A GLEANING IN GOD'S HARVEST. FOUR CHOICE HANDFULS; The Gate to Happiness. Wounded Saviour. Epicures Caution. Generation of Seekers. By the late Judicious Divine, HENRY RAMSDEN, sometime Preacher in London. JUDO. 8.2. Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim, better than the vintage of Abiezer? LONDON, Printed for J. D. and R. M. and are to be sold by Thomas Slater, at the Swan in Duck-lane. 1639. The Epistle to the Reader. GOOD READER, THe Author of these Sermons, having served his time, and being fallen asleep, before their time came to look out, and do service in the world; I conceived it might bear the construction of a piece of some light charity to lead them out in their Orphan-like condition by the hand of a recommendatorie Epistle into the world. Men for the most part desire in Books, to know first what is said of them, before they care to know what they say; and sometimes an Author worthy of prime inspection, for want of an Agent to make his worth his harbinger, may lie as long neglected and unread, as the poor Cripple at the pool of Bethsaida lay uncured for want of one to cast him into the water. The subject (indeed) here principally discoursed, and brought out of darkness into light (Christian mortification) seemeth to disdain all mediation, and petitioning for it, it being of so great weight and transcendent importance, that it commands all hearts and eyes to look up unto it; and threatens with power and authority from on high, even the greatest on earth that shall turn their back, and not their face upon it. There are three things especially (among others) that will say well to make this rough and hidden way of Mortification, smooth and plain. The first is, the greatness of the Author, and founder of that honourable order of Mortification, and who was the glorious Precedent of it himself; Even the Lord jesus Christ: the apprehension and sense of such fellowship with us in our way, cannot but devour and drown all sense and thought of what otherwise might be difficult and distasteful in it. Among the Romans, the General being slain in the battle, there was scarce any Soldier that regarded his life; but rather chose to make an exchange of it, for such a death, wherein he might bear his General company; and if any did return home alive, in such a case there was a brand of ignominy set upon him ever after. The truth is, were not the consideration of sin, and the madness of unbelief in the world at hand to qualify the matter, and give satisfaction; it were the most astonishing wonder that ever the world saw, that jesus Christ being dead, the whole world should not presently resolve to die with him. The second is the greatness of the help, or mighty arm of assistance that is ready to join with us in this great work of mortification if our hearts be once set upon it: this is the Spirit of God and of Christ; If you mortify the deeds of the body by the spirit, you shall live, Rom. 8. This Spirit of God residing and dwelling in those that believe, to whom he is given, is always at hand, ready; yea, desirous and longing to be set on work in their soul; to be employed in this honourable service against sin, and all inordinate affections, evill-concupiscence, uncleanness, pride, covetousness, etc. And being stirred up, and set on to purpose, it carries on his work before him with an high hand; making havoc and desolation among the fleshly lusts and corruptions of the soul. The greatest and most difficultest undertake, and such which the soul of man would otherwise abhor, and turn aside from altogether, are yet digested and carried on with a sweetness and pleasantness of hope, when a man sees measure for strength for strength, as much in his means, as in his opposition, as many with him as against him: Now the Spirit of God within us, is of more might than all the hills of the robbers (as David speaks in another case) he is stronger than all their strong holds; he is above all the high things and imaginations that lift up themselves to the highest within us against the knowledge of God. Mortification can be no other, but a solid delight and spiritual recreation to him, that duly and deeply considers what odds and advantage he hath of his enemy, the flesh, by the partaking, and close standing of that blessed friend of his, the Spirit. The third and last is, the exceeding greatness of the reward which the God of recompenses (as the Scripture termeth him) hath sealed and settled by purpose and promise, both Yea and Amen upon this work of Mortification. If we be dead with Christ we believe, that is, we easily believe, or have ground sufficient to believe, that we shall live with him; as the foundation of the ensuing discourse proclaims aloud to the world: whereby living with Christ is not meant of an everlasting being in his presence only (though his presence alone be a Paradise of joy and blessedness in abundance) but an admittance or taking up into an entire communion with him in all his glory; or as himself is pleased with the expression, Revel. 3.21. a sitting down with him upon his Throne: Men for the most part can be content that any man should choose or appoint their work for them, if it might be permitted to themselves to choose their wages, and have good security for it: Who would refuse with Samson to encounter Lions, if they could be secured to eat honey out of their carcases? Who would not have cast in his lot with those three faithful servants of GOD, and have been content to have taken part with them in that hot service of the fiery furnace, could they have been satisfy for their safe coming off with their lives untouched, and like advancement afterward in the Kingdom? Low wages and slender recompenses make even light work heavy; the only way to drown the sourness or unpleasantness of any task, is to make it swim in an Ocean of reward. It is a principle in reason, Finis dat amabilitatem mediis, Good ends make hard ways or means lovely and . If Mortification had as bitter and irreconcilable an opposition, and repugnancy to nature, as the grave itself, yet the transcendent vastness of the reward, that same fare more exceeding, eternal weight of glory (as Saint Paul had much ado to bring out his notion of it in words, without loss, and leaving somewhat behind, 2 Corinth. 4.17.) dear apprehended and believed, mightily and effectuously considered, is able fully to reconcile the disproportion. I am loath to exceed the time and measure of an Epistle. The nature, necessity and means of this great Masterpiece of Mortification with some other things of Affinity with them, are well laid down in the Sermons following; Some strains (I believe) thou wilt meet withal, that have been strangers to thee heretofore, and which will do lively execution, and quit themselves like the words of the wise, whose property is (as the wise man informs) to be as goads or nails throughly fastened. Holy and learned men (amongst whom not to number were doubtless to injure much mine Author) are not to be too deeply charged, or too troublesomely expostulated with for some peculiarities of expressions, wherein perhaps they give themselves more satisfaction than others: And indeed it is a hard thing for any man to write so savourly or warily, but that the Reader hath need still to bring a grain of salt with him to make the nourishment wholesome. The blessing of the God of heaven be with this little piece in its going forth into the world, that it may go forth in its might, and do worthily in Israel, teaching & persuading many to desire (with Paul) the knowledge of the fellowship of Christ's sufferings, and how to be made conformable to his death, which is one of the greatest and most hidden mysteries of Christianity, and requireth the best and greatest Masters in Israel for its Teachers. Thine in the Lord Jesus, JOHN GOODWIN. The Contents of the ensuing Treatises. Treatise 1. TO be dead with Christ what. Page 5 Propos. 1. We must die with Christ first, if we will live with him. pag. 10 Reason 1. From the contrariety between sin and grace. 12 Reas. 2. Else the Spirit dwells not in us. 13 Reas. 3. Because it is hard to be a Christian. ibid. Use 1. Reproof of men dead in sin 14 Moral death to sin distinguished from the true death to sin. 16 1. In the Essence of it. ibid. 2. In the efficient cause. 17 3. in the latitude ibid. 4. In the issue. 18 Popish mortification differs from true mortification. 1. In the object. 19 2. The efficient cause. ibid. 3. The formal cause. 20 4. The final cause. ibid. Characters of a man dead to sin. 1. When occasions to sin work not. 21 2. When all sin is dead in us. 22 3. When we do not the service of sin 23 4. When we abhor sin, ibid. 5. When sins power is daily abated. 24 6. When we can willingly have our sins wounded. 25 Means to be dead with Christ. 1. The Spirit of God. 27 2. Faith in Christ. ibid. 3. Prayer. 28 4. Submission to the ministry of the Word, ibid. Motives to die to sin. 1. The necessity. 29 2. The commodity. ibid. 3. The facility. 30 4. The equity. 31 5. The treachery of sin. 32 6. The example of others. ibid. The difficulty of being a Christian. 33 The method to come to live with Christ. 36 Spiritual death what. 40 Spiritual life what. 41 Propos. 2. Those that are dead with Christ, shall live with him. 42 Reas. 1. To whom Christ communicates himself he doth it wholly. 43 Reas. 2. Death with Christ insufficient, without we live with him. 44 Reas. 3. From the opposition between the life of sin and grace. 45 Use. Those that are not dead with Christ, do not live with him. 46 How to know we are alive with Christ; 1. By the cause of spiritual life. 47 2. By the exercises of spiritual life. 48 3. By the properties of spiritual life. 49 1 Nourishment. ibid. 2 Augmentation. 50 3 Generation. 51 Use 2. To labour for death with Christ. 52 1. Because by him we shall enjoy a spiritual life. 53 2. An eternal life. ibid. Propos. 3. The knowledge of Mortification seals up the assurance of salvation 55 Reason. The promises of eternal life are made to the mortified. 68 Use 1. For confutation of Bellarmine. 72 Use 2. To labour for Mortification. 75 Use 3. Those that are not dead with Christ, cannot be assured of life with him. 77 Propos. 4. As our death to sin, so our life to grace, both proceed from christ. 80 Reason. They are both the work of grace. 81 Christ is the author of the death of sin, and the life of grace. 1. As a meritorious cause. 83 2. As the exemplary cause. 85 3. The moral cause. 86 4. The efficient cause. 87 Christ is the efficient cause. First in the first working of it three ways. 88 1. By his Spirit. ibid. 2. By the Word. 89 3. By Baptism. 90 Baptism is a cause instrumental 3 ways. 1. As a resembling cause. 91 2. As a concurring means. ibid. 3. By Stipulation. ibid. Secondly for the increase of it 2 ways. 1. By Faith. 92 2. The Lord's Supper. 94 Use. To endeavour to be in Christ. 95 Use 2. To return the praise of grace to Christ. 97 Use 3. What to judge of men out of Christ. 98 Treatise 2. Observe. 1. What Christ suffered was not for his own sin. 104 Use 1. To show how Christ could bear the punishment of sin. 108 Use 2. To discover the malice of the jews against Christ. 110 Use 3. To condemn those that judge by success in outward things. 114 Use 4. To read us a Lecture of patience 115 Use 5. Comfort for distressed consciences. 116 Obser. 2. Christ suffered all for our sins. 118 Reas. 1. The love of Christ. ibid. Reas. 2. The love of God the Father. 119 Use 1. To admire God's wisdom. 120 Use 2. To see the heinousness of our sins. 121 Use 3. To provoke us to sorrow for sin. 123 Use 4. For Consolation. 125 Use 5. To set forth God's love to us. 126 Use 6. To return love again. 127 Treatise 3. Conclus. 1. SVrfeiting and Drunkenness, and Covetousness to be taken heed of. 134 Reas. 1. There is danger in these sin. 137 Reas. 2. There is danger of falling into them. 139 Use 1. Complaint of neglect of this duty. 141 Use 2. Exhortation to Caution. 143 4, Helps to Caution. ibid. Conclus. 2. The best men to take heed of these sins. 149 Reas. 1. Because they are but men. ibid. Reas. 2. Satan envies them most. 150 Reas. 3. Their falling make others fall. ibid. Use 1. To show the best men are frail. 151 Use 2. Why the best should suffer admonition. 152 Use 3. How to demean ourselves. 153 Conclus. 3. Our care and caution must be continual. 154 Reason. Because there is danger of the sins. 155 Reason. Because there is danger of judgement. 155 Use. To discover the abounding of these sins. 156 Conclus. 4. Drunkenness and Covetousness overcharge the heart. 161 Reas. 1. They press the soul from heaven to earth. 162 Reas. 2. They press it from earth to Hell. 166 Use 1. To take heed of these sins. 167 Use 2. To use Remedies against them, 171 Means to be disburdened of these sins. 172 Use 3. To see the false judgement of the world 175 Conclus. 5. We should not be overcharged with immoderate eating. 177 Danger in coversing with Epicures. 178 Reas. 1. It unfits us for good Duties. 179 Reas. 2. It is the nurse of security. 180 Reas. 3. It breeds many lusts. 181 Reas. 4. It brings Gods judgements. 182 Reas. 5. It hurts the body. 183 Reas. 6. It hurts a man's state. 184 Reas. 7. It hurts the Commonwealth. ibid. Reas. 8. It wrongs the poor. 185 Use. To take heed of surfeiting. ibid. Many ways of sufeiting. 186 Treatise 4. SEeking things above enforced. 196 1. In respect of God. 197 2. In respect of ourselves. 204 Things above what. 209 Why so called. 211 Seeking What. 212 Propos. Those that are risen with Christ, must seek the things above. 213 Conditions requisite in seeking 3. 214 Means of seeking. 218 Signs of seeking. 223 Use. Exhortation to seeking. 226 FINIS. THE GATE TO HAPPINESS. ROM. 6.8. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. Scope of the words. THe aim and scope of the Apostle in this place, is by the occasion of an objection proposed verse 1. to show the necessary coherence of sanctification with justification. The objection is this, If where sin bathe abounded, grace doth much more abound, (which the Apostle S. Paul affirms in the former Chapter, treating of free justification by grace) then saith the carnalist, let us continue in sin that grace may abound: this is the objection. To this the Apostle answers two ways. First, by way of detestation. Secondly, by way of confutation. By way of detestation in the beginning of the second verse, God forbidden: fare be it from such gracious premises, to make so dangerous and pestilent an inference, What, saith he, shall we continue in sin that grace way abound? God forbidden. Secondly, by way of confutation, and that by a double argument, answerable to the two parts of Sanctification; Mortification, and Vivification, both of them pregnant, and full of sinews to enforce, and press the cause and conclusion in hand. The first argument is thus, such as are dead to sin with Christ, they cannot wilfully and wilingly live and continue in sin, but such as are justified from their sins by Christ, they are dead to sin with Christ; therefore such as are justified by Christ they cannot live, and continue in sin. The Minor proposition the Apostle proves. First by the efficacy of baptism vers. 4. and 5. and by conformities Christ, in his crucifying and sufferings verse 6. The second argument (as a consequent, and dependent upon the former) is thus: Those that are quickened by Christ to a new life of grace, they cannot willingly and wilfully continue in sin: but those that are justified by Christ, are quickened to a new life of grace, they cannot therefore willingly and wilfully continue in sin. The Minor proposition the Apostle proves thus, those that are dead with Christ are quickened to a new life of grace: Such as are justified by Christ are dead with Christ, therefore they are quickened to a new life with Christ, and therefore they cannot continue in sin. The Major proposition is in the words of the Text, Now if we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him. You see the Logic and argumentation of the Apostle, which words being a proposition, and argument hupotheticall, observe in them two parts. First, an Antecedent, according to the law of such propositions. And then, a Consequent; Or more properky, one thing supposed, and another thing inferred. First the thing supposed in the former part of the verse, that we are dead with Christ. The other inferred in the latter part, we believe that we shall also live with him. More particularly, you may please to observe these four parts. First the method and order of the parts: first we must be dead with Christ before we can live with him, If we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him. We must first die with Christ before we can live with him. Secondly, the inseparable connexion and conjunction and union of these two: though the one go before, yet the other follows inseparably, and avoidable, as jacob took Esau by the heel: In the latter part. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him, there is the conjunction of these two. Thirdly the assurance of this connexion or conjunction, If we be dead with Christ, we believe we shall live with him. Fourthly and lastly, the cause and ground, as of the two former, so of the latter, both of our death with Christ, and of our life with Christ, it is Christ, Christ is the cause of both, If we be dead with Christ, that is, (as Aquinas rightly interprets the place) through or by the virtue of Christ, We believe that we shall also live with him, or be raised to the life or grace by the same virtue. Thus you have the parts: If we be dead, with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. First of the order and method of the parts, which is the first part or proposition. We must first die with Christ before we can live with him. To be dead with Christ what. To be dead with Christ, is in imitation or conformity with Christ to be dead to sin, as Christ died for sin. So we are said to dye with Christ, when we dye to sin. Now we are said to be dead to sinne when sin is dead in us: when the command and dominion of sin is broken down, when the power and force of it is enfeebled: when we do what we can that sin may not have any vigour, or power, or command, no nor quiet being in us, than sin is said to be properly dead in us. Now we must not conceive that as long as we live, sin will utterly and totally dye. The reason is this, (it is a comparison of St. Basil, saith he) it is with sin, S. Basil. and with the corruption of nature as it is with the Ivy, and the wall, Simile. when the Ivy is fastened and incor porated into the wall, a man may cut the boughs and branches, but he can never root it out except he pull down the wall. As Ivy is to the wall, so is sin and corruption to our nature, it is so screwed and got into our nature, that so long as we live, so long as this house of clay stands we cannot utterly root it out; we may mortify and kill it in some measure, but when this house of clay shall be demolished and dissolved, than sin shall be utterly extinguished; I say then, we must not conceive sin to be so dead, as that it hath utterly no life in it, but it is said to be dead in a double respect: First it is dead Civilly. Secondly it is dead Naturally. It is a rule among civilians, he that it a servant is half a dead man. The reason is, because he is no longer at his own command; but what he is, he is that he is, as he is inspired, and animated by the command of his master. So sin is said to be dead because it is made a servant, it is forced to undergo the yoke, to be subject to the Spirit of grace: therefore it is said to be dead civilly. Secondly, it is said to be dead naturally too; the reason is this, because howsoever there be some life left in it, yet it hath its death's wound, & that will cause it to die at the last: In the mean while it is in the wane, and languisheth away; so that as a man that hath received a mortal wound, he is a dead man, the reason is, because that wound will bring death at the last: So we may say though sin have some life in it, yet it is dead naturally too; the reason is this, because by the death of Christ, it hath received its death's blow, that it will never recover, and so at the last it will altogether die. As sin is thus said to be dead in us, so we are said to be dead to sin in a threefold respect. You know death is nothing but the separation of the soul from the body, the separation of that that is the principle of life. Now look what the soul is to the body, the same is sin, in a sort, in a natural unregenerate man, he lives not so much by his soul as by his sin; his sin is the life of his life, it is that that enacts, and enlivens, and animates him: therefore it is called the body of sin, why? because sin is in an unregenerate man's body as the soul is in the body, it gives life to it. A natural man esteems sin as his soul and life; so the members of his body are called the members of sin; the reason is, because look as in nature the members exercise their functions by the influence and virtue of the soul; so an unregenerate man in the corrupt estate of depraved nature, such a man, his members work as they are enabled and commanded by sin that dwells in him. Secondly, we are said to be dead to sin, in respect of those antecedent convulsions and pangs that go before death. Ordinarily there is no death without pangs and convulsions. Now as it is in natural death, so it is in this, there is no part of crucifying and mortifying of sin, without pain and dolour, therefore it is justly called death, the mortifying of sin; we are said to be dead to sin, when we mortify sin, because it is with so much pain, with convulsions and anguish: So saith Peter Martyr. The parting of a natural man, the foregoing of his sin, it is not without much torment and anguish: so in that respect it is said to be a death, in regard of those convulsions and pangs that usually are the forerunners and harbingers of death. Thirdly, we are dead to sin in another respect, for as a dead servant is no longer at the command of his Master, let him command what he will he hears him not, he doth nothing. So it is with a man that is dead to sin, let sin command what it will, he hears not, he listens not to the suggestions, he practiseth not the commands of sin, he is as a dead man to sin. As a dead man performs not the offices of the living, a dead servant doth not obey the commands of his master, so it is with a man that is dead to sin. Let this be sufficient to be spoken for the meaning of that phrase, If we be dead to sin, that is, as Christ died for sin. Secondly, saith the Apostle, If we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. There is a twofold life Natural Spiritual. The natural life is not here meant, but the spiritual life, that is, principally the life of grace and consequently the life of glory. The reason is this, because the life of grace, & glory be not two lives, but one and the self same life, they differ only in degrees. Look as the life of the child in the womb, is the same life that the child enjoys, when it comes to be borne and brought to light in the world; so the life of a Christian in this world it is in a manner the same that he lives in heaven, only I say it differs in degrees; For look, as grace is nothing but glory begun, so glory is nothing but grace consummate. But if he mean the life of grace, Quest. why doth the Apostle say shall live? If we be borne with Christ we shall live with him. I answer briefly for two reasons. Answ. First, 1. to denote the time when we shall enjoy this life perfectly, that shall be hereafter. When this natural life shall have an end, than we shall enjoy that spiritual life perfectly; therefore the Apostle reflects on that life respectively to that time, and saith we shall live the life of grace, because than we shall enjoy this life perfectly, whereas here we have it but in some measure, and degree with interruption. Secondly, it is said in the future, we shall live, to affirm the perpetuity of this life; this life is not like the life of nature, a fading and perishing life of its own nature. It is the observation of Tolet the jesuite upon the place, saith he, though the Apostle mean the life of grace, as we see by the 11. Verse, yet he useth the future tense, to show that this life is a perpetual life, and such a life as hath no date nor period. I say it is in the future tense, to signify that the life of grace once begun, it never hath date. Well, the words being cleared, I come to speak of the first thing proposed; the order and method of the Apostle in these words; If we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. We must first die with Christ if we will live with him. For look as it was with Christ, Propos. 1. We must first die with Christ if we will live with him. so it shall be with every member of Christ; Christ first died before he was raised to life; he was first brought low, and humbled before he was exalted, before he had his glory. As it was with Christ, so it must be with every member of Christ, he must first die before he can live, he must first have his Good Friday before he have his Easter day, he must first die to sin, before he can live to God. It is otherwise in the life of nature than it is in the life of grace, there a man must live before he die, but here he must die before he can live. Ephe. 4.22.24. So saith S. Paul Ephes. 4.22.24. Put off concerning your conversation, the old man which is corrupt according to the deceivable lusts, look in Ver. 24. saith he put on the new man, which after God is created in holiness and righteousness. Then the Apostle here compares the life of grace to a new garment: before we can put on the white and pure Stole of Christ's righteousnssse, we must first put off the filthy rags of our own corruption, put off concerning your conversation, the old man which is corrupt, according to the deceivable lusts. Eph. 5.8. So in Ephes 5 8. The life of grace is compared ●o light, the life of sin is compared to darkness, you know before the Medium be enlightened, the darkness must be dispelled: First the darkness must be dispelled before it can be lightened. So this new life, it is said to be a new Image; it is a new Image indeed, but i● is such an Image as we are not capable of, till first we be made pure Tables; the former Image of Satan and the Characters of sin be defaced, till than we are not capable of the Image of God, and the fair impressions of Grace. It is called an engrafting, or inocculating: now we cannot be grafted into Christ, till we be cut off from the old stock; I say generally, as we must die to nature, before we can live to glory, so we must die to sin, before we can live to God. Look what the Angel commanded joshua josh 5.8. to put off his shoes before he came to converse with God. If you please to take the allusion of Philo which is this, (and it is pertinent to our purpose) put off thy shoes before thou come to God, that is, put off dead works, because shoes are made of the skins of dead beasts. I say, before we can live with Christ, we must die with Christ, we must die to sin before we can live the life of grace. The reason is plain. Reas 1 First, From ●he contrariety between sin and grace. because of the contrariety and opposition between the life of grace, and a life in sin. A man may live many lives if one be subordinate to another, as a man lives a vegetative, a sensative, and a reasonable life, because these are subordinate one to another; but to live in sin and to God a man cannot, because these lives are contrary, they come from contrary principles, they cannot consist in the same subject. It is an ordinary saying, The Bed and and the Throne admit not of partners. It is true as Christ saith, No man can serve two masters; It is true, when they command contrary things: Now sin and grace command contrary things, therefore no man can serve them both, either he will cleave to the one and deny the other, or forsake the one and cleave to the other. No man can serve sin and Christ because they are contrary masters. No man can serve two masters when they command contrary things, that is the first reason: We must first die to sin, before we can live the life of grace, because they are opposites that will not admit of one another in the same subject. Reas. 2 Secondly, Else the spirit wells not in us. till we be dead to sin we cannot live the life of grace, because we cannot till then admit of the principles of the life of grace; where sin reigns and domineers the Spirit of grace dwells not, and where that is not there is no life of grace: Therefore we must first die to sin, before we can live the life of grace; because before we be dead to sin, the Spirit of grace that quickens and revives us, doth not dwell in us. Reas. 3 Thirdly, Because it is hard to be a Christian if it were not needful first to die to sin before we live the life of grace, wherein consisted the hard task of a Christian? How easy were it for a man to be a Christian, if a man might be a Christian, and live after the lusts of his own heart? if he might take liberty to do what his corruptions prompt, and suggest, if a man that were ignorant might be ignorant still, and yet be a Christian, if he that is a swearer might swear still, and he that is proud be proud still, and he that is profane might be so still, what great matter were it to be a Christian? how easy were it to persuade Agrippa, not to be almost, but to be altogether a Christian? Therefore we must first die to sin, before we can live to grace, before we can be true Christians: the reason is because the task of a Christian is a hard task, such a task as a man cannot perform without denying of himself, without crucifying and mortifying of his lusts. This shall suffice to have spoken for the confirmation of that point, by occasion of the method of the Apostle, If we be dead with Christ we shall also live with him. That we must first be dead. As Christ died for sin, so we must die to sin before we can live the life of grace. Now I come to make use and application of it. Use 1 Which if it be so how justly doth the censure of Christ, Reproofs of men dead in sin. Revel. 3.1. fall upon many Christians? that of the Angel of the Church of Sardis, that they have a name to l●ve, but are dead, Reas. 3 why dead? dead because they are not dead, dead to grace because they are not dead to sin: many men though they seem to be lively and active, are no better than walking, breathing Carcases. The reason is this: because till a man be dead to sin, he cannot live the life of grace; we must first die to sin with Christ, before we can live the life of grace with Christ. Gal. 5. In Gallat. 5. Those that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts: Why then on the contrary, such as have not crucified the lusts and affections of the flesh, they are not Christ's. Wheresoever any sin reigns, in whomsoever any lust domineers, what lust soever it be, that man is a dead man, there is no true life of grace in him. The reason the Apostle gives in these words; because we must be first dead to sin, before we can live the life of grace; first our lusts must be mortified and crucified in us, before we can live with Christ the life of grace, we must first pass this red Sea, that is, to die with Christ before we can enter into the Land of Canaan, ●o this life with Christ. But that I may make it more useful to you, let me show you these four things. First let me discover to you some false deaths, for as there is a false and counterfeit life of grace, so there are false and counterfeit deaths to sin. Secondly, let me show you some characters whereby a man may know a true death to sin, whereby he may judge and examine himself, and know whether he be dead to sin or no. In the third place I will show you the means whereby (if a man be not dead) a man may get this death, whereby he may come to mortify and crucify the lusts and affections of the flesh; and if he be dead, whereby he may proceed on in the work of mortification, because mortification is not one individual act, but hath a latitude, and admits of degrees. Fourthly, I will show you arguments to persuade you to this death to sin with Christ, especially such as are immergent, arising from the words of the Text; Of all which briefly. First then of false deaths, that seem to be true in show, but are counterfeit deaths. There is a threefold death to sin. A Moral Popish Christian death to sin. The moral death to sin is distinguished from the true death to sin, especially in four things. First, the main difference is in the Essence of it; the truth is, a moral death is indeed no death, he that is morally dead to sin, is not indeed dead to sin: for such a mortification takes away, not the life of sin, but the harshness, and rudeness of sin, it takes it and restrains it, it makes sin more tractable and smooth, and subtle, but it takes not away the life of sin; that is the first. Secondly, it differs in the efficient cause, the efficient cause of a Christians mortification is the Spirit of God, Rom, 8.13. Rom. 8.13. If ye mortify the deeds of the flesh through the Spirit: but the cause efficient of moral mortification, it is from the temper of the body, or good education, or the like. Consider therefore if it proceed from the Spirit, from the general, common operation of the Spirit, or from the special saving and sanctifying virtue of God's Spirit. thirdly, moral mortification differs from that which is true, in respect of the Latitude: he that is morally mortified, he is mortified only in respect of outward gross sins, in respect of such things as are more notorious, such as run in the eyes of men, such as cause disgrace, and dishonour, and obloquy: but secret spiritual sins are unmortified, nay, (it is the observation of Saint Austin, that) a moral man, though he seem to the eye to be never so much mortified (as indeed if a man look on their formal austerity, to look on Gato or such a one, a man would judge them mortified) yet commonly they feed one lust, and for the sake of that they curb the rest. So Saint Austin upon the Romans observes, the lust of covetousness, of injustice, of intemperance, etc. they curb them being over borne with the lust of ambition; saith he, they keep down all other lusts that they may give more scope to this one lust, in his fift book de Civit, dei Chap. 12. But a true Christians mortification is universal, he doth not kill some sins, as Saul killed the small Cattles, and left Agag, and the great ones, but he mortifies and crucifies all sin, true mortification will not suffer a man to allow himself in the practice of any one sin. Fourthly, moral mortification differs from Christian in respect of the issue; he that is truly mortified, in such a one sin hath received its death's wound in him, it never comes fully to be healed and recovered itself again. Indeed if he be negligent in the exercise of mortification it may get strength upon us; as the Canaanites being neglected of the Ifraelites grew stronger, but they never obtained that absolute command, and dominion in Canaan as before: but for a moral man, because sin is not truly mortified in him, therefore when those restraints and retentives are taken away that kept in sin, it rages and domineers as much as it did before in him, or as it doth in another man. Let this suffice to be spoken of the difference of moral mortification from that of a true Christian. Secondly, Popish mortification differs from true mortification, in all the degrees and causes. It differs from Christian mortification. In the efficient material formal final cause. First Popish mortification differs from Christian in respect of the object matter; the principal object in Popish mortification, is not so much perhaps sin in the members, but the members themselves, they lash and tear them with scourges and whips, their aim is not so much against sin as the members; whereas true mortification is a revenge on the members as they are instruments of sin: a man's principal grudge is against sin in his members, and not against the members that sin dwells in. Secondly, they differ in the efficient cause the cause efficient of true mortification is the Spirit of God, Rom. 8.13. Rom. 8.13. If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body; but the cause efficient in Popish mortification is, among toot many themselves; they offer, violence to themselves, self considerations is the sum of their mortification. Thirdly, the formal cause of Popish mortification is humbling the body, abstinence and rending the humane body by whips, and scourges: this they make the true bearing of the dying of Christ in their members: So saith Getzer in his second book of discipline, Getzer. 