not to wonder that it should bee called a new creation or else haply wee may call it a new structure or building as when the Apostle saith Ephes 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wee are his workemanship built in Christ to good workes And the reason is because the foundations of sin are ruinated the rotten posts of sinne pulled downe and when the drosse of the substance and faculties of bodie and soule which still remaine are scowred and pared off through the worke of the Spirit we grow vp into a holy building fitted for God to dwel in Would you haue in a word now what this new creature is I answer It is The hid man of the Heart which contrary to all powers of darknesse and the corruption of our owne hearts is through the worke of the Spirit by the Word builded vp from the seeds of grace towards a full age in Christ to resemble the excellencie of Gods image in all the parts and powers of the bodie and soule Secondly Why is hee that is in Christ a new creature This being the second point to bee considered Why he that is in Christ is a new creature 1. In respect of acceptation receiue I beseech you a fourefold reason of it First in respect of acceptation because God doth account them that are in Christ new creatures accepting the will for the deed and couering our imperfections with his merits Whence are those speeches of Christ to his Church My loue behold Cant. 1.14 15. thou art faire behold thou art faire thine eyes are like the doues my welbeloued behold thou art faire and pleasant Whence doth the Apostle say That the Church hauing receiued sanctification from Christ Ephes 5.26 27. is a glorious Church to him not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing Whence I say doth the Holy Ghost speake vnto Gods people Let vs as many as be perfect bee thus minded Philip. 3.15 as if they had no sin but onely because God doth accept vs for such seeing wee are in Christ 2 Of apparition Secondly He that is in Christ is a new creature in respect of apparition to the world A burning candle cannot lie hid in a light lanthorne no more can grace in the heart of him that is in Christ Faith that inrighteth vs to Christ cannot but be seene It will easily make an apparant difference in vs from what we were When the Apostle Peter saith 1 Pet. 1.3 It is sufficient for vs that wee haue spent the time past of the life after the lusts of the Gentiles walking in wantonnesse lusts drunkennesse in gluttony drinkings and in abominable idolatries doe we not thinke that this difference in the Christians liues did easily appeare to the Gentiles 1 Pet. 4. â— Yes surely therefore it both seemed strange vnto them that they runne not with them into the same excesse of riot and also they spake euill of them euen so is it with all new creatures As they appeare to the good to be new as Paul did Gal. 1.21 23. when of a persecuter he became a preacher of the faith which before he destroied insomuch as they glorified God for him so they appeare to the wicked to be new and therefore their by-words tants reproaches and disgraces are more ordinary with them then their thanksgiuing to God for so gracious a change 3 Of inchoation Thirdly He that is in Christ is a new creature in respect of inchoation Old things are passed away behold all things are become new There are new eyes leauing with delight to behold vanitie 2 Coâ— 5.17 Psal 1â— 9. â—â—b 31.1 couenanting against lust and searching into the wonders of Gods law there are new eares stopped against the inticements of the serpent and open to heare what God will speake there are new tongues Psal 85.8 not to sing the old dittie of nature Psal 40.3 but to sing a new song to the praise of our God and Sauiour that so the tongue of the righteous may be like fined siluer there are new hands Prou. 10.20 Esay 58.4 not to smite with the fist of iniquitie not to pull in with rapine and robbery but to deale according to abilitie the dole of mercy to men in misery Eccles 11.1 to cast our bread vpon the waters to turne ouer the pages of Gods Booke that the Word of God may dwell plentifully in vs Coloss 3.16 Apocal. and to giue the right hand of fellowship to euery good action within our reach there are new feet Rom. 3.15 Psal 122.2 not to bee swift to shed bloud but to stand in thy gates O Ierusalem and so farre as the bodie can execute it to run the way of Gods commandements Psal 119. there are new vnderstandings to know and acknowledge the truth that is according to godlinesse Titus 1.1 new wills and affections to come vnto Christ to loue him Matth. 11.28 to feare him to cleaue vnto him to put a mans whole trust in his mercies and merits Matth. 5.6 Psal 119.5 new desires to hunger and thirst after righteousnesse and new consciences to bee watchfull ouer all our waies 2 Tim. 4.5 Psal 39.1 and not to let the least sinne to passe without a strict examination condemnation and settled purpose and resolution against it In all parts there is newnesse and as Christ hath giuen vs a new commandement so we through the power of Gods spirit do giue him a new obedience in all the powers of our soules bodies Fourthly Hee that is in Christ is a new creature in respect of communion because hee hath fellowship in the holinesse of Christ which doth as it were cast him into a new mold Col. 1.19 It pleaseth the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell Iohn 1.16 and out of his fulnesse wee doe all receiue grace for grace Which grace doth not onely couer sinne but cure sinne according to that of the Prophet Esay 53.5 The chastisement of our peace is vpon him and with his stripes we are healed How therefore can it be otherwise but that such a man should be a new creature seeing before times hee had fellowship with corrupted Adam and so was the childe of wrath but now he hath fellowship with him who aboue Dauid is a man after Gods owne heart euen his welbeloued Sonne in whom he is well pleased 2 Application You haue heard now the Doctrine of the Text opened vnto you namely that hee that is in Christ is a new creature now if you will be attentiue you shall heare the application of it for the benefit of our soules To apply it then we shall make a double vse of it Vse 1 First we learne as wee doe desire to finde our selues to be in Christ so to be carefull to see our selues to be new creatures No new creature no Christ wee must be in Christ as I haue shewed vnto you if we
before wee are not able to walke in any other sometimes againe if we be in the way we are carelesse and secure in the vse of the holy meanes of saluation Whereas if with feare and trembling wee could see the narrownesse of the way and the difficulties both through our owne weaknesse and wickednesse and others malice through which we must passe we would keepe a constant and a carefull watch Secondly consider that we are very heauy headed and apt to be ouertaken with drowsinesse Euen the Church it selfe saith Cant. 5.2 I sleepe and Paul found by experience such a fault in the nature of man Rom. 13. Ephes 5. when he said to the Romanes It is now time that we arise and to the Ephesians Awake thou that sleepest yea and the Deuill hath foure cradles wherein ordinarily he doth rocke vs. The Deuils foure cradles The first is the ignorance of our selues when wee doe not see the danger and deepnesse of our corruptions As the darkest places are fittest for vs to sleepe in both because the eye doth there want that inlightned meanes by which it doth gad and is kept waking as also because no danger can be discerned so is the darknesse of ignorance a fit cradle to sleepe out the time of our watchfulnesse The second cradle is grosse and full feeding of the things of this life Wee say in the prouerbe That when our belly is full the bones would be at rest and we finde it true by experience that when our hearts are set where God hath set our heeles to wit vpon the earth and earthly things we are too too apt to be lulled asleepe and not at all to minde our eternall good The third cradle is labour and toyle after those things that perish Euen as wearinesse by labour doth make vs apt to sleepe so when the