A Hand of Fellowship to Help Keep Out Sin and Antichrist, Sermon 5 – Title page 4
THE NEW MANS New Life.
GALAT. 2.20.
I am crucified with Christ; neuertheleſſe I liue, yet not I, but Christ liueth in me, and the life which I now liue in the fleſh, I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God.
WE reade that the tombe wherewith the carkaſſe of proud Sennacherib was couered had this inſcription;Jntuens me aliquis diſcat eſſ… piu…. Let him that lookes vponupon me learne to be godly. Much more may a ſpirituall eye ſee this ingrauen vponupon this golden ſaying of the Apoſtle; Let no man dare looke vponupon me except he reſolue to be godly. For the Apoſtle preſenteth vsus himſelfe, and all the children of God in his perſon, vnderunder ſuch an one as is dead vntounto the world, and ſinne, and liueth not the life of nature, but of grace and godlineſſe. Neither is it needleſſe for vsus to behold ſuch draughts in theſe dayes: we being not onelyonly caſt aſleepe through our ſecuritie, but dead in ſinnes and treſp…ſſes, and buried vnderunder the clots of this world to the wofull miſerie of our ſoules, and the diſhonour of our Maker. How needfull therefore is it for vsus to vſe all meanes for a ioyfull reſurrection: and amongſt the reſt, deeply to conſider this ſpeaking patterne of Paul in theſe words, which, in the naturall language of them, doe make ſome ſuch out-cry as this, Lift vp your heads yee gates, and be yee lift vp yee euerlaſting doores, that the King of glory may come in and dwell in your hearts by faith.
To which that we may hauehave the more hearing eares, and from which, that, by the bleſſing of God, wee may reape the more comfort, let vsus, with humble hearts, carry along with vsus the context, ſenſe, and ſeuerall obſeruations ſetled by application vponupon our ſoules.
Context.As for the context and coherence with the words foregoing, conceiue it thus. The Apoſtle (being to diſpute againſt the Galatians, Galat. 1.6.who had made a defection from the doctrine of the Goſpell to iuſtification by works) doth plainly ſet downe this propoſition, That we are not iuſtified by the works of the Law, Galat. 2.16.but by the faith of Ieſus Chriſt. Which being proued by a reaſon drawne from the feeling, iudgement, and conſcience of the beſt Iewes, in theſe words [we know;] as alſo (as it is thought) by this teſtimonie,Pſal. 143.2. that by the works of the Law no fleſh ſhall be iuſtified in Gods ſight: he (fore-ſeeing that this doctrine of free iuſtification without our works might by falſe Apoſtles be charged with carnall libertie) doth propound an obiection to that purpoſe; Is Chriſt the miniſter of ſinne? and doth with a ſecret deteſtation anſwer it, God forbid: As if he ſhould ſay, Farre be it from the doctrine of the Goſpell to giuegive libertie vntounto ſinne: for as I will at no hand build againe iuſtification by workes, which I hauehave deſtroyed, becauſe I can finde no comfort in the Law, I being dead vntounto it, and it driuing mee to Chriſt: ſo I doe know that Chriſt is not onelyonly my price but my purger: that Chriſt doth not onelyonly ſay, Thy ſinnes are forgiuen thee, but ſinne no more leſt a worſe thing come vntounto thee. For I account my ſelfe crucified with Chriſt, neuertheleſſe I liue, yet not I, but Chriſt liueth in mee, and the life which I now liue in the fleſh, I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God.
Thus I hauehave brought you vntounto the Text.Senſe. In the conſideration whereof, I would next intreat you to ſtay a while vponupon the meaning of the words, leſt the hard and difficult phraſes thereof, like Aſahels body,2 Sam. 2.23. doe hinder the paſſing of the people by.
The hard phraſes are fiue. The firſt is when he ſaith [I am crucified with Chriſt:] for how can this be true, when hee was not conuerted to Chriſtianitie before Chriſts aſcenſion was paſt? For the opening of this, you muſt know that th…re is a double crucifying ſpoken of in the Scriptures. The firſt is Actuall, and ſo according to a double cuſtome it may ſignifie two things: for according to the cuſtome of the Iewes it is to be ſtoned to death,Alſted. in Theol. Catech. and a…terwards with cords to be bound vntounto a croſſe, and to be ſet vp (as vponupon a gibbet) for a terrifying example to the like offendors: (but thus neither Paul nor Chriſt was crucified,Ioh. 18.31. for it was nor lawfull for the Iewes at that time to put any man to death.) But according to the cuſtome of the Gentiles it is to bee racked and faſtned to a croſſe, with nailes driuen through the hands and feet of a liuing man, and ſo to continue vntounto death. Thus Chriſt was crucified, but not Paul, or we. The ſecond is a virtuall crucifying; and thus the children of God are ſaid to bee crucified with Chriſt, when they, by vertue of that communion and fellowſhip which they hauehave with him in his ſufferings and death, (as the members of him their head) doe behaue themſelues as thoſe that are dead to their corruptions, and finde no ſauour in the courſes of ſinne and vanities of this world, but ſpend all their liuelihood in denying vngodlineſſe and worldly luſts, and liuing vntounto God. And of this crucifying doth the Apoſtle ſpeake in this place.
The ſecond phraſe or manner of ſpeech is in theſe words, [I liue, I liue not:] How can both theſe bee true? I anſwer, they may both be true in diuers reſpects; I liue the life of grace and godlineſſe, I liue not the life of ſinne and corrupted nature. As if hee ſhould ſay; It is true indeed, I hauehave the ſame naturall organs or inſtruments, the ſame head, tongue, hands, and feete: but as there is great difference betweene a well-tuned Cymball, and a loud Cymball; ſo is there betweene all my parts, when they doe receiue actiuitie from God and from nature. As the gracious life is a death, in reſpect of the glorious life, (which is the cauſe that that life which wee ſhall hauehave in glory is for excellencie ſake called Life) ſo the naturall life is no better than a death in reſpect of the life of grace.
The third phraſe is in theſe words, [Chriſt liueth in me:] that is, Chriſt is my life. If you aske me, how that can be? I anſwer, that it is by vertue of that communion and fellowſhip which we hauehave with him. For as wee hauehave a naturall fellowſhip with him, by his aſſuming and ſanctifying our natures, and becomming fleſh of our fleſh, and bone of our bone: and as we hauehave a ſacramentall fellowſhip with him, when in the Sacrament Chriſt is exhibited and giuen to the faithfull receiuer, as he is able to receiue it for the nouriſhment of his ſoule: (which communion doth in this differ from a bare ſpirituall communion,Signis adhibitis, vel non. that all ſacramentall communion is ſpirituall, but all ſpirituall is not ſacramentall, becauſe this is in the lawfull vſe of Gods ſignes to this purpoſe.) So we hauehave a ſpirituall fellowſhip with Chirſt, when the ſpirit of God doth apply Chriſt vntounto vsus by faith, and doth ſo bring home and concorporate him vntounto vsus, that from the fountaine of his holineſſe, in whom all fulneſſe dwelleth, we finde our ſelues inclined and quickned to all holy obedience, and can feelingly ſay, That in that we forſake ſinne, it is from the power of Chriſt, and in that wee purpoſe and endeuour good, it is by the ſame power alſo. And of this ſpirituall communion doth the Apoſtle ſpeake in this place.
The fourth phraſe is in theſe words, [I liue in the fleſh.] He doth not ſay that he liued of the fleſh, or after the fleſh, as if he danced after natures pipe, but [In the fleſh.] As all are not Iſrael, that are in Iſrael; ſo all are not of the fleſh, or after the fleſh, that are in the fleſh: What therefore is it to liue in the fleſh? It is to liue in the body: for as fleſh is taken for corrupted man, when the Apoſtle ſaith, That fleſh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdome of heauen: and for the corruption of man, as when the holy Ghoſt ſaith, The fleſh luſteth againſt the ſpirit: ſo is fleſh taken for the body of man, by an elegancy of ſpeech, when a member is taken for all the parts integrall, or for the whole. And thus it is taken in this place; I liue in the body.