2. book discipline, chap. 8. Chap. 8. They bear the dying of Christ in their body, that shed their blood with whipping and lashing themselves willingly for Christ, such a man is said a to mortify himself. It is a strange thing, as if we should go about to please the divinity by inhumanity. Fourthly, they differ in respect of the end, and aim of both; Popish mortification ends not in the destruction of sin, and enfeebling the power of it so much as the satisfying of God for sin: Hear what Getzer saith in the same place, in his second book of discipline, Chap. 8. saith he, such as whip themselves till the blood came, for their sins, by such whipping of themselves they satisfy God's justice for their sins. What Christian heart can hear such Doctrine and his heart not ache, & his ears not glow, and his joints tremble? Blessed Saviour that they that style themselves by thy name should derogate from thee by their blasphemies! We say the blood of Christ expiates sin, they say their own blood wilfully shed, satisfies God for their sins: whereas the end of Christian mortification is not to satisfy God for sin, but to enfeeble the power of sin, to break down the command and dominion of sin. This shall suffice to be spoken concerning the first point proposed, the false deaths to sin, and those are two; Moral, and Popish. Now I come to show the Characters of a man that is truly dead to sin with Christ. The first sign of a man that is dead to sin is this, that when occasions are offered, and invite him to sin he doth not yield, this is an argument that that man is dead to sin. It is true I confess there is great power in occasions, that except we keep a jealous guard they are able to transport a holy sanctified man, and so they have done the best; but I say such a man, as when no sooner an occasion is presented, but he is ready to give way to satisfy his lust, such a man, let him pretend what he will, he is not dead to sin. He is like a tree, we know in winter there is no visible & apparent difference between a dead tree, and that that is alive, neither of them have either fruit or leaves, Simile. they differ not in outward view: but when the spring comes again and the Sun approacheth, than there is a difference, than the juice in the root shoots up, and diffuseth itself into the rest of the parts: you may know a tree whether it be dead or alive, when the Spring comes, when the Sun approacheth, if it doth not shoot forth and flourish then, we say it is a dead tree. I apply it thus look what the Sun is to the tree, so is occasions to lusts: he that doth not sin when occasions are offered and present themselves: when a man hath occasion to satisfy his lusts if he do it not, this man is truly dead to sin. Whereas such a man as either through age or want of opportunity and occasion is disabled from fulfilling his lusts, but in the mean while he pleaseth himself to revolve them in his mind, and to discourse of them with his tongue, such a man is not dead to sin; if he had the same strength and occasion presented as before, such a man would discover that sin were alive in him as much as ever it was. Secondly, we may know we are dead to sin if all sin be dead in us: it is not sufficient that one lust seem to be mortified, and crucified in us unless all be mortified. We know there is life in an Apple tree, or a Pear tree if it produce but one Apple, or Pear: So we may know that sin is alive in us, if there be but one reigning domineiring sin. It is true I confess in the best men, sin is so much alive in them, that ever and anon it will be shooting forth some of these cursed fruits; but yet (as we shall see in the third place) the power of it is more enfeebled; I say where one sin or lust rules and domineers in a man, that man is not dead to sin, as if an Apple three bring forth but one apple we conclude it is not dead. Thirdly a dead man cannot perform the works of a living man, when we perform not the works and service of sin, than we are dead to sin. Everything hath power to bring forth fruit according to its own nature, joh. 8.39. joh. 8.39. If you were the children of Abraham, you would bring forth the fruits of Abraham. Now if a man bring forth ordinarily the fruits of sin, let him say what he will, sin is alive in that man. I grant that as I said before, sin will ever and anon be sending forth bitter and cursed fruits, but he that is ordinarily and commonly transported to the service of his own lusts that man is not dead to sin. Shall a man say he is a dead man that lives in pride? that he is a dead man that lives in swearing or uncleanness & c? I say he that is ordinarily, and habitually transported with pride, with swearing and blasphemy, with uncleanness, etc. he that is ordinarily transported to the committing of any sin, that man is not dead to sin. Fourthly, it is not sufficient to forbear the practice of sin, but to abhor and detest sin: we know when we come by a putrified dead Corpse, we stop our noses, to show that we abhor the noisome smell and detest it. If we do not only forbear sin but loath and abhor it, it is a sign that sin is dead, it is a Carcase, we begin to abhor it. Fiftly, by this Character we shall know that sin is dead, if daily more and more we see the power of sin abated and enfeebled in us; we know dying men, the nearer they draw to the grave the more weak are all the actions and functions of the soul: So I say, sin shall never in this life be utterly dead, but it hath its deadly blow, and languisheth away. Now than we may know we are dead to sin, if sin more and more decay, and the power of it be more and more feeble, if every day the inclinations and provocations to sin are more weak. Yet mistake not, a man may deceive himself by this Character: for oft times it comes to pass that sin when it hath its mortal, and death's wound, it rageth more than it did before. Simile. It fares with sin as with a wild beast that hath received his death's wound, he rageth more than he did before: So sin and Satan, then labour to provoke and stir up corruption in a man to rage's more, notwithstanding stay a while, and you shall see the power of it more enfeebled: So I say a man must not judge himself by the present fit or rage of sin to have no spark of regeneration, for that may be occasioned by the deaths blow of sin; but look if sin be enfeebled, and the inclinations and lusts to sin grow every day weaker than other, and that is an argument that sin is dead. Sixtly we may know that we are dead to sin by this argument, than a man is dead to sin, when he can willingly and patiently endure the Axe of the Gospel to be laid to the root of his sin, when he can patiently submit himself to have his sin wounded, and to have it executed by the sword of the Spirit. I say patiently to endure the reproof of his sin, especially when the reproof is laid against the sin that most prevails against him, the sin that a man loves dearest, patiently to endure the reproof of that sin is an argument that that man is mortified, and dead to sin. Let a man say what he will, he that storms and grudges, and grumbles and chafes when his sin is met with in the Ministry of the word that man is unmortified, at the least so fare as he chafes and frets, so fare he is unmortified. He that is mortified to sin, he that is grown to a loathing and detestation of his sin, he rejoiceth when the Ministry meets wi●h his sin, Oh saith such a one that my sin might be met with to day! I stand in terms of hostility with it, I would have it put to death, Oh! that it might have one blow to day by the Sword of the Spirit: such a man as will not endure the reproof of his sin he is unmortified, at least so fare as he is impatient of reproof. Yet mistake not, a man may be more impatient for some sins than for others: for though in a gracious man all sin be mortified, yet some sins be more rooted, and radicated. As we say in Philosophy, there are some parts that live first, and die last, as the heart. As it is in the body, of it is in the state of nature, in the body, of sin: there are some sins in which life is more radicated; and one sin may have more life when others are mortified, one may have more strength than others, and life in it, and yet the mortification be true; yet generally such men as are impatient at the reproof of their lusts, especially that lust that domineers, that man is unmodified; he that is a mortified man, that sin is dead in, he will suffer reproof patiently. Now I come to the third thing I propoposed to show the means whereby we may come to be dead with Christ: for if we cannot come to live with, Christ, but we must first die with Christ, than it mainly concerns us to labour to die with Christ to sin, that so we may come at the last to live with him. The means are four. The first cause, which is the principal cause is the Spirit of God, so saith the Apostle, Rom. 8.13. the place before alleged, If ye mortify the deeds of the flesh through the Spirit ye shall live. Rom. 8.13. It is true, we are enjoined mortification, but we cannot do it till by the Spirit of God our sins be mortified. It is with sin as it is with some wild beasts, Simile. they cannot be taken and apprehended till they be shot and wounded: So it is with sin, till the Spirit of God give the deaths blow to sin we cannot mortify it of ourselves; therefore the first and principal cause is the Spirit of God, he that is in us▪ is stronger than he that is in the world. The Spirit of God is strong and powerful to subdue sin. Secondly, Faith in Christ: for by faith we must be engrafted into Christ, and so partake of the Spirit of Christ whereby sin is dead in us, so saith the Apostle, Rom. 6.5. Rom. 6.5. For if we be planted into the likeness of his death we shall be also into the likeness of his resurrection. First we must be planted and grafted into Christ▪ As a Scions must be planted into the stock of a tree before it partake of the juice of it▪ So we must be planted into Christ by faith before we be made partakers of the virtue of the death of Christ to kill our sins; so says the Apostle, Col. 2.13. We are raised though the faith of the operation of God, it is through faith, not ●●●ely as a persuading, moving cause, but as an efficient cause, because faith as a pipe of Silver conveys the juice, the water of life, the Spirit of God, whereby our sins are mortified, it, unites us to Christ and makes us partake of the virtue of his death, whereby our sins are killed. The third means to work this death in us it is Prayer, Psal. 19.13. so David, Psal 19.13. Lord keep me from presumptuous, sins, let them not have dominion over me, that is, mortify, and crucify them so that they may not have dominion over me, or not have a being if it were possible, Let them not have dominion over me. Fourthly and lastly, a special means to put sin to death is to submit ourselves to the Ministry of the Word, such as can manage and brandish the two edged Sword of the Spirit against sin. And so in private by meditation to apply to ourselves the curses and judgements that God hath threatened against such sins as we give most way to: for if once the principal and vital sin (as I may call it) be destroyed, than other sins will die of themselves; this shall be sufficient for the third part, touching the means to die with Christ. I come now in a few words to the motives to persuade us to die with Christ. The first ariseth from the necessity of dying to sin, either we must die to sin, or die for sin, Rom. 8.13. woe to us if we do not die to sin, If ye live after the flesh ye shall die, Rom. 8.13. that is, if ye live unmortified ye shall die, how? eternally, not only the death of the body but of the soul too, here is the choice, we must either mortify our lusts or incur the danger of damnation, there is no other way to escape it, If ye live after the flesh ye shall die, that is, eternally, therefore there lies a necessity that should persuade us to die to sin. Secondly, from the commodity, by dying to sin we shall not only free ourselves from eternal death, but from much trouble and molestation, and disquiet also that we should be sure to have by keeping sin alive, and by yielding to the lusts of sin. Most true it is that it is with our lusts as with little children, humour and observe them, and give them that they cry for, Simile and you shall never have rest, but still they will cry for something more, so it is with our corruptions and sinful lusts yield to them upon every desire, and we shall never have done, when we have satisfied one lust, it will call upon us again, and will never have done; whereas by mortifying of it, we shall bring to ourselves much quiet, and free ourselves from much molestation. Thirdly, consider the facility, by mortifying the deeds of the flesh we lose nothing that will make to our happiness; Adam in innocence in Paradise was happy without these lusts. Christ on earth was happy without them: the Saints in heaven are happy without them, jam. 1.21. these are but superfluities, jam. 1.21. Lay aside all superfluity of naughtiness and malice. We may have all true contentment whatsoever, & yet part with our lusts; they are things that we may well spare: By mortification of them, a man looseth no profit, nor pleasure, nor honour whatsoever, but there is recompense with advantage. Let a man mortify his lusts that bring him profit, he shall have profit in durable riches, not only in this life, but for his reward he shall have a whole kingdom to enjoy. Let him lose some present pleasures (as we have all too much of common Soldiers in us, we love present pay) he shall have infinite recompense, he shall have pure pleasures, peace of conscience, God will praise him, and say, well done good and faithful servant, he shall have peace of conscience, that will lift a man above ground, an infinite recompense in the loss of other pleasures. Secondly for honour, what if a man for the crucifying of his lusts be reproached and contemned in the world, yet he shall have true honour of God in heaven, he shall have honour of Angels, of good men, honour did I say of good men, nay wicked men shall honour him. God is able to command honour from the hearts even of wicked men, so much as he is mortified: Let a wicked man see one that is a mortified man, (that as David was he behaves himself as a weaned child from the world) he cannot but give a good testimony, but if he will not now, let him be on the rack in sickness, let death appear, than he will desire to die the death of the righteous; and that his last end may be like his. It is true while he is in his jollity and bravery, than such men load a mortified man with reproach and contempt: but we must do as Physicians do, when they judge by urine of the state of the body, they look not on the urine that is voided when men are walking up and down before they go to bed, Simile but that which they make after their first sleep when they are come to themselves. So take not a wicked man now in the fulfilling of his lusts, but look on that man when he hath slept, and you will judge otherwise of him, he cannot choose but give a good testimony of a mortified man. Fourthly, consider the Equity of it, Christ died for sin that we might die to sins I Pet. 2.24. who his own self bore our sin, in his own body on the tree, 1 Pet. 2. 24. that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousness. What, did Christ lay down his life for our lusts, and shall not we lay down our lusts for Christ, did Christ die for our sins, and shall not we for Christ die to our sins? Fiftly, consider our sins are Traitors, and rebels against heaven. Well saith Tertullian in his Apology for the Christians in his second Chapter; Tertul. Apol. cap. 2. against Traitors and such as are common enemies every man must be a common Soldier. Now our sins are Traitors against heaven, we cannot better express our loyalty and allegiance to our great Master, God, then to kill and put to death there rebels, it is a most acceptable sacrifice to God. Sixtly, and lastly consider the example of other men, we see what care men take, and what pain they will undergo, not for the avoiding but for the putting off a natural, a temporal death for a while. Men for the preserving of this temporal life, they are content not only to take harsh Physic, but to endure lancing, and searing and cutting off the parts, a leg or an arm, etc. so to preserve natural life, if they do so for preserving of this natural life, Oh what should we do for the gaining of eternal life? It is true Christ compares lusts to eyes, and hands, and feet, it is true they are eyes, but such as when they are pulled out we may see well enough. They are hands, but such hands, as when they are cut off we may still do what we have to do without them. Now shall a man for the preserving of his temporal life, endure a member to be cut off, & shall not we cut off our superfluous lusts for the gaining of eternal life? shall they, not for the avoiding, but for the respiting of death endure this pain, S. Aug. Epist. 45. and shall not we for the avoiding of eternal death? S. Austin presseth this excellent well in his Epist. 45. They do this, not as if there were any hope to put off death quite, but only to adjourn, and put it off for the present; if they do this for the respite of death, what should we do for the avoiding of eternal death, saith he? They undergo many certain torments, perhaps that they may have hope, but of a few uncertain days, what! do they thus for a temporal life, shall not we much more for the procuring of an eternal life? Do they so much for the adjourning of a temporal death, and shall not we for the avoiding a perpetual, and eternal death? If these arguments persuade us not, none can, so much for the fourth point, the Motives to this death to sin. Fiftly, if we must die with Christ, before we can live with him; S. Jerome. then as Saint Jerome somewhere hath it; It is not so easy a thing as some happily conceive it, to he a Christian. It was julians' scoff of Constantine, julian. and in him of all Christians: To be a Christian there is no more required, but to wash themselves with a little water, that is, to be baptised, and how great soever their sins were before, this cleanseth them, saith julian; or if it chance that a man fall into the same sins again; saith julian, It is no more for these Christians but to beat their breasts, and to smite their heads, and all is well again: (in the conclusion of his Caesars.) But the best is, it matters not greatly what julian saith; it concerned him to speak evil of that faith he was fallen away from; if he had spoken well of it, he had spoken against himself. But he that knew better than julian saith, Mat. 7.14. straight is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, Math. 7.14. The way to heaven is straight, he that will enter in this way must strip and divest himself of his old lusts: The way of Christianity is a narrow way; nay, that is not all, it is a way full of pain, and pressures to the flesh, as Cameraritus interprets that place; Narrow is the way, and full of pain to the flesh; He that walks this way, must resolve to meet with difficulties, he must take out lessons that are harsh to flesh and blond, to mortify, nay, to crucify the flesh, Gal. 5.24. They that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. Every death is not sufficient to express the pain he must undergo, but crucifying only, the death that Christ died, that was both a lingering and painful death. Thus every man that will live with Christ must first crucify his sinful lusts and affections. Which notwithstanding I speak not, to deter or discourage any from entering into the way of Christianity, or having entered, for going on in the same way: No, God-forbid, that I should (like the ten spies that Moses sent to spy out the land of Canaan) bring an ill report upon the ways of godliness; but to inform us, and arm us. He that is to travail into a fare Country, on which his life and livelihood depends, and should meet with a friend that should tell him the way were deep, and troublesome, and that there were such difficulties did stand in the way; he would easily perceive that he did tell him this, not to discourage and dishearten him, because he is his friend, nor to stay his journey; because he knows it is upon his life, his life lies on it; but to arm and prepare him before hand, that when he should meet with the difficulties, he might the better encounter them, and go over them. I apply it thus, Heaven is our country, we all pretend we are Pilgrims travelling to heaven: the way that leads to heaven is this narrow way, our death with Christ; the necessity of walking this way appears in Math. 7.14. This way, 7.114. and only this leads to life, it it the straight ga●● and the narrow way that leads to life; Now when we tell you of Lions, and Bears in the way, the difficulties, and encumbrances that you shall meet with, it is not to discourage you, but to arm, and provide you. It is not to dishearten you, you must needs go, your life lies upon it; but to arm and prepare you, that when you meet with these difficulties, you may be the better provided to encounter them. It is good saith the Proverb, to know the worst of things before hand, lest otherwise after we have walked in the way, we meet with encumbrances, and dreaming of nothing but delicacies, our hearts fail us, as the hearts of the Israelites in the report of the ten spies. Like the foolish builder in Luke 4. that was not able to go on with his building, Luke 4. because he did not sit down first, and reckon what it would cost him. Sixtly and lastly, if we must first die with Christ, before we can live with him, it serves for direction to teach us what order and method to take to come to live with Christ. He that will live with Christ, must be sure to begin at the right end, to die with Christ first: he that will perform holy duties, & gracious actions, that man must labour to crucify and mortify sinful affections. Sinful affections are like weeds; the Husbandman that desires his corn should thrive and live, he labours first to kill the weeds. I say sinful affections in the soul are like weeds in the ground, or soil; if we desire that grace should thrive, and to perform gracious duties with content to ourselves and to God, we must labour to kill our lusts. When we find in ourselves an unaptness, and an indisposition to the performance of gracious duties, suppose it be to prayer, to humble ourselves before God, to hear the word of God, etc. let us then reflect on ourselves, and see what sinful lusts there have gotten strength, and labour to abate the power of that, and then certainly we shall live with Christ, we shall be enabled to perform holy duties; So saith the Apostle (in the second place) If me be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. Which is the second thing I proposed in the beginning. The connexion, and conjunction of these two; If we be dead with Christ, we shall also live with him. Where first give me leave to remember you of what I formerly delivered in the unfolding of these words: that the life that the Apostle here means, when he saith; If we be dead with Christ, we shall also live with him; it is the same that in verse 4. he calls Newness of life. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that as Christ was raised by the glory of the Father, so we should walk in newness of life. I say the Apostle means here the life of Grace, which in verse 4. he calls newness of life. And in verse 11. he calls it living to God: Likewise reckon ye yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God. Though secondarily, and by consequent, I deny not but that the Apostle means living with God in life eternal. And the reason is, as I shown before, that the difference of the life of grace, and the life of glory, it is not in Nature, but in degrees, Grace is Glory begun, and glory is nothing but grace perfected. As the child in the womb hath the same life that it enjoys in the world, only than it is in a further degree: so the life that a Christian enjoys in this world, it is the same life in nature, though it differ in degrees from that he enjoys in heaven. The Apostle useth the future tense; If we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall live with him, for these three reasons. First, to show the order and Method between this life, and the former death: because this life in nature, though not in time is after our death with Christ. As it is in nature, the introducing of habits in nature, is after the expelling of privations, as the enlightening of the air in nature is after the dispelling of darkness. Secondly, the Apostle useth the future tense, because though the life of Grace be here begun, yet it is not consummate till afterward, in which respect the Apostle saith; We believe that we shall live with him. He makes this life in respect of the compliment, and consummation an act of faith, according to that in the Creeds; I believe the life everlasting. Thirdly, because the life of grace doth not fade as the natural life perrisheth, but it is an enduring life. As Christ being once raised, he died no more, verse 9 so every member of Christ, he that is once quickened, and raised with Christ from sin, he dieth no more, so saith Christ, joh. 5.24. he that believeth hath eternal life. What? hath every one that believeth life eternal? Yes, every one that believeth hath life eternal in hope, and in the beginning of grace; because he hath that life for the present, that doth not fade and perish, but endure to eternity, Verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth in him that sent me, hath eternal life, and shall not come into condemnation, which expresseth the former. Now what this life of grace is, this spiritual life, will appear by comparing it with spiritual death. It is the property of opposites being set together; as to impugn, and sight against the nature one of another, so to discover the nature one of another. Now spiritual death, as 〈◊〉 Natural includes two things. First, a separation from the fountain, and principle of life. And, as a consequent of that, a privation of the faculties, and acts of life. Look what the soul is to the body, the same is the Spirit of Christ to the Soul, it is that that enlivens and quickens it, so saith Christ, Joh. 6.63. joh. 6.63. It is the Spirit that quickens. Now look, as upon the parting of the soul from the body, the body dies; so upon the separation of the Spirit of God from the soul, the soul dies. So it was in Adam, when by eating the forbidden fruit, he had cut off, and separated himself from the fountain, and principle of life, he died spiritually. I say, as when the Soul that enlivens and quickens the body, when that is separated the body dies, so the Spirit of Christ that enlivens and quickens the soul, when that is separated from the soul, the soul dies. Secondly, look as upon the separation of the soul from the body, there follows a deprivation of the faculties, and acts of life: so upon the separation of the Spirit of God from the Soul, there follows a deprivation of the habits and acts of grace. The gifts and habits of grace, are as the faculties; the acts and operations of grace, are as the acts of those faculties: and as upon the separation of the soul from the body, there follows a deprivation of the faculties, and acts of life, so upon the separation of the Spirit of Christ from the Soul, there follows a deprivation of the habits and acts of grace. If it be so, then spiritual life includes two things, First, the having of the Spring and fountain of life, the Spirit of God, and an union of it to the soul. Secondly, the having the habits, and acts of this spiritual life. First, the having of the principle of spiritual life, the having the Spirit of God in our souls: for it is not sufficient that there be a quickening Spirit, unless it be united to us. For look as when a man dies, Simile. the soul of a man, and the body of a man continue still, but there is no life, because the soul is not united to the body: so I say there may be a spiritual death, though there be the Spirit of God, and the Soul; if the spirit be not united to the soul: that is the first thing. Secondly, where the Spirit of God is (as a consequent of the other,) there follows the faculties, and acts of life: the habitual presence of all the graces of the Spirit, and the actual exercise of them. In these two consists the nature of this life. These things premised, I come to show the necessary conjunction of this spiritual life (that I have explained in the kind and nature of it) with spiritual death. If we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. Which Hupotheticall proposition, or supposition affords us this Catagoricall Position, that Those that are dead with Christ, shall live with him. For when the Apostle saith; If we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. This is supposed: as much as if he had said in effect; They that are dead with Christ, shall live with him; Or, They that are dead to sin, shall live the life of grace. Look as it was with Christ, so it is with the members of Christ; as he being dead rose again, and could not choose but rise again. (As it is said Act. 2. the chains of death, Act. ●. the cords of death could not hold him;) So it is with every member of Christ, he that is dead with Christ, must needs live with Christ, Death cannot hold him, not death in sin. The Apostle affirms as much in this Chapter verse 5. For as we are planted into the likeness of his death, so we shall be also into the likeness of his resurrection. If we be planted with Christ into his death; (there is our death with Christ,) we shall be also in his Resurrection: (there is the conjunction, and connexion of our life with Christ,) where the Apostle not only avers the truth of the former proposition, but withal insinuates the reason of it: those that are planted with Christ into the similitude of his death, shall also into the similitude of his Resurrection; Why? because they are planted with Christ. As a Plant that is grafted into a stock, it partakes of the whole virtue of the stock: so every member of Christ, he that by faith is grafted into Christ, and made partaker of the virtue of Christ's death, to the mortification of sin: that man also is made partaker of the virtue of his Resurrection, to the reviving, and quickening of him to a new life of grace. The ground of it is this; First, to whomsoever Christ communicates himself, he communicates himself wholly; to whomso ever he imparts the virtue of his death for the kill of sin, to him he imparts the virtue of his Resurrection to revive, and quicken him to a new life of grace; If we be planted with Christ into the similitude of his death, we shall be also into the similitude of his Resurrection; because are planted with him. Every plant partakes of the whole virtue of the root, and by consequent we partake as well of the quickening virtue of Christ to raise us to the life of grace, as of his crucifying virtue to kill sin. The second reason is from the insufficiency of the one without the other; If we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him; Why? because death with Christ is insufficient, unless we live with Christ. Philosophy saith that nature doth nothing in vain: much less doth Christ, the God of Nature. Now as in Christ, it was in vain for him to die for us, unless he had risen again: so it is in vain, and ineffectual for the members of Christ to die to sin, if they be not quickened to the life of grace. The reason is this, that death to sin indeed, defaceth the Image of sin, but it doth not renew in us the Image of God. Now it is the Image of God that makes us fit and capable of eternal life: It is true, the righteousness of Christ gives us title to eternal life; but our own inherent righteousness qualifies us, and disposeth, and makes us fit, and capable of it, for without holiness no man shall see God. Flesh and blood shall not enter into the kingdom of God. By mortifying of sin, we cease to be sinners; by mortifying of sin we have the Image of Satan defaced; but the Image of God is not renewed in us; therefore besides our death with Christ, there is required our life with Christ, that so besides the defacing of Satan's Image, we may have the Image of God renewed, that we may be capable of eternal life, and be qualified and disposed, and made fit to partake of the inheritance with the Saints in light. The third Argument is drawn from the opposition between the life of sin, and the life of grace; Philosophy tells us that in those opposites, that are immediately opposite; that is, such opposites where one must of necessity be in the subject, if one be removed, the other of necessity follows the subject; Health and sickness are immediate objects, a man must either be sick or well: Now that which removes sickness, restores health, that that expels darkness out of the Air, it brings light. Now the life of sin and grace are thus opposite, that that takes away the life of sin then, it must of necessity bring with it the life of grace. If Christ mortify sin in us, and take away the life and vigour of sin, Christ of necessity must bring into the same subject the life of grace; because these are immediate objects, he that takes away the one, must bring in the other, as that that takes away sickness, brings in health. This shall suffice for the proof of the point. I come to make use of it. If we be deed with Christ, we shall also live with him. Use. Those that are dead with Christ to sin, as Christ died for sin, those shall live the life of grace. If it be so, if there be such a necessary connexion between these two, than it follows back again, that those that do not live with Christ, those are not dead with Christ. For look as it is between Faith, and good Works, if good works be necessarily joined with Faith, then where there are no good works, there is no faith: So thus it follows, if spiritual life, the life of grace, be necessarily joined with death to sin, then where there is no life of grace, there is no death to sin. According to that of Saint Chrysostome, S. Chrysost. saith he, it is true indeed, faith without works is dead; so it is true on the otherside, works without faith is dead. No man can perform good works, though he may for substance, yet not formaliter without Faith; he that hath not Faith, hath not Works. If good Works be necessarily joined with Faith, then where there are no good Works, there is no Faith: so if our life with Christ be necessarily joined with death to sin, then, where there is no life with Christ, there is no death to sin. You will say, how shall we know that we are alive with Christ, and dead to sin? I answer, you shall know it by three Characters. First, that which is the cause of spiritual life, as that which is the cause of natural life, is union with that which is the principle and