worke of this world doth take away the worke of a good conscience our whole bodies and soules may be stolne from God for there is no watch kept The fourth cradle is the neglect of the meanes which should keepe vs waking namely the word of God prayer meditation and the voice of the spirit in these which is as the rushing of the winde to shake the houses of our hearts As when a man wearied shutteth himselfe vp into such a roome as keeps him from the noise of his children seruants yea and the winde it is a signe that he purposeth to sleepe and take his rest so when we carelesly vse and separate our selues from such meanes as God hath appointed to keepe vs waking how can we doe other than snort and so forget that God hath set vs in a watch-tower to keepe the quarter of our bodies and soules from sudden surprizall by the enemie Seeing therefore that we are so apt to sleepe and that the Deuill hath so many meanes to lull vs into it therefore we must watch Thirdly consider that wee lie open to many dangers Sometimes afflictions set vpon vs and without this wee shall soone let goe our hold of Christ It is true indeed that they are but sufferings a little 2 Pâ—â— 5 1â— yet what are wee that we should not be gained vpon if our fingers doe but ake in Christs quarrell without watchfulnesse Sometimes prosperitie troubleth vs and without this our sobriety will be indangered 1 Pâ—t â— â— therefore be sober and watch saith Peter Sometimes the Deuill doth set vpon vs and it shall cost him a fall if he doe not draw vs either into presumption or despaire 1 Pâ—â—â— 8 but watch saith Peter for he goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuoure Yea and alwaies the flesh will be too craftie for vs 〈◊〉 â—â—caâ—◠〈…〉 qâ—â—a â—â—â—astan◠〈…〉 â—am non in qâ—ntâ—â—â—ianis inâ—â—rstâ—â—bus for though wee haue weakned it and got the better hand of it in the more great sinnes which doe wound and waste the conscience yet it hath daily inrodes by the aduantage whereof it still plotteth and practiseth new treasons and will foile vs without bridling it and walking circumspectly by watchfulnesse Lastly consider that without watchfulnesse wee shall not be so well acquainted with our owne weaknesses It would be a strange though no new thing for vs to be well seene in things abroad and ignorant of our owne affaires yet without this such will be our case and so we shall not be able to watch vnto prayer which is the third and last Vse which we are to make of this Doctrine Vse 3 In the third place therefore seeing the end of all things is at hand let vs striue to watch vnto prayer Let vs be so carefull in the sober vse of all outward things and in the keeping of faithfull watch both without and within that out of the feeling of our owne miserable estates without Gods speciall helpe in these last times of the world we may be driuen vnto God in prayer to helpe vs. For the pressing of this forget not that order which I haue obserued in the former but consider first what it is to pray and secondly how we may be stirred vp to watch vnto prayer First to conceiue what it is to pray you must know that the matter about which all prayer is conuersant is either good or euill As prayer doth consider euill What it is to pray it doth acknowledge it complaine to God against it and seeke the remedie of it As prayer doth consider good it doth beg the being of it the maintenance and increase of it and thanketh God for it So that to pray is vpon the sight of sinne to confesse it lament it and to sue for pardon and vpon the knowledge of grace humbly to beg at Gods hand that it may be and be maintained and increased and to thanke God for it all In which description you may perceiue that hee that would pray must haue these six things in some degree or other to meet in him First he must know his sinnes For as no man will beg that doth not know his pouertie either in truth or shew and as no man can beg well for himselfe who doth not know the particular wants which hee groaneth vnder so neither will nor can he pray that knoweth not his spirituall pouertie yea his particular sinnes Secondly he must haue a spirit of complaint against sinne For as no man will seeke to be rid of that guest whom he cannot in some respect or other with a free spirit complaine against so neither will we seeke to be rid of sinne if we cannot thus complaine to God against it Alas Lord my sinne it is rebellious against thee against me it wounds my conscience robbeth me of thine image blotteth and defaceth grace and maketh me the obiect of thy heauy displeasure Thirdly he must be like that poore man who speaketh supplications Hee must neuer giue God rest till he haue mercy vpon him and seale vnto him by the spirit of adoption and sanctification the pardon of
them to their right obiects and bringing them by degrees to this measure that they are spent vpon Christ without measure Thirdly our faith doth shew it selfe in our wils when the soule hauing many times a blessed experience of Gods loue is perswaded of it Thus Pauls faith shewed it selfe when he said I am perswaded that neither life nor death and so forth shall seperate vs that is Rom. 8.38 39. me and other Christians from Gods loue which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Which perswasion as I take it doth more naturally belong vnto the will it being more proper to the vnderstanding to be conuicted and to the will to be perswaded So that though the soule be many times tossed with temptations feares and terrours yet more or lesse it is much refreshed with this perswasion Thus we see how faith quickneth the whole soule of the godly man In which respect if wee be quickned from the death of our vnderstandings and not of our desires if we perceiue the inliuing of our desires and not of our wils and affections we haue iust cause to suspect that we haue no faith For faith is in no part of the soule in any measure where it is not in all parts of the soule in some measure For in this doth the life of the soule differ from the life of the bodie that the life of the bodie doth begin in the heart it being that which first liues and doth end there it being that which last dieth but the life of the soule which can neuer perish though it may seeme not to worke for some time like a member deaded with a blow as it is in our first regeneration like light in the aire shed abroad thorow the whole soule so it is alwaies to be found in all the powers of the soule though in some man it be more predominant in the vnderstanding in some in the desires and in some others in the will and affections Now therefore let vs from hence-forth enter into our owne soules to trie whether we haue faith yea or no. If we haue it is our life and if it be our life it quickneth both our vnderstandings to know Christ our iudgements to approue him as our only Sauiour and Redeemer our memories to treasure vp the promises our desires to haue an vnquenchable thirst after him our affections to be spent vpon him our wils in some measure to be perswaded of his loue to vs and our whole soules to droope and mourne in our Christian ioy because we cannot receiue him more fully in the whole to our endlesse comfort Vse 2 Secondly concerning others we learne from this life of faith who are the men that onely may be said to liue to wit the godly man because he only hath faith The great man liueth gallantly the voluptuous man liueth merrily the rich man wealthily the politicke man warily only the faithfull man liueth indeed because he liueth graciously This is true life and all other liues are deaths to this The wealthie mans life is full of care feare griefe but Faith triumpheth That neither life nor death principalitie nor power things present nor things to come shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God in Christ Iesus The poore mans life is full of discontent and penury but Faith can want and abound and in stead of other dainties doth euery day feed vpon Christ The Infants life is full of mourning and crying but Faith glads the heart in the midst of heauinesse and makes it many times reioyce with ioy vnspeakable and