reason is because all assurance comes from the promise of God God hath made no promise to men that continue and goe on in the service and obedience of their sinfull lusts hee threatens nothing but death and destruction to such If yee live after the flesh yee shall dye Rom. 8.13 Rom. 8.13 This shall suffice to have spoken of the third point the certainty of this connexion If we be dead with Christ we beleeve that we shall also live with him Mortification seales up to a mans soule and conscience the assurance of salvation for they that are dead with Christ may rest assured and perswaded that they shall live with him I come to the fourth and last point The cause and ground of this death to sinne and this life to grace which is Christ If wee be dead with Christ we beleeve that we shall also live with him If we be dead with Christ that is if we be dead by the vertue and power of Christ then wee beleeve that wee shall also live by vertue and power of the same Christ The conclusion is this that As our death to sinne so our life to grace they both proceede from Christ If we be dead with Christ saith the Apostle that is if wee be dead by the vertue and power of Christ if sinne be dead in us then wee beleeve that wee shall also live with Christ the life of grace here and of glory hereafter by the power and vertue of the same Christ I say the point on which I shall insist is this that as our death to sinne so the life of Grace they both proceede from Christ Christ is the author and the producer of both So saith Saint Paul in Gal. 2.20 saith the Apostle Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ yet notwithstanding I live yet not I but Christ liveth in mee and the life that I live in the flesh is by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himselfe for me Looke what the Apostle Paul speakes of himselfe the same may every Christian in whom sinne is dead and mortified and the life of grace wrought speake of himselfe saith the Apostle I am crucified with Christ that is sin is crucified in me sinfull lusts are crucified and mortified in me by the vertue of Christ so saith he I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me I live by the faith of the Son of God As I am crucified to sinne by Christ so I live by the vertue of Christ Phil. 3.8 9 10 So in Phillip 3.8 9 10. He desires so earnestly to be found in Christ that he contemned and undervalued all things but this that he might be found in Christ saith he I account all losse for the excellent knowledge of Christ for whom I suffer the losse of all things nay I account them not onely losse but dung that I may winne Christ and be found in him we see in verse 10. the reason that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffeings being made conformable to his death The reason why the Apostle desired to be found in Christ and why in comparison of this he accounted all things as drosse it was because he might bee made partaker of Christs death What is the fellowship of Christs death but to bee partaker of the Spirit of Christ that raised him from the dead that by the same Spirit of Christ hee might bee raysed from the death of sinne to the life of grace The reason of it is this because as our death to sinne so our life to grace are both the worke of grace from whom can wee expect the worke of grace but from him in whom is the fulnesse of grace so saith Saint Iohn Ioh 1.14 The Word was made flesh that is Christ and dwelt among us Ioh. 1.14 and wee saw his glory as the glory of the onely begotten Sonne of God full of grace and truth Our death to sin and our life to Christ are both the effects of Gods grace Now from whom can we have the effects of Gods grace but from him in whom alone is the fulnesse of grace The word was made manifest among us in whom is the fulnesse of truth and grace Look as it is in the naturall body so it is in the misticall body as in the naturall body all the naturall motion proceeds from the head and from the
Christ there is no death to sinne You will say how shall wee know that we are alive with Christ and dead to sin I answer you shall know it by three Characters First that which is the cause of spirituall life as that which is the cause of naturall life is union with that which is the principle and fountaine of life Now the fountaine of life is Christ 1 Joh. 5.12 so saith the Apostle in 1 Ioh. 5.12 He that hath the Sonne hath life hee that hath not the Sonne hath not life Now what is it that unites us to Christ It is faith that knits us to Christ so saith the Apostle Gal. 2.20 Gal. 2.20 The life that I live is by faith in the Son of God Looke as the cause of the naturall life 〈◊〉 the union to the principle of naturall life so the cause of spirituall life is union to that which is the principle of spirituall life Now the cause and fountaine of spirituall life is Christ so saith the Apostle in this chapter verse 11. Rom 6.11 Likewise reckon yee your selves dead to sinne but alive to God through Iesus Christ our Lord. It