fountain of life: Now the fountain of life is Christ, 1 Joh. 5.12. so saith the Apostle in 1 joh. 5.12. He that hath the Son, hath life; he that hath not the Son hath not life. Now what is it that unites us to Christ? It is faith that knits us to Christ, so saith the Apostle, Gal. 2.20. Gal. 2.20. The life that I live is by faith in the Son of God. Look as the cause of the natural life 〈◊〉 the union to the principle of natural life: so the cause of spiritual life, is union to that which is the principle of spiritual life. Now the cause and fountain of spiritual life is Christ, so saith the Apostle in this chapter verse 11. Rom 6.11. Likewise reckon ye yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God through jesus Christ our Lord. It is through Christ that we are alive to God. Now I say, that that knits and unites us to the fountain of spiritual life, it is Faith. He then that hath Faith, that man is alive to God, but he that hath no faith, that man is dead in sin; that is the first character by which we may know, whether we be alive with Christ or no, if we have this spiritual life. Secondly, we may know it if we have the exercises of this spiritual life. Every thing delights to operate, and exercise answerable to its life: where there is a natural life, there is a delight in actions that are natural; where there is a sinful life, there is a delight in actions that are sinful. Take a man that sin lives and reigns in, it is life to such a man to serve sin, to perform and satisfy his sinful lusts: so, where there is delight in performing spiritual duties, it is an undoubted argument that that man hath spiritual life in him. Take a man that delights in prayer, in hearing the Word, in contemplating, and meditating of God's goodness towards him, and in other spiritual duties; this is an argument that that man hath spiritual life, because he delights in spiritual actions. The ground of it is this, all delight proceeds from similitude, and conformity: we delight in things that are like us: Now when a man is spiritual, there is some likeness between him and spiritual actions, and so he delights in them. Take a carnal, natural man, he delights not in spiritual duties, it is death to him to do that which is good: when he comes to betake himself to prayer, to perform religious duties, to sanctify the Lords day, to keep a watch over himself, to check his sinful lusts, it is death to a natural man; Why? he hath no delight in spiritual actions, because he hath nothing in him that is spiritual; all delight proceeds from likeness and similitude; that is the second Character that we have this spiritual life, if we delight in spiritual actions. Thirdly and lastly, another Argument of spiritual life is, if we have the properties of life, and they are three as Philosophers say. The first is nourishment. The second is augmentation. The third is generation, or production of the like. So answerable, wheresoever there is spiritual life, in some proportion there is all these three. First, there is nourishment; As new borne babes desire the sincere milk of the Word, ● Pet. 2.2. Where there is a new life, ● Pet. 2.2. there is a desire of the sincere milk of the Word. Take a man, that is a dead man, he desires no meat, Why? there is no life in him. Now look as a man that lives a natural life, he desires natural food: so he that is spiritual, he that lives a spiritual life, he hungers and thirsts after the word. As where there is the life of sin in a man, that man desires after all things that may fill and increase, and preserve that life in him; so in spiritual life there is a desire after the spiritual food of the Word, to preserve this life. The ground of it is this, God never gives any grace to a man, but he gives a man a care, and endeavour to preserve that grace: God never gives a man spiritual life, but he gives withal a desire to preserve that life. Now how can a man preserve it? How should a man preserve life, but by food? by diligent repairing to the places, where the spiritual food or his soul is provided? It is with this spiritual life, as it was with the fire on the Altar: Simile. The fire on the Altar, though it came from heaven, yet when it was kindled, they were bound to preserve it by ordinary means, to put fuel to it: so when God hath kindled that spiritual life, we must not turn off all the care on God, let God take care for the life he hath wrought in us; but God will give a desire to a man, to keep that fire, to put continual fuel to it, to preserve and nourish it. That is the first property of life, to look for nourishment. God never gives a man grace, but he works in that man a desire, and endeavour to preserve it. The second property is Augmentation, and growth, and proceeding from one degree of grace to another, when we find ourselves more strong to perform the duties that are spiritual, when we find sin more weakened. This spiritual growth in grace, is a property of this spiritual life. If diverse Plants be planted, if we see some of them grow, and others do not, we conclude, this is dead, why? it grows not. As it is in nature, so it is in this spiritual life, where there is no growth, there is no life. Every thing that lives, hath the property of life, it hath the faculty of growing. Which I would notwithstanding have to be understood: not, but that this life may admit of a Winter, there may be an increase, and decrease: but yet there is a continual straining after perfection; Though sometimes the stream may be so strong, that it may carry them down: yet they bend their strength against the stream, they labour to grow up more and more. That is the second property of life, augmentation; where there is spiritual life, there is growth. The third is Generation, where there is life, there is a faculty and power to beget. As in a coal, a live coal will kindle a dead one; a dead coal cannot kindle another, there is no heat in it. So it is in this spiritual life, where it is, there is a desire to beget others: as Christ saith; When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. When thou hast spiritual life begotten in thee, labour to beget it in others. We see it exemplified in joh. 1.44. no sooner had Christ called Philip, Joh. 1.44. but presently Philip calls Nathaniel. No sooner had Christ by his Word begotten spiritual life in Philip, but Philip endeavours to beget the same in Nathaniel. This is the difference between a live and a dead coal, a live coal can beget life in another coal, and kindle the same fire in another, but a dead coal cannot. That man that hath spiritual life in him, he will improve all opportunities and occasions that are offered to beget others to a spiritual life. The ground of it is, he finds a sweetness, and a goodness in spiritual life, and that is the reason, out of love to his brethren, and an endeavour to glorify God, he desires to beget others to this spiritual life. This is the first use: The Characters by which we may know whether we have this life or no. Secondly, if such as be dead with Christ shall live with him. This should be an argument to persuade us to labour for death with Christ. Can any prize be propounded better to a man then life? what will not a man do for life? S. Austin in his 45. Epistle, saith he, We see men endure death almost for life, for the enjoying of it for a little while. Shall men do so for a natural life? shall not we much more for a spiritual life? If these be necessarily joined, if he that is dead with Christ, shall certainly live with him: then this should be an argument to persuade us to die with Christ, that we may come to live with him. And this the rather, because by dying with Christ, we shall enjoy, not only a fading, perishing, natural life, but A Spiritual Eternal Life. First, a spiritual life, in Ephes. 1.4. it is called the life of God, Ephes. 1.14. because it resembleth the life of God. Now that which is spiritual is more excellent than that which is natural and corporal. The ground of it is this: because the nearer a thing approacheth to that which is more excellent, the more excellent that must be: Now the life spiritual as it approaches more near to the life of God, the more excellent it must needs be, it must needs be more excellent than the natural life, that is the first reason. By dying with Christ we shall live with Christ, not only a natural but a spiritual life, such a life as approacheth nearer to God than the life of nature. Secondly, we shall enjoy a life not fading and momentary, but an eternal life; for (as I said) the difference between the life of grace and glory, is not in the nature but in the degrees; in whomsoever there is a spark of true grace begun, it will certainly hold out till it grow to a flame of immortality, if like the fire upon the Altar it be nourished with fuel, so that a man that is once dead with Christ, he shall not live only a spiritual life for a while, but an eternal life in this world and in the world to come, and both these should be arguments to stir us up to labour for this death with Christ, because we shall live with him, not only a spiritual life, but such a spiritual life as is eternal. So much for the second proposition. Now I address myself to the third. If we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. We believe] Or we are persuaded, or we are assured saith Cardinal Caietane, upon this place we are undoubtedly assured. The word in this place is a word of affiance and confidence; As if he had said in more words thus, not only the thing is sure and certain in itself, that they that are dead with Christ shall live with him; for so many things are sure and certain in themselves, and yet we may remain uncertain of them. The reason is, because the assurance of them proceeds, not so much from the certainty of the thing, as from our apprehending and knowing that certainty. It is not a thing only sure in itself, but it is a thing whereof they themselves are sure and certain: If we be dead with Christ, we believe, we are persuaded or assured that we shall live with Christ. Which being so, the conclusion is, That the knowledge of a man's own mortification doth scale up to a man's soul and conscience the assurance of his salvation. Or thus. They that are dead with Christ, may believe or rest assured that they shall also live with him. Not only with the life of grace (although as I heretofore proved, from the scope and drift of the Apostle in this place; this life the Apostle principally intends; for this they actually do, they that are dead with Christ actually for the present live to God, vers. 11.) but they shall live also the other life of glory: they that art dead with Christ may be assured that they shall live, with the life of glory, not only of grace here, but of glory hereafter. Where first, that you may not mistake or misconstrue me, observe. I do not say that he that is dead with Christ, or mortified, is presently assured that he shall live with Christ. The reason is, because a man may be mortified, and yet not know that he is mortified at some time. Now our assurance springs not so much from our mortification as from the assurance, and knowledge of our mortification; In which respect it is ordinary for those that are babes in Christ, and young beginners, to make doubt and question of their title to heaven, as the aged also in Christ sometimes may do. The reason is, because though they be mortified in part, yet because grace is weak it is almost undicernable, in respect of the infinite mass of corruption. In which respect it is with them as it is with the Mariners needle, which though it be truly touched, yet it takes not the North point at the first, Simile. but it first shakes and trembles, and then is fixed: So a man that is regenerate, and mortified presently as soon as he is regenerate, he is not assured of salvation, but first shakes and trembles, there is a kind of spiritual palsy, a trepedation in the soul. The reason is not because of mortification, it proceeds not from the nature of it, but because mortification is weak, therefore he cannot have great assurance, for assurance comes from the long continuance, and experience of the power and practise of mortification. And as it is in young beginners in respect of the weakness of grace, so it may be in a grown man in Christ in respect of the strength of temptation. He that hath been assured of his salvation by the evidence of his own conscience, and God's Spirit, that he hath the beginnings in truth and sincerity of mortifiation, yet he may have his assurance interrupted, there may be a kind of interposition, he may lose it in respect of the present sense and apprehension of assurance. Just as it is with the Sun, Simile. so long as the Sun is continued, so long there is continual ground and cause of light: but notwithstanding the discerning and perceiving of the light may be taken from us by the night, or by an eclipse, or by clouds, that may take away the sight of the Sun. Just so it is with a regenerate man, a mortified man, he that is not only a babe in Christ, and hath made some beginning in the course of mortification, but he that is a grown man, and gone on in the practice of mortification, yet notwithstanding he may come to doubt and question his salvation, and his right to heaven sometimes. The reason is because sometimes by reason of temptations, or after the committing of some great and heinous sin, mortification in him may be clouded for a time, so that he may lose his assurance, the present sense and apprehension of that assurance that may be lost for a time. Just as it was in Christ when he was on the Cross in combat for our sakes, h●● seems to have lost for the present, the assurance and apprehension of God's love, he said, My God my God why hast thou forsaken me? The vaileing of the deity was a kind of dissertion, and forsaking of Christ, in respect of evidence and assurance, yet he had the ground of his assurance still; the humanity of Christ was individually and inseparably united to the Godhead, which was the ground of this assurance. I say then it is not every man that is mortified that hath presently assurance of salvation; no, nor every man that once hath had assurance of salvation that hath this assurance always: it hath ebbings and tides, wanes and fulls; but indifinitely true mortification seals up to a man the assurance of salvation; he that is dead with Christ, that man may be assured he shall live with him. Reas. 1 And the reason is, because God hath made a promise of life, and hath intaled everlasting life (as it were) to those that are mortified, Rom. 8.13. If ye live after the flesh ye shall die, Rom. 8.13. but if through the Spirit you mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live. Look as God threatneth death to men that walk after the flesh, so he hath promised, and covenanted to bestow life on those that mortify the deeds of the flesh. 2 Tim. 2.11. So in 2 Tim. 2.11. saith the Apostle, This is a faithful saying and worthy to be believed: for if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him. It is a faithful saying. Now what firmer foundation or more pregnant rock can we have of assurance than the promise of God? saith Saint Austin, S. Aug. lib. 12 cap. 1. he to whom truth itself hath made a promise, how should he be able to be deceived? he that is truth cannot lie. As God cannot be deceived so he cannot deceive: S. August. in the 12. Book of his confessions Chap. 1. It is true saith Bellermine, Bellarm. we need not fear in respect of God; to whom hath God promised eternal life? to them that are mortified, and they shall certainly enjoy eternal life, but here is the question. How shall we know that we are mortified? Quest. Answ. I answer briefly. First, where God gives a grace, commonly at one time or other, God gives a man a gift to discern that grace, I do not say in the beginning, when grace is as it were, in its infancy, and beginning, or in temptation, but at one time or other God gives another gift; that is, a gift whereby a man shall discern that grace, or else how shall God have the glory of his grace, if we cannot be assured that we have it? Or how shall we have comfort by the Grace of God, if ourselves cannot come to be assured of it? But, saith he, Object. Do we not know that many men deceive themselves with false persuasions of mortification? Many men think that sin is dead in them, when it is not dead but sleepeth; As ignorant men think think the Fly in winter is dead, when others know that the Fly is but benumbed, there is life in it, though she do not exercise that life. But I answer what then? Answ. what though that foolish and antic man at Athens thought all the Ships that came to Beream were his own, because he thought the Ships his own should the owners of them not think they were theirs? If a man in a dream think that he eats shall not men therefore that are awake be assured that they eat? It follows not that because some men are deceived with a persuasion of mortification when they have it not, that therefore others that are indeed mortified should not be persuaded of it. Well saith he, how shall we know it? I answer, Quest. Answ. a man may know it three ways. First, by the Word of God, which God hath left as a Test or Touchstone, whereby men may try the sincerity and truth of their mortification. Heretofore I have given some notes, and characters (whereby ye may discern whether you are mortified or no) out of the Scriptures. The first thing whereby we may try the truth of our mortification is the Scripture, which God hath left to be a light to our feet, and a Lantern tp our paths, to be a Touchstone whereby we may discover whether our mortification be sincere or counterfeit. Secondly, there is another testimony, and that is the testimony of our own conscience, when the conscience being renewed and sanctified, conscience bears witness before God, out of long experience of the truth, and sincerity of mortification, that we are mortified: for this assurance, that ariseth from mortification, ariseth not from one act, but from long experience of mortification. Now any man knows, that knows the nature of experience, that that ariseth from many acts. The second means then to know we are mortified, it is from the testimony of our own conscience, and spirit, as the Apostle saith, Rom. 8.16. Rom. 8.16. that bears witness that we are the children of God, that we are mortified. Thirdly and lastly, there comes another testimony as a means, and that assures the rest, that is of God's Spirit, that calms the conscience; and persuades of this, that we are mortified, and so by consequent that we have right to heaven. That is the first reason then, he that is mortified, that is dead with Christ, he is assured to live with him; because God hath promised life and salvation, to such as are dead with Christ; and such as are dead with Christ, they may know themselves at one time or other to be dead with Christ. Reas. 2 Secondly, Mortification seals up to a man the assurance of salvation, because it seals to a man the assurance of his being in Christ. The argument is this, he that may be assured that he is in Christ, may be assured that he shall be saved: but he that knows that he is mortified, and dead with Christ, he may be assured that he is actually in Christ: therefore he may be assured that he shall be saved. I ask, whence comes this death with Christ? Whence comes it that sin is mortified in a man? Is it not because he is in Christ, and is united to Christ? and thence it is because he is united to Christ, that he partakes of the virtue, and Spirit of Christ, whereby sin is mortified; Let this be sufficient to be spoken for the proof of the point. Use 1 In the first place, it serves for confutation: for if they that are dead with Christ may be assured by this, that they shall also live with Christ. Then surely a man may attain a greater assurance of salvation, than Bellarmine, and the rest of that faction persuade men he may. They say a man cannot attain it by the contemplating, and viewing of the grace of God is him, he can but attain a kind of hope of salvation; a kind of doubting, conjectural, moral assurance; but for this assurance that we speak of, our Countrymen at Rheims stick not to say that it is a damnable false thing, Rhem. on Rom. 9 upon Rom. 9 such an assurance as is impossible to be attained in this life, except it be by revelation, and by extraordinary means. And then they say moreover, if it be attained, it is perilous, and dangerous to attain: because it opens to men, a gap to all licentiousness; for say they, if a man may be assured of his salvation; let him do what he will, he shall be saved. I cannot now enter into the lists with these Rhemists at this time, but give me leave to their objection to return two things. First, (say they) it is impossible for a man by mortification, to come to be assured of his salvation. I desire them to unriddle me this; They say, a man by mortifying, by macerating himself, by fasting and sackcloth, and by whipping himself, he may merit salvation and heaven; May he merit heaven, and not be assured he shall come to heaven? What? is it because God is ignorant, and knows not their good deeds? or because he is unjust, and will not reward them? If they say either, it is blasphemy, if they give way to either of them, than they give way to this doctrine that we speak of. If a man by macerating himself, in sackcloth and ashes, by whipping, and beating himself, may merit heaven (as the Papists jointly affirm, or most of them; And Getzer in his second book of Discipline. Chap. 8.) then certainly a man, by mortification may come to have assurance of heaven: for if a man be not assured, but doubts, that doubt must come, that either God knows not that we deserve heaven, by our mortification, and then God is not omniscient; Or if he do know it, he will not reward us according to our merits, and then he is unjust; either of which to affirm is blasphemy. So their own tenant overthrows themselves. See the difference between truth and error, one truth and virtue contraries not another, but one vice and error contradict each other: as Covetousness opposeth Prodigality, etc. Secondly, say they, as it is impossible to attain, so it is dangerous to attain, this opens a gap to licentiousness. I wonder what fear there is of this, since we affirm that this assurance is to be had by holiness, by mortifying of our sinful lusts. It is true indeed, if we had assurance, if we did maintain that it might be gotten, notwithstanding that we went on in the practice of our sinful lusts, than it were another matter: but we affirm that this assurance is had only by the practice of mortification, by mortifying, and subduing our sinful lusts. And as it is gained by this, so it is to be preserved by this. I wonder then what fear here can be of opening a gap to licentiousness and wickedness, by maintaining assurance of salvation, when we maintain here with, that assurance is had by mortification, and is to be kept, and preserved only by it. The rule of Philosophy here is true, the same cause that produceth, the same cause preserveth a thing: but to let them pass and to return to ourselves. Use 2 If those that are dead with Christ, may come to be assured, that they shall also live with him, how should this stir up all of us to labour for mortification! To endeavour to subdue and mortify our sinful lusts, that we may come to be assured, that after we shall live with God It is that that the Apostle commands, 2 Pet. 1.10. saith he, 1 Pet. 1.10. Give diligence to make your calling and election sure. Give diligence, it is not a thing so easily attained as some dream, it is a thing that requires cost and pains; a man hath it not but after long practice and endeavour of mortification. Now, I say, it is that that the Apostle persuades us unto, to give diligence to make our Calling and election sure. It is sure enough in God's counsel, we should labour to make it sure in our own conscience. We may complain, men give diligence to make their houses sure, to make their lands, and preferments, and offices, and friends sure, but how few give diligence to make their Calling and election sure? Yet I know not when there was ever more need, that we of this place should labour to make our calling and election sure then now, we perceive already that wrath is gone out from God, and the Angel of the Lord hath strucken some among us, and they have fallen on the right hand, and on the left hand before us, and behind us, a●d we ourselves know not when our turn may come. Now the less assurance we have of being here on earth, the more we should labour for assurance of our well being hereafter in heaven. And if we have once this assurance, this will bestead us, and minister comfort in all calamities. What though we be poor, if we have this assurance, we know we shall come there, where there is durable, unperishing riches: What if we be in disgrace? this will make us possess our souls with patience, and tell us that we shall come shortly to a place where we are assured, all tears shall be wiped from our eyes, and all that blemisheth our name: What though we be sick? we are assured that we shall come to a place where we shall have no sickness but constant health. What though death come? It will make us cheerfully to welcome it, and it will make us call it as Saint Cyprian doth, S. Cyprian. the Midwife of immortality, that shall translate and remove us from a fading perishing life, to the everlasting life. Then let us (that God hath been so gracious unto, that he hath spared us, and visited others,) labour to improve the time to practise mortification, that in case worse come, we may yet be provided. If we address ourselves to this, who knows if God will not graciously spare us, and not afflict us: or if it come, we shall have infinite comfort, then when our doors shall be shut up, and we have no other comfort, yet than our conscience will witness comfortably, that notwithstanding we die, yet we shall come where we shall live for ever. Oh then, as the Apostle saith, let us give all diligenec to make our calling and election sure. It is a matter of pains, it is not easily gotten, but it will abundantly recompense the pains. If we look, and find our sinful lusts mortified in part, let not that satisfy us, let us not rest there, but go further, and proceed in the work of mortification: for look as our mortification is, so is our assurance: the weaker our mortification is, the weaker our assurance of salvation; the stronger our mortification, the better assurance we have of salvation. Use 3 Thirdly, if they that are dead with Christ, may rest assured that they shall live with him: then by the rule of contraries, they that are not dead with Christ cannot assure themselves that they shall live with him. If only he can be assured of salvation in whom sinful lusts are mortified, than he in whom they are not mortified, that man cannot be assured of salvation. Indeed he may have a kind of a wild hope, a presumptuous confidence, but it is such as will fail him in the time of need. Like to your Winter brooks, or land-floods; In the time of Winter when a man hath no use of water they flow abundantly; but in Summer, in the time of drought, when men have need, they are gone, they are not to be had. So that assurance that a man hath, as long as he goes on in the practice of his sinful lusts, it is a wild, deceitful presumption, such an assurance as will do him no good when he comes to need it. I have read it was the manner of trial that was used, when there was a controversy of land, whether it belonged to Ireland, or to England, they did take Snakes, and Toads, and poisonous Serpents, and put there, and if they lived there, they concluded it belonged to England, if they died, they judged it belonged to Ireland: the reason was, because no venomous thing will live there. I apply it thus, sinful lusts are like Snakes and Toads, and venomous creatures: look what soul they live in, if they live in a man's soul, it is an argument that he belongs not to heaven, and we know what place he belongs to then, only to hell, if it die in us, we may assure ourselves that we belong to heaven. He in whom sin lives, and his lusts continue unmortified, that man cannot assure himself of salvation. The reason is, because all assurance comes from the promise of God; God hath made no promise to men that continue and go on in the service and obedience of their sinful lusts, he threatens nothing but death and destruction to such, If ye live, after the flesh ye shall dye, Rom. 8.13. Rom. 8.13. This shall suffice to have spoken of the third point the certainty of this connexion, If we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. Mortification seals up to a man's soul and conscience the assurance of salvation: for they that are dead with Christ may rest assured, and persuaded that they shall live with him. I come to the fourth and last point, The cause and ground of this death to sin and this life to grace, which is Christ, If we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: If we be dead with Christ, that is, if we be dead by the virtue and power of Christ, than we believe that we shall also live by virtue and power of the same Christ. The conclusion is this, that, As our death to sin so our life to grace, they both proceed from Christ. If we be dead with Christ saith the Apostle, that is, if we be dead by the virtue and power of Christ: if sin be dead in us, than we believe that we shall also live with Christ the life of grace here, and of glory hereafter, by the power and virtue of the same Christ. I say, the point on which I shall insist is this, that as our death to sin, so the life of Grace, they both proceed from Christ, Christ is the author and the producer of both. So saith Saint Paul in Gal. 2.20. saith the Apostle, Gal. 2.20. I am crucified with Christ, yet notwithstanding I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me, and the life that I live in the flesh is by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Look what the Apostle Paul speaks of himself, the same may every Christian (in whom sin is dead and mortified, and the life of grace wrought) speak of himself, saith the Apostle, I am crucified with Christ, that is, sin is crucified in me, sinful lusts are crucified and mortified in me by the virtue of Christ, so saith he, I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, I live by the faith of the Son of God. As I am crucified to sin by Christ, so I live by the virtue of Christ. Phil. 3.8, 9, 10 So in Phillip. 3.8, 9, 10. He desires so earnestly to be found in Christ that he contemned and undervalved all things but this, that he might be found in Christ, saith he, I account all loss for the excellent knowledge of Christ, for whom I suffer the loss of all things, nay I account them not only loss but dung, that I may win Christ and be found in him, we see in verse 10. the reason, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his suffeings being made conformable to his death. The reason why the Apostle desired to be found in Christ, and why in comparison of this he accounted all things as dross, it was because he might be made partaker of Christ's death. What is the fellowship of Christ's death, but to be partaker of the Spirit of Christ that raised him from the dead, that by the same Spirit of Christ he might be raised from the death of sin to the life of grace. The reason of it is this, because as our death to sin, so our life to grace, are both the work of grace, from whom can we expect the work of grace, but from him in whom is the fullness of grace? so saith Saint john joh 1.14. The Word was made flesh, (that is, Christ) and dwelled among us, joh. 1.14. and we saw his glory, as the glory of the only begotten Son of God full of grace and truth. Our death to sin and our life to Christ are both the effects of God's grace: Now from whom can we have the effects of God's grace, but from him in whom alone is the fullness of grace? The word was made manifest among us, in whom is the fullness of truth and grace. Look as it is in the natural body so it is in the mystical body, as in the natural body all the natural motion proceeds from the head, and from the virtue that is derived from the head to the members; so in the mystical body, all the spiritual motion it proceeds from the influence of the head; Christ is the head, and from him as from the head, is derived all the virtue to the members of Christ, by which the death to sin, and the life of grace is wrought in us likewise. Look as it was in the oil of Aaron, the oil that was poured on the head of Aaron, it stayed not on his head, but descended to the skirts of his clothing: So the Spirit of Christ, it rests not on Christ only, but from Christ as the head, it descends upon all the members of Christ: The reason thereof, why as our death to sin, so the life of grace proceeds from Christ, is because both are the works of grace, according to that of the Evangelist, in him dwells all the fullness of grace, and in Collos. the Apostle saith, In him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily. For the better and fuller opening of the point, give me leave to propose, and resolve one question, and that is this. Quest. If our death to sin, and our life of grace both proceed from Christ, that Christ is the author of them actions, then how is Christ the author of them? what kind of cause is Christ said to be both of our death to sin, and of the life of grace? I answer briefly, Answ. Christ may be said to be the cause both of our death to sin and of the life of grace, in a fourfold respect, or he is a fourfold kind of cause. Christ is the 1 meritorious 2 exemplary 3 moral 4 efficient Cause as of our death to sin, so likewise of our life to grace. First, Christ is the meritorious cause; for Christ did by his death and obedience, not only purchase for us a release and freedom from hell, and consequently title to heaven, but Christ merited for us, the donation of the Spirit of God, whereby we are made fit for, and capable of that inheritance. Christ not only purchased a right to heaven, but grace holiness, whereby we might come at last to jus in●re: For as I said before, by the righteousness of Christ only we come to have right to heaven, but it is our own righteousness, whereby we come to be made capable of that right to heaven, for saith the Apostle. flesh and blood shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven Flesh and blood, that is, nature uncorrected, unsanctified, and uncontrolled it shall not inherit the kingdom of God; therefore Christ hath purchased not only redemption from hell, and title to heaven, but the donation of the Spirit of God, whereby we are made fit and capable of heaven, whereby we are made meet, as the Apostle saith to be partakers of the inheritance with the Saints in light. joh. 17.19. So saith the Evangelist, joh. 17.19. For their sakes saith our Saviour I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified through the truth. Christ sanctified himself not only to redeem us from hell, and to procure title to heaven, but he sanctified himself that his members might be sanctified, that by the merit and virtue of Christ's sanctification we might be sanctified. So saith the Apostle to Titus, he hath bestowed on us the spirit through Christ, Tit. 3.5. Tit. 3.5. not by the works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and the renewing if the holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through jesus Christ our Saviour. It is through Christ only, as through the meritorious cause; by whom we obtain the Spirit of God, by which Spirit our sinful lusts are mortified in us, and by which we are quickened and revived to the life of grace, so Christ is the meritorious cause, he deserved the donation of the Spirit from his Father. Secondly, Christ as he is the meritorious so he is the exemplary cause, as of death to sin, so of our life to grace. Christ in dying to sin he set himself as a pattern to us, to teach as also that we should dye to sin. Christ in rising from the grave he set himself a pattern to us to teach us to rise from sin, so he is the exemplary cause. For Christ is a pattern for our imitation in his moral actions, and we must resemble after a sort some of his Mediatorious actions also; not only in the good duties that are commanded in the Law, but in those that he performed for our redemption; It is true in a different manner. Christ is a pattern to us in actions moral, that is in the good things that he performed that are commanded in the Law, he is our pattern to be imitated in the same kind: As Christ was gracious to the poor, so should we to them that are poor, and in distress in the same kind; as he was temperate so may we imitate him in the same kind, though not in the same degree. But for his actions Mediatorious, we are to resemble some of them too, though not in the same kind, yet in some way of use. As he died for sin, so we should dye to sin, as he rose from the grave so we should rise from sin to newness of life: so still Christ is our pattern. As Saint Austin saith, Christ came not only to help us, and to perform the things that we ought to have done, but he came to teach us by his example what we ought to do. And he teacheth us, he is our Schoolmaster not only in his actions moral, but in his actions mediatorious, ous; in the former we may imitate him in the same kind, though we cannot in the same degree, in the latter we cannot imitate him in the same kind, yet in some, sort we may. We should be as the Heletropium, that opens and shuts with the Sun, so we may follow the lamb wheresoever he goeth, as he died for sin so we must dye to sin, as he rose from the grave so we must rise from the death of sin to newness of life, so Christ is the exemplary cause of our death to sin, and the life of grace. Thirdly, Christ is the moral, moving, persuading cause of both. That the Apostle wills Timothy to remember, 2 Tim. 2.8. Remember, saith he, that jesus Christ of the seed of David, was raised from the dead, according to my Gospel: he bids him remember it, why remember it? because the very thought and remembrance that Christ died and rose again, it cannot choose but be a powerful motive to holiness, for it makes men conclude & argue with themselves, what did Christ lay down his life for us, and shall not we lay down our lusts for him? Did Christ arise again the third day from the Grave, and shall not we rise from the death of sin, to newness of life? Do we profess ourselves to be members of Christ, and not endeavour conformity with our head Christ? Shall we be like the Image or statue of Nebuchadnezar, to have a head of gold, and to have feet of mire and clay? So, Christ is not only the meritorious, and exemplary, but the moving, persuading cause: the very thought, that Christ died for sin, and rose again, it will move us to die to sin, and to live the life of grace. Fourthly and lastly, Christ is the cause efficient, as of our death to sin, so of the life of grace. It were in vain, that Christ were the meritorious cause, that he had merited the donation of God's Spirit, whereby sin might be killed, and we be quickened to the life of grace. It were in vain for him to set himself as a pattern for us to imitate; and that he is a moral cause to move, and persuade us to imitate him, unless he were also the cause efficient, to work in us this death to sin, and this life of Grace: therefore Christ also is the efficient cause he works in us, both a death to sin, and the life of grace. For the understanding of which, know, that Christ not only saves us by merit, but he saves us by efficacy too; not only by Merit in deserving of life for us: but in efficacy in fitting, and preparing us to partake of life. He not only by death hath abolished, and removed death for sin; but he abates in us daily the power of sin, so he is the efficient cause as well as the rest. But you will ask how comes Christ to be the efficient cause of death to sin, Quest. and of the life of grace; by what means doth he work in us these two? I answer, Answ. in Christ's working in us these things there are some things that concur in the first working of this life of grace, and death to sin; and there are others that concur not to the first work, but to the increasing, and augmentation of it. Those that concur to the first work are three; 1. The Spirit of God. 2. The Word of God. 3. And Baptism. Now those again that concur not to the first work of our death to sin, and kindling of this spiritual life, but to the further increase, and augmentation of it, when it is wrought: they are two; 1. Faith. 