A Care Cloth, Sermon 1 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Opening the Text, and ſhewing the Doctrine.
IN this briefe precept (to omit all ſpeech of the coherence, becauſe the meaning is plaine enough without it) the Apoſtle deliuers a moſt neceſſary point of Chriſtian doctrine.Three things obſeruable in the Text. For the better explanation of his words, we muſt in them conſider three things. An action to be done. The obiect of this action, and the perſons to whom the action appertaineth. The action is, Mortifie, or to ſpeake in plaine Engliſh, Put to death.Firſt, an action to be done, Put to death. In this phraſe the holy Ghoſt ſeemeth to allude vntounto the ancient ſacrifices, whereof, ſo many as conſiſted of things hauing life, were appointed to be ſlaine by the Prieſt, afore they were offered vp vponupon the Altar, as a type of our killing the old man, before wee can become an acceptable ſacrifice vntounto God. Now to ſlay ſinne, is nothing elſe, but to labour with all our might, vtterly to ſubdue it, that it may hauehave no command, vigor, working, no, nor being in vsus. It is a conſtant endeauour of cauſing our corruptions to ceaſe to ſtirre, to moue, or to abide in our hearts, as a dead man is no longer a man, nor can performe the actions of a man, and is ſaid no longer to bee amongſt men. Wee muſt not ſurceaſe ſtriuing againſt ſinne, till wee hauehave vtterly aboliſhed it; our deſire and endeauour muſt bee to vſe it, as a venimous creature, euen to knock it on the head, and make a cleane riddance of it. Wee muſt not account it ſufficient to fine our corruptions (as it were) or to confine them, or to impriſon, or to bind them, or to hurt, or to maime them (as ſome kind of inferiour offenders are chaſticed) but as a capitall offender, a mortall enemie, an irreclaimeable traytor, wee muſt ſee execution done vponupon it, and make a finall and an vtter diſpatch of it.
2.2. The obiect of the action, Your members on earth. This is the action inioyned. The obiect of the action is, your members that are vponupon earth. By theſe earthly members, hee meaneth our maniſold, corrupt, and ſinfull diſpoſitions, according as himſelfe doth make manifeſt, by inſtancing in ſome for all, ſaying, Fornication, vncleanneſſe, &c. There are in eueryevery mans ſoule, an innumerable company of diſordered inclinations, contrarie to the will of God and our dutie, as ignorance, vnbeliefe, pride, folly, worldlineſſe, ſilthineſſe, and all that rabble of euils, which we commonly call vices. Now all and each of theſe muſt be purſued with a mortall hatred, and aſſailed with the ſame earneſtneſſe and furie, as wee would doe an enemie in the fields, euen with an intention of ſlaughtering him if we can. It will not be amiſſe to conſider of ſome reaſons, why our corupt luſts ſhould be called members, and why members vponupon earth. There ſeemeth to bee a threefold reaſon of this name.
3. Firſt, the whole corruption of our euill nature,Why Luſts are called, Members. is in Scripture compared to a mans body, and called, The body of death; wherefore the ſeuerall corruptions are fitly termed members, or parts, concurring to the full conſtitution of the whole body. You know, that Nature hath prepared for man, head, ſhoulders, armes, breſt, belly, thighes, legs, feete, and the reſt; in the fit and apt ioyning together of which, the beeing of the humane body doth conſiſt. So doth our wickednes conſiſt in many particular diſorders, pride, vnbeliefe, rebellion, impatiency, hypocriſie, carnall ſorrow, carnall confidence, wrath, vncleannes, earthly-mindednes, and diuers others as bad as theſe; the ioyning of which together, doth make vp the vniuerſall ſinfulneſſe of our nature, called, The fleſh & the old man. Againe, they are called members vponupon the ſame conſideration, wherein our Sauiour (inioyning the ſame dutie that here the Apoſtle) is pleaſed to vſe this figuratiue kind of ſpeech;Mark. 9.43, &c. If thy eye offend thee, pull it out, and caſt it from thee: if thy foote offend thee, cut if off, and caſt it from thee: and if thine hand offend hee, cut it off, and fling it from thee. Becauſe to a man now corrupted, his corruptions are as naturall as his members; hee brings them into the world with him, together with his hands, eyes, feete; they begin and grow in him, with the beginning and growing of his lims, and, in his account, they are as neceſſarie, vſefull, pleaſing, and as deare and tender to him, as his armes, or his legs, or his very eyes, yea, the apple of his eye. Nothing in the world is more precious to the vnſanctified and vnregenerate man, then his luſts; he could as eaſily part with the ioynts of his body, as with them, yea, with his whole hart, he would be content to redeeme the libertie of following them, by the loſſe of his eye. Well are they termed members, becauſe to the carnall man, they are as welbeloued, as his members; and hee will as lothly part with them, and as il ſpare them, as his members; yea, a man already in part ſanctified, finds it as much to doe to wreſtle againſt them (till they be not thorowly maſtered, as it were a member mortified and deadned) as if he were to wound and mangle his owne fleſh, and with the right hand to chop off the left. Laſtly, they are called members, becauſe they doe as it were dwel, and worke in our members, ſhewing their wicked force and ſtrength in them, and ſtriuing by them to breake forth into act, carrying them captiues, as weapons of vnrighteouſneſſe. For example: Fleſhly luſt ſhewes it ſelfe in the eye, in the hand, in the foote, in the tongue, ſtiuing to come to that ſtrength, till it may driue a man to ſpeake, or worke ſomething in the parts of his body, that maketh for the expreſſing, feeding, pleaſing, ſatisfying of the ſame. Becauſe our corruptions hauehave their reſidence and operation in our members, therefore hauehave they iuſtly borrowed their name,Iames 4.1. as being the luſts which warre in our members, and that other law in our members, which fights againſt the law of our mind, and leadeth vsus captiue to the law of ſinne,Rom. 7.23. which is in our members, as elſewhere the ſcripture ſpeaketh.
