Lectures Upon Colossians, Lecture 25
THE XXV. LECTVRE VPONUPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL to the Coloſſians, beginning at the end of the fift verſe.
COLOS. Chap. 3. verſ. 5. 6. 7.
5 And couetouſnes, which is Idolatrie:
6 For the which things ſake, the wrath of God commeth on the children of diſobedience.
7 Wherein ye alſo walked once, when ye liued in them.
YE hauehave heard (brethren) the firſt exhortation the Apoſtle maketh to the Coloſſians in this chapter was, that they ſhould ſeeke the things aboue. The ſecond exhortation was, that they ſhould be wiſe in them. And wee hauehave entred into the third exhortation the laſt day, which is, that they ſhould mortifie their earthly members; and after the generall he commeth to the deliuerie of theſe ſeueral foule affections that breake out in the bodie: and the firſt hee nameth was fornication; the ſecond was vncleannes in generall whatſoeuer; the third was one ſpeciall kinde of vncleannes, the inordinate affection, the burning luſt that cannot bee quencht: the fourth was generall, euill concupiſcence. Now (brethren) wee ſpake of theſe the laſt day, as God gaue the grace, and as this permitted, leauing off the generall diſcourſing pertaining to the common heads of doctrine, and therefore without further repetition of any thing that was ſpoken, I goe forward. This day we proceed with the fift member, and then after wee ſhall come to the two arguments, whereby hee will moue them to this mortification of the luſts of the fleſh. The fift member then hee termeth it auarice, or couetouſnes: Euen as before, when he had named the generall vice or member called vncleannes, hee ſubioyned a ſpeciall member which he called the inordinate affection, the which member of affection among all parts and ſorts of vncleannes, is the greateſt: Euen ſo now when he hath named the general member, which he calleth euill concupiſcence, he ſubioyneth, the ſpeciall called auarice, which is the worſt kinde of euill concupiſcence in this world: therefore he maketh a choiſe of it beſides al other concupiſcences in the heart of men. For euen as that burning luſt of the heart is vnquenchable, and cannot be extinguiſhed by any earthly meane; without the ſpirit of Chriſt, it will neuer be quenched: ſo this wicked concupiſcence of auarice, it is vnſatiable; it can neuer be filled. It is like a deuouring gulfe; for though it could ſwallow in all this world, yet it would be too little for it. GiueGive an auaricious man the whole world, hee will yet craue more: and this is no marueile; for this world, and all that are in this world are finite and bounded within termes: but the deſire of an auaricious man is in a manner infinite: And to ſpeake the truth, if it get not God, it will Nothing can fill the couetous heart but God himſelfe.neuer be ſatisfied. There is nothing that will content or fill it: the more he hath, the more hee will craue. In a word, there is nothing that will be able to fill the deſire of man, but that infinite God. And as one ſaid well, alluding to the ſhape of this world, and comparing it with the heart of a man: The world is round and circular; the heart is foure cornered. Therefore the couetous mans heart may fitly bee compared to a ſquare which can neuer be compleatly filled vp by a circle, though a circle be of all others the moſt capacious figure: ſtill there is a corner voide, turne the circle which way thou wilt within the ſquare: Euen ſo though the whole frame of the heauens, earth, ſeas and ayre, with all that be within thē were ingroſſed in the gulfe of a couetous mans vnſatiable hart, yet would it neuer be filled, neuer contented, neuer hauehave enough. It is knowne that a quadrangle is neuer filled: euen ſo the heart of an auaricious man, being a quadrant, it is neuer filled. The more he hath, the more hee will craue: the auaricious heart will neuer be ſatiſfied, vntill it drowne the man. Paul 1. Timoth. chap. 6. verſ. 9. ſpeaking of them that will be rich, he ſaith, they drowne themſelues. There is their end. Brethren, if ye will compare together theſe two foule affections, as the ſpeciall worſt members in a man: certainly, I account auarice farre worſe and more incurable, then the other. As for the luſt, and that fire, it will grow leſſe; and as a man groweth old, it wil grow old and faile with him. But as for this affection of auarice, it groweth more and more: and as a man groweth in age, it groweth in youth; the older thou art, it is the younger: for the more thou decayeſt in ſtrength of thy members, the more ſtrong groweth it, according to the prouerbe: All vices grow old, but auarice groweth young. Therefore aboue all wicked affections, this vice of auarice A prouerb.requireth mortification. Now ſlay it I beſeech you, and fill it vp once; fill vp that gulfe: And wherewith? either with godlines, or elſe it will neuer be filled. Godlines is great gaine, 1. Timoth. chap. 6. otherwiſe thou ſhalt neuer hauehave contentation. I tell thee, there is no other meane then to fill thy heart with godlines: & if thou hauehave thy heart filled with godlines, a little thing will fill thy heart, a ſober ſupper and a ſober dinner will ſerue thee: but if thou want godlines in thy heart, auarice ſhall raigne in thee, as a tyrant: and how beit he had gotten a world of things; yet if he heare of any thing behinde, he can not be ſatisfied, but requireth that alſo. For his greedines can not be filled.
