Apostle saith heere he was freed from the law of sinne for Christs body was not onely crucified for our sinnes our sinnes being the very cause of his crucifying but hee was also crucified to sinne that is to crucifie and kill sinne in vs which are his members so that except we finde the spirit of God daily working and striking at the roote of sinne to weaken it and at the branch of sinne to cut it off at the first blossome we cannot conclude he was crucified for sinne because he is not crucified to sinne in vs so as we must measure the life of Christ in himselfe no further to pertaine to vs then we finde the power of sinne abated in vs. And therefore if we walke after the Prince that ruleth in the aire and that worketh in the children of disobedience and haue our conuersation in the lusts of the flesh then hath not the life of Christ freed vs from the law of sinne and then are we in the state of condemnation if God be not rich in mercy to vs heereafter For howsoeuer the Lord is contented so farre to dispence with the rigour of his iustice as to suffer â—â—e Sunne to shine both vpon the iust and vniust yet doth the Soâ—â—e of righteousnesse neuer arise vpon any that is holden with â—â—e cords of his owne sinne making as Salomon saith Prouerbesâ—â— 12.13 a signe with his eies signifying with his feet and instructing with his fingers to haue those leude things which luâ—ke in his heart countenanced and performed both by himselfe and others by his entisement Let vs therefore labour to haue our spirits raised vp from the dead in the body of Christ or through the life of Christ till when we are not freed from the law of death for so long as we remaine naturall men we are dead both in the punishment of sinne and also in the pollution of sinne of the latter we 〈◊〉 in this life as 2. Cor. 5.15 If one be dead for all then were we all dead The other is reserued for the life to come and is called Reue. 20.14 the second death when carnall and fleshly minded men shall be cast into the lake of fire We must know then that vntil the spirit hath raised vs from the dead we are but dead men though we seeme to liue and so long as we are thus dead we are separated from the grace of God that is the grace of God is dead in vs and we are liuing vnto all sinne and so not freed neither from the law of sin nor of death Our spirits then are said to be raised from the dead two waies First when it reuiueth and renueth that which is dead in vs And secondly when it slaieth and mortifieth that which is quicke in vs that which is dead in vs is the grace and fauour of God that which is quicke in vs is sinne as concupiscence lust sensuality and such like so that till this spring-time come that the grace of God be seene to flower and bud forth in vs our estate is no better then that of the damned soules for as they at the last day shall be separated for euer from the presence of God so as long as we remaine carnall and vnsanctified men we are at this day separated from the fauour of God and as the damned in their separation doe liue in torments for euer being dead in the punishment of sinne so are we carnall men inwardly tormented in conscience for being dead in the pollution of sinne that is we commit those sinnes for which the damned are tormented and in some respects the damned are better then carnall men for they can sinne no more though theâ—â—gnash their teeth and sâ—et at the iustice of God whereas the wicked and vniust doe still commit sin adding sin to sinne whereby heaping the more dishonour vpon God they drawe the heauier condemnation vpon themselues Further where the Apostle saith He was freed from the law of sinne we must not vnderstand it as if there was any law or commandement to sinne but as Rom. 7.11 that sinne tooke an occasion by the commandement to deceiue vs and to slay vs there being accompulsary and an vnchangeable necessity in vs to sinne as long as we are holden of the flesh that will we nill we we cannot but sinne we being by sin deceiued fiue waies First by concupiscence and lust as was Euah Secondly through infidelity Thirdly by blindnesse of iudgment Fourthly by particular ignorance And lastly by the malice of the heart and if the hart come once to be little worth as Salomon â—â—â—â—â—eth Pro. 10.20 and as it is in all carnall men then is the â—â—â—â—â—antiall law of God which otherwise in it selfe is holy iust and righteous to such men but a law of sinne that is sinning the more because the law forbiddeth it and a killing letter as 2. Cor. 3.6 First in respect naturall men are but flesh sold vnder sinne Secondly in respect hee reading it readeth his owne damnation and a seducing letter inticing them therefore to sin because they are restrained from sinne yea to them as Rom. 3.20 it is the power of sinne and as Rom. 4.15 it is the law of wrath and as 2. Cor. 3.15 it is as a vaile laid ouer their hearts to blinde them and as 1. Tim. 1.9 it is said not to be giuen to the righteous but to the disobedient and as Peter calleth it Act. 15.10 a yoake which neither they nor their forefathers were able to beare meaning thereby what it is to the carnall man and what it was then made by the Scribes and Pharisees who preferred the law before Christ which being but a schoole-master to bring vs to him was by them made a master aboue him to teach him 〈◊〉 it is no maruell though to such as would liue by the law without the life which is in Christ that it proue to them a law of sinne and of death for by the law shall neuer any bee iustified but through faith in the life of Christ must we attaine saluation ROM chap. 8. vers â— verse 3 For that that was impossible to the law in as much aâ— it was weake because of the flesh God sending his owne sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh HEere the Apostle proceedeth to make the matter formerly deliuered more plaine and easie wherin obserue two materiall points First that he taketh away all the power of the law to saue Secondly that this power is giuen onely to Christ who tooke vpon him not the similitude of flesh but of sinfull flesh to condemne sinne in the flesh by whose grace we are only saued without the workes of the law For the first obserue two things first that it is impossible for any to be saued by fulfilling the Law because none can exactly and perfectly doe it secondly from whence this disabilitie proceedeth not from any defects in the law but from our corrupt nature
declare our gratfull mindes to God the Sonne by whom we are redeemed and to God the Father to whom we are redeemed for none of vs can satisfie for that he hath broken onely Christ hath made vp the breach and broken downe the wall that parted God and vs and therefore when wee shall heereafter keepe all the lawes of God in heauen it shall not bee to satisfie for that we kept not in this life for by doing but that we ought then to do we cannot free our selues from that paine we deserued for that we did not before Here ariseth the difference betweene the law and the Gospell The Law commandes workes to merit saluation the Gospell because saluation is already merited that therefore bâ—◠〈◊〉 good works we should testifie that wee are bound and 〈…〉 to the Lord. Hereupon note that there is in the Gospel a double couenant the first of mercy the second of mortiâ—â—cation The couenant of mercy going first which is I will saue thee I will write my law in thine heart Ier. 31.31 My soule shall delight in thee Thou shalt be beloued and such like gratious words and promises Then followeth the couenant of mortification Thou art saued therefore liue well Thou art pardoned therfore â—â—fend no more so as first we must be forgiuen Iohn 5.14 and then wee become debtors Wee are not then saued because we doe good workes but we are saued therefore this mercy of saluation maketh vs fruitfull in good workes as Iohn 5.14 the sicke man was not healed because he should sinne no more but thou art healed therefore remember this mercy of the Lord that thou do sinne no more So Luke 14.23 who be they that come to the wedding Call saith the King the halt the lame and the blind So as such as are emptied of al opinion of all worthinesse in themselues and be starke beggars must come yet when they are come they must haue the wedding garment so as wee are bid to come not because wee haue the wedding garment but because wee are bid to come in the mercy of Christ being beggars wee must striue to get that garment that is a good conuersation So Luk. 19.4 Zaccheus was not saued because hee gaue halfe of his goods to the poore but Christ first spake inuisibly to his soule to make him clime vp to the tree being conuerted then he giueth as testifying a fruit of mercy to others for the mercy himselfe receiued So Lu. 7.41 in the speech of Christ of the two debtors they were both forgiuen but who loued most Peter could say he that had most forgiuen and what made the debt forgiuen but the meere mercy and good will of the creditor So as in that place of Luke not because the woman loued much Luke 7.47 therefore was much forgiuen her but much was forgiuen her therefore she loued much for where the mercy is great there must our labour in mortification be great also According to this it is said Mat. 11.28 Come vnto me all ye that are weary and laden and I will ease you But marke thâ—â—stipulation and indenting of Christ with them againe ver 29 â—ake up my yoke and learne of me to be meeke and lowly that is after this great mercy obtained of disburdning you of that yoke which pressed your soules with discomfort euen downe to hell returne this fruit of thankefulnesse to God againe deny your selues and your affections and be you yoked to the obedience of the Gospell Verse 13. For if ye liue after the flesh ye shall die but if ye mortifie the deeds of the bodie by the spirit ye shall liue Before the Apostle perswaded vs by the benefit of our redemption which is wrought in Christ to bee humbled and to acknowledge our selues indepted vnto Christ that as by him we are saued fâ—â—m Sathans tyranny and freed from his slauish seruice in acceptation of this liberty we should shew our selues to serue God in righteousnesse and holinesse of life Now because this would not sufficiently subdue the rebellious disposition of hypocrites and to stirre vp the dulnesse of Gods weake children he doth in this verse adde a reason to make the former perswasion more forcible first by a denunciation and peremptory speech to the hypocrites that besides the plague of God inflicted vpon them in this life at the separation of the soule from the body their soules shall bee caried to the damned ghosts there to bee reserued to the iudgement of the great day Iude 1.6 secondly by a prouocation to the faithfull wherein he proposeth to them the hope of immortalitie Vnderstand generally as all Scripture is earnest in perswading these two things first remission of our sinnes secondly repentance from our sinnes according to the speech of S. Iohn of bloud and water that is the grace that pardoneth and the grace that reneweth so S. Paul is more precise in those two than any other in vrging grace and meere mercy and nothing but faith in the point of our iustification before God and doth also vrge preâ—se mortification in our selues to shew by our sanctified liues that wee are sealed vp to the day of redemption that as Christ our Passeouer was sacrificed for vs 1. Cor. 5.7 so wee should keepe a continuall feast vnto the Lord in the vnleauened bread of a â—â—â—cere and sanctified life Now with these two hath the wisedome of the world beene greatly offended and hath deuised against them two errours first against meere mercy Sathan in his subtilty and enmitie to man hath stirred vp the heresie of Pharisaicall righteousnesse ioining merit with mercy and secondly against the strictnesse of mortification he raised vp the heresie of Libertines that is of them that maintaine worldly prophanesse and licencious loosenes so as one cries out if there be nothing but mercy then there neede no repentance and the other crieth out since it is done by mercy what neede such strictnesse and precisenesse in life But howsoeuer these be laid as blockes to stumble at Mat. 11.19 wisedome will be iustified of her children and the latter â—â—iâ—e shall not fall in vaine vpon the hearts of Gods chosâ—â—â— Yet whether the Gospell preach either of these or both of them together the hypocrites and prophane worldlings will take occasion of offence as Iohn Baptist is too precise preaching repentance so earnestly Mat. 11.18.19 And if Christ bee affable gracious and to bee conuersed with then is he a friend of vnrighteous persons At Iohn Baptist the Libertines at Christ the Pharises be offended so as whether Iohn weepe sorrow for sinne or Christ pipe deliuerance from sinne neither of these can please the itching humours of wauering minded persons In the words are comprehended first a commination or threatning to the wicked secondly a prouocation or encouragement to the godly by proposing a reward and both being set downe conditionall in the word if they compare contratie courses of life to contrary ends
that he hath a name at which all knees shall bow and this name is giuen him so as he hath it not as God for being God nothing could be giuen him Phil. 2.13 so as he hath it not as God for being God nothing could be giuen him but hee hath it as man and God for his bare humanity could not deserue this neither yet to be gouernour of all the world Now for the third which is the priuiledge we haue by being his brethren they are chieflie three First we are by this heires and fellow heires with him of all things in this life and in the life to come as appeareth vers 16.17 of this chapter Secondlie by this followeth and from this commeth the soueraigntie we haue ouerall creatures as 1. Cor. 3.22 Whether it be the world or life or death all things are ours for we are Christs and Christ is Gods and being vnder Gods wings no man neither dareth and though his stomacke bee neuer so good yet hee hath not the strength to hurt vs for the Lord will keepe vs as the apple of his cie Thirdlie by this though the Angels be farre aboue vs in nature yet we haue one of our nature better then they that is Christ and through him they doe all become our ministers Heb. 1.4.7 Christ is made more excellent then the Angels and he maketh them but his messengers Now for the degrees wherby the Lord doth execute this his eternal purpose for the first of them which is calling it is wrought by the holie Ghost as the principall cause and by a double instrument the holy Ghost vseth first the preaching of the law whereby we are brought to a holie despaire of our selues by the sight of our owne corruption that we may seeke for remedie in the profound sea of the Lords vnsearchable mercie The second the preaching of the Gospell whereby hee anointeth our eyes with the eye salue of the holie Ghost Col. 2.13 that being dead in sinne and not so much as dreaming of saluation the sound of the Gospel doth awake vs that we may heare that hearing we may liue Hereupon it is said that the Lord doth draw men and pull them vnto him as Christ saith Iohn 6.44 No man can come vnto me vnlesse the father draw him that is doth separate them from the cursed generation of the world and sets his inward seale vpon them that is his spirit and brandeth them in the forehead with a visible marke of holinesse of life that euery man may know them to be the Lords Hereupon also it is said that the Lord doth open the hart with the key of the Gospel as Act. 16.14 he is said to open the heart of Lydia and as Psal 40.6 he boareth the eare and softeneth the heart and moisteneth it with his grace that aboue all things a man shall esteeme of the pearle of the Gospell and be brought chearefully to sell all he hath to buy such a iewell as shall bring him righteousnesse to saue his soule so as this calling of the Lord is to this end to manifest and to secure a man in his soule that the Lord hath giuē him to Christ out of all the world Here may be obiected are not all vniuersally called by grace We answer No for first all men are not called effectuallie secondly some are not called at all Some are called externallie by the Preachers mouth and saluation is offered them by the ministerie of the word and sacraments and the kingdom of God is come to their dores and peace is shewed them and the glory of Ierusalem is set before them Math. 22.3 but yet we see of them that were bidden to the mariage there were three sorts not effectually called first they that being called carelesly refused to come being possessed with the cares of this world and with voluptuous liuing secondly they that cruelly persecured the inuiters messengers of the Bridegroome not onely refusing to come being called but disdaining to come as scorning such cheare and faring euery day better themselues at home thirdly they that came hand ouer head neuer looking to their feet before they entred into the Lords house nor neuer changed their attire but came without the wedding garment of a holy life So wee reade that of the foure sorts of ground that receiue the word and the seed thereof Mark 4.4 one sort onely shall be saued not that we must vnderstand it as if of foure hearers there should be but one saued for the Lord may haue mercy vpon a whole congregation to saue them but three sorts of them filled with seuerall affections that vouchsafed to come and to stand before the Lord as hearers were reprobate that is such as did not beautifie the profession of the Gospell with a holy life And truly of them that come and feed vpon the word and yet be reprobates it is wonderfull to see how farre they goe euen in the right course for first they may be enlightned generally in the knowledge of the truth and may taste of the heauenly gift yea and be partakers of the holy Ghost Heb. 6.4.6 and yet may fall away neuer to be renewe◠by repentance Secondly they may haue faith Luk. 8.13 for a time not counterfeit yet not truly sincere for in the daie of trial they fall away like fruit from the tree with a blast of wind yea they may take ioy in the word as Herod did Mark 6.20 who was glad to heare Iohn Baptist and with Herod they may for a time do many things at the request of Gods Ministers Mark 16.20 And for outward reformation swine we know may be washed so may they leaue off and discontinue some grosse sins for a time when Sathan being for a season cast out of them doth not worke so forciblie in them as Math. 12.34 the Pharises and Sadduces may for nouelties sake come to Iohns baptisme and for a time speake good things when they are euill and yet be but a generation of vipers yea they may wish with Balaam to die the death of the righteous Num. 23.10 iustifying in their owne conscience the course of holinesse and which is more they may partake of all the graces of God sauing that one grace of sanctification and yet they may seeme to bee sanctified as Hebrews 10.29 they tread vnder foot the Sonne of God and count the bloud of the new Testament an vnholy thing were with they were so sanctified Now others there be that are not called at all and these be of two sorts either those to whom the Lord hath denied the verie contemplation of the booke of nature as children that die as soone as they be borne who if they be elect it is by a supernaturall power of the holy Ghost if they be reprobate it is iust in respect of their naturall filth and corruption that did cleaue so fast vnto their bones for in that they die it proues they had finned and
