FRom the beginning of the fifeteenth verse of this Chapter, to the end of the three and twentieth, the [Page 2] Apostle describeth a sharpe com­bate which he felt in himselfe, be­tweene the flesh and the spirit. In this twentie fourth verse, is decla­red the effect, the sense and feeling of it produced in this our Apostle, it caused him to crie out, O wretch­ed man that I am: who shall deliuer me from the body of this death? So that this Text may iustly be tear­med the dolefull Lamentation of Paul for the prauity of mans na­ture felt in himselfe.

In the Text we haue two poynts: First, an exclamation, in these words, Wretched man that I am: Secondly, an exoptation in the rest, who shall deliuer me from the body of this death? In the ex­clamation two things: First, the subiect, man: Secondly, the ad­iunct, Wretched: In the exoptati­on two things: First, the euill he wisheth to be freed from, namely, [Page 3] from the body of death: Secondly, the forme of his wish, layd downe by way of question, to imploy the earnestnesse of it, who shall deli­uer me? First, concerning the ex­clamation, and in that first of the subiect, man.

Man hath diuers names in Scripture: he is called Adam, [...] of [...], which signifies to be red, possibly, because hee was made at the first of red earth: Secondly, he is called Ish [...] of [...], which signifies to be, or sub­sist, because in his essence and be­ing, he excelled all other terrestri­all creatures: Thirdly, he is called Geber [...], of [...], which signifies to be strong or valiant, to signifie his magnanimity or courage: Fourthly, he is called Enosh [...] of [...], which signifies to bee sickly, because by his fall he so lost his health spirituall, as that [Page 4] neither he nor his posterity in this world could euer recouer it againe in perfection. Againe, hee is cal­led aner [...] of [...] and [...], be­cause hee is highly lifted vp or ad­uanced, both in his Creation and glorification. Lastly, he is called Anthropos, [...], of looking vp wards; the rea­son of which Etymologie is ren­dred by the Poet in these words,Ouid. lib. 1. Metamor.

1. Do­ctrine or instructi­on.And as this name [...] is the name giuen in the text, so of al the rest it is the most significant, and [Page 5] must teach vs according to that in Col. 3.2. to minde things aboue, & not things on the earth. First, to seeke Gods Kingdome and his righteous­nesse, Mat. 6.33. to goe towards Zion with our faces thitherwards. Ier. 50.5. I grant there ought to be a mode­rate care euen for the things of this life: the Eagle flies hie, but shee must come downe for her meate; so the Church must sore high in her principall desires, rea­ching after nothing in compari­son of heauen: and yet shee must also minde the things of this life with moderation, and in a subor­dination to spirituall things, 1 Tim. 5.8. Gods ordinance is, that none walke inordinately, or idly, but that euery man and woman liue in a particular calling. That which the Lord speakes to Adam, Gen. 3.19. in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate bread, he speakes [Page 6] in like manner to all his posterity: for he would haue no man to liue idly like a Sodomite, though hee be neuer so rich; he would haue vs indeed first to seeke his kingdome, but not onely to seeke it: some are iustly to be reproued in this City, which vnder a colour of Zeale to heare Sermons all the weeke long liue inordinately, not working at all, but liuing by the sweate of other mens browes, who doe vn­lawfully relieue them, or by de­uouring that which belōgs to the poore indeed, thinking themselues to be wronged, if they haue not a share in euery beneuolence. I speake not this to quench any sparke of true Zeale in any, or to condemne diligent hearing of Gods Word. I taxe not Zeale but idlenesse. I desire rather to kin­dle Zeale, and to teach my selfe and others to looke vpwards, and [Page 7] to approue our selues [...] to bee men by our hea­uenly mindednesse. Our mindes are like the weights of a clocke, they must continually bee wound vp, or they will sinke to the earth; or like vnto stones which flie no longer vpwards then they are for­ced in their motion: therefore when we feele our soules to beare downeward (as they are very prone to doe by reason of the weight of corruption which hangs vpon them like leade) let vs quicken our selues vp with the remembrance of this Title, God hath made vs men and not beasts, he hath giuen vs eyes to looke vp­wards, and let vs say with Gregory Nazianzen in a short sonnet which he makes to his owne soule, [...]. O my soule, looke vpwards, and for­get all earthly things.

O my brethren, what argu­ments [Page 8] shall I vse to moue euery one of vs according to our Title, to looke vpwards? Consider wee, I besech you, the insufficiencie of earthly things. First, they doe not satisfie the soule, quo plus sunt potae plus sitiuntur aquae; the more a co­uetous heart hath of them, the more it doth desire them: much like a man sicke of a drie dropsie, the more he drinkes, the more hee may. Secondly, they are not able to preserue a man either from Gods iudgements in this world, or from hell-fire in the world to come, Pro. 11.4. Riches profit not in the day of wrath. Thirdly, they are not able to make a mans life happie, whatsoeuer they seeme to promise: yea, oftentimes (vnlesse they be in a speciall manner san­ctified) they make it far more mi­serable, piercing the heart with many sorrowes, 1 Tim. 6.10. I ap­peale [Page 9] to the consciences of many rich men, that formerly haue bin of meane condition,Hier. lib. 2. aduersus Iouinian. whether they finde not now that they are rich, more cares, more distractions, more troubles, and lesse comfort then they haue done in a mea­ner condition. I speake not this that with Crates wee should cast our riches into the sea, or with begging Fryers wee should affect voluntary pouerty, but ra­ther to teach vs, that if riches in­crease, we set not our hearts there­on, as the Psalmist speakes: but that wee haue our affections alwaies free for heauen and heauenly things.

Secondly,Horat. lib. 1. odarum od. 28. Omnes vna manet nox, & calcan­da semel via let hi. consider we seriously our frailty, the vncertainty of our liues, and what we must all bee ere it be long; to wit, wormes meate, notwithstanding all our strength, beauty, youth, friends, riches, [Page 10] parts, preferments, dignities and the like, as the Poet speaketh, eue­ry man must die; the way of death cannot bee shunned; the time therefore will shortly come when we shall wish we had cared more for heauen and lesse for the earth.