glorious The young mans life is full of passion wauering and fickle inconstancie but Faith doth so ballace our soules that we runne a setled course and sweare to keepe Gods righteous iudgements The old mans life is full of deafenesse dulnesse decayednesse but Faith seeth thorow the clouds life in death glory in shame yea it heareth the voice of God in euery sentence and though the outward man perish yet in the inner and hid man of the heart Faith reneweth vs daily Although therefore we must liue other liues both naturall and ciuill yet let vs make more account of this That Christ liueth in vs by faith than of all other liues whatsoeuer Thus haue I brought you along vnto the last thing which I shall obserue from hence that is the exercise and expressement of that power which Faith giueth vs by our communion with Christ in a vertuous and holy life For as hee hath said that wee haue fellowship in his death for our mortification that we are quickned by faith in him for our viuification so that we through that quickning power which wee doe receiue from Christ by faith are made liuely vnto all holy obedience Therefore is it that the Apostle saith It is not I but Christ that quickneth mee concerning the life that we now liue to liue graciously Whence we must marke That it is from the vertue and power of Christ that wee are quickned to all holy obedience Though we haue faith yet we must not pride our selues in it for it is not faith in it selfe that quickneth vs but as it is a diuine power whereby we doe receiue that life which is in Christ Iohn 5.21 Therefore is it said That the Sonne quickneth whom he will Yea and hence is it that the Scripture is so exact in setting downe our weaknesse For whereas there are seuen degrees to be considered for the effecting of a good thing the Scriptures shew that man is weake in all of them Psal Can man thinke good No The Lord knoweth the thoughts of men that they are but vaine and wee are not sufficient of our selues to thinke a good thought 2 Cor. 2.14 Can we vnderstand good 1 Cor. 2.14 Rom. 8.7 No The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the Spirit of God Yea the wisdome of flesh is enmitie against God Can we will and desire good No It is God that worketh in vs both the will and the deed Phil. 2.13 Can we speake good No Prov. 16.1 The wife man may purpose a thing in his heart but the answer of the tongue is of the Lord therefore Dauid prayeth to God that he would open his lips that his mouth might set forth his praise Psal 51.15 If he could not tune his tongue much lesse could he turne his heart Can wee begin to doe good No as Esay saith The children are come to the birth and there is no strength to bring forth so may we say of our inward good for it is God that beginneth this good worke in vs. Philip. 1.6 Can wee doe or worke any good No I know that the way of man is not in himselfe Ier. 10.23 for without Christ we can doe nothing Ioh. 15.5 Can we perfect any thing that good is No To will is present with vs as with Paul when we are sanctified but we haue no power to performe If God should bring
Pet. 2.11 12. abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule and haue your conuersations honest amongst the wicked both that they who speake euill of you as of euill doers may glorifie God in the day of their visitations and also that you may assure your selues that you are in Christ by being new creatures 2 Cor. 5.17 2 Thess 2.7 Dearely beloued Antichrist also and his mystery of iniquitie hath alreadie wrought euen from the Apostles times and is so farre growne past his height that his raging time is come because his time is but short Therefore Beware of dogs Phil. 3.2 beware of euill workers For there are false teachers which priuily 2 Pet. 2.1 Marke 8.15 with many false glosses bring in damnable heresies But take heed and beware of the leauen of the Pharisies Matth. 7.16 By their fruits ye shall know them 1 Tim. 4.1.3 They forbid mariage and meats by the doctrine of deuils and serue not the Lord Iesus Rom. 16.18 but their owne bellies and with faire speech and flattering deceiue the hearts of the simple They despise gouernment 2 Pet. 2.10 and feare not to speake euill of them that are in dignitie They haue hearts exercised with couetousnesse Vers 14. Vers 16. eyes full of adultery tongues that speake swelling words and boast of high matters They are brute beasts lead with sensualitie Vers 12. and made to be taken at the last and destroyed 2 Pet. 3.17 18. But beware lest yee be plucked away with the errour of the wicked and fall from your owne stedfastnesse but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ Finally brethren 2 Cor. 13.11 fare yee well be of one minde and liue in peace Gal. 5.15 If ye bite and deuoure one another take heed lest ye be deuoured one of another All which that it may the better be effected Gal. 4.19 my little children of whom I haue trauelled in birth Heb. 13.17 for whose growth I shal trauell I beseech you obey me still who haue the ouersight of you in the Lord and submit your selues for I desire to watch for your soules as one that must giue accounts that I may doe it with ioy and not with griefe for that will be vnprofitable for you Now because my hearts desire is Rom. 10.1 that you may be saued and that to this end I may still pray for you and shew you the good way therefore I humbly pray the very God of peace to sanctifie you throughout 1 Sam. 12.23 1 Thess 5.23 and that your whole spirits and soules and bodies may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ So prayeth he who desireth that his ministerie amongst you may be a sauour of life vnto life euen your euer-louing Shepherd and Watch-man ROBERT ABBOT Faults escaped PAge 20. line 10. reade brethren for brother p. 22. l. 30. r. in the mids of for about p. 39. l. 22. r. yee for yea p. 40. l. 7. r. him for whom p. 44. l. 14. adde to seruice in an and l. 15. adde to vnknowne tongue p. 56. l 22. r. in them for them in p. 62. l. 1. r. mouings for meanings p. 71. l. 15. r. parly for partie p. 84. l 9. r. fiue for fine p. 113. marg r. Gal. 2. for Apoc. p. 118. l. 21 r. and for in l 22. r. thy for the and wherein for whereof p. 129. l. 26. betweene â—he second and the third word put in liue in sinne p. 136. l. 1. for I am r. am J p. 184. l. 12. betweene the eight and the ninth words put in powers of TO HIS REVEREND and right Worshipful brethren the Preachers of the glorious Gospell within the Deanery of Charing in Kent ROBERT ABBOTT their fellow-Souldier for the maintenance of the Gospell wisheth faithfulnesse and constancie to the end Right Worshipfull Reuerend and beloued WHom our gracious God hath vnited in one common seruice I neither can in affection nor could in Epistle at this time seuer especially considering that what I shall say to one is fitly appliable to you all My request only is that what I speak freely to one may with a louing and yeelding acceptance bee entertained of all as the messenger of an honest heart desirous to stirre vp the grace of God which is in you and to prouoke your willing mindes I remember what is sayd of the sacke of Beniamin by the way when the sacke was opened Sacco soluto reluxit argentum the money appeared which though I cannot apply to what I haue sayd in my Sermon or shall say at this time yet this I will say that no packet shall be opened wherein you shall discouer more loue and intention of spirit to do your soules good Mans good thoughts were not giuen him for himselfe only but for communication For if they had as the Gâ—d of Nature would not haue taught the tongue to speake them so the God of Art would not haue taught the pen to write them This is the cause that what meditations God hath briefly put into my heart to warme my selfe those haue and shall I more largely blowe and kindle to heate you all in that ministeriall course in which God hath set you I presuppose these two propositions to be Gods truth First that the Churches speciall seruants are of Gods sending And secondly that it is necessary that the people to whom wee preach should be perswaded of it Is not Ierusalem which is