Paul's Complaint Against His Natural Corruption

¶ The Author his Epistle to the Reader.

ALthough in all the holy Scripture (the word of truth) it be found to be most true, that in the world there is nothing more hatefull and fearefull then sinne, yet daily experience teacheth, that there are very few which are grieued, and troubled therewith: there are to bee found in this cursed world, multitudes of them that mourne for their temporall losses, and crosses the fruit of sinne; one, complaineth pittifully of his pouertie, of the losse, and damage he hath susteined; another of his sicknesse, of the griefe, and paine that he hath suffered; a third of the shame, contempt, disgrace, or iniurie which this, or that man hath offered vnto him; but few consider that sinne is the mother of all this mischiefe: yea, when they are free from the foresaid inconueniences, though they lie plunged, and smoothered in sinne, they are neuer touched therewith, but passe away their time carelesly, and securely; Let them care, that care will: onely some few, whose eyes God hath opened for to see the mysteries of his kingdome, doe make their sinnes their greatest trouble, and griefe; and not without good cause; for it is most certaine, and true that he shall neuer see God with ioy, hereafter in heauen; which commeth not to see his sinnes with a holy, and godly sorrow here vpon earth: In this sense, those that mourne are called blessed of our Sauiour himselfe. Therefore for to moue men unto this godly sorrow for their sins, and to stirre them vp vnto an holy zeale against all sinnes, I haue published these Sermons following, wherein I haue shewed how we may be deliuered both from the condemning, and commanding power of sinne unto our eternall comfort: whereby if any man reape benefit, I shall highly reioyce in my labour herein bestowed. Farewell in the Lord.

Thine in the Lord, WILLIAM TEELINCK.

p. 1PAVL HIS COMPLAINT AGAINST HIS NATVRALL CORRVPTION, WITH THE MEANES HOW TO be deliuered from the power of the same.

Set forth in two Sermons vpon the

24. verse of the 7. Chapter of his Epistle to the Romaynes;

O miserable man that I am, who shall deliuer mee from this body of death?

THE Apostle Paul hauing declared at large, in the foregoing verses, [The connection of the Text with the former verses.] the cumbersome contention he had with his flesh, and naturall Corruption, the which was alwayes in his way, and exceedingly hindered him in the seruice of his God; and p. 2now finding himselfe dangerously beset with this enemy, he cryeth out for helpe, as it were, with a loud voyce, saying, O miserable man that I am, who shall deliuer me from this body of death?

[The summe of the Text.] The summe. A mournefull Lamentation, or Complaint against that naturall corruption wherwith the Apostle found himselfe oppressed

[The parts of the Text.] The parts are these, 1. Against what hee complaineth; against the body of death. 2. Who complaineth; The Apostle himselfe; I miserable man. 3. How he complaineth; Two manner of wayes, First he declareth himselfe therefore to be miserable, in that he hath this body of death about him; secondly, he wisheth to bee deliuered from it.

1. Of what he Complaineth.

He complaineth of the body of death, by which we must vnderstand, (as it appeareth in the former Verses) our naturall corruption, which makes vs in our selues vnapt to any good, and prone, and readie to all euill; euen that originall sinne wherin we were conceiued, and borne; concerning which the Apostle formerly testifieth, that it worketh death, Ver. 13. And in another place is termed by him, the body of sinne, Rom. 6.6. in which respect also he declareth himselfe to be carnall, sold vnder sinne. ver. 14. and witnesseth, that it is in him a Law in his members, whereby he is greatly hindered in the performance of obedience vnto the Law of God. ver. 22.23. But we shall better iudge of the meaning of this manner of speech, if so be we obserue the reasons why originall sinne, p. 3or naturall corruption is called a body, yea, [Why our naturall corruption is named a bodie.] a body of death.

p. 3Our naturall corruption is named a body for these reasons following:

1. As a body hath many members, [1 Reason.] so also hath this naturall corruption; it is a coniunction, or knitting together of many euill members; or rather, [Because it spreadeth it selfe thorough all the powers and parts of the whole man.] it spreadeth it selfe through all the powers, and parts of the whole man: therefore it is not onely called a body, but also a Man, even the olde Man. Ephes. 4.22. Implying, that there is nothing in man which is not defiled, and polluted with this naturall corruption: the vnderstanding is hereby darkened: the will, peruerted: the affections disordered: the members of the body, fit, and readie instruments, and weapons of vnrighteousnesse, &c. yea, the vnregenerate man, which is nothing but flesh, hauing not the spirit, Iud. ver. 19. is in regard of this naturall corruption, named darknesse it selfe. Eph. 5.8. And in the regenerate man himselfe (which hath now receiued the spirit 1. Ioh. 3.24. and in that respect is called Light it selfe. Ephes. 5.8.) yet this corruption spreadeth it selfe in such sort, thorough all the parts, and powers of his soule, and body, that it is as a Law in his members, Rom. 7.23. there is no more difference herein betweene the regenerate, and the vnregenerate, then betweene the darke night, wherein there is no light at all, and the breake of the day, wherein the light beginneth to appeare, but is not wholly broken forth, the light & darkenesse being mixt together, thorough the whole p. 4ayre. For the vnregenerate are totally possessed with this corruption in all the parts, and powers of their soule and body, so that in them there is not any spirituall light; and therefore they are called children of the Night, and of Darkenesse. 1. Thes. 5.5. But on the contrary side, the regenerate are onely so ouercome with this naturall corruption, in all the parts and powers of their soule, and body, as the ayre is with darkenesse when the day beginnes to breake; at which time the light, and darkenesse doe, as it were, struggle together thorough the whole ayre: in which regard the break of the day is called light; and men are wont to say, beholde, it is day, although that there bee much darknesse in the ayre: and in this sence are the regenerate in the Scripture named light. Eph. 5.8. And children of the light, and of the day. 1. Thes. 5.5. although that there be much spirituall darkenesse in them, and that they are not wholly free from the sinfull flesh, but are in euery part polluted therewith: and for this cause in the regenerate themselues is this naturall corruption called a body of sinne, Rom. 6.6. For it is crept thorough euery part, and power of their soule and body.