coueniently whom he fore-knew them hee also predestinated to be made like vnto the image of his Sonne vt ista conformitas non sit ratio praedestinationis sed effectus that so this conformitie be not a cause of predestination but an effect But beside these this errour is conuinced by manifold proofes of holy Scripture the Apostle saith hee hath chosen vs in Christ therefore not in our selues he saith againe that wee should be holy and without blame hee saith not hee chose vs because hee foresaw that wee would be holy so hee sets downe sanctification as an effect of Predestination Now it is certaine that one effect of Predestination may well be the cause of an other posterior effect as the preaching of the word is a cause of faith and faith is a certaine cause of instification but no effect of Predestination can be cause of it Againe he saith The Lord hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes here yee see that in our calling our workes and Gods purpose are manifestly opponed so that the putting of the one is the remouing of the other thus neyther in our Election before time not in our calling in time hath the Lord regarded our works or foreseene rectitude of our will but the good pleasure of his owne will And I pray you what other thing could the Lord foresee in vs than that which hee foresaw in the Israelites I knew that thou art obstinate and thy neck an iron sinew and thy browe brasse I knew that thou wouldest grieuously transgresse therefore I called thee a transgressor from the wombe yet for my Names sake will I deferre my wrath and for my praise will I refraine it from thee that I cut thee not off yea in so many places of holy Scripture doth the Lord plead the cause of his owne glory that it cannot be but a most fearefull sacriledge against so cleare a light for a man eyther in part or in whole to make his own merits a cause of saluation When the Lord called Abraham hee found him an Idolater when hee called Paul hee found him a persecuter when hee called Matthew he found him a Publican when hee called Mary hee found her possessed with Diuels all that euer receiued grace stand vp as so many witnesses of his glory Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but to thy name be the praise And to these obiections which the braine of man hath brought out against this truth of God to cleare themselues and charge the Lord with vnrighteousnesse they are all sufficiently answered by the Apostle that the Lord by reason of his absolute authoritie ouer all his creatures hath power of the same lumpe to make one vessell of honour for to shew the glory of his mercy and an other vessell of dishonour to shew the glory of his iustice seeing this power is not denyed to the potter ouer his clay how dare man speake against it in the Lord ouer his creature O man who art thou that pleadest with God Woe be to him that striueth with his Maker If I dispute with thee O Lord thou art righteous how euer I iudge of thy counsell and of the manner of thy working thou art alway righteous Si non vis errare if thou wilt not erre saith Augustine iudge not the Lord why one is saued the Apostle tels you I haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy Misericordia eius misericordiâ— causa why another is reiected Causa potest esse occulta iniusta esse non potest the cause may be secret but cannot be vniust qui in factis Dei rationem non videt infirmitatem suam considerans cur non videat rationem videt hee that seeth not a reason of the Lords doing let him looke to his owne infirmitie he shall see a reason why hee seeth it not The Lord hath hid euen from most wicked men the purpose of their owne reprobation till it come to the execution and then shall they receiue an answere from their owne consciences to stop their mouthes which now they will not receiue from man Euery one of the damned shall be compelled to acknowledge that the iudgement executed vpon them is righteous But now to returne to the doctrine we haue first to obserue out of the signification of the word which I marked before that the Lords determinate counsell and predestination takes not away the nature properties nor necessities of secondarie causes and meanes of saluation but rather establishes them for those whom God hath appointed to saluation hee hath also appointed to those meanes which may bring them vnto it It is therefore a blasphemie which is frequent in the mouthes of carnall professers if I be elected howsoeuer I liue I shall be saued and if otherwise I be a reprobate liue as I will I cannot mend it this is no other thing but Sathans diuinitie if thou be the sonne of God cast thy selfe downe from the Temple thou shalt not dash thy foote against a stone as if the sonnes of God were licensed to despise the second and ordinary meanes and not rather bound to vse them but in very deed as it is against the nature of fire to be cold so is it impossible that the elect man effectually called can reason after this manner yea the more hee heares of election the more hee endeauours to make it sure by well doing knowing that no man can attaine to the end of our Faith which is the saluation of our soule but by the lawfull and ordinary meanes Both temporall and spirituall blessings the Lord will haue vs to seeke them by the lawfull and ordinary meanes the Cornes cannot serue Israell except the earth beare them