Finiti ad infinitum nulla est proportio.Thirdly, consider wee how infinitely heauenly things sur­passe earthly, one foote in heauen is more then ten thousand acres vpon the earth, both in respect of excellency and perpetuity. Let vs not therefore inuert Gods order, setting earth aboue heauen in our affections, when God hath set the heauen so farre aboue the earth in the first Creation.

Fourthly, let vs bee much in the meditation of heauenly things, whiles wee are vpon the earth; the Sunne seemes small in eye, but if wee were lifted vp as high as the Sunne, the earth pos­sibly [Page 11] might seeme smaller: euen so, whiles our mindes are glued to earthly things, heauenly things are neglected, but if wee would minde things aboue, and seriously meditate of them, things below would appeare lesse precious.

Fifthly and lastly, I professe in­geniously, I know not a more so­ueraigne meanes in the world, to helpe vs to winde vp our mindes towards heauen, and to gaine them from the world, and the in­ticing vanities thereof, then to be much conuersant in Gods ordi­nances, in reading and hearing and meditating Gods Word, in Prayer, in holy conference and the like: these present heauen vnto our eye, these leade vs into sweet fellowship and communion with God and Christ, these fill vs with the ioyes of the Holy Ghost, and peace of conscience, and by this [Page 12] meanes bring vs into that sensible happinesse, euen in this life which wee would not part with for all the pleasures, profits, or riches which this whole world can afford or yeeld. Thus for the sub­iect, [...]. quasi [...]. Man.

Now come we to the adiunct, Wretched. The Greeke word thus translated, signifieth properly one that suffereth sorrow: the Hebrues expresse it by their [...], which signifies one that is languid or quite spent, the Syrian and Chal­dee by their [...], which signifieth heauy or mournefull: the Arabick by two words, [...] which signifie vile and vnfortu­nate: the truth is, by a talaiporous or wretched person, we are to vn­derstand such an one as is in a mi­serable case, by reason of some in­cumbent calamity. But heere it may be demanded, what calamity [Page 13] was it which caused the Apostle thus to crie out? Surely not the calamity of affliction or persecuti­on; yea, hee gloried in his suffe­rings, 2 Cor. 12.10.12. but the ca­lamity of sin and inbred corrupti­on as appeares by the context.

Wretched man that I am. The first thing hence to be obserued,2. Doct. is, that sin remaines in the dearest of Gods children after their regenera­tion: indeed it is not regnant in them after conuersion, Rom. 6.12. but it is inhabitant, it raignes not as a King, but it dwells as an in­mate: for the proofe of this point; wee neede not goe out of this Chapter; Paul was a conuerted man, yet he was not without sin: what he did, he allowed not; what he would, that hee did not; what he hated, that he did. In him, that is in his flesh, abideth nothing that is good; to will was present [Page 14] with him, but how to performe that which is good he found not; he found a law, that when hee would haue done good, euill was present with him; he saw another law in his members warring a­gainst the law of his minde, and bringing him into captiuity to the law of sinne,Lib. vno de fide ad petrū Diaconum Tom 3. Eos qui bene viuunt non­nulla quo­tidie contra­here peccata pro quibus etiam san­cti & insti in hac vita semper Deo dicere de­bent, dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut & nos di­mittimus debitoribus nostris. which was in his members; with his minde hee ser­ued the law of God, but in his flesh the law sinne, Rom. 7.15.18.21.23.25. Et quod apostolus fatetur de seipso, id nos de nobis inficias ire ini­quum est; and if such an Apostle acknowledge sinne in himselfe, it were a shame for any of vs to pro­fesse absolute perfection. Saint Augustine saith, they which liue well, doe daily contract sinne, for the which, they ought alwaies to say vnto God, forgiue vs our tres­passes as we forgiue them that tres­passe against vs: and in another [Page 15] place he saith also: First,Aug. de tem­por. serm. 45 Prius reco­lite vitam iusti, in isto adhuc cor­pore bellum esse, nondū triumphum consider yee the life of the iust man, that while he is in the body, hee is still in a combate, the triumph is not yet.

And there is iust cause where­fore God regenerates, but in part, leauing still the rootes of sinne in his dearest Saints. First, that hereby they might bee the more abased in themselues, and so pre­serued from spirituall pride: why did the Lord leaue theOr stubbe. thorne in Pauls flesh, 2 Cor. 12.7. but to hum­ble him thereby, left he should be puffed vp with abundance of reue­lations: the Lord is like a skilfull Chyrurgian, hee is able to make a soueraigne Corasiue of the Vi­pers flesh of sinne, to eate out the dead flesh of spiritual pride, which is a sinne, which commonly reui­ueth when other sinnes are dead; when the diuell cannot draw men [Page 16] to this or that grosse sinne, com­monly hee tempts them to pride, labouring to puffe them vp with a vaine conceit of their graces; and so by one dead flie, causeth if it were possible the whole box of the ointment of grace to stinck in the nostrills of God. The Lord be­ing aware of this labours to pre­uent it, by leauing in vs sufficient matter to hūble vs to the very dust

Secondly, the Lord doth it, that his power may be perfected in our weakenesse, 2 Cor. 12.9. the Lord did neuer manifest his power more in any thing, no not in the very Creation of the World, then hee doth in the preseruing of a weake Christian full of infirmity to his heauenly Kingdome: in this the Lord preserues contraries in contraries, hee causeth the fire of grace to burne in the midst of a sea of corruption: he preserueth [Page 17] Faith in the midst of vnbeliefe, chastity in the midst of vnclean­nesse, patience in the midst of di­stemper, holinesse in the midst of profanesse, and the like.

