Chrysostomes owne word according to the institutions of Christ from God giuen vnto vs and not according to mens owne deuices or to the doctrines and traditions of any other Thus hauing interpreted the words and proued my interpretation by the signification of the adiectiue here vsed and by the like place of Peter where the same adiectiue is vsed and by all men so interpreted as I haue interpreted here let vs a little more amply speake of the matter it selfe both as it is the confirmation of the former maine exhortation and as also this fourth adiunct your seruice of the word is the meanes whereby our said sacrifice of our selues is made liuing holy and well pleasing to God Touching the first the whole argument is this That seruice that God hath required in his word is to be performed vnto him But God requireth in his word this seruice that we should present our selues a sacrifice liuing holy and well pleasing vnto him Therefore this sacrifice is to be presented vnto him If any man shall think these words to be rather a confirmation of the last former adiunct of this sacrifice well pleasing to God it commeth to the same passe For the confirmation of this one branch of the exhortation is the confirmation of all The proposition or first part of this argument viz. that that seruice that God requireth in his word is to be performed vnto him or is well pleasing vnto him This I say is so euident that it needeth no further proofe or speech but onely this that whatsoeuer is contrary to the word or more then the word requireth in matter or in maner is abominable to the Lord and reiected by the Lord with this deniall thereof Who required this at your hands And Isay ◠12. Isay 29. 13. againe Forasmuch as this people draweth neare vnto me with their mouth c. and their feare toward me is taught by the precept of men therefore behold I will do a maruellous worke amongst this people c. On the contrary therefore whatsoeuer seruice is according or agreeable vnto the word or commanded in the word that is to be performed to God that is well pleasing vnto him Moreouer the former proposition is manifest by the perfection of the word to conuert the soule to giue wisdome Psal 19. 7. 8. to the simple to reioyce the heart and to enlighten the eyes Yea this perfection is further manifest by the commendation of the word by Paul to make the man of God perfect 2. Tim. 3. 17. and throughly furnished vnto euery good worke For what meaneth the Apostle by the man of God The Minister of the word often else where so called because he is employed by God in his speciall seruice and the greatest worke of all other the saluation of mens soules the perfecting Ephes 4. 12. of the Saints the reedifying of the bodie of Christ God hath also commended the perfection of the word Deut 4. 2 12 13 Pro. 30. 6. Reu. 22. 19. by forbidding any thing to be added thereunto or detracted from it And indeed is it not as much a life is worth for any man employed by any Prince either in ambassage or in any other commission of great moment either to go beyond his commission or not to go so farre as thereby he is enioyned Such dealing is no better then treason What then is to be said of like dealing with God in his word Did Balaam say If Balack would giue me his house full Numb 22. 18. 24 13. of siluer and gold I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord to do lesse or more Did this sorcerer I say whose teeth watered and fingers itched after Balacks siluer and gold so speake and shall not all Christians speake the same and acknowledge the word so perfect in euery respect that nothing is to be done lesse or more then the word warranteth This word especially being now euery way so perfect as it is and as we shall againe in this treatise haue occasion to shew it to be Is it not further said that these Ioh. 20. 31. things are written to make vs beleeue that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God and that beleeuing we might haue life through his name If by those things that are written we may haue faith whereby to haue eternall life what would we more or what need we more Many things were spoken and done the which particularly are not written yet this is enough that those things that are written are sufficient for faith and eternall life To charge the written word with want of any thing necessarie to saluation either to be beleeued or to be obeyed by any particular persons or by whole Churches is to charge God either with insufficiencie and inabilitie to inspire the writers of the word withall or with want of will so to do or at least to impute vnfaithfulnesse and negligence vnto the said writers Either of the two former is blasphemous For no insufficiencie can be layed Rom. 16. 27. vpon God because he is most wise and onely wise yea he 1. Tim. 1. 17. Iude. 25. is so wise that he hath confounded and daily doth consound the wisedome of the wise and bringeth to nothing the vnderstanding 1. Cor. 1. 19. 20. of the prudent and maketh foolish the wisedome of the world Euen the foolishnesse of God is wiser then men c. ver 25. Yea such is the wisedome of God in his word that as the Apostle accounteth them fooles that do not vnderstand Ephes 1. 17. it so the Prophet denieth them that were accounted the great wise men of Iuda to haue any wisedome in them Ier. 8. 9. because they had reiected the law of the Lord. To denie God to be willing is directly contrary to the Apostle that from God hath said that God will haue all men that is all 1. Tim. 2. 4. sorts of men to be saued and come to the knowledge of the truth Touching the third point of vnfaithfulnesse of the writers it cannot stand without impeachment to God and Christ Iesus by whom they were appointed to write And doth not Paul say that Christ had accounted him faithfull 1. Tim. 1. 1◠Were not the rest faithfull as well as Paul What a weakning of the faith of the elect is this to say that the Prophets and Apostles were vnfaithfull that in respect of their doctrine are called the foundation of the Church Ephes 1. 20. Here before I come to the vse of this doctrine let me insert something touching the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seruice about the which the Papists in euery place where it is vsed make a kind of tumult distinguishing it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ascribing the former as proper onely to God and saying that the other is to be communicated to Angels to Saints to Images c. But this distinction is both new and also vaine or idle It is new