The fifth hard phraſe is in theſe words, [I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God:] What doth he meane by this? I liue by faith which doth its right office to ſpie out, to run vntounto, and to receiue the Sonne of God. For whereas vponupon the former ſpeech, that Ieſus liued in him, it might be ſaid; Muſt not the heauens containe him? Yes, ſaith the Apoſtle, for he liueth in me by faith, not by ſight. But you will ſay, why is it called, the faith of the Sonne of God? Not becauſe wee ſhould conceiue that faith which Ieſus Chriſt had in himſelfe, but that faith in vsus, whereby he is had and poſſeſſed of vsus: and is ſo called for three reaſons.
Firſt, becauſe the Sonne of God hath purchaſed it for vsus. The Father would not hauehave willed it vsus, the Holy Ghoſt would not hauehave wrought it in vsus, if Chriſt had not bought it for vsus.
Secondly, becauſe only the Son of God in Chriſt doth make our faith to be lawfull and laudable. As Chriſt is man he is a creature, and we muſt not flie to any creature for life and ſaluation, and therefore not beleeue in him. This then is it which makes our faith in him to be warrantable, that hee is the onelyonly Sonne of God.
Thirdly, becauſe it is not beleefe in any other perſon in the diuine nature, that doth conueigh life vntounto vsus. As veines, arteries, ſinewes, muſcles, and the like, doe not conueigh life, ſenſe, and motion into the parts of a mans body, but as they doe receiue them from their owne proper head and heart from whence they are ſhot: ſo faith doth not conueigh ſpirituall life, but as it doth receiue it from our ſpirituall head Chriſt Ieſus. Thus you may ſee our faith,Relativè Obiectivè. Inſtrumentalièr. called the faith of Chriſt, in reſpect of that relation which is betwixt him and it, he being the ſauing obiect of it, and that being the inſtrument to conueigh life from him to eueryevery beleeuer.
Thus we hauehave the ſeuerall phraſes of the Text, which in their totall ſum make vp the Apoſtles meaning to be thus much.Summe of the Text. Doe not thinke that, by the doctrine of Iuſt…fication by faith alone in Chriſt, I doe aboliſh the doctrine of Sanctification by the ſame Chriſt: for by vertue of my vnion with Chriſt by faith, I doe finde that from the fountaine of his holineſſe (out of whoſe fulneſſe I doe receiue grace for grace) my ſinful luſts are crucified, and I perceiue my ſelfe ſo quickned in the inner man, & tranſlated from one glory to another into the Image of God, that I dare ſay, It is not I that now liue, but my Sauiour, who liueth in me by faith, whereby hee purifieth my heart, to make mee a peculiar Chriſtian to himſelfe, choſen vntounto good workes.
We hauing now ſtayed long enough vponupon the ſenſe, may it pleaſe you from the ſeuerall deductions to deſire further benefit. And to this end in theſe words let vsus conſider two things:
Firſt, Paul his method; which is this: He was firſt killed, and then he was made aliue.
Secondly, Paul his matter; in which he doth in his owne perſon ſet downe a double eſtate of ours.
Firſt, our eſtate in nature; which is implied, and may …e thus expreſſed: that vntill we hauehave faith we are but dead men. For if wee liue only by faith in Chriſt, then before we hauehave it, we are but dead men.
Secondly, our eſtate in grace; which is expreſſed, and may be ſet downe in three chiefe points of doctrine.
Firſt, that wee hauehave communion in the death of Chriſt.
Secondly, that by vertue of this communion we liue by Faith.
Thirdly, that it is from the vertue of Chriſt, that we are quickned vntounto all holy obedience.
To come firſt to Pauls method, we are to obſerue, that as Paul ſaith, He is crucified before he liueth: So We muſt die before we can be made aliue.
I might here diſtinguiſh betwixt death naturall, death ciuill (as it is termed in Law,) death ſpirituall, and death eternall, that ſo I might ſignifie what death I meane, but that it is plaine enough without that labour. Only remember that it is one thing to die for ſinne, as malefactors who are put to death; another thing to die in ſinne, as finally impenitent ſinners; and another thing to die vntounto ſinne, as the godly: In which ſenſe we muſt die before we can be made aliue. As it is with the bodie, we muſt all die, or all be changed,1 Cor. 15. before we must liue for euer (which the holy Ghoſt maketh plaine, by the ſimilitude of Wheat or ſome other graine:) ſo is it with the ſoule. Hence is it that God doth both exhort vntounto this death,Coloſſ. 3.5. when he ſaith, Mortifie your earthly members; and alſo promiſeth life vponupon that death, when hee ſaith,Rom. 8.13. If yee mortifie the deeds of the bodie by the Spirit, yee ſhall liue. Neither may we wonder at this truth, whether we conſider the goodneſſe of grace, or the malice of ſinne.
Firſt, if we reſpect the goodneſſe of grace, it is expreſſed by two effectuall words for this purpoſe. For ſometimes it is called a Reſurrection, Apoc. 20.6. Iohn 5.25.as Iohn ſaith, Bleſſed are thoſe that hauehave part in the firſt Reſurrection: And Chriſt, The dead ſhall heare the voice of God, and ſhall ariſe: Both which places doe ſpeake of a gracious ariſing from ſinne. As therefore the holy Ghoſt ſaith, All muſt firſt die, and then comes the reſurrection to iudgement: So all muſt firſt die to ſinne, or they ſhall neuer ariſe to liue godlily. Sometimes againe it is called a Quickning; Pſal. 119.25.as when Dauid ſaith, Quicken me according to thy Word. As therefore the Apoſtle ſaith,1 Cor. 15. O foole, that which thou ſoweſt is not quickned except it die: So neither are our ſoules quickned except they thus die.
Secondly, if we reſpect the malice of ſinne, it is ſuch a deadly aduerſarie, that we cannot be deliuered from death in ſinne, but by the death of ſinne: if we doe not kill ſin, ſinne will kill vsus. As AZahel purſued Abner like a ſwift Roe; ſo doth ſinne vsus euen vntounto the graue, and will neuer giuegive vsus reſt till it be quite vanquiſhed in the perfect mortification of the bodie againſt the day of the Reſurrection. As therefore wee doe deſire that grace may liue; ſo wee muſt ſtriue that this deadly enemie of grace may die.
Vſe 1 We, hauing thus conſidered the truth of this point, may deriue from it both matter of doctrine, and matter of exhortation. As for doctrine, it learneth vsus that there muſt be a thorow change in all the children of God before they can be termed gracious.Iohn 11. As when Lazarus who ſtunke in his graue, was raiſed from death to life, there was a thorow change in him (a change in his parts eſſentiall, and a change in his parts integrall, in which reſpect a man might well hauehave ſaid, here is not the ſame man:) euen ſo is it with euerie one of vsus, when God makes vsus gracious: which change that we doe not conceiue to be ſubſtantiall, we muſt marke (as we are often taught) that as there are three things to be conſidered in an inſtrument, the bodie, the ſtrings, and the harmonie wrought by the skill of the player: So in man there is the bodie and ſoule, the faculties, and the worke of them. Now, touching this change, the bodie, ſoule, and faculties remaining intire, the change is made in the laſt; when diſcord thorow the whole man is changed into concord, and anomie in all the powers of man into conformitie to Gods will. For this cauſe ſanctification may be compared vntounto our ſenſe of touching: If of blinde wee are made ſeeing, there is a change but in the eye: if of deafe wee are made hearing, there is a change but in the eare: if our ſmelling be reſtored, there is a change but in the noſe: if our taſting be brought to vsus againe, there is a change but in the pallat: but if our feeling be loſt and reſtored, there is a change in the whole bodie. So is it with this ſpirituall Reſurrection and quickning, which worketh a change in the powers of the whole bodie and ſoule in putting them ouer to Gods vſe. There muſt be a new vnderſtanding quickned to know Gods will, a new heart quickned to incline vntounto it and imbrace it, new bodily inſtruments quickned to be weapons of righteouſneſſe vntounto holineſſe, yea and the whole man,2 Cor. 5.17. or a new man, or a new creation, both in the whole ſoule, and bodie, and ſpirit, to be kept blameleſſe vntill the comming of our Lord Ieſus. 1 Theſſ. 5.23.Thus in the firſt place let vsus take notice of this point, that ſo we, entring into our ſelues and viewing the whole man, may diſcerne by a change or no change, whether we are ſanctified and quickned yea or no.