3. This is done for the greater confusion of the diuel; if the diuell had onely to deale with perfect men, it were the lesse confusion to him if he could not, either totally or finally preuaile against them by his hellish temptations. But hauing to deale with weake men, such as are more flesh then spirit, and yet not being able with all his gates and armoury to preuaile a­gainst them, in this he must needs goe away with great confusion: in this the Lord deales with his children, as once hee did with the Caldeans, Ier. 37.10. though they remaine but as wounded men, yet by his power they arise and preuaile against [Page 18] principalities and powers.

Fourthly, hereby the Lord doth try the courage and magnanimity of his children, leauing in their bosomes dangerous enemies a­gainst whom they must combate all their life time. God had bin able, if it had pleased him to haue brought Israel his people into Ca­naan without Warre; but hee would not, that hee might trie them: euen so God is able to bring his children to heauen with­out any opposition, but hee will not; he that will obtaine the hea­uenly Canaan must fight for it.

Fifthly, Sinne still remaineth in the children of God after con­uersion, that they might the more sensibly feele what need they haue of Christ, and of Gods mercy; if wee were perfectly whole, wee should not need the physitian, but [Page 19] being sickly and crasie (as indeed we be in our best estate here) we haue infinite need of the onely Doctor, who by the physick of his owne precious bloud healeth all our infirmities.

Sixthly, hereby the Lord doth weane his children from the loue of this world, and makes them willing and desirous to bee dissol­ued, and to be with Christ; not so much that they might bee freed from afflictions and distresses, as from sinne and corruption; there is nothing in the world makes the true children of God so weary of their liues as sinne doth.

Quest. Quest. Yea, but if there be sinne still remaining in the children of God after conuersion, then what difference is there betwixt the state of the conuerted and vncon­uerted?

Answ. Answ. Yes great difference, [Page 20] for though sinne bee in both, yet it is not in the like manner in both. Sinne in the vnconuerted or wicked man is as the Master of the house, bearing the whole sway, ruling and domineering at its pleasure; but in the conuer­ted it is but as a drudge, being indeed vnruly and malitious but wanting power.

Secondly, Sinne in the vnrege­nerate, is as a welcome guest, en­tertained with all alacrity and cheerefulnesse: nothing is so sweet to a carnall man as sinne, nothing so louingly embraced, nothing so ioyfully possessed; but in the re­generate it is as an vnwelcome guest, which intrudeth himselfe without any inuitation, and re­maineth without any approbati­on, his roome being desired rather then his company.

Thirdly, Sinne in the vnregene­rate [Page 21] is committed and followed with greedinesse, without any re­luctation in the will: the hart doth not more bray after the ri­uers of water then a wicked man doth lust after sinne: but in the regenerate, sinne is resisted, prayed against, feared, shunned with the occasions thereof, &c.

Fourthly, Sinne in the vnrege­nerate is continued in, excused, maintained, and sometimes boa­sted of: but in the regenerate it is broken of by speedy repentance, confessed, aggrauated and blushed at.

But to come to the Applicati­on: Vse. is it so that sinne remaineth still in the children of God after conuersion, to wit, originall cor­ruption; then this makes against the doctrine of Papists, maintai­ned by one of their chiefeBellar. lib. 5. de stat paccat. c. 7. Cham­pions which teacheth that origi­nall [Page 22] sinne is so washed away by Baptisme, as that it remaineth no longer sinne of its owne nature: a vaine conceit: for doth not Paul after he was baptized by Ananias, complaine in this Chapter of sin still dwelling in him, and will any Papist be so impudent, as to thinke himselfe cleaner washed by Bap­tisme then Paul himselfe? but to let them goe:The Fami­lists are the generation of the Ma­nichaeans, Catharists, Donatists, Iouinians and Pela­gians, which in former ages of the Church held the same opini­on concer­ning purity as they doe.

This in the second place makes against Familists, which dreame of attaining of perfection of de­grees in this present world, ter­ming themselues eagles, angels, Archangels, commers vp to God, &c. concerning whom, I may iustly say with Salomon, There is a generation pure in their owne eyes, and yet are not washed from their filthinesse, Pro. 30.12. the diuel may so farre preuaile with them by their inbred pride as to make [Page 23] them beleeue they are pure, but alasse, if we consider them well, we shall finde them most erroni­ous in their iudgemēts, distempe­red in their passions, disordered in their liues, vnreformed in their fa­milies: yea sometimes deliuered vp to some base lust, either of idle­nes, or vncleannes, or couetousnes, or fraud and deceit, or the like: but to leaue these and to come to our selues. In the third place let it teach vs not to despaire though we finde corruption in our selues after conuersion, especially, if we looke vpon it with the same eye that God lookes vpon it withall, to wit, to hate and abhorre it: it is not sinne but the loue of sinne that baines the soule; and yet let vs take heed lest wee deceiue our selues, thinking vnder a colour that all are sinners, that therefore there is no difference betweene [Page 24] sinne as it is in the regenerate, and as it is in the vnregenerate. For though there is sinne in both, yet there is great difference as we no­ted before.

Fourthly, let it teach vs not to iudge rashly concerning our Bre­thren as though they were Hypo­crites, because we decerne in them some frailties, yea, although wee should discouer in them some acts of grosser sin, and some recidiuati­ons or back-slidings as in Dauid, Peter and Loth, yet wee are not to passe finall sentence vpon them but rather consider our selues lest we also be tempted.