2. And the Lords Supper. Of every one of these briefly. First, I say, the principal cause of death to sin, and of the life of grace, is the Spirit of Christ, so saith the Apostle in that place before alleged, Rom. 8.12.13. saith he, If ye live after the flesh ye shall die, Rom. 8.13. but if ye mortify the deeds of the body through the Spirit, ye shall live. It is through the Spirit of Christ whereby sin is mortified in us, and through the Spirit of Christ that we are quickened to the life of grate. In which respect it is called the quickening Spirit: saith Christ joh. 8. The spirit quickeneth. It is called also the Spirit of sanctification, Joh. 8. 1 Thess. 2. 1 Thes. 2. Why is it called the Sanctifying spirit? because by it we are sanctified. Now what are the parts of Sanctification? They are two, first our death to sin, the subduing of the power of sin: secondly, our enlivening and quickening to grace. Now the Spirit of God is said to be a sanctifying Spirit in respect of both these: for from the Spirit of God it is that sin is mortified in us; and it is from the quickening Spirit, that we are enlivened to a new life, so the principal cause is the Spirit of God. There are two other causes, and those are instrumental. First, the Word of God, that is a powerful means whereby God works in us this death to sin, and the life of grace; it is a powerful means that God useth, as the Apostle saith, for the battering, and demolution of all Satan's strong holds. Our lusts of themselves are too strong for us to vanquish, it is the Spirit only that is mightier, that can vanquish them: but by what means doth the Spirit do it? It is by the Spirit as the principal cause, but by the Word, as the instrumental cause, or by the Spirit of God concurring with the Word. For the Word of itself is not of power to mortify sin, and to quicken us to a new life of grace: but as it is a means to convey, and derive to us the Spirit of God. It is with us as it was with Lazarus when he was raised from the grave to a new life: he was raised by the word of Christ; it was indeed by the word of Christ; but it was not only the word of Christ that raised him: but the virtue of Christ's Spirit went along with that word, and made that effectual for the raising of him. So it is with us, it is not the Word only that is available for the mortifying of our sinful lusts, of that quickens us to the performance of the holy duties of a new life: but the Word as it is the instrument of the Spirit of God which is the chief Agent. Secondly, another instrumental cause is Baptism, that also is a means whereby the Spirit of God works in us this death to sin, and life of grace: Now Baptism is a cause of both these three ways. First, as it is a cause resembling, or as a type, shadowing and pointing our to us, our death to sin, and our life of grace: which type and resemblance was fare more express in hotter climates and Countries; in which in Baptism they used to drench the child, to dip it in the water, which dipping of the child in the water, was a resemblance and type to them, of their death to sin with Christ: and their rising out of the water, expressed their rising to newness of life; so by Baptism we are said to be dead to sin, and alive to God through it, as a resemblance expressing to us this death and life. Secondly, not only as a resemblance, but as a special means whereby the Spirit of God concurres, and goes along with the Element of water, and makes it effectual for the cleansing of us, as from the guilt of sin; so for the subduing the power of sin, and working in us a new life: in which respect it is styled by the Apostle in Titus 3. The laver of regeneration; that is, 'tis 3. it is that means whereby the Spirit of God works regeneration this death to sin, and life of grace. Thirdly and lastly, Baptisine is said to be a cause, as of our death to sin, so of the life of grace, in regard of the stipulation or covenant: because when we are baptised, we enter into a solemn vow, and covenant with God, that we will forsake the Devil and all his works: there is mortification; and that we will lead a new life, there is vivification. So it is said to be a cause in regard of the stipulation, and contract that we make then, solemnly by ourselves, or by those that undertake for us that are our sureties, our Godfathers, and Godmothers: It is a means in that regard. Let this suffice to be spoken of the means whereby Christ as an efficient cause, works this death of sin, and life of grace. Before I pass, let me tell you, as by these causes, this death to sin, and life of grace is wrought: so there are other causes that serve not to kindle this sacred spark, but to increase it, and make it grow to a flame: such means as do not serve for the performing of the first act of mortification and vivification: but when once there is mortification, and quickening in the soul, they increase both, and those are principally two; 1. Faith. 2. The Lord's Supper. First, Col. 2.12. Faith, so saith the Apostle, in Collos. 2.12. Ye are buried with Christ in Baptism, wherein you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God. I say, faith is not the means to give us the first assault, and impression upon sin, to mortify, and subdue it at the first: but when we are mortified, Faith helps, and increaseth, and perfects that work of mortification. So that the sophism of our adversaries is easily answered: say they, if we be risen through Christ, to a new life of grace, and through faith: then say they, we have Faith before we be quickened, for say they, that which is the cause of the effect, must go before, as the cause of that effect. Now if Faith be a means to raise us to a new life, then before we have a new life, we have Faith; for saith Apostle, Ye are risen with him, through the faith of the operation of God: therefore we have Faith before we can rise. I answer, with Amesius; Faith is not the cause of the first mortification, but the cause of the increase of mortification; it is not that by which at the first we are quickened, but when once we are quickened, it is that by which the work of vivification is more and more increased. Conceive it thus, The work of grace, is only the fruit, and effect of the Spirit of grace. Now when the Spirit of God enlivens, and quickens us, it begets in us, as other graces, so the grace of faith; Now when this grace of faith is wrought in us, by this we are united more to Christ then before, and so partake more of the virtue of Christ, and so the work of Mortification, and vivification is more increased. Faith than concurres not to the first act of mortification, and vivification, but it concurres to the increase, and augmentation of both. The second means or cause that concurres not to the first act, but to the increase of mortification and vification, it is the Lords Supper: for that serves (as the ancient Father calls it) as physic received into the body, not only for the checking and curbing, and expelling of obnoxious humours, but for the restoring of health by consequent: so the Lords Supper duly received, it serves as a means to abate sinful lusts in us, if it be worthily received I say, not by a dead faith; he that receives it worthily, it is a means to mortify sin in him, and so by consequent, for the quickening of him to a new life, the life of grace, though not to the first act, yet to the increase of that former life that was in him. It is called meat. Now as the meat that we receive cannot avail to beget a new life in a man: put meat into the mouth of a dead man, it doth not quicken him: put meat into the mouth of a living man, and it increaseth his life. So in the Lord's Supper worthily received; it is not a means to work the first act of Mortificatification, and vivification, but when once Mortification and vivification are begun, when there is a new life in a man: this serves as spiritual food to strengthen and increase that life. Let this suffice for the answer to the question proposed, If Christ be the cause of death to sin, and of the life of grace how he is the cause; he is the cause meritorious, the exemplary, the moral, and efficient cause: he is the cause efficient, both by his Spirit, by his Word and by Baptism. And then he is the cause efficient though not of the first act of mortification, and vivification, yet of the increase of them, that is, by Faith, and the Lords Supper. I come briefly to the use. Well, if through Christ alone, Use. and by virtue derived from him as a head we die to sin, and live to grace, than this serves to stir us all up to desire and endeavour to be in Christ, that we may partake of the virtue of Christ, whereby sin may be killed in us, and mortified; and whereby we may be quickened to the life of grace. It was the desire of Constantine, and the glory of him too, he professed that he had rather be a member of Christ, than the Lord and King of the Empire. Now if we desire to partake of the virtue of Christ, our first care must be, to labour to be in Christ. For look as it is with a Plant, it partakes not of the virtue of the stock till it be grafted into it, and then it doth; so it is with us if we be grafted into Christ we shall partake of the virtue of Christ, by which sin will be mortified in us, and we shall be quickened to a new life of grace. As it is in the natural body, the members partake not of the virtue of the head, unless they be united to the head; so it is with us except we be united to Christ through a true and lively faith, (which is the sinew and ligament by which we are tied to Christ) we do not partake of the virtue of Christ. Indeed many of us desire the favour of great ones, to receive benefit from them: but there is no man, no Monarch on the earth by whom we can reap that benefit as we may by Christ if we be in him. We acknowledge that Kings are Lords of life and death; yet they are not Lords of this life and death. All the Kings and Monarches in the world, though they may take away the life of their subjects, yet they cannot take away the life of one lust or sin, though perhaps they may give life to a man, that is, not to take it away when they may, yet they cannot give a new life to a man, they cannot work this new life the life of grace. Therefore it should be our desire and endeavour to be in Christ, that we may partake of the virtue of Christ, since it is only he from whom the virtue comes, by which sin is mortified, and we are quickened to a new life. Let us labour to be in him that we may partake of this virtue. Zach. 13.1. In Zach. 13.1. It is called a fountain opened for sin, and for trangression. Christ is not only a pond or a pool that is dried up, but a fountain and perpetual spring; if we desire to have our souls washed from corruption and sin, let us labour to wash them in this living spring and fountain. And then it is a fountain opened, not a sealed fountain as we read in Scripture. And then again, as it is a fountain opened for the kill of sin, so for the quickening to a new life. Look as it was with that River that Naaman washed himself in, he was not only cleansed of his Leprosy, but his flesh came again as the flesh of a child; so every one that is washed in the blood of Christ he is not only cleansed from the Leprosy, and corruption of sin, but his flesh comes as the flesh of a child; the life that he formerly had in Adam, comes again to him by the virtue of Christ. That is the first Use; if our death to sin, and life in grace proceed both from Christ, this should be a motive to us to labour to be in Christ, that we may die to sin and live with him. Use 2 Secondly, if our death to sin, To roturne the praise of grace to Christ. and life in grace proceed from Christ, then when we find in ourselves sin in any sort mortified, and that we are enabled to perform holy duties; we know from whom we have it; let us know to whom we ought to return the glory of it. Let us say as David, through thee we have done valiantly. It is through Christ, and by virtue from him that we overcome our lusts, or else they are too strong for us. If we be enabled to do holy duties, let us lift up our eyes to heaven, and say, through thee O Christ we are enabled to do this. As all the virtue whereby we die to sin, and live the life of grace is from Christ, so it is equal that all the glory should be returned to Christ. It is the greatest sacrilege in the world, to attribute any thing to us. To mortify sin it is a part of Christ's kingly power, of his kingly office. Now he that challengeth any virtue, and power to mortify sin in himself, or to raise himself to a new lise of grace, he is guilty of high treason, he usurps on the King's prerogative. It is Christ's prerogative only to mortify sin in us. Thirdly, if it come of Christ alone, our death to sin and our Iffe of grace; then we see what to judge of them that are out of Christ, sin is neither mortified in them, nor they quickened to a new life of grace. If all water proceed from one Fountain, then that that is separate from that Fountain must of necessity be dry. If Christ be the Fountain of all Grace, by which our sins are mortified, and we quickened to a new life, than they that are out of Christ, they cannot have either death to sin, or the life of grace: Whatsoever is in them it is dead, if there be any thing that is good, whatsoever it is it is dead, whatsoever is alive in them it is but dead, it makes them dead to grace here, and assures them that except they be revived, they shall go from one death to another, from spiritual death to eternal, for evermore. FINIS. THE WOUNDED SAVIOUR. ESAY. 53.5 But he was wounded for our transgressions. IT was not without good reason, that among all the Prophets in the Old Testament, our Prophet Isay only should be stiley by ancient and modern writers, the Evangelicall Prophet. He that reads this Chapter whereof my Text is a portion will confess as much. The Chapter contains a description of Christ, of his coming into, and his harsh entertainment in the world, his sufferings and resurrection, so fully and punctually, that at the first view a man would think it were rather a History than a Prophecy, and rather a relation of some what passed, than a prediction of any thing to come. Wherein, for the better distinct understanding of the method, and coherence of the words, know that Isay, (the Eagle-eyed Prophet, as one calls him) having in the second verse of this Chapter shown how mean and contemptible in the eyes of men, Christ's incarnation should be. In the fourth verse he shows what the judgement, and censure of the world should be concerning Christ, how basely and indignly they should conceive of him; not as he was indeed the innocent, & immaculate Lamb of God, but as a notorious malefactor, one that for his own sins was stricken of God, and humbled. But how unjust and impious their opinion was, the Prophet shows in Vers. 5. whereof my Text is a part. First, by removing the false cause of his suffering which was supposed to be his own sin in this particle But: We judged him to be stricken and afflicted of God, But: As if he should say, there was no such thing. He first remooves the false cause of his suffering, which was his own sin, we judged it to be his own sin, and deserving; But. Secondly, by assigning the true cause in these words, He was wounded for our transsions, not for any sin of his own, but for our transgressions, you see the coherence of the words, and the context. In which observe three parts, for they being a description of Christ's sufferings. First, consider the patiented or party suffering; He. Christ, God, and man, the second person in the Trinity: He was wounded. Secondly, the passion itself in these words, He was wounded; whereby not only, though principally is understood the torments that as n =" *" Preached on a good-Friday. this day he suffered on the Cross; but withal, all the calamities and miseries that befell him through the whole course of his life. For howsoever it be true, that the great Captain of our salvation, as the Apostle saith, Heb. 2.10. Hob. 2.10. did never till the last, enter into the main battle with the spiritual enemies of our salvation: yet he had many skirmishes with them before; off in his life-time, he did taste and sip (as it were) of the cup of God's wrath, but he did never till then, drink, and suck up the dregges. He was wounded for our transgressions. Thirdly, the cause or reason of these sufferings Our transgressions: not for any sins, or demerits of his own; no, but he was wounded, for our sins and transgressions. I shall not presently descend to these particulars, I find a But, in the entrance of the Text, But he was wounded for our transgressions. Goldsmiths, weigh their gold to the utmost weight, and the privileges of Scripture are such, that there is not a word or tittle, but it is as full of weight, as it is certain of accomplishment. This But is like a counterblast of a contrary wind that meets a Ship in her full sail, and turns her course another way. Thus it runs, We judged him stricken of God, as deserving it by his own sins, But. It checks and controls the hard conceit that the world entertained of Christ, who looked on him in the false glass of envy, and took him, or mistook him to be a Wine bibber, a Glutton, a Blasphemer, and what you will, saving what they should; and so that he suffered death for his own sins and transgressions. This But checks, and controls the conceit that the world had of Christ. Which being so; The deduction hence in a word is, that What Christ suffered on earth, either torments of body, or anguish of soul, it was not for any sin, or fault of his own that he was guilty of personally. We looking to outward appearance, we judged him smitten of God, and afflicted: but this But, hath the force of a negation: there was no such thing. I say, whatsoever Christ suffered on earth, whether torment of body, or anguish of soul, it was not for any sin of his own. This the Apostle Saint Peter witnesseth, 1 Pet. 3.18. Christ suffered once for sin, 1 Pet. 3.18. saith the Apostle; The just, for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. Where the Apostle Saint Peter having said, that Christ suffered for sin, lest some should misconceive that Christ suffered for his own sin; he prevents this cavil, and removes the ground of suspicion, The just for the unjust. If Christ had suffered for his own sins, he had not suffered as just, but as unjust, as a malefactor, he had suffered the punishment due to his own transgressions: so saith the Apostle, 1 Pet. 2.20, 21, 22. Exhorting those to whom he wrote, 1 Pet. 2.20, 21, 22. to patiented suffering, and enduring of injuries, though undeserved, he sets before them the pattern of Christ, who though he had committed no evil, and there was no guile found in his mouth, yet when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, yet notwithstanding he reproached not, but committed himself to God that judgeth righteously. Mark, though he had committed no evil, nor there was no guile found in his mouth, there was no sin, or demerit of his own, that he should deserve such punishments. And this is one difference that the Apostle observes, Heb. 7.26. between the high Priests under the Law, and our high Priest Christ: they offered, first for their own sins, and then for the sins of the people, but Christ had no need to offer sacrifice for his own sins, for he had none: but we have such a high Priest, and such a one it became us to have, as is holy, and undefiled, separate from sinners; And this is the reason likewise, why the Prophet Isay in this Chapter, assigning the true reason of Christ's suffering, he repeats, and inculcates these, and the like phrases; He bore our infirmities, and carried our sorrewes, he was broken for our iniquities, and wounded for our transgressions, and with his stripes we are healed. Still he lays all the fault, and blame upon ourselves: but he doth not so much as mention any fault in himself, whereby he did deserve to die. And indeed, how could he suffer for his own sin, that was free from all sin? So saith the Apostle, 2 Cor. 5.21. 2 Cor. 5.21. He was made sin for us, that knew no sin: He knew no sin; that is, he did practise none, he committed none: for in spiritual things we are said, to know no more good than we practise: so Christ is said to know no evil; that is, he practised it not. He made him sin for us, that knew no sin, He was free from original sin in his birth and conception. And he was free from actual sins in his life and conversation. First, he was free from Original sin in his birth and conception: For whereas there are two parts of original sin. First the imputation of the guilt of that actual sin of Adam, in eating the forbidden fruit. Secondly, the corruption or perverseness, derived, and propagated to us from our first Parents: Christ was free from both. First, He was free from the guilt of Adam's sin: though he had his nature of Adam, he was a child of Adam, but he was not begotten by Adam, not by a son of man; the latter whereof is that that entitleth us to our first Parent's transgression, and makes it ours. By one man sin entered into the world, etc. Secondly, for that corruption, and perverseness that followed on that transgression of the command of God, Christ was free from this, not by virtue of the Womb that bore him, as if the blessed Virgin Mary had been free from sin, as Scotus affirms upon the Third sentence, distinct. 26. Article 4. but he was free from sin by the supernatural work of the holy Ghost, sanctifying and purging that substance of the Virgin, whereof his body was framed, from the common infection of our nature: so that he is styled by the Angel, Luke 1.75. Luk. 1.75. That holy thing, by way of excellency. Secondly, as Christ was free from original, so from actual sin: as he was free from Original sin, in his birth and conception, so he was free from actual sin in his life and conversation, so in the ninth verse of this chapter, He had done no violence; there was no deceit in his mouth; he committed no evil, as Saint Peter speaks. On this ground Christ challengeth the jews, Which of you can accuse me of evil? It is true, they accused him, and laid many crimes to his charge; (as what innocent was ever so happy, as to be exempted, and privileged from unjust imputations?) but how slight they were, you may judge by this in that the judge, before whom he stood as prisoner at the bar, accounted him acquitted, though he used no oratory but silence; I find no sin in this man. If Christ had had any sin of his own, he could not have satisfied God for us, he might have quit scores with God for himself, but for our hand-writing it had stood still. Let this suffice to show that what Christ suffered on earth in body or soul, it was not for any sin of his own, but for us; not that he stood personally guilty. But how then could it stand with the justice of God to suffer him to die, Object. if he did not deserve death: for so we find in Ezek. 18.20. so runs the menace, Ezek. 18.20. if Christ did not sin, how could God suffer him to endure the punishment due to sin? I answer briefly, Christ is to be considered in a double respect; Answ. either as a private person, or as a public person standing in our room, and stead. If Christ be considered as a private person, so, it is true, it could not stand with the justice of God to suffer him to die; because he was not guilty of inherent, personal sin: and shall not the judge of all the world do right? But consider Christ as a public person standing in our room and stead, taking on him the guilt, and burden of our transgressions, so the justice of God required that he should die: because though he were not guilty of any personal sin: yet he was so guilty, as our sins were translated, and imputed to him, and so it was requisite he should die. Look as it is among men, it is no injustice that a man should require a debt of him that hath undertaken to pay it for another, especially if he be able and willing to pay. So God was just to exact act the debt of obedience and suffering, he having undertaken it, and being both able, and willing to pay. He was willing, joh. 10.18. Joh. 10.18. I lay down my life, there is no man that takes it from me. He laid it down unforced. Secondly, Christ was able to pay the debt, he was able by dying to satisfy the justice of God to the utmost, to drink the cup of God's wrath to the dregges for us, and to free us by death, Heb. ●▪ 26. He is able to save them that come to him to the very utmost. Nay, he not only freed us, but himself too, from being held captive under the power, and dominion of death. Let this sustice for the first Use, for instruction, that if Christ had no sin of his own, how it could stand with the justice of God, that he should bear the punishment due to sin. Secondly, it serves to discover the extreme malice of the jews against Christ, especially the Scribes and Pharisees, whose heads as they were busiest in plotting, so their hands were deepest imbrued in the executing of Christ's death: notwithstanding such was his innocence, avouched to their faces, by him that betrayed him, judas; I have betrayed the innocent blood; and by him that condemned him, Pilate; I find no fault in this man. Yet such was their malice, they laid the greatest things against him, that the wit of man could devise, or impudency object: and yet they were not satisfied with this, till as Wolves of the evening they had torn the Lamb of God without sorrow, or compassion. The blood of a mean man unjustly spilt is a crying sin, a scarlet sin, of a deep crimson die; every wound is a mouth, and every drop a tongue to cry, as the blood of Abel for vengeance on the murderer: but the death of Christ, the crucifying of Christ, it was a sin of so high a strain, that for this sin God hath spent his plagues, he hath emptied the quiver of his judgements on that nation, and made them ever since a reproach to the world, a hissing and gazing stock, and an astonishment to men and Angels. If any inquire the way how it must be that the crucifying of Christ should be so grievous a sin in the jews, Quest. when that which they did was no other than that which God in his determinate counsel had fore-ordained, Act. 2.23. Act. 2.23. Him have ye with wicked hands taken and crucified, being delivered by the determinate counsel, and foreknowledge of God: How then could it be so heinous a sin in the jews to crucify Christ, seeing what they did was according to the determinate counsel of God? I answer briefly thus: Answ. It is true indeed they did no other than God had ordained to be done, but yet it was little thankes to them, who lest intended it; they did perform God's purpose, but all this while they had little thought and purpose in them to perform it. Isay 10.5.6. See the like, Isay 10.5.6. Oh Assyrian, saith God, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil and the prey, and to tread them down like the mire in the streets. Howbeit, he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so. What then doth he think? Surely I will cut off, and destroy nations not a few. See what the Lord saith in Vers. 12. Wherefore (saith the Lord by the mouth of the Prophet) when I have performed my whole work upon Mount Zion and jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the proud heart of the King of Assiria. Observe, the King of Assiria was God's instrument, his officer and executioner to inflict that punishment that the jews had deserved, and it was Gods will and decree: notwithstanding, because though he did that that God had purposed to be done, yet he had not a purpose to do it▪ because that that he did, was not out of obedience to Gods will, it was not for the glory of God but out of a proud humour: therefore when God had scourged them, God would punish him; and when his people of Israel had felt the rod, he would cast the rod into the fire of his indignation. So then to apply it, look as it stood with the King of Assiria in punishing the jews, so it was with the jews in their crucifying of Christ. It is true what Caiphas unawares prophesied, that it was expedient that one man should die, and give his life for the people; yet the jews intended it not when they put him to death, but did it out of malice, Matth. 27.28. Matth. 27.28. and that with God (that eyes not so much the work and action of the hand, as the intent and affection of the doer, I say, with God) they were esteemed no better than cruel murderers and butchers of Christ: So Saint Peter sticks not to tell them to their face, Act. 2.22. Act. 2.23. Your wicked hands have crucified him, that God in his determinate counsel delivered; still he calls them wicked hands though they did that which was Gods determinate counsel. It is not sufficient to make an action good and warrantable, that it be conformable to God's secret will, in the thing willed except there be a conformity in the manner of our willing. For a man, while the will of God is hid may do that that God wills not, without sin; our rule being the revealed will, as the Gloss hath it. As a man that hath a Father, or a Friend sick, his friend knows not whether he shall recover, though God have determined that the man shall dye, yet he may pray for his recovery, he wills a divers thing from that of God, and yet it is warantable: A man may do that which is God's secret will and yet be faulty if he do not do it in that manner that God wills. Let this suffice to be spoken of the second Use. Thirdly, as it serves for the just condemnation of the jews, and such as unjustly condemned Christ, so in the next place it seems to remove the gross carnal conceit in the vain hearts of men, in our days; men that make the square and rule of their judgement success in outward things; and pronounce of men, of their innocence, or guilt, of their favour, or disfavour with God, according to their prosperity or adversity, according to the success of things below. A thing that falls foul upon the Papists, that make outward prosperity an inseparable note of the Church. Thus it was with the friends of job, miserable comforters, as himself justly styles them; they saw him afflicted in his goods, in his children, in his person, and from these premises they concluded presently that he was an hypocrite. Thus it was with the barbarous people, Act. 23. Act. 23. when they saw a Viper fastened upon Saint Paul's hand, presently the Viper strongly indicted him a murderer. Nay Christ's Disciples did so, Joh. 9.29. joh. 9.29. no sooner did they see a man that was borne blind, but they they questioned with our Saviour, Who sinned, this man or his parents that he was borne blind? implying that it must needs be that this man must sinne himself blind. So it was with the jews in this Chapter Vers. 3. they saw Christ despised and rejected of men, and presently they infer, that he was rejected of God, smitten of God, and humbled for his own sins; but such men must think that even Christ himself who like Absalon, from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot, had no stain or blemish of sin in him, yet he tasted as deep of the cup of God's wrath, and more than any mortal man; beside, he that stood highest in his Father's favour was most low and despicable in the eyes of the world, he that was the favourite of his Father in whom his Father was well pleased, yet he was not exempt from that scourge wherewith God chasteneth every Son that he receiveth. Fourthly, if Christ suffered not for his own sins; This read●s us a Lecture of patience, to put up injurice, though they be not deserved in the world. It is the plea of some men when they are injured, it would not trouble me if I deserved i●; think what Christ deserved at the hands of the jews what he had done that he was so used. In 2 Pet. 4 21. Christ died, 2 Pet. 4.21. and hath left us an example to follow his steps. What example, but an example of patience that we should follow him when we suffer underserving? Seneca gives that advice in his 69. Epistle, as if he had been a Disciple of Christ. 