Pet. 1. 7. said to be more precious then gold because gold though tried in the fire perisheth Doth not the Apostle thereby manifestly shew that our faith cannot perish else were the argument of the Apostle from the comparison thereof with gold of no force All hitherto spoken of this attribute liuing here giuen to this our sacrifice is to be applied to all before said of our actiue and passiue sacrificing of our selues we must do all we must suffer all with all alacritie and cheerfulnes as also with all constancie and stedfastnesse That which is said of a liberall person that the Lord loueth a cheerfull giuer 2. Cor. 9. 7. is to be vnderstood of the actiue and passiue sacrificing of our selues If we must be cheerfull in giuing vnto men must we not much more be cheerfull in sacrificing our selues to God that in many respects hath right vnto our selues and to all that we haue All the actiue sacrificing of our bodies and of euery member of them as also of our soules and of euery power and facultie of them must be cheerfull So must likewise be all our passiue sacrificing of our selues The more honorable also it is to suffer for Christs sake the more willing and cheerfull should we be to part from all yea to lay downe our liues for his sake And indeed whosoeuer hath truly beleeued that Christ hath so willingly and cheerfully suffered those direful torments for vs that he did he cannot but be willing and cheerfull also to suffer any thing for him Oh that this life were in euery one that pretendeth to sacrifice himselfe to God In things that concerne our selues for this life how liuely how nimble are we but alas in sacrificing our selues to God in doing or suffering any thing for God how drowsie how dead how leaden heeled and handed are we The same may be said of constancie in sacrificing our selues both actiuely and passiuely It is not enough to suffer a little or at once but if we should be called often to suffer for his truth it should not be grieuous vnto vs. Though we should be first reuiled touching our good names then spoiled of all our good then laid vp in prison and there kept with great hardnesse for many yeares then brought out to execution and to haue our flesh torne from our backs by peece-meale as some haue had or be burnt by little and little as William Gardiner Merchant was beyond the seas yet none of all these ought to make any of vs to shrinke One thing more let me yet adde touching this adiunct liuing namely that the more our naturall life decayeth and consumeth in the powers thereof manifested by the trembling of the keepers of our house and by the strong men Eccles. 1â— 3. bowing themselues and the ceasing of the grinders and by the darknesse of our windowes all which I feele in my self the more we labour to cherish and to increase this our spirituall and heauenly life in vs that so we may bring forth Psal 92. 14. Reu. 2. 19. fruit in our old age and be faâ— and flourishing and like to the Angell of the Church of Thiatyra hauing our last workes more then our first This shall suffice to haue spoken of this first adiunct of our sacrifice namely liuing The second adiunct is holy This is necessarie to be ioyned The second adiunct of our sacrifice holy to the former first to teach vs to distinguish the former from naturall liuing and secondly to teach vs our sacrifice to be liuing in holinesse yea without this holinesse men haue no life of God no spirituall life in them but are altogether dead as before I said not able to stir hand or foote towards heauen as spiritually dead as Lazarus Ioh. 11. 39. was naturally dead in the graue and had bin dead foure dayes till Christ crying aloud vnto him said Lazarus come forth and by that meanes raised him from death vnto life and so by raising other from death to life and by dayly raising vp other from the death of sinne to this life Rom. 1. 4. of holinesse mightily declaring himselfe to be the Son of God for so with reuerend regard notwithstanding of the different iudgement of my betters I vnderstand that place to Mat. 17. 9. 27 64. 28. 7. Mark 6. 9. Ioh. 2. 22. Ephes 1. 20. Ioh. 20. 9. Acts. 3. 15. chapt 4. 10. chapt 10. 41. cha 13. â—0 34 1. Pet. 1. 3. Rom. 4. 24. cap. 6. 4. cap. 7. 4. cap. 8. 11. cap. 10. 7. 9. 1. Cor. 15. 20. Col. 2. 17. 1. Thes 1. 10. Heb. 13 20. 2. Tim. 2. 8. 2. Cor. 7. 1. the Romanes For it seemeth to me that it cannot well be vnderstood of the resurrection of himselfe from the dead because in the Greeke there is no preposition signifying from as is in those places that speake of Christs owne resurrection from the dead of which I haue noted some before in the margin and many more might haue noted Neither do I thinke it very easie for any man to name any place wherein Christs owne resurrection is mentioned without some prepositioÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or to name any where that the genitiue case of the dead there vsed by the Apostle doth signifie from the dead But to returne from whence I haue a little digressed for the interpretation of that place to the Romanes that we may be thusholy as here the Apostle speaketh we must first of all purge our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit and then decke our selues with the contrary vertues of sanctification For filthinesse and holinesse cannot any more agree in one subiect then light and darknes and both those branches of our holinesse are elsewhere signified by putting off the old man and putting on the Ephes 4. 22. Col. 3 9. 10. Tit. 2. 12. 1. Pet. 2. 11. 12. Rom. 6. 11. verse 18. Psal 34. 14. 1 Pet 3. 12. Exod. 12. 5. Leuit. 1. 10. 22. 19. 20. 21. new by denying vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and liuing soberly and godly c. by abstaining from all fleshly lusts which fight against our soules and hauing our conuersation honest c. by dying vnto sinne and liuing vnto God and to righteousnes by being made free from sin and seruants vnto righteousnes by eschuing euill and doing good and by other the like Now as the Passe-ouer was to be without blemish especially as the legall sacrifices ought so to haue bin yea also without any other deformitie or maime so the Apostle here requireth this our sacrifice to be holy and without any spirituall blemish or deformitie If the sacrifices of sheepe and lambes in those dayes must be without blemish must not the sacrifice of our selues much more be such Yea this is also necessarie in respect that our selues must not only be the sacrifices but also the Priests to offer this sacrifice For as the