Vſe 2 Secondly, this point ſerueth alſo to exhort eueryevery one of vsus to a conſcionable care to trie whether we hauehave life in vsus yea or no. If we liue, we can ſay, as the father of his prodigall ſonne, This my ſonne was dead, and is aliue: So I was dead, yea I am dead vntounto ſinne, and am aliue. Wee hauehave no more aſſurance that we are aliue, than we hauehave certaintie that we are dead. If England and Ireland lay claime to one peece of ground, the triall muſt be this: Put a ſnake into it; if it liues, it belongs to England; if it dieth, it is Iriſh ground. Right ſo, if there be a controuerſie betweene God and the Deuill, whoſe poſſeſſion man ſhall be, the triall ſhall be thus: Put the Serpent ſinne into him; if it liue, he is the Deuils; if it pine away and die, he is part of Gods heritage. Will you inquire then how we ſhall know whether ſin die in vsus yea or no? I anſwer, as a man may know whether another be dead vntounto nature, by the antecedent of death, to wit, ſickneſſe; by the concomitants of death, namely, the decay of ſenſes and pangs of death; and by the conſequents, which are, coldneſſe and putrefaction: So anſwerably we may know whether we are dead vntounto ſinne theſe three waies.
Firſt, by this antecedent which goeth before it, namely,See theſe three more largely in my Sermon on 2 Cor. 5.17. if we be ſicke of ſinne. If as a man ſurcharged with groſſe humours, is neuer at eaſe till he hauehave abated them by vomit or purge; ſo we oppreſſed with our ſinnes can hauehave no reſt in our ſoules, till wee hauehave diſcouered ſinne to our ſelues by examination, opened it to God by confeſſion, executed reuenge vponupon it by godly ſorrow, and purged it by faith in Chriſt: then ſinne is in a good degree to death.
Secondly, by theſe two concomitants which goe with it. Firſt, the ſenſe of ſinne muſt decay: If therefore our eyes doe feebly behold vanitie, and not with that vigour and content as before; if our eares cannot endure to heare of it; if we flie from the garment ſpotted of the fleſh, as from a Serpent; if we finde no relliſh and ſauour in it, but with an honeſt heart can ſay to it, as to an vnprofitable thing, Get thee hence; then are wee in a ſecond degree in the death of ſinne. But if ſecondly wee are come to the pangs of this death, and doe finde that our ſins (through our lothneſſe to forſake them) hauehave ſtriued and ſtruggled as for life, hauehave diſturbed the peace of our ſoules, hauehave ſadded the fleſh, as thoſe that mourne for the death of their friends, hauehave comforted the ſpirit, as thoſe that reioyce at the death of enemies; and ſo hauehave made the paines of the new birth the greater; then are we a degree further in the death vntounto ſinne.
Thirdly, we ſhall know it by theſe conſequents which follow vponupon it, to wit, coldneſſe and putrefaction. If therefore the heat of ſinne be ouer,Eſay … and the ſpirit of burning doe by degrees take poſſeſſion of the place to conſume it: and if it rot and ſtinke in our account, and make vsus a burthen to our ſelues, ſo long as it retaineth liuelihood in any corner of our bodies or ſoules: then this is a fourth degree in the death of ſinne; and that which may aſſure vsus of a good meaſure of attainment to the crucifying of ſinne, and liuing vntounto grace and godlineſſe. In the feare of God, let vsus now returne into our owne hearts and examine our ſelues, when we are ſtill, by theſe ſignes, to ſee what proceedings we hauehave made in paſſing from death to life; that ſo if we finde our ſelues to hauehave part in the firſt Reſurrection, we may be aſſured of our portion in glory to come.
Hauing thus brought home Paul his method vntounto our conſciences, and knowing that theſe two things are ſpeciall meanes vnderunder God to worke it vponupon vsus; to wit, the knowledge of our danger, and the knowledge of our deliuerance: therefore let vsus goe on to conſider Paul his matter in this Text. In which, concerning our miſerie implied, we are to obſerue, That without faith we are but dead men.
If faith in Ieſus Chriſt be our life, then without it wee muſt needs be dead. That which God ſaid to Abimelech, when he had taken away Sarah, Gen. 20.Abrahams wife, Thou art but a dead man; may be ſaid of all men before their conuerſion to God. Hence is it that Paul telleth the Epheſians, That till Chriſt came they were dead in ſinnes and treſpaſſes: Epheſ. 2.1.5.And the Coloſsians, Col 2 13.That till God quickned them with Chriſt, they were dead in ſins, and in the vncircumciſion of the fleſh. In this reſpect thoſe Hypocrites, who neuer caſt their natural hackle,Iude verſ. 12. are ſaid, to be twice dead and plucked vp by the roots: yea, and for this cauſe Chriſt accounteth ſuch no better than dead,Iohn 8.24. both when he ſaith, Except yee beleeue that I am he, yee ſhall die in your ſinnes: As alſo when hee chargeth Sardi to be dead;Apoc. 3.1. and biddeth that cold diſciple to follow him,Matth. 8.22. and let the dead burie the dead; that is, let thoſe who for want of faith are ſpiritually dead in ſinne, attend vponupon the funerals of thoſe who are corporally dead for ſinne.
Neither is this obſcurely ſignified by the Ancients, when they doe compare a ſinner, who goeth on in his naturall courſe, to Lazarus, who had beene dead foure daies. The firſt, by the luſt of ſinne: the ſecond, by conſent to ſinne: the third, by the practiſe of ſinne: and the fourth, by cuſtome in ſinne,Conſuetudo peccandi tollit ſenſum peccati. when vſe in ſinning doth take away the ſenſe of ſinne, as in a ſtarke dead man.
We will not wonder that without faith we ſhould be in no better caſe, if we ſhall conſider the fit reſemblances betweene faithleſſe and dead men; which may be ſet downe as ſo many reaſons in forcing this truth.
Firſt, becauſe as in dead men naturall heat is extinguiſhed; ſo that, if you bring them to the fire, put ſtrong waters into their mouthes, rub them, chafe them, yet no heat appeareth: ſo where there is no faith, there is no zeale for heauenly things. In their owne quarrels they doe with Nebuchadnezzar heat the fornace ſeuen times hotter; but in the quarrels of God they are key-cold (as we ſay) and are frozen vponupon the dregs of their owne ſecure hearts as vponupon the Icie Sea.
Secondly, becauſe as dead men are ſo ſenſleſſe, that their eyes ſee not, their eares heare not, their hands touch not, their pallats taſte not, and their noſthrils ſmell not: ſo in them who are void of faith, their eyes ſee not from whence they are fallen, or into what miſerie and danger by ſinne and puniſhment; their eares heare not the voice of God that they may be ſaued; God calleth out, Awake thou that ſleepeſt, ſtand vp from the dead, and Chriſt ſhall giuegive thee light, but they heare not the voice of this charmer, charme he neuer ſo wiſely.
Thirdly, becauſe as dead men ſmell earthly, and are carried downeward to the center without any aptneſſe to riſe and eleuate themſelues: ſo where there is no faith, men ſauour of nothing but the earth (according to that of the Prophet, O earth, earth, earth, heare the word of the Lord) and are carried downeward like moles and muck-wormes, and would be beholding to God if they might alwaies liue here in eaſe, ſinging Peters ſong vponupon the Mount, Maſter, it is good for vsus to be here.