2. Pet. 3.21. We should labour to imitate Cor●st in this, in putting up and digesting injuries, though on our part they be causeless and undeserved. In 2. Pet. 3.21. What glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults ye take it patiently? what great matter is it? but if when you do well and suffer for it then you bear it patiently, this is acceptable to God. It is true, it is acceptable to God, that we suffer punishment patiently when we have deserved it; but when we are patiented and have not deserved it, it is highly acceptable, as the word imparts. Fiftly, and lastly, Christ died not for his own sins, than here is Balm in Gilead, comfort for wounded and distressed consciences, that faint under the weight and burden of their sins. It is true indeed if Christ had died for his own sins, than our estate had been woeful and lamentable, than he had quit scores only with God for himself, but we should still have remained as deeply engaged as ever, and have been cast into utter darkness, and have been reserved in chains till we had paid the utmost farthing, but now Christ hath suffered for us. Then as the Apostle infers, Rom. 8.34. Rom. 8.34. Who shall condemn? Let Satan the accuser of the brethren bring what objections he will, this one plea will answer all; Christ died, if he died, than he hath appeased the wrath of God to us, and paid the debt of the Law, and the punishment of the Law, and fulfilled obedience, and given satisfaction to God. Christ had no sin of his own, therefore what he suffered, it was for our sins and transgressions. This shall suffice to be spoken of the negative part from this particular, But, that carries the force of a negation. That Christ was affirmed to suffer for his own sin, We judged him smitten of God and humbled: But. The affirmative part follows to be handled, But He was wounded for our transgressions. Where I shall not need to tell you, that by being wounded in this place, we are not to understand only, nor principally (as some Popish writers do) the bodily torments and tortures of Christ that he as this day endured on the Cross; but withal, and especially those secret agonies and conflicts of soul that he felt, that were caused out of a deeper apprehension of the greatness of our sins that he suffered for, and the sense of the greatness of God's wrath that he then sustained; which being so, the conclusion from this affirmitive part is this, that Christ jesus suffered extreme torments in his body, and sad and amazing agonies in his soul, for our sins and transgressions. He was wounded for our transgressions, etc. For the proof of it I need not range far from the Text. In the fourth verse of this Chapter, surely saith the Prophet, he hath borne our grief's and sorrows. In the fifth verse. he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was on him, by his stripes we are healed, In the sixth verse. The Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all. In the eighth vers. For the transgression of my people was he stricken. In vers. 10. He made his soul an offering for sin. In the 12. vers he poured out his soul to death. We see, he was broken for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was on him: and this not only in body but in soul too, be poured out his soul to death, he made his soul an offering for sin, If you ask the reason why, I answer first, It is a rule of the Schools where the gift is free and undeserved, without merit or desert on our part, there the best if not the only reason that can be assigned of that gift, is the free grace and love of the donor: So this gift is freely from Christ's love to us: so saith the Apostle, Eph. 5.2. Eph. 5.2. Let us love one a other, as Christ hath loved us, and given himself a ransom for us; where he shows not only the manner how we should love one another, As Christ hath loved us; but the motive how he loved us, he suffered for us, he loved us, and gave himself a ransom for us. Secondly, as it was the love of Christ to give himself, so it was the love of God that gave Christ: as Christ saith it of himself, so he speaks it likewise of his Father, joh. 3.16. God so loved the world, Joh. 3.16. that he gave his only begotten Son, etc. We must not think that God then gins to love us, when God is actually reconciled to us in his Son: (so some conceive but amiss, if I be not deceived, and mistaken) for saith the Apostle, Rom. 5.18. Rom. 5.18. He loved us when we were enemies. God loves us not only when we are friends, when we are actually reconciled by the death of his Son; but when we were enemies. S. Aug. Psal. 113. So saith S. Austin upon Psal. 110. God loves us when he hates us, he loves us as creatures, when notwithstanding he hates us as sinners: So I say, God doth not then begin to love us, when we are actually reconciled by the death of his Son, but he first loved us, and because he loved us, therefore he gave his Son, (As Peter Martyr saith excellently) as the Pet. Mart. pledge and pawn, and earnest of his love. So then that is the second reason, that as Christ gave himself out of love, so God gave Christ because he loved us. Thirdly, as the love of God was the cause of this, so the justice of God required that Christ should die: For God had no purpose to redeem man; and man being not able to satisfy God's justice for his sin, it was needful that Christ as our surety should answer that, that we were not able to do, and to take our burden. Use 1 And here when we consider the infinite wisdom of God, devising so to fit a means for the reconciling the mercy and justice of God in our salvation, and redemption, we have cause to cry out with the Apostle, Oh the deepness and riches of the knowledge and wisdom of God, how unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past finding out. It is true, I deny not the print, and footsteps of the ways of God in the Creation, the Heathens themselves discovered, by the dark and dim light of reason; The Heathen could discern it in the Creation: but for the print of his footsteps in Redemption, men and Angels could not conceive, how infinite justice, and infinite mercy should come together: how sinners should die eternally, and be saved eternally, and live for ever: How God should be just, and yet man that had sinned not die; these ways are past finding out. But now in the death of Christ, all these seeming contradictions are easily reconciled. For now as in the composing of David's Ditty, Mercy and justice are met together, truth and mercy kiss each other. For first, that God should punish sin at all, it was an act of God's justice: but that God should punish sin, not in ourselves, but in Christ it was an act of mercy. That God should exact the payment of the debt to the utmost farthing, it was an act of severe justice: but that he did not exact it at our hands ourselves, but at the hands of our Suretic, this was mercy, infinite mercy. So that we have great cause to say, and so we may well with David, we may say on this occasion of Redemption, as he on the Creation, Psal. 104. Psal. 104. How admirable are thy works! In wondrous wisdom thou hast made them all. That for the first use. Secondly, as it serves to set up the wondrous greatness of God's wisdom; so likewise it serves to set forth the grievousness and heinousness of our sins. It is a true saying; No glass can represent so fully the grievousness of our sins, not the torments of the damned in Hell, as the torments of Christ on the Cross for sin. Surely those sins must needs be great, that could not be expiated, but at so dear a rate as the shedding of the blood of Christ. I come not to dispute here, as the Schools, nicely and curiously, and unprofitably, whether God could have devised another means to work the redemption of man kind, besides the death of his Son. I know, it is not for man to confine the wisdom of God, and to say, this God can do: as he saith to the Sea, Hither shalt thou go, and here thou shalt stay, thy proud waves shall go no further. It is not for man to say so to God's wisdom and power, this God can do, and he can do no more. But let me tell you thus much, that the Son of God was more precious, and dear in the eyes of his Father, then to suffer him to die a cursed death, if the work of redemption, could be so well, and so conveniently accomplished otherwise. I cannot think but that the Son of God was more precious in the eyes of his Father, then to suffer him to undergo such a cursed Ignominious death, if redemption could have, been effected by other means. Nay, I speak more boldly (for I may do it upon good ground) the satisfaction for man's sin, it was such a work, as could not have been performed, but by the singer of God: Men, nor Angels could not do it; they might have given some satisfaction, but they could not give a valuable satisfaction. 1 Tim. 1.6. As it is 1 Tim. 1.6. Christ gave himself a ransom for all; that is not all, he gave himself not only a ransom, but a full, valuable, sufficient ransom. I say, all men and Angels could not have given to God a sufficient ransom. First, not men; because no man can pay his own score, therefore he cannot satisfy for others. Secondly, not Angels, being finite created natures, they could not undergo the punishment of our sins which was infinite: there was an infinite punishment due to our sins, because we had offended infinite justice; and there is no creature can undergo an infinite punishment. Nay, I say more, all the Angels, and archangels in Heaven, if they had united their forces, to sustain and endure one moment, those exceeding unexpressible agonies that Christ endured on the Cross, when he said, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? they would have broken them, and have crushed them down irrecoverably to Hell. Then far be it from us to set light by those sins, the weight and burden whereof, none but Christ could undergo, and when he did undergo them, it made him bow and buckle, and by his own confession it made his soul heavy to death. Thirdly, as it serves to discover the greatness of our sins; so it serves to provoke us to sorrow, and humiliation for our sins: for what; did Christ shed drops of blood For our sins, and shall not we shed tears for them? Thus it was with the converts, Act. 2.37. Act. 2.37. when Peter told them your wicked hands have crucified Christ, saith the Text, they were pricked in their hearts; Nay, that is not all, they were pricked through in their hearts, or violently: as it were, all the floodgates of sorrow were opened; they were pricked thorough with sorrow. And mistake me not Brethren; think not that it was the soldiers, and the jews only that crucified Christ: no, it was every one of us, our hands are as deeply embrued in the blood of Christ as theirs. Our wicked thoughts are as thorns that gored his precious head. Our wicked actions are as nails that fastened his hands and feet to the tree. Our oaths and blasphemies are as swords and spears, that pierced his sacred side. Oh then can we choose but be pricked in our hearrs, when we have crucified Christ! If Peter went out and wept bitterly when he had denied Christ, what cause have we to weep, tears, not of brine, but of blood, when we look upon Christ whom we have so cruelly crucified! How can that choose but be sorrow, and compunction to us, that occasioned so much anguish and torment to Christ! Oh that our heads were rivers, and our eyes fountains of tears, that we might weep day and night for our sins and transgressions. Fourthly, as it serves to humble us, so it serves for comfort and consolation, as I told you; for what saith the Apostle? Christ died, who shall condemn? Christ died: then he hath appeased his Father's wrath, than he hath satisfied his Father's justice, than he hath redeemed us from Hell, he hath made Heaven smile on us, he hath purchased a crown of glory, he hath trymphed over, and trampled under our spiritual enemies. Let me sing with Isay, Isay 44.23. Isay 44.23. Sing oh heavens, and shout ye lower parts of the earth, Why? The Lord hath redeemed jacob, and glorified himself in Israel. And surely brethren, whatsoever we think now in our strength and bravery, and jollity, there is nothing in the world will minister comfort but this in time of distress, when we shall come either upon the rack of conscience, or come to the sight, and ken of death, or to appear before that Tribunal: there is nothing but the death of Christ will stead us. What else in the world will revive, and cheer a drooping soul affrighted with horror, groaning, and bowed under the burden of sin? What will be able to establish a man's heart, and conscience, that fears the approach of death, but this? What else will make him stand upright and unapaled before God's Tribunal at that terrible day? In all these sad exigents, in these times, the blood of Christ it serves as Rahabs' scarlet thread, it is a token to us that God will deal mercifully with us. Only, it must be our care, as it was the Spies condition with Rahab, to tie it in the Window, we must look to tie it to ourselves by faith, and apply it to ourselves, and then you shall never miscarry. Again, as it serves for comfort, and consolation: so it serves as a rich Mirror to set forth the love of God to us. If the jews could conclude from our Saviour's shedding of a few tears over Lazarus, joh. 11.36. they see him shed a few tears over dead Lazarus, Joh. 11.36. see how he loved him, say they: With how much more force may we conclude, since Christ hath shed his blood, see how he loved us? Greater love than this (saith Christ) hath no man, then to lay down his life for his friend. It is true, blessed Saviour greater love hath no man: but thou art more than Man, and thou hast done more than this, for thou hast laid down thy life for thine enemies. It was the honour of that Trajan when a Soldier was wounded, he suffered his own clothes to be rend, and made clouts to bind up his wounds: but what is this to the love of Christ, that not only did forgo his , but was content that his own flesh should be torn for us to cover our wounds, this he did. Observe, this love was showed to us, not to Angels, creatures more noble, Heb. 2.14. Heb. 2.14. By no means took he the nature of Angels. As he did not take their nature, so he did not suffer their punishment due to their transgression and Apostasy: when those sons of the morning fell from their prime estate, they fell as the Elephant, they could not raise themselves, and they are still reserved in chains of darkness, and shall to the last day: but when man sinned, God sent his Son to suffer death on the Cross for us; we have reason to say as David, Psal. 8. Psal. 8. Lord what is man, that thou art so mindful of him? Lastly, if such, and so great hath been the love of Christ to us, then what can we do less, then to return like love back again to him? We know a Diamond is best fashioned by a Diamond; love is the best procurer, and solicitor of love; how can we but love God, that hath sent his Son to die for us! How can we esteem any thing too dear for him, that esteemed nothing too dear for us! And if Christ did give his life for us, shall we grudge to give a penny, to part with somewhat for his members? How shall we esteem any thing too dear for him? shall we not part with our lusts for him? Surely, if there be any argument in the world will prevail, it is this argument from Christ's love, that will persuade men to obedience: so faith the Apostle Saint Paul that apprehended it, 2 Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 5. The love of Christ constraineth us; it constraineth us to do that that God requires. Let us take heed that we do not trample under foot the precious blood of Christ, by committing those sins it was shed for. Exod. 12.6. In Exod. 12.6. we shall find that the blood of the Passeover was sprinkled on the two side-posts, and the upper door post, but not upon the threshold, underfoot, implying, and intimating in what high reverence and esteem we should have the blood of Christ, we should not trample on it. The blood of the Passeover was sprinkled on the two side-posts, and the upper post of the house, but not on the threshold, underfoot. If such reverence were due to that that was but the type, how much is due to that that is the substance? Then let us take heed we trample not underfoot the blood of Christ, by wilful committing those sins for which it was shed. Let it suffice; nay, let it be too much that we have once crucified Christ, let us do so no more; If we do so, we are worse than the jews. Every wilful sin we commit, we crucify Christ, and he that crucifieth Christ now, is worse than the jews: the jews crucified him in the time of his humiliation, and abasement, but now if we do it, it is in his exaltation, when he sits at the right hand of God. Let us all take up that speech, Ezra 9.14. Lord, Ezra 9.14. since thou hast s; tayed us from being beneath for our iniquities, should we break thy Commandments? wouldst not thou return, and confound us? God's blessings are as strong physic, if it work not health, it makes more sick. Every blessing, especially such as this, makes us either better or worse, certainly that heart is steel, or brass, which the sense of the love of God cannot move to leave evil and vile courses. FINIS. THE EPICURES CAUTION. Luk. 21.34. And take heed to yourselves least at any time your hearts be overcharged, with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. IN the Verses going before, Coherence. from the 25. to the 34. of this Chapter, our blessed Saviour had discoursed in the hearing of his Disciples, concerning the day of judgement, and concerning the signs and tokens that should forego that day; by occasion of a question he had proposed to him at the seventh Verse, concerning the destruction, and demolition of the Temple of jerusalem, when that should be, And his Disciples asked him saying, Master, when shall th●se things be? and what sh●ll be the signs when they shall come to pass? When this is done, from the 34. vers. to the 37. our blessed Saviour gins to make use of this: from the former premises to draw some conclusions, and those are, Partly by way of admonition exhortation to his Disciples. By way of admonition in vers. 34. that since it is certain that such a day, the day of judgement will come, (but when it will come nothing more uncertain) when God will examine and sift the lives of every man, and pass an unpartial sentence upon all the acts and deeds of their lives in this world, it concerned them therefore to take heed least at any time their hearts should be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, which Christ enforceth by the danger that otherwise might befall them, and so that day come upon them unawares, which he further enforceth in the verse following: for as a sna●e shall it come on all them that dwell on the earth, that is the first thing by way of admonition. Secondly, by way of exhortation in the 35. and 36. verses, that since it is certain such a day shall come, and uncertain when, therefore they should watch and pray, and not a while only, but continually and constantly that so they might be accounted worthy to escape the evil that should come upon the world, and at the coming of the Son of God they might stand undaunted, and unapaled before him. The words I have read, are a part of the former, of the admonition. Take heed therefore to yourselves least at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. In which words observe with me these five parts. First, you have the caution itself, Take heed. Prats of the Text. Secondly, you have the persons to whom the caution is given To yourselves. It was to the Disciples of Christ to whom this was given in charge immediately, but in them to us all, as appears by a parallel answerable place, Mark 13. What I say to you I say to all, Watch. Thirdly, the time, how long they must take heed, lest at any time. Their care and caution must be constant and continual. Fourthly, of what they must take heed, and that is, first in a general, lest your hearts be over pressed, or overcharged or burdened. And then more particularly, lest they be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, for with these three, the hearts of men are ordinarily overcharged. Fiftly and lastly, the reason why they should use this caution, or the motive enforcing this caution, lest that day come upon you unawares. And take heed to yourselves, lest, etc. I begin with the first part, the caution itself, in the first word. Take heed. Be well advised, use all care, and circumspection, intent your thoughts, for so the word implies, prosequeti, to apply their minds, and intent their thoughts. Now what Christ gave in charge to his Disciples, though he gave it first and primarily to them, yet not to them alone, but to us, in and from them: So the conclusion is this, that, Conclusi. 1. Surfeiting, drunkenness and covetousness especially to be taken heed of. It is, and aught to be the care of every one, as to take heed of all other sins, so especially of surfeiting and drunkenness, lest their hearts be overcharged with meat and drink, and the cares of this life. Take heed saith our Saviour. He saith not only forbear, but we must watch and be cautionate, that our hearts be not over charged. I say it ought to be the care of every one, as to take heed of all sins in general, so especially that their hearts be not overcharged with surfeiting, drunkenness, and covetousness, that their hearts be not overcharged with meat and drink, and the cares of this life. Hence it was that that the Apostle Saint jude in the 12. verse of his Epistle, speaking of those seducers that crept into the Church for this end, to solicit those that had given their names to Christ, to defection and apostasy: among other vices and faults he chargeth them with this one, they feed themselves without fear, what is the meaning of that? feeding themselves without fear? that is, they gave free scope, they let lose the reines of their sensual appetite, they gorged themselves, without fear or care what issue it would bring in the consequent. Now if it were the fault of those seducers to feed themselves without fear: than it is the duty of us, to feed ourselves with fear, and to use care and caution in feeding ourselves, that we be not overcharged with surfeiting. That is for the first part. So Solomon in Prov. 23.20. he unfolds two of them in one verse; he gives a charge to be careful, and cautionate, saith he, Be not among win● bibbers among riotous eaters of flesh: riotous eaters of flesh, there is surfeiting, and Wine bibbers, there is drunkenness; We see what care and caution the wise man would have us use lest we be entangled in these sins. A man should not so much as keep company commonly with such as they that are thus. If we know a man that is infected with the plague of Pestilence, we shun him, and use care and caution, we will not come near him for fear of infection, because it is contagious. Solomon seems to imply such a thing, he would not have us to be with drunkards, or with those that are given to surfeiting; be not with Wine bibbers, or riotous eaters of flesh, lest by conversing with them, by their counsel and example, they draw thee to the participation of their fault. And so for covetousness in Luke 12.15. saith Christ, Luk. 12.15. Take heed and beware of covetousness; mark it, Christ is not content to give a single charge, but he doubles it, Take heed and beware. It is not only enough to have a wary head, to espy (as the phrase is borrowed from Soldiers that stand Sentinel, to espy such as come) but to guard themselves, to harness themselves, to be able to withstand, so the word imports, being a word borrowed from watchmen, those that guard Princes or great men, while they sleep, their guard stands to repulse dangers that may come near them. Take heed and beware of covetousness. You see we ought to have a care, and take heed of these sins, and of these especially. The reasons why we ought to be careful of these sins are, Because there is especial danger in these sins. And there is especial danger of our falling into these sins. Reas. 1 First, there is danger in the sins, There is danger in these sins. or else Christ would not have given us charge, that we should not fall into them. The word here Take heed, implies danger. The danger is double. One is in the Text, because these sin's burden the heart, they overcharge the soul. As a man that is clogged and overburdened with a great weight, he is not able to lift up himself to do any other work; so it is with surfeiting, and drunkenness and covetousness, they overcharge and burden the heart; they make a man that is possessed with them, not able to lift up himself, to perform holy and spiritual duties, to pray, or to meditate, or to perform any other pious exercise. That is the first danger then, they burden the heart therefore they had need to take heed of them. Secondly, they not only burden the heart but with a special burden, such as when it hath gotten on a man, when a man is sunk under it, he is not able easily to disburden himself. It is a good observation. There are few that are given to epicurism to drunkenness or covetousness, that are reclaimed. They are a burden that is hardly laid off and deposed. In Hosea 4.11. the Prophet speaks expressly of wine, Hos. 4.11. and new wine, they take away the heart, that is, they that are given to wine and to new wine, to drunkenness, I may add also they that are given to their belly to epicurism, to satisfy their sensual appetite when once th●y are given to it they never return again; those sins, when they have gotten possession they still keep it, it is a miracle almost if one of them recover. The reason of it is this, because it is the property of those sins, they slumber the conscience, they cast a man into a dead sleep, they make him in such a case that he stands in no awe of the threatenings nor judgements of God, whereby he might be reclaimed, and awaked out of his security: that for the two first. Then for covetousness in 2 Tim. 2.4. 2 Tim. 2.4. saith the Apostle no man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life. Mark, The Apostle compares covetousness to a snare, as when a bird or a beast is entangled in a snare, when men entangle themselves in pleasures, and in covetousness it is a snare, and when they are once entangled, it is a hundred to one if they recover it. No man that warreth entangleth himself. He compareth covetousness to a snare. You see then there is a double danger, why we should be cautionate: First there is a danger in the sins, they burden the soul, and with such a burden that a man cannot easily depose when he is sunk under it. Reas. 2 But that is not all, there is another danger beside; as there is danger in the sins, There is danger of falling into these sins. so there is danger of our falling into these sins: otherwise it mattered not, we might be secure and reckless though there were danger in them, if there were not danger of our falling into them, but there is danger of th●t therefore in that respect we ought to be cautionate, and that in three respects. 1. Because of daily occasions. First, there is danger of falling into those sins whereof we have often occasion frequently to commit: Now we daily eat and drink, we daily provide for this life, we have continually every day occasion to eat to surfeiting, to drink to drunkenness, to provide to covetousness: there is more danger of falling into these sins, because the occasion and matter of them is so frequent. It is otherwise with other sins, a thief or an adulterer have not always an opportunity, at least not daily oppportunitie to commit those sins, but for these there are occasions, and opportunities always at hand, therefore there is more danger of falling into them than others. 2. They border on lawful things. Again there is a great deal of danger of falling into them, because they are placed upon the confines, and border of lawful things, for oft times, through our blindness and misguided affection, that which is lawful imposeth upon us, and carries us to that which is unlawful. What saith the Epicure? Is it not lawful to enjoy God's creatures liberally? therefore he will gorge himself, and give way to his greedy sensual appetite. What saith the drunkard? hath not God ordained Wine to refresh man? therefore he will drown and overwhelm himself with drunkenness. So saith the covetous Mammonist, Is not a man bound to provide for this life things honest before God and men? Therefore he may make money his God, and devote himself to the world. Thus that which is lawful imposeth on us, and carries us to that which is unlawful. Now surfeiting borders upon that which is lawful: it is lawful to eat, but to go beyond the due bounds it is surfeiting; it is lawful to drink, but beyond the due measure is drunkenness: It is lawful to care for the things of this world, but if it be beyond the measure, either unseasonable for the time, or immoderate, than we become guilty of covetousness. These things border on things that are lawful, therefore themselves are most dangerous. 3 They have affinity with nature. Thirdly, there is most danger of falling into those sins which have the greatest affinities and cognition with our nature, those that have much nature in them, it is easiest to fall into them. It is natural for us to eat and to drink, and to provide for this life, nature prompts us to this. Now the motions of nature especially of corrupt nature, are vehement, and often transport us from that which is natural, to the doing of that which is unnatural. The reason is, because there is much in them that is natural. It is natural to eat and to drink, and to provide for this life, therefore from thence we are carried oft times by the violent motion of corrupt nature to that which is unlawful. So here is a double danger. first in the sins, if we fall into them. Secondly, there is a danger of our falling into these sins. This shall suffice to be spoken for the proof of the point. Use 1 I come now to make use of that which hath been spoken. Complaint of neglect of this duty. You see what care and caution we ought to use, lest out hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life. But alas, how many are there that use not this caution! Nay how many are there as the Apostle saith, Rom. 13. ult. Rom. 13. ult. that make provision for the flesh! not only now and then through temptation occasionally, when they are overborne and entangle themselves with these sins: but they lay projects, and designs, as the word imports in the original; they use to provide, and plot, and project for the accomplishment of these lusts. How many are so fare from taking heed, lest their hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, that their whole care, or the most of it is how they may provide such dainty fare wherewith to satisfy, and gorge their appetite, whose whole life is one continual surfeit, and when they die (as one said) a man can hardly tell whether they breathe out, or gorge out their souls! How many are there that are so far from taking heed lest their hearts be overcharged with drunkenness, that they rather invent new acts whereby to provoke themselves to drink excessively! Pro. 23.30. In Prov. 23.30. such as the wise man speaketh of, that purposely tarry long at the wine, and seek for mixed, for the most generous, pleasant wine as the place is interpreted! such as are never so jovial and jocund as when they meet with company to go to the Tavern to be drunk. What shall we say to to those that are so fare from taking heed that their hearts be not overcharged with the cares of this life, that they do nothing but willingly entangle themselves with the cares of this life? Phil. 4.19. such as the Apostle saith Phil. 4.19. That mind earthly things. The best man in the world, may, and is bound perhaps, to meddle with earthly things; but these men mind earthly things; their study, and their care is upon that, their thoughts and the bent of their mind is upon earthly things, they make gold their god: they will prostrate themselves to the wedge of gold. What shall we say to all those men? but that that Christ saith here immediately after the Text, except they repent; that day, either the day of death, or the day of judgement shall come upon them as a snare unawares. Use 2 But for us that desire to be prepared for that day, Exhortation to caution. when soever it comes, let us be persuaded to use care, and caution, as Christ adviseth, lest our hearts at any time be overcome with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life. It is safer, and easier to prevent these sins, then to remedy them. It is easier to take care, that our hearts be not overcharged, and burdened with these sins, then when they are burdened to disburden them. You will ask, how shall we take care? Quest. what rules shall we observe, that we may observe this caution that Christ gives us charge of, that our hearts be not overcharged with these sins? Answ. 4. Helps to caution. Let me commend to you briefly these four Rules, upon the virtue of which, (If I be not deceived) there will be much help to this caution that Christ adviseth. 1 To limit ourselves in things lawful. The first is this, to limit and restrain ourselves in the use of those things about which these sins are ordinarily committed. To prescribe, and in things indifferent (as it were) to straiten and limit ourselves, to lay harder laws upon ourselves then God hath: for the rule of S. Gregory is most true, He that would not offend in things unlawsull, S. Gregory. must oft abridge himself in things lawful. Let us not eat as much as we may. I say not as much only as nature will bear, or as we have strength; but not so much as God allows. Let us not drink so much as we may. And in a holy contempt of these inferior things; let us not care, and cark for the world so much as we may: or else we shall find by woeful experience, that if we go to the outmost border, and skirts of that which is lawful, we shall easily come to that which is unlawful. If once we come just to the cross line, the devil will put hard to make us go beyond it. It is a good saying of that doubtful Author, saith he, He that sleeps upon the very edge, and brink of a precipis, or downfall, it is a thousand to one but he falls: that is the first thing, to limit ourselves in these things, not to eat so much as we may; nay, not so much as God allows: not because it is unlawful, but because it may be in-expedient: and not to drink so much as we may; not to cark and care so much as we may. He that will go to the utmost of his other, that will go to the bounds, and skirts of that which is lawful, will easily be transported to that which is unlawful. That is the first rule. 2 To set our minds on better things Ephes. 