THE CHRISTIANS SACRIFICE Much better then all the Legall Sacrifices of the Iewes and without the which all the said Legall Sacrifices of the Iewes euen when they were in force were not acceptable to God OR A Logicall and Theologicall exposition of the two first verses of the twelfth to the ROMANES with all the doctrine in the said two verses plainly laid forth and fitly applied according as these times do require the same Wherein also besides the orthodoxall exposition of the said words diuers other places of Scripture by the way occurring before somewhat obscure are so naturally interpreted as that the iudicious Reader shall thinke his paines well bestowed in vouchsafing to reade this Treatise following With the Authors Postscript to his children as it were his last Will and Testament vnto them LONDON Printed by WILLIAM IONES 1622. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND MOST TRVLY RELIGIOVS ROBERT EARLE OF WARWICKE and Baron of Leez AND TO HIS MOST HOPEFVLL YONG SONNE AND heire ROBERT Lord Rich. All increase of true pietie and honour in this life and euerlasting glory and happines in the life to come Most Noble Earle and Right Honorable Lord. IF Dauid so well accâ—pted of the kindnes of Barzillai the Gilaadit though his subiect performed 1. Sam. 17. 27. vnto him in his distresse by the treason of his sonne Absalon that being deliuered and restored to his kingdome he did not onely offer Princely entertainment to the said Barazillai himselfe but vpon his refusall thereof did also most graciously accept of his sonne Chinham to be in his Court yea 2. Sam. 19. 33. 36. if he were also so mindfull of the said loyall kindnes of Barzillai that vpon his death bed he gaue charge to his sonne Salomon to shew kindnes to the sonnes of the said Barzillai and to let them be of those that should 1 Kin. 2. 7. cate meate at his table because they had come to him when he fled from his sonne Absolom yea if mercilesse and 1. Sam. 39. 44. 20. 33. vnnaturall Saul that would haue killed his owne sonne Ionathan spared the Kenites for the kindnes of Iethro their father 400 yeares before shewed to the 1. Sam 15. 6. Exod. 18. 17. Israelites in giuing good counsell to Moses for the better gouerment of the Israelites and in directing of them in their iourneys in the wildernes if I say Num. 10. 31. Dauid so respected the kindnes of one of his subiects that ought in duty and alleageance to haue performed much more vnto him and if that mercilesse Saul shewed kindnes to the Kenites for the kindnes of Iethro so long before shewed to the Israelites much more may I poore man and forlorne creature acknowledge my selfe bound to performe all duety and seruice vnto your Honors for the Honorable fauours of the Noble Earle of Warwicke now deceased vnto me a meere stranger vnto him and altogether vnknowue but onely by the commendatorie testimonie of that graue and religious gentleman Mr. Iohn Butler of Toby Esquier now also at rest with the Lord. Hauing therefore nothing else whereby to expresse my duety to your Honours I am bold to present such as I haue the rather because as I dedicated the first fruits of my like labour to my old most Honorable Lord before mentioned about some 24. yeares past euen before I was throughly knowne vnto him and that because of his most ChristiaÌ„ care for the churches of God in Essex wherof he was Patron so I thought I might the more presume of your Honorable acceptance of these my paines the rather because in respect of my manifold infirmities by age they may be my last The more also that God himselfe hath now honored your Noble house and made it renowned in the Church both by the profession of the Gospell and also by the protection of the professors thereof euen now to the third generation of your name the more my selfe and all other that loue the Gospell haue cause to honor you euen as the more any king aduanceth any subiect the more all other subiects ought to respect such a subiect for his kings sake yea we haue the more cause to pray also for your honors so to continue still your honoring of the Lord and of the Gospell most worthy of honor as you haue begun that your selues and your posteritie may yet be the more honored yea and this as a Minister of the Gospell I exhort you in the name of the Lord Iesus that shewed me mercie in making me a Minister that you continue so much the more so to do by how much the more enemies the Gospell dayly hath both of A theists and of carnall professors thereof and also and especially of papists not onely in other countries but euen in our owne and those euen of your owne rancke I meane of the nobilitie it selfe besides them of the gentry and other inferiours at the commaund of such superiours Herein if ye shall ouercome as I doubt not but that ye shall oh how great shall your honor then be One of you two now do sometime weare a coronet with other the like princes and do sit in Parliament with one of the Lords Cheife Kings and Iudges of the earth But the time shall come when the Lord Iesus the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Psal 2. 10. Reu. 17. 14. and 19. 10. Mark 8. 38. comming in the glorie of his Father with his holy Angels and sitting in iudgement vpon men and Angels shall crowne you both with crownes better then of the finest gold euen of righteousnes life and glorie which 2. Tim. 4. 8. Iam. 1. 12. 1. Pet 5. 4. Reu. 3. 4. 21. shall not fade and shall also giue you both to walke with himself in white yea to sit likwise with him in his throne as himselfe hath already ouercome sitteth with his Father in his throne Are you not affected with these things I doubt not but you are be ye so alwaies to the end Yea as Paul hauing highly commended the 1. Thes 4. 9. 10. Thessalonians for such brotheâ—ly loue that he needed not to write vnto them thereof because they were taught inwardly of God to loue one another and so indeed did yet for all that exhorted them more and more Heb. 6. 10. 11. to abound in so doing and as the Apostle to the Hebrewes hauing said that God was not vnrighteous that he should forget the worke and labour of their loue which they had shewed to his name in hauing ministered to the Saints and yet ministring doth for all that desire euery one of them to shew the same deligence to the full assurance of hope to the end so do I Right Honorable exhort you to do the like for the aduancing of the Gospell and the countenancing and comforting of the professors especially the sincere and painefull Ministers thereof euen to the end that your present comfort from consideration hope of the