Fourthly, becauſe as dead men, though they hauehave no life, or ſenſe, or motion in them, yet they hauehave their eyes looking vp to heauen (except, as in Iaacobs caſe, ſome Ioſeph cloſe them:) ſo faithleſſe men will hauehave an eye to heauen, and lookes to that purpoſe (as Balaam when he deſired to die the death of the righteous) though they are like the writings of liuing men vponupon dead mens tombes, or a ſcrole of Scripture going out of the mouth of a man painted in a Church window, or on a wall.
Fiftly, becauſe as dead men are ſubiect to corruption, which made Auguſtine, when he beheld Caeſars corps in his ſepulchre at Rome, ſay to his mother Monica; Behold Caeſar fallen to rottenneſſe, his belly burſt with ſwarmes of wormes, in the hollow of his head where his chriſt all eyes ſtood, two hungry toads are feeding, his teeth appeare for want of lips to couer them: and then he crieth out, Where is thy magnificence, O Caeſar? ſo the faithleſſe are corrupt like an apple rotten at the coare, like an old doating tree periſhed at the heart,Pſal. 14. according to that of the Pſalmiſt, Corrupt are they, and are become abhominable in their wickedneſſe, there is none that doth good, no not one.
Vſe 1 Thus we hauehave taken a view of our miſerie in this point: and may eaſily receiue from it both matter of doctrine and practiſe. Firſt for doctrine, wee may learne three points.
Firſt, what is the reaſon that ſo many heare the word, and ſo few are benefited? Truly herein lieth the cauſe, becauſe men want faith, and ſo are dead. Call, and hollow, and whoope in the eare of a dead man, pinch and pull him, yet he ariſeth neuer the ſooner; and we doe not wonder, becauſe he is dead: ſo neither can we wonder that thoſe who are dead in ſinnes and treſpaſſes, doe not heare the voice of God and liue; becauſe they are dead.
Secondly, we learne that we hauehave no diſpoſition in our ſelues to faith and goodneſſe. Alas, wee thinke that wee hauehave faith to pleaſe God withall at an houres warning; therefore we preſume to goe on in ſinne till the houre of death. But can a dead man command faith in the houre of need? I know that when God hath inlightned the vnderſtanding, and reuealed Ieſus Chriſt the obiect to be receiued and reſted in, and ſanctified our ſoules by giuing vsus the ſpirit of faith, which taketh away our naturall death, then we are co-workers with God (according to that old and true ſaying, The will being first wrought vponupon, Ʋoluntas acta agit.doth together worke with the first mouer:) but take a man in his firſt abilitie and poſſibilitie to helpe himſelfe, and the bodie is not leſſe able to helpe it ſelfe without the ſoule, than the ſoule is to help it ſelfe without the liuing ſeeds of faith foregoing and fore-planted in the new creation of our hearts.
Thirdly, we learne from hence alſo, that ſo long as we are without faith, our bodies are but (as it were) our dead ſoules graues.2 Cor. 5.1. If the bodies of Gods children are an earthly houſe, or a houſe of mud walls as well as others, then the bodies of naturall men cannot but be loathſome graues. And what ſhould dead men doe with other dwellings? or why ſhould we thinke other of dead mens habitations? For doe but marke: Firſt, the ſoule doth annoy the good with many loathſome ſmels of ſinne and damps of iniquitie, as out of a graue. As God doth (as it were) ſmell a ſauour of reſt in the exerciſes of faith in Ieſus Chriſt, and a ſweet perfume in the faithfull prayers of his children; ſo doe the ſoules of the godly alſo: and as ſinnes make many ſtinks in the noſthrils of God; ſo likewiſe in the noſthrils of good men. Againe, the fai…hleſſe ſoule, as if it were pent vp in a graue, hath no freedome nor elbow-roome in the bodie to exerciſe it ſelfe either in naturall or ſpirituall things In naturall things it cannot giuegive a power of growing, ſenſe, or reaſon at its pleaſure: for how many dwarfiſh, dumbe, deafe, and fooliſh men and women are there in the world? how is it with all of vsus, who can neither adde one cubit to our ſtature, nor m…ke one haire either blacke or white? In ſpiritu…ll things wee are dead, as I hauehave ſaid. Laſtly, as a graue doth make that bodie that is put into it to rot, and turnes it for the moſt part into its owne common nature: ſo the bodie (if God doe not worke by the miracle of faith, and ſuſtaine vsus by vertue of the couenant) will more corrupt, and make the blinde ſoule more earthly, ſenſuall, and deuilliſh. For as hee that cannot worke but by a bad inſtrument, will be brought ſo out of ſquare, that cuſtome will breed another nature neuer to bring forth better fruits: ſo the ſoule being tied vntounto the bodie as to its proper inſtrument (it not being eleuated by the ſpirit of faith) through cuſtome and long continuance is brought to rot in bodily exerciſes and earthly things. Seeing therefore that our bodies are graues for our naturall dead ſoules, oh that all of vsus might take notice of it! All I ſay, both good and bad: that the good might be weary of the world, ſeeing their whole life is but a liuing in Golgotha among dead mens graues and skuls: that the bad might content themſelues with a meane graue, except they had more hope of a comfortable reſurrection. That dead man were but poſſeſſed with Deuils, who hauing no hope of a ioyfull reſurrection, ſhould ſpend all his time in dreſſing vp and adorning his graue: ſo are all dead men in ſinne, who, hauing no hope of the fauour of God, and of Chriſts dwelling in their hearts by faith, doe yet ſpend all their time in prouiſion for the graue of their bodie, the very throat whereof is an open ſepulchre, venting the ſtinke of their rotten hearts.
Vſe 2 Secondly, for practiſe, we learne from hence how to carry our ſelues to our vnconuerted friends: to wit, as thoſe who pitty them, and pray for them, and vſe all meanes for a holy reſurrection. Haſt thou a huſband, a wife, a childe, or any friend, or enemie that hath not faith? Pitty them, mourne ouer them as Chriſt ouer dead Lazarus, and as thou wouldſt mourne ouer thy dead friend. Pray to the liuing God that he would quicken them. And as in the time of Chriſts being vponupon the earth, they either brought their dead corps to Chriſt, or beſought him to come to them: ſo let vsus deale with our faithleſſe friends; that is, let vsus ſeeke by all meanes to bring them to Chriſt in the word and prayer, to ſee if yet Chriſt will meet them in his owne ordinances, to raiſe them out of their ſtinking graues of ſinne. Oh that we would neuer forget to deale thus with thoſe to whom we ſtand neereſt in relation, that ſo at the length cuſtome, if not conſcience, may preuaile with vsus to doe it vntounto others; eſpecially conſidering (as I ſaid before) that it is full of diſcontent and miſery to ſpend our daies among dead mens tombes.
Come we now from this miſerable eſtate of ours by nature, to our eſtate by grace. Touching which, the firſt point which the Text offereth to be conſidered is this; That we hauehave communion and fellowſhip in the ſuffering and death of Christ.
This is plaine from the words of the Apoſtle [I am crucified with Christ;] which cannot be but by vertue of our communion with him. It is true, that if wee conſider Chriſt as an indiuiduall perſon, and vsus as particular branches of another ſtocke, we hauehave no fellowſhip with him: For whereas fellowſhip betwixt diſioyned perſons may ariſe, either by working the ſame worke in kinde which another doth,Operando. as in Corporations, brethren of the ſame Trade; or by a co-working and partnerſhip in the ſame worke,Cooperando. as when two men are conuerſant in one and the ſelfe-ſame buſineſſe;Conſ…ntiendo. or elſe by conſenting to the act of another man, as when Dauid had fellowſhip in the murther of Vriah: whereas (I ſay) wee may be thought to hauehave fellowſhip with Chriſt one of theſe three waies; yet we neither being actually crucified, nor crucified with Chriſt, nor conſenting to his crucifying for vsus, we cannot be ſaid to hauehave fellowſhip with him. Neuertheleſſe if we do conſider Chriſt as the head of his Church, and vsus as the members of his bodie: if wee doe conſider him as ſet apart & ſealed of God the Father to be a ſurety for vsus, and vsus the parties to whom he is giuen, and for whom bound, our communion and fellowſhip ſtandeth firme with him.