5.18. Secondly, that which the Apostle adviseth, Ephes. 5.18. that our hearts be not overcome with surfeiting and drunkenness, saith he, be not overcome with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit. Mark it, the way not to be filled with wine, is to be filled with the Spirit. We must herein imitate Surgeons, Simile. who when a man is taken with a dangerous bleeding at the nose, the Chirurgeon opens another vein, he lets him blood there to divert, and turn the blood another way: so let us, when we perceive ourselves to have an immoderate ravening appetite after corporal food, let us turn the edge of our appetite another way; labour to have an appetite after heavenly dainties; and that will abate, and dull our appetite after earthly things; or take away the immoderation of it. So when we perceive we have an immoderate thirst after wine, and strong drink, let us labour for a spiritual thirst after the pleasures that run and flow in a full channel, at God's right hand for ever; When we find an immoderate desire after earthly things, let us turn our cares and desires another way, to study and care for heavenly things, as the Apostle adviseth. Col. 3.1. Collos. 3.1. saith he, set your affections on things above, and not on things that are below. If we find our affections set on things below, let us labour to raise them to that which is above, and this will wean and take off our affections from earthly things. For it is with the affections, as it is with the eyes: Simile a man cannot at the same time look up to heaven, and look down to the earth: so our affections cannot be set vehemently upon things above, and things that are below. This therefore is the second rule, to labour for diversion, to take away the edge, that our hearts be not overcome with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life. The third is that Christ here adviseth to, to Take heed. 3. To confider what we do. As I told you before, it is to apply our thoughts. Let us intent our thoughts, consider with ourselves what we do, say with ourselves thus; Shall I take that meat which God hath given me for my support, for the undoing of myself? Shall I take that he hath given me to do him service, shall I use it to disinable me for his service? And so for Wine and strong drink that he hath given me to cheer myself; shall I use them for the oppressing and overcharging myself? And the world that God hath given me for a servant, shall I inflave myself to the world as my Lord? This is the third rule, to take heed, to apply our thoughts, and take heed what we do. The fourth and last, 4. To think of the day of judgement. is that which Christ adviseth his Disciples here, always to think with ourselves, to be frequent in the meditation of this day, of the last day, either of death or judgement: let us think with ourselves (than which meditation nothing is more powerful to wean our thoughts, and affections from the things below) a day will come, when all shall be drawn before the dreadful Tribunal of God: we know not ourselves in particular how soon. Now think with ourselves, What if that day should come? What if I should die being overcharged with surfeiting or drunkenness, or the cares of this life? with what face, or forehead should I appear before God, being overburdened with these things, and being earthly, and sensual? That is the fourth Rule, to be frequent in the meditation of the last day, this will take away the edge of our immoderate desires of the things below. This shall suffice to be spoken of the first part, the caution, from the first word, Take heed. I come to the second part, the persons to whom Christ gives this charge, to take heed; Take heed to yourselves. But who are they that Christ gives this charge, Quest to take heed to themselves? I answer, Answ. first immediately to the Disciples, but in them, and from them to us also. Well; first immediately to his Disciples, but who were those Disciples? They were those whom he had chosen out of all mankind to preach, and publish his Gospel to the world: yea, they were they who already had preached the Gospel through judea: they were those that Christ chose in his pilgrimage upon earth, to be his especial followers and retinue: those that he endowed with especial privileges, and prerogatives: those that had been partakers of his gracious Sermons, he labours to wean the hearts of them from surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life. Nay, that which is more than any Sermon, they were eye-witnesses of his life, that was free from drunkenness or surfeiting, or the cares of this life; these were they to whom Christ gives the charge to take heed to themselves. Well, the conclusion is, that The best men, Conclus 2. The best men have need to be admonished to take heed of surfeiting, & those that are most eminent for knowledge and pletie, those that have the greatest privileges, and prerogatives, even the Disciples of Christ have need to be admonished to take heed, lest their hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life. You see whom the persons are that Christ gives this charge unto, to his Disciples. I say, the best men, those that are most eminent for gifts, and have the greatest privileges, and prerogatives, even the Disciples of Christ have need to be admonished, lest their hearts be overpressed with surfeiting, etc. There is no man, saith S. Austin, August. that can be secure in this life, which is but one continual temptation. We can never be secure, as long as we live in that estate, wherein of worse we may be better, and of better we may be worse, So fare as we may go up the stream, if we use care, and ply the oar, so fare we may go down the stream if we slack our care. Reas. 1 Now, the reason why the best want admonition is, Because they are but men. because though they be the best men, though they be never so eminent for gifts or graces, though they be endowed with never so many prerogatives, still they are but men. Lot, he that preserved himself in Sodom unspotted, and unstained in the midst of an impure generation; yet in the mount he was twice shamefully overcome with drunkenness. Reas. 2 Secondly, Satan envies them most. the best men have need to be admonished to take heed, because the best men are in the greatest danger: not in respect of themselves, but in respect of their enemies; the reason is, because Satan desireth more covetingly, and more thirstingly to overthrow them than others. Now the more danger they are in, the more need of caution they have. Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to winnow thee, saith Christ to Peter, Luke 22. Luk. 12. Nay, that is not all. Satan hath earnestly, thirstingly, covetingly desired to winnow thee; that is the meaning of the Word, he saith not Simon, Satan hath desired to minnow thee; but Satan hath earnestly desired to winnow thee. Satan indeed desires to winnow all; but for Peter, and such as are like him, he desires earnestly to winnow them. As Pirates that set with the greatest fury upon the ship, that is richest laden, so doth Satan on such. Now the greater the danger is that they are in, the more need they have to be admonished to take heed. Reas. 3 Thirdly, Because their fall makes others fall. and lastly, not in respect of themselves only, but in respect of others they have need to take heed; because if they fall others fall, they hurt others as much by the scandal, as they hurt themselves by the sin. Other men's sins hurt the persons that commit them, but the sins of great and eminent men, they are Plague sores that infect others. So Saint Paul Gal. 2.4. Gal. 2.14. saith he to Peter when he temporised and played the jew, Why dost thou compel the Gentiles to play the hypocrites? why, how did Peter compel the Gentiles to play the jews? saith Saint Austin in his 11. Epistle, S. Aug. Epist. 11. not by any thing he preached to them, tending to that purpose, but by his example: the very example of such a man as Peter, so eminent, it offers a kind of violence to the witnesses of it, it compels them to imitation: Therefore in this respect they have need to be admonished to take heed that they do not fall into these sins, because if their hearts be overcharged with them it hurts others, their sins are Plague sores. You see the truth of the Doctrine. To come to make some use of that that hath been spoken. Use. The best men frail. If the best men have need to be admonished then the best men may here be admonished of their frailty, of their weak condition; even the best men that are, those that have made the happiest profession of piety, and grace: those that are endued with the greatest privileges, as long as they are here, they are but as little children, that their joints are not confirmed and knit, Simile that being left to themselves we call upon them ever and anon to take heed that they fall not. 1 Cor. 10 12. 1. Cor. 10.12. saith the Apostle, Let him that stands take heed lest he fal●. Who were those to whom the Apostle gives this caution? To them that were rich in all knowledge, that were destitate of no gift, 1 Cor. 1.12. Mark, 1 Cor. 1.22. they were rich in all speech, and knowledge, and destitute of no gift, and yet these that stand have need to be admonished, to take heed lest they fall. Use 2 Secondly, Why the best should suffer admonition. if the best men have need of admonition, than it should teach the best men to suffer with patience the words of admonition, out of conscience of their need. That is the reason why many men take with such impatience the words of admonition, because they are strangers to themselves they know not their own weakness, they think they have no need of admonition. And that is the reason they return hatred for good will, when they are admonished to reproach and revile them that admonish them. Saith the wise man, Pro. 9, 8. Prov. 9.8. Rebuke not a scorner lest he hate thee, but rebuke a wise man and he will love thee. Why would he not have a man rebuke a scorner? every scorner is a proud man, he knows not himself, he is a fool. Now every fool is a stranger to himself, he knows not himself and his own weakness, if a man reproove such a one he cannot expect but to be hated: He thinks he goes not about to heal him but to make him sore. But faith he, reproove a wise man and he will love thee, why? he is a wise man, he knows his own weakness (for that is a special point of wisdom) he knows how apt he is to offend, how prone to be secure; therefore he thanks a man, he takes it kindly, (out of conscience of his own weakness) when he is admonished, it comes as oil to a wound, as a fomentation to open the sore that the admonition may enter, and have its due effect, so it follows in the ninth verse there admonish a wise man and he will be wiser. Use 3 Thirdly, if the best men have need of admonition, than those of us that think ourselves to have made the greatest proficiency in goodness, let us know and demean ourselves as those that are sick, that need Physic, not only courteously and thankfully to accept of the remedy, when it is tendered casually, but to consult with the Physician and Apothecary where it is to be had. So let us not only accept of admonition when it is tendered, but repair to the places where we may be admonished. Let us diligently read the word of God, that God hath left (though not for that end only, as Bellarmine falsely, but yet for that end too) to admonish and to teach us to take heed of these, and other sins: Let us diligently repair to God's ordinances, to the ministry of the word, which God hath ordained to admonish us, 1 Thes. 5.12. 1 Thes. 5.12. God knows how apt we are to be secure notwithstanding we are beset and besieged, and begirt with dangers, therefore God hath appointed the Ministers as watchmen, as Sentinels to espy dangers a fare off, and to give us notice when dangers come; they ring the alarm that we may provide for ourselves. Therefore we should diligently go to the Word that we may be admonished of the dangers, lest we be surprised unawares. I remember the saying of that General, presuming on a man's own strength is the greatest weakness, and the ready way to betray himself to dangers is to contemn them. You see the persons to whom Christ gives this charge, Take heed to yourselves. Lest at any time. Conclusion. Our care and caution continual. It seems then it is not sufficient to take heed for a while, for a day, or a month or a year, but our care and caution it must be constant and continual. He doth not say take heed least at sometime; but take heed least at any time your hearts be overcharged, etc. It is our Saviour's counsel in the 36. verse of this Chapter, Watch therefore and pray always: he that would watch always, must take he de lest his heart be overcharged at any time; why? because if the heart be overcharged at any time, he cannot at that time watch. For as amans body that is overcharged with meat and drink, he is inclined to sleep; so when a man is drunk and eaten up with covetousness, he is inclined to sleep insinne, he cannot watch; therefore if we would watch we must always take heed least at any time our hearts be overcharged. And Christ implies the reason in the words of the Text, Lest the day come upon you unawares. The sum and substance of this our care and caution, aught to be answerable to the danger, now that is not for a time only, but continually. First, Reas Because thero is danger. I. Of the sins. there is danger lest we be overtaken with these sins, that is the first danger. We know Lot, he that lived soberly in the midst of a sensual in pure generation: yet when he was in the mount, when he slacked his guard but a while, he was twice overcome with the sin of drunkenness: therefore we must take heed always, because we are all way in danger to be overtaken. Secondly, there is another danger; as there is danger lest we be overtaken with the sin, 2. Of judgement. so there is danger lest we be overtaken with judgement, cyther the day of death, or the day of judgement. So the rich man Luke 12. Luk. 12. he was anxious, thinking of pulling down his old barns, and enlarging them, and at that time God requires his soul. We see here at that time when his heart was overcharged with the cares of this life, death surpriseth him, and he was taken away. Or else if not the day of death, the day of judgement, for so Christ saith in the next verse, the day of judgement shall come as a snare upon the world. There is something in that; Simile. as birds, we see commonly they are entangled in the snare that is cast over them when they are eating, to the world when they are eating and drinking and sensual, that day shall come upon them as the snare on the birds when they were eating. Luk. 17. So Christ saith, Luke 17. look as it was in the time of Lot, when Sodom and Gomorah was destroyed so it shall be when the world shall be destroyed: they shall be eating and drinking, and buying and selling. They shall be eating and drinking; is there any harm in that? No, that is not the meaning of it, but eating sensually, and drinking immoderately, and buying and selling covetously then that day shall come upon them. So that here is danger, continual danger, lest we be overtaken with these sins at all times, or least death or the day of judgement overtake us at all times, therefore our care should be always, Lest at any time. But alas if we look to the practice of men, Use. Discoveting the abounding of these sins. how fare is it from this continual care! we need no other example, but this ordinary practice of dunkennesse, surfeiting and covetousness, if it were no where else but in this City: men are so fare from watching, as that they think it lawful for them to have their hearts overcharged. For surfeiting, they think it sometimes lawful to give liberty, and reynes, to be overcharged with it: As at Christmas, the time of the coming of Christ, as if they could not celebrate the coming of Christ in the flesh, except themselves become fleshly. And at the beginning of Lent, as if they intended to revenge themselves on God before hand, and since he will needs have them fast, they will get in his book as fare as they can by surfeiting. And so, on the holidays, as if by celebrating of holy days, they must needs become unholy. And so in some times, people think it not only unlawful, but that they are bound to be drunk, as at Nuptials, or at the Coronation of a King, they think it a point of duty to be drunk that day, and they that are not drunk then (as they said to Pilate) he is not Caesar's friend. And so at the meeting of friends, as if they could not meet friendly, and courteously, except they be enemies to themselves, or as if they could not express humanity unless by drunkenness they overwhelm and lose it▪ And so at the meeting of strangers, men think it lawful to be drunk, (it is the manner of some to do so) as if the way to entertain strangers were to become strangers to themselves. And so for the third, the cares of this life, some men are so fare from thinking of, and using this caution always, that they think they may sometimes suffer their hearts to be overcharged with the cares of this life. As when they are married and have a charge of Children. As if the same God that cared for them single, would not care for them when they are married; and as if the same providence that extends to Sparrows, did not extend to Children, those that are made after the similitude and Image of God. Such men should remember, what Christ saith here, they should take heed least at any time their hearts be overcharged. As there is no place, so there is no time that can dispense with these sins to make it lawful to have our hearts overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life. Well saith David, Psal. 93. holiness becometh thy house forever. Psal. 9●. ult. Holiness never wears out of fashion. If holiness become God's house for ever; then unholiness, surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life they never become God's house. And if they become not God's house than they become not God's Temple, his Chapel, as we are 1 Corinth. 6. saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 4▪ Know ye not that you are the Temples of the holy Ghost? Let us then be advised to take heed as Christ saith here, lest our hearts he over charged with surfeiting or drunkenness, or the cares of this life. Take heed lest at any time we defile and pollute the Temple of God with these sins. Remember, as in all virtues so in this, the crown is vigilancie, constancy, and continuance: we must not only watch, but we must watch continually. We must not not only take heed lest at some times, but lest at any time our hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life. Let us remember we deal with such an enemy as will give us no truce, nor rest: such a o●e as with whom w e can never have peace or truce, that daily lays wait to subvert us, that lays snares in our meat, and drink, and the things of this l●fe: Indeed as Saint Chrysostome saith well, S. Chrysost. the whole world is but one snare. Now if Satan use this care continually to subvert us, shall we no be as continual1 in our care, not to be subverted? Shall he be more diligent to work our ruin, than we shall be to work our safety and salvation? As we see those that are besieged, when a Town or City is besieged with enemies, they do not slack their guard a moment: because they fear that at that time the enemy may come on them, and surprise them: yet notwithstanding sometime they may slack their guard, and not have harm, because the enemy may not know it. But it is not so with our spiritual enemies, we are surrounded with spiritual enemies, that not only watch all opportunities, and take all advantages, but they know when we give them advantage, when we are secure and reckless, and they take it. Therefore it concerns us to look, lest at any time our hearts be overcharged. Let us not plead difficulty, and say it is a thing hard to stand upon our guard, we cannot enjoy ourselves. If the thing be difficult, yet look to the end, it is profitable: lay the benefit we shall enjoy by this care in the other end, and that will make the care light As in a pair of balance, Simile. if a a manlay weight in the one scale, and none in the other, it will sink: but if he lay a weight answerable in the other scale, the first will be light, a man may lift it easily. So let us lay this continual care and caution in the one balance, and the benefit that we have by it in the other balance, and we shall never grudge at our care. Let us think with ourselves, while this care lasts, we are free from all other care; and who would not care for a while upon condition to be eternally secured after. I have done with the third point, 2 how long we must take heed, in these words; Lest at any time. Now I proceed to the fourth part, that is, of what we are to take heed, And that is first general. Lest your hearts be overcharged. Observat. Drunkenness and covetousness, etc. overcharge the heart▪ It seems then, It is the Property of these sins, surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, to overcharge the heart, That is the point. Take heed, saith our Saviour, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged. It implies that it is the property of these sins here mentioned to overcharge the heart. Look what a millstone, or a talon of lead, is to the body, the same are these sins to the soul▪ (which is meant by the heart; as S. Peter saith, the hidden man of the heart; that is, the hidden man of the soul) they overpresse, and burden the soul: so much the Word here used implies, and imports in the Original, Take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be overcharged. The Word coming from Bal●s, that signifies no ordinary, portable burden, but a grievous oppressing burden (as the Etimologists have it:) such as cannot belifted, but with an extraordinary strength, with a Giants arm: such are these sins to the soul, they are no ordinary, portable, but grievous oppressing burdens. Now the grievousness of this burden appears by these two things; First, these sins are such a burden to the soul, as press the soul, as press the soul from heaven to earth. Secondly, they are such a burden, as except they be disburdened, except we acquit ourselves of them, they will press our souls down from earth to hell. First, Reas. 1. They press the soul from heaven to earth. the press the soul from heaven to earth, from heavenly affections to earthly. Look as a man is oppressed with a great burden, from which he is not able to rise, nor to stir hand nor foot to help himself for the doing of any thing: so it is with a man, when his soul is overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life: he is oppressed with a grievous burden, he is not able to stir hand nor foot: he is not able to exercise the powers, and faculties of his soul to do any good, or to perform any spiritual dutte indeed. As for two of them, the two first; surfeiting and drunkenness, they disable a man from worldly performances, therefore much more from heavenly and spiritual performances. For the other the cares of this life; Covetousness, they burden the soul no less than the former, though I grant it is more slily and insensibly: nay, they burden the soul in these two respects more. First, surfeiting and drunkenness, they burden the soul but now and then, sometimes: no man is continually surfeiting, or drunk: but when Covetousness oppresseth the soul, it doth it constantly, it is a continual burden; therefore in that respect they burden the soul more than the former. Secondly, surfeiting and drunkenness, they burden the soul, not immediately, but by the body, they burden the body the instrument of the soul, and so by consequence the soul, but Covetousness burdens the soul immediately, it hangs a weight, as a plummet of lead upon every faculty or the soul, so that the soul cannot lift itself to any spiritual duty: it hangs a plummet of Lead upon every power of the foul whereby it becomes bowed and bended to the earth. Will you see the truth of this in some particulars? The highest, and noblest faculty of the soul, is the understanding, that whereby we apprehend, and judge of things, now covetousness clogs, and burdens the understanding. Take a covetous man, there is no man so dull, to apprehend spiritual things as he. Indeed in matters of the world, talk with him in his own sphere of the world, and worldly things, there I grant, he is quick and nimble enough, if not above, yet equal with others; for the most part above others. It fares with a covetous man, as it is with the Moon, when the Moon is enlightened in that part that is toward the earth, commonly his most dark in that part that is towards heaven, Simile. so it is in this: there is ignorance of spiritual things, oft times where there is the greatest light towards the things of the world. I say, talk with such a one in his own sphere, of matters of the world, and the things of it, he is quick and nimble enough, but come to spiritual things, that concern the life to come, and there he is a very Nichodemus, he understands nothing. Covetousness is to the understanding like the nail of jael: saith the Text, jael drove the nail through Siseras' temples when he was asleep, and fastened his head to the ground: so covetoushesse fasteneth the head, the understanding to the ground, that it cannot lift up itself to apprehend, and understand the things of the Spirit: we see then Covetousness it burdens the chief faculty of the soul, the understanding. And so for the other faculties, the will and the affections it burdens them, it makes the will and the affections of a man, when once it possesseth them, like the woman in the Gospel, that had a disease and infirmity 18. years, saith the Text, she was bowed together, that she could no way lift up herself, Luke 13.1. So it is with a covetous man, it bows the will to the ground, Luke 13.1. that he is not able to lift up himself to a through prosecution of that that is good, or to a constant declining, and flight from that which is spiritually ill. And so for the affections it bows them to the ground, that they are not able to lift up themselves to desire, and delight in any thing that is heavenly, not to love, and joy in any thing▪ but such as are earthly and sensual. I say, it bends them so to the ground, that they cannot constantly delight in these things. I grant that a covetous man for a fit, for a while, his will and affections may lift up themselves a little; but they are not able to hold out, the greatness of the weight bears him down again, and oppresseth him. He that hath his heart overcharged with covetousness, and so with surfeiting and drunkenness, he may for a while lift up himself: as a man that is oppressed with a burden, that gets the upper hand of him, and bears him down. Covetousness bows the understanding, the will and affections to the ground. And not only these, but likewise the fancy, and memory, and speech ●oo, it burdens those. Take a man that is covetous, his imagination works, and exerciseth itself about the things of the world. For his memory, it treasures up nothing, or but little else besides these. And so for his speech, the speech of a covetous man, Simile it is as the breath of a dying man: We say that when a man approacheth to death, his breath is earthly, so it is with the Discourse of a covetous man, it is of the earth. It burdens the fancy, and memory, and speech of a man: so that he dreams of nothing, he remembers nothing, he speaks of nothing willingly, with delight, ordinarily, but that which is earthly. You see then that Christ might well say, take heed lest your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and the cares of this life: for it is the property of these sins to overcharge the heart, as it is of a burden to press down, first from heaven to earth, but that is not all. They press down further, except we depose, 2. They press the soul from earth to hell. and disburden ourselves of them, they press the soul, as from heaven to earth, so from earth to hell: so saith the Apostle expressly for two of them, 1 Cor. 6.10. Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor effeminate, abusers of themselves with mankind, or thiefs, or covetous, or drunkards, shall ever inherit the kingdom of God. Neither covetous, nor drunkards, there are two of them; and so for the first of them, surfeiting: you see in Phil. 3.19. Phil. 3.19. the Apostle speaks of some whose belly is their God, whose end is damnation, and destruction. So likewise, Gal. 5.21. Gal. 5.21. the Apostle reckons surfeiting, or revelling among the works of the flesh, and tells them before hand that those that do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God, envy, murder, drunkenness and revelling, and such like; (revelling may signify, and doth properly, gluttony) of which I have told you before in time past, that they that do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. So then we see the grievousness of these sins in two things: First they press the soul from heaven to earth in the affections and exercise, and then except we be disburdened of them, they press the soul from earth to hell. Use. To take heed of this sin as a burden. If it be the property of these things, to burden the soul, it may be a motive to force this caution of Christ to take heed that we be not overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life. Why should we take heed, the reason is, because they burden the soul, and the heart. We are naturally of ourselves, lumpish and heavy enough to perform spiritual duties, we need not make ourselves more heavy. We bring into the world burden enough to press our souls, that makes us unfit for spiritual performances, we need not clog our souls with more unnecessary burdens. You will say, Object. those that are given to these sins, they feel not a burden, if it were the property of these sins to be a burden, than they that are subject to them would feel the burden, but we see they do not. I answer, Answ. Why men feel not the burden of their sins. it is true, they feel not the burden of them; the reason of it is this, because it is the property of these sins to take away the sense of them; the burden is not the less, because they feel it not; because it is the property of these sins to besot the soul and make it insensible that they cannot perceive the burden. The wise man saith as much of drunkenness, Prov. 23. ult. Prov. 23. saith he, thou shalt be, that is, if thou give thyself to drunkenness as one that lieth in the midst of the Sea, or the top of a Mast. The wise man resembles a drunken man to a man that lies on the top of a Mast in a great stone when there is danger, when the ship and the Mast reels, he lies there and thinks not of it, in his drunkenness he feels it not. And then in the last verse saith he, they have stricken me and I was not sick, they have beaten me and I felt it not. It is the property of drunkenness to make a man insensible of the wounds and plagues that he receives by it. I grant that they that are addicted to the these sins they feel not the burden, because it is the property of these sins to take away the sense of them; but what then? because they feel not the burden of them is it the less? Nay it is greater because it is not felt. As the Physicians say of diseases, of all diseases those are most dangerous that are not felt. And that is the reason that a Consumption it is hard to be cured because it is hard to be discerned till it have eaten and wasted the body so much that it is almost impossible to be cured. When it is easy to be cured it is almost impossible to be discerned, and when it is easy to be discerned, it is almost impossible to be cured: As of all diseases of the body those that are most dangerous that are not felt: So of all the burdens of the soul those are most dangerous that are not felt. The reason is, because the feeling of the danger makes men seek for remedy, and labour to be disburdened of them when they feel the burden; but when men feel not the burden that lies on them, they seek not for remedy, that is the first answer. But secondly if they feel not the burden now, the time shall come that they shall feel it, either when God opens their eyes to see the grievousness of their sins, and to give them the grace of repentance; or hereafter when they shall press the soul to the bottom of hell. First, if God open their eyes then they will be sensible of the burden. It is with sin, as the Philosophers say it is with heavy elements: it is a rule in Philosophy that an element in its proper place is not heavy, that is, it exerciseth not actually its heaviness. If a man lie under water though all the water be above him he feels not the weight of it; the reason is, because the water is in its proper place. So in a Well or Pump, when a man draws a bucket of water, he feels it not while it is under water, but when it is above water, he feels the burden then of it. So, as long as men lie under these sins, when God gives them not a hand to lift them up, they feel not the burden of them; but if God reach a hand of grace to lift them up, and open their eyes to see the grievousness of their sins, they feel the burden of them, and go and importune the throne of grace and desire to be disburdened, that is the first thing. But if they feel it not so, that God open their conscience, and their eyes here, they shall seel the burden of it hereafter. I told you what the Apostle saith, and what he saith to the Corinthians I say to you, that drunkards and covetous, I may say it of surfeiting also, they that are guilty of these things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. They press the soul to hell, and though for the present they take away the sense of them, yet afterwards, when it is past redress men shall be sensible enough of the burden. Use 2 To use remedies against these sins. Secondly, as it may serve for caution, to stir us up to a more diligent heed of these sins, so for remedy too, that if we have been, or be entangled with these sins, not to rest till we be disburdened of them. So we do in other things, when a burden rests upon our body, or estate, or name, we are careful and diligent to be disburdened of them. Shall we be careful of our bodies, of our estates, and of our name, and shall we not of our souls? do we desire that those may be free from burdens, and do we not desire that our souls may be free? It is the exhortation of the Apostle, Heb. 12.1. Heb. 12.1. saith he, since we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight that presseth down, and run with patience the race that it set before us. It is the advice of the Apostle to lay down every weight that we may run with patience the race that is set before us. Now surfeiting and drunkenness and the cares of this life, or covetousness, are weights and clogs that burden the soul and hinder a man, not only from running the race that is set before him, but they hinder him from so much as going; when a man is sunk under this burden he is not able to step or set one foot before another in this way: therefore we had need to be diligent to disburden ourselves, if we find ourselves burdened, & oppressed with these sins. But you will ask (if a man find himself after search, Quest. that he be oppressed with these sins) how shall he come to relieve and disburden himself? I answer briefly, to disburden ourselves of these sins; Answ. Means to be disburdened of these sins. First labour to feel the grievousness of them. Till a man feel the grievousness of the disease, he is not diligent to use the remedy, 1 To feel the grievousness of them. it is otherwise with spiritual diseases then with corporal: In corporal diseases, first we find the simptomes of them, and then we know them; but in spiritual diseases first we must know them before we can have the simptomes of them; before we can be relieved of them: the first thing we must labour for is the knowledge of the grievousness of them, to feel how they burden us both in spiritual duties and other, how they press our souls (except we be disburdened of them in time) even to hell. 2 Go to Christ for his Spirit. Secondly, let us go to Christ, for as it is Christ that bears our burden for us, so he likewise is able to take our burden from us. Let us go to him, and desire him to send his Spirit into our hearts, that is, a Spirit of strength and power able to lift off these burdens. For as I told you, when he saith here take heed lest your hearts be overcharged, it signifieth such a burden as is a grievous oppressing burden, such as cannot be lifted but with a Giants at me, such a burden are these sins; they oppress the soul, and none but the Spirit of God can case us of them. Therefore let us go to Christ and desire him to send his Spirit into our hearts to ease us of this burden. Look as it is with those that are troubled with the Incubus; the Nightmare, when they feel a great weight and burden on them, they put forth all their power to free themselv●● of it; so when we find this Incubus, this spiritual Nightmare to lie on us, and to press, not only our bodies but our souls, we should use all our strength and power to be free that so we may run with patience the race that is set before us. Thirdly and lastly, let us use the means, (besides these there are some means to be used) to disburden ourselves. 