Faith and Experience, Title page
THE LIFE & DEATH OF A true CHRISTIAN: Deciphered in a Sermon Preached upon the 14 Rom. 6, 7 Verſ. At the Buriall of Mary Simpſon; a Religious young Maid, lately living in the City of Norwich.
BY JOHN COLLINGS, Mr of Arts, and Preacher of Gods Word to Saviours Pariſh in the ſaid City.
2 Cor. Ch. 5. v. 2.
For in this we groan earneſtly, deſiring to be cloathed upon with our houſe which is from heaven.
Verſe 3.
If ſo that being cloathed, we bee not found naked.
London, Printed for Rich. Tomlins. 1649.
The Life and Death of a true Christian.
Rom. 14. ver. 7, 8.
For none of us liveth to himſelfe; And no man dies to himſelfe; but whether we live we live unto the Lord, or whether we dye, we dye unto the Lord: Whether therefore we live or dye, we are the Lords.
COncerning the Author of this Epiſtle, none is ſo ignorant but knowes it is Paul. It was written to the beleeving Romans. For the ſubject matter of it, it is an Elaborate diſcourſe, clearing up the Doctrine of Iuſtification; that's the ſubject of the doctrinall part of it, in the eleven firſt chapters: the enſuing part of it is more practicall, in which the Apoſtle gives ſeverall precepts to the beleeving Romans, whether in publicke Offices or in private relations, Inſtructing them how to carry themſelves towards God, and each towards another.
In this Chapter he inſtructs them how to demeane themſelves towards their diſſenting weak brethren. In thoſe primitive times, there were ſome Chriſtians that were ſtumbled at the preſent abrogation of the ceremoniall law, and were not ſo fully as others inſtructed in the Doctrine of Chriſtian liberty, purchaſed by the comming, and ſuffering of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. Upon this, from the too rigid Cenſoriouſneſſe of other Chriſtians, there grew a diviſion, and (as I am apt to beleeve) a ſeparation in the Church: It ſeemeth the ſtumble was concerning two points of the ceremoniall law; Firſt, The eating of meats Vnclean by the law: Secondly, the other, the Obſervation of ſuch dayes as according to the Iewiſh law were to be kept holy. Thoſe Chriſtians that were well inſtructed in the Doctrine of the liberty purchaſed by Jeſus Chriſt from thoſe Iewiſh ceremonies, rightly conceived, that Firſt, Thoſe beaſts which were Vncleane to the Iews were not now Vncleane: It was ſince then that God had given leave to Peter to kill and eate, with a command to him, to call nothing Common or Vncleane which he had ſanctified. And I conceive that piece of the Ceremonall law did typifie the Uncleaneneſſe of the Gentiles: till the Partition wall was pulled downe; and 2. They knew that under the Goſpell, Chriſtians were by no morall precept engaged to keep any day holy but the Lords day: yet the other Chriſtians not ſeeing with ſo cleare a light, as they ſaw, durſt not doe theſe things, but ſtill perſiſted in abſtaining from ſome meats, and the obſervation of ſome holy dayes, which needed not, had they been but well inſtructed. But as the conſciences of theſe were too ſcrupulous and Superſtitious; So the ſpirits of the other were too rigid and cenſorious, preſently upon this to refuſe communion with them. The Apoſtle therefore in this Chapter writes to them, to mind them how to carry themſelves towards their weak brethren. Firſt, He gives a generall precept, To receive them: but wiſely, Not to doubtful diſputations: and negatively, Through the weaknes of their faith.v. 2. not to deſpiſe them: we ought not to deſpiſe but brotherly to Receive thoſe that differ not from us in fundamentals though they cannot agree with us in circumſtantialls. For I conceive that the difference was not here a thing indifferent, it was utterly unlawfull, and ſuperſtitious to keep Jewiſh holydayes by vertue of an obligation from the Ceremoniall law. It was unlawfull for them to account thoſe creatures Common or uncleane which the Lord had Sanctified, yet ſaith the Apoſtle, be tender of them. Firſt, deſpiſe them not. Secondly, puzzle them not in doubtful diſputations. Thirdly, do not judge or condemne them. Fourthly, Receive them, into your hearts by love and piety and affection toward them; Into your Congregations not refuſing communion with them. Now having given them this generall Leſſon of Exhortation, he preſſeth it in the enſuing verſes, by ſeverall Arguments; The firſt is laid downe v. 3. God hath Received him: Received him, how? he hath loved his ſoule in Jeſus Chriſt, and united him to himſelf; will ye reject whom God receiveth? doth God think him worthy of his heart, and doe not you think him worthy of yours? will God receive him to everlaſting communion with himſelfe, and is he not worthy to be received into the Communion of your Congregations? Secondly, from the very law of Nature; who art thou that condemneſt another mans ſervant? he ſtands, or fals to his own maſter. This is ſpoken to diſſwade them from cenſuring or judging; why ſaith the Apoſtle, he is Gods ſervant not yours, who bids you judge him? leave him to his owne maſter, and doe not you exerciſe a rigid unwarrantable Maſtery over him. Thirdly, from the love of God to him, Yea he ſhall be establiſhed. God that hath ſhined in with ſome light of knowledge, and faith, into him, will in his due time (ſaith the Apoſtle) ſhine with more; that though he ſeemes to be now weak, yet he ſhall be ſtrong; though he be a little ſtaggering, now for the preſent, yet he ſhall be ſetled, and eſtabliſhed; and this is proved from the two ſtrongeſt Arguments in the world; to aſſure to a true Chriſtian the accompliſhing of any promiſe for the carrying on any work of grace. Firſt, Gods power. v. 4. He is able to make him ſtand. Secondly, Gods love, he will doe to his utmoſt for him, he ſhall be establiſhed. The word is paſſive to denote the freeneſſe of Gods act in it.