the earth cannot beare them except the heauens giue raine the heauens can giue no raine except the Lord command them Therefore when the Lord promises a blessing In that day saith the Lord I will heare the heauens and they shall heare the earth and the earth shall heare the corne and the wine and the oyle and they shall heare Israell And that hee keepes the the same order in bestowing spiritual blessings we are taught by the Apostle when he saith that before wee be saued we must call on the name of the Lord before wee call on his name we must beleeue before we beleeue we must heare before we heare there must be preaching whereof it is euident that they who neglect and contemne the ordinary meanes of saluation doe giue out a very hard sentence against themselues which is that if they so continue they doe not appertaine vnto election And againe for our further comfort wee haue here to marke the certaintie and soliditie of our saluation it is neither to day nor yesterday that the Lord concluded to be mercifull vnto vs our election beganne not with our selues before the mountaines were made before the earth
hurt our soules Non sunt timenda spiritui quae fiunt in carne quae extra nos est quasi vestimentum let not our spirit feare those things which are done in the flesh which is as a garment without vs. Thus we see how no kinde of crosse can seperate vs from the loue of God Verse 36. As it is written for thy sake are we killed all the day long wee are counted as sheepe for the slaughter THe Nature of man doth greatly abhorre the crosse and therefore the Apostle here is the more aboundant in furnishing vs with comforts against it glorying in this that no crosse can seperate vs from Christ a comfort exceeding great indeed for seeing we know that the Lords loue towards vs in vnchangeable hauing his fauour which is better than life what other losse should wee regard or make mone for Now because hee hath made an enumeration of sundry sorts of crosses hee proues here by a testimonie of scripture that it is the lot of Gods children to be subiect vnto them for seeing they are not exempted from the greatest which is to be slaine by the sword why shall wee promise to our selues any immunitie from the smallest The testimonie is taken out of the 44. Psalme wherein the Church of God being heauily afflicted as some thinkes vnder Antiochus complayned to God of her heauie trouble that albeit they had not fallen away from the pure worship of his name nor lifted vp their hands to a strange God yet they were counted as sheepe for the slaughter and this testimonie the Apostle applyes to the estate of the Church in his time wherein the Apostle wil teach vs that howsoeuer the true worshippers of God liue in sundry times and ages yet they are of one communion maintayning all one cause therefore the Apostle vseth that which is spoken of the afflicted Church of the Iewes as competent to afflicted Christians As it is written Albeit the Apostles had their immediate calling from God and spake and wrote nothing of priuate motion but by diuine inspiration yet is it their custome to confirme their doctrine by testimonies of the Prophets This harmonie among the writers of holy Scripture is no small confirmation of our Faith that they who neuer saw one another in the face yet all together agrees to breath out one truth As the Cherubines stretch their wings one to another so the Prophets and Apostles reach their testimonies one to another and as the Mariners in Peters ship hauing a greater draught than they were able to haile in beckned to their companions to help them so doe the Apostles call on the Prophets and require their helpe for confirmation of the truth of God that the more may be conuerted by them And their fact stands for a rule to teach vs that whateuer calling men pretend they should confirme their doctrine by that which is written a necessary ground to be holden in these dayes wherein the name of the Church is abused to impugne the truth of the Church The Apostles after the example of their Maister confirmed their doctrine by scripture Saint Paul was content that the Beraeans should try his doctrine by the Scripture what pertnesse then is it that the doctors of the Romish Church challenge to themselues this singular exemption as not to be iudged by the word as though they themselues and not that which is written should be the warrant of their doctrine and all men were bound to beleeue them fide implicita Againe we are to marke here how that one place of holy scripture doth interpret and confirme another Moses layes a ground to the Prophets the Prophets expounds them and deliuers them clearer to the Apostles the Apostles builds vpon them a plaine and perfect doctrine for the edification of Christs misticall body The two Testaments are as the two lippes of the mouth of God by which hee hath breathed out to vs his minde concerning his worship and our saluation And it is to be marked that out of these bookes which the primitiue Church of old the reformed Church now hath esteemed Apochrypha neyther Iesus our Lord nor any of his Apostles haue brought out any testimonie for confirmation of doctrine and therefore those Bookes interiected betweene Malachie and Matthew are to be reiected as an vncouth breath Malachie endeth the old Testament with a promise of the comming of the Angell euen the new Eliah who