Doct 3 Wretched man that I am: hence obeserue in the second place; what it is that makes a man miserable: and that is not afflictions, as po­uerty, imprisonment, disgrace in the world, sicknesse, banishment, no not death it selfe: in the mids of [Page 25] these we may haue some ioy, as the Martyrs haue had but sin, sinne alone is that which makes miserable: and why so? because it defaceth Gods Image in a man, and con­formes him to the Image of Sa­tan: no childe doth so aptly re­semble the parents, as sin makes a man resemble the diuell, which is no small misery. Secondly, it de­priues a man of Gods fauour, a man may vndergoe many crosses and afflictions, and yet remaine in Gods loue, but he cannot continue wallowing in sinne and retaine his fauour. Thirdly, it robs a man of al solid comfort, a man may be affli­cted, and yet filled with the ioyes in the holy Ghost: he may walke with ioy, work with ioy, eate with ioy, lie down with ioy, rise vp with ioy: but he cannot sell himselfe to worke wickednes, and retaine any true comfort, sin and comfort doe [Page 26] mutually expell one another. Fourthly, sin wounds the consci­ence, kindles Gods wrath, keepes good things from vs, depriues of heauen, exposeth to hel-torments, brings a curse vpon al a man hath, makes the very remembrance of death terrible; and therefore sinne alone makes miserable.

Good Anselmus had that ap­prehension of the miserie of sin, as that if hee had been put to his choice, he would haue chosen ra­ther to haue been in hell without sinne, then in heauen with sinne. Supposing sin to be able to make him more miserable then hell fire it selfe.

Vse. And this may serue first, to disco­uer the deceitfulnes of sin, it pro­mises to make a man happie: the Adulterer would thinke himselfe a happy man, if he might obtaine his filthy desires: the Couetous [Page 27] person would think himself made for euer, if by vsury, false weights, cosenage, swearing, lying, and the like, hee may attaine riches and greatnesse in the world: the ma­licious person would thinke him­selfe happy to worke reuenge a­gainst his enemy in word or deed. The like wee might say of o­ther habituall sinners, which ac­count sin their summum bonum, or chiefest good; but alas! they are far deceiued, accounting that their happinesse which is their mi­serie: In this, they are like such as haue the greene-sicknesse, which take delight to eate loame, and o­ther baggage, taking pleasure in that which others see to bee their misery: or like one infected with the itch (pardon the plainnesse of my comparison) who takes delight and pleasure in rubbing of him­selfe, when as alas, this hee takes [Page 26] [...] [Page 27] [...] [Page 28] pleasure in, increaseth his miserie. Thus, I say, wee see the deceitful­nesse of sinne, it promiseth hap­pinesse, but it performeth no­thing but woefull miserie.

Vse. Secondly, this shewes vs what we may esteeme of them which (wee see) goe on and take their chiefe delight in sinne, be they ne­uer so rich, neuer so great, neuer so highly aduanced in the world, they are but wretched persons: if the sense of naturall corruption a­bated, made the Apostle in his own feeling miserable; what shall sinne reigning, and nothing aba­ted, make these persons? Possibly they are not sensible of their mi­sery, as Paul was, but this their senselesnesse addes rather to their misery, then in any sort extenuats it: a man somtimes is neuer more deadly sicke then when hee hath least feeling of his sicknesse; euen [Page 29] so a sinner is then in the most mi­serable case, when he can goe on in sinne with greedinesse with­out any remorse and with great contentment. What should wee speake of IOB sitting on the dung hill, or of LAZARVS full of sores dying at the Rich-mans gate, or of any other in great af­fliction, the sinner, the sinner is the onely miserable person. Shew methe greatest sinner in the world, and I will quickly shew thee the most wretched miserable catiffe that the earth beares, or euer the Sun lookt vpon. Many other good vses might be made of this point, both for the deepe humiliation of vs which are sinners, and for our preseruation against sinne for the time to come: but for breuity sake, I leaue them to euery mans priuate meditation, beseeching e­uery man and woman in the name [Page 30] of the Lord Iesus, to shunne that with all diligence which they see by this doctrine, will make them wretched and miserable.

And thus for the first part of my Text, to wit, the exclamation.

Come we now to the second, namely the exoptation in these words: Who shall deliuer mee from the body of this death? These words may be read two waies; ei­ther thus, Who shall deliuer me from the body of this death? or thus, Who shall deliuer me from this body of death? The Reason of the di­uersity of reading is, because the pronoune [...] may bee indiffe­rently referred; as it stands in con­struction, either to [...] or to [...]; the Syrian translation reads it [...], Who shall deliuer me from this body of [Page 31] death, referring the pronoune This, rather to body then to death: the which reading, I doe the ra­ther imbrace, because the Apostle at this time doth not seeme to point at this or that particular kinde of death, but rather at his present body. But in the next place for the better vnderstanding of these words, it may bee deman­ded, what is meant heere by the body of death?Bucer. Some hold, that by the body of death is meant, no­thing else but sinne inhabiting in the body:Hier. in apolog ad­uersus Ruf­fin. others, by the body of death, vnderstand the naturall body lyable to death: but Origen vnderstands it of both.Theoph. ad loc. I thinke it safest to receiue the last accepti­on: For surely the Apostle desires so earnestly to bee freed from sinne, as that withall he de­sires to bee freed from the very body as it is infected with [Page 32] sinne. Wo shall deliuer? non du­bitantis, sed anhelantis, saith reue­uerend Caluin, these are not words of one that doubteth, who shall deliuer him, but of one that great­ly desireth to be deliuered, and in­deed it is the manner of the He­brewes to expresse an earnest wish by way of question, as wee haue an example in Psal. 53.6. [...] who will giue deliuerance vnto Israel out of Zi­on? that is, O that the Lord would giue deliuerance; and so in this place, who shall deliuer mee out of this body of death; that is, O that the Lord would deliuer me.

Thus for the meaning.