our whole life time fare the better but the soule it selfe touching the euerlasting life and glorie thereof shall haue no benefit by whatsoeuer seruice is done to God or duties performed to men by the whole bodie or any part thereof not working with and from the soule No man shall liue by the faith of another himselfe not beleeuing so shall not the soule haue any benefit for the life to come by all the works of the bodie alone except it selfe also worke with the bodie and the bodie also by it yea the bodie it selfe shall haue no benefit for the glorifying and making thereof like to the glorious body of Philip. 3. 21. Christ vnlesse all that it doth come from the soule Sometime soule and bodie do fare and shall fare the better by the works onely of the soule as by the meditations and by the prayers and supplications of the soule alone when the bodie being some way oppressed cannot ioyne with the soule as Hanna oppressed with griefe could not pray with her tongue and yet speaking in her heart and powring 1. Sam. 1. 13. 15. out her soule vnto the Lord she obtained her desire but neither the soule alone nor bodie alone nor both ioyntly shall fare the better for eternall life by any works whatsoeuer or by any sacrifices whatsoeuer of the bodie alone without the soule working with the bodie Because Isai 29. 13. 14. the Iewes drew neare to God with their mouth and with their lips did honour him remouing their hearts farre from him and that their feare towards him was taught by the precept of men as many amongst vs do many things more by the law of man then by the word of God Therfore the Lord threatneth to proceed by that word noting a beginning already made as for the ingratitude of good King Hezekiah 2. Chro. 32. 25. the wrath of God began against him and Iudah and Ierusalem and to do a maruellous worke and a wonder euen that the wisedome of the wise men should perish and the vnderstanding of the prudent men should be hâ—d Oh the Lord keep vs from this iudgement for what greater almost can there be For what was it else but so to strike their great Statesmen that did manage and gouerne their whole Common-wealth with a kind of phrensie and madnesse that they should not be able to do any thing but suffer all to go to wracke like to that of great Nebuchadnezzar whom the Lord for his pride smote with such madnesse that he was Dan. 4. 25. not fit for the societie of men and therefore was cast out to liue and feed with beasts for seuen yeares together or like to that of Achitophel who for his wisedome was in 2. Sam. 16. 23. that estimation that the counsell that he counselled in those dayes was as if a man had enquired of the oracle of God him notwithstanding for his pride in ioyning with Absolon against Dauid whose counseller he had bin the Lord Chap. 17. 23. so smote with a kind of phrensie that in his said phrensie being malecontent that Absolon had preferred the counsell of Hushai before his he went to his house and hanged himselfe Could there be a greater madnesse then to hang himselfe So to ouerthrow the wisedome of the wise as the Lord before threatned which were as it were the eyes of the whole people was to put out their eyes as Iudg. 16. 21. the Philistins put out the eyes of Samson by the iust iudgement of God for breaking his vow of the Nazarites and as Elymas the sorcerer for withstanding of Paul was by Acts 13. 11. Paul as the instrument of God smitten also with the like blindnesse If then the light that was in them that is in their kingdome should be darknesse how great would that darknesse be Moreouer why did not the Lord respect the sacrifice of Cain was it not because it was Gen. 4. 5. brought and offered onely with the bodie not with the soule Therefore also the Lord calleth vpon vs to wash Ier. 4. 14. Math. 5. 8. Iam. 4. 8. our hearts and our Sauiour saith Blessed are the pure in heart c. and Iames biddeth vs not onely to cleanse our hands that is our bodies synecdochically but also to purge our hearts The soule of a man is the more principall part and therefore called the glorie of a man so that whatsoeuer Psal 16. 9 and 30. 12. and 57. 8 the bodie doth without it is nothing Now by the soule I meane the whole spirituall part of a man euen all that is within him as the Prophet saith My soule blesse the Lord and all that is within me blesse his Psal 103. 1. holy Name To speake more particularly and plainly as by the body is to be vnderstood all the parts and members of the bodie The sacrifice of our wit reason c. so by the soule is to be meant all the powers and faculties thereof with reason vnderstanding thoughts memorie the will and the affections as loue hatred anger envie feare hope griefe ioy delight c. all these and euery one of these must be sacrificed to God and so dedicated that they must not at any time be vsed or employed against God or his children but alwayes for God and his glorie and truth and for the good of his people Our wit must not be employed in opposition to the truth but in the defence of it so must all our reason vnderstanding and learning None haue bin greater aduersaries to God and his truth nor greater hereticks neither more dangerous for the saluation of men yea also for their outward state then such as haue bin most wittie most learned and of greatest reach Satan making choice of the Gen. 3. 1. wittiest creature of all other to assault our first mother did thereby preuaile and ouerthrew both her and our first father and all their posteritie The same is to be said of not employing our wits to any other vanitie as to making of Playes or iests and sports for men to laugh in carnall maner especially then when common calamities present or future dangers do call vs to mourning and weeping to sackcloth and ashes Such as do straine all that is in them to make other merrie onely and to shew themselues fooles disgracing and defaming the image of God wherein they were made do slander God as though he had done that that he hath not and as though he had made them that they are not Is it a small matter to belye a King Is it nothing to deface the image of a Prince though but in iest This then is the first degree of sacrificing our wit reason vnderstanding and learning to God euen to restraine them from all such euill The second is to employ them to the aduancement of Gods glorie the furthering and promoting of his truth the edifying of men in their faith or the benefit of them touching this