agonies not doubting but hee will compassionatly respect vs because hee in this flesh of ours knew and felt the hard encounter according to that is said often in the old Law to the Israelites Remember thou wert once a seruant in Egypt experience of afflictions making men more mercifull and as it is said Heb. 5.2 he is meet to haue compassion on vs that are out of the way because that he also was compassed with infirmity and Heb. 12.3 the Apostle draweth his argument thus that the consideration of the sufferings of Christ should perswade vs not to bee wearied nor to faint in our minds both because hee by his sufferings learned obedience and also because hee in our sufferings will bee a bearer of the weight lest it ouerpresse vs that we also might be consecrated through afflictions And this also is a second comfort to vs that as Christ ouercame by flesh so shall wee also victoriously conquer through him if with patience we perseuere for heerein hath Christ recouered what Adam lost who receiued concupiscence by Sathans temptations but Christ hath ouercome the diuell in as great temptations as euer Adam was ouercome Further in that Christ is led by the sprit and the diuell tempteth him consider what the purpose of them both are since being opposite one to the other they both ioyne in this one action We must learne that temptations are diuersly spoken of in the Scripture first the diuell tempteth therefore when we are moued to anger giue not place saith the Apostle to the diuell Ephes 4.27 for he bloweth the coales to kindle thy wrath which is murder two waies first either in the vniust matter of it secondly or in the immoderate measure of it and in all things hee as an externall instrument worketh vpon the corruption of our hearts Secondly one wicked man tempteth another as it is said in the Prouerbes Come lay thy lot with vs and we will take a purse Prou. 1.14 alluring others by their example to the participation of the same sinne and these are two causes of temptations without our hearts But Saint Iames chap. 1.14 goeth to a third cause Euery one saith he is tempted of his owne concupiscence as speaking of the inward cause that another prouoketh vs by and Sathan worketh vpon namely our owne pronenesie and pregnancy to sinne and the fire that burneth in our breasts so as euer we must charge and challenge our selues for our sinnes and euery temptation is either from an outward prouocation or inward instigation or both Fourthly God tempteth not onely to trie what strength we haue to vse prosperity with sobriety and aduersity with patience for this is not enough though by this he doth manifest what is hidden in the inward minde but these other inward solicitations come not without God yet doth hee not tempt Iames 1.13 as it is euill but vseth the ministerie of Sathan two waies first toward the elect then toward the reprobate toward these to giue them vp into an euill minde that sinnes past may bee the punishments of sinnes to come and the deserts of punishments that are to come which the Lord doth as a iust reuenger and not as any euill author for to punish sinne by sinne is but iustice with God As God willeth that Absolon shall plague his father by committing incest 2. Sam. 16.22 to bring Dauid to repentance for his adultery not that he willeth it as adultery but as a iust plague to him that did it and to conuert his seruant Dauid Now for the elect the Lord letteth the raines loose that thereby he may manifest their strength and his owne power in their weakenesse And by this was made knowen what excellent graces Iob had receiued Iob 2.10 when by his extremities and anguishes hee was not consumed but refined which otherwise had beene hid euen as the Pilot cannot shew his cunning but in a storme nor a man his valour but in a combat So Dauid was by affliction brought low Psal 32.3 that the Lord might shew the richer mercie in his recouery that all his children might bee assured to finde the same mercy though they fall into the same sinne if they follow his steppes of repentance So as temptations are sent of the Lord to discouer his graces in them or their owne wants if they relent partly to heale their pride partly to teach them to repent of some sinnes which before were not thought of and that the Church of God might bee comforted knowing that in the extremity of a bleeding heart the Lord sendeth compassion Sathan tempteth Adam to proue God a lyer and to bring him to dishonour and to bee the instrument of mans damnation Adam tempted himselfe to tast of that which as hee thought should make him God God tries him by this meanes to make a way for his iustice in thereprobate and for his mercy on the elect for if there had beene no fall God had beene neither iust in condemning some nor merciful in sauing others So heere Christ is caried to be tempted The purpose of God in this is to confirme it vnto Christ that he should be of power to destroy and extinguish the power of the diuell but Sathan fully intended to haue destroied the head by this meanes to haue hindred the saluation of the members For the fift circumstance which is the aduantage sathan tooke by Christs fasting vnderstand first that it was not the purpose of God nor of Christ himselfe to commend vnto vs his abstinence for it is no commendation to forbeare when he hath no appetite to eate but it was to commend his miraculous power for he was qualified with such diuine vertue as hee was for the time like an Angell not subiect to humane desires The Papists from hence doe draw the institution of Lent saying that all things are written for our instruction therefore as Christ fasted fortie daies so must we It is true that all things are written for our instruction but not for our imitation for he was borne of a Virgin conceiued of the holy Ghost Mat. 17.2 transfigured in the mount hee had a confirmation of his doctrine by diuers miracles came into the house the doores being shut Iohn 20.26 Mark 6.51 commanded the winds walked on the waters and must we be like him in these things No for all these taste of his Diuinity But his obedience his patience his loue to giue his life for his enemies his meeknesse not to breake a bruised reede his willingnesse to suffer all kind of affliction these things let vs imitate for these be fruits of the spirit only but to fast forty daies and forty nights is no more imitable for vs then it is to be borne of a Virgin Yea but say they it is good by this to take occasion to exhort to abstinence We answer it is no reason that because Christ fasted hauing no stomacke therefore we should abstaine hauing stomake Againe in all this time
lawfull meanes and yet we doe not thinke God can relieue vs as Exod. 17. and Numb 20 both the Israelites and Moses himselfe doubted there would come no water out of the rocke though it were stricken whereupon the place was called Massah and Meribah Strife and Tâ—mptation for the Lord had told them by that meanes they should gaine water Secondly he is tempted when we neglect the meanes and yet presume vpon his power which is most proper to this place For if Christ heere would haue come downe from the pinnacle head long and not by degrees hee had neglected the meanes and so had beene out of the compasse of the promise And thus doe we trie whether God can keepe vs when we are gone out of the way which is as if wee would cut off a mans leg and send him then on our errand and clip the wings of a bird to trie whether it can flie for our presumption can tie vp Gods armes that he cannot helpe vs and make him brasse that he cannot raine mercy vpon vs. We know there is a peremptory decree of election and reprobation Phil. 2.12 what of this yet we must striue to obtaine the price set before vs and worke our saluation forth with feare and trembling for there are none predestinate to life but they are predestinate to the meanes faith and repentance and he shall beleeue and repent that shall be saued and he that doth not was neuer elect and yet we trie whether God can saue vs contrary to the meanes hee hath appointed by walking in profanenesse and in the works of darknesse But let vs know that the promise is vpon condition that we beleeue and that the meanes standeth with the decree and cannot be separate Oh but it is said Ezec. 18.32 Rom. 2.4 At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent he shall liue True but it is said againe Abuse not the bountifulnesse of the Lord vnto thine owne damnation For the doore is not alway open but thou maist knocke too late and weepe when thou canst get no blessing for if the sunne once set vpon our sinnes or the inheritance be once giuen then we come too short to expect any share Heere wee are to consider two extremities wee are fallen into first that wee distrust most where wee ought not to doubt secondly that wherein we should be most fearefull wee are too bold Care not saith Christ for food and apparell Mat. 6.25 they shall be cast vpon you and yet in these things we dare not trust the Lord without a pawne for vnlesse we haue bread we thinke straight way we shall starue but concerning heauenly things we are more carelesse as for the preaching of the word which is as necessary to keepe life in the soule as is food to maintaine life in the body Without bread a man will confidently say he 〈…〉 liue and yet despising the bread of life and neuer tasting of it he will not doubt but hee hath a sound soule and can retire to the song of mercie as that he trusteth God will spare him when as in truth wee haue no promise of mercie but through obedience to the Gospell embracing it by faith and expressing it in our conuersation And this is our miserie that wee are growen so sluggish that wee dare trust God with our soules without meanes which is the more precious part but not with our bodies vnlesse wee see the meanes present these being of no value saue in respect of the soule which maketh the whole immortall Christ heere refused to fall downe because there was another way so let vs cease to tempt the Lord by our wicked liues vpon hope of his patience or presuming that in compassion he will not fall out with vs nor take vengeance on our offences for wee cannot turst or rely vpon mercie without obedience to his commandement Example heereof wee haue Act. 27.24 where Paul had a promise of the Lord that not a haire of their head should perish that went with him in the ship yet when vpon violence of the tempest they would haue committed themselues to the sea Paul telleth them they could not be safe vnlesse they stated in the shippe for God hauing set downe the meanes of their safetie meant to haue their hearts inclined to it euen so he that doth not amend his life can no more bee secure from the ship-wracke of his soule then these from the daunger of their bodies if they had forsaken the ship or Christ to haue had his Fathers Angels to haue vpheld him if hee had cast himselfe downe Againe the Diuell tooke him vp into an exceeding high mountaine c. This is the third battery or assault was laid against our Sauiour Christ wherein are two generall parts first the temptation secondly the resistance of the temptation In the first there are three parts to be considered first what was the glorious and glittering sight he shewed Christ secondly what was the bountifull offer he made him thirdly what was the condition he required in recompence of his roiall liberality The sight he shewed him is set downe by these circumstances first hee lifteth him vp into an exceeding high mountaine that he might haue the aduantage of the place to take the better view secondly hee shewes him not some but all the kingdomes of the earth not in some but in all the glory of them all and as Saint Luke saith chap. 4.5 in the twinckling of an eye that the sudden sight might haue rauished him Out of which learne that before the diuell would propound his purpose and manifest his drift he vseth an infinuation to prepare Christ by making an impression in his minde to haue that moued by the apprehension of the sense that if it were possible his mind might be insnared But Christ though he had the naturall faculties of man yet was he not subiect to mans infirmities But it is strange to see how forcible this temptation is to the sonnes of men that are but flesh to shew them but the sight of things for not onely the minde poisoned with concupiscence corrupteth the sense but the sense likewise poisoneth the minde and oft times the Diuell begins with thoughts and fancies represented to the senses In incontinency thus he wrought with Dauid 2. Sa. 11.2 by casting his eye from the turret to lust after Vriahs wife and Gen 39.7 Putyphars wife fair the yong man Ioseph to be faire and she said Lie with me and Ioshua 7.22 Achan saw a stately garment of a Babylonian and then coueted and then tooke it For sensuality and voluptuousnesse the eye worketh much vpon men and therefore in the Prouerbs we are forbidden to looke vpon the colour of wine lest the sight inflame the appetite Prou. 13.31 and in Ahab 1. King 21.2 it is to be thought hee often saw Naboths Vine-yard whereby hee was brought so greedily to desire it yea in most of the sinnes registred in the scripture this speech They saw
if wee will not be hypocrites we must arraie our selues with a contrarie garnishment casting downe as 2. Cor. 10.5 euery thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ For as Satan delighteth to haue his house garnished and the fuller of sinnes thou art the fitter for him as that if the cup be full of extortion if it be faire without Mat. 23.25 he makes thee thinke thy selfe a great Scribe So also there is a furniture the Lord delights in namely sanctification and as 2. Cor. 7.1 to keep our soules clean for since Sathan 〈◊〉 needs be doing and willingly contenteth not himselfe to get the borders but hee will assay to take the arch city wee that are the children of God must keepe him occupied in some out-house or outward member at the most and aboue all striue to shut him out of the bed-chamber and from ruling in the heart bearing a religious care to follow the waies of God and to be garnished in humility to receiue the riches of the Lords graces not excepting against any thing the Lord willeth but shewing our selues reformable to all He taketh seuen other spirits worse c. As Sathan at his returne findeth the field well growen and the heart of that man fuller of sinnes than before so the fourth thing followeth namely what meanes he vseth not to be turned out againe hee bringeth seuen spirits worse than himselfe by this meanes so to rampire this his fortresse as to make it his continuall mansion Mat. 23.15 not to make him two fold worse as Proselites but seuen times worse like Diuels Wherein obserue that God in iustice is prouoked to reuenge himselfe vpon ingratitude for his graces according to the proportion of the grace that was offered so as Sathan vpon the contempt of the grace giuen shal preuaile more than before which the Lord doth as a iust reuenger of sinne for Sathan is chained that without his permission he can do nothing and the Lord is alway present vel per gratiam vel per vindictam either by grace to preuent thy sinne or by reuenge to punish it and therefore thou that hast spurned at the riches of the Lords mercy that hast thought Manna to be lothsome and syncerity in religion to be burdensome the Lord shall so punish thee that the sinnes past shall be the punishments of sinnes to come and the deserts of punishments that are to come For if wee thinke not the hearing of the word and receiuing of the Sacraments to be speciall meanes to bring in Sathan looke Luk. 13.26 and it will make vs take heed whether we come to them of conscience or of custome for Christ may teach in our streets and wee may eat and drinke in his presence and yet not know vs to bee his for it is said To him that hath profited shall more grace bee giuen but if thou hast onely heard that grace 〈…〉 hast shalt thou be spoiled of Heb. 6.7 And it fareth with the 〈◊〉 as with the raine that neuer falles vpon the ground but if maketh the earth more barren or more fruitfull so the word of God neuer returneth in vaine but euery man is made thereby either to sauour damnation or saluation 2. Cor. ◠26 as Saint Paul speaketh Euen so it is also of the Sacrament for though Christ was kinde in giuing the soppe to a traitor yet wee see Iohn 13.2 that after the soppe giuen Sathan entred into Iudas For the more familiar and the better acquainted wee are with the best of Gods graces the more shall our paine and torment bee for our