To handle the words, First, as they haue relation to the body, and then as they haue reference to sinne in the body: from this bo­dy of death; the body is called the [Page 33] body of death, because it is liable to death: so that the first instructi­on hence to bee obserued, is, that the body of man is subiect to death or mortality: in this respect it is called dust, Eccles. 12.7. a kar­keise, Heb. 3.17. a Tent or Taber­nacle, 2 Pet. 1.13. a mortall body, Rom. 6.12. and here a body of death. Quest. But how came man to be liable to death? did GOD create him at the first so? Surely no: the Lord created him, non mo­riturum, such an one as should ne­uer haue seene death, if he had persisted in his integrity:In lib. hy­pognost con­tra Pelag. & Celestianos contra pri­mum arti­culum, Tom. 7. Dicite ergo: si deus mortem fecit cur Christus Deus mortuū fleuit Lazarum secundum carnem, non enim quod ipse fecerat dolere de­buit, sed dolens eum & plorans, ostendit, quos Deus vitales fecerat, diabolum per culpam fecisse mortales. it was sinne, it was sinne, that brought death into the world. In sinnes wombe it was hatched; God is not properly the Author or Father of it, Rom. 5.12. Saint Augustine [Page 34] saith notably; rather say yee, if God created death, why then did Christ, being God, bewaile the death of Lazarus according to the flesh: for what hee himselfe had made, he should not haue grieued for; but in that he doth lament and bewaile him, he sheweth that whom God had made vitall, the diuell by sinne hath made mor­tall. We shall not need further to insist vpon the proofe of this point, viz. that the body of man is mortall; we see it prooued eue­ry day, when we see by experience good men, wise men, great men, eminent men in Church or Com­mon-Wealth, Learned men, and men of singular parts to be taken away by death, as well as others: this point needs not proofe but Vse.

Vse. And this much aggrauateth the sinne of such as make it their [Page 35] especiall care to paint, pranck and to pamper their bodies: how ma­ny vaine women haue you in this City, and else-where, which spend a great part of the forenoone in trimming of their bodies, & hard­ly afford to spend one quarter of an houre in a whole day in prayer, or reading of Gods Word, or in repenting of their sinnes for the eternall good of their soules: yea; how many Epicures haue you both men and women, whose care is to fare deliciously euery day, to ride vp and downe from place to place, to seeke delights for their flesh, which will hardly goe to the dore to heare a Sermon? doe these persons consider that their bodies are bodies of death? their pra­ctise shews they doe not: but let them remember that those bodies which they are so curious to prank vp in apparell, farre aboue their [Page 36] callings, must (they know not how soone) be clothed with dust, and those karkeises which they doe so pamper, [...] poena autem huic mors malorum minimum plat. lib. 9. de legibus. shall ere it bee long, be very wormes-meate: yea, it were happie for them, if no greater danger did hang ouer their heads then bodily death: but alas, after death comes iudge­mēt, Heb. 9.27. when they must an­swer for this misexpence of time, and the rest of their sensuall and gracelesse courses. I might make diuers other vses of this point; for it should teach vs to liue in a con­tinuall expectation of death, and preparation for it; it should teach vs to lay vp treasures for our selues in heauen by good workes, to bee mortified to the world, to beware of sinne, and the like, because we liue in bodies of death which may quickly faile vs; but I studie bre­uitie.

Doct. 5 This body: there is an Empha­sis in these words; and they are spoken Diacriticks, by way of di­stinction: for indeed, the childe of God hath a this and a that body; his this body is, that which he posses­seth in this life, his that body is, that which he shall enioy at the Resurrection: indeed for substance it is one and the same body, Iob 19.26- 27. but for qualities and ex­cellencies farre discrepant the former body is sowne in corruption, the latter is raised in incorruption; the former is sowne in dishonor, the latter is raised in honor; the former is sowne in weakenesse, the latter is raised in power; the former is sowne a naturall body, the latter is raised a spirituall body, as the former hath borne the image of the earthy, so the latter shall beare the image of the heauenly, 1 Cor. 15.42.43.44.49.

Chrysost. hom. 41 in 1. Epist. ad Corinth. [...]. Vse.Hence it is, that one of the Fa­thers saith, the bodies of the Saints are like corne sowne, and growing vp, that which riseth is the same that was sowen, and not the same; the same, because it is the same substance; not the same, because that which groweth vp is better, the same substance remaining, but the goodlines or beauty made far greater.

And this may comfort vs con­cerning the Saints deceased, they haue laid downe these infirme and corruptible bodies, but they shall receiue bodies farre more glori­ous: their vile body shall be made like vnto the glorious body of Christ himselfe; howsoeuer not in Maiesty, yet in some similitude of happinesse, Philip. 3.2. yea, they shall shine as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father, Mat. 13.43. And as * Saint Chrysostome [Page 39] saith, God would neuer take downe the house of the bodies of his Saints by death, [...] but that hee meanes againe to build it vp far more glorious by the Resurre­ction, then euer it was before: let vs not therfore mourne immo­derately for the Saints departed, but let vs remember there will come a day, wherein they shall lift vp their heads out of the graue in shining brightnesse.

Doct. 6 Who shall deliuer me? that is, O that the Lord would deliuer me: hence note, that its lawfull for a Christian to desire to bee dissolued. Paul desires it ernestly in this place, and certainely his desire was no rash desire, yea the whole Church desires it in, 2 Cor. 5.8. we are confident, and willing rather to be absent from the body; And there is iust cause wherefore wee may doe this.

First, because whiles we are in the body, wee are subiect to many temptations, to much sinne, and to much vexation, both inwardly and outwardly.Cyprian serm 4. de immortali­tate, Lucrū maximum computan [...] ium seculi laqueis non teneri, iam nullis pecca­tis & vitijs carnis ob­noxium fie­ri, exemptū pressuria an­gentibus, & venenatis diaboli fau cibus libe­ratum, ad laetitiam salutis aeter­nae Christo vocante proficisci. Note.

Secondly, wee are absent from those vnspeakeable ioyes which God hath layd vp for vs in a better world. To this purpose one of the Ancients speakes notably, ex­pounding that of Saint Paul, in Philip. 1. Death to me is aduantage. Paul saith, hee esteemed it very great gaine, now by vertue of death to be freed from many snares, from all sinnes, from all sorrowes, from the venimous iawes of Sathan, and to bee brought to the ioy of eternall sal­uation, Christ calling him there­unto.