3. To practise the contrary. What are those? Look as in Physic the rule is; contraries are cured by contraries: so if we have burdened ourselves by surfeiting, let us disburden ourselves by the contrary: if we have burdened ourselves by eating immoderately, let us put the knife to our throat abridge ourselves in the use of meat, not to eat so much as we may do: for as I said before out of that doubtful author, he that will go in the use of indifferent things as fare as he may, to the utmost length of his tether, it is a thousand to one but that man will offend. He that sleeps upon the pitch or brink of a downfall or Precipis, it is twenty to one but he falls. And so for drunkenness if our hearts and souls be oppressed with the excessive use of strong drink faith the Apostle, rather than I will offend my brother I will not eat flesh while I live; if the Apostles argument be good, rather than I will offend my brother, I will not eat flesh, the argument will hold thus too, that rather than we will offend ourselves, and burden our souls, we will not drink strong drink while we live. Let us labour thu● to take a kind of holy revenge on ourselves, so the Apostle calls it, 2 Cor. 7.11. saith he, Behold this self same thing that you sorrowed after a godly sort, what clearing of yourselves, what revenge it hath wrought. I say thus we should take a spiritual revenge of ourselves, that if we have been overshot in the use of meat or drink and exceeded our bounds, that for the future we limit and abridge ourselves, and take a kind of revenge of ourselves. This is the way to disburden ourselves if we find that our hearts have been oppressed with these things. Use 3 Thirdly and lastly, if it be the property of these sins to burden the heart: then here take notice briefly of the perverse judgement of the world, The false judgement of the world. how contrary it is to the judgement of our Saviour: ask the world who have the lightest, and merriest hearts of all men; They will tell you those that far daintily, that are good fellows, they are jovial and merry hearts. But ask Christ, and he will tell us that surfeiting and drunkenness oppress the heart; they have not (as the world would make us believe) light-some hearts. It is true, if we will believe their faces, they seem to have lightsome hearts, if we will judge of their hearts by their sleiting, and laughter: but Solomon saith, Prov. 14.13. Prov. 14.13. That even in that laughter the heart is sorrowful: there is sorrow in their laughter, it is but from the teeth outward, and it is not so only for the present, but the end of that mirth is heaviness. It is sorrow for the present, and the conclusion is heaviness. Therefore whatsoever the world saith, Epicures and drunken men, such as are given to the immoderate use of meat and drink, those men have the heaviest hearts. Let the world say what it will, the life of a Christian is cheerful, he hath a lightsome heart. Saith Christ, Come unto me, Mat. 11. 2●. all ye that are weary, and heavy laden, and you shall find rest to your souls; Take my yoke upon you, for my yeake is easy. Christ's yoke is easy, he that hath given his name to Christ, that sets himself constantly to the performance of spiritual duties, h●●●ath a lightsome hear●. Nay, whereas 〈◊〉 other things, they may be● burdened; his body, and his estate may be burdened for a while, and his name may be burdened for a while, but his heart is light and merry. Therefore as the Wise man saith, A wounded spirit who can bear? But if the heart be well, it will bear a man's infirmities: so long as a man's heart is light: as long as the burden lies in a man's body, or his name, or estate, if the heart be light they may be borne. Of all men, a Christian, a good man, a conscientious man hath the lightsomest hear. This shall suffice to be spoken of the fourth part in general, what we are to take heed of, lest our hearts be burdened. I told you it is the property of these things to burden the heart. Now I come in the next place more particularly to tell you, what we are to take heed of, that our hearts be not overcharged with surfeiting. Take heed lest your hearts be oppressed at any time. With surfeiting. That is, with riotous, immoderate excessive eating. The word in the original is Clisani. The sense and derivation of the word is borrowed from those two pains and distempers of the head that is caused by sympathy, and consent of the head with the stomach, through distemper of riot, and inordinate eating. In the Latin it signifies those crudities that are caused in the stomach through immoderate excessive eating, when the heart is surcharged, when there is more meat than it is able to digest. Thence it is that Christ wisheth us here to take heed▪ Take heed to yourselves, saith Christ, lest your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting. Now look what Christ charged his Disciples; he chargeth us also as I told you out of Mark 13. ult. What I say unto you, Mark 13. ult. I say unto all. It was indeed spoken to them first, to the Disciples; it is our duty also to take heed lest at any time our hearts be overcharged with surfeiting. The point that I will insist on at this time, is this, that It is our duty to take heed, Doct. We should not be overcharged with immoderate eating. that our heart's 〈◊〉 not overcharged, with immoderate, and excessive eating. It is that that the Apostle warns, the Galatians of, in Gal. 5.21. to take heed of, Gal. 5.21. he reckons it among the works of the flesh, revelling, or gluttony. The works of the flesh are, envy, murder, drunkenness, revelling, or gluttony, and the like; Now see the caution, in the words following; Of which I tell you before, as I have told you in time past, that they that do such things, shall not inherit the kingdom of God. To stir up, and enforce caution, the Apostle sets before them the greatness of the danger, if they did suffer their hearts to be overcharged with revelling, and gluttony, it would be such a burden, as would press their souls down to hell, such as would exclude them from entering into the heavenly Canaan. So likewise the wise man in Pro. 23.20. saith he, Be not among wine-bibbers, Prov. 23.20. or riotous eaters of flesh. Observe, saith the Wiseman, be not among them. What? not among them, is there such danger? Is their company so contagious, and infectious, that we may not be among them? No, we must not willingly, ordinarily be among them; we must not choose such company to converse with, Why? because there is danger of infection; Danger in conversing with Epicures. First there is danger by their example. And then there is danger by their exhortation or counsel. First by their example, you know it is a saying, that seeing other men eat ofttimes brings a man a stomach: he that had no stomach, or appetite, by seeing others eat, it draws him on to eat; so the very sight of a man eating, that is a glutton, and gives scope and loseth the raines to his appetite it transports others that are spectators, by his example. Secondly, by counsel, you know men often call upon others, and say, eat neighbours, etc. as they give themselves to immoderate excess of eating: therefore in both these respects, we are not to affect or seek their company, it is dangerous, by reason of their example, and of their counsel. But why are we to take heed that ou● hearts be not overcharged with surfeiting? Reas. 1 I answer, first, because if our hearts be overcharged, It unfits us for good duties. we are unfit to perform spiritual duties. I told you before, surfeiting burdeneth and overcharged the soul, and makes it heavy, and lumpish, not able to lift up itself to perform any spiritual duty. It is a pretty conceit of Saint Chrysostome, in his first Homily on Genesis: that M●se●, S Chrysost. Gen. hom. 1. when he came from the Mount, and brought the two tables of the commandments with him when he perceived the people of Israel to whom he came, that they had filled themselves full, and betook themselves to dancing, and sporting themselves, saith Saint Chrysostome, he took the Tables, and threw them down; Why? he thought it an absurd, and unfit thing to give commandments for them to observe, who now had gorged themselves with meat. No man is so unfit for the service of God, to observe the commandments of God, as those that have surfeited, and filled themselves with meat. So, likewise saith our Saviour, Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting: In the next verse but one, saith he, Watch, and pray always, he opposeth watching and prayer to surfeiting. Those that have their hearts overcharged with surfeiting cannot watch and pray, and perform spiritual duties. Now therefore the first reason why we should be heedful that our hearts be not overcharged with surfeiting, is because it makes our soul's unfit for the performance of spiritual duties, it makes us unapt for the doing of that for which we came into the world. Reas. 2 Secondly, It is the nurse of security. we are to take heed of it, because surfeiting is the nurse of security. When a man hath filled himself with meat and drink, as it is apt to incline him to bodily sleep, so it is to spiritual sleep too, to security. He that gives himself to satisfy his sensual immoderate appetite, there is no man so subject to security. See the truth of this in those of the old world, in the time of Noah, though he preached to them that the world should be drowned, and overwhelmed, yet they cared not, they were secure, and careless, and feared not the threatening of Noah, nor the judgement of God: the reason is given, because they betook themselves too much to eating and drinking, Luke 17.27. Luk. 17.27. They did eat and drink, and marry wives, and give in marriage till the day that Noah entered into the Ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. But why did the flood come and destroy them? The reason is insinuated in these words, because they ate, and drank; that is, they gave themselves to immoderate eating and drinking. Reas. 3 Thirdly, It breeds many lusts. we should therefore be careful that our hearts be not overcharged with surfeiting; because surfeiting occasions, and breeds many lusts; it feeds the soul with lusts. It is with the soul, as it is in ground, commonly the rankest, and fattest soil is fullest of weeds; so it is in the body, the fullest and fattest bodies, those that are given most to satisfy their sensual appetite, they are troubled most with lusts that fight against the soul. As the Apostle Peter saith in that place; As pilgrims, and strangers abstain from fleshly lusts, that fight against the soul. If a man give himself to immoderate eating, he strengtheneth the flesh, to combat and fight against his soul: it gets the victory, and oppresseth, and bears down the soul. See the like in jerem., 5.8. Jer. 5.8. speaking of Israel, that they were as fed horses; In the morning every one neighs after his neighbour's wife: See the consequent, In the morning they are as fed horses; there is a surfeiting, they filled themselves to the full, then presently their souls are overborne, every one neighs after his neighbour's wife. There is the third reason why we should be careful not to have our hearts overcharged with surfeiting, because it fills our souls full of lusts. Reas. 4 Fourthly, It brings Gods judgements on us. and lastly, it brings on the judgements of God: Look as it was with Sodom, they were eating and drinking, and giving themselves to satisfy their sensual appetites, and the judgements of God came and swept them away suddenly and fearfully. Ezek. 16.49. Ezek. 16.49. Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread: there is surfeiting. Now in verse 50. Verse 50. Therefore I took them away as I saw good. They gave themselves to pride, and fullness of bread, to surfeiting and drunkenness, and God took them away as he saw good. So in Amos 6.4, 5, 6. speaking against the wantonness of Israel, Amos 6.4, 5, 6. he saith, They stretch themselves on beds of Ivory, they eat the lambs of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; that is, they did yield too much to their sensual appetite in the use of these things. Verse 7. What then? Therefore in verse 7. They shall go captive with the first that go captive: and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed. Because they gave themselves to satisfy their sensual appetite, and to the immoderate use of the creature, God would cut them short, and they should go into captivity, where they should be pinched with want, and penury. You see the reasons why we should take heed that our hearts be not overcharged with surfeiting. First, because it makes the soul unfit for spiritual duties. Secondly, it is the nurse of security. Thirdly, it fills the soul full of noisome lusts that fight against the soul. Fourthly, it provokes the judgements of God, as against us, so against others too. These sins are such, And against others. that they provoke the judgements of God not only against us, but against others. Oft times poor people smart with famine and penury: the reason is, because of the excess and immoderate eating of great ones. As in a mist, we say it is a sign of rain and showers, Simile. when the mists go up by the mountains: so when surfeiting sends up a mist in those mountains, those that are eminent above others in power or place, it is an argument it will bring rain, not only on the mountains, but on the holes and valleys, it will cause a storm and tempest. These sins are such sins as draw judgements not only on them that are guilty of them, but on others also. Reas. 5 I might add to these many other reasons, It hurts the body. as, first, we are to take heed of this, because it doth not disable the soul only, but the body also, it fills that full of diseases; in respect of which it is grown now a disputable question, and hath been long, whether surfeiting or the sword kill more. We complain that men in these times live not to the years of our forefathers. It is true, we live a less time, the reason is, because we eat more meat, we kill ourselves. Every glutton is guilty of his own death, at least if he be not guilty of his death manifestly, yet he is obliquely, he cuts his life short which he might else enlarge (I question not) to the days of our forefathers, if we were careful of our lives. Reas. 6 It doth not only disable our bodies, 6. It hurts his estate. but our estates, as we see it plainly in many of our gallants. It was a good saying of Plato a heathen man, a man undoes himself, by giving way to his sensual appetite, he devours his estate and patrimony. Reas. 7 It hurts not only ourselves in soul and body and estate, It wrongs the commonwealth. but it huits others, it hurts the common wealth, because by prejudicing of ourselves, by consequent we prejudice the common wealth whereof we are a part. You know what the Civillians say, it concerns the community, that every particular man use his estate well. Now if we use our estates ill, and impoverish ourselves in our estates, by consequence we impoverish the common wealth: if we make our bodies unfit by surfeiting to serve God, and our country we impoverish the country. Reas. 8 Lastly, It wrongs the poor. we hurt not only ourselves but our brethren, that might be relieved with our superfluity; we hurt our brethren, and so by consequence we come to be guilty of a double murder, by surfeiting we murder ourselves, and our poor brethren that by our superfluity might be relieved. I will not insist further on the reasons, but come to make some Use. Surely if ever it were seasonable to take heed of surfeiting, Use. it is at this time seasonable; (not only because it is a time, wherein God calls for fasting, and humiliation though in that respect we ought to take heed lest we be overcharged with surfeiting, but) because of the commonness of this sin, it is so common that there is almost no notice taken of it. We many times speak against drunkenness (and if there were not laws made against it, what could we expect but an inundation and catoclisme, and overwhelming? Time was it was the fault of Beggars, As drunk as a Beggar, they used to say, but now it is the fault of great ones, It is a fault not only of the night, and of the darkness, but of the noon day) but for gluttony, we lift not up our voices as trumpets as we should do. Simile. It is true it fares with the diseases of the soul as it doth in the body▪ Physicians tell us and we know by experience, when a man is troubled with the stone and the gout, if he have a pang and fit of the stone he feels not the gout; The reason is because of the violence of the stone, it is so grievous a pain that it bears down, and takes away the sense of the gout. Just so it is with surfeiting and drunkenness, they are both grievous diseases of the soul, but yet drunkenness is the more grievous, the reason is because of the violence of it, we take no notice of gluttony (but speak against drunkenness) though that be a work of the flesh, as we see Gal. 5. As the gout is a grievous disease, Gal. 5. though the stone be more grievous; so gluttony is a grievous disease of the soul though drunkenness be a more grievous. And if we that are Ministers had ever need to speak against gluttony, surely it is in this land, as we may see by that order lately setforth. It is a sin almost proper to this Land; we make ourselves a scorn by our intemperance in meat; and if we should speak against it in this nation, I know not where it should be more then in this place. But are so many guilty of sufeiting here? Quest. Let me tell you that we surfeit, Answ. Men surfeit many wayet. not only when we eat more than will do us good, more than we can digest, that is the most enormous surfeiting, but otherwise men surfeit diverse ways, 1. In eating too much. beside in quantity when they eat too much. 2. In quality. So also in quality, when they hunt for too delicious meat. It is the fault generally of nice curious dames, they esteem not meat so much by the taste, as by the daintiness and variety, not so much (as the Poet saith) by the taste, as by the price; when things are common they care not for them: this is a kind of gluttony. In Luke 16. the rich man that fared deliciously every day, he is called a glutton, why? It appears not by the Text that he over burdened his stomach, that he did eat more than he could digest, but because he fared deliciously every day, he hunted too curiously and too anxiously after dainty fare, this made him a glutton. So we commit gluttony in our immoderate and too careful seeking for dainty meat, when we are not content with such things as are common, but we must have such thing as are hard to be got, and are costly. As the Poet saith, we have a kind of humour that we scorn to be satisfied with every thing, but only with such things as are hard to be got; things when they come out first, and are of great price are fittest for us. This is a kind of surfeiting. 3. In respect of time. Eating at unseasonable times. Thirdly, a man may become guilty of surfeiting in respect of time, two ways. Not only when they eat unseasonably, jer. 5.8. As fed horses in the morning, Jer. 5.8. such as when in the morning they should betake themselves to their devotion to the performance of spiritual duties, they fall to cram themselves, that scarce their eyes are opened, but they open their mouths to fill themselves. So saith the wise man in Ecelesiastes, Woe to the O Land whose Princes eat in the morning. No question, it is not a fault for men to eat in the morning, nay I am persuaded that men are bound in such times as these, that live in an infected air, to eat in the morning, it is physical; but when men constantly eat in the morning, and so eat as they are made unfit for spiritual duties, this is a kind of surfeiting. Philosophers say that when a man hath eaten somewhat he is lighter than when he fasts, and they give the reason, because the Spirits are more refreshed; I dispute not that problem, I think the contrary that a man is not lighter, though he be in his heart, yet he is not in the scales or balance; but spiritually when a man is fasting he is more active and quick for the performance of spiritual duties. Now men that in the morning betake themselves to eating and drinking they become guilty of surfeiting and gluttony, because they are made unfit for spiritual duties. 2. Spending too much time in eating. But that is not all, there is another gluttony in respect of the time, that is, when they bestow too much time and stay too long in satisfying of their appetite, (I mean not upon extraordinary occasions at feasts, etc. for then we may seek for delicacies, and we may sit longer then at other times, but) when we ordinarily sit an hour, or two, or three hours at a meal, when we do not make it as we should do, a by thing, but we make it our work, and our employment. We complain that our time here is short; but as Seneca saith, we may find fault with ourselves that it is so short. How easy is it for a man to satisfy nature soon, and betake himself to his general or particular calling? Now when we shall spend not half an hour but an hour, or two or three hours, and sit all night before we can rise from meat: this is a kind of surfeiting; we deprive ourselves of our time. This is not to redeem time, but to spend time and ourselves, that that God liath given us for the doing good to ourselves and others, we cast it away carelessly in superfluities upon ourselves. We speak to men, and tell them, if they desire a blessing on themselves, and to keep the judgements of God from them, let them be diligent in their callings, and pray in their families, and in their closerts; alas, they are so full of employments they cannot spare time to pray with their charge, yet they can spend two or three hours, sometimes a whole day in visiting their friends, and in holding an idle chat with others, they can spend three or four hours fitting at meals. How much better were it, to take away some time, to improve and redeem time (that we cast away) for examining ourselves upon our beds? to go and make our peace with God, to search and try ourselves? Thus we become guilty of gluttony, and surfeiting, not only in respect of the quantity, by eating too much, and in respect of the quality in curiosity; (Ahad did not search more curiously for Eliah, through the land then some do after delicacies) but also in respect of the time, when we eat in the morning, (though it be not absolutely unlawful, but) when we so eat as to make us unfit for good duties, as when we eate too long, or eat in the times of humiliation, when there is no necessity of eating, as in the times of fasting. Some men are made such slaves to their appetite, that if it bid them come, they must come, if it bid them provide such a dish they must have it. They are slaves to their appetite, they set appetite in a throne, it hath dominion in them, when that commands they must obey. That is a third kind of gluttony in respect of the time. Fourthly and lastly, 4. men are guilty of surfeiting by an anxious care for meat before hand, When men take too much care for meat. Rom. 13. and by too sensual a delight in eating for the time. First, for too anxious care before hand. This is that the Apostle speaks of Rom. 13. making provision for the flesh: such men as use care to provide for the flesh. You will say, Quest. may not a man use lawful care to provide necessaries for himself? Yes, Answ. but when men are too anxious, that all their thought is on meat; and what shall we have next time? See if you can get such a dish, etc. when a man is to anxiously careful in an immoderate manner, he becomes guilty of surfeiting. Lastly, men are guilty of immoderate eating, they are guilty of gluttony, when in the use of meat they are too much transported. When a man doth not as he should use meat only for the satisfying of nature, and for enabling of himself to undergo the duties of his general, or particular calling, but is transported, and too much affected with it, and gives too much way to his sensual appetite, so that he thinks it the only contentment, the only pleasure in the world. There are some such men that think there is almost no contentment in the world, but to relish fine, and pleasant dishes. It is not so much our meat that makes us gluttons, as our affection toward our meat: such men are just like those the Apostle speaks of, Phil. 3.19. Phil. 3.19. They make their belly their god. Why so? because they give all their devotion to their belly, they take the greatest pleasure and contentment in satisfying their belly. Such are those too, that if they want a dish that they desire, they are never quiet; and if they be spoken to, they are ready to say, Hath not God given to us all the creatures alike? It is true, but mark the fallacy; while they use their liberty they lose it. God hath given us liberty to eat meat, and any kind of meat, if it be in our calling, and we be able to provide for ourselves with the caution before mentioned; but these men lose their liberties they bring themselves into such an estate, that they cannot want it. There are some men, let them want Tobacco, or such a dish as they devote themselves to, they cannot live. This is that that the Apostle saith, in 1 Cor in. is to bring a man's self under the power of a thing. Saith the Apostle, it is lawful for a man to eat any thing, but saith he, I will not bring myself under the power of any thing. How doth a man bring himself under the power of any thing? When a man yields too much to his appetite, that he is brought to this pass, that he is a slave to his appetite: if it call for such a dish, he must have it; if it call for such viands, he cannot be without them: Then a man is brought under the power of meat. In using our liberty, if we do not look to it, we may lose our liberty. If we examine ourselves by these rules, we shall find that there are few, but they are guilty of surfeiting, not only in respect of quantity, when they are immoderate, but in regard of quality, when they are too delicate, and in respect of time, as we see in Amos 6. They did eat the calves out of the stall; and the lambs out of the flock, when God called for humiliation; they remembered not the afflictions of joseph. And last of all, when we are too careful to provide ourselves before hand, or else are too much transported in the use of meat, by these means we become guilty of surfeiting. Therefore we should follow the advice of our Saviour here, take heed left at any time our hearts be overcharged with surfeiting. FINIS. THE GENERATION OF SEEKERS. COLLOS. 3.1. Seek those things which are above. YOu see my Text is a consequent from the former words, If you be risen with Christ. It sufficeth not that a proposition be good, except the consequent and illation be also strong. The Apostle therefore having premised the former part of the proposition, the antecedent; If ye be risen with Christ, he here brings in the consequent of the proportion, seek those things that are above. And here it is needful I suppose, (both for the quitting of our Apostle from all suspicion; and also for the clearing of that that follows) to stay a while and view the several ligaments by which the two parts of the Text are knit together. And briefly to inquire into those grounds and reasons, why if we be risen with Christ, we must seek those things that are above. And for this inquiry I confess there is not any thing specified in the Text: but I appeal to any judicious auditor if it be not herein employed. My Text being like a well couched building, wherein the stones and only the principal materials are in the view, but the Cement and Mortar is undiscernible; If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above. Admirable is the logic and sinews of our Apostle in this place; affecting here rather strength of sense, than language, and pregnancy of reason above eminency of words. Two reasons enforcing the seeking things above. Two reasons I find especially, whereup. on these words are grounded, which as the foundation in the architecture gives strong support to the whole: either of them able to infer, both together to enforce this duty. There was great reason that the Colossians now risen with Christ, should seek those things that are above, whether we look to the direct beams above, or the reflect beams on themselves, whether we respect, God that raised th●m, or Themselves that were raised. 1. In respect of God. First, in respect of God that raised them; by way of common thankfulness, to give their future life to him that had given them life; to employ those gifts and graces that they had so lately received from his hands in his sevice, to the honour of the donor. An argument, in the, balance of the Apostle, weighty and ponderous; therefore when else where he goes about to urge the Romans to the like duty; as one that well knew how potent above the rest this was, he makes choice of this, Rom. 6.13. Rom. 6.13. give not your members weapons of unrighteousness to sin, but give yourselves to God: Why? As those that are alive from the dead; or because you are quickened with Christ. Every blessing that God bestows upon us, is or should be so many real persuasions, Spiritual blessings special obligations, and bonds and obligations to tie, and bind us to obedience: but spiritual blessings, such as the raising of these Collossians mentioned in the Text, they lay so much a stricter bond on us, by how much more they be excellent in themselves, and beneficial to us. The time once was that the Collossians were darkness, but now they are light in the Lord. They were once the vassals of Satan, but now they are the servants of Christ; they were once dead in trespasses and sins, but now they are alive, raised from the dead. Sinews of Brass, a heart of Adamant and Steel, must needs relent in the sense and memory of such a mercy, to bend it to holy and gracious duties. It is the ignorance of men to think that the doctrine of Christ is a doctrine of carnal liberty, that the Gospel is a Charter, and immunity from obedience, at least from that strict obedience to which men were tied under the Law. As if because God hath done more for us then for them, therefore we should do less for him; that because we are eased of that clog of ceremonies, and such burdens, we might load ourselves with more guilt; and because he hath purchased our freedom from sin, therefore we might take freedom to sin: or because with these Collossians we are quickened with Christ, therefore we may crucify afresh the Lord of life by unlawful courses, and as much as in us lies still hinder our reviving. I would to God this age had afforded no such sophisters, in whom profaneness, like a distemper hath turned the Physic administered for their cure to a disease, that hath made these mercies of God one powerful pretence to sin, and an occasion to lose the reines, and to pour out themselves to all wickedness. How much better was the practice of that gracious Matron, Peter's wives mother? Matth. 8.15. Matth 8.15. no sooner Christ had cured her, but presently she arose and ministered to him, she consecrated the first fruits of her health and strength to the service of Christ. Nay how much better was the Logic of gracious joseph, in whom the memory of his matters kindness showed in advancing of him, was a sovereign remedy to keep him from the enchantments of his mistress; ever upon the review of it concluding how shall I do this wickedness and sin against God? Gen. 39.9. Gen. 39 9 But I forget myself, that all this while I dwell upon a circumstance; but what was spoken to these Collossians is fit for us. I hope there are some here present that with these Collossians in the Text are raised already to the life of grace (I pray that all may) and therefore in that respect stand as deeply bound as they to seek those things that are above. If you please to go along, and parallel, and lay our happiness to the scales with theirs, you will confess that we are bound more. A greater obligation on us then those in former times. First, the Colossians were yet in their minority; when the Apostle wrote this Epistle, the light of the Gospel, it was but even now broken out amongst them; those thick clouds and mists of Gentilism and superstition wherein they were formerly wrapped, were scarce dispelled. And when once the Sun was risen among them, and with his wont speed hastened to his height, upon the sudden he set at once, and to them ended in perpetual darkness. Even this our Apostle, though himself were cut off with an untimely end; yet he saw these Collossians go to their grave alive, and were swallowed by an earthquake as Eusebius witnesseth. But for us I appeal to all venerable records of antiquity, if any time since Christ hath afforded a Church on which the beams of heaven hath shone so bright and so clear as on ours? The Gospel we have now a long time enjoyed. It is not many years ago since they said we were going to our Climacterical year; and almost all men's hearts failed them. And if you will believe the world, still there is somewhat unlucky coming towards us: they will tell us that the concurring of this n =" *" Easter day▪ 1626. day with our Ladies, certainly imports some ill. Alas, did not our sins portend worse than this, we still might hope that the light of the Gospel would continue with us, and that Religion should not have a fatal period as it is sometimes with men. Secondly, these Collossians, though they were novices, and weak; yet they had whole armies and squadrons of enemies. Besides those cunning Sophisters that went about to put tricks and fallacies on them, Col. 2.4. Collos. 2.4. And besides a band of Newters that came into the field with mixed colours, bearing partly Moses and partly Christ, that pretended to be confederates, but intended to betray them. Besides these there was a troop of paynims, and Pagans, and subtle heathen Philosophers, that with banners displayed, and open defiance made war against them, saith Salvian upon the second of this Epistle. Salvian on Collos. 