prophane vse of them Secondly in that it is said Seuen spirits woorse wee must vnderstand a verie forcible seducing and great power of Sathan for heere is put a certaine number of an incertaine seuen spirits that is an infinite number of enormous sins expressed in diuers places of the Scripture as Acts 5.3 it is said Sathan had filled Ananias heart that he should lie vnto the holy Ghost and Act. 8.23 of Simon Magus that he was in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquitie and Act. 13.8 of Elymas the sorcerer such an enemie of righteousnesse as the least occasion will moue him to sinne and hauing as Eph. 4.19 their hearts past feeling haue giuen themselues to all wantonnesse and such as Reuel 22.11 being filthie will be more filthie Now if any should expostulate and question why the Lord will suffer this where hee once bestowed his graces wee answer Mat. 2. if the Lord do gather where he sowed not if he take away the talent for not vsing it to gaine by a spirituall trafficke then what shall his case bee that casteth the pearles of his graces to swine Againe as Rom. 1.20 the Lord did iustly condemne them that onely had the law written in their hearts and had no other spectacle than the booke of heauen and earth and thereby did see his power and iustice in administring these inferior things which hee had created if I say as vers 24. he gaue them vp into a reprobate sense what shall become of those that haue the booke of the Gospell and haue acknowledged the Lord and yet haue troden him vnder foot but that they be giuen vp into a triple reprobate sense since the Gentiles were cast away onely for despising him in his creatures and yet we despise him in his Christ Further in that it is said Seuen spirits woorse obserue th◠there is a difference of sinnes sinners and punishments for it is said they be woorse yet the first was said to be vncleane which we note not that wee should learne to extenuate any sinne for thought idle words be but an vncleane spirit in respect of whoordome which is worse yet shalt thou be iudged for them aswell as for this In Mat. 5.22 there is a difference of sinnes and punishments set downe whosoeuer is angry with his brother vnaduisedly shall be culpable of iudgement but he that saith Raca shall be woorthy to bee punished by a Councell but who so shall say Foole shall be worthy to be punished with hell fire So as we see though some sinnes be more sharply punished than others yet the least is culpable of iudgement So Dauid Psal 1.1 pronounceth blessednesse to him that first hath not walked secondly that stands not thirdly that sits not in the sea◠of the scornefull that is hath a resolute purpose to despise the spirit of grace harder shall it be for him than for the other and as the Apostle Saint Iude v. 7. harder for them than for Sodome and yet they be in hell For as all haue not the same spirit of grace in like measure so is it of the vncleane spirit which raigneth more in some than in others Withall obserue the speech of S. Paul Eph. 4.30 who after warning giuen not to grieue the spirit setteth downe how one sinne increaseth another as
but not according to knowledge and therfore missed of their saluation They that persecuted the Prophets and rose vp against Paul Act. 22. had a good intention and Paul himselfe in the state of a Pharisie thought he had done God good seruice when Act. 9.2 he had got a commission to persecute the church and what could bee better then for Peter in meere loue to his master Christ to disswade him from going vp to Ierusalem where he knew he shold be hardly intreated yet was hee called sathan for his labour or what could be better in zeale of conscience then for Vzzah to releeue and support the Arke from falling yet because it was contrary to the commandement he was stricken with sudden death So as our meaning is not that which can excuse vs for wee must square out our crabbed and knotty timber by the line and plummer measuring crooked things by that which is straight that both may be straight and we must goe to the plaine rule the law word of God not to that leaden rule wherby we are abused in the errour of our iudgement for we must in euery thing submit our wils to Gods will that they may be pure and holy as his law is therfore let this his law be our glasse to see whether we be deformed or beautifull our touch-stone to trie whether our deuotion be gold or drosse our ballance that it may appeare whether we be weight or refuse our diet to feede on that we suâ—fet not with the sinnefull pleasures of this lfie and let vs walke with straight feete in an euen path that wee neither decline to the right hand to sinne of presumption not to the left to sinne of good intention but without looking backe except it be to correct that which is amisse let vs euer bee going forward in that way the Lord hath set vs in and then to vs that walke according to this rule peace shall light and rest vpon vs Gal. 6.16 and mercy shall compasse vs on euery side Further in that the Apostle saith that the wisedome of man neither is nor can be subiect to the law of God we gather against the opinion of the Papists that it is no way in our power or free-will to take or to refuse the grace of God whereby at first wee should be conuerted for as there is no power in a bow to bend it selfe further then it is drawen by the strength of man no more is there any liberty in vs to incline our wils to goodnesse further then it is pressed and forced by grace for first we say the infusion of grace is from aboue and the power to retaine it and apply it is from aboue also it being a speciall prerogatiue giuen to Gods elect onely as Christ himself saith None can come to me except my father draw him the word signifieth a violent forceing and vrging of a man when with all his strength he withstands it and the heart of a man is as a stone that cannot be softned except it be by the blod of Christ no more then the diamond can except it be by the blood of a Goate but when it hath once beene washed with the blood of the Sonne of God then our wils worke like waxe in the singers of the Lord Phil. 2.3 Besides if it should bee arbitrary with vs to refuse or receaue the grace of our conuersion then should we still continue in our blood for as we haue no light in our selues at all so being inlightned wee can no longer keepe it then the hands of Christ are laide vpon vs and therefore the Lord saith Exo. 33.19 I will haue mercy on whom I will and whom I will I harden it being wholly and meerely in him for the magnifying of his mercy on some and the manifestation of his iustice on others to saue and to condemne and this is set foorth vnto vs Luk. 15.5 in the parable of the lost sheepe for such are wee all by nature straying from God in the breach of his commandement in the fruit of the forbidden tree Now they will al grant it is mercy at first in the Lord to seeke vs and when he hath spied vs our in the desert of our sinnes doe we of our selues set any one foote forward to hasten or helpe our returne home No but our shepheard is faine to take vs on his shoulders and carry vs all the way home to his fathers house for if we were not haled and pulled and borne and drawne to God by violence we would be like the starting bow that would recoile back againe Neither doth this take away the freedome we had in our creation for in Adam there was a double or twofold free will answerable to the twofold estate wherin he stood the first while he was in his innocencie that was like the wil of the Angels in heauen in that of his own nature he was wholly freely inclined to do that which was good The second after his fall that was like the will of the diuell who was a liar from the beginning and hath no libertie but in doing euill for hee can not but sinne and euen such is ours that come out of the corrupted loines of Adam for we haue election onely to commit this sin or that sinne as may serue our turnes best and as naturall reason doth lead vs to so as in that wee are said to be free it is to make vs inexcusable and in that wee are bound it is to make vs miserable for so long as wee are holden of the flesh there is a kind of seruile and slauish necessitie to sinne naturally there being nothing but sinne and filth in our conception and all the tortures and contradictions that are cannot change our willes to good when they are inclined to sinne howbeit this necessitie shall not excuse the will nor the will excuse the necessitie neither yet by holding this necessitie of sinning in the vnregenerate man doe we charge God with any iniustice at all as the papists charge vs with because this necessitie proceedeth not from God but from Adam in whom we stood and in whom we fell in whom we were blessed and in whom we were cursed And yet haue we great need to be stirred vp by exhortations and terrified by threats for the reprobate in three respects First to keepe them from outragious sinnes for God hath giuen that grace and power to the voice of a man that it strikes the heart as a thunderbolt and by this awe they are kept in by denouncing of iudgement it doth appeare that God hath some church among them which they like wilde Boares of the forrest would otherwise willingly roote out Secondly that by this meanes their consciences being a little opened might sometime accuse them to their greater confusion for hearing of the wrath of God and the nature of it of the mercy of God and the comfort in it they doe ofttimes taste of hell euen in
to couer our nakednes with the robes of our elder brother Christ Iesus and to remedie and cure our vnrighteousnesse in the righteousnesse of the blood of Christ So as with the hearers of Peter Act. 2.37 the law â—â—ging and pricking our consciences wee shall crie out in a holy distrust of our selues What shall we do And this kind of despaire prâ—pareth vs to saluation for the spirit sheweth vs our pouerty and where to buy gold that shall cost vs nothing it sheweth vs our wretchednesse that haue nothing but rags to put on and withall the wardrobe of Christs righteousnesse where wee shall haue garments fit for the Saints of God it sheweth our Apostasie how we haue fallen and by our fall haue euen broken and cut as it were our owne throats and sendeth vs to the Physitian Christ who is onely good at such a desperate disease it sheweth our blindnesse and withall the eie-salue of the holy Ghost to cleare vs 1. Ioh. 2.20 it sheweth vs our debt and the sergeant the diuell ready to arrest vs and then sends vs to the God of heauen in whose hands is all treasure to discharge what we owe it sheweth vs how we stand vpon the scaffold ready for the hatchet and then out of this astonishment sendeth vs an absolute pardon from heauen sealed with the blood of Christ and subscribed with Gods owne hand So as it teacheth vs onely to mistrust and despaire in our selues and to seeke to be releeued and refreshed with that water of life whereof hauing once drunke wee shall neuer thirst againe Iohn 4.34 Howbeit on the contrary this same spirit bringeth the wicked into a sense and feeling of this same horror and leaueth them in the astonishment of their conscience so as Sathan continually hath their sinnes to scourge them with and their corruptions wherewithall to vpbraide them And the cause why they bee left in this hellish plight and suffered to be thus perplexed and tormented of themselues is their owne infidelity that they haue stopped their eares against that comfortable sound of the Lords mercy and so poisoned their hearts with sinne that the power of the word could not worke vpon them and so the Lord most iustly hath hardened them in their irkesome and tedious hypocrisie that the sinnes they commit should be the punishments of sinnes past and the deserts of punishments that are to come And as to that that the holy Ghost working this same feare and terror in the hearts and consciences both of the elect and of the wicked and should leaue the reprobate euen when they are brought to the depth of despaire it were blasphemy to say or thinke that he doth it for and to the same end thaâ—â—â— than doth for Sathan doth it to prooue God a liar as that being in that case it were not possible for God to saue them whereas the mercy of the Lord is aboue all his workes But the spirit of God doth this that God may be iustified in the iust hardening of that mans heart whom hee found sinfull and whom hee was not bound to saue and so his end is to take vengeance of his hypocrisie for the Lord is as iealous of his iustice as he is of his mercie Sathan promiseth saluation to whom God pronounceth damnation and lulleth them in security whom he findeth carelesse to watch ouer their steps neuer greatly troubling or mouing any of his owne till they come to such a deepe exigent and to such a narrow pinch euen to hels mouth that they cannot goe from him then they taste euen of hell fire in this life and feele a fearefull beginning of that shall neuer haue end Now God threatneth damnation to all to his elect that they may seeke and hasten to be shrouded vnder the shadow of Christs wings and to feele the vertue of the hemme of his garment to the reprobate that they may bee the more hardened Mat. 14.36 because it is in the corruption of their owne hearts that they heaue refused the acceptable time of grace and reiected the pearle which they might haue bought It will be said But why should the holy Ghost leaue them in this despaire He is not properly the author of despaire but if the reprobate being brought to this be not recouered it cometh of his owne wickednesse As for example a man sheweth vnto a triator his indignity and hauing done this with great and vehement passions hee sheweth him the detestation and vglinesse of his offence and leaueth him with some doubt and scruple of conscience as amazed at his owne wickednesse if the traitor vpon this make himselfe away by violence as Iudas did hee that thus laid the quality and nature of his offence open before him Mat. 27.5 is not the cause of this his desperate end hee was the cause and meanes of making him to bee affraid and angry with himselfe onely and that was lawfull so the holy Ghost by laying open the riches of Gods mercy at the first thine owne wilfull rebellion to forsake him Rom. 7.12.23 his giuing of thee a law to bridle thee and the hâ—â— and feruencie of thy corruption to breake through all lawes worketh this terror in thy heart that art a reprobate and sheweth as it were before thee the smart and execution of thy sinne If now thou despairest and restest there the cause is in thy selfe for thou sawest light and louedst it not and heardest the sound of retrait and yet weatest on to thine owne destruction Further this spirit of God is not the author of despaire as it is despaire for a man should neuer despaire of Gods mercy as God was not the cause of the lie in the false Prophets as it was a lie 1. Kin. 22.7 but he shewed his iudgement on them by giuing them thus ouer to this sinne So despaire in the reprobate wrought by the wickednesse of their hearts is after this sort reuenged by the spirit in giuing them ouer to the extremity of this sin so as it commeth from the spirit not as an euil author but as a iust reuenger of their former sinnes Now the instruments the spirit of God vseth to bring and perswade the conscience to feare damnation are two first the law naturall for in the nature of euery man something is ingrafted and written of euery sinne that howsoeuer it bee acted and performed with pleasure yet euen in nature it endeth and is left with remorse which doeth shew that there is a God to punish it This was that which made the heathen to haue an apprehension and vnderstanding of infernall furies as that for some sinnes they should bee so exagitated and tormented with them as they could haue no rest For this cause they tearmed them by speciall names as the fury of Nemesis that should plague the proud man Eumenides because shee was implacable and would not bee intreated Alecto because it was a torment that neuer ceased Alasto that should pursue