Indeede it is not lawfull for a Christian to lay violent hands vp­on himselfe, vpon any pretence [Page 41] whatsoeuer.Apud Aug. lib. 1. de ciuit. dei cap. 22. One Cleōbrotus reading Platoes booke de immortal. animae, Cast himselfe downe from a wall and so ended his daies; onely be­cause thereby hee hoped to come to that blessed estate, which is pre­pared for good men after this life: but this was preposterous haste, and not to be imitated of vs, wee may desire happines, but we must stay Gods leasure for it: the like may be said of Lucretia, who is said to haue taken away her owne life, to preuent rauishment; all murther is to bee abhorred, but there is no murther so vnnaturall as hemicide or selfe-murther which is the very reason why the diuel doth so violently tempt men thereunto. The Heathen were so carefull to preuent this kinde of vnnaturall death,Val. [...]. max. lib. 8. c. 9. that one Hege­sias an eloquent Philosopher, was forbidden by Ptolemeus the King, [Page 42] to reason or speake much concer­ning mans infelicity lest his Au­ditors should bee moued by his speech to make away themselues; shall the heathen be thus carefull to shunne this sinne, and shall not Christians much more?

Vse. But to come to the Vse of the point: is it so, that a Christian may and ought to desire to be dis­solued? this meets with them ther­fore which are at home in this world, which if they might haue their choice, would make them­selues euerlasting Tabernacles here, and would neuer remoue be­ing content rather to liue in sinne, and to endure much hardship, then to change their habitation. I confesse life is sweete, and wee ought not wilfully to imperill it. Homer brings in the most valiant men armed, and weaponed ready to defend their liues, and so it may [Page 43] stand with a magnan imous spirit to seeke to preserue life by all law­full meanes: but to dote vpon this momentany life, and to preferre it before eternity, must needs be a great sinne: honey is sweete, and yet we must not surfeit vpon it; so life is pleasant, but we must not ouerualue it.

Now that we may attaine this resolution of Saint Paul, to desire to be dissolued: wee must obserue these rules following. First, wee must pull out the sting of death, which is sinne: death is a Serpent, but if you take away its sting, you may safely put it in your bosome.Aristot. lib. 3. ethic ad nic hom. c 6 The Heathen Philosopher could say, that, [...], death is the most fearefull thing in the world, and why? not because af­ter death there is neither good nor euill, as he atheistically speakes; but because the conscience is ter­rified [Page 44] with sinne vnrepented of. O that I could inlarge my selfe now to speake to euery particular sinner. Thou that art a common swearer, a Sabbath-breaker, a se­cret adulterer, a common drun­kard, a fraudulent dealer, a mali­tious person, a persecutor, and a slanderer of Gods faithfull Mini­sters, an idle droane, a lyar, a tale­bearer, a belly-god, a proud per­son, an vsurer, a base worldling, &c. dost thou desire euer to looke death in the face with comfort, & without hellish feare? break off thy sinne, else death will sting thee like an Addar, & thou shalt neuer be able to look God in the face.

Secondly, if we would attaine to a willingnesse to die, wee must get faith, wee must make our cal­ling and election sure, wee must with Simeon get Christ in our armes, and then we shall easily say, [Page 45] Lord now lettest thou thy seruant de­part in peace: a man cannot choose but feare to die, when he knowes not what shall become of his poore soule in the world to come. We haue many encouragements to beleeue: First, because we are commanded so to doe, 1 Ioh. 3.23. Secondly, because Gods mercies and Christs merits are greater then our sinnes, be our sinnes ne­uer so great, Isa. 1.18. Thirdly, because great sinners haue bin sa­ued, Manasse, Mary Magdalen, Dauid, The prodigall Sonne, with diuers others. Fourthly, because the tender of mercy is made to e­uery Creature, Mar. 16.15. Fifth­ly, we haue many excellent helpes to beleeue, to wit, the preaching of the Gospell, the vse of the bles­sed Sacraments, experience of for­mer feelings and tokens of Gods loue, &c. O therefore let vs stirre [Page 46] vp our selues to beleeue; and let vs labour for such a Faith as may purifie our hearts, Acts 15.9. as may worke by loue, Gal. 5.6. as may fill our hearts with sound ioy, 1 Pet. 1.8. as may bee ioyned with good fruits, Iames 2.26.

If wee can but beleeue by such a faith as this is, nothing shal be able to hinder our Saluation; yea, if all the tyles vpon the house where we shall die, were so many diuels, we should not feare. It is recorded of one Epaminondas a fa­mous captaine,Diadorus Siculus lib. 15. who being woun­ded in Warre, asked first if his shield were safe, as though he had not cared what had become of his life, so his buckler were preserued; euen so we need not care what be­comes of our liues, so our Faith be safe.

Thirdly, If we will die willing­ly and with comfort, we must ex­pell [Page 47] out of our hearts the immo­derate loue of the world.Ambro. lib. de fide re­sur. Tom 3. Mors nec amara egē ­tibus nec gratiosa di­uttibus, It is a true saying of one of the antient Fa­thers: Death is neither bitter to men that liue in want, neither is it welcome to rich men: a rich man that hath made Mamō & pleasure his God will be as loath to part with these at his death, as euer La­bā was to part with his Idols which Rahel had stolne: yea, if God would offer him heauen vpon condition to part with these, he would refuse the offer, Mat. 19.21.22. O therefore my beloued, let vs take the counsell of the holy Ghost, in Psal. 62.10. If riches in­crease, let vs not set our hearts there­on: let them not clog the wings of our affections, but let vs in the mids of aboundance, reserue in our selues a willingnesse to bee dissol­ued, and to be with Christ; know­ing that with him is induring sub­stance [Page 48] and fullnesse of ioy for euer and euer. Dost thou willingly dye and leaue thy deare freinds? be­hold, thou shalt enioy the compa­ny of the blessed Trinity, of the elect Angels, and of the soules of men made perfect: dost thou willingly part with great ri­ches on earth? behold, thou shalt haue great treasure in heauen: dost thou cheerefully leaue thy earthly habitation? behold, a bet­ter mansion aboue ready to re­ceiue thee.