and presented to himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle Ephes 5. 26. 27. In opposition therefore to those sacrifices of the Law the Apostle here will haue this sacrifice of our selues to be liuing We must then here dâ—eame of sacrificing our selues by killing our selues as the Papists do maâ—ly whip and scourge themselues like to the Priests of Baal before spoken of for this is diuellish and as I before said this is to offer ourselues to the diuell and to do his seruice who Ioh. 8. 44. was a murderer from the beginning God hath forbidden euery man the murdering of himselfe as well as the murdering of another yea though a man haue done any thing worthy of death by the magistrate yet to put him to death for the same must be the work of the magistrate not of himselfe that so hath deserued death neither of any other that hath not authorite so to do Yea though the magistrate himselfe haue committed any such heinous sin as whereby he hath deserued death yet he must not be put to death by himselfe but by some other superiour magistrate If himselfe that hath committed such a sinne be the supreme magistrate no other man must put him to death for the same but he must be left to God the Iudge Iudges 18. 29. of all the world We must indeed as before I said of the second kinde of the passiue sacrificing our selues submit our selues to death for Christs sake for his truths sake not onely for the whole but also for any part thereof if we cannot lawfully auoid it without deniall or betraying of it but otherwise we must not by any meanes take away our owne liues Dauid by the law for his adultâ—rie with Bathsheba and murder of Vrâ—as had doubly deserued death yet he put not himselfe to death neither had any other power so to do Yea to say more I make no question but that a man hauing by some capitall sinne deserued to die may for all that defend himselfe against any priuate man though neuer so neere in kindred to a man murdered by another and not willingly suffer himselfe to be slaine by such a priuate person without authoritie attempting the reuenge of the person murdered or otherwise so iuiured that by the said doer of the iniutie death had bin deserued Might not Amnon haue defended himself against the violence of Absolom if he had bin aware thereof though he had deserued to die for the rape and incest he had committed against Tamar his owne sister by the father and sister of Absolom by father and mother This life here spoken of is not our naturall life onely though touching it we liue in God moue and haue our being Act 17. 28. but especially a supernaturall life here begun and in the world to come to be perfected and therefore called euerlasting life and in a singular maner the life of God It is the Ioh. 10. 28â— Ephes 4. 18. life of grace often times indeed here begun and continued with much heauinesse and with teares as the Prophet speaketh Pal. 126. 5. 6. of the people in captiuitie but ending with ioy as the sheaues by the husband-man are gathered with gladnes though the seed cost neuer so deare and were therefore grieuous to the sower yea in the meane time also all their present afflictions of this life are accompanied with ioy vnspeakable and glorious because after this life ended 1. Pet. 1. 6. 8. and all the miseries thereof ceased then the former life of grace shall be crowned with the life of glorie This life also is the life of Christ himselfe euen in vs because it cometh from Christ who is therefore called the Prince of life and that especially in a double respect first Acts the 3. 15. How Christ is the Prince of life because by his death he hath purchased eternal life for vs secondly because he being our head and we his members as from the naturall head the whole naturall bodie and euery member thereof receiueth life so from Christ Iesus his whole mysticall bodie the Church and euery member thereof euen here receiueth all spirituall life Gal. 2. 19. 20. Therefore the Apostle saith I through the law am dead vnto the law that I might liue to God I am crucified with Christ Neuerthelesse I liue yet not I but Christ liueth in me and the life which I now liue I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God But how do we liue by the faith of the Sonne of How we liue by the faith of the Sonne of God God Because as God is the author of it and Christ the purchaser the subiect and the conduit of it so faith is our hand wherby both we are incorporated into Christ and he is made our head and we ioyned vnto him as to our head and also whereby we turne the cocke of this conduit and so draw the water of life and life it selfe from Ioh 4. 14. and 7 38. Act. 16. 14. him our hearts being before by God himselfe opened as the heart of Lydia was and so made capable both of that water of life and also of the life it selfe This life here being the life of grace is the assurance of the life of glorie and after all our afflictions and combats here well ended and the faith well kept shall at the last be 2. Tim. 4. 7. 8. â—ames â— 12. 1. Pet. 5. 4. crowned by the righteous Iudge himselfe with the crowne of righteousnes the crowne of life the crowne of glorie which shall not fade To speake yet a little more of this adiunct of our sacrifice The adiunct liuing includeth in it allaeritiâ— and constancy liuing it includeth in it two other qualities of our sacrifice first alacritie or cheerfulnesse secondly constancie The former is by some noted vpon the word present before spoken of but all presenting of gifts being not alwayes cheerfull but sometime vnwilling and for feare of some displeasure by not presenting I suppose it rather to be more aptly and naturally signified by this word liuing For euery man in his right mind willingly liueth and desireth to liue Satan had learned this and could therefore say Skin for skinne and all that a man hath Iob. 2. 4. will he giue for his life The word also liuing is all one with liuely or cheerfull For if a man do any thing dully or grudgingly and lazily as though he cared not whether he did it or no do we not say that such a one hath no life in him and that he doth that which he doth as though he were at lest asleepe If one go nimbly about his worke do we not say that such a one hath life in him Hence are those often petitions of the Prophet Quicken me according Psal 119. 25. ver 37. v. 88. and 149. 156. to thy word Quicken me in thy way Quicken me after thy louing kindnesse and Quicken me