aboue the Mother of vs all VVhence then should wee expect all her seruitours not left free to her selfe but from our fathers appointment Yet what though we are called by God will it euer be so comfortable vnto vs if the people to whom we are sent do not know it We would willingly that they should heare what we speake in Christs stead not as the word of man but as it is indeed the word of God which yet they can neuer do except they are perswaded that wee are sent of God It is therefore worth our marking to see how the Apostle labours the perswasion of this point For himselfe hee doth still vrge his mission That the Gospell which he preached was not after men but that hee was called by God And for all others hee calleth them Souldiers as hauing receiued their presse from God and Ministers that all the world may know that God keepeth the royalty of his Office in his owne hand and makes vs his Seruants yea Cryers to lend our good will and voyce to his matters to bee published No doubt the holy Ghost foresaw the necessity of this perswasion not only that the ministery might haue the greater attention and respect giuen vnto it but that Lydeas heart might be opened Felix might tremble the Iewes might be pricked in their very hearts and made to crye out Men and brethren what shall wee doe to be saued Yea and the secrets of hearers hearts might be made manifest and they may fall downe on their faces and
ministeriall head ouer all the world both for order and iurisdiction ouer all Bishops all Christians to set out the rule of faith lawes dispensations ouer all the world to trample vpon kings and to decree them to butchery or honour as they serue for the good of the Catholike cause Now how this and the like stuffe can bee inferred from the words of Christ to Peter to vphold their monarchicall head I would intreat you to call your best Logicke to an account and to doe your best to iudge Secondly because the Pope pleades more for himselfe than he doth for him from whom he pretends to receiue deputation He is like an vnfaithfull friend who being sent to speake a good word speakes one for his friend and two for himselfe For what is it that doth imbroyle the whole Christian world more than the Popes monarchie All kingdomes must be at his dispose that so such Princes as he can traine vp in dull ignorance may through ambition be prouoked to be his white sonnes that they may attaine to great honours and other mens inheritances vnder him All must be Hereticks that are not within his Pale The word of God must depend vpon his allowance Scripture must be no Scripture except he looke fauourably vpon it and giue it what sense pleaseth him Kings must be no Kings if it pleaseth him to excommunicate them and we must be no ministers because our calues are cow-calues as that blessed Martyr Woodman answered the Bishop of Chichester who wanted the Popes Bull to consecrate or confirme him in his Bishopricke with many other prettie toyes Thirdly because all the notes of the great Antichrist that are in Scripture doe agree to him to wit the Pope as is maintained to his face by our dread Soueraigne and the reuerend Father Bishop Downame in his treatise of Antichrist and in his Diatriba of the same subiect It is true indeed they would make vs beleeue that his chayre is made of Irish wood to which no copwebs of falshood can cleaue nor any venomous creature come neere without death and that his Church is like that which the mariners built in Illiria to Saint Iohn de Maluatia whose very morter was tempered with malmsey a sweet and precious Church but all the water in Tyber will not wash off that imputation except he doe penance for his ambition and opposition and become such a Bishop as the primitiue godly Fathers were Fourthly because it cannot be shewed that Christ hath appointed the Pope to be his Vicar hee often speaketh of the Holy Ghost as when he saith Ioh. 14.26 The Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things and againe When he is come which is the Spirit of truth Ioh. 16.13 hee will lead you into all truth but he neuer speaketh of the Pope If he doe let him shew it if he doe not let him consider how hatefull it is for a man to put himselfe into such high commissions without warrant from God and how iustly wee may lay this in his dish No man taketh this honour but he that is called of God as Aaron was Thus I hope you perceiue that we cannot be assured that that is the true Church whereof the Pope is the head Vse Oh therefore my beloued countrey-men leane not to him and to his politicke apostasie lift vp your heads and behold by faith the bowing pillars of his proud monarchy All his diuine vnction cannot foresee nor all his keyes and swords helpe himselfe from that miserie which the Kings of the earth who are and shall fall from him shall bring vpon him As therefore Moselanus a Iew when hee had killed a fowle whose flight the hoast of Alexander expected to prognosticate good or euill successe by said vnto them What a foule shame is it for so many worthy men to seeke knowledge of her that knew not what should happen to her selfe So say I What a shame is it for so many wise men to seeke wisdome and direction from him who is not wise enough for himselfe but rageth now like the deuill because his time is but short and yet cannot see it Surely as he that died of the bite of a weasell lamented because it was not a Lion so will such at the last lament that they haue fallen by that weake one though neuer so great in the eyes of his flatterers whose very throne shall fall as a milstone into the sea to wit with great violence noyse horrour and trouble to the world But now you will say Put case that we account Iesus Christ our head yet if we are not of his body we are not of that Church whereof he is the head It is true therefore that you may know your selues to be of the body I must goe two steps further Richar. Transire in Christum et coalescere cum Christo Membra secundum praescientiam et sâ—cundum praesentem iusticiam First I must shew you how God doth fit vs to be made one with our head and to be members of his body We are falsly charged to require inward qualifications of holinesse in euery member of the Church for there are members in Gods Book before calling as well as such as are called and of such as are called there are members by profession which do admit of a cutting off yet if we would assure our hearts that we are so in the Church as wee are also of it Membra 1. Numero 2. Merito et electione ut corruptè à scholasticis pro opere et electione we must be inwardly coapted and fitted to be made one with him Now for this fitting of vs for our head it must be by three actions of our good and mercifull God First God must cut vs from the wilde oliue that is he must separate vs from corrupted Adam as we are borne after his cursed image To this end God giueth vs by the law a sight of some one sinne which hath haply made deepest gashes in our consciences together with the punishment due vnto it At which sight we suspecting what all our sins may deserue if God shall muster them together through compunction of heart we are brought to a detestation of our former estate and so to a casting off of our transgressions that we may not die Secondly God must pare vs to put vs into the true oliue Christ by humiliation when we see how fearefully wee lie liable to Gods iustice we despairing of all helpe and comfort elsewhere doe humbly lay our selues downe at Gods feet to bee disposed to shame sorrow feare confession prayer and application of spirituall reasons to our carnall hearts to mortifie and dead our corruptions according to Gods Word Thirdly God must ingraft vs into Christ How is this When by the power of the Word and Spirit he doth worke faith in our hearts by which wee comparing the bottomlesse pit of our sinful estate with the height length bredth