the skinne as wee seeme to stand but on one foote from slipping into hell the other striking so deepe into the ioyes of this life that feeling as it were a quotidian ague of discomforts hanging vpon vs we can hardly weane our thoughts from listening to the knell of iudgement founding in our eares it is fit we prouide for our inward peace there being no outward balme able to asswage a raging conscience nor no externall Physicke of force to relieue a distressed soule We may not therefore iudge our selues safest when wee are freest from the buffetings of Satan for bearing in our bodies a diuided kingdom between the flesh the spirit represented vnto vs in the wrestling of Rebeccahs twins within her wombe Gen. 25.22 if we haue peace with God we shall haue warre with the dragon hauing forsaken Egypt in the way to Canaan Reu. 12.9 Exod. 14.9.10 we shal haue Pharaoh his captaines flie like grashoppers to feed vpon vs yea the liberty we haue in Christ the corruption of our hearts will labour to inuert to voluptuousnes the sweetnes we taste in his word Gal. 5.13 the vanity of our minds will endeuor to ouercast with drowsines Act. 20.9 the faith which we ground on his promises Gen. 3.4 the subtilty of the serpent will seeke to vndermine by doubtfulnes the conscience we make to offend the lusts of our flesh will contend for to couer with hypocrisy the detestatiō we haue of sin the concupiscence of our eies wil striue to out-reach with profanenesse the interest we haue to heauen the pride of our liues will perswade vs to exchange for trifles Gen. 25.30 With which temptations we may not be dismaied for where the siege is layd there is watchfulnesse to withstand but where no feare of the enemy is there the weapon rusteth and feeling a continuance of this contention between the law of the flesh and the spirit of life wee may bee assured that the seed of grace giuen vs from aboue which first drew vs into fight with our vncleannesse is well growen and that imputing the first thought of our peace to the loue of God Iohn 3.16 the full accomplishment of it to the death of Christ and the alone messenger and perswader of it to the holy Ghost and knitting the whole power of the worke the mercy in our preseruation the glory in our victorie to the arme and action of the almighty we shall haue our corruptions as it were closed in our hands and the pride of our resistance so abated in our liues as sinne shall but droupingly be seene in vs and mortality that cannot bee priuiledged with perfection shall yet be beautified with sanctification in such measure as we shall walke heere but as dispatcht from heauen on our Lords message to giue the sonnes of men a paterne of good life to forewarne them of their woes 〈◊〉 7. 〈◊〉 28.20 by bounding our desires within Iacobs compas the presence of the Lord to guide vs that we doe not stray his prouidence to feed vs that we do not starue and his bounty to cloth vs that we do not perish On the otherside so tender are our thoughts and so iealous our meditations of the loue of God Io◠6.4 as we are stricken with a trembling distrust to haue lost the starre of our direction and comfort in Christ when wee see our selues exposed to the shame of the world and the winds still to beate on our rudders where the wicked saile away proudly in a set calme our houses to be inclosed with snares when theirs are peaceable without feare and our liues to be bound vp in sorow Iob 21.24 when their brests as Iob speaketh are full of milke and their bones of marrow And when the apprehension of this feare hath taken such hold of our flesh as we thinke our selues smitten in displeasure and the tree of our hope to bee torne downe in wrath wee then wrastle with sinne as if the steps of our strength were restrained and looke vpon death as the Iailer that commits vs to the graue as a dungeon Hobeit euen in this doth the Lord reach forth a most approued cordiall to remoue the faintnesse of our hearts for hauing accesse into his sanctuary through the vnion communion we haue with Christ the vncleanues of our birth being wiped away in the sanctification of his nature our transgression remoued in his innocency our rebellion discharged in his obedience and the vtmost farthing paid in his sufferings and hauing the image of God we lost in Adam not renewed onely but a fairer and deeper stamp thereof engrauen and set vpon vs it being not now in our power to listen any more to the counsel of the flesh Christ bearing our names before him as his brest-plate and our bodies with him as members whereof he is head and hauing this written in the tables of our heart by the finger of no forgerer but of that comforter was sent from heauen and testified by ourselues in the pietie of our religion and purity of conuersation setting saluation before vs as a binding benefite euen to the losse of our souls to venture for the Lords glory Rom. 8.33 we may in a Christian resolution giue challenge at the gates of hell that nothing can be charged vpon vs as a debt and therefore nothing can light vpon vs as a punishment Wherefore if the Lord doe cast his cloudy countenance vpon vs it is that we should watch against the weaknesse of the flesh Mat. 16.41 which is then readiest to sleepe when temptation is nearest and yet if the streame of temptation cary vs into some sin from thence we slip into some shame in his compassion he cureth vs and yet in kindnesse doth correct vs. If he mingle our bread with care and lodge vs in the bed of darknes discomfort it is to weane vs from the flesh pots of Egypt and to aduance vs in the way to Canaan yet being driuen to any strait or exigent in this wildernes rather then we shall want it shall raine Manna Exod. 26.4 27.6 rather then we shall thirst the rocke shal yeeld vs water yea though the wicked be like the bramble who in confidence of their shadow dare chalenge to be kings ouer the trees of the forrest and our selues like sheepe Iudg. 9.15 who in simplicity grazing vpon the mountaines are either fleeced of the shearer when we are growne in wooll or snatched vp by the butcher when we are growen in flesh yet when death hath made vs both euen with the earth the graue shal be to vs a fold till our shepheard come and to them a shambles till the destroier of their soules shall haue receiued an endles commission to torment them What cause then haue we to shut our gates against the gasps of death or like trembling leaues to entertaine the gale or blast of sicknes which doth
name as a thing that Ioseph could not be vnmindefull of And this indeed is the duty and ought not to be the labour of euery trembling Christian to lodge as it were with the booke of God in their bosome and with the Noble-men of Beraea Act. 17.11 to receiue the word with readinesse and to search the Scriptures daily which is the garden of the Lord where runneth the riuer of wisedome to resolue all doubts and where is to be had the oile that softeneth all our afflictions Now in the testimony it selfe heere alleaged consider two things first the person that should beare a virgine secondly the person that should be brought foorth Emmanuell consubstantiall with vs in nature for both these the Prophet beginneth with a word of wonder Behold as of a miracle neuer performed but once If it be asked how it was possible a virgine should conceiue we must beleeue it was so and rest in this nothing to bee impossible with God Mat. 19.26 For as it was possible at the first to make a woman out of a man without the helpe of a woman as wee may see in the first creation Gen. 2.22 so was it possible for him in this new creation to make a man out of a woman without the helpe of a man Which was done to this end because if there should haue beene any corruption of the seed of man in Christ he could not haue sanctified others Concerning the person that should be brought forth it is Emmanuel the same that Iesus and they both imply one thing for he that is Emmanuel is God with vs as Iesus is God sauing vs. Now he is God with vs many waies and albeit in the Arke vnder the law the Lord was alway speaking through the Cherubins insomuch as the very enemies of God the Philistims 1. Sam. 4.7 could say when the Arke came that the God of Israel came and therefore cried woe vnto vs yet is he farre neerer with vs namely in such a spirituall manner as the Prophet speakes heere a God not onely present and fauourable to vs but connaturall to vs and vpon which did depend all the graces of God formerly giuen to his Church Therefore if Moses did say in admiration of the Lords goodnesse Deuter. 4.7 Looke if euer the like came to passe that God from heauen should speake vnto his people and shew his glory so to appeare on earth much more may we breake foorth into the like astonishment to whom God is come so neere as to be of the same nature with vs and to speake vnto vs not in the publication of the killing law but in the manifestation of the quickening Gospell whereby we may receiue comfort in the deepest dangers that gathering our selues vnder his wings and seeking rest and refreshing at his hands he will first giue vs a generall charter of grace for the pardon of out sins And because pardon of our sinne will not saue vs from hell but our iudgement shall be iust vnlesse we yeeld full obedience to the law hee will secondly impute and lay all his obedience and righteousnesse vpon vs so as in him we shall fulfill it And yet because we are still sinners as carying about vs the orignall vncleanenesse we brought with vs Ephes 5.30 the third rest he will giue vs is so to sanctifie vs as we shall be bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh not that we are absolutely sanctified in this life but that that which this our Christ brings vs is al-sufficient to saluation And being sure of this we need not to be dismaide for the waters of trouble are but a bath to cleanse and purge vs from those corruptions we gather by walking in this dirty world Further let vs consider heere why it was necessary that he that should be Iesus should also be Emmanuel first it was necessary he should be the Emmanuel that is the strong God for when wee were all enwrapped in sinne and shut vp vnder death then was there neede of remedy And what shall that be Mercy No God is iust and we hauing smitten his Maiesty by our sinne must bee smitten againe by his punishment Shall it then be iustice No for we haue need of mercy Heere so to be mercifull as not to disanull his iustice and so to be iust as not to forget his mercy and to make a way both to appease his wrath that his iustice might be satisfied and yet so to appease it as his mercie might be magnified in forgiuing there must needes come a mediation and if all the world should be offered to God for satisfaction it is nothing for it is his owne the worke of his owne hands If Angels should step in before the Lord it were nothing for they are engaged to him for their creation and being but temporally good they cannot satisfie for an infinite sinne howbeit he that must satisfie must bee infinit to suffer infinite punishment for an infinite sinne committed against an infinite Maiesty therefore he must be God he must be also Emmanuel with vs for how can there bee satisfaction for our apostasie but by humility nor procurement of life but by death Now when God comes to obey hee must needes bee humbled and when he comes to deserue hee must needes serue which God alone cannot doe and when he comes to die he must needes be mortall which God cannot be Therefore hee was man to be himselfe bond God to free others man to become weake and God to vanquish man to become mortall and God to triumph ouer death The situation also of the Ladder spoken of Gen. 28.12 is an euident demonstration of the two natures of this Emmanuel for the word must bee vnderstood of the second person in the Trinity By the foot to satisfie his Fathers wrath as being of our nature that he might stand close to Iacobs loines and to his Church militant and by the top to expresse his diuinity which toucheth the seate and reacheth to the bosome of God that he might in time bring thither his Church triumphant Now euery ladder is a Medium or meane whereby weascend to some place that otherwise we could not reach vnto which this Emmanuel is to vs for wee being euill debters and God a seuere creditor Colos 2.14 Christ is the meane to cancell this debt and to set it on his owne score and we being ignoant clyents and God a skilfull Iudge not able to vnderstand our tale Christ must be our aduocate 1. Ioh. 2.1 to pleade our cause for vs. And as betweene God and vs so betweene the diuell and vs he is a mediator for he casteth fierie darts against vs which we onely driue backe by the shield of faith in Christ Ephes 6.11 Further in the word Emmanuel obserue three things first the truth and verity of the subsistance of both these natures in Christ secondly the reall distinction of them thirdly the personall vnion of them And these three points wisely and
the liuing God though he had the warrant of the King of Ashur to doe it but in these and such like sinnes they hazard and aduenture their owne soules therefore let euery of vs keepe the ground that Balaam at first stood vpon Numb 24.13 not for a house full of gold to passe the commandent of the Lord yet I doe not say rebell but obey not Let Saul himselfe fall vpon the Priests if he will haue them slaine and let not vs assist him Let Iesabel her selfe sit in iudgement vpon Naboth but let not vs condemne him we are bound to do good to the saints of God much lesse to persecute them And it is said in the Gospell hee that clotheth a poore prisoner Mat. 35.36 clotheth the Lord Iesus Now what shall we say then of him that standeth vp like Tertullus against Paul Act. 24.5 to plead against him and to reproch him with the name of a pestilent and seditious fellow For if they shall bee condemned that haue not ministred to the necessity of the saints Luke 16.25 but haue been ashamed of their bands If Diues shall hang in hell for not refreshing Lazarus at his gate what shall become of them that take the bread from Lazarus and put Paul into bands or else enforce crimes against him to retaine him in bands Looke Iudg. 5.23 Cursed be Meroz because they helped not the Lord nor stood in defence of his truth A double curse then shall light vpon them that oppose themselues against the truth Obediah against the expresse edict of Iezabel 1. King 18.4 hideth the Prophets and Rahab Iosh 2.3 ventureth her life to preserue the spies Exod. 17.12 Psal 106 23. And what better spies can there bee then Preachers which stand in the gap betweene God and vs as did Moses which watch ouer the soules of the people and shew vs the way to heauen Ionathan being often incited by his father to kill Dauid 1. Sam. 20.2 protesteth Dauids innocencie though Saul perswaded him that Dauids glorie could not bee without Ionathans ruine and would not be drawne to doe it And if hee would not compasse such a mischiefe at the commandement of Saul which had a threefold force in it first as proceeding from his Father secondly from his Soueraigne thirdly being ioyned with the temptation of a kingdome much Iesse ought we to gratifie the State with the affliction of Gods Saints for we must rather Act. 4.19 obey God then man yet disobey not the Prince for his commandement standeth on these two feet either to doe the thing or to sustaine the punishment for not doing it Fourthly obserue that assoone as Christ is borne there is trouble and commotion ciuill and forren warres yet is not Christ the cause of it but the wickednesse and peruersenesse of Herods heart for righteousnesse must not yeeld to iniquity and Christ must be borne and being borne must raigne though the diuell rage and the world swell neuer so much Certaine it is no Gospell teacheth so much peace as this of Christs for it teacheth peace betweene God and man betweene man and man yea betweene man and his inward soule and maketh the wolues to become lambes and the Lyon to lodge with the Beare But Herod would haue the Gospell abolished and Christ murthered which cannot be Shall Dagon 1. Sam. 5.3 yeeld to the Arke or the Arke to Dagon Shall the ten Tubes go to Iuda or Iuda to them Ishbosheth to Dauid 2. Sam. 2.16 or Dauid to him Herod loues not Christ therefore hee murthers the children and Dauid especially being king must not yeeld to Saul house nor Iuda goe to the ten tribes nor Christ giue place 〈◊〉 Herod but if his Crowne cannot stand with the gouernment of Christ well may he harbour murther in his thought against him but iudgement shall fall on his owne head for God will wateâ— ouer his owne sonne and fight for his owne truth So as wheâ—â— religion hath beene granted by Parliament and suppressed by priuate commandement there may the subiects stand on the part defensiue to ward the blow being smitten but if it hath not beene established by publike authority then may they not take vp armes to set it vp Out of the murther it selfe gather that though there be many flaine yet Christ escapeth and that in the greatest persecution yet Christs religion shall neuer bee abolished For heere is great bloudshed yet Christ liueth great persecution yet the Gospell flourisheth When Iezabel thought she had had her hands full of bloud and that she had rooted out all the Lords Prophets you and when visibly there was no face at all to be seene so as Eliâ—â— thought himselfe onely to be left then the Lord 1. King 19.18 reserued seuen thousand to himselfe that had not bowed theâ—â— knees to Baal And when by scattering the sheepe and smitiâ—â— the shepheard the diuell thought himselfe flush and that 〈◊〉 Christ sleepe in the earth he had vtterly stung him to destruction then was his resurrection most glorious and then did the Churches of God increase daily For such is the nature of the Gospell that the more it is troden downe the higher it riseth the more it is maligned the broader it spreadeth and whâ—â—â— seemeth to be dead then is there most life in it For the third point which is the prophesie Ieremy chap. 13.15 to declare the greatnesse of Gods mercy in the deliuery of the Iewes sheweth them that they were like to the Beâ—â—â—mites or Israelites that is vtterly destroyed and caried away insomuch that if Rahel the mother of Beniamin could haue riâ—â—â— againe to seeke for her children shee might haue wept 〈◊〉 want of them but she should haue found none remaining Thâ—â— doth the holy Ghost bring in heere as a butchery foretold 〈◊〉 the end that none might either wonder or be offended at it for it might haue beene said Is this the consolation of Israel nay he is the discomfort and destruction of Israel his birth hauing kindled such a fire as neuer was the like before leauing so many sad hearts for their lost children And how may we hope he shall be our Sauiour when his beginning is with this bloud And the more to increase the cruelty of it the holy Ghost speaketh excessiuely bringing in Rachel dead many yeares before howling and wringing her hands at the rufull spectacle of this bloudy tragedy as if the calamitie of the liuing might seeme to touch and affect the dead That therefore this might not seeme strange the spirit of the Lord recorded it long before that when it came to passe they might digest it as a thing foreseene in the wisedome of God necessary to fall out MATH chap. 2. vers 19 20 21 22 23. verse 19 And when Herod was dead behold an Angell of the Lord appeareth in a dreame to Ioseph in Egypt verse 20 Saying Arise and take the babe and his mother and goe into the land of Israel for they are dead which sought