4. Moreouer,Why members vponupon earth. they are termed our mēbers vponupon earth, becauſe they are exerciſed vponupon things of this earth, as their proper obiect, drawing and carrying our minds to theſe matters, that are here below, baſe, trifling, vaine, and terrene, but hindring and diuerting vsus, from rayſing vp our ſoules, to the purſuit of the things that are high, heauenly, celeſtial, excellent, aboue with Chriſt our head, there where he ſitteth in glorie. All, or in a manner, all the diſordered inclinations that are in vsus, tend to the making of vsus earthly-minded (eager to attaine theſe mirie, dirtie things, that may bee had in this lower region of the world, as pleaſure, profit, credit, eaſe, and the like,) fitly therefore are they named earthly. And in another regard is this title duly giuē to them, becauſe they will continue with vsus, during our naturall life and abode vponupon the earth; nor euer ſhall they be quite ſeparated from vsus, till wee be tranſlated to a more noble and glorious habitation in the Heauens. The vices that are in vsus, all the while that we are in this world, will hang like Lead, or ſome other weightie thing, vponupon vsus, and with a kind of violence, pull and hale vsus downeward, to the ſenſuall and corporall good of this preſent, ſhort, and momentany being, which the Apoſtle well knowing, called them our members vponupon earth. And this is the obiect of the action.
The perſons that are enioyned to performe this action,3. The perſons that muſt performe the action. vponupon this obiect, are the Coloſſians; men alreadie called to the knowledge of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, and to the beliefe of his glorious Goſpell; and men already ſanctified, and regenerate in part, yet had they neede (and therfore ſo hauehave all Chriſtians alſo) to continue wounding, and thruſting thorow theſe luſts, which hauehave (as the Prouerbe ſpeaketh) nine liues, and will not bee killed with one blow, or with one dart. So the meaning of Saint Paul is, as if he had without all figure, taken vp a larger exhortation in this wiſe: O yee Coloſians, Profeſſours of the true Religion of our Lord, know yee, that it is your dutie (whereof I enioyne you to bee mindfull and carefull) not alone to make ſome ſlight and ſlender oppoſition to thoſe corrupt and vicious inclinations of your hearts, which you ſhall find ſtill ſtirring in your members, and alwaies thruſting you forwards, to the ſeeking of the tranſitorie, and momentany things of this life; but alſo with all your might and power, to ſtriue to ouercome them vtterly, with a mind and purpoſe to continue ſo ſtriuing, till you hauehave totally freed your ſelues from their loathed and troubleſome working.
Doct. 6. You ſee then, that theſe words do require at our hands, the practice of a moſt needfull dutie.All Saints muſt ſtudie mortification. All the Saints of God, muſt with all earneſtnes, ſtudie their mortification. Thoſe that profeſſe the Goſpell of Chriſt Ieſus, muſt take vnceſſant, and vnweariable paines, with conſtant and perpetuall endeauours, more and more to ſubdue, beate downe, and vanquiſh al and eueryevery of theſe wicked, ſinfull, and vnlawfull affections, luſts, inclinations and habits, which are in them (drawing them to things terrene and earthly) till they hauehave euen pulled them vp by the rootes, and caſt them quite out of their hearts. Scarce any point is more plainely and frequently required, not an Epiſtle almoſt, wherein it is not commended to the Saints:Rom. 8.13. If yee mortifie the deeds of the fleſh by the Spirit, yee ſhall liue, ſaith the Apoſtle in one place. Loe, without it there is no liuing, it is a neceſſarie condition, required to the attainement of ſaluation. And againe, They that are Chriſts, Gal 5.24.hauehave crucified the fleſh with the affections and luſts. Hee takes it as a thing granted, that all true Chriſtians hauehave in part performed this worke, and therefore will goe forward to bring it to more perfection.Epheſ. 1.22. And in another place, he ſaith; Put off the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceiueable luſts. Theſe luſts are like to vncleane and filthy rags, which the children of God muſt fling from them. It is for Rogues and Vagrants, to wrap vp themſelues in rotten and foule clouts; the Sonnes and Daughters of Nobles and Kings, muſt array themſelues with coſtly, cleane, and ſightly garments, befitting the honour of their birth and place. A beggers dirty, patched cloake, doth no more beſeeme a Princes backe, then the practice of ſinfull luſts doth become a Chriſtian. Wee muſt not ſhame our ſelues with ſuch vile, and baſe things, but caſt them farre away from vsus.1. Pet 2.11. Another Apoſtle alſo willeth vsus, to abſtaine from fleſhly luſts, which fight againſt our ſoules. As men that are wiſe, will not conuerſe with their mortall enemies: (ſpecially ſtrangers trauelling in a farre countrie, wil not willingly aſſociate themſelues with thoſe that hate them, and conſpire their death;) ſo the people of God, muſt hauehave nothing to doe with ſinfull luſts of any ſort; for theſe do nothing elſe but ſeeke the ruine of their ſoules, what euer flattering ſhew they may make.