and I pray God they may see it from true mortification and reformation of heart For doe but consider that either they doe not know or will not know the right enemie wherewith they should fight to this end that is the cursed Flesh which is in our bosomes For when the Scripture speaketh of the lusts of the flesh which we must mortifie they doe sometimes vnderstand our bodies and therefore for the suppressing of it Vnderstand me not as if I did condemne Fasting and other laudable bodily exercises but onely as shewing by these principall weapons what principall aduersarie they fight against to wit the bodie Ephes 5.28 29. they doe presse vpon bodily exercises as Fastings whippings Haire-cloth bare-foot visitings of Temples Shrines and the like whereas the bodie and the spirit may well goe hand in hand as the Apostle saith No man euer yet hated his owne flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it euen as the Lord the Church to wit so farre forth as it may be done without making Nature either proud or wanton Sometimes againe they doe vnderstand the brutish and inferiour facultie of the soule whereby it affecteth and desireth profits pleasures as meats drinkes cloathing and procreation But euen this also in it selfe cannot be said to be our enemie which being well manned is of so good and necessarie vse in the life of man that without it there would neither be preseruation of particulars nor kindes Nature would neither preserue it selfe nor the succession thereof in its like In both these they misse the marke and shoot at a friend in stead of an enemie In which respect a man may goe to the height of their taught deuotion and yet be as arrant hypocrites as euer were But as for our Church the whole bent of it tends to perfect our sanctification in the feare of God 2 Cor. 7.1 It makes the flesh to be the corruption of our whole nature both in our bodies and soules The corruption of our mindes by enmitie and ignorance of our consciences by stupiditie and furie of our cogitations by vanitie of our wils by rebellion of our desires by disorder the like So that we teach and presse that the minde must goe to the pot as we say as well as the appetite yea the wisdome of it whereby we exalt our owne righteousnesse and set vp our holinesse and other worth as cursed idols as well as the brutish folly that is in our carnall desires We doe not flatter the minde with an aptnesse to spirituall wisdome or the will with an aptnesse to will good if it be excited by the Spirit that so we may dishonour Gods worke of grace and make our selues something when we are nothing but as we doe giue the greatest glory of good as it is wrought in and by vs to the minde sanctified for which cause the whole worke of our conuersion as it is well obserued is called the changing of the minde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 3.2 so in sinning we make it the arch-rebell in yeelding it selfe so freely to thinke of wickednes so fully to discourse of the profit pleasure and honour of it so friendly to parly with euery suggestion which offereth it selfe to our corrupt hearts that it is euen basely bribed and blinded to giue way to the consent of our wills to the greedinesse of our desires to the swift mouing of our affections and to the eagernesse of our actions to doe those things which are wicked in the sight of God and man Oh how doth this make vs to denie our selues and flie vnto him that is made wisdome 1 Cor. 1.30 righteousnesse sanctification and redemption to vs while the Popish Church liuing in a seeming holinesse in some of her choise members doth yet vnholily rest vpon her owne wisdome though it be to the tolerating of Stewes to the filling of Rome it selfe with the cries of Sodome But say they what are their vnholy Stewes more than our vnholy Vsury For if Stewes be collerated amongst them to preuent a greater mischiefe so is Vsury amongst vs. But stay a while As Leontines pointing to his gray haires said to the Antiochians Hac niue liquefacta multum erit luti When this snow is thawed there will be much dirt so when this blister is pricked may we say there will appeare much vlcerous matter For the clearing therefore of our Church in this point of Vsury that the Stewes of Rome may the more stinke in the nostrils of good men consider two Questions First whether England doe permit Vsury as the Church of Rome doth the Stewes Secondly whether if wee did it might stand in equall ballance with a Stewes To the first I answer two things First that England doth not permit Vsury but restraine the abominable griping that was brought in by the Iewes For if you looke into the Law you shall finde it called a Statute against Vsury yea it calleth Vsury a vice and sinne and saith it is detestable as you may see in tâ—e Statutes at large where the Prefaces are yea I haue heard as I take it men skilfull in the Law say that if it can be proued by bond that a man doe but take ten shâ—llings in the hundred for Vsury hee forfaits the whole summe Therefore the Vsurers are so craftie as to make their Creditours vpon the lending of an hundred pound to become debtors to them for an hundred and ten or eight or seuen or the like by bond and not to binde them to giue ten pounds for the meere vse of an hundred Secondly England dealeth not with Vsury as Rome doth with the Stewes for shee doth blanch and excuse it and therefore sometime they say that it is but a permission of a lesse euill to auoid a greater as Sodomy Buggery and the like when yet vnder this cloake Ely might without blame haue suffered the sins of his sonnes in the porches of the Tabernacle to preuent more hainous sinnes and further degrees of Sodomy Sometimes againe they tell vs that they doe not permit them without meanes to reclaime them both by punishments and preachings as if it could excuse them to permit houses of sinning that they may exercise their censures they are mad men that build houses for theeues and burne them downe when they haue done Sometimes againe they will tell vs that the rents and pensions so gotten are imployed to maintaine penitent harlots as if God delighted in the price of a harlot or it were lawfull for vs to doe euill that good might come thereof Thus would the Church of Rome like a harlot put a beautifull complexion vpon an vgly face yea from such like and other filthinesse euen in their holy Fathers the Popes See Bellar. in his preface to his bookes De Pontif. Rom. they can draw an argument of glory and renowne to Peters chaire as being a signe of Gods speciall hand that it hath endured so long But as for vs we are readie to condemne
Doctrine and secondly to Manners and because both these are in danger in these last and perillous daies In which respect Iesus Christ saith Apoc. 16.15 Behold I come as a theefe Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments of faith and loue lest he walke naked and men see his filthinesse therefore we must watch for the health and securitie of them both First we must watch in respect of Doctrine that so we be not nuzled vp in falshood and errour There is a stabbing of our soules as well as a staruing of them and that is by false doctrine against which wee must watch For the pressing whereof I shall keepe the same course which I did in the former namely to shew you wherein it standeth and how we may be stirred vp to the practise of it If first you aske me wherein this watchfulnesse in doctrine standeth How wee must watch in doctrine Philip. 