giuen vp Rom. 1.24 to serue their owne lusts that profited not by that one light of nature whereby they were constrained to acknowledge a superiour power that made that excellent frame of heauen and earth If the Pharisees were thus sharpely charged and reprooued for not amending their liues at these few sermons of one Iohn Baptist much more may wee feare lest wee be swallowed vp of present destruction that haue had so many sounds of the Lords trumpets and yet haue not retired from our owne waies that after so much dressing and pruning and lopping haue brought foorth nothing but briers that haue deuoured so many full yeares of peace and yeeres of preaching and plentie and yet continue leane and ilfauoured in the course of our liues for now at the time of the Gospel as we see heere beginneth iudgement Secondly learne how faithfully Iohn executed and performed his ministery which stood in two parts as was foretold by Malachy chap. 4. to preach mercie and iudgement both which he performed in this one sermon Heere the Iesuits take occasion to say that we should dehort men from euill for feare of hell and exhort them to doe well in hope of heauen We say with Paul who is our patterne and forerunner that we haue weapons for all those that shall despaire after the obedience of Gods Saints fulfilled but we preach not onely to worke well in hope of heauen for as we are seruants we deserue nothing but as children wee are receiued to an inheritance bought for vs before we were so we striue not that men should keepe themselues from sin onely for feare of hell for the Lord will neuer account of such a soule as will doe nothing but for feare of the whip for hee loueth a free giuer and hateth constrained subiection and it is not the horror of damnation but the commemoration of the Lords mercie shewed toward vs in giuing his owne Sonne to so ignominious a death to ransome vs from that curse wee had incurred This is that containes vs within the bounds of obedience for if the heart bloud of the Lord Iesus will not make thy heart to relent and thy hands to tremble to put them forth to wickednesse then art thou in a desperate case Shall the feare of the gibber or the ghastly shew of death make one that was a traitor and now pardoned and aduanced vnto high place by the meere mercie of his Soueraigne shall this make him afraid to commit treason againe and nothing else nay the grace of his Prince shall rest alwaies before his eies and shall most forcibly perswade him to perseuere in his loialtie For this is the most effectuall of all others to mooue vs in the bowels of the mercies of Christ to keepe our selues cleane and washed because wee are already purified in his bloud and not for feare of falling into the pit againe Thirdly note that if any man will escape and auoide damnation he must of necessitie liue wel for he must be a tree bringing foorth good fruit Where first consider what is good fruit which is implied in the text it cannot bee good except the tree be good as Christ saith If the casting out of a diuell be a good worke why am not I a good man Matt. 12.28 Ioh. 7.21 So as first the person must be accepted before the worke be accepted and no person can please without faith that purifieth the heart and there is no such heart where religion dependeth not vpon the true worship of the law of God and by consequent there is no good faith where the heart is not cleansed by the spirit of God Since then a man must first be good before he can doe good it is impossible that anie man erronious in religion should produce a good worke Externall righteousnesse and the morall vertues of the Papists is a vizard that bleares manie mens eies and wee say that they are honest as well may we say it of them that hanged vp the Lord Iesus thinking he had spoken blasphemie because being but a poore wretch to see to he challenged himselfe to be the Sonne of God and in this doing they thought they had done God an excellent peece of seruice And for Paul before his conuersion who could except against his life nay as he testifieth of himselfe Philip. 3. â— hee walked according to all the ordinances the law prescribed yet after hee was called he accounted all his morall righteousnesse but as the excrement of a dogge And if religion do not distinguish betweene men the heathen shall condemne both vs and them who by the meere instinct of nature liued in the hatred of grosse sinnes and walked soberly without exception and yet are they already damned For first we must be good by grace and being adopted into Christ then we doe good and of all the trees of the forest as Ezec. 15.3 there is none but is better then the vine if it beare not grapes for the oake is good for timber and euerie tree may serue for some good vse but the farments of the vine if it be not clustered is fit for nothing but for the fire The Papists are good as okes to build monasteries and to set vp houses and places of religion but an vnfaithfull and vnfruitfull Protestant and Professor is good for nothing being but a rotten bough or branch of a fruitlesse and barren vine but to be burned So that to iudge a worke to be good it must bee good both quo ad fontem quo ad finem proceeding from an honest heart and driuing to a right end the glory of God to whom I owe honor Further to come to the true knowledge of good fruit let vs know what bad fruit is which is double first sinnes in substance such as are contrarie to the expresse commandement of God as adulterie is absolutely a sinne in Dauid as wel as in any other secondly sinnes by circumstance as giuing of almes Matt. 23.5 onely when the trumpet sounds to be seene of men or to come into the sanctuarie with a purpose to pray and presently to returne to his vomit againe for the Lord abhorreth what himselfe commandeth Esay 66. if it be not doâ—â— with that heart he commandeth The sacrifice of a sheepe is 〈◊〉 his sight as the bloud of a man not that he hateth the action but the hypocrisie in the action which staineth the whole a Hagg. 2.13 if an vncleane person touch the holy flesh the flesh it selfe is vncleane but holie flesh maketh not other flesh holy which was not so before Further obserue where it is said Euery tree that bringeth 〈◊〉 foorth good fruit shall be hewne downe that it is not enough not to doe euill but it is damnable not to do good for he doth not say the tree that brings foorth no fruit but that brings not forth good fruit For it is not enough for Zacheus Luk. 19 after his conuersion to be no poller or robber of
is with you and as Iohn 5.35 for a season to reioice in this light but that is onely spoken of the elect which is Malac. 4.2 that vnto them that feare the name of God shall the Sunne of righteousnesse arise and health shall be vnder his wings And as it is in the Prophet Esay The Sunne shall neuer go downe Esay 66.23 nor the Moone be darkned that is their light shall neuer be put out Againe the reprobate may conceiue and retaine a knowledge of reconciliation but it is a confused knowledge but the elect hath a more particular knowledge that he can receiue it to apply it to the reforming of his life whereas the other haue it onely to make them vnexcusable or to make them burst foorth into some confession of their sinne without repentance Examples here of we haue Esau Gen. 27.38 losing the blessing wept and Peter Luke 22.62 losing Christ by his denials wept bitterly Heere are teares alike but not in trueth alike So Math. 27.3 Iudas betraying Christ saith I haue sinned and 2. Sam. 24.10 Dauid numbring the people against Gods commandement said I haue sinned here is repentance in both the worke alike but the faith vnlike So as the reprobate haue a common beginning with the children of God vnder the veile and couering of hypocrisy but they can neuer come to that height wherin the elect do stand as 2. Cor. 3.17 to behold the Lord with open face or to be transformed to his image or as Reu. 1.7 to haue receiued that true cie-salue as to see Christ comming in the clouds with comfort or as it is said in the Prophet Ieremie that true anointing of the Lords grace which neither wasteth with time nor decaieth in vertue The second grace which is diuers in substance is adoption which no hypocrite can perswade himselfe to haue in such measure as the elect may for indeed this spirit of adoption is alwaies denied them And this may bee knowen by two parts that are to bee performed first by praier to GOD secondly by affections towards GOD. For the first it is impossible for an hypocrite to praie aright hee may babble or vse the externall gesture in prayer as the Pharisee did in the open streetes yea Sathan may suffer him to vtter some words without feeling sometime so farre as to condemne his owne sinne Mat. 27.4.5 as Iudas did his selling of Christ but yet his conscience neuer disalloweth it for this is an inseparable marke set vpon the praiers of the elect Rom. 8.26 Neither haue any this sanctified spirit to pray as they ought but they which are of God And as Galath 4.6 For that assurance in praier whereby wee crie Abba Father the reprobate cannot possibly haue nor feele that force in praier for as the Apostle there saith it is proper onely for the sonnes of God The reason is because the reprobate want the second grace which accompanieth and waiteth vpon the spirit of adoption that is good affections toward God for hee doth but dissemble his loue of God that hee might still continue as a bayâ—rec euer florishing the reuerence that he yeelds him is but in hypocrisie Iames. 2.19 and the obedience that he giueth him is but constrained as is the diuels Howbeit with the elect it fareth farre otherwise for their praiers are auailable because they are taught of God and their affections are good because they are changed by his spiâ—â—e and they can come to God as children to a father only loking to speed in the name of father for this sheweth reconcilement after our first enmity and setteth foorth more sound loue than nature can affoord And this his loue draweth our feare to oftend and our care to please and we doe lift vp our voice with an assurance we shall be heard Ioh. 5.15 because we humble our selues in a detestation of our sinnes and with a resolution to be obedient to his commandements which the reprobates cannot doe for though the Lord doe often euen shew mercy to them in their praiers and other Christian exercises so as they may thinke they haue their sinnes forgiuen as he did to Ahab 1. King 21.27.29 who hauing solde himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of God vpon the iudgement pronounced against him sitting but within the shadow of praier and fasting was spared that the euill should not fall in his daies yet can they not possibly loue the Lord of heauen but in a confused sort nor come before him but with a slauish feare But it may be said If the Lord sheweth mercie to hypocrites and yet their praiers nor auaileable it may be thought the Lord is deceitfull No for the hypocrite is taken with the sweetnesse of the Lords mercy but he not apprehending it as hee should in obedience it proueth to him but a decaying sweetnesse Neither yet doth this any whit proue the will of God to be changeable though after his mercy disclosed he doth withdraw it from them for they relie onely and stay themselues vpon the present mercy not seeking further euen as Esau Gen. 25 34. who so he might presently haue to fill his belly cared not for his birth-right whereas the elect ground themselues vpon Gods mercy in all maner of tempests and doe gather together as many remembrances of it as they can in any of their afflictions after the example of Dauid who 1. Sam. 17.37 armeth himselfe against Goliah vpon the remembrance of the Lords mercy formerly shewed him in deliuering him out of the paw of the Lion and of the Beate Neither yet doth the spirit of God at all deceiue the reprobate for the Lord did not so extend his mercy as to take them to bee his and keepe them as his but did cast that seed into them to make them without excuse and to double their damnation Mark 4.5.6 in that they loued darknesse more than light so as for their ingratitude it was taken away Now for the second difference which is betweene the elect and the reprobate which is discerned by the working of this spirit it is to be obserued that it worketh more effectually in the elect than in the reprobate for the grace offered them doth but puffe them vp with a dexterie of wit and volubility of speech that they can conceiue and speake something of the Lord as the Pharisees could in Christ his time but this grace worketh farre otherwise in the elect and by no comparison for the Lord doth not onely enlighten the iudgement of his chosen to make them know his Gospell but changeth also their affections to make them worke foorth their saluation with feare and trembling And as it is Ezechiel 18.31 they shall haue a new heart giuen them to walke in the commandements of the Lord and as Danià speaketh Psal 40.6.7.8 they haue a new song put into their mouths and the Lord hath so prepared their eares as they can say Here I am O Lord I desire to
doe thy will for thy law is written in my heart And they bee such of whom Esay 50.5 saith the Lord hath opened their eares therefore they are not rebellious But otherwise it is with the hypocrites for though their eares be opened yet they are rebellious and though the word of God be in their stomackes yet like dogges they cast it vp againe and doe not shew themselues pliable to the grace of God He walketh thorow drie places This is the second part spoken of at first namely that when Satan is gone out of a man he hath a restlesse kind of desire euery place is to him as a wildernesse vnlesse he may returne whence he came for he walketh through drie places that is his operation and power being interrupted in that man all other places are as irkesome and vnpleasant Out of this generally obserue that whether Sathan be really cast out or onely so dispossessed as the power of his subtill illusion is made lesse that is whether the iudgement be onely enlightned or with the light of iudgement the affections be also changed which is the effectuall casting out it doth so prouoke Satan distemper him as he will assault that man more fiercely than he did before in his time of ignorance And if he be cast out by a true enlightning then he is more busie than with hypocâ—iâ—â— for being Sathan that is an enemy he is an enemy to God because he disthronized and threw him out of heauen and he doth therefore most oppose himselfe against Gods children because he cannot assault the person of God and yet we see how hee assaied it to God in the flesh Luk. 4.2 Againe as hee is an enemie to God so he is said to be the Prince of the world and therefore would draw all to be vnder his seepter Ioh. 16.11 and he can finde no rest in a Papist nor in an Atheist for he knoweth there is a canker alreadie growen vpon their consciences which onely must be seared by the hot iron of the Lords wrath 1. Tim. 4.2 for they are already so hardned in prophanesse and so rooted in the obstinacie of their errour that he is sure enough of them But his labour and rage is to assault professors such as haue a true knowledge of the true God and especially such as beare true affections toward God and whom hee seeth to yeeld obedience to the Gospell of Christ A liuely example and figure of this we haue in Pharaoh who while the children of Israel Exod. 5.7 continued in Egypt onely oppressed them with heauy burdens but then most fiercely and deadly pursued them when they were gone out of Egypt Euen so let euery of vs assure our selues that the further wee be from the regiment and dominion of Sathan and the more excellent seruants of God we be the more will Satan buffet vs and vexe vs. This is that Christ forewarned Peter of saying that Sathan desired to winnow him like Wheate Luk. 22.31 And why him aboue the rest of the Disciples First because he was one whom Iesus loued secondly on the confession of whose faith hee said hee would build his Church And this is the condition of all true Christians that when Sathan is effectually to be cast out and distodged it cannot be but by violence for he will not onely winnow vs that we shall feele the fanne to grate vs but euen the flaile to bruise vs. Example whereof we haue in the dumbe man in the Gospell Mark 9.18 who before Sathan would leane his fort and habitation was so tormented that he fomed raged and was euen rent in peeces so as hee is not to bee encountred with a false alarme or with one hand but in this combat betweene vs and him we must prepare our selues to great temptations and carie Iob before vs as our patterne Iob 1.7 in the subuersion of whose faith and constancie in the loue of God the diuel tooke more delight than in compassing the whole earth yet was he faithfull to the end whereby he obtained the crowne of life Further obserue hence the wisedome and policie of Sathan that his purpose is alwaies to be some where yea and hee foreseeth his future place before he will leaue his former habitation as Math. 8.32 he would not go out of the men whom hee possessed before hee had libertie to goe into the swine and would bee in them rather than no where For Sathan being by nature a destroier seeketh oftentimes by the losse of goods and substance to draw mens faith and feare from God as hee assaied in Iob chapter 1. vers 15.16.17 by his oxen taken by the Shabeans by his sheepe deuoured with fire and by his Camels led away by the Caldeans to driue him to impatiencie against God But yet because the shaking of a mans estate in substance pierceth not the soule so deepely not withdraweth not the heart so swiftly from God as the sinne and corruption seated in himselfe therefore his trauell is to keepe the cup foule within and to haue still some foule blood lurking in our veines which in time may breake forth to some distemper not but that thou must expect when thou art called to feele thy sinnes and hast withall this grace to see some comfort of Gods mercy to bee so haled and pulled betweene these two as thou shalt haue many perplexed feares many troublesome garboiles and infinit great temptations when sinne is to be cast out of thee and seeing so many difficulties thou shalt stand appalled to be restrained from the loose custome of thy former sinnes But as the siege is great which is against thee so must thy encounter and resistance be fierce against him and not done percunctorily or slowlie as the sluggard riseth in the morning Prouerb 6.10 with a little raising of his head and folding of his hands to sleepe againe thinking that if thou beest not so euill in thy life nor so malicious in thy heart against God as others that then thou art good enough and hast sufficiently profited in the schoole of Christ for thy luke-warmth in religion is lothsome to the Lord Reu. 3.14 and a strong stirrop for Sathan to get vp to thy soule againe And therefore consider and thou shalt find whether he bee truely or hypocritically cast out of thee consider whether thou feele not foule and grosse temptations to beset thee for if Sathan labor not mightily in this thou art not called for if thou be a despiser of the word or nourishest any such enormous fault as seemeth sweet to thy taste Sathan hath thee at commandement what needeth he tempt thee when thou temptest thy selfe Not that he that falleth into temptations and fulfilleth them is the best Christian but hee that hath no tubbes set in his way to stumble at and findeth euery thing plaine and easie may know he liueth in the broade way that leadeth not to heauen Math. 7.13 for hee that is most vexed and hath