Now that we may the better conceiue it, we muſt know that we hauehave fellowſhip with Chriſt in three things.
Firſt, in his Natures: for the Sonne of God is made partaker of the humane nature, that hee might make vsus partakers of the diuine nature. He became the ſonne of man, that we might become the ſonnes of God.2 Pet. … Wee wanted ſonſhip, & God could not giuegive vsus that which he had not: therefore the Sonne of God alone tooke the nature of the ſonnes of men, that he might reſtore vsus to the dignitie of the ſonnes of God.
Secondly, we hauehave fellowſhip with Chriſt in his goods: for (wee hauing nothing elſe that may be truly ſaid to be ours) hee takes our curſed ragges of ſinne vponupon him, and hath communicated vsus the riches of his glory. Thus ſaith the Apoſtle, God hath made Christ ſinne for vsus, to wit,2 Cor. 5.21. by imputation; and is made vntounto vsus wiſdome, righteouſneſſe, 1 Cor. 1.30.ſanctification, and redemption.
Thirdly, we hauehave fellowſhip with him in his eſtates. His honourable eſtate is ours: for wee are riſen with Chriſt, Col. 3.1. Eph. 2.6.and wee ſit with him in heauenly places. His debaſed eſtate alſo is ours, as his birth, ſuffering vnderunder Pontius Pilate, his crucifying, his death, his deſcenſion into hell: For hence is it that we are ſaid to be buried with Chriſt, Rom. 6.4, 5, 6.and to be grafted with him into the ſimilitude of his death, yea and to hauehave the old man crucified with him, as in this Text.
If now you will inquire, Why wee are ſaid to hauehave fellowſhip in his death? I anſwer: For three cauſes eſpecially.
Firſt, Becauſe of that ſacramentall vnion which wee ha…e with Chriſt:Rom. 6. Wee are baptized into the death of Chriſt: We are buried with Chriſt in Baptiſme. Baptiſme doth ſeale vntounto vsus and giuegive vsus intereſt in that communion which we hauehave in his death. For as the dipping in the primitiue Church; ſo the ſprinkling of the water now doth ſignifie and ſeale our death and buriall with Chriſt.
Secondly, Becauſe what Chriſt did as Mediator of the Church, hee did it not as a priuate perſon, but as the head of the Church and in the roome and ſtead of all his elect. Hence is it that hee is called our ſponſor or ſuretie.Heb. 7.22. For as the debt which a ſuretie payeth, hee payeth not onelyonly for himſelfe (becauſe hee hath willingly made himſelfe a debtor) but for the partie alſo for whom hee is bound: ſo Chriſt payeth for vsus.
Thirdly, Becauſe when wee truly turne from all ſinne vntounto God, as we do with all our hearts, make a deed of gift to conueigh our ſelues vntounto God, that ſo in all diſtreſſe we may plead as Dauid, Pſal. 119.I am thine, ſaue mee, for I doe put my truſt in thee: Eſa. 9.6.ſo God doth make a deed of gift of whole Chriſt to conueigh him vntounto vsus. As therefore we account to hauehave right to that which is giuen vsus, as freely and as fully as if wee had purchaſed it, or had it by inheritance: euen ſo wee aſcertaine and aſſure our ſelues of Chriſt crucified with all his benefits.
Vſe 1 This therefore being a truth, that we hauehave fellowſhip in the ſufferings of Ieſus Chriſt, is of excellent vſe both to procure the hatred and the mortification of ſinne. For the firſt; we ſhould grow in eternall enmitie with it, when we doe but thinke that the Lord of life was crucified for it: but if we ſet our ſelues in Chriſts roome and feelingly apprehend his paine as ours, when hee, conflicting with his Fathers wrath, cried out, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken mee? When his ſoule was heauie vntounto death, and he, being roſted with the fire of Gods wrath, did in a cold ſeaſon ſweat drops of blood: if wee ſhall account his inv…terable loſſe to be ours, to wit, that our ſinnes made God to withdraw his louing countenance from vsus, good men to flie from vsus, our friends to deny vsus, our enemies to inſult ouer vsus, the earth to quake, the ſunne to hide her light, and the rockes to rent in ſunder, who will not now gnaſh his teeth at ſinne, and cry ouer it with a holy indignation, as the Edomites ouer Ieruſalem, Downe with it, downe with it, euen to the ground?
Vſe 2 As to the ſecond, to account our ſelues as crucified with Chriſt,1 Pet. 4.1. is an excellent meanes of mortification. For he that hath ſuffered in the fleſh hath ceaſed from ſinne: and if wee are dead to ſinne, Rom. 6.2.how ſhall wee yet liue therein? Wee know that when a felon is executed, hee is not onelyonly freed from the imputation of ſinne, becauſe he hath ſatisfied the law, but from the practiſe of ſinne alſo. The ſame minde muſt be in vsus, that wee may mortifie the deeds of the fleſh by ſuch ſpirituall reaſons as theſe are: What? am I not crucified? am I not dead? doe I yet worke the workes of darkneſſe, as if I liued in ſinne? what is it that ſhould make me rake together the dead bones of ſinne to put new life into them? I know that it is death to heare of ſuch a dying. Ah it is too true that wee louelove our ſinnes too well to let them be crucified with Chriſt. But ſhall I tell you what we may doe to helpe all? I remember that it was a law in Iſrael, D…ut. 21.11, 12.that if a beautifull woman ſhould be taken captiue in warre, and any man ſhould deſire her as his wife, hee muſt ſhaue her head, pare her nailes, put off the garment wherein hee loued her (that is, take away all her ornaments) and if hee then liked her, let him take her into his houſe. Oh that we could be wiſe to deale thus with ſinne! It hath many ornaments ſutable to our corrupt natures, which doe beguile the ſeduced and deceiued eyes of our ſoules. Some ſinnes are clad with profit, ſome with pleaſure, ſome with honour, and other ſome with fauour; but ſhaue off this alluring haire, fling away theſe tempting garments, and then yee ſhall ſee that it defaceth Gods image, diſhonoureth God, grieueth and quencheth the ſpirit, woundeth the conſcience, and preſſeth to hell: Now tell me whether ye like ſinne yea or no? Oh that this might be a forcible inducement vntounto vsus to let our crucifying with Chriſt hauehave its diuine force.
It may be you will inquire for ſome plaine direction for the crucifying of ſinne. If you doe, I ſhall ſoone ſay (by Gods bleſſi…g) much in a little.See theſe things more largely in my Sermon on 2 Cor. 5.17. Marke the degrees of Chriſts crucifying for vsus, and wee muſt imitate it in our crucifying of ſinne for Chriſt. Chriſt was apprehended, put in hold, indited, condemned, and executed: ſo muſt we deale with ſinne. Wee muſt apprehend it by a through examination, put it in hold by godly ſorrow, indite it by a heartie confeſſion, condemne it by a ſeuere iudging of our ſelues, and execute it by faith and a good conſcience. The longer we delay, the ſtronger ſinne is, and the harder to kill. Heare therefore that your ſoules may liue Let not the deuill ſeduce you with vaine hopes of long life, or time enough to repent in. Fiſhes will not be caught with a bloudy net: why will yee? Remember when one commended the Popes Legate at the Councell of Baſil, Tamen Romanus eſt.Sigiſmond the Emperour anſwered, Yet hee is a Romane: So let the fleſh commend Satan in all his ſugred allurements neuer ſo much, yet let the ſpirit anſwer, Yet hee is a deuill. Let vsus neuer forget (and God giuegive vsus vnderſtanding in all things) that he is the roaring Lion ſeeking whom he may deuoure.