according to thy iudgements So also when the Lord by the Prophet saith I dwell with him that is of a contrite spirit to reuiue the spirit of the Isay 57. 15. humble In all these places the words to quicken and reuiue being both one do signifie to make aliue Now neither doth the one or the other Prophet speake of the first life of grace from the sinnes wherein men are dead before regeneration but of the quickning grace whereby men are made more and more nimble cheerfull and liuely in the works of grace For the Psalmist was before partaker of the first worke of grace and the Prophet Isaiah speaking of the humble must needs be vnderstood to speake of such as had before receiued the life of God whereof humilitie is a speciall and a great measure As there are the reliks of all other sinnes in the best of Gods children so are there of that sluggishnesse against which Salomon in Pro. 6. 6. 1. â— 4. 15. 19. 18. 9. 24 30. c. the Prouerbs giueth so many precepts and in respect whereof the most liuely that are in goodnesse haue need to be rouzed vp and to be prouoked to be more liuely and also daily to pray in that behalfe In these dayes especially is this most necessarie wherein the greatest part of men are altogether dead in their trespasses and sinnes and Eph. 1. 4. 18 vtterly void and alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindnesse yet of their hearts and the best in a maner not only of the common people but also of the Ministers of the word and of all other sorts and states of men like to the Angell of the Reu. 3. 1. Church of Sardi haue a name to be aliue and yet are dead not starke dead as the former but sicke and very sicke vnto death needing admonition to awake and to strengthen the things that remaine and are otherwise ready to die As therefore this attribute is here set before the next of being holy so it must go before it No man can be an holy sacrifice except he be first a liuing sacrifice Thus much of alacritie or cheerfulnesse intimated by the word liuing Touching constancie that also is commended by the Mat. 16. 16. chapt 26. 63. Ioh. 6. 67. 2. Cor. 6. 16. same word For as when God is called the liuing God by the Apostles and by the high Priest the meaning is that he liueth for euer and is immutable and vnchangeable and as the Spirit of God which Christ promiseth to all that shall come vnto him and beleeue in him is called by the name of riuers of liuing water that is such as should Ioh. 7. 38. neuer be dried vp as also before that to the woman of Samaria Ioh. 4. 10. by the name of liuing water and is more plainly interpreted to be such that whosoeuer should drinke thereof ver 14. should neuer thirst againe but that that water so giuen by our Sauiour shouldbe a well of water in her springing vp to eternall life So here a liuing sacrifice signifieth such a sacrifice as once hauing life should neuer die Christ indeed our life once died but now he liueth for euermore As therfore Reu. 1. 18. Christ now liueth and neither shall nor can die againe so whosoeuer hath truly giuen himselfe a sacrifice to God so being a member of Christ he must be and cannot but be a liuing sacrifice for euer If any that seeme to be liuing do die he neuer indeed was aliue but seemed onely so to be He that is once truly a liuing sacrifice so will be to the end He can no more lose this his spirituall life then God himselfe or Christ Iesus can die because that his life is the life of God and of Christ Iesus O vnspeakable comfort This life of our sacrifice must not be concealed for feare of any danger whatsoeuer yea it cannot be concealed where it is it will shew it selfe by the effects and workes thereof As our naturall life wil shew it selfe wheresoeuer it is so will this our spirituall life I beleeued therefore I spake It can no more be hidden then fire As fire will Psal 116. 10. 2. Cor. 4. 13. breake forth wheresoeuer it is so will this life yea fire may be quenched but this life cannot be extinguished Though Ieremiah in respect of many discouragements such as the faithfull Ministers of the Gospel in these dayes euery where especially in their owne country meet with Mark 6. 4. Ioh. 4. 44. not onely at the hands of enemies but also at the hands of such as beare a faire face vnto the Gospell though Ieremiah I say by such discouragements had determined to haue suspended himselfe from his ministerie and not to Ier. 20. 9. haue spoken any more in the name of the Lord yet the word of the Lord was in his heart as burning fire shut vp in his bones and he was wearie of forbearing and could no longer stay They that haue this life of God in them haue also the same word whereby that life was wrought as afterward we shall heare and therefore this life cannot be hidden but it will breake forth and shew it selfe That of the Apostle our life is hid with Christ in God is Colo. 3. 3. How our life is said to be hid with Christ in God to be vnderstood in a double respect first of the life to come and of the perfection of this life in the world to come secondly in respect of the world and of all dead in their trespasses and sins that haue no eyes to see this life or any worke thereof in them that haue it Sometimes also they that are thus liuing do not themselues feele this life in themselues but feare they haue it not as being for a time in a spirituall swoune and oppressed either with their sinnes or with many afflictions yea sometimes their eyes are so dazeled with the great prosperitie of the wicked that they thinke their state better then their owne as thinking all to be in vaine that they haue done in cleansing Psal 73. Chap. 33. their heart and washing their hands in innocencie But hereof enough is written in the Dignitie of Gods children By these things hitherto spoken it is manifest that whosoeuer sheweth not this life hath it not at all in him Let no man therefore deceiue himselfe touching this life but seriously examine himselfe by the effects of this life whether he haue it or no. But this shall be more euident by the adiunct holy in the next place because without that holinesse there is no spirituall liâ—e To adde one word more concerning the former constancie and perpetuitie of this life all that trust in the Lord Psal â—25 1. are like vnto mount Ston that standeth fast for euer and shall neuer be moued And our faith whereby we liue is therefore 1.