Now to goe forward: when he hath named this auarice, he leaueth it not as he did the reſt of the vices before, ſimply naming it; but he inſiſteth in it, and deſcribeth it to be idolatrie; as he would ſay, it the greateſt vice that is: it bereaueth God of his honour and worſhip. Brethren, it is not in this place only where he calleth this vice of auarice idolatrie, but in the fift to the Epheſians 5. verſe, he termeth the auaricious man an idolater, and Ieſus Chriſt in 16. of Luke verſ. 13. No man (ſaith he) can ſerue God and riches. Where ye may ſee he attributeth that to riches, which is proper to God: for the auaricious man honoureth his riches, and is a ſeruant, yea rather a ſlaue to his riches, whereas he ſhould ſerue his God. But I ſay to thee, pretend to ſerue God as thou wilt, thou ſhalt not ſerue God and riches both: for the words of Chriſt meane, that when once thou beginneſt to be in louelove with thy riches, thou biddeſt God farewell. For thou wilt be content rather to be a ſlaue to riches worſhipping them, then to ſerue God, as he cōmanded thee in his word. Brethren, ye may aske of me, what man is hee that will adore his riches? (for he is an idolater that will adore any Idol whatſoeuer it be) what rich man will fall down to a piece of money? I ſay there was neuer an Idolater tooke greater pleaſure to looke on a grauen Image, then an auaritious man Auarice is idolatrie. 1. The couetous man loueth his mony more then God. 2. Truſteth in his monywill delight to looke on a piece of money. The outward eye of him ſhall be ſo fixt on it, that he ſhall forget his God: ſuch ſhall be his pleaſure to behold it. But to ſpeake nothing of the outward worſhip: There was neuer an idolater that had greater confidence in his Idoll, then the couetous man in his money. Remember ye not the rich man, who when hee had filled his barnes: My ſoule (ſaith he) take thy reſt: whereon? vponupon thy riches: there is his confidence, Luk. 12. verſ. 9. What Idolater Luk. 12.had greater confidence in any thing, then this man had in his riches? The auaritious man then can hauehave his confidence in nothing, but in his riches. Therefore in the firſt to Timothie chap. 6. verſ. 17. the Apoſtle ſaith, Charge the rich men in this world, that they be not proud, nor put their confidence in vncertaine riches. And Dauid in the 62. Pſalme verſ. 10. ſaith, If riches abound, ſet not thy heart vponupon them. Dauid knew well that man would make a God of his riches. Well, if he put his truſt in his riches, and doth worſhip and honour them, he is an idolater. For wherein ſtandeth the worſhip of God, but in putting of confidence (which is the inward worſhip of God) in him? Doeſt not thou then honour riches, when thou putteſt thy confidence in them? yea certainly: yea I ſay, none will goe beyond him in that. Looke to him that will put his confidence in an Idoll moſt, an auaritious man ſhall goe beyond him, and ouermatch him. Ye will moue another queſtion: Is there no other vitious man an idolater? Is not the ambitious man an idolater? puts hee not his confidence in