the profanenesse of our mindes we make a sauour of death and as it were a trumpet of debate and sedition to consume each other yea Ioh. 6.66 we see how diuers of Christs disciples went backe from him when hee preached a long sermon touching the sacrament of the supper which is a badge of our friendship with God with our brethren which proceeded not from the sacrament but from their rebellion that their sinne might bee made more sinfull yea such contagion is there in our nature as wee make Christ himselfe the authour and finisher of our hope to bee our condemnation a stone to stumble at and a rocke of offence 1. Pe. 2.8 the cause not being in him who is the light of the world but in our selues making him an occasion of our darkenesse Iohn 3.19 which by this light shall be made in the end farre more sinfull and damnable Since then the power of our corruption is so forcible as it is able to peruert all the meanes ordained for our saluation as to make the commandement of God in his law the promises of God in the Gospell the seales of God in his sacraments and the loue of God in his sonne to be vaine and of no value this must teach vs to humble our selues in the lowest degree in a hatred and detestation of our flesh and sinfull faculties of our soule which are as the poisoned soile that either casts vs or corrupts all the seeds of fruitfulnesse or wholsomenes that we throwen into it whereas our sin being disclosed both by the law and Gospell it is the more to bee hated and abhorred because it turneth the edge and benefit of both these to our destruction For what could the Lord doe more to preserue our first parents in their innocency than to set as it were a double fence about his commandement forbidding not onely the eating of the fruit but the touching of it binding the hands that they should not conuey it to the mouth and yet more hath he done for vs taking vs out of the fire by casting as it were his Sonne in the fire though as if we had neuer beene scorched or else being past sense we carrie still the coles in our bosome and will not haue them quenched with the water of the spirit to newnesse of life But let vs not be so wilfull peruerse so strong headed and stifnecked as not to bee turned into the way by the rod of the law but hauing spent the portion of the flesh and wasted the lusts thereof let vs grow in loue with our fathers house for what fruit can we haue in those things whereof we shall be ashamed or which at length shall bring shame on vs Let vs therfore shake off the sinnes we haue delighted in and then haue we suffered in the flesh and then hath Christ suffered in the flesh for vs which if he haue then is our flesh destroied in vs which if it be then shall we cease from sinne which if we doe then shall we liue after the will of God though not in perfection yet reformable to the perfection of his will and then to vs that are sanctified shall not the law be grieuous nor burdensome as Saint Iohn saith 1. Iohn 5.3 but it shall reioice the heart giuing light to the eies and sweetnesse to the taste as Dauid saith Psal 119.7.8.9.10 God sending his Sonne c. This is the second generall pâ—n spoken of at first namely that what was impossible to the law is made possible in Christ wherein obserue foure things First the person which sendeth Secondly the person which is sent Thirdly the maner how he is sent Fourthly the end of his sending For the first which is God consider the cause mooued him to this mercy not any thing in vs but his owne loue and compassion towards vs as it is expressed Ioh. 3.16 God so loued the world that he sent his sonne and Ezek. 16.3.4 It is said concerning the Church of God that at the beginning she was born and begotten of the heathen her father an Amorite her mother an Hittite at the day of her birth shee had no mid-wife neither was shee washed but remained filthy shee had not so much as a swadling clout to couer her neither did any that passed by pitie her but shee was cast out in the open field lay polluted in her blood ready euery houre to perish In which words the meaning of the holy Ghost is to set forth our vnworthinesse our shame and our nakednesse If now an honorable person shall passe by and open his compassion on her and bring her home and spread his owne skirts ouer her feed her at his owne table make her beautifull and aduance her to great honour whereby she that was despised comes to be beloued of all nations and yet she should againe fall to her pollution and become a common strumpet if notwithstanding this vnthankefulnesse and apostasie he should draw her home againe and renue his former fauours towards her no reason could be giuen of this but the free mercy of him that did it euen so hath God like an honorable person full of all power and riches strength and maiesty mercy compassion seene vs polluted in our bloud before our birth borne of corrupt parents brought forth into a more corrupted place which is this world yet hath he said we shall liue he hath caused vs to bud as the flower of the field yea our time hath beene as the time of loue hee hath spread the skirts of his protection ouer vs entred a couenant with vs and we are become his now for vs to enquire the cause of this we can finde none but his willing loue to haue it so but let vs striue by the fruits of our liues to honor him and with the calues of our lippes to praise him that hath thus aduanced his mercy on vs and let vs not doe the worke of a presumptuous whore either in giuing rewards to the flesh or taking rewards of the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof lest the Lord diminish our ordinary as Ezek 16.27 and feed vs with the blood of wrath and lealousie Againe heere note that the Lord neuer worketh but when it is impossible and the cure desperate in the eies of men for when the Law could not saue vs then rather than hee would want a people and lose the glory of his mercy hee sent his sonne to saue vs. The woman Mar. 5.25 that had her issue of blood twelue yeeres and had spent all her substance among Physitians and auailed not when man could not heale her then Christ did it when he that had beene diseased 38. yeeres and had line long at the poole of Bethesda Ioh. 5.6 and could get none to helpe him in when the water was troubled then did Christ bid him take vp his bed and walke when Ioh. 11.39.42 Lazarus had been in the graue foure daies that it was impossible for man to restore
sinnefull flesh wherein we are to beleeue that Christ is the naturall sonne of God and the sonne of Dauid but not naturall for he was not begotten of man his seed being vncleane but he was conceaued of the holy ghost and so became man like vnto vs sinne excepted therefore it is heere said in the similitude of sinnefull flesh not in sinnefull flesh and in this similitude he was both in the sight of men and of God in the sight of men for all the while he was on earth he was seene to be subiect to the miseries of sinnefull flesh both in his life and death to hunger for he was oft so to pouerty for he had not whereon to lay his head to persecution for he fled and withdrew himselfe from much violence intended against him to griefe for he wept and sighed for the death of Lazarus and the destruction of Hierusalem to slanders for they vpbraided him that he wrought by the power of the diuel to temptations for he was carried by the Spirit into the desert for that purpose to accusation by false witnesses to colour the sentence of death against him to scourgings to scoffings to reuilings to the crosse to death it selfe all which was seene to men by some that grieued at it by most that iested and reioyced at it He was also seene in this similitude by God himselfe for though he was deliuered and tossed as it were from pillar to post from Annas to Caiaphas from Caiaphas to Pilate from Pilate to the Souldiers from the Souldiers to the Citie from the city to the Iudgement seat from thence to the inferiour officers to be beaten with reeds from thence to the gibbet though all cried by the perswasion of the high priests Crucifie him doubling it in the aire with a most damnable echo yet was all this done as Peter saith Act. 2.23 by the determinate counsell of God the heauens hauing decreed that the earth should open as it were to swallow him because he represented our persons more liuelie then Iacob did the person of Efau Gen. 27.21 so as for the time he was heauily crushed with the weight of Gods indignation which appeared by the conflict he had with the wrath of God sweating droppes of blood by the basenesse deiection he felt in himselfe crying out that hee was forsaken an 〈…〉 doth proue he was in the similitude of sinnefull flesh in the sight of his father and that it was necessary it should be so being man to satisfie for man and God to get the conquest of death hell and condemnation For the fourth which is the purpose he was sent for It was to abolish sinne and to condemne sinne in the flesh speaking metaphorically or in a borrowed speech meaning heereby that there was great pleading in heauen before the seat of God betweene Christ and the diuell the seed of the woman and the serpent the diuell challenging of vs to be his first because in our first parents we gaue more faith credit to him then to God for when God had wrapt vp condemnation in the forbidden fruit we thought it to be the hidden treasure of diuine knowledge when he had sweetned his inhibition of this one tree with the free vse and liberty of all the rest as if we should starue for meat our appetite must be enflamed to this aboue the rest and when he had enioyned a law vpon our fingers as not to touch it then doe we through the strength of suggestion prefix our eies on no other marke then to gaze on it thereby to insnare our hands to snatch at it Secondly whereas Adam had his birth and creation in innocency which was but a particular allegation for him yet we that are his posterity haue our beginning from corruption as if in our generation we vowed a course of vncleanenesse and doe performe this vow by plunging the whole man into the lake as it were of impiety and therefore in our liues resembling his likenesse by walking in the workes of darkenesse he impudently would haue faced out the matter as if heauen had beene but the hall of iustice fit for the maiesty of God to sit there and not for vs to abide there longer then while sentence is in giuing But when Christ against this had truly alleaged the eternity of his generation in respect of his God-head the cleannesse of his conception in respect of his man-hood how in this person of ours he was euer sanctified in this flesh of ours had vanquished the fierce temptations of the diuell and how we in our owne persons by the water of the holy ghost are daily washed when by this hard pleading of Christ on our side we were by the sentence of God vnshakled as prisoners vniustly detained and had our absolution written in our foreheads that the damned might see it to their discomfort then the sonne of God hauing by this his trauell oâ—ened the insearchable riches of his fathers mercy toward vs he condemned sinne in this flesh and purged as it were euery veine of the hidden filthinesse lay in it and made vs members of his body So as from hence learne to measure the benefit thou hast by Christ that he is no further sent to thee then he hath destroied sinne in thee for if thou settest vp a seat for profanenesse in thy heart sowing thy fruit to the flesh and liuing to thy selfe then as 2. Cor. 5.15 Christ died not for thee and he was sent to die that by his death thou mightest liue to him beware therefore thou doest not examine thy selfe too slightly in this matter for it was easier for the Lord to create a new heauen and a new earth then to raise thee from the dead and to abolish sinne in thee which kept thee vnder the dominion of death hee hauing no resistance in the one and in the other hauing the rebellion of thy nature to hinder him so as thou must not measure the death of sinne in thee by the auoiding of grosse sinnes which the sunne hates to shine vpon but euen by thy practise and delight in smaller sinnes for if these doe keepe their course in running priuatly through thy life as the bloud doth in runnig secretly through thy veins it keepes out the spirit which should raise thee from the old Adam to the new from rebellion to obedience from darknesse to light from hell to heauen Striue therefore as in thy ignorance to please the flesh so by thy knowledge to content the spirit that as pride pleased the flesh so humblenesse of heart may please the spirit and that for the assurance of Christ to be thine thou maist doe euery thing contrary to that thou didest before after the example of Domitian the Emperour who was answered if hee would gouerne vprightly he must doe contrary to that the gouernours had done before who ruled with crueltie and tyrannie ROM chap. 8. vers 4. verse 4 That that righteousnesse of the law might
speaketh absolutely powerfully A new hart will I giue you I will take away the stony hart For howsoeuer it is meet Adam should haue this free election being made a perfect resemblance of the image of God yet is it not meet for vs in this second creation lest heereby we should make the death of Christ of no effect neither his grace nor spirit for if we had it then should we fall from Christ because of that flesh infirmity that is in vs therfore as the Lord doth begin with vs by his spirit to conuert vs without any thing in vs to further it but altogether to withstand it so doth he proceed with vs by his spirit and end with vs by his spirit that he may be all in all in our weldoing and in the worke of our saluation And yet notwithstanding this we haue neede of exhortations threatnings praier and such like to strengthen and stirre vp our dull and senselesse wils for the inward working of the spirit which frameth our wils to will good doth not abolish the instrumentall causes but we haue need of these meanes first because they are sanctified of the Lord and ordained to make vs lay hold on the spirit secondly because without these the spirit and graces of God would soone perish which counsell is giuen Heb. 3.13 to exhort one another daily lest we be hardened through the deceit of sinne for though God could doe this onely by his spirit yet hee will haue these meanes vsed that we be neither high minded nor idle for since we cannot doe good why should we be proud and since we so hardly keepe good we must not be idle but as Phil. 2.12.13 end and worke forth our saluation with trembling for as one holdeth a great masse of lead or other vnremoueable weight not to remoue it for hee knowes hee cannot but onely to trie his strength so though we cannot nor need not performe the law because Christ hath done it yet must we make it the rule of our obedience and of a sanctified life that heerein we may resemble Christ who alone hath sanctified vs. We are then to consider how Christ hath fulfilled the righteousnesse of this Law and that he hath done two waies partly by abrogating it and partly by establishing it he hath abrogated the law in two things First in the power of separation between man and man which was the law of ceremonies so as what was enmity betweene Iew and Gentile that hath Christ abolished and therefore as it is said Ephes 2.14 Christ is our peace which made of both one and hath broken the stop of the partition wall through his flesh in abrogating the hatred that is the law of coÌ„mandements which standeth in ordinances for to make of two one newe man in himselfe Secondly in the power of malediction betweene God and man whereupon it is said Gal. 5.23 There is no law against vs that is the curse of the law for sinne is not due to vs because Christ hath taken it away and therefore it is said 1. Tim. 1.9 The law is not giuen vnto a righteous man that is against a righteous man there is no law the curse of the law belonging onely to the reprobate and not to the elect howbeit we must not thinke we are so deliuered from the condemnation of it as that wee are freed from the obedience of it Christ therefore hath likewise established the law and this two waies First in the doctrine Secondly in the obedience to the doctrine For the first that not any thing of the doctrine is abrogated but perfectly taught by Christ as appeareth Mat. 5.22 2â— That the least euill thought is damnation That anger in heart is flat murder That he that lusteth but in hart after a woman committeth adultery and Saint Paul saith Rom. 7.7 hee knew not what lust was till he knew the righteousnesse of Christ Againe as was touched before Christ came but for these two ends first to make peace betweene man and man secondly between God and man now the moral law made no enimity betweene Iew and Gentile but the ceremoniall law for that was the wall parted vs and them and that onely is broken downe by the comming of Christ and for the other the curse of the law made all the warre betweene God and vs the rigor of it Christ hath satisfied but the doctrine of the law made none for we yet in the precise keeping of it challenge life Christ hauing fulfilled it in vs and for vs so as Christ giueth vs no new righteousnesse but that wee our selues could not perform yet we claime it as done in our person by the righteousnesse of the law that Christ in our flesh performed for the second he doth also establish it in the obedience to the law and this two waies Fiâ—â—t bâ—â—â—he person of Christ for by his inherent holinesse was fulfilled all the law which is imputed to vs Secondly as by righteousnesse inherent in him so by his spirit of sanctification dwelling in vs hauing the whole man in part changed that we are able to doe what God will and in iudgement to allow in affection to embrace and in action to execute what he commandeth so as if we consider our filthinesse we haue the blood of Christ to bathe in if our nakednesse wee haue the robes of his righteousnesse if our beggery we haue his riches filled with all graces yet must we alwaies ioyne bloud and water faith and works in the person iustified for they are notes of our religion signes of our conuersion seales of our election fruits of our iustification testimonies of a good conscience in their end they are referred to the Lords glory they are causes to stirre vp others to the seruing of the same God they are of the Lord accepted and recompensed in the mercy of the rewarder and not at the merit of the worker for he can accept of none by desert but that which is according to the precise couenant of the law but water is to be stood vpon as a signe that bloud hath gon before and the writing of his law in our hearts by sanctification of life is a proofe that our sinnes are purged in the blod of Christ and pardoned through the mercy of God And in respect of these seuerall operations and workes of Christ in aboliâ—â—â—â— the law in the curse and establishing the law in the obedienâ—◠〈◊〉 it we that are elect are said to be dead to the law Rom. 7.4 and also liuing to the law wee are dead to the law in three respects First to the condemnation of it because being iustified by Christ we cannot be condemned by the law for the wrath of God is taken away through the imputation of his righteousnesse Secondly to the constraint of the law for it doth not constraine vs which are Gods elect as it doth the reprobate because Christ by the worke of his spirit doth bend our wils to