is through Christ that wee are alive to God Now I say that that knits and unites us to the fountaine of spirituall life it is Faith Hee then that hath Faith that man is alive to God but hee that hath no faith that man is dead in sinne that is the first character by which wee may know whether we be alive with Christ or no if we have this spirituall life Secondly we may know it if wee have the exercises of this spirituall life Every thing delights to operate and exercise answerable to its life where there is a naturall life there is a delight in actions that are naturall where there is a sinfull life there is a delight in actions that are sinfull Take a man that sinne lives and reignes in it is life to such a man to serve sinne to performe and satisfie his sinfull lusts so where there is delight in performing spirituall duties it is an undoubted argument that that man hath spirituall life in him Take a man that delights in prayer in hearing the Word in contemplating and meditating of Gods goodnesse towards him and in other spirituall duties this is an argument that that man hath spirituall life because he delights in spirituall actions The ground of it is this all delight proceeds from similitude and conformity wee delight in things that are like us Now when a man is spirituall there is some likenesse betweene him and spirituall actions and so hee delights in them Take a carnall naturall man he delights not in spirituall duties it is death to him to doe that which is good when he comes to betake himselfe to prayer to performe religious duties to sanctifie the Lords day to keepe a watch over himselfe to checke his sinfull lusts it is death to a naturall man Why hee hath no delight in spirituall actions because hee hath nothing in him that is spirituall all delight proceeds from likenesse and similitude that is the second Character that wee have this spirituall life if we delight in spirituall actions Thirdly and lastly another Argument of spirituall life is if we have the properties of life and they are three as Philosophers say The first is nourishment The second is augmentation The third is generation or production of the like So answerable wheresoever there is spirituall life in some proportion there is all these three First there is nourishment As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word ◠Pet. 2.2 Where there is a new life ◠Pet. 2.2 there is a desire of the sincere milke of the Word Take a man that is a dead man hee desires no meate Why there is no life in him Now looke as a man that lives a naturall life hee desires naturall food so hee that is spirituall hee that lives a spirituall life hee hungers and thirsts after the word As where there is the life of sinne in a man that man desires after all things that may fill and increase and preserve that life in him so in spirituall life there is a desire after the spirituall food of the Word to preserve this life The ground of it is this God never gives any grace to a man but hee gives a man a care and indeavour to preserve that grace God never gives a man spirituall life but he gives withall a desire to preserve that life Now how can a man preserve it How should a man preserve life but by food by diligent repayring to the places where the spirituall food or his soule is provided It is with this spirituall life as it was with the fire on the Altar Simile The fire on the Altar though it came from heaven yet when it was kindled they were bound to preserve it by ordinary meanes to put fuell to it so when God hath kindled that spirituall life wee must not turne off all the care on God let God take care for the life hee hath wrought in us but God will give a desire to a man to keepe that fire to put continuall fuell to it to preserve and nourish it That is the first propertie of life to looke for nourishment God never gives a man grace but he workes in that man a desire and indeavour to preserve it The second propertie is Augmentation and growth and proceeding from one degree of grace to another when wee find our selves more strong to performe the duties that are spirituall when wee find sinne more weakened This spirituall growth in grace is a propertie of this spirituall life If divers Plants bee planted if wee see some of them grow and others doe not wee conclude this is dead why it growes not As it is in nature so it is in this spirituall life where there is no growth there is no life Every thing that lives hath the property of life it hath the facultie of growing Which I would notwithstanding have to be understood not but that this life may admit of a Winter there may bee an increase and decrease but yet there is a continuall strayning after perfection Though sometimes the streame may be so strong that it may carry them downe yet they bend their strength against the streame they labour to grow up more and more That is the second propertie of life augmentation where there is spirituall life there is growth The third is Generation where there is life there is a facultie and power to beget As in a coale a live coale will kindle a dead one a dead coale cannot kindle another there is no heat in it So it is in this spirituall life where it is there is a desire to beget others as Christ saith When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren When thou hast spirituall life begotten in thee labour to beget it in others Wee see it exemplified in Ioh. 1.44 no sooner had Christ called