Hauing thus led you through the fellowſhip of Chriſt in his death; wee are come to that pipe, which by the force of this our communion doth conueigh life through this death, and that is Faith. Touching which wee ar… to obſerue from hence; That by vertue of this our communion with Chriſt wee liue by Faith.
It is not our faith abſolutely conſidered, that is our life, but as it doth vnite and knit vsus vntounto Ieſus Chriſt. Notwithſtanding becauſe without faith we cannot be knit vntounto him who is our life, therefore wee are ſaid to liue by faith.
Which to conceiue, you muſt know that there is a threefold life of man: Firſt, that which doth conſiſt of being, life, motion, and ſenſe; and thus wee are ſaid to liue a ſenſitiue life. Secondly, that which doth conſiſt of being, life, motion, ſenſe, and reaſon; and thus wee liue a reaſonable life. Thirdly, that which doth conſiſt of being, life, motion, ſenſe, reaſon, and religion; and ſo faith giueth vsus our gracious liuelihood. For therefore is the Church called, The land of the liuing, becauſe it is the company of beleeuers:Pſal. 142.5. and that word which is called the word of faith, is therefore called the word of life. Hence alſo Chriſt ſaith,Iohn 6.47. that he that beleeueth hath life: and Peter calleth Chriſtians, 1 Pet. 2.5.Liuing ſtones, becauſe by faith they grow vp into a holy building: yea and they are ſaid, to be begotten to a liuing hope, 1 Pet. 1.3.or a liuely hope, that is, a hope proceeding from faith our life, and receiuing liuelihood from thence to iſſue out into the acts of life.
Neither need it ſeeme ſtrange vntounto vsus, that faith in Chriſt ſhould be our life, if we doe conſider theſe three grounds.
Firſt, That by faith alone wee hauehave intereſt in our Sauiour Chriſt, who is the onelyonly way, truth, and life.Iohn 14.6. For God hath ſet him forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloud:Rom. 3.25. and wee are righteous before God by the faith of Ieſus Chriſt. If therefore we call that our liuing, which is the inſtrumentall cauſe of our naturall liuing good; much more faith which is the inſtrument of our ſpirituall good.
Secondly, By faith alone we hauehave right to thoſe meanes of ſaluation wherein we hauehave communion and fellowſhip with Chriſt in this world. As firſt for the Word, it will not profit if it be not mixed with faith in them that heare it:Hebr. 4.2. that ſo they may take it home and apply it as a good plaiſter to their infected ſoules. As to the Sacraments; they doe not ſeale a blanke,Rom. 4.11. but are ſignes and ſeales of the righteouſneſſe of faith: and when we come vntounto them wee draw neere vntounto God, which muſt be done with a true heart in aſſurance of faith: Hebr. 10.22.yea we muſt be at peace with God (for God doth not vſe to beſtow ſuch ſauoury bleſſings vponupon his enemies) but no peace without iustification by faith. Rom. 5.5.As to prayer,Iam. 1.6. we muſt aske in faith, nothing wauering. We therefore hauing right vntounto theſe things only by faith, it is not vnworthily ſaid to be our life. Thirdly, faith giueth vntounto vsus a right & title, yea & a cōfortable vſe of all the things of this life. In faith (that is, hauing my perſon in Chriſt, and my warrant & allowance from God in his word) I eat my meat, put on my clothes, till my ground, take profit of my cattle, & whatſoeuer is not of faith is ſin: that is, whatſoeuer is done with a trembling,Rom. 14.23. wandring, & gaine-ſaying conſcience,Dubitante, Errante, Repugnante conſ…ient…a. when we hauehave not both warrant in our hearts that our perſons are reconciled vntounto God in Ieſus Chriſt, & that our actiō is agreeable or not repugnant vntounto Gods wil, is ſinful. Seeing therfore that our faith only giueth vsus a comfortable right both to the principall and inſtrumentall cauſes of our ſpirituall & naturall liuing good, we may rightly conclude, that the iuſt man doth liue by his faith. Hab.Frō which doctrine we may learne two profitable leſſons: Vſe 1 firſt, concerning our ſelues; and ſecondly, concerning others. Concerning our ſelues we learne, that as the life of a man doth take poſſeſſion of the whole man, and quicken all the parts of him, and by degrees driueth out all the death which there it findeth: ſo faith poſſeſſeth, quickneth, & driueth out death from the whole ſoule. As when water is ſet ouer the fire, that heat which doth come vntounto it doth by degrees poſſeſſe, warme, & driue out the cold of it: or as when the ſap doth in the ſpring ariſe out of the root of the tree into the bodie and branches, it doth take away all the vnfruitfulnes of it, & by degrees doth make it bring forth bud, leafe, and fruit: ſo faith dealeth with our ſoules. For as the life of man is a power diffuſed through the whole man: ſo faith being the life of the ſoule is a power diffuſed thorow the whole ſoule. So that faith muſt be both in the minde, and in the heart. It muſt ſhew it ſelfe in the minde in three things. Firſt, in the knowledge; for there is ſomething euen in the very inlightning of the vnderſtanding, which is of the nature of faith. Therefore the Prophet ſaith,Eſ. 53.11. that the knowledge of thy righteous ſeruant (that is, CHRIST) ſhall iuſtifie many; which yet cannot be wrought without faith. Secondly, in the iudgement, when we being inwardly conuinced, doe clearely reſolue that Chriſt is the way to bee happy, and therefore the onelyonly good tidings which our hearts can reſt vponupon. This made the Apoſtle ſay,Phil. 3.8, 9. Doubtleſſe I thinke (that is, this is my reſolute iudgement) that all things are loſſe and dung in reſpect of Chriſt. Thirdly, in our memories; when the greateſt care in vsus is, (among other things) to lay vp the words of our bleſſed Sauiour,Luk. Pſal. 119. and to hide his promiſes in our hearts. Againe, faith muſt ſhew it ſelfe in the heart, when the heart beleeueth,Rom. 10.9. Act. 8.39. yea when wee beleeue with all our hearts: and this it doth in three things alſo. Firſt, in the appetite and deſires; when a man is ſo farre exerciſed in the ſpirituall ſeeking of Chriſt, that he deſires rather to part with all the world if he had it, than not to hauehave ſome comfortable aſſurance of Gods louelove in Ieſus Chriſt. And whoſoeuer ſhall thus ſell all to buy the pearle, hath true faith: for God heareth the deſires of the poore; Pſal. 10.17.yet he heareth not to our comfort our prayers, except they be faithfull.Matth. 5.6. And they are bleſſed that hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſſe; yet none are bleſſed with Abraham, but they who are of the faith of Abraham. Secondly, in the affections; when the ſoule is confident, and reſteth vponupon the promiſes of God in Chriſt, as the onelyonly ground of happineſſe. For when there are no arguments drawne from a mans ſenſe and feeling, which may perſwade him of Gods louelove in Chriſt, yet he doth confidently relie vponupon it, then is he ſaid to liue by faith not by ſight, as Ioh who profeſſed, that though God killed him, yet would he truſt in him. Iob.Thus alſo doth faith quicken other affections, (as ioy, feare, louelove, and the like) directing them to their right obiects, and bringing them by degrees to this meaſure, that they are ſpent vponupon Chriſt without meaſure. Thirdly, our faith doth ſhew it ſelfe in our wils; when the ſoule hauing many times a bleſſed experience of Gods louelove is perſwaded of it. Thus Pauls faith ſhewed it ſelfe, when he ſaid, I am perſwaded that neither life nor death (and ſo forth) ſhall ſeperate vsus (that is,Rom. 8.38, 39. me and other Chriſtians) from Gods louelove which is in Chriſt Ieſus our Lord. Which perſwaſion (as I take it) doth more naturally belong vntounto the will, it being more proper to the vnderſtanding to be conuicted, and to the will to be perſwaded. So that though the ſoule be many times toſſed with temptations, feares and terrours, yet more or leſſe it is much refreſhed with this perſwaſion.