3.2 1 Thess 5.21 I answer It standeth in a holy care to obserue that rule of the Apostle to the Philippians Beware of dogs beware of euill workers beware of the concision And that to the Thessalonians Trie all things and keepe that which is good 1 Iohn 4.1 And that of Iohn Trie the spirits whether they are of God When we are thus vigilant and watchfull ouer that doctrine which is taught vnto vs as the men of Berea who as they receiued the Word with all readinesse so they searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so or no Act. 17.11 which were taught vnto them when wee are carefull not presently to admit of euery point that is shrowded vnder the authoritie of a Teacher 2 Cor. 1.24 Who hath not dominion ouer our faith when we are not sluggish to enquire and search into euery doctrine that is offered vnto vs but doe humbly resigne our selues vnto Gods teaching Psal 25.9 14. Psal 119.18 34 Iohn 7.17 doe pray that God would open our eyes that we may be taught doe striue to doe the will of God that wee may know of the doctrine whether it be of God or no and doe get a forme of doctrine or the doctrine of the beginning of Christ Hebr. 6.1 2. or the doctrine of Baptismes and laying on of hands or whatsoeuer else you will call the grounds of Religion laid downe by way of Catechismes and vse all other meanes appointed for the finding out of the truth then may wee be said to watch in doctrine If in the second place you shall aske me what may stir vs vp to be watchfull in doctrine Motiues to watch in doctrine I doe humbly offer vnto your considerations diuers motiues First by this meanes we shall discouer those drugges of falshood which by the deceit of euill workers are gilded ouer as if they were no other than Gods truth It is possible that the Deuill should transforme himselfe into an Angell of life and that falshood should bee so washed ouer with craftie distinctions and a seeming allowance of Scriptures and hore-headed antiquitie that it may be taken by the simple hearted for no lesse than truth Ye know that though God be the Ancient of daies yet the deuill hath beene from the beginning and that both truth and falsehood got into Paradise and that the deuill hath had a succession of his seruants as well as God of his Ministers and that it hath beene an old tricke of the deuill to them that rested in the Scriptures to alledge Scriptures Scult Delit. Euang cap. 30. pag. 109. as to Christ whether by mutilation or deprauation as some dispute it it is no matter That we may not be deceiued therefore and drinke the poison of Antichrist in stead of the wholesome liquor of Gods truth and that without suspicion it is necessarie that wee watch in respect of doctrine Secondly by this meanes we shall be brought to reuerence and obey our Pastors and Teachers I know that our aduersaries will tell vs that this watchfulnesse in doctrine is the next way to make the people which are as sheepe to be Iudges of their Pastors who are as shepherds which is as much as if wee should say that by setting a watch in the night-season to examine all passengers wee make them Iudges of Superiours who are many times stayed by them the folly whereof is apparent to the simple For though the people doe examine according to their charge yet they are so farre from passing iudgement otherwise than by the helpe of such meanes as God hath appointed by applying the rule of the Word to the Doctrine to be ruled that it breedeth vnspeakable respect when the people shall see that their Teachers teach them no other doctrine than that which is warranted by the word of God Thirdly to this end God hath giuen the gift of tongues and interpretation to the Church that we might haue translations whereby we might be enabled to doe it Euen as when a King doth will a Proclamation and cause it to be published he doth it to this end that his subiects may examine their actions sutable to that matter in hand and reforme or conforme accordingly So when God doth giue authoritie and power vnto men to publish his will in the Scriptures in our vulgar tongues he doth it vnto this end that we should examine our doctrines and deeds by it and know and liue accordingly Except therefore that we will not answer Gods end and expectation we must watch ouer Doctrine Fourthly this is one reason why the Apostles did confirme their doctrine by the Scriptures of the old Testament to wit not because they wanted authoritie to put what they deliuered vpon the word of God but because we might be drawne on and encouraged to see the consent of the Prophets and Apostles and to search with the men of Berea in the Scriptures for those doctrines which wee doe entertaine Fiftly and lastly we may be moued to watch ouer that doctrine which is deliuered vnto vs by considering what glorious meanes in appearance the aduersaries of the truth haue to gaine vpon our affections that they may infatuate our iudgements For doe but marke what vsually they plead first against vs and secondly for themselues Against vs what is more frequent in their mouthes and writings What the Papists plead for themselues Walsingh search into matters of Religion than to vrge these two things first that we haue no other doctrine opposite vnto them than that which hath beene taught vs by vicious deformers of religion such as Luther was who as they say besides his notorious wickednesse receiued by his owne confession some of his doctrines from the deuil secondly that as it seemes out of the guilt we haue in our consciences and suspicion of the badnesse of our cause we refuse disputations and other publike trials Oh what faire pretences are here if they were true to draw our hearts to hearken to their Antichristian doctrine But as we loue our
all of these nor any one or more of them preuaile with vs to admit of that doctrine which wee haue not receiued in our Church but watch we against all false doctrine whatsoeuer what pretence soeuer the Teachers may make shew of They that serue not the Lord Iesus but their owne bellies Rom. 16.18 may with faire speech and flattering deceiue the hearts of the simple like the Popish shauelings by Benedictions Absolutions Sacrifices and the like By how much more carefull therefore they are to plead against vs and for themselues and to liquor their speeches with sweet though deadly words by so much more diligent let vs be to watch ouer doctrine But we must not leaue here for as our watchfulnesse doth referre it selfe to faith so likewise to loue and that it may be in this place more principally Hearken therefore to this second branch of watchfulnesse that we must watch in respect of manners For the pressing whereof I shall not vary from my couâ—se in the former first to shew you what it is and secondly how wee may be stirred vp to practise it I conceiue watchfulnesse to be a dutie which lookes to a double obiect namely to sinne and to grace What watchfulnesse in manners is Watchfulnesse about sinne is a holy care either to preuent or to crush it be it neuer so small Euen as if the plague were about vs carnall wisdome it selfe would make vs to looke to our feet and to beware that wee come not neare those dwellings Ephes 5.15 Hebr. 12.13 So doth watchfulnesse make vs walke cicumspectly and make straight steps to preuent the plague of sinne Or as if a Wolfe were about our houses euen naturall wisdome would make vs carefull to kill him so will spirituall watchfulnesse make vs watchfull to crush sinne yea euen as if wee should see a Boy creepe in at our windowes we would watch him as narrowly as if he were a man because though he could not doe vs much hurt himselfe yet he could let in men which might depriue vs of our goods and liues so if we apprehend the least sin gaining vpon vs we must be as diligent in watching against it as if it were of a greater size because it doth open the soule and prepare it for the greatest sinnes that are Secondly watchfulnesse about grace is a holy care to nourish the spirit and to take all good occasions to bring forth and practise grace and godlinesse As a man that doth desire and will to be rich doth cherish in himselfe all endeuours to that end and wait all occasions to be fingring the pence So watchfulnesse doth worke in a man an attendance vpon all holy meanes to increase grace with the increasings of God Where we must watch If now you shall aske me where this watch must be set Let me tell you that your listening to this will make you the better to conceiue and see what it is It must be kept in all the parts powers and faculties of soule and bodie First we must watch in our hearts Prou. 4.23 as Salomon saith Keepe thine heart with all diligence A negligent watch is for the most part set in this place because wee walke not as in Gods sight and presence but when wee doe consider that the heart is the principall commander in this little world and that according to the charge of the heart the tongue speaks Luke 8.45 Matt. 15.18 19. the hand workes and the eye sees by how much more authoritie the