4. To thinke of the day of judgement is that which Christ adviseth his Disciples here alway to thinke with our selves to be frequent in the meditation of this day of the last day either of death or judgement let us thinke with our selves then which meditation nothing is more powerfull to weane our thoughts and affections from the things below a day will come when all shall bee drawne before the dreadfull Tribunall of God we know not our selves in particular how soone Now thinke with our selves What if that day should come What if I should die being overcharged with surfeiting or drunkennesse or the cares of this life with what face or forehead should I appeare before God being overburdened with these things and being earthly and sensuall That is the fourth Rule to be frequent in the meditation of the last day this will take away the edge of our immoderate desires of the things below This shall suffice to bee spoken of the first part the caution from the first word Take heed I come to the second part the persons to whom Christ gives this charge to take heed Take heed to your selves But who are they that Christ gives this charge Quest to take heed to themselves I answer Answ first immediatly to the Disciples but in them and from them to us also Well first immediatly to his Disciples but who were those Disciples They were those whom hee had chosen out of all mankind to preach and publish his Gospell to the world yea they were they who already had preached the Gospell through Iudea they were those that Christ chose in his pilgrimage upon earth to bee his especiall followers and retinue those that hee endowed with especiall priviledges and prerogatiues those that had beene partakers of his gracious Sermons he labours to weane the hearts of them from surfeiting and drunkennesse and the cares of this life Nay that which is more then any Sermon they were eye-witnesses of his life that was free from drunkennesse or surfeiting or the cares of this life these were they to whom Christ gives the charge to take heed to themselves Well the conclusion is that The best men Conclus 2. The best men have need to bee admonished to take heed of surfetting those that are most eminent for knowledge and pletie those that have the greatest priviledges and prerogatives even the Disciples of Christ have need to be admonished to take heed lest their hearts bee overcharged with surfeiting and drunkennesse and the cares of this life You see whom the persons are that Christ gives this charge unto to his Disciples I say the best men those that are most eminent for gifts and have the greatest priviledges and prerogatives even the Disciples of Christ have need to bee admonished lest their hearts bee overpressed with surfetting c. There is no man saith S. Austin August that can be secure in this life which is but one continuall temptation Wee can never bee secure as long as wee live in that estate wherein of worse wee may be better and of better we may be worse So farre as we may goe up the streame if wee use care and plie the oare so farre we may goe downe the streame if we slacke our care Reas 1 Now the reason why the best want admonition is Because they are but men because though they bee the best men though they bee never so eminent for gifts or graces though they be endowed with never so many prerogatives still they are but men Lot hee that preserved himselfe in Sodome unspotted and unstained in the middest of an impure generation yet in the mount hee was twice shamefully overcome with drunkennesse Reas 2 Secondly Satan envies them most the best men have need to bee admonished to take heed because the best men are in the greatest danger not in respect of themselves but in respect of their enemies the reason is because Satan desireth more covetingly and more thirstingly to overthrow them then others Now the more danger they are in the more need of caution they have Simon Simon Satan hath desired to winnow thee saith Christ to Peter Luke 22. Luk. 12. Nay that is not all Satan hath earnestly thirstingly covetingly desired to winnow thee that is the meaning of the Word hee saith not Simon Satan hath desired to minnow thee but Sathan hath earnestly desired to winnow thee Satan indeede desires to winnow all but for Peter and such as are like him hee desires earnestly to winnow them As Pirates that set with the greatest fury upon the shippe that is richest laden so doth Sathan on such Now the greater the danger is that they are in the more neede they have to bee admonished to take heede Reas 3 Thirdly Because