2. I believe his chronology failed him; for Eusebius saith that that Sect sprang not up till the second of Fabian: But I say, still there were some adversaries that made war against them, so the word signifies, Chap. 2. Vers. 8. Take heed that no man carry you away. The word there is a military term expressing those acti silogizan that they use to make in hostile affairs. But as for us, I must confess with sorrow of heart that too many Romish dogs there be that lie abroad in the Caves and blind corners of the I and, that as the Apostle speaks, 2 Tim. creep into silly men and women's house's; I say, the truth is, though there be too many Romish emmissaries among us; yet thanks be to God, openly to profess and publicly to maintain superstition (as those hypocrites among the Colossians) they dare not. I hope such hath been the restraint by the force of the Laws, and such hath been the care of our Religious King (whi●h God more and more increase) that I hope they never shall (and I pray that they never may) prevail more against us. And let those eyes fall out with looking when our Land shall be like them. I will proceed no further in the parallel. O that we would every day set aside some time, to account God's mercies to us; how powerful would it be to awaken us to seek those things that are above? When Satan shall solicit us to commit any evil, how powerful would it be to repulse him, and to put all by, as joseph waved his mistress enticement, with a how shall I do this and sin against God? Or if the memory of these Collossians be buried with their Carcases, than I beseech you cast your eyes abroad on foreign nations this day, and the miseries that are on them will read the mercies of God to you. How many Cities and Countries are there where the sound of the Gospel is not? at least not sincerely preached and heard? But alas, alas, how many are there where the sound of the Gospel cannot be heard, for the noise of Drums, the rattling of Armour, the roaring of Canons, and the confusion of wars that drown the cry of the Preachers, as they drowned the cry of their children in their sacrifices to Moloch? while we alone have enjoyed the Gospel in safety; I would to God with sincerity. What can we think, but that God who hath bestowed his blessings on us with a more liberal hand then upon others, doth expect from us as from the Colossians (in the Text) that we seek those things that are above, more than others? What little comfort will it be to us that we have had these favours, if we go on in sin? the increase of God's blessings upon us here, will be an augmentation of our punishments hereafter. I conclude the point; then we make a right use of God's blessings when (as water pipes that send the water as high as is level with the head,) what we receive from the hand of God, we return to him again. This is the first ground whereupon the Apostles argument is built. The love of God shown to these Colossians in raising them to the life of grace, laying upon them an obligation by way of thankfulness to seek those things that are above. The next ground follows. If [Ye] he risen with Christ then seek the things that are above. 2. In respect of ourselves, Then the second argument is drawn from them; these Colossians were now risen with Christ, therefore now it became them as men of another world, to devote themselves to the study, and contemplation of the things above, and no longer to be in the pursuit of things below. To see Moales, and Swine, men of the earth as the Psalmist saith to be diligent, still to dig in the earth, who would wonder; but to see such as profess themselves strangers and Pilgrims on earth, such as all should be that are risen with Christ, to see them set up their staff and their rest, as if there were no celestial city, no further jerusalem to be looked for but this earthly (like him that would not give his part in Paris for his part in Paradise. And (by the way) I cannot greatly blame him, it seems this man had some part in the one, and none in the other) such as whose profession is to renounce the world and themselves, to see such, such I say to run themselves breath. less to be keen and eager in the pursuit of the things below! to profess a resurrection with Christ, when yet their thoughts and affections savour of nothing but earth; what is it, if this be not a strange incongruity? As the man that fixed his eyes on the earth, and stretched his hands to heaven, and cried O jupiter. Or like the cheating votaries of Rome that profess poverty, in plenty of riches. The care of those that will adorn their profession. The care of all those that desire to adorn their calling, it must be the same that the Apostle wisheth the Colossians, to weigh not only what is lawful for them to do, but what is comely and graceful; not only what may stand with a good conference: but with the credit and honour of Religion also. What else mean those frequent exhortations of the Apostle as well in other places as here, to walk worthy and as becometh Saints, Ephes▪ 5.3. To walk honestly, Ephes. 5.3. 1 Thes. 4 12. or after the best fashion, as it is 1 Thes 4 12. and what means that adorning of the Gospel of jesus Christ in all things? I say, what mean those exhortations of the Apostle, but to teach us that we are to respect (as these Colossians should) what becomes our present profession. It was lawful for David, 2 Sam. 24. 2 Sam. 24. to accept of the offer of Araunah the Icbusite, to have taken the threshing place for a floor to have erected an Altar, and his Oxen for a sacrifice, and his threshing instruments for wood; but David would not, he saw it did not stand with the honour and munificence of a King to offer sacrifice to the Lord of that that cost him nothing. It is a rule of Canisius in the twelfth of his common places, and commended by him to the consideration of all Divines, that when they go about to dispute of things that are supernatural, and above, let them remember and recount with themselves, what they are; remember that they are Divines, and that will be a restraint that they shall do nothing, nor say nothing unworthy that sacred profession. A rule useful not for Divines only, but men of all qualities and conditions and ranks whatsoever that desire to adorn the Gospel; whether in their general calling of Christianity which the Apostle here means, or in those particular forms and stations wherein they are set in the Church, or common wealth: give me leave to exemplify it by one or two for all. Art thou a Magistrate? then think what becomes a Magistrate: say to thyself thus, what? a Magistrate and smile on villainy? a Magistrate and discountenance goodness? a Magistrate and an enemy, and not a furtherer of frequent preaching? a Magistrate and suffer the crying sins of the times to walk in the streets, and to outface the Sun without control, with impunities? doth this become a Magistrate? Art thou a Minister? memorable is that in Eusebius, Euseb. lib 5. cap. 17. wherewith one flouts the false Prophets in his time: what (saith he) art thou a prophet? what, a Prophet and a dicer? a Prophet and a dancer? a Prophet and a Usurer? He might have gone on, what, a Minister and a swearer? a Minister (indeed I am ashamed to speak it) art thou a Christian and blasphemest the name, and deridest the Ministers, and contemnest the word, and tramplest on the servants of Christ? Admirable was the resolution and renowned the practice of Nehemiah upon this ground, that being warned by the false Prophets to fly into the Temple before the enemies for his refuge: as one that well knew how dishonourable this would be to God, and to himself that was now a Commander and General of the jews; he makes this reply stoutly: what, shall such a man as I fly? shall such a man as I go into the Temple to save my life? I will not go, Nehem, 6.11. Nehe. 6.11. I conclude this point; what is the world but a wide Theatre, whereon each man acts a part; God looks on us, and Saints and Angels, and the Church. Our special care ought to be to demean ourselves well. What becomes a Peasant doth not beseem a Prince; others may seek after things below, it doth not become a man that is risen with Christ. The neglect of which decoram in some men which have professed themselves Christians, hath exposed the very profession itself to disgrace: when men have compared their lives wi●h the rule there hath been so wide a difference that some men's lives in this respect is no better than a continual solisizme. This is the second ground upon which the Apostle would have them seek those things that are above. First they are tied to do it in thankfulness: And then it was seemly for them to do so. I now go on to the exhortation, and that is in these words, seek those things that are above. Which being a proposition, I should observe in it according to the Law of propositions two parts. The Subject Predicate. I will choose rather to distinguish the words into, An Act, Parts of the Text. and its Object. The Act, Seek. The Object, Those things that are above. I begin first with the object as that which is first in nature; 1. An Object. and there I will show what these things that are above are; and why they are so styled. Secondly, I will go on to the Act, and there having found what it is to seek. 2. An Act. We will in the next place by the rule of Logic resolve this hypothetical proposition into a Catagoricall. If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things that are above. Those that are risen with Christ ought to seek the things that are above. Fourthly, we will go on to inquire into the conditions required in seeking; the means and some Characters whereby we may take the height of the elevation of our thoughts, and whereby we may know if we seek the things above, And lastly to conclude all, I will mention a few arguments of some validity, to seek the things that are above. Of all these briefly. 1. Things above, what; First of the Object, what is meant by things above, and why they are styled so. The best rule to know the meaning of any Text of Scripture is to compare it with more. It, being with this sacred body, as it is with a Lute, or Instrument with strings, Simile. which by stringing one or two you may tune the whole. The knowledge of our Apostles Aim and scope in this present Chapter it will not a little advantage us in the enquity of this, what the things above are. Which being (as all the arguments here are) to persuade the Colossians to holiness; it must needs follow by the rules of Logic that by things above are either meant, Something wherein the nature and essence, and divine qualities of holiness consists. Or the practice and possession that may be attained. Or something bordering upon it. The word largely contains in the reach of it, all things that make for the eternal welfare of the soul. All those graces mentioned by the Apostle in this Epistle and else where. Faith, love, joy, hope, sincerity, the fear of God, the remission of sins, peace of conscience, and freedom from the dominion of sin; all which are wrapped in these words, things above, which (as it were) is the abridgement of all. Which spiritual graces, though they be chief meant here; yet I dare not, nor I do not say they are only meant. It may be and I think verily the Apostle looks further than thus, and by things above, he looks hot only to the means, but to the end: the state of grace and glory. And well may these two, grace and glory lie couched in one word, since grace and glory differ not in nature but in degrees, grace being nothing but glory begun, and glory being grace consummate. Yet I shall in the process of my ensuing discourse adhere rather to the former; and so by things above, understand especially things concerning the state of grace here; here, because though the Apostle meant not them only, yet he immediately looks on them, as those that were nearest, so that by these things above we must come if ever, to the state of glory hereafter. Why called things above. These things above I understand to be spiritual gifts, and graces; fitly here styled things above. First, in respect of the source and original, because they deserve to challenge the prime place among those perfect gifts that are from above, jam. 1.7. Jam. 1.7. every grace being a ray, and stamp of the deity. That is the first reason, they are called things above, because they come from above. Secondly, in respect of the end, to which spiritual graces lead, that is, to heaven which is above; they are as so many steps to that heavenly Zion, and as jacob called that place B●thel, the gate or suburbs of heaven. Thirdly, and lastly, they are called so in reference to the place where they shall enjoy these graces in full perfection, that is, in heaven, above. For so it hath pleased that wise and uncontrollable steward to dispense his gifts and graces here, that while we live here on earth, we only have the first fruits, some small handful of grace; but for the harvest, the full crop, that is reserved till we come to heaven above. Therefore they are called things above in a●l these respects. You see then how spiritual graces may be styled things above, In respect of the original whence they came, end to which they lead, place where we shall enjoy them in full measure. This shall suffice for the first enquiry concerning the Object, what is meant by things above, and why they are so called. Seeking, what. I come to the Act, Seek. The metaphor implies servency, not as Becanus the jesuite defines it, (a desire, and rest) absurdly; but it is joined with exact care, and the utmost endeavour for the obtaining of somewhat that we formerly lost, or did not before enjoy, a desire to find it. The truth is that once man in Paradise was like his Maker, bravely accomplished with all spiritual graces, called here things above; but no sooner did man fall from his due subjection, but presently he was disrobed of these, and shut out of Paradise. When guilty Cain was pressed with his brother's blood, he was ever seeking those precious jewels he had lost and found them not. The sense of the loss of those spiritual graces is left behind, that impression is in the minds of all. The heathens themselves by the purblind eye of nature could easily discern that they wanted somewhat, though they knew not what to seek, nor how to find. But when the light of grace breaks into the soul as it did to these Collossians; than it seeks the things above and leaves not till it have found them, nor then, till it have at atrained them in full fruition in heaven above. As it is with some wanton stream that parting from the Ocean, Simile. runs all along in the dark windings and passages of the earth, till at last it breaks up, and when it is broken forth, as ashamed of its wand'ring, it presently returns with a restless unwearied course, and seeks here and there till it find the Main from whence it strayed. This for the second enquiry concerning seeking, which implies the height, and best of our care for the attaining these things above, such as concern the spiritual welfare of our souls. Which briefly premised, it will be easy in the third place to resolve this single hupotheticall proposition into a catagoricall, If ye be risen with Christ, that is, because you are risen with Chr st, seek the things above. The proposition is, Propos. Those that are risen with Christ ought to seek the things above. that Those that are risen with Christ ought to see the things that are above. A lesson taught by him (that as one styles him) was the best teacher, in whose divine Sermon upon the mount you shall find that he bids us seek, and in the first place the kingdom of God, and the righteousness of it, Matth. Matth. 6.33. 6.33. And indeed what is the sum of all our Sermons? or wherefore serve Preachers, Hilary, as Hillary styles them, those seeking men of eternity? but to call for this sursum Corda, to bring men to a constant minding of the things above. A duty so proper to them that with these Colossians are risen to the life of grace, that David makes it the proper character and badge of the Church Psal. Psal. 24.6. 24.6. This is the generation of them that seek the Lord, of them that seek thy face, this is jacob. But, oh! that it were as easy to persuade men to practice, as to convince them of the duty. We cannot find these things, but we must seek them with diligence; and that we will not do, unless we highly prise and affect the things we seek, neither of which we will or can do, except we know our want of them, and their worth, all of which in the fourth place are, Conditions requesite in seeking. The conditions that are requisite in seeking. First, 1. Diligence. diligence; if we will seek the things above, we must seek diligently. The word imports industry, and sweat. And indeed what in the world deserves our best endeavours if not these things? What may justlier challenge the utmost of our strength, the sinews ol our souls, if not that upon which depends the eternal welfare of our souls? Me thinks when I look abroad in the world, and see how busy men are in the pursuit of earthly things; with what unwearied industry, and disposition they pursue, and with what eager appetite they snatch at things below, as if the dust of the earth were not sufficient to give every man a handful: me thinks I know not whether to entertain them with pity, or with scorn. When I see such men concerning their souls, to be negligent in what terms they stand with God, what assurance of the remission of their sins, etc. Alas, alas, these thoughts are seldom entertained; these desires are banished, as if these things above were to be lighted on without seeking, or it skilled not greatly whether they be found or no. Thus with Shemei while men look their servants they lose themselves. Secondly, we must seek them with love, that is another thing in seeking; 2. Love. where love is, it setes an edge on our seeking, it will make us look over all indignities, and sweeten all the crosses we meet with here, and cause us like high flying Eagles to neglect the chirpping of Sparrows; as jacob that was scorched in the day and pinched in the night, yet love made all seem as nothing to him Thirdly and lastly, there must be knowledge of our own want, 3. Knowledge of and of the worth of these things. First, 1. our want. our want of these things, without which we are children of wrath here, and shall hereafter assuredly be sons of destruction. With which we are here the sons of God, and shall hereafter be with God in glory. We must bring ourselves to a sight of our want; for nature till it be convinced of that, will not seek abroad, and be beholding to any. Of all lets and bars that hinder men from seeking these things above, Pride hinders seeking. there is nothing like to pride. It is the observation of the royal Prophet David, Psal. 10. The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God, Psal. 10. It is true other men do not seek after him, but the proud scorns to be beholding to God; therefore before we can bring ourselves to seek them we must be convinced of our want of them. Now for that, what need any other argument but this injunction, Seek? Seeking is of the nature of hope; and he that hopes saith Aquinas is imperfect yet, Aquinas. and wants something thing that he hopes for. Tertull. And saith Tertullian in his twenty third book of the resurrection, we use not to seek for that we have; so that the very injunction here to seek is enough to convince any reasonable man, that he wants these things above. But the exact knowledge of the worth of these things, and of our want of them, it may be sought, but it is not else where found but in the Scriptures only, which alone is that impartial beam of the Sanctuary, which can help us to take the worth of the one, and that impartial glass that represents to the life, and shows us the face of our own souls, and consequently, our want of these things above. In the mean while injurious in both these respects is the domeniering Prelate of Rome, while by a sacrilegious robbing of the laiety of the Oracles of truth, and fearing lest their own blindness should be discovered, they labour to put out, or at least to hide them. As if it were with Men as it is with Doves, that being blinded they should fly up directly to the things above; to make men in Religion to grope, and seek they know not what; while by their doctrine of freewill, and merit of congruity, that man by doing that which is in the power of nature may dispose himself to justification, and so puff up depraved nature against the grace of God. Hark what that Romish pander Becanus speaks, saith he, our first parents lost not by the fall two graces, Faith and Hope: why? because these carry no repugnancy or contrariety to the fall. Thus Popery is the bane of Piety, and the destruction of souls like a draught of deadly poison which makes men swell, Simile. and die. This for the fourth enquiry concerning the conditions necessarily required in seeking the things above. The means of seeking. I come now to the means by which we must seek. It was not the least part of the unhappiness that attended Adam's fall, that besides the utter loss of the things above, he lost the skill, and means whereby to recover them. We are all of us borne wanderers; Psal. 119. ult. we go astray from the womb as lost sheep, Psalm 119. verse ult. Like lost sheep, how is that? We are not only out of the way, but we want skill and power to seek it again, much more to find it unless God that gives ability to the one, gives success to the other. Yet some means there be that God hath appointed to us for the finding of these things above, which we must make diligent use of: and from the ignorance, and neglect of these means come two general miscarriages, that men seeking the things above, either they know not the right, or they take the wrong point of the Compass. Among the means for the attaining of these things above, 1. The Word preached. why may I not in the first place give the Garland, and precedency to the Word Preached? A sacred ordinance of a large and Catholic virtue, which as the Sun not only discovers by his light, but by its influence doth effect what ever may make for our spiritual estate in grace here, or fit us for glory after. Here being not only the privileges and prerogatives of Faith, but Faith itself with all her sister graces. Or if it be freedom from the dominion of sin; the Word preached is the mighty Armour of God, 2 Corinth. 2 Cor. 10. 10. for the battery and demolition of all Satan's strong holds. Or whether it be peace of conscience in assurance of the remission of sins, the word being as interpreters call it, the voice of the Harpers harping (in the Revelation) which is only able to calm the conscience. Secondly, 2. Prayer. prayer, that is another means whereby to seek these things above. Eyes lift to heaven where these things are, conveying thence to the soul what may make for the abundant supply of its necessities. In the neglect of which exercise can we wonder, if we want the things above? If our hearts be as the Wilderness or Heath, empty of all good? If our souls be over run with lusts like a neglected Field with brambles, and briers for want of husbanding? Our hearts are as the Cords of a Watch, Simile. if they be not wound up morning and evening, all spiritual motion will quickly be at a stand. Another means is one of Luther's Schoolmasters, 3. Meditation. by which he confessed he thrived more than by the rest; to which he attributed a great part of his being in grace: The practice of Religious Isaac, Gen. Gen. 24. 24. who went into the field at eventide to meditate. And it is fitly joined by the ancients to prayer as the two wings of the Christians soul, by which it soars to contemplation, and attains those things above. It is the policy of our common ene-enemy as Chrisologus styles him, Chrisologus. the sworn enemy of mankind, who knowing how powerful a means meditation is, to retire ourselves from worldly things, and betake ourselves to divine contemplation to get the things above, he labours to keep us from it by all his strength, and by diverse means. Sometimes by causing us to stoop to his lure, by committing any sin; Simile. and who knows not that every sin, as a plummet of Lead clogs the soul, and hinders the actions of it? But especially he keeps us from meditation by keeping us in the throng: by perpetual puz elling us in business, he steals us from ourselves, and gives us not time to retire. Alas, ask most men what hours they set apart for prayer, and meditation? They will answer, I have so much business, I cannot turn myself to it: Oh the policy; and stratagems of Satan! I say he keeps us by this from the exercise of devotion by which we should attain the things above, he keeps us in the throng of business, did I say business? Nay how many are kept away from this divine exercise by spending their time foolishly in Courtship, and I would not worse? Whence it comes to pass that I look (I profess) with pity upon many great ones, whose lives are a story of sin, whose sins it comes to pass are never cured, because they are always in motion. You that are Gentlemen, sequester some time; if not every day, yet at least every week, bid all other business stand by, and attend on your closet to think of the things above, how to attain what you want, and how to increase what you have attained. You that are tradesmen, take off yourselves from other affairs, retire home and examine your spiritual estate with God. And we that are Scholars should vindicate some time from the study of Books to read ourselves. All of us should set aside some time for the thinking of the things above, to examine what spiritual graces we need, that we may use the means to attain them, and what sins we have committed, that we may repent of them, for fear the sad time of death come and cut our thread, and then we go down to the Chambers of death. Let us examine to what sins we lie open that we may fortify ourselves against them, that the evil one have no power over us. All these things are contained in the things above, and all these we must seek here if we desire to attain the blessing of them hereafter. Let this suffice to be spoken of the first inquiry concerning the means whereby to seek these things above. There remains only two more. The characters by which we may know if we seek these things. And the motives. The sig●●● of seeking. You see how we ought to seek the things 'bove. But alas, the over eager pursuit of the things below! we see how coldly and faintly (if at all) we seek the things above; which if we did seek as we ought, it could not choose but abate the edge of our desires to these earthly things, Neglect of earthly things. and cause us as strangers and pilgrims to use the world as not enjoying it, as Saint Austin said long before, to make it our servant; to be content like that noble Bird that desiring to fly aloft, when she is compelled by hunger to descend, she unwillingly obeys, and presently dispatcheth that she may up again; which contempt and neglect of the things below, it is a sign we seek the things of heaven, and though our bodies be on earth that we hold our conversation in heaven, where we look and fix our eyes through all earthly contentments. We should be on earth as a wheel is, that though it move upon the earth, yet the least part toucheth it. That is the first; if we will seek the things above, Simile. we must not too eagerly seek the things below. 2. Sorrow in want of heavenly things. Secondly, if we seek the things above can we choose but be affected with sorrow and compunction when we want them? It is not possible: he that seeks these things above as he ought, when he finds in himself the want and decay of them, it is impossible but he should betake himself to black, to a mourning state. You see the truth of this exemplified by David, when he upon the commition of those two sins, murder and adultery, he found he was bereft of the comfortable presence of God's favour, he furrows his cheeks with weeping, and spends himself, his marrow was as the drought in Summer, he never gives himself rest till God revived, and cheered his drooping soul, and caused the beams of his countenance to smile upon him. So it is with a man that seeks the things that are above, in the want of them he is as the Mariners needle, as that is in the want of the point, Simile, so are all those that seek the things above in the want of them, they never rest but shake and tremble till at last they recover them and stand as they did formerly. That is the second argument whereby we may know if we seek these things, if we grieve and mourn when we want them. 3. joy in enjoying them. Thirdly, if we seek these things above; how can we choose but rejoice when we find them: for Love where it is it cannot choose but be glad when it finds that it delights in. Take an instance of both in David, Psal. 73. Lord, saith he, Psal. 73. whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none in earth in comparison of thee. Mark there, David desired these things above, and when his soul found them, his soul loved them. Who can read it, and not be ravished to see to what an excessive ecstasy of joy he was transported? he preferred the light of God's countenance, Psal. 4. Psalm 4. before all the Corn and Wine, and Oil, the poor things that worldlings place their chief content in. 4 By our thoughts and speeches. But in the last place, what need other things (to resolve whether we seek the things above or no) but this? our own thoughts are the image of our souls, and our words are the image of our thoughts; he that seeks these things above as he ought, he cannot but make them the ordinary subject of the one, and the frequent argument of the other. And here, were our breasts transparent, and our thoughts written in Characters, Lord? for one thought that we spend on things above, how many thousand thousand do we spend about the profits and pleasures, nay about our sinful lusts! Or if we think they lie hid in the secrecy, and, reservedness of our thoughts; alas our language betrays us: how rare a matter is it for heaven to be made theme of our discourse? If our hearts did run full to the things above, they could not choose but often overrun the banks. And these are the Characters whereby we may take the height of our thoughts, and know whether we seek the things above or no. Use. Exhortation to seek these things. I conclude all with one word of exhortation. The best things when they come to be degenerate, and to turn edge they become the worst. Man, the glory and Paragon of the creatures, transgressing the the law of his maker, though he lost the whole world in his own ruin and downfall, yet he drew the greatest weight of misery upon himself. For whereas all other creatures by the sole discipline of nature seek perfection, and the thing it consists in, Man only bands against himself and stands in need of wooing. Alas that we should need to be solicited to seek the things above, that we cannot find except we seek, and are eternally lost ourselves except we find. The truth is, these are seeking times, as indeed what times are not? some seek pleasure, some profit, some honour, a fourth is for favour, and so the rest; among all which, set but aside our passion, and preposessed thoughts, and what shall we see in them to command our affections or deserve them? What is pleasure, but a silken halter that if we look not well to, will strangle us in the embracing? What are riches, (but as Saint Austin saith, except they be in a wise and wary hand) agents and Panders to execute our lusts? As the same same Father saith, Gold is clay that we can hardly handle without soiling of us. What is honour but a glorious misery, a pleasant discontent? What is fame, but a windy meteor wrapped upon high which in a while vanisheth and comes to nothing? Suppose a man wanted the things above, and were placed amidst the confluence of all the contentments below: Nay suppose he wanted one of these things above, the peace of conscience, the assurance of the remission of his sins; I say, place that man amidst the confluence of all contentments below, and see how miserable his case would be. Let his cup overflow with Belshazer, let the whole world pay tribute to his Table, let him get mountains of Gold and Silver, and let all the world be but one Exchequer; let him trample on Crowns and Sceptres, and let all the Kings and Princes do him homage, and at his frown let the earth tremble and move. Here were content enough you would think; But let this man want one thing, the peace of conscience, and see how soon all these contentments vanish as the dew before the Sun. Let but God awaken this man out of his deceitful slumber, and bid his conscience muster his sins, and set them before him in their ghastly shape; let him give it charge to take him and as an earnest of his future torments shake him over the pit that one day he must tumble headlong in, I say how soon will his contentments vanish? How frail are they in his greatest need. If he call for Gold, conscience will not be bribed; if he solace himself with royal banquets, conscience as an unwelcome guest dogs him, or as that dismal summons that appeared to Belshazer disrelisheth all the rest. Let him settle his temples with a Crown of Gold, and take the royal Sceptre into his hand, conscience is like a master that will know no partner, and acknowledge no commander. So all things here in our greatest height they are unsound, but in our chiefest need they are false and treacherous. Our wisdom therefore aught to be in the midst of the infinite variety of these objects, in the pursuit of them, to speed ourselves, to besure to get somewhat that will quit our charge, that will stand us in stead here, and comfort us hereafter. And can there be a fairer object for our seeking then grace and glory, called here the things above? Who would not think grace worth the seeking? to be reconciled to God, to be freed from the power and dominion of sin, to have our souls enriched with heavenly graces, and ourselves inherit a Crown of glory? All which fruits of grace must here be sought, and may be found. But what is there below? How much better is it to go up to the things above, as the Angel did to heaven in the flame of the Altar? O Lord we cannot seek the things above till we have found them, and when we have found them we must still seek them: thou by thy preventing grace must enable us to seek, and by thy grace also give us success to find. Lord we pray thee open our eyes that we may seek the things above, and then let us find them. Say Lord, seek yet my face, and thy face Lord will we seek. And if we seek thy face here then we shall be satisfied hereafter with thine Image. And so satisfy still our desires, and so desire we that we may not want what we can desire, till we be swallowed up of that Ocean of happiness, and lose ourselves in enjoying of thee. But if all this will not stir us, there is somewhat yet that will, let us look further with Moses eye to the recompense of reward. I say let us look further, take the perspective of our faith, & view those glorious Crowns, and Sceptres, and long white robes, the garments of Christ's victory, reserved in heaven for all those that in the means of grace here seek those things that are above, and an entrance into glory. When we find ourselves dull in seeking the things above, let us betake ourselves upon the wing in a flight to heaven, and there bathe our souls in those pleasures that run in a full Channel at God's right hand for ever. If we taste but one drop of them we should distaste all the bitter sweets below. Let us go to God with those glorious Choristers, and bear a part in those sweet Hymns, and say thus, Glory, and honour, and power, and wisdom, and might, and majesty, and dominion be to our Lord, and to the Lamb that sits upon the Throne for ever, and ever, even so Amen. FINIS.