Thus we ſee how faith quickneth the whole ſoule of the godly man. In which reſpect if wee be quickned from the death of our vnderſtandings, and not of our deſires; if we perceiue the inliuing of our deſires, and not of our wils and affections, we hauehave iuſt cauſe to ſuſpect that we hauehave no faith. For faith is in no part of the ſoule in any meaſure, where it is not in all parts of the ſoule in ſome meaſure. For in this doth the life of the ſoule differ from the life of the bodie: that the life of the bodie doth begin in the heart, it being that which firſt liues, and doth end there, it being that which laſt dieth; but the life of the ſoule which can neuer periſh (though it may ſeeme not to worke for ſome time, like a member deaded with a blow) as it is in our firſt regeneration (like light in the aire) ſhed abroad thorow the whole ſoule; ſo it is alwaies to be found in all the powers of the ſoule, though in ſome man it be more predominant in the vnderſtanding, in ſome in the deſires, and in ſome others in the will and affections. Now therefore let vsus from hence-forth enter into our owne ſoules, to trie whether we hauehave faith yea or no. If we hauehave, it is our life, and if it be our life, it quickneth both our vnderſtandings to know Chriſt, our iudgements to approue him as our only Sauiour and Redeemer, our memories to treaſure vp the promiſes, our deſires to hauehave an vnquenchable thirſt after him, our affections to be ſpent vponupon him, our wils in ſome meaſure to be perſwaded of his louelove to vsus, and our whole ſoules to droope and mourne in our Chriſtian ioy, becauſe we cannot receiue him more fully in the whole to our endleſſe comfort.
Vſe 2 Secondly, concerning others, we learne from this life of faith, who are the men that onelyonly may be ſaid to liue: to wit, the godly man; becauſe he only hath faith. The great man liueth gallantly, the voluptuous man liueth merrily, the rich man wealthily, the politicke man warily, only the faithfull man liueth indeed, becauſe he liueth graciouſly. This is true life, and all other liues are deaths to this. The wealthie mans life is full of care, feare, griefe; but Faith triumpheth, That neither life nor death, principalitie nor power, things preſent nor things to come, ſhall be able to ſeparate vsus from the louelove of God in Chriſt Ieſus. The poore mans life is full of diſcontent and penury; but Faith can want and abound, and in ſtead of other dainties doth eueryevery day feed vponupon Chriſt. The Infants life is full of mourning and crying; but Faith glads the heart in the midſt of heauineſſe, and makes it many times reioyce with ioy vnſpeakable and glorious. The young mans life is full of paſſion, wauering, and fickle inconſtancie; but Faith doth ſo ballace our ſoules, that we runne a ſetled courſe, and ſweare to keepe Gods righteous iudgements. The old mans life is full of deafeneſſe, dulneſſe, decayedneſſe; but Faith ſeeth thorow the clouds life in death, glory in ſhame, yea it heareth the voice of God in eueryevery ſentence, and though the outward man periſh, yet in the inner and hid man of the heart, Faith reneweth vsus daily. Although therefore we muſt liue other liues both naturall and ciuill, yet let vsus make more account of this, That Chriſt liueth in vsus by faith, than of all other liues whatſoeuer.
Thus hauehave I brought you along vntounto the laſt thing which I ſhall obſerue from hence, that is, the exerciſe and expreſſement of that power which Faith giueth vsus by our communion with Chriſt in a vertuous and holy life. For as hee hath ſaid, that wee hauehave fellowſhip in his death for our mortification; that we are quickned by faith in him for our viuification: ſo, that we, through that quickning power which wee doe receiue from Chriſt by faith, are made liuely vntounto all holy obedience. Therefore is it that the Apoſtle ſaith, It is not I, but Christ that quickneth mee, concerning the life that we now liue, to liue graciouſly. Whence we muſt marke: That it is from the vertue and power of Chriſt, that wee are quickned to all holy obedience.
Though we hauehave faith, yet we muſt not pride our ſelues in it; for it is not faith in it ſelfe that quickneth vsus, but as it is a diuine power, whereby we doe receiue that life which is in Chriſt.Iohn 5.21. Therefore is it ſaid, That the Sonne quickneth whom he will. Yea, and hence is it that the Scripture is ſo exact in ſetting downe our weakneſſe. For whereas there are ſeuen degrees to be conſidered for the effecting of a good thing, the Scriptures ſhew that man is weake in all of them.Pſal. Can man thinke good? No: The Lord knoweth the thoughts of men that they are but vaine: and wee are not ſufficient of our ſelues to thinke a good thought. 2 Cor. 2.14.Can we vnderſtand good?1 Cor. 2.14. Rom. 8.7. No: The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the Spirit of God; Yea, the wiſdome of fleſh is enmitie againſt God. Can we will and deſire good? No: It is God that worketh in vsus both the will and the deed. Phil. 2.13.Can we ſpeake good? No:Prov. 16.1. The wife man may purpoſe a thing in his heart, but the anſwer of the tongue is of the Lord: therefore Dauid prayeth to God that he would open his lips that his mouth might ſet forth his praiſe. Pſal. 51.15.If he could not tune his tongue, much leſſe could he turne his heart. Can wee begin to doe good? No: as Eſay ſaith, The children are come to the birth, and there is no ſtrength to bring forth: ſo may we ſay of our inward good; for it is God that beginneth this good worke in vsus. Philip. 1.6.Can wee doe or worke any good? No: I know that the way of man is not in himſelfe; Ier. 10.23.for without Chriſt we can doe nothing. Ioh. 15.5.Can we perfect any thing that good is? No: To will is preſent with vsus (as with Paul) when we are ſanctified, but we hauehave no power to performe. If God ſhould bring vsus to the gates of heauen, and there leaue vsus, we ſhould periſh. He muſt ſtill be with vsus both as the author and finiſher of our faith. Hebr. 12.It is he that muſt admoniſh vsus of that good which wee hauehave to doe,Monendo, Movendo, Removendo. that muſt ſtir vsus vp to doe it, and that muſt remoue thoſe, impediments which hinder vsus. Now why ſhould the Scripture thus anatomize the parts of our weakneſſe in good, but to teach vsus that all our ſtrength and power is from Chriſt?
Excellent alſo to this purpoſe is that Euangelicall outcry: Hoe, eueryevery one that thirſteth come ye to the waters, Eſ. 55.1.and ye that hauehave no ſiluer come, buy, and eat; come I ſay, buy wine and milke without ſiluer and without money. Into which words if we pierce with a ſpirituall eye, we ſhall finde that they offer two things to be conſidered: A good turne from God, and a dutie from vsus. In the firſt, hee doth firſt condition with the buyer, and hee doth allow or licenſe two ſorts to buy of him: Him that is thirſtie, that is, hee that out of a ſight of Chriſts worth, and his owne vnworthineſſe doth pant after Chriſt; and him that hath no ſiluer, that is, he that hath denied himſelfe, and in his owne eyes is nothing: ſecondly, hee doth make his offer; In which, firſt, he doth make knowne his ware-houſe, that is, Chriſt: and thus much is implied in the nature of the words, which are a prophecie concerning Chriſt: ſecondly, hee offereth his ware vnderunder three words; water, milke, and wine; implying that in Chriſt is to bee found matters of conueniencie, neceſſitie, and delight: thirdly, hee pitcheth the price, and ſetteth it downe negatiuely, that God keepeth an open houſe for beggars, and not a ſhop for buyers; he keepeth an hoſpitall not an ordinarie: for it commeth without ſiluer and without mony. Secondly, hee ſetteth downe a dutie from vsus: for he telleth vsus that if we be ſuch buyers and like the price, we muſt come, buy, and eat. So that in theſe words you may plainely perceiue that the Prophet doth cleerely ſet downe theſe two things. Firſt, that we hauehave nothing, wee are without ſpirituall ſiluer and money.Phil. Secondly, that Chriſt is all in all things vntounto vsus, and that God doth bleſſe vsus with all ſpirituall bleſsings in heauenly things in Chriſt. Eph. 1.3.Hence is it that the holy Ghoſt ſaith, It pleaſed the Father that in him ſhould all fulneſſe dwell: Col. 1.19. Ioh. 1.16.and that out of his fulneſſe wee all receiue grace for grace; that is, the free fauour of the remiſſion of our ſinnes, and all other ſpirituall good depending vponupon it, for the free fauour of God is Chriſt himſelfe: yea and all this out of Gods appointment,1 Cor. 1.30. who hath made him to vsus wiſdome, righteouſneſſe, ſanctification, and redemption.