A fourth Argument is drawne from the joint deſigne that theſe diſſenting Chriſtians (and that in this very buſineſſe) carried on with thoſe whoſe Spirits were more cleare in the thing, viz. The glory of God, Indeed if they were ſuch baſe prophane wretches, as kept up theſe ceremonies out of a ſuperſtitious humour, Holy dayes meerly to eat, and drink in, and riſe up to play in, to be dayes of prophanneſſe, &c. or if they kept up theſe meerly to diſturbe the Church of Chriſt, or to deny Chriſt to be come in the fleſh, then it were ſomething; but being the caſe is ſo, that they are ſuch perſons as truly aime at the glory of God in this action, and diſſent becauſe they are not yet fully convinced that they are freed from theſe ceremonies; and think they ſhould diſhonour God in diſobeying his command, if they ſhould not; Beare with them. Yea (may ſome ſay) but how ſhould we know this?
Firſt, the Apoſtle proves it, 1. From the manner of their obſervation of theſe dayes, and eating theſe meats. 1. They obſerved them to the Lord. They ate to the Lord, giving God thanks: they did not barely obſerve the Ceremonies, but with a great deale of holineſſe, that the ſhell and the kernell went together.
Secondly, he proveth it, from the generall ſcope, and aime of every true Chriſtian both in his life and death. For none of us liveth to himſelf, &c. They are ſome of us (ſaith the Apoſtle) true beleevers in whom the grace of God dwells. Now
None of us liveth to himſelfe, and No man dieth to himſelfe. For whether we live we live unto the Lord, and whether we die we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore or die we are the Lords.
Thus I have brought you to my text, which is a ſhort Account of a Chriſtians Pilgrimage. The life and death of a Saint. In it conſider
Firſt, The particular of a Chriſtians Life and Death.
Secondly, The Summa totalis of it.
The particular of it is ſet down, firſt, Negativè; None of us liveth to himſelfe, and no man dieth to himſelfe. Secondly, Affirmativè; Whether we live we live unto the Lord, and whether we die we die unto the Lord.
Then there's the Totall ſumme, Whether therefore we live or die we are the Lords. Or if you pleaſe, Here's the doctrine, No beleever lives to himſelfe, nor dies to himſelfe, but if he lives, he lives to the Lord, and if he dies, he dies to the Lord. Secondly, Here is an Inference from the Doctrine, a Conſolatory Application: whether therefore we live or dy we are the Lords. Or (as a learned Commentator Pareus ad locum.well notes) heres a Reaſon of the Doctrine, why we ſhould in our life live unto the Lord, and in our death dye unto the Lord: Becauſe in life and death we are the Lords.
There is no great matter difficult in the words, that which is to be opened about them, I ſhall open in the Doctrine. And that I may contract all as ſhort as may be, I ſhall ſumme up both the verſes in this one Propoſition of Doctrine.
Doct. That all beleevers, who while they live, live not to themſelves, and if they dye, dye not to themſelves, but whiles they live, they live to the Lord, and when they dye, they dye to the Lord, whether they live, or dye are the Lords: and becauſe in life or death, they are the Lords, It is their duty not to live, nor dye to themſelves, but to live and dye to the Lord.
It is large, but eaſy to be remembred, becauſe in the words of the text. For my better proceeding in the handling of it, and for the helping of your memory, I ſhall branch the doctrine into theſe four particulars which I will handle diſtinctly, and apply joyntly.
1. That the beleever in his life is the Lords.
2. That becauſe of it, he ought not to live to himſelfe but to the Lord.
3. That when he dyes he dyes not to himſelfe but unto God.
4. That in death he alſo is and ſhall be the Lords.