Fourthly, if we will die willing­ly, wee must bee fruitfull in good workes, this is to lay vp for our selues a good foundation against the time to come (howbeit, not of merit, but of assurance) 1 Tim. 6.19. it is no maruell if any man be vnwilling to be sent out to liue in some strange Countrey, vnto the which hee hath sent no prouision [Page 49] before hand for his owne enter­tainement, and so it is no strange thing, if any be vnwilling to die, who hath not had any care to lay vp treasure for himselfe in heauen: let me vse therefore that effectuall exhortation of our blessed Saui­our, Luke 16.9. Make you friends of the Mammon of vnrighteousnesse, that when ye shall fayle, they may re­ceiue you into euerlasting Taberna­cles. Good workes done in a right manner and with a sound intenti­on will make thy life sweet, thy death comfortable, and thy end happie. What a man giues to kindred & friends out of meere na­turall respects, he giues it meerely to them, and they onely haue the benefit of it; but whatsoeuer any shall giue for Christ, and for pious vses, he giues it to himselfe, he re­wards his owne soule: hee alone receiues the maine benefit, accor­ding [Page 50] to that.August in serm. de divite. Quicquid pauperibus dederimus ipsum inte­gre posside bimus. Whatsoeuer wee shall giue to the poore, wee shall enioy it all our owne selues.

Fifthly, if we would die willing­ly, we must with Christ finish the worke the Lord hath giuen vs to do, Ioh. 17.4. no seruant is willing his Master should returne vntill hee hath done his appointed taske; no steward is willing his Lord should call him to an account before hee hath made all things streight. But heere it may bee demanded, what is the worke which the Lord hath giuen vs to doe? Or what is the maine taske of a Christian? An­swer, His first taske is to repent; euery Christian should thinke himselfe borne for repentance: his second taske is to beleeue in the Lord Iesus, and so to make streight his account by setting his debts vpon Christ his score: his third taske is, to glorifie God [Page 51] in his generall and particular cal­ling, labouring therein faithfully, in loue to his Master, and in thankfulnesse for the great worke of Redemption: his fourth taske is, to worke vp his owne saluation with feare and trembling, and to giue all diligence to make his cal­ling and election sure: hee that hath a conscionable care to dis­patch this taske, need neither bee ashamed to liue, nor afraid to die.

Thus for the tractation of these words, Who shall deliuer mee from this body of death, as they haue relation to the body.

Doct. 7 Come we now to handle them as they haue reference to sinne in the body: And so we obserue in the first place, that sinne is a bon­dage; else, why should the Apostle speake heere of deliuerance from [Page 52] it:Cyrulus Alexan. in euang. Ioan. lib. 6. c. 2. Haec serui­tus eo dete­rior est quā corporalis subiectio, yea, as one of the Fathers saith truly, The seruitude of sinne is so much the worse then bodily sub­iection, For these causes.

First, because al men detest and shunne corporall subiection as hard and bitter, and that out of knowledge of the bitternesse of it: but the seruitude of sinne is nei­ther sufficiently knowne, neither doth it displease: yea, we applaud it and play with it, take pleasure in it, and account it rather a free­dome then a bondage.

Secondly, because by running away, a man may deliuer himselfe from bodily bondage;Seruus au­tem peccati non habet quo fugiat. but a slaue to sin cannot doe so, his euill incli­nations and guilty conscience will still follow him.

Thirdly, in bodily bondage a man may be blamelesse; for what blame was there in Ioseph, when hee was sold as a slaue by his bre­thren [Page 53] into Aegypt; but in the sla­uerie to sinne, a man cannot bee innocent, because he is not sold a­gainst his will, but with his will to worke wickednesse.

Fourthly, from bodily slauerie, there is freedome and deliuerance at death, though during life it bee neuer so hard and painefull, but spirituall slauerie hath no end, no not in death: hee that hath serued sinne all his life, remaines a very Captiue after death, without any hope at all of any freedome.

Fifthly, in corporall seruitude a mans minde may be made free; but in spirituall,Hilar. in Psal. 125. At vero animae cap­tiuitas quā infelix est. At vero cui libido domi­na est in quo caeno dedecoris volutatur. both soule and body in all the faculties and parts thereof are in bondage: another of the Fathers saith, the bondage of the soule, O how miserabe is it. And againe, he that is ouerpow­red by lust, how shamefully doth hee wallow in the mire as a very [Page 54] swine:Theoph in 8. Ioannis. [...]. Beda in eundem locum. O mi­serabilis seruitus, serui­re peccato, seruire dia­bolo qui pec­cati est au­thor. a third saith, the bondage of sinne is of all other the most grieuous: a fourth saith, O mise­rable seruitude, to serue sinne, and to serue the diuell, who is the au­thor of sinne? But what doe we speake of Fathers, what saith the Scripture? Christ himselfe saith, Iohn 8.34. he that worketh sinne, is the seruant of sinne: and seducers in whom corruption raigneth, are said to be the bondslaues of corrupti­on, in 2 Pet. 2.19. I might also vrge that place in Gal. 4.25. Hierusalem that now is, is in bondage with her children: but I hasten to a conclu­sion.

Vse. Let this teach vs to esteeme aright of sinne: let vs not account it liberty to bee entangled with this or that lust, but rather hellish bondage: what praise is it to Alexander to conquer the whole world, being conquered himselfe [Page 37] of his owne lusts and passions? yea, let it moue vs to labour after li­berty: let the adulterer forsake his vncleannesse, the drunkard his drunkennesse, the worldling his worldly mindednesse, and all other sinners their deareling lusts, that they may bee free; in other re­spects we all loue freedome, and no man by his wil would remaine in bondage. O why should we be in loue with the basest bondage of all other, to wit, of sinne.