Vſe 1 Oh that the conſideration of this point might thorowly enter into our ſoules! for we ſhall finde it both to be a ground of the deniall of our ſelues, and of attendance vponupon Chriſt. Chriſt doth require that wee would denie our ſelues, and follow him: and in this doctrine we hauehave a ground for both. Firſt, for deniall of our ſelues; who doth not denie himſelfe, and make himſelfe nothing in his owne eyes, when he duely conſiders that it is Chriſt who quickneth him? I know that naturally we hauehave a great deſire to hauehave ſome worth in our ſelues. I remember how it was with Alexander when he went into the Indies; hee cauſed horſe-ſhooes, and bitts of bridles, and ſpeares, and ſwords of an vnwonted bigneſſe to be left behinde him, and all becauſe men, that came thither in after-times, and ſhould heare that Alexander had beene there, might ſay, Surely Alexander was a mighty man indeed, a man of great power and worth: right ſo is it with vsus; we are ſicke of the ſame diſeaſe: we deſire with Saul, to be honoured before the people: we would faine be ſome bodie, or at leaſt we would be worth more than nothing. Hence doe come the diuiding conceits betweene God and mans will in the power of conuerſion, and betwixt faith and workes in the caſe of iuſtification. Hence alſo comes in the curſed opinion of merits (at the leaſt in the gratious works of Gods ſonnes) and of our being ſaued by our good beleefe to God-wards; by louing God aboue all, and our neighbours as our ſelues, and the like. But let vsus neuer forget that Chriſt muſt increaſe, and we muſt decreaſe; that it is Chriſt that liueth in vsus (euen when we are at the beſt) and giueth vsus all power, and that therefore we hauehave and are nothing: Chriſt neuer helpeth but in extreme need. As God dealt with the Iſraelites at the red Sea, when the Sea was before them, the hill… vponupon one hand, the ſea on the other, and the Aegyptians behind them, then he ſaith to Moſes, Stretch out thy rod; and to the Sea, Stay thy proud waues, be made into walls for the defence of my people: ſo Chriſt when he bringeth his diſciples to cry out, Saue Maſter, we periſh, then he rebukes the windes: when they cry out with Iehoſhaphat, Lord we know not what to doe, but our eyes are towards thee; when they hauehave no power, no worth in themſelues and their owne eyes, then he makes them ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. As therefore we louelove our owne ſoules, as wee deſire to hauehave part and fellowſhip with Chriſt, to be made wiſe by his wiſdome, without guilt with his righteouſneſſe, without preuailing filth with his holineſſe, and without apoſtacie with his redemption: ſo let vsus be carefull to denie our ſelues, and lay downe at his feet the crowne of our glory.
Secondly, for attendance: who will not follow Chriſt, who is ſuch a bountifull maſter, that hee putteth new life into all his followers? No great men need ſue for attendants; yet their followers many times are compared to faſting daies, which are next vntounto holy-daies, but otherwiſe they are the leaneſt daies in all the weeke: much leſſe need thoſe honourable maſters ſue for any, who doe moſt for their ſeruitours, they ſhall hauehave offerers good ſtore. And ſhall it be otherwiſe with Chriſt? Shall ſuch a maſter want followers,Matth. 11. who calleth out vntounto vsus, Come vntounto me all yee that are weary and heauy laden, and I will refreſh you? Oh what an argument is this that we feele not the want of Chriſt and his ſocietie! It may be you will ſay, that Chriſt indeed claddeth you with mourning and perſecution: and is he alſo the fountaine of life and holineſſe to them that come vntounto him? Yea verily: As Adams vnrighteouſneſſe and vnholineſſe is the fountaine of our guilt and corruption: ſo Chriſts righteouſneſſe and holineſſe is not onelyonly the matter of our righteouſneſſe, but the root of our ſanctification alſo. By faith we are vnited vntounto Ieſus Chriſt, and ingraffed into him, and as the root doth ſend vp iuyce into the branches; ſo doth Chriſt ſhoot in diuine ſpirits, and infuſe holineſſe into his members. But, ſaith the beleeuer, I hauehave beleeued in Chriſt, yet I finde not my bloudy iſſue of ſinne to be ſtaied with this touch. Liſten therefore a while. It is poſſible for vsus to hauehave ſpirituall life, and not to diſcerne it. And if yet further thou doe inquire, how this our communion with Chriſt may ſo be aduanced, that we may finde life deriued into our ſoules from our ſpirituall touch of Chriſt? I anſwer: In the vſe of three ordinarie meanes of ſaluation. Firſt, in prayer: Aske and I will giuegive. If the ſpirit of ſupplication commeth once, then as it bindeth Gods hands, as when God ſaid, Now Moſes let me alone; ſo it openeth Gods hands, as Elias did when he obtained ſhowres; yea and openeth all the paſſages betwixt Chriſt our head and vsus his members, whereby ſpirituall life is deriued into vsus. Which of Gods children hauehave not felt ſinne ſtabbed and dying in this dutie, and Chriſt liuing to controll ſinne, and to comfort vsus againſt all diſcouragements.
Secondly, in the word of God preached: Heare and your ſoules ſhall liue. Where is he who hath heard of conſcience, and not of cuſtome, who hath not found Chriſt in this dutie laſhing the ſeared conſcience, quickning the dead affections, inclining the rebellious will, and drawing out reſolutions from the whole man to follow Chriſt?
Thirdly, in the Sacrament: the bread and cup is the ſpirituall communion of the bodie and bloud of Chriſt. What faithfull man hath not felt Chriſt caſt an inward ſhame vponupon the ſoule for entertaining him into ſo foule an houſe? Yea, and how eaſie is it in that ſeale of Gods fauour to finde him pricking the ſoule for ſinne paſt, and ſtrengthning the weake hands of faith againſt ſin to come? As thou wouldſt hauehave comfort to thy ſoule, mark… how Chriſt deriueth holineſſe in theſe meanes of ſaluation, that thou maiſt finde it drop by experience, that ſo thou, perceiuing him to be ſuch a fountaine opened to the houſe of Dauid for ſinne and for vncleanneſſe, maiſt runne vntounto him for cleanneſſe, and follow after for comfort and ſtabilitie in all thy courſes.
Thus we hauehave conſidered our miſerie to lament it, and our deliuerance to worke in vsus thankfull hearts. As therefore the Iewes vowed, If I forget thee, ô Ieruſalem, let my right hand forget her cunning: ſo with an humble reſolution (depending vponupon the power of Chriſt for performance) let vsus determine to write Chriſt in red letters in the tables of our hearts, and neuer forget him to be the well-ſpring of life and holineſſe, that all things may be loſſe and dung vntounto vsus in reſpect of that treaſure which is in him to our endleſſe ioy.
Soli Deo gloria.
THE TRIAL OF True Religion. ƲPON IAMES 1.27. By ROBERT ABBOT.
LONDON, Printed by John Haviland for Nathaniel Butter. 1623.