their fall makes others fall and lastly not in respect of themselves onely but in respect of others they have neede to take heed because if they fall others fall they hurt others as much by the scandall as they hurt themselves by the sinne Other mens sinnes hurt the persons that commit them but the sinnes of great and eminent men they are Plague fores that infect others So Saint Paul Gal. 2.4 Gal. 2.14 saith he to Peter when hee temporized and played the Iew Why dost thou compell the Gentiles to play the hipocrites why how did Peter compell the Gentiles to play the Iews saith Saint Austin in his 11. Epistle S. Aug. Epist 11. not by any thing he preached to them tending to that purpose but by his example the very example of such a man as Peter so eminent it offers a kinde of violence to the witnesses of it it compells them to imitation Therefore in this respect they have neede to be admonished to take heede that they doe not fall into these sinnes because if their hearts bee overcharged with them it hurts others their sinnes are Plague sores You see the truth of the Doctrine To come to make some use of that that hath beene spoken Use The best men fraile If the best men have neede to bee admonished then the best men may here be admonished of their frailtie of their weake condition even the best men that are those that have made the happiest profession of pietie and grace those that are indued with the greatest priviledges as long as they are here they are but as little children that their joynts are not confirmed and knit Simile that being left to themselves wee call upon them ever and anon to take heede that they fall not 1 Cor. 10 12. 1. Cor. 10.12 saith the Apostle Let him that stands take heede lest he falâ— Who were those to whom the Apostle gives this caution To them that were rich in all knowledge that were destitate of no gift 1 Cor. 1.12 Marke 1 Cor. 1.22 they were rich in all speech and knowledge and destitute of no gift and yet these that stand have neede to bee admonished to
take heede lest they fall Vse 2 Secondly Why the best should suffer admonition if the best men have neede of admonition then it should teach the best men to suffer with patience the words of admonition out of conscience of their neede That is the reason why many men take with such impatience the words of admonition because they are strangers to themselves they know not their owne weakenesse they thinke they have no neede of admonition And that is the reason they returne hatred for good will when they are admonished to reproach and revile them that admonish them Saith the wise man Pro. 9 8. Prov. 9.8 Rebuke not a scorner least he hate thee but rebuke a wise man and he will love thee Why would hee not have a man rebuke a scorner every scorner is a proud man he knowes not himselfe hee is a foole Now every foole is a stranger to himselfe hee knowes not himselfe and his owne weakenesse if a man reproove such a one he cannot expect but to bee hated Hee thinkes hee goes not about to heale him but to make him sore But faith hee reproove a wise man and hee will love thee why hee is a wise man hee knowes his owne weakenesse for that is a speciall point of wisedome hee knowes how apt hee is to offend how prone to be secure therefore he thanks a man he takes it kindly out of conscience of his owne weakenesse when hee is admonished it comes as oyle to a wound as a fomentation to open the sore that the admonition may enter and have its due effect so it followes in the ninth verse there admonish a wise man and he will be wiser Vse 3 Thirdly if the best men have neede of admonition then those of us that thinke our selves to have made the greatest proficiencie in goodnesse let us know and demeane our selves as those that are sicke that neede Physick not onely courteously and thankefully to accept of the remedy when it is tendred casually but to consult with the Physitian and Apothecarie where it is to bee had So let us not onely accept of admonition when it is tendred but repaire to the places where we may be admonished Let us diligently reade the word of God that God hath left though not for that end onely as Bellarmine falsly but yet for that end too to admonish and to teach us to take heede of these and other sinnes Let us diligently repaire to Gods ordinances to the ministery of the word which God hath ordained to admonish us 1 Thes 5.12 1 Thes 5.12 God knowes how apt we are to be secure notwithstanding wee are beset and beseiged and begirt with dangers therefore God hath appointed the Ministers as watchmen as Sentinells to espie dangers a farre off and to give us notice when dangers come they ring the allarme that we may provide for our selves Therefore wee should diligently goe to the Word that we may be admonished of the dangers least we be surprized unawares I remember the saying of that Generall presuming on a mans owne strength is the greatest weakenesse and the ready way to betray himselfe to dangers is to contemne them You see the