Tertullian reports,Lib. de cultu faeminarū. that amongst the Heathen, some of them made the fetters wherewith their priso­ners were bound, of gold: but alas, what dram of comfort could this afford to the condemned prisoner, who daily expected death: did not fetters of gold keepe as fast as fet­ters of yron? may not a silken hal­ter strangle a man as wel as one of hemp? may not a costly dagger [Page 56] stab as well to the heart as a meane one: euen so though some may be clothed with rich aray, and fare deliciously daily, and liue in pleasure, yet if in the midst of his prosperity he be a slaue to his own lusts, a Captiue to Sathan, in dan­ger of eternall imprisonment, yea, of eternall death; what will his prosperity auaile him in the end? It is farre better to be a free man in ragges, then a condemned priso­ner in rich robes.

Doct. 8 Who shall deliuer me: hence ob­serue in the next place, that it is not enough to grieue for sinne, or to account it the greatest miserie, but euery true Christian ought earnestly to desire to bee freed from it: thus Paul heere: and certainely that griefe for sinne is not true, but hy­pocriticall, which is not ioyned with an earnest desire to be freed from the dominion of euery sinne: [Page 57] there is infinite reason why any man should desire to bee freed from sinne: as, First, because it is the greatest misery: and Second­ly, because it is the most woefull bondage: Thirdly, because it of­fends God: and Fourthly, because the wages of it is death; but I will not insist vpon this: let vs rather consider with what kinde of desire wee ought to desire to bee freed. Surely we must desire it with Pauls desire: but what kinde of desire was Pauls desire?

First, it was an importunate, not a slight desire, that appeares by the forme of it, in that it is pro­pounded by way of question.

Secondly, it was no sluggish de­sire separated from the vse of meanes, but it was ioyned with prayer and fasting, 2 Cor. 12.8. 1 Cor. 9.27. and with the improue­ment of the whole Armour of [Page 55] God, 2 Tim 4.7. and indeed, in vaine doth any man desire to bee freed from sin, that doth not with­all diligently vse the meanes whereby he might be freed.

Vse. And this discouers an hypocri­ticall mourner, he can weepe af­ter he hath committed sin, as the Crocadile after shee hath slaine a man:Conradus Gesnerus. but yet he hath no sound de­sire to be freed from the power of that sin, for the which hee seemes to weepe: his prayer against sin is like the prayer of Saint Augustine when he was betweene light and darkenesse: he prayed indeed for chastity, but hee was afraid lest God should heare and grant his prayer too soone: as he testifies of himselfe in his confessions: So this man weepes for sin, & yet still he desires to enioy the pleasures of it. But my beloued brethren, let vs not deceiue our selues with false [Page 56] teares: but let vs stir vp our selues to earnest desires to be freed from sin: yea, vnto our desires, let vs adde diligent meanes of Mortification: let vs bee frequent in the vse of Gods Ordinances, in reading and hearing Gods Word, in Prayer, in the Lords Supper, and the ike. Secondly, let vs shun the occasions of temptation to sinne, viz. Stage-playes, disordered pla­ces, bad company, &c. Thirdly, let vs well improue our spirituall armour. It is feigned of the gyants that they were borne into the world in their armour. Sure I am, a christian is not sooner new-borne, but he shall finde vse of the whole Armour of God, hauing enemies to fight against him, both within and without.

Thus I haue done with the Text.

THE occasion of this Ser­mon, was the death of Ma­ster IOHN IVXON, Citi­zen and Marchant-Taylor of Lon­don; who deceased the twentie two of August, and was buried on the last day of the same moneth, Anno. 1626. Concerning whom, I suppose euery one wil not speake well, although I hope none (if all things be rightly considered) hath any iust cause to speake euill of him: but what good man at these daies may not say with Aristopha­nes, [...], I haue bin a profitable member of the Common-Wealth, and a friend to the Citie, and yet I suffer wrong. I haue liued in the house of our deceased Brother, twelue yeeres and vpwards. I thanke God for his loue: in the which time, I haue obserued him to bee very Zealously affected to Gods word, [Page 61] very carefull of the sanctifying of Gods Sabbaths, very consciona­ble in his personall performance of holy duties in his familie, very studious to traine vp his Children in the knowledge & feare of God: he was also (I hope) very iust in his secret dealings. I remember he said vnto me in his life time, that hee praised God, his conscience did not accuse him of any one groate then in his possession, which was gotten by vniust meanes: a speech which (it is to be feared) too few rich men at these times, are able to say truly; also he was very hum­ble & lowly, hauing a very meane opiniō of his own parts, he was ful of godly iealousie concerning his owne estate, hee went mourning vnder the sense and feeling of na­turall corruption, hee reuerenced God highly, he loued Christ dearely, he was louingly affected [Page 59] towards Gods faithfull Ministers and people, he did good in his life­time, laying vp treasure for him­selfe in heauen, and he did good at his death: yea, and to my know­ledge, (by that which he hath said vnto me) he had a purpose to haue done a great deale more good, if the Lord had lengthened his life: what shall I say? surely such a man will bee missed by the Church of God, by the poore in diuers places, by his owne Chil­dren, and by my selfe: and yet I wil say with S. Chrysost. [...],Hom. 41. in 1. Epist. ad Corinth. let vs not mourne im­moderately for them that depart hence, but let vs weepe for them which end their liues ill, & in this respect, I hope wee haue no cause to bewaile the death of this our Brother. For he dyed full of Faith, and full of ioy: and yet in respect [Page 60] of the want I shall finde of thee my deare and louing friend, I can­not but conclude with lugubrious verses concerning thee.