heart hath in vs by so much more carefull we must be to watch ouer the faithfulnesse of it Secondly we must watch in our minds that they do not roaue about vnprofitable and vnnecessarie things Though we labour to know other things which are of vse in this world yet we must watch that this be our chiefe care to know Iesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 3.2 Si Christum benè scis satis est si caetera nescis si Christum nescis nihil est si caetera discis Malum seminatum Malum innatum Iob 31.1 For as ignorance in other things can doe vs little hurt if wee doe soundly know Christ so knowledge of others can doe vs little good if wee are ignorant of Christ Thirdly we must watch in our senses for they are the cinqueports of the soule both to let in that euill which the Deuill doth sowe in the creatures and to let out that inward corruption in our hearts to strengthen our outward enemies Hence is it that as Iob made a couenant with his eyes Psal 119.37 so Dauid prayed that God would turne away his eyes from beholding vanitie Fourthly we must watch in our tongues in which point Dauid hath giuen vs a good president when he said I will take heed to my waies Psal 39.1 that I sin not with my tongue If he was so watchfull ouer his tongue Psal 57.8 which notwithstanding he calleth his glory much more must wee seeing wee may well call ours our shame Remember therefore what Dauid saith in another place Psal 34.13 Keepe thy tongue from euill and thy lips that they doe speake no guile especially considering what Iames saith If any man amongst you seemeth religious and refraineth not his tongue but deceiueth his heart this mans religion is vaine Lastly Iam. 1.26 2 Tim. 4.5 wee must watch in all things whether for our soules or bodies whether in our spiritual or corporal imployments In our commerce and trading with men in our talking walking buying selling we must be carefull that no iniustice vncharitablenesse or deceit doe creepe in and then we watch in bodily things In our reading praying conference hearing and receiuing the Sacrament Luke 8.18 wee must take heed how wee heare how we pray how we receiue and the like that no wandering thoughts either wicked or good besides the purpose that no hypocrisie dulnesse or securitie doe hinder our comfort in these things and then we watch in spirituall things Now at the length yee may fully conceiue what it is to watch It is to haue through Gods working a holy care and diligence in all the parts powers and actions of our soules and bodies against all sinne and for the doing of all good as in Gods sight and presence If now yee will aske me how we may be stirred vnto practise it Motiues to watchfulnesse I answer by a through considering of these foure points That when the end of all things commeth the righteous shall scarcely be saued In which respect mens hearts shall faile them for feare and for looking after those things which shall come on the world Luk. 21.26 for the heauen shall be shaken 1 Pet. 4.18 Oh where then shall the vngodly and sinner appeare We are too easily lulled asleepe with the facilitie of our attaining to heauenly happinesse And hence it comes to passe that sometimes we dreame not of entring into the way of heauen
in all our thoughts What shall I therefore now say I will humbly beseech you not to forget that the end of all things is at hand that so wee may be stirred vp to these things lest God doe suddenly come in flaming fire to render vengeance vnto vs before we be aware Soli Deo gloria THE NEVV MANS NEW LIFE VPON GALATH. 2.20 By ROBERT ABBOT LONDON Printed by John Haviland for Nathaniel Butter 1623. TO THE WORshipfull his worthy friends Master WALTER ROBERTS Esquire and Mistresse MARGARET his most louing yoke-fellow Life Health and Saluation Worshipfull and worthy friends THIS Sermon hath beene some yeeres in both your hands And I see in the returne of it the good entertainment which it hath found by the well-wearing of the Copie while it was in your custodie It was the request of one of you but it was in the inioyment common to you both and I ioy that the word of God deliuered plainly in euidence of spirit can finde such fauourers Psal 45.12 Though the daughters of â—yrus with the rich of the people doe homage before the face of Gods Church with presents and Egypt doe sometimes succour Christ Matth. 2. yet ordinarily the poore receiue the Gospell Oh how hard is it for a learned Pharisie or for a Ruler of the people to yeeld to the doctrine of a crucified Sauiour Puto multos potuisse ad sapientâ—m pâ—rvâ—nâ—re nisi putassent se pervenisse Many might haue beene wiser if their breeding had not taught them to thinke that they had wit enough To see therefore Heires of great Houses and men and women of qualitie and fashion as we say to renounce their owne wisdome and to become fooles that they may be wise is a spectacle worthy the beholding How glorious an example doth History offer vnto vs in King Alfred who is reported to haue diuided the night and day into three parts Eight houres he spent in writing reading and praying eight houres in sleepe and other bodily prouisions and eight houres in hearing the complaints of his subiects Lay before your eyes I beseech you such excellent patternes and by how much more rare and difficult it is in the throng of so many temptations both at home and abroad for eminent persons to be eminent in grace and goodnesse and to appeare aboue others as the tops of the mountaines in the ebbing of that great Floud Gen. 8.5 by so much shew your godly cares to striue to enter into the strait gate and as they who are violent to take the kingdome of heauen by force There are two dangerous rocks in the course of Christianitie which I pray God you may still auoid the one is fruitlesse knowledge the other is the mixture of fleshly wisdome with the wisdome of the spirit Many are like to the Athenians Nummos habuerunt ad numeranduÌ„ scientiam ad sciendum of whom it is said that they had their money only to tell and their knowledge to know Oh what a butter-flies life is this who spends her time in painting of her wings as some Naturalists haue said euen a these men doe in gilding of their braines Demosthenes was little the better though when he went in the streets the people would say There goeth learned Demosthenes neither shall we be euer the happier except our heads rule our hearts hands and feet to loue and doe according to Gods will If we know these things we shall not be blessed except wee doe them for the knowledge that bringeth blessing is compared to the waters of the Sea which as they are plentifull Es 11.9 so they are brackish yea and are conueyed vnto vs by the salt of the earth to season vs that our obedience may be better than sacrifice in the sight of God As for the mixture of worldly wisdome doe yee not see how it choaketh and smothereth grace This is that god Policie which we worship and of which we make more account than of God and Man In this we hide our selues from simple honest men and fooles and of this wee haue so high a conceit that wee flocke to those Idols that most flourish with it as to an Oracle It is our Purueyour to get our Treasurer to keepe and our Steward to spend so that if we can get keepe or spend by policie we neuer hearken to the voice of conscience we haue no feeling what God commands nor any care what men say By this Kain spake peaceably to his brother Abel when he meant to murther him By this Gen. 4.8 Exod. 1.10 Pharaoh dealt wisely as he thought in the suppressing of Gods people By this the Politician in the Psalmes crowched and bowed Psal 10.10 when he meant that heapes of poore innocents should fall by his might O cursed policie whither wilt thou goe How many Christian duties dost thou suppresse in others and hinder in thy owner Goe on my deare and worthy friends to gouerne your liues by godly wisdome and to keepe out this monster I contemne not the gifts of any man but desire to see God in the meanest of his creatures yet so far as my muddie braine can pierce the French Charrons Books of Wisdome vnder smooth precepts of wisdome giue too great way to principles of Atheisme and so magnifieth this Idoll that God loseth his honour and nature is so lifted vp that it cannot submit it selfe vnto the crosse of Christ I commend therefore no precepts of wisdome but Gods and doe humbly desire that Iesus Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith He alone who is the wisdome of the Father can make you truly wise and to follow his imitable patternes and precepts shall be your wisdome and glory Sir Walt. Rawl hist l. 1. cap. 9. §. 