that prayers supplications and intercessions should be made vnto God for all men especially for Kings c. confirmeth his said exhortation by this argument from an adiunct of so doing namely that it was good and acceptable 1. Tim. 2. 3. 4. vnto God prouing this in the words following and saying who will haue all men to be saued and come to the knowledge of his truth thereby noting that it is not possible for any man to do that which is good and acceptable to God without the knowledge of the truth Alas therefore that so many should neglect knowledge and with the Papists thinke ignorance to be the mother of deuotion The 2. vse of the former doctrine concerning Gods childrâ—n viz. consolation Besides the former vse of the former doctrine for instruction and direction of the children of God there is great consolation and comfort for them that God hath giuen them such a word as wanteth nothing and out of which they need not to seeke for any thing but wherein they may haue all that heart can desire to make them such a sacrifice yea this word hath abundant consolation against all kinds of afflictions against enemies at home against enemies abroad against sicknesse of what sort soeuer against pouertie against reproches ignominies slanders and disgraces in the world against imprisoments in our owne country against banishments into other yea from the house of God against famines against oppressions against the outrages of open enemies against the secret hatred of pretended friends and kinsmen and brethren by nature All the premises are manifest by the examples of Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph the Israelites after the death of Ioseph and of Pharaoh that first aduanced him of Iob of Naomi and Ruth of Eliah Michaiah Ieremiah Daniel and other Prophets yea of Dauid first a Prophet and then a King both a Prophet and a King of our Sauiour especially and of his Apostles I doe but name these examples because thus to name them is sufficient to leade men to the consideration of other the like mentioned in holy Scripture Thus much for the vses of the former doctrine concerning such as are already the children of God Concerning other it serueth first to reproue the Papists The 2. vse of the â—ormer doctrine concerning them that are not the children of God that striue and contend so much for their traditions and vnwritten verities equalling the same with the written word of God though directly contrary thereunto and that in materiall points such is their inuocation of Saints their worshipping of images their going of pilgrimage their whipping and scourging themselues after the example of Baals Prophets before spoken of their worship of the crosse and the signe thereof euen with the very same worship that is due to Christ Iesus himselfe their transubstantiation especially and their Masse with all their abominable adoration and idolatry belonging thereunto and grounded thereon their aduancement of their Pope aboue all Princes giuing him authoritie to make depose them and to discharge all subiects of their allegiance at his pleasure of the like sort are their manifold holydayes and fasting dayes more then all the dayes of the yeare besides so likewise abstinence from mariage for their Clergie altogether giuing them leaue for all yâ— to haue their whores and for all other for almost for halfe the yeare without mony licenses from them And all these or the most part of these they vrge as parts of Gods worship hauing no other ground for them then their owne traditions and Mark 7. 9. by them making voide and reiecting the commandements of God that they and other may keepe their owne traditions and making the word of God of none effect Touching all these things forasmuch as it cannot be said of them that they are the seruice of the word as here the Apostle speaketh let not vs account them as well pleasing vnto him but as odious and detestable in his sight and let vs crie Foh stop our noses against them as lothsome sauour vnto vs yea as the Lord speaketh in one of the premised particulars let vs cast them away as a Isay 30. 22. monstruous cloth and say vnto them Get ye hence As the foresaid doctrine serueth for reprehension of Asecond vse of the former doctrine viz. reprehension of some amongst vs. 2. Thes 2. 15. those archenemies of God and his truth as also of the saluation of all men as Paul speaketh of the Iewes so it serueth for rebuke of some among our selues that making a scoffe of all goodnesse do deride men for being too strict and nice because they make conscience of their words and actions according to this word calling them by the names of Puritans Precisians and I know not what in the meane time accounting them for the best men that wil sweare fearfully drinke lustily swagger riotously c. Alas that there should be such amongst vs making so light account of the word of God especially after so long time preaching thereof graced likewise with so many other great mercies of God before spoken of It is fearfull it is Deut. 5. 32. 17. 11. 28. 14. Ios 1. 7. 23. 6 fearfull that God hauing so often commanded vs and so streightly charged vs not to turne to the right hand or to the left hand there should be any especially so many to scorne them that make conscience of so doing and of liuing as neare as they can according to the word This shall suffice to haue spoken of these words as they are a confirmation of the former whole exhortation Now it followeth to speake of them as they are an amplification The word is that meanes whereby we are to be made liuing holy acceptable from the meanes of the former three adiuncts of this sacrifice here commanded viz liuing holy well pleasing Touching the first adiunct therefore liuing it is manifest that the word is that meanes of God whereby we are made liuing for therefore is the word called by this our Apostle the word of life The Prouerbs also of Salomon hath many Phil. 2 16. Pro. 3. 18. ver 22. Pro 3. 22. chap. 4. 22. chap. 6. 23. chap. 10. 11. ver 17. chap. 15. 4. sentences to that purpose as that Wisedome is a tree of life to them that lay hold of her that she is life to the soule Doth not Salomon also exhort his sonne to attend vnto his words c. because they are life vnto them that find them And againe that the very reproofes of instruction are the way of life And The mouth of the righteous is a well of life and that he is in the way of life that keepeth instruction And againe An wholesome tongue is a tree of life To omit many other the like it is also said by Dauid that the law of the Psal 19. 7. Lord conuerteth the soule What is it to conuert the soule but to giue life to the soule