the time we may faile of his promotion there being but one particular flower of that kind in the whole garden of God besides he had no such meanes of faith offered him till he was vpon the gallowes wheras we haue had and doe still enioy great store both for our present vse and for to lay vp against a dearth heereafter againe by this our deferring and shufling off the time of saluation we sinne three waies against God against the saints of God and against our owne soules against God because we dally with him and abuse his patience putting that day far off which may come at the least to thee in an instant if the Lord withdrawe thy breath but a while from thee against the Saints of God because thou depriuest them of that company comfort and profit thou mightest haue each of other for heerein standeth the communion of Saints in a fellow-feeling one of anothers miseries comforting them in their griefes strengthening them in their infirmities supplying them in their wantes and encouraging them in the faith and power of grace which they haue receiued lastly against themselues in thus hazarding their soules for it is not enough to say Lord haue mercy on thee when thou art on thy death bed when rather sense of thy paine then feeling of thy sinne doth driue thee to that extremity but thou must seeke for mercy before thou art thrust into those straites else may thy conscience then flie in thy face and the remembrance of thy former negligence stop thy mouth as a iust reuenge for thy sinne of delay which was before committed Againe heere all lithernesse and lazinesse is remoued from them that are ready to finde excuse for not walking so cheerefully boldly and constantly in the right way as they should for assure thy selfe there is no crosse can fall vpon thee of that force as to crosse the working of Gods spirit in thee if thou thy selfe be not a meanes to quench it for if thou wilt hide thy talent it is true it can turne thee to no aduantage and if thou doest not stirre vp the graces in thee and varnish them as it were with a continuall vse of them no maruell though they decay and thou too for the kingdome of heauen is taken onely by the violent that striue and sweat and labour euen as he that is famished doth for meat so that if thou entertaine the spirit with diligence in praier in hearing in meditation and such like holy duties it will awake thee from thy sleep and remoue all impediments that may either turne backe thine eies from beholding thine anointed Christ Iesus or with draw thy heart from buying that hidden treasure that is sealed vp for thee in the booke of the promises of God Lastly obserue the maner of the Apostles speech beginning with the negatiue We must not walke after the flesh as a matter of greatest weight before hee commeth to the affirmatiue to walke after the spirit for where there is the absence of good there must needs be euil but where there is the absence of euill it followeth not that there is good therefore we must not onely not doe euill but we must doe good as Dauid saith Cease from euill and doe good so as the flesh must first be shaken off before we can shape our actions or affections after the spirit and to this purpose Esay saith cap. 1.16.17 Cease to doe euill learne to doe well and Paul Rom. 13.12 Cast away the workes of darkenesse and put on the armour of light and Ephe. 4.22.23 Cast off the old man which is corrupt and be renued in the spirit of your minde and as Tit. 2.12 we must not onely deny vngodlinesse but we must liue religiously and 1. Pet. 4.1 There must be in vs a signe not onely of Christs suffering but also of his resurrection to liue not after the lusts of men but after the will of God and as Rom. 7.4 Wee must not onely bee diuorced from our first husband the flesh but we must be married to our second husband which is the spirit so as for thesound cure of our corruption the rotten flesh must first be pared away that the right plaister may bee applied and when thou art healed thou must sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto thee but as hauing the sore running on thee the Lord dispensed with thy vntowardnesse for that time so now hauing the wound stopt and thine eies opened by a second laying of Christs hands vpon thee thou must performe such actions of life onely as are deriued from the spirit of God working in thee The vsurer therefore must not onely leaue his vsury but he must lend freely the oppressor must not onely cease from grinding the faces of the poore but hee must releeue them liberally the proud man must not onely forget to wrinkle his face by looking austerely but with meekenesse and humility he must embrace his brethren the profane man must not onely forsake his iesting and scoffing at religion but hee must set himselfe in the same ranke to be railed at for the name of Christ knowing that by this meanes as 1. Pet. 4.14 The spirit on his part is glorified And this may serue to stop their mouthes that thinke him an honest man that doth no harme whereas the not doing hurt is but as a tingling and pricking in the flesh after a great benumnednesse but it must be the action of good that must shew the life of Christ to bee in thee else maiest thou as well thinke it a causelesse curse vpon the figge-tree that hauing but leaues wherewith she did no harme was yet dried vp because she bare no fruit ROM chap. 8. vers 5.6 verse 5 For they that are after the flesh sauour the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit verse 6 For the wisedome of the flesh is death but the wisdome of the spirit is life and peace HEnce the Apostle proceedeth to proue who those bee who are ingrafted into Christ and who are not but continue in the wrath of God and this hee doth by following the opposition first made between the flesh and the spirit shewing in these verses what the seuerall natures and dispositions of them both are And secondly what are their seuerall ends they that are after the flesh thinke nothing sauoury but what comes from the flesh but their fruit and end is death that is damnation but they that are guided by the spirit taste nothing but what is spirituall and the fruit and end of them tendeth to a double comfort for their soules first bringing peace of conscience which is a continual feast in this life secondly eternal felicity in the life to come so as in summe his meaning is to shew that as many as are not in Christ shall be damned and as many as build vpon Christ shall be saued Then we must first know what is meant by flesh and what is
if we haue his inuisible spirit wee haue himselfe and may equally assure our selues of both and that wee are flesh of his flesh expressed in the Scripture as hath beene before declared by naturall proportions and supernaturall as first by the coniunction of the head and the members of a mans bodie secondly by the vine and the branches thirdly by the husband and wife fourthly by meates and drinkes that as they being eaten really doe nourish the bodie so wee eating the flesh and drinking the bloud of Christ spiritually he nourisheth and feedeth our soules to life eternall This vnion is also set downe vnto vs supernaturally Iohn 14.20 Yee shall know I am in the Father and you in mee and I in you howbeit wee are not in the same measure in Christ and hee in vs as he is in the Father but according to that proportion of faith which is in vs and in that abundance that shall make vs blessed for euer Againe learne hence that wee are not to looke for any perfection in this life but so long as wee beare about vs this masse and lumpe of flesh which is the bodie there will remaine certaine reliques of corruption which can not be extinguished but by death nor wholly remooued but by mortalitie and this is the case of Gods best children Paul speaking of himselfe as in the part vnregenerate and as but in part spirituall Romans 7.14 said he was sold vnder sinne and carnall meaning thereby that so much as he had of the spirit so much was the image of God restored in him and so much he delighted in the law of God but so much as was wanting of the spirit so much was wanting of Gods image and so much he rebelled against the law of God and serued the law of sinne And Peter that chosen vessell of God Iohn 13.10 by the wisedome and instruction of Christ himselfe hath neede of water to wash his feete and 1. Iohn 5.8 Christ came not onely by bloud but also by water that by daily regeneration we may purge and cleanse our selues And to this may be referred that speech of Christ Iohn 13.33 Whither I goe yee cannot yet come which prooueth wee haue still some corruption that maketh vs yet vnfit for the kingdome of heauen vntill wee haue washed our feete cleaner and mortified our selues better for wee know yet but in part But then it may be said since wee haue these imperfections how shall we be knowen from the reprobate Verie well for there is great difference betweene our imperfections and their sinnes our scarres and their vlcers our limping and their halting downe right for as 1. Iohn 3.9 Hee that is borne of God sinneth not that is as the world sinneth the one sinning of ignorance the other of knowledge one of infirmitie the other of presumption the one with griefe the other with greedinesse one through weakenesse the other through obstinacie and malice the one striking and checking his heart for the euill thought it produced the other feeding and encouraging his heart not to staie at the thought till it breake foorth into the hands yea God doth bring vs vp that are his children thus imperfectly for two ends for first hee will not suffer vs to haue our perfection heere for feare wee lose it as Adam did secondly hee doth exercise vs with these imperfections to humble vs lest wee should waxe proud and so care not for him and this is his great mercie that hee doth trie vs with infirmities but not destroy vs vex vs but not vâ—nquish vs giuing vs power in the end through the sufficiencie of his grace to ouercome them Now for the second part which is his satisfaction giuen to the faithfull that they must not so sinke vnder the burden of their infirmitie as to mistrust their saluation obserue when it is said the spirit is life we must vnderstand no naturall life but such a life as Paul speaketh of Ephes 4.18 where hee saith the Gentiles that walked in the vanitie of their mindes were strangers from the life of God that life whereby God dwelleth in vs and to be strangers from this life is to be strangers from holinesse of life for God and an vncleane conuersation cannot companie together And this life of the spirit is that whereby as Peter saith 2. Peter 1.4 wee are made partakers of the diuine nature not really but by renouation hauing obtained this mercie to bee borne a new of immortall seed by the word of God For as the soule infused into the bodie quickeneth a massie peece of flesh which had no motion before so the soule to make it a liuely and good soule must haue a soule powred into it that is the spirit of God and if this spirit be absent we are as dead from holy motions as the bodie naturall is from outward actions by the priuatiâ—â— of the soule So as wee learne hence that a man may liue â—â—fe in the flesh and yet be dead in respect of the life of God which ought to mooue vs to worke out our sanctification in feare knowing that if wee be all flesh wee shall neuer see the face of God Now as to liue a naturall life there must bee a generation according to the flesh so if wee will attaine to this life in the spirit we must be brought to a second birth not to bee turned into our mothers wombes againe as Nicodemus thought Iohn 3.4 but as Christ saith wee must be borne of the will of his Father that is of the seed of the holy Ghost Heere it followeth as a man naturally borne hath his life maintained by being nourished with meat and drinke so when we be borne againe of the seed of the spirit we must be maintained and fed by the flesh and bloud of Christ spiritually and as we are borne of the holie Ghost by the word so wee must be nourished by the holie Ghost in the word or else we shall neuer be saued In the desire therefore of our saluation we ought to thirst and part after the riuers of life which doe plentifully flow in the booke of God Againe as men in this naturall life haue their degrees to proceed in which doe neuer change as that first they bee children then after grow to a more vnderstanding age which was euen true of Christ in this flesh who Luk. 2.52 is said to haue increased in wisdome and in stature euen so we must know that our spirituall birth is not perfect at the first day but it hath as it were a childhood and wee are babes to be fed with milke as S. Peter saith 1. Pet. 2.2 and then afterward we grow from faith to faith and from one degree of grace to another yet heerein they differ that in our spirituall life in this world we cannot come to any perfection sinne hangeth so fast about our heeles but in our naturall life we attaine to a fulnesse and ripenesse of strength And in this also they differ that