his honour? and the belly-god in his bellie? and ſome in the arme of men? put not all theſe ſorts of perſons, and many more then theſe, their confidence in their ſeuerall vices like Gods? are not theſe idolaters alſo? I anſwere, it is true indeede, thou that art ambitious, art an idolater; thou that art a belly-god, art an idolater; and thou that putteſt thy truſt in the arme of man, art an idolater: but I ſay, certainly not without cauſe hee termeth the auaritious to be an idolater before all other; euen becauſe it is moſt common, and leaſt counted of, by reaſon that men moſt naturally are inclined thereto. What is he that cannot cloake his auarice? It is thriftines, will the auaritious man ſay, and why ſhould I giuegive out my goods to this & that? why ſhould not I keepe them well, when I hauehave them? And ſo they are moſt readie to cloake it with a colour. And therefore the Apoſtle, to let them ſee it is but vaine ſo to doe, termeth this vice the greateſt, and more like to idolatrie then any other. So that idolatrie is firſt, and then auarice that is likeſt to idolatrie ſucceedeth, and then ambition and the reſt. And to ſpeake the truth, it is an harder thing to draw the heart of an auaritious man from this world, then it is to draw the heart of any man: yea it is eaſier to winne the idolater from his idolatrie, then it is to winne the couetous man from his couetouſnes: for couetouſnes is bred in the marrow of thy bones. Then I ſay againe, this vice hath moſt neede to be inſiſted vponupon, and aggrauated. For all the world will not ſatiate the heart of man: it is onelyonly the ſpirit of Ieſus that will fill it. Now one thing note here, and ſo I will goe forward. Certainly this aggrauating of auarice, & calling of it idolatrie, lets vsus ſee, that the chiefe ſinne in the world is idolatrie. When he would make one ſinne greater then another, he will take the greateſt ſinne and ſet with it: as here, to ſhew that auarice is a great ſinne, Auarice and idolatrie compared.and greater then many others, he ſetteth it downe with idolatrie that is greater. And therefore it muſt follow, that idolatrie is the greateſt ſinne; for that ſin that is next to the greateſt ſinne, muſt needs make that that ſinne which is before it, to bee the greateſt ſinne. But ſo it is, that couetouſnes is next to the greater ſinne which is idolatrie: therefore idolatrie is the greateſt ſinne. And therefore fie on them that leaue the true God, and ſet vp an Idoll to worſhip it. O that true God Idolatrie.ſhall not leaue of to purſue them while they come home again! and all the Kings of the earth ſhall not make them to proſper, except they come home againe! O then come home, come home! or els I pronounce it ſhall not be the Pope that ſhall be able to ſaue thee from damnation. It was eaſie to win the idolatrous Gentiles, but to winne falſe Chriſtians from their Hard to cō uert Papists from idolatrie.idolatrie, of al things of the world, it is one of the hardeſt. Wilt thou not be wonne by the light and truth of the word? that iron rod ſhall bruſe thee together.