persons to whom Christ gives this charge Take heede to your selves Least at any time Conclusion Our care and caution continuall It seemes then it is not sufficient to take heede for a while for a day or a moneth or a yeare but our care and caution it must be constant and continuall Hee doth not say take heede least at sometime but take heed least at any time your hearts be overcharged c. It is our Saviours counsell in the 36. verse of this Chapter Watch therefore and pray alway he that would watch alway must take hee de least his heart bee overcharged at any time why because if the heart bee overcharged at any time hee cannot at that time watch For as amans body that is overcharged with meate and drinke he is inclined to sleepe so when a man is drunke and eaten up with covetousnesse he is inclined to sleep insinne he cannot watch therefore if wee would watch we must alway take heede least at any time our hearts be overcharged And Christ implies the reason in the words of the Text Least the day come upon you unawares The summe and substance of this our care and caution ought to be answerable to the danger now that is not for a time onely but continually First Reas Because thero is danger I. Of the sins there is danger least we be overtaken with these sinnes that is the first danger We know Lot hee that lived soberly in the midst of a sensuall im pure generation yet when hee was in the mount when hee slacked his guard but a while hee was twice overcome with the sinne of drunkennesse therefore we must take heed alway because we are al way in danger to be overtaken Secondly there is another danger as there is danger least wee be overtaken with the sin 2. Of judgment so there is danger least we be overtaken with judgement cyther the day of death or the day of judgement So the rich man Luke 12. Luk. 12. he was anxious thinking of pulling down his old barnes and inlarging them and at that time God requires his soule Wee see here at that time when his heart was overcharged with the cares of this life death surprizeth him and he was taken away Or else if not the day of death the day of judgement for so Christ saith in the next verse the day of judgement shall come as a snare upon the world There is something in that Simile as birds wee see commonly they are entangled in the snare that is cast over them when they are eating to the world when they are eating and drinking and sensuall that day shall come upon them as the snare on the birds when they were eating Luk. 17. So Christ saith Luke 17. looke as it was in the time of Lot when Sodome and Gomorah was destroyed so it shall be when the world shall be destroyed they shall be eating and drinking and buying and selling They shall be eating and drinking is there any harme in that No that is not the meaning of it but eating sensually and drinking immoderately and buying and selling covetously then that day shall come upon them So that here is danger continuall danger least we be overtaken with these sins at all times or least death or the day of judgement overtake us at all times therefore our care should be alway Least at any time But alas if we looke to the practice of men Vse Discoveting the abounding of these sinnes how farre is it from this continuall care we neede no other example but this ordinary practice of dunkennesse surfeiting and covetousnesse if it were no where else but in this Citie men are so farre from watching as that they thinke it lawfull for them to have ther hearts
presently their soules are overborne every one neighs after his neighbours wife There is the third reason why wee should bee carefull not to have our hearts overcharged with surfeiting because it fills our soules full of lusts Reas 4 Fourthly Jt brings Gods judgements on us and lastly it brings on the judgements of God Looke as it was with Sodome they were eating and drinking and giving themselves to satisfie their sensuall appetites and the judgements of God came and swept them away suddenly and fearfully Ezek. 16.49 Ezek. 16.49 Behold this was the iniquitie of thy sister Sodome pride fulnesse of bread there is surfeiting Now in verse 50. Verse 50. Therefore I tooke them away as I saw good They gave themselves to pride and fulnesse of bread to surfeiting and drunkennesse and God tooke them away as hee saw good So in Amos 6.4 5 6. speaking against the wantonnesse of Israel Amos 6.4 5 6. he saith They stretch themselves on beds of Ivorie they eate the lambes of the flocke and the calves out of the middest of the stall that is they did yeeld too much to their sensuall appetite in the use of these things Verse 7. What then Therefore in verse 7. They shall goe captive with the first that goe captive and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed Because they gave themselves to satisfie their sensuall appetite and to the immoderate use of the creature God would cut them short and they should goe into captivitie where they should be pinched with want and penurie You see the reasons