4. out of Charrons chap. of Nobil Those that magnifie this Humane wisdome haue considered three sorts of honours Honour nâ—turall which comes by descent and may fall vpon a true villaine Honour in parchment which is bought with siluer or fauour and depends vpon the fauour of Princes and Honour personall which depends vpon vertue and well-deseruing and these men haue had so much wisdome giuen of God as to account vertue the forme of honour and that which giues life and being to it To the end therefore that yee may be a little furthered by me to this true Honour I doe offer this Sermon to you againe intreating your perusall and obseruation It was once heard by you with delight yee may many times reade it with the same affection if yee finde it worthy The like power yee cannot expect God will haue this honour in his ordinance that the liuely voice shall leaue a more secret working in the soule than all written scrowles This yee shall finde that I haue not striued aboue my ordinarie straine wherein I aime to speake to the hid man of the heart for whom I haue prepared such diet as I may commend if good meat be not marred
a good measure of attainment to the crucifying of sinne and liuing vnto grace and godlinesse In the feare of God let vs now returne into our owne hearts and examine our selues when we are still by these signes to see what proceedings we haue made in passing from death to life that so if we finde our selues to haue part in the first Resurrection we may be assured of our portion in glory to come Hauing thus brought home Paul his method vnto our consciences and knowing that these two things are speciall meanes vnder God to worke it vpon vs to wit the knowledge of our danger and the knowledge of our deliuerance therefore let vs goe on to consider Paul his matter in this Text. In which concerning our miserie implied we are to obserue That without faith we are but dead men If faith in Iesus Christ be our life then without it wee must needs be dead That which God said to Abimelech when he had taken away Sarah Gen. 20. Abrahams wife Thou art but a dead man may be said of all men before their conuersion to God Hence is it that Paul telleth the Ephesians That till Christ came they were dead in sinnes and trespasses Ephes 2.1.5 And the Colossians Col 2 13. That till God quickned them with Christ they were dead in sins and in the vncircumcision of the flesh In this respect those Hypocrites who neuer cast their natural hackle Iude vers 12. are said to be twice dead and plucked vp by the roots yea and for this cause Christ accounteth such no better than dead Iohn 8.24 both when he saith Except yee beleeue that I am he yee shall die in your sinnes As also when hee chargeth Sardi to be dead Apoc. 3.1 and biddeth that cold disciple to follow him Matth. 8.22 and let the dead burie the dead that is let those who for want of faith are spiritually dead in sinne attend vpon the funerals of those who are corporally dead for sinne Neither is this obscurely signified by the Ancients when they doe compare a sinner who goeth on in his naturall course to Lazarus who had beene dead foure daies The first by the lust of sinne the second by consent to sinne the third by the practise of sinne and the fourth by custome in sinne Consuetudo peccandi tollit sensum peccati when vse in sinning doth take away the sense of sinne as in a starke dead man We will not wonder that without faith we should be in no better case if we shall consider the fit resemblances betweene faithlesse and dead men which may be set downe as so many reasons in forcing this truth First because as in dead men naturall heat is extinguished so that if you bring them to the fire put strong waters into their mouthes rub them chafe them yet no heat appeareth so where there is no faith there is no zeale for heauenly things In their owne quarrels they doe with Nebuchadnezzar heat the fornace seuen times hotter but in the quarrels of God they are key-cold as we say and are frozen vpon the dregs of their owne secure hearts as vpon the Icie Sea Secondly because as dead men are so senslesse that their eyes see not their eares heare not their hands touch not their pallats taste not and their nosthrils smell not so in them who are void of faith their eyes see not from whence they are fallen or into what miserie and danger by sinne and punishment their eares heare not the voice of God that they may be saued God calleth out Awake thou that sleepest stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light but they heare not the voice of this charmer charme he neuer so wisely Thirdly because as dead men smell earthly and are carried downeward to the center without any aptnesse to rise and eleuate themselues so where there is no faith men sauour of nothing but the earth according to that of the Prophet O earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord and are carried downeward like moles and muck-wormes and would be beholding to God if they might alwaies liue here in ease singing Peters song vpon the Mount Master it is good for vs to be here Fourthly because as dead men though they haue no life or sense or motion in them yet they haue their eyes looking vp to heauen except as in Iaacobs case some Ioseph close them so faithlesse men will haue an eye to heauen and lookes to that purpose as Balaam when he desired to die the death of the righteous though they are like the writings of liuing men vpon dead mens tombes or a scrole of Scripture going out of the mouth of a man painted in a Church window or on a wall Fiftly because as dead men are subiect to corruption which made Augustine when he beheld Caesars corps in his sepulchre at Rome say to his mother Monica Behold Caesar fallen to rottennesse his belly burst with swarmes of wormes in the hollow of his head where his christ all eyes stood two hungry toads are feeding his teeth appeare for want of lips to couer them and then he crieth out Where is thy magnificence O Caesar so the faithlesse are corrupt like an apple rotten at the coare like an old doating tree perished at the heart Psal 14. according to that of the Psalmist Corrupt are they and are become abhominable in their wickednesse there is none that doth good no not one Vse 1 Thus we haue taken a view of our miserie in this point and may easily receiue from it both matter of doctrine and practise First for doctrine wee may learne three points First what is the reason that so many heare the word and so few are benefited Truly herein lieth the cause because men want faith and so are dead Call and hollow and whoope in the eare of a dead man pinch and pull him yet he ariseth neuer the sooner and we doe not wonder because he is dead so neither can we wonder that those who are dead in sinnes and trespasses doe not heare the voice of God and liue because they are dead Secondly we learne that we haue no disposition in our selues to faith and goodnesse Alas wee thinke that wee haue faith to please God withall at an houres warning therefore we presume to goe on in sinne till the houre of death But can a dead man command faith in the houre of need I know that when God hath inlightned the vnderstanding and reuealed Iesus Christ the obiect to be receiued and rested in and sanctified our soules by giuing vs the spirit of faith which taketh away our naturall death then we are co-workers with God according to that old and true saying The will being first wrought vpon Voluntas acta agit doth together worke with the first mouer but take a man in his first abilitie and possibilitie to helpe himselfe and the bodie is not lesse able to helpe it selfe without