Now to ſpeake ſomething of theſe members: will ye ſee the obiect of theſe-foule affections? The obiects are two in number. The firſt is pleaſure, the very pleaſuring of the fleſh. The ſecond is profit and gaine. There are the two. The luſt is occupied about pleaſure, and this deſire is occupied about profit; and ſo the two obiects are pleaſure and profit. Now it is true, the Lord that hath created all things, hath created thee with theſe affectations of pleaſure, and deſire of theſe things in this world: ſo that it is natural to deſire the things of this world, and to take pleaſure in them. And the Lord that hath created thee ſo, hee hath giuen thee pleaſure and profit: and ſuch is his liberalitie towards thee, that hee alloweth that thy affections be ſatisfied, ſo be it that thou vſe all to his honour and worſhip, whether thou eate, or drinke, or whatſoeuer thou doe; and that in vſing thy libertie with an vncleane heart, thou defile not the good gift of God: otherwiſe of neceſsitie theſe foule affections muſt be double ſinnes. Thou ſinneſt doubly not onelyonly in thy luſt, but in the liberalitie of God: thou ſinneſt in harlotrie, and in ingratitude againſt God. The Lord hath permitted thee to hauehave riches. And the Lord ſhall ſay to the harlot, permitted not I thee to hauehave pleaſure? but thou wouldeſt not take it as I commaunded thee: but thou wouldeſt perſeuere in whoredome from one to another, and Inordinate affection.ſo pleaſure thy ſelfe in vncleannes, which I hauehave forbidden thee. And likewiſe he ſhall ſay to the auaricious, permitted not I thee to hauehave riches? but what haſt thou done? Thou haſt made a god of thy riches and ſerued them, whereas thou ſhouldeſt hauehave knowne me for thy God, and me onelyonly ſhouldeſt thou hauehave worſhipped; and therefore thou and thy luſt, and thou and thy profit ſhall both to hell in my hot indignation: and as one affection that is foule bringeth many ſinnes with it; ſo it bringeth double iudgement with it. Beware then, and marke well theſe affections, that they bee not in exceſſe and paſſe meaſure. This inordinate affection to the foule luſts of the fleſh, and the gaine of the things in this world telleth vsus, that the corruption of nature, and of theſe affections, is more bent to an exceſſe, paſsing meaſure, then to a defect in nature. There are ſome things that are in exceſſe, and ſome in a defect: but this corruption that is in man tendeth more to an exceſſe, then any other thing. Man is readier to offend in ouer great deſire of riches, then in ouer little. Looke thou through this age, thou ſhalt finde that it inclineth to ouer great ſeeking of riches. Againe, ye ſhall finde that a thouſand faileth in ouer great deſire of pleaſure; and ſo it tendeth more to an exceſſe then to a defect. And therefore this mortification hath more adoe to hold downe theſe affections, then to draw them forward, ſeeing they ſet vponupon exceſſe on eueryevery ſide. Bridle then your affection: for will you goe to your owne experience? ye ſhall finde more adoe in drawing backe your affections from this world, the pleaſure and riches of the ſame, then in putting them forward.
Now to come to the arguments: ye hauehave heard the firſt from that life hid vp in God: he pointed it out to them, which ſhould moue them to mortifie their members, as they would looke for the reuealing of it. Now in the verſe that followeth, the ſecond argument is ſet downe on the contrarie. Before, he ſet downe heauen: now hee ſetteth downe damnation before them. Note.For the which things (ſaith he) the wrath of God commeth on the childrē of diſobedience. They are tumbled into hell for vncleannes; of any ſort, men and women, are thruſt daily into hell, not onelyonly for them altogether, but alſo for any one of theſe ſinnes, if it raigne in them. And indeede there are few in whom ſome one of theſe vices (if not the whole number) doth not raigne: ſo that if he be not auaritious, yet it may be he is a fornicatour, and giuen to this filthie vncleannes of the fleſh, or ſome other of theſe ſinnes. And I ſay to thee, there is not one of theſe ſinnes, if it raigne in thee, but it will draw thee to hell: that is his meaning. So he cloſeth in this mortification betwixt heauen and hell; heauen on the one ſide, and hell on the other; merciemercy on the one ſide, and iudgement on the other: to let thee vnderſtand that if heauen will not moue thee, hell will get thee; if that life will not moue thee, iudgement and hell ſhall deuoure thee. In the world we are allured with heauen, and threatned with hell; if thou wilt not be moued with the one, the other ſhall