to reprooue vs no more which is the next steppe to damnation or else our conscience will pursue and follow vs with Hue and Crie as not to leaue vs till wee bee taken for resistance and withstanding of our conscience is a cloud not easily ouerblowen a fire not easily to be quenched and an inditement hardly to be trauersed but our sinnes shall stare vs on the face and crie for vengeance Now if our conscience bee brought asleepe by our custome in sinne either we shall die in this benummednesse and dulnesse of heart a most fearefull signe of reprobation and after death it shall weepe it fill in hell or else if the Lord do shew vs mercy after the sense and feeling of sinne so long discontinued he doth it as it were by the burning feuer of desperation for that is the cure of a Lethargy and doth so presse vs downe vnder the weight and burden of sinne as that horror shall be without and terror within yea wee shall seeme to be cast into the deepe of deepes and euery small sinne shall seeme accompanied with the huge hammer of the Lords wrath to bruise vs in peeces Further obserue as the Lords spirit alone cannot bring vs that heauenly security and blessed assurance of our eternall peace we hope for nor our owne spirits alone cannot do it so it must be the testimonie of both these concurring and meeting together For some are merely morall without religion thinking by a ciuill cariage of themselues to winne the sight of God others haue either a true zeale of a false religion as Paul had before his conuersion Rom. 7.9.10 or else they may be religious in shew hauing a counterfeit zeale of a true religion as the Laodiceans had Reuel 3.15 and yet both these thinke in their conscience they shall be saued when in truth they are as farre from the thing it selfe as they are neere to the conceit of it Another sort there is that deceiue themselues most grossely â—â—â—ken of Prouerb 30.11 There is a generation pure in their owne eies and yet they are not washed from their filthinesse that is from their open and enormous sins So as besides the opinion we must haue of our selues that we stand in Gods fauour wee must shew the seale of the Lord that is his spirit or else there is no sound ioy or any comfortable security that we shall be saued 1. Iohn 5.10 And for our actions euery of which must haue the allowance of our conscience wee must marke that a good intent will not make a good action for they that condemned Christ did it because he made himselfe equall with God Iohn 19.7 Iohn 5.18 which was expresly against the law written and therefore thought they had in this done God high and honorable seruice but Christ crieth Luk. 23.34 Father forgiue them they know not what they doe So Peter when Christ foretelleth of his death had an earnest desire to aduise his master to spare himselfe and therefore Mat. 16.22 he tooke Christ aside rebuked him but Christ vers 23. looking backe with an angry countenance bids him get him behind Sathan as being onely worldly wise and not vnderstanding the things that are of God So as we must know to the performance of a good worke the allowance of the heart and the warrant of the word of God must go together Verse 17. If we be children we are also heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him This is inferred by direct consequent to that that went before as vers 13. where the Apostle exhorting to reformation of life doth it by a double contrary so as they insue and follow one another thus They that mortifie the deeds of the flesh are led by the spirit by being thus directed by the spirit they are assured that they are the sons of God by being his sons that they shall haue an inheritance therfore they that liue a holy life must needs be saued And because it might be ouestionable how this title of being Gods children is giuen vnto vs he hath resolued it befoâ—â— vers 15. by a double argument because the Lord in the Goâ—pell doth offer vs such grace as we may come freely and boldly to him as to a father and we stand not now in that terror that was in the deliuery of the Law but we are freed from that bondage The second argument was vers 16. because the spirit doth seale this euidence vnto vs that as our heart doth know what is in vs so doth the spirit also and this spirit doth witnesse that we are children and being children then we be heires which is the scope the Apostle driueth at in this 17. verse When the Apostle saith We are heiâ—â—s of God he setteth down what manner of inheritance it is that we shall haue heereafter not an earthly but a kingdome and a possession of eternity as that the Lord will neuer leaue vs till he hath lifted vs vp to that celestiall place where Christ himselfe sitteth Psal 84.10 It had been great fauor if we might haue been as Dauid speaketh but doore-keepers in the kingdome of heauen nay it might well haue satisfied vs if only our sinnes had beene pardoned or if we had been but the Lords friends or of his acquaintance so as any way hee would haue respected vs considering our rebellion but besides all this to be restored to our former honour nay to haue greater priuiledge then euer Adam had in his first integrity and to be aduanced to the Lords owne throne if all the hearts of men were one heart the full measure of this ioy and the depth of this the Lords loue could not once enter in nor be conceiued And fellow-heires with Christ This is to set forth the certaintie of the place of our inheritance God hath life for he is the fountaine of it but he dwelleth in fire Esay 33.14 and in a place not to be attained vnto therefore the Apostle setteth downe heere heâ—â— we come to it namely in Christ as it is 1. Iohn 5.11 God hath giuen vs eternall life and that life is in the Sonne and by his mediation is conueied to vs. Secondly in that we are fellow-heires with Christ note the excellency of the Lords fauour not only to giue vs life and to place vs with Angels but euen with his owne Sonne Whereby we see that his eare was open to the praier of Christ which he made â—â—ttle before his agony Iohn 17.20 I pray saith he for all that thou hast giuen me that thou wouldest Father 〈◊〉 them with the same loue thou louest me and crowne thâ—â—â— with 〈…〉 glory thou crownest me 〈◊〉 of this ariseth two comfortable priuiledges which the â—â—â—t haâ—e first if wee be heires with Christ in heauen much more are we heires of the transitory blessings of this life and being heires with him wee haue
sinne proues there is a law which law being broken bringeth death for the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6.23 The second sort is of them who though they be called by the booke of heauen and earth as the Gentiles were Rom. 1.20 who do see the eternall power of God in the creation of the world and other his works and liuing to a more vnderstanding age are euen by the light of nature without all excuse yet are they not inuited by the voice of the Gospell to rise from the dead but die in their sinnes as the Canibales Barbarians and the Iewes since their Apostasie to whom there pertaineth nothing but a fearefull expectation of iudgement Heereof followeth and is to be obserued that it is contrary to the scripture to thinke that it was the will of God from eternity that all should be saued for then it was his will likewise that all should come to the knowledge of their saluation for whom he hath ordained to the end them hath hee also ordained to the meanes whereas to the reprobate the sound of the word if they doe heare it is but as the noise of bels confusedly iarring in their eares and yet many there be that neuer heard it Why but it is said 1. Tim. 2.4 that it is the will of God all should be saued True all men not euery singular particular man but of euery singular condition of men some not all of all kinds but of all kinds some according to that speech of the Euangelist Mat. 4.23 Christ healed euery disease in Iury that is euery kind of disease not euerie particular disease Now if all men come not to the knowledge of the truth of God either it is done by the wil of God or against his will to say that it is against his will were impious and blasphemous for this were to hold that something could offer violence to the will of God and as if he might not otherwise haue purposed which must be far from a Christian heart to imagine If then this be done with his will then it followeth that his will is changeable if hee once meant to saue them for wee see some euen like dogges readie to rend them in peeces that offer them the pearle of the word whom if the Lord had purposed to saue Mat. 7.6 they should not continue persecutors of the truth as Paul saith of himselfe 1. Timoth. 1.12.13 It pleased Christ Iesus to put me in his seruice being before a blasphemer a persecuter an oppressor and I was receiued to mercy And where it is said 1. Iohn 2.2 that Christ is the reconciliation for the sinnes of the whole world it is to be vnderstood for the sinnes of all sorts and degrees of men gathered out of all the parts of the world and this Christ himselfe interpreteth Ioh. 17.9 when he said Father I pray not for the world and vndoubtedly he will neuer saue them he neuer praied for for whom he excluded from his praier them he neuer meant should haue benefit by his death nay hee had beene bound in duty to haue praied for all if all had been elected to saluation Now if it be asked why men are damned the answer is easie It is for their sinne howbeit it was purposed in the Lords vncontrolable decree that they should be damned before they euer sinned and being corrupt in themselues the Lord hardneth them either by withdrawing the meanes or the power of the meanes the first by ignorance the second by denying them vnderstanding hearts So as if it be demanded why the Lord hardned any it is because he found him corrupt in Adam if why hee damneth any it is because he found him a sinner in himselfe Whom he calleth he iustifieth that is doth absolutely pardon him all his sinne and absolutely impute vnto him all his Sonnes righteousnesse that as Christ for vs was made sinne so wee in Christ might bee made righteous so as iustification is the translation and remouing of our sinne to Christ and the translation and remouing of his righteousnesse to vs. To our sinne hee opposeth his obedience to the punishment of our sinne hee opposeth his satisfaction otherwise he had not fully acquitted vs by fulfilling the law vnlesse he had satisfied his Fathers wrath for our breach of the law in our corrupt birth For if a man could now fulfill all the law of God yet should hee not bee saued because he was borne corrupt and could not possibly satisfie for that was past and in performing the law afterward he should doe nothing but his duty But this is our comfort that the Lord seeing our weaknesse hath in his loue passed by it and seeing our thoughts to bee alwaies euill taketh no account nor reckoning of vs but were sembling the image of his Sonne the Lord reckoneth with him and striketh off our debts in setting them on his score who hath paid the Lord his full due euen to the vtmost farthing being in his birth cleane in his life holy and in his death obedient Whom he iustifieth he glorifieth In this life the Lord doth onely call vs and iustifie vs so as no man need say as Rom. 10.7 Who shall ascend into heauen for that were to bring Christ from aboue or Who shall descend into the deepe for that were to raise Christ from the dead for so much vertue and power of Christ as is needfull for vs wee taste of heere but our glorifying is reserued and followeth in the life to come hauing it heere only in spe and not in re in hope but not in hand This glorifying heere spoken of is meant not that wee shall haue at the last day of our separation when the world shutteth her doores vpon vs but of that glory wee shall receiue at the day of iudgement which is plaine and euident by that went before vers 21. namely that wee waite for the restoring of the liberty of the sonnes of God and for the freedome from the bondage of corruption Howbeit in the glorie of our separation two things are to be obserued first Reu. 2â— 4â— that we shall be freed from all feares and teares and shall haue sinne abolished secondly we shall enter into our Lords rest but the glory of the last day is farre greater and resteth in three things first in the resurrection and a waking of the body when it shall be made conformable to the body of Christ when it shall not liue by the soule only nor be maintained by outward and externall instruments of bread such like but it shall liue as the body of Christ liueth and be glorious like the Sunne which shall then exceed it selfe in glory Isay 65.17 2. Pet. 3.13 Secondly there shall be a new heauen and a new earth and in this new heauen shall dwell the soules of the Saints of God and all things else shall bee restored to their first maiesty Thirdly which is the greatest of all we shall then haue
he must sauour of death which cannot be proued by this The wisedome of the flesh is enmitie to God but he that is borne of God cannot be Gods enemy on the other side hee that walketh in the wisedome of the flesh obeieth not the law of God and by consequent saith the Apostle cannot but sinne Whereupon it followeth that they that liue after the inclination of the heart of man cannot please God and so cannot bee saued now hee that is in Christ cannot but please God because he cannot but performe his will Another reason that being a true Christian a man cannot but amend his life is taken out of Rom. 6.5 Whosoeuer is made partaker of Christ is made partaker of the death of Christ then is he dead to sinne proued thus Christ by his death deserued not onely remission of our sinnes but also to haue the holy Ghost in those that bee his to mortifie their sinne and this spirit cannot bee idle but worketh and his worke is to dâ—â—troy oâ—â—â—nemie that is sinne Lastly it is proued thus Whosoeuer is in Christ hath the spirit of Christ he that hath this spirit liueth in the spirit for the life of the spirituall man is the Lord Iesus euen as the life of the bodie is the soule and hee that hath a soule must needs breath and walking Galat. 5.24 in the spirit hee cannot fulfill the lustes of the flesh for the flesh and the spirit bee contrary And vers 24. it is said They that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections thereof and who these bee appeareth 1. Peter 4.2 such as suffer in the flesh and these be they that cease from sinne Now then for thee to say thou art flesh and blood is not a shelter pleadable when thou art reprehended for sinne for he that is a good Christian cannot but forbeare it and if thou art all flesh and blood then hast thou not the spirit of God which is proued 1. Corinth 6.16 Do you not know how he that coupleth himselfe with a harlot is one flesh with her and hee that is one flesh with a harlot cannot bee one spirit with Christ Iesus Euen so for wrath toward thy brother thou saiest thou canst not loue him Consider that if the Lord should iudge thee out of thine owne mouth thou couldest not bee saued Thou wilt say the iniury is so great as no man can put it vp but hee that is more then a man can doe it and if thou beest all man Christ Iesus will neuer put vp thy name among the Saints Looke 1. Ioh. 5.3 Hee that is borne againe counteth all the commandements of God light so as if thou be of God it is an easie matter to forgiue the brother If he repent not of the wrong done vnto thee leaue the vengeance to God Rom. 12.20 and heape thou coles of fire on his head and if he do repent and seeke reconcilement it is the easier to forget it and flesh and blood doth pity the case of the suppliant For the third point which is the way how to assure our selues to be the sons of God wee must learne that there is no so certaine a marke to discerne a man to be of God as holinesse of life not but that Gods children may fall most grieuously and blemish their profession most foully but that if Sathan happe to blindfold them that they goe astray yet with the lost sonne they will returne with double sorrow and vnfold to their shame their owne sinne Example wâ—â—ere â—f wee haue in Dauid who though he was ingaged to the Lord by his many benefites that tooke him from the sheepe-hooke and gâ—â—e him a Scepter that by his protection had made him escape the snares of his enemies and by his mercy had freed him from many tribulations yet did he fall into great vncleannesse euen the sinne of adulterie 2. Sam. 11.4.5.6.7 which by the law of God deserued depriuation of this humane life When he had done this hee glauered and flattered with the womans husband and bad him goe home to refresh himselfe with his wife seeking thereby to father the bastard on him When this succeeded not he thought to make him drunke that he might thereby bee more irritable to lust and so to haue gone to his wife And though Vriah answered hee could not doe it because the Arke of the Lord was in the field which had not Dauid beene desperatly sicke in his soule how could he haue beene so forgetfull of the Lord as to haue dealt so with him that was no Iew but a conuert to religion heereby to make the name of the Lord euill spoken of Yet when this preuailed not hee went further and vnto adultery hee added murther that hee might make his sinne knowen and his vnholy life to appeare both to God and man and carry as the greefe of it in his heart so the shame of it in his fore-head And in this hee wrought worse then Iesabel for hee made Vriah the instrument and messenger of the letters for his owne execution yea hee sent them to Ioab who had himselfe beene a murtherer which might harden his heart in that sinne seeing Dauid that was the King not onely a fauourer but the cause of such bloody actions And after what manner should this be done namely that hee should fall by the sword of the vncircumcised a most ignominious and shamefull and grieuous death for so Christian a Gentleman and that hee should so murder him as to colour the grieuousnesse of his fault not hee alone but many other should die innocent and that hee should continue senslesse in this sinnefull course by the space of a yeere yet when it pleased God to cure his disease of hypocrisie and to cleare his eyes that hee saw not his sinne but his chaine of sinnes beâ—â—â—â—â—im then he calleth himselfe not a man of blood but of bloâ—â—â— â—nd then â—is conscience is open to grieue for it and then with his teares he washeth away his vncleannesse and wallâ—â—â—â—â—s a man cleansed and purged from his filthinesse So as if aâ—y bee a whoore let her remember the teares of Mary Mâ—gâ—alene if a persecuter of the Saints let him repent with Paâ—â— Luk. 7.38 Gal. 1.15 Mat. 26.75 if a murtherer let him soundly confesse his sinne with Dauid and if he be Apostasied weepe with Peter for these be the workes of righteousnesse whereby they are knowen to be of God And seeing others deliuered from the pit wee must learne as Dauid saith Psal 56.3 to feare and to trust so as wee must alwaies feare to fall into the sinne before being fallen we can trust to bee deliuered for this is one part of the righteousnesse of Gods children to tremble at the sight of sinne and then shall wee neuer swallow it without remorse Secondly from hence learne that a man may know in what state another man is If I see thee a despiser of religion a profaner of the Sabbath a butcher to the poore and an vncleane liuer what shall I beleeue thee to be but the child of the diuell for this may I know by thy fruites Why but loue biddeth you hope the best 1. Cor. 13.7 and beleeue the best True it is loue biddeth me beleeue all things but not a sow to bee cleane wallowing in the mire or a dogge not to bee filthy that is regorging vp his stomacke Mar. 6.44 or that grapes can grow vpon brambles or that mercy can bee found in the heart of an vsurer or that thornes may bee touched and will not pricke For as loue bids mee not to determine too soone so not to bee abused too late and God bids me looke vpon the tree to iudge of the fruite I may say thou art in the state of damnation for by thy snarling I know thee to bee a dogge Mat. 7.6 and I see thy heart through thy hands but whether thou shalt be finally damned I leaue thee there for the Lord may haue mercy on thee vpon thy repentance I may come to the tree and say heere is no fruite or here is small fruit or heere is bad fruit but I cannot say Neuer fruit grow on thee heereafter as Christ did Mark. 11.13 And it is not the commers to Sermons but the doers of Sermons