should goe before the face of our Lord to prepare his way Iohn the Baptist and Matthew beginneth the New Testament with a narration of the accomplishment of that Prophecie but betweene these two the holy Ghost employed no pene-man of the holy Oracles For thy sake In the testimonie wee haue three things first the greatnesse of the affliction of a Christian when hee saith we are slaine subiect not onely to smaller crosses but to the greatest Secondly the continuance of their afflictions All the day long that is not in one age but in all ages of the world hath it beene our lot thirdly the cause of their suffering for thy sake It is necessary for our comfort that wee marke the fountaine and from whence affliction proceedes to the Godly for the ignorance thereof makes many to erre with the friends of Iob and iudge wrong of the godly as if they were stricken alway for their sinnes when indeed they are not wee are therefore to know that sometime affliction comes to the Godly for sinne past sometime for sinne to come sometime neyther for sinne past nor sinne to come but that the workes of God may be made manifest The first way afflictions to them whom the Lord loueth are medicinall restoratiues by which they are wakened to recouer their health by repentance for those sinnes through which they haue become spiritually diseased for howsoeuer the Lord giue loose reines to the children of wrath and deliuers them vp to their owne hearts desire yet will he hedge in with thrones the wayes of those whom he purposeth to saue and will waken them by some sharp rod or other when he feeth them sleeping in securitie so taught hee Miriam by Leprosâ—e to leaue her murmuring so wakened hee Ionas out of his sleepe by casting him into the sea he cured Zachary of infidelitie by striking him with dumbnesse hee diuerted Paul from his euill course by blindnes blessed is the man whom the Lord this way correcteth Sometime againe the Lord sends affliction as preseruatiues to his children to keepe them from sinne whereunto hee seeth of their weaknesse they are ready to fall if they be not preuented and so hee sent an Angell of Sathan to buffet Paul not for any sinne he had done but for a sinne that he might doe least he should haue beene exalted out of measure And sometime the Lord layeth on affliction neyther to correct sinnes past nor to preuent sinnes to come
destroyed But that the greatnesse of this benefite which we haue by Iesus Christ may the better appeare let vs see what a condemnation this is from which we are deliuered In the Scriptures there is ascribed to man a iudging by which he absolueth or condemneth there is also ascribed to God a iudging by which he absolueth or condemneth As to mans condemnation we are not exempted from it Daniel condemned for a Rebell Ioseph condemned for an Adulterer Iob condemned of his friends for an Hypocrit our Sauiour condemned for an Enimie to Caesar his Disciples condemned and iudged worthy of stripes stand as so many examples to confirme vs that vve faint not when vve are condemned of men yea vvith the Apostle vve must learne to passe little from mans iudgement and striue in a good conscience to be approued of God for sure the Lord vvill not peruert iudgement it is farre from the Iudge of all the world to doe vnrighteously hee vvill at the last plead the cause of his Seruants and bring their righteousnesse to light This condemnation then from which vvee are deliuered is the sentence of God the righteous Iudge by which finding man guiltie of sinne for sinne hee adâ—â—dgeth him vnto eternall damnation from this all they who are in Christ are deliuered Hee that beleeueth in him who sent mee hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life In this condemnation the Lord proceedes at three sundry dyats against the wicked First hee condemneth them in the Court of Conscience Next in the day of their particular iudgement Thirdly in the day of generall Iudgement First I say the Lord holdeth a Iustice Court against the vvicked in his owne Conscience For the Lord iudgeth the righteous and him that contemneth God euery day After sinne committed by him there ariseth in his Conscience accusing thoughtes and there is a sentence vvithin him giuen out against him The Apostle speakes it of Heretikes one sort of vvicked men and it is true in them all they sinne being damned of their owne selues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by themselues Iudgement is giuen out against themselues which sentence albeit euery vvicked man doe not marke the voyce of their disordered affections sometime being so loud that they heare not the condemnatoâ—ie voyce of their Conscience so clearely as it is pronounced yet doe they heare as much as makes them inexcusable and breedes in them a certaine feare and terrour which is but a fore-runner of a more fearefull iudgement to come vvhich howsoeuer in time of their securitie they labour to smoother and quench by externall delights yet at the length affection shall bee silenced and Conscience shall pronounce sentence against them vvith so shâ—ill a voyce that their deafest eare shall heare it This I haue marked that vve may learne not to esteeme lightly the Iudgement of our Conscience but that so oft as vvee are condemned by it vvee may make our refuge to the throne of Grace to seeke mercy For if Conscience condemne vs God is