why wee should take heed that our hearts bee not overcharged with surfeiting First because it makes the soule unfit for spirituall duties Secondly it is the nurse of securitie Thirdly it fills the soule full of noysome lusts that fight against the soule Fourthly it provokes the judgements of God as against us so against others too These sinnes are such And against others that they provoke the judgements of God not only against us but against others Oft times poore people smart with famine and penurie the reason is because of the excesse and immoderate eating of great ones As in a mist wee say it is a signe of raine and showers Simile when the mists goe up by the mountaines so when surfeiting sends up a mist in those mountaines those that are eminent above others in power or place it is an argument it will bring raine not onely on the mountaines but on the holes and vallies it will cause a storme and tempest These sinnes are such sinnes as draw judgements not onely on them that are guiltie of them but on others also Reas 5 I might adde to these many other reasons It hurts the body as first we are to take heede of this because it doth not disable the soule onely but the body also it fills that full of diseases in respect of which it is growne now a disputable question and hath beene long whether surfeiting or the sword kill more We complaine that men in these times live not to the yeares of our forefathers It is true wee live a lesse time the reason is because wee eate more meate we kill our selves Every glutton is guilty of his owne death at least if hee be not guilty of his death manifestly yet he is obliquely he cuts his life short which hee might else enlarge I question not to the dayes of our forefathers if we were carefull of our lives Reas 6 It doth not onely disable our bodies 6. It hurts his estate but our estates as we see it plainely in many of our gallants It was a good saying of Plato a heathen man a man undoes himselfe by giving way to his sensuall apetite hee devours his estate and patrimony Reas 7 It hurts not onely our selves in soule and body and estate It wrongs the common-wealth but it huits others it hurts the common wealth because by prejudicing of our selves by consequent we prejudice the common wealth whereof we are a part You know what the Civillians say it concernes the communitie that every particular man use his estate well Now if wee use our estates ill and impoverish our selves in our estates by consequence we impoverish the common wealth if we make our bodies unfit by surfeiting to serve God and our countrey we impoverish the countrey Reas 8 Lastly It wrongs the poore we hurt not onely our selves but our brethren that might be relieved with our superfluitie we hurt our brethren and so by consequence we come to be guilty of a double murther by surfeiting wee murther our selves and our poore brethren that by our superfluitie might be relieved I will not insist further on the reasons but come to make some Vse Surely if ever it were seasonable to take heede of surfeiting Vse it is at this time seasonable not onely because it is a time wherein God calls for fasting and humiliation though in that respect we ought to take heed least we be overcharged with surfeiting but because of the commonnesse of this sinne it is so common that there is almost no notice taken of it We many times speake against drunkennesse and if there were not lawes made against it what could wee expect but an inundation and catoclisme and overwhelming Time was it was the fault of Beggers As drunke as a Begger they used to say but now it is the fault of great ones It is a fault not onely of the night and of the darkenesse but of the noone day but for gluttony we lift not up our voyces as trumpets as we should doe Simile It is true it fares with the diseases of the soule as it doth in the body Phisitians tell us and wee know by experience when a man is troubled with the stone and the goute if he have a pang and fit of the stone he feeles not the goute The reason is because of the violence of the stone it is so grievous a paine that it beares downe and takes away the sence of the goute Iust so it is with surfeiting and drunkennesse they are both grievous diseases of the soule but yet drunkennesse is the more grievous the reason is because of the violence of it we take no notice of gluttony but speake against drunkennesse though that be a worke of the flesh as we see Gal. 5. As the goute is a grievous disease Gal. 5. though the stone bee more grievous so gluttony is a grievous disease of the soule though drunkennesse be a more grievous And if wee that are Ministers had ever neede to speake against gluttony surely it is in this land as wee may see by that order lately setforth It is a sinne almost proper to this Land we make our selves a scorne by our intemperance in meate and if wee should speake against it in this nation I know not where it should bee more then in this place But are so many guiltie of sufeiting here