before dead Peter also for himselfe and for all the rest of the Apostles saith to our Sauiour Ioh. 6. 68. Iam. 1. 18. that he had the words of eternall life Iames also maketh the word of truth the meanes of our regeneration which is the beginning of our spiritual life The like doth the Apostle Peter For the same cause our Sauiour raised 1. Pet. 1. 23. vp Iairus his daughter Lazarus by speaking vnto them as before we heard that could haue raised them vp by his secret power that thereby he might commend his word to be word of eternall life That the word is also the meanes of our holinesse our Sauiour sheweth Now are ye cleane through the words that I Ioh. 15. 3. haue spoken vnto you To be cleane pure or holy are all one The same is taught by our Sauiours prayer Sanctifie them Ioh. 17. 17. with thy truth thy word is truth Paul saith that our Sauiour gaue himselfe for the Church to sanctifie and cleanse it with Ephes 5. 26. the washing of water by the word Peter likewise testifieth 1. Pet. 1. 22. the same saying that our soules are purified by obeying or hearing of the truth As euill words corrupt good manners so the good word 1 Cor. 15. 33. of God cannot but make mens manners good that are appointed to life That some remaine still dead and filthy that daily heare the word it is either because they belong not to life or because the houre of their calling and opening of their hearts as the heart of Lydia was opened is Act. 16. 14. Gal. 4 4. not yet come As there was a fulnesse of time for Christ to come into the world so the Lord hath his fulnesse of time likewise for sending his Son into the hearts of men How excellently soeuer also yâ— word be preached except 1. Cor. 3. 9. God do work with the preaching thereof it cannot effect any thing That which the Prophet saith that except the Psal 127. 1. Lord build the house they labour in vaine that build it c. is not onely to be vnderstood of our labours and endeuours for this life but most of all of building men vp as liuing stones to be an holy temple of God himselfe Hence it is that not onely the Sermons of the Apostles but also of Christ himselfe did not onely not worke holinesse but a so through the corruption of the hearers and for their former sinnes did more and more strike them with blindnes Mat. 13. 14. and hardnes of heart to their further destruction and condemnation As the word is the meanes to reuiue and to sanctifie so that it is also to make vs well pleasing to God hath bin shewed before And how can it be otherwise sith we can no longer please him then we containe our selues within the limits thereof and performe the duties of faith and obedience therein contained If we passe the bounds 1. Kin. 2. 36. thereof and do contrary thereunto then as Shimei by Salomon confined to Ierusalem vpon paine of death passing notwithstanding his said bounds and going ouer the brooke Kidron three yeares after to fetch his two runaway seruants from Gath did thereby so prouoke Salomons indignation against him that it cost him his life so we passing the bounds of Gods word and doing contrary to the will and pleasure of God therein reuealed though obserued Ezechil 18. 24. for some good while shall most iustly incurre the iust displeasure of God and purchase to our selues euerlasting condemnation What is the vse of the former doctrine That as we desire The vse life to be holy wel pleasing to God so we regard the word heare the word with all due reuerence attention humilitie yea studie also and meditate of it conferring thereof with other not for disputation or contention but Psal 119 18. for our further learning and obedience praying God likewise to open our eyes that we may behold the wondrous ver 33. things of his law to teach vs the way of his statutes for keeping thereof to the end to incline likewise our hearts vnto his ver 3â— testimonies and neither to couetousnesse the greatest impediment Col. 3. 5. 1. Tim. 6. 10. of all other vnto godlinesse as being idolatrie and the roote of all euill neither to any other vanitie Sweete and precious is our naturall life much better then riches and glorie as the which are but in the left hand of wisedom Pro. 3. 16. whereas length of dayes is in her right hand and the which our Sauiour preferreth before all things euen necessarily Mat. 6. 25. pertaining to life How sweet therefore and precious ought the life before mentioned to be The same is to be said of holinesse Gods owne robe and yet vouchsafed to vs as a Liuerie whereby we may be knowne to be his seruants Isay 6. 3. well to please God oh how pleasant a thing is it It bringeth that peace of conscience that passeth all vnderstanding Phil. 4. 7. As an euill conscience accusing men of their displeasing of God is an hell vpon earth and a continuall gnawing worme that shall neuer die so a good conscience Isay 66. 24. 1. Pet. 1. 8. Pro. 15. 15. is an heauen vpon earth accompanied with ioyes vnspeakable and glorious Therefore it is called a continuall feast A feast and a feast without end far passing the royall feast of Ahashuerus for though therein he shewed the riches of Ester 1. 3. 4. c his glorious kingdome and the honour of his excellent maiestiâ— yet that feast was but of the bodie this is of the soule that was but for an hundred and fourescore dayes an whole halfe yeare within three dayes this feast is an euerlasting feast lasting vnto and in the life to come And yet also all the feast of a good conscience here is but as it were a drinking or breakfast to stay our stomacks till the life to come and the Supper of the Lambe and of the great God and till Reu. 19. 9. 17. Mat. 22. 2. the mariage of the great Kings Sonne All these things considered how ought we to esteem of the word how ought we to meditate and conferre of the word to loue it and to delight in it How ought we to pray for the knowledge of it and obedience vnto it the same being the meanes of all the former The same is to be said touching all that belong vnto vs wiues children and seruants whom we would haue to be such sacrifices liuing holy and well pleasing to God But hauing spoken enough before to induce vs to the due regard hereof I will forbeare all further speeches thereof in this place This word of God in the former respects is often called by the name of the bare word for the excellencie of it aboue all words no other word or words whatsoeuer being to be compared thereunto neither able so