oppreſſe thee; if thou were a King thy eſtate ſhall not helpe thee. And therefore ſlay thy foule affections, as thou wouldeſt hauehave heauen and eſchue hel. And in that he ſetteth hel before them, it letteth vsus ſee the canker of our nature; yea euen of the regenerate. Thou art not ſo well renued, but thou haſt neede to be chaſed and compelled to thy grace, and to hauehave the terrors of hell and of the wrath The beſt hauehave neede to be awakened with Gods terrors.of God obiect to thee, to chaſe thee to heauen, as the Apoſtle 2. Cor. chap. 5. verſ. 11. ſaith, knowing this terror of the Lord, therfore I am faithfull in my vocation, & bring others to the faith. A Miniſter if he were neuer ſo good; yea if it were Paul himſelfe; yet ye ſee hee hath neede of this terror of the wrath of God to be obiected to him, that he may be faithfull, and waite vponupon the glorie of heauen. Then againe, ye ſee fornication will procure the wrath of God euerlaſting: much more the temporall. Well, thou thinkeſt ſimple fornication, a ſingle man with a ſingle woman, it is but a ſmal fault: but the Apoſtle ſaith, fornication, if thou lie in it, it will thruſt thee downe into hell. Sinne in any ſort or meaſure will procure the wrath of God. There is no ſinne, but it will bring the wrath of God againſt thee, and in the end ſhut thee in hell. But this is to be marked; For the which cauſe (ſaith he) the wrath of God falleth: vponupon whom? vponupon the children of diſobedience, that is, vponupon theſe perſons that will not repent. Therefore it is not eueryevery fornication and vncleannes that will cauſe thee goe to hell, but it is fornication vnrepented for, and vncleannes vnrepented for: that is the ſinne which will put thee in hell, and vponupon that ſinner that is impenitent the wrath of God falleth. Auarice that is not repented for, and a man that is hardened in heart, that is he, and that is the ſinne that will put thee in hell. So to ſpeake it properly, it is not ſo much harlotry, fornication, vncleannes, and auarice, or other ſinne in it ſelfe, that procureth the wrath of God, as it is the impenitencie of the perſon that cannot, nor will not repent. Alas, could the harlot repent him of his ſinne, hee would be ſaued? Could the murtherer repent him of his murther, he would be ſaued? Could the auaricious repent him of his auarice, hee would not be vnderunder the wrath of God? For there is no ſin ſo great, but if repentance follow, there is grace The greateſt ſinne is pardonable to the penitent.for thee. Repent thee then of thy ſinne, as thou knoweſt it, and aske merciemercy in the Lord Ieſus, and if thou doe this thou ſhalt be ſaued, and free from the wrath of this great God: for of all ſinne in the world, the ſinne that is accompanied with impenitencie, is the greateſt. Therefore ſet your heart euer to repent, The least ſinne vnpardonable to the impenitent.as thou wilt declare thy faith in Ieſus; for faith in Chriſt can not be without true repentance. If we ſhould liue Methuſalahs daies, all is little enough to repent of ſinne; yea euen the ſmalleſt that euer thou diddeſt, or art guiltie of. Thou that haſt bin an harlot, ſpend the reſt of thy life in repentance, and thou ſhalt finde grace and ſaluation. And ſo likewiſe, thou that haſt been a murtherer, an oppreſſor, an auaricious bodie, ſpend the time ye hauehave behinde in heartie repentance; and I aſſure you ye ſhall finde merciemercy and ſaluation: otherwiſe I debarre you out of heauen. Or I leaue theſe words, marke: he ſaith, For the which the wrath of God commeth vponupon the children of diſobedience: Suppoſing that the Coloſsians had been ſuch men as had walked in all the ſinnes he ſpake of: yet this wrath commeth not vponupon them. Then it is not the elect that be made a ſpectacle to the world of the wrath and iudgements of God, but they are the reprobates that are made the ſpectacles of Gods wrath and iudgements: for they are the children of diſobedience. As for the elect none of them falleth vnderunder this wrath. O happie is the eſtate of the choſen number! and if thou be not one of the number of Gods elect in the Lord Ieſus, woe is thee: thou ſhalt be made a ſpectacle of Gods wrath. But as for the elect, he chuſeth them out to let them ſee his wrath rather in others, then that they ſhould experiment it in their owne perſons. He will take a ſlaue and torment him in the ſight of his elect, and Pſal. 50.teare, him (as it were) in pieces (O the terrible hand of God!) to make them to ſtand in awe: for all the reprobate, if they were Kings, they are but ſlaues and veſſels of earth, and not of gold, let them cloathe themſelues with gold as they will. So behold the ſeueritie and merciemercy of God; ſeueritie for the reprobate, and merciemercy for the elect. Ye will aske; makes not God the choſen ſometime a ſpectacle of his wrath? was not Dauid in a miſerable caſe, and a fearefull ſpectacle of Gods wrath, when as the ſword went neuer out of his houſe all his daies? and are there not many daily, that are made fearefull ſpectacles; and yet no doubt there are many of them that are of the choſen of God? I anſwere, indeede it is true, the Lord will chaſtiſe his very ſore here; but all is in this world, hang him, head him, burne him, all is nought; and that that is, is euer conioyned with the merciemercy of God, and his paine hath an end. But the Apoſtle ſpeaketh here of an eternall wrath. The elect incurre not this wrath: it is proper to the ſonnes of infidelitie. And therfore I ſay, the elect are neuer made ſpectacles of Gods Gods puniſhments in this world on his are but chaſtiſements.wrath, whatſoeuer the chaſtiſement be that fals vponupon them. Ye will aske againe: where was there euer ſuch a ſpectacle ſeene? In hell. Saw you euer one tormented in hell with this wrath? ſaw you euer one tormented in this world with this wrath? God forbid, I will not iudge ſo hardly of any that ſuffereth, or are viſited by the hand of God. How is it then that the reprobate are made the ſpectacles of Gods wrath? I ſay, albeit thou neither ſee it, nor thou heare it, yet there are infinite numbers tormented in hell. But there are ſome ſo pitifull hearted bodies, who cannot heare tell that one goeth to hell. O fooliſh pitifull hearted bodie! I tell thee, infinite numbers go to hell, and ſhall goe; and thou, if thou beleeue not this, ſhalt go with Hell.the reſt to hell. For if this word will not ſerue to confirme thee in this truth, that the, reprobates ſhall be made ſpectacles of Gods wrath: the wrath of God ſhall ſerue one day when it ſhall light on thee, and them both, as infidels, to your vtter deſtruction.
Now to goe forward: ye hauehave heard two arguments ſeruing to mortification. The firſt was taken from heauen; the ſecond from hell, as ye heard. The laſt followeth, and it is taken from theſe ſame ſinnes, in the which the Coloſsians ſometimes walked, as if he would ſay: ye were ſuch men ſometime, theſe ſins all raigned in you before ye came to Chriſt; ye were fornicators, idolators, couetous, &c. all theſe raigned in you, as they did in any infidell. Therefore let the remembrance of theſe ſins be matter of mortification to you. This is the argument briefly. Of the which yee may gather, that men ſhould not looke How to remember our old ſins.idly on their ſinnes wherein ſometime they walked: for when thou remembreſt thou waſt an harlot & murtherer, an oppreſſor, and an auaricious man, let that remembrance ſerue to an earneſt ſlaying of ſinne to come, and mourning for thy ſinnes paſt continually. Fie on thee for euermore, if this be not the effect of the remembrance of thy ſinnes, and ſo ſlay that foule affectiō that made thee an harlot, and crie for that bloud of Ieſus that waſheth it away. And certaine it is, as all things that befall the elect are for their good: euen ſo are their ſinnes Rom. 8.for their good, when they begin to repent them of their ſinne, and to ſlay it. Dauid was better after his adulterie, then he was before; and he neuer remembred his ſinnes (as he euer remembred them) without mortification. For this is the nature of a ſanctified remembrance, it euer worketh ſorrow in the heart, and a mortification of the ſinne. O fie on thee, when thou remembreſt thy harlotrie, and wilt not hauehave ſorrow in thy heart for it, nor mortifie it! Well, Paul ſaith, Godly ſorrow bringeth foorth repentance, which is nothing elſe but a mortification of thy ſinne, ſorrowing that thou haſt done it: and brethren, ſanctified remembrance maketh a freſh wound in the heart. If thou ſtand in the grace of Ieſus Chriſt, thou wilt not ſo ſoone remember thy ſins, but as ſoone thou ſhalt be wounded with ſorrow and griefe for them: and thou ſhalt not ſo ſoone bee wounded, but ſo ſoone that oyle of gladnes ſhall be powred into thy heart to comfort thee in Ieſus and his grace, and ſhall bring to thee a ioy vnſpeakable. Therefore this is my minde, and it is true: the ioyfulleſt bodie that euer was or is, is a penitent The ioy of a penitent ſinner.ſinner, who with ſighes vnſpeakable groanes for ſinne. O then, there is ioy vnſpeakable and glorious in that heart! 1. Pet. chap. 1. it refreſheth the hart ſo ſweetly, that the mourning ſinner is ſwallowed vp with ioy, and bleſſeth the time that euer he mourned for ſinne.
Come to the words of the text, there are three things he noteth Three points.in them: Firſt he ſaith, they walked in them: that is, in theſe ſinnes. Secondly, he ſetteth downe their manner of walking. And thirdly, the time when they walked in them. As to the firſt, ye walked, that is, in fornication and vncleannes, and the reſt; ye walked in them, as men are wont to goe from morning to euening. The word teacheth vsus this, that a ſinner cannot ſit idle (if ſinne raigne in thee thou canſt not ſit idle) but he muſt be euer going on; yea and running on to ſinne. It is ſaid in the epiſtle to the Epheſians, that they gaue themſelues to wantonnes with greedines, ſtriuing who ſhould be formoſt. There Eph. 4. 19. 20.was neuer two in a courſe of running, ſtriuing who ſhould be formoſt and formoſt, as a ſinner in whom ſinne raigneth, will ſtriue to be formoſt in ſinne before all others. There is none that went to hell, nor none goe or ſhall goe, but their owne Sinners walke to hell, they neede no horſe.foote carieth them thither; they neede not a horſe to ride on and gallop thither. There was neuer none ſo readie to goe to heauen, as the reprobates are to goe to hell: Would to God we could make as good ſpeede in the way to heauen, as they doe in the way to hell. And ſo there is none that dieth that euerlaſting death, but it is according to his owne will. Thy perdition is of thy ſelfe, O Iſrael; but thy ſaluation is of me, ſaith the Lord. Thou wilt runne of thine owne will to hell, except the Lord meete thee and hinder thy courſe.
The ſecond thing he marketh in them, is the manner of their walking. Ye alſo, that is, euen ye walked after the ſame manner, as the children of infidelitie did. Looke as they walked, ſo yee walked; as they ranne, ye ranne; no difference betwixt you. So the leſſon is, before the effectuall calling of God by his ſpirit and faith, there is no difference betwixt the elect and the reprobate; the ſoule of the elect will be as vitious as the ſoule No difference betweene the elect and reprobate before grace.of the reporbate. So look to the perſous, there is no difference vntill God make the difference: he will runne to hell as faſt as he. Then wherein ſtandeth the difference? it ſtandeth not in thee, but in yt counſel and purpoſe of God; it is in the breaſt of God: there is nothing in the elect himſelfe, but all in God: And in his owne time he maketh the difference. So aſcribe nothing to thy nature and birth, but aſcribe all to God, to his counſell, and to his election; and giuegive him the glorie, and ſay, I thanke thee, O God, that haſt elected me, and for that thou haſt called me to thee by thy ſpirit in time, and haſt made me to know thee and thy goodnes. Who hath diſtinguiſhed me from thee, and thee from another? but God. Why then ſhouldeſt thou glorie in any thing, but in God? O vile creature and vaine! fie on thy nature, it ſhall turne to thy deſtruction: ſo then, only glorie in God, and in nothing beſides.
The third thing marked here, is the time when they walked. Sometime, ſaith he. Then he maketh it cleare, when ye liued in theſe vices, that is, as outwardly ye walked in them; ſo inwardly in your ſoules ye liued in them. Walking is outward, and liuing is inward in the ſoule: ſo as the ground of theſe naturall actions, as of going on the way outwardly, is the life of the ſoule (for take the life away thou canſt not goe) ſo the ground of all theſe ſinfull actions, theſe wofull actions, woe to them all! the ground of all thy fornication and vncleanenes, is a wofull life that thou liueſt. Sinne is liuing within thee; if ſinne liued not within, the actions would not appeare in thy bodie that appeareth. Thou art dead, and yet ſinne is liuing in thee. Thou and it ſhall not liue both together, Rom. 7. ſaith he. Sinne is reuined in me. Thou art dead, and ſinne is quickened in thy breaſt. And or euer one be a harlot in his bodie, in his outward action, it is firſt in the ſoule of him: or euer one be a murtherer with the hand, he is a murtherer in his ſoule: it beginneth firſt there; and then it raiſeth and ſtirreth vp the hand to the outward action. It is ſo of all ſinfull actions, they proceede firſt from the ſinne liuing in the ſoule; ſo thou that wilt mortifie ſinne, and the outward actions of ſinne, ſlay firſt the ſinne that liueth within thee, or elſe it will ſlay thee; either thou or it muſt die: and I pronounce this, that if thou ſlay not the ſinne that is within, thou ſhalt be ſlaine by it for euer. Begin then in order to the ſlaying of ſinne; for there is an order in mortification, and God that biddeth thee ſlay ſinne, is the Lord of order. He comming in, bid deth thee firſt ſlay the ſinne that is within thee; he will not bid thee begin at the hand, the eye, or any of thy members outward; but he will goe into thy heart, and he beginneth and putteth out that life of ſinne, that liueth in theethere. He firſt maketh thy heart cleane, where ſinne dwelleth and taketh roote; and ſo he will hauehave thee to roote it out that it bud not in thee. This way God beginneth in taking away ſinne and ſlaying of it, and this is the way that the elect child of God doth. But hypocrites will make a well fauoured outward countenance, and who are ſo holy as they; Hypocriſie begins without.and in the meane time, will be foſtering the filth of this foule life of ſinne inwardly in his heart with pleaſure. But the holy ſpirit, who beginneth to mortifie thee, beginneth at the heart, and ſlayeth the man of ſinne in thy heart firſt; and he will wound it ſo deepely when he ſhall ſtrike vponupon it, that he ſhall mortifie it, and then thou ſhalt begin to ſee thine owne filth, and ſtinke in ſuch ſort, that thou ſhalt abhor thy ſelfe; but the hypocrite countes all theſe things, but as words of office. But O that dolefull waking, when the conſcience wakeneth thee! It will cauſe thee ſay, O foule harlot! what haſt thou been doing? walking in harlotrie and deceiuing men, with a ſhew of godlineſie. Therefore happie is the ſoule that is this wiſe wakened in time, and wounded with the ſight of thy own filthines; for it ſhall procure ioy comming vponupon ſorrow. If thou wilt be content to reſtraine thy hand, foote, and eye for a time, ſo that thou ſinne not openly as others doe, but that thy life that lurketh in thee, muſt vtter it ſelfe at the laſt; ſo as thou maiſt be a fornicator, a murtherer, and an auaritious bodie (for there is no hypocrite, but he muſt vtter himſelfe at the laſt) thou haſt no true mortification in thee; and therefore thou ſhalt finde no comfort in all thy outward ſhewes: ſtudie then to this … mortification. Suppoſe a man to be bound hand and foote, and that the man be a harlot in the inward man, ſo as he had no vſe of the outward action in all his life time: admit this, that thou hadſt not the outward action in all thy time; yet I ſay, if that life of harlotrie be in thee, and not ſlaine within thee, thou wilt to hell. It will not be that outward abſtinence that will ſaue thee; but it muſt be the ſlaughter of the inward appetite, and then the hand nor no other of thy members needeth to be fettered, but all will be peaceable and ſtand ſtill when once that life of ſinne is quencht. Therefore ſlay euer the ſinne in thy ſoule, and let it not raigne; for if it raigne, thou wilt to damnation. We beſeech him that is able to worke this worke, to put to his hand, and doe it; for all the words of the world will not doe it, onelyonly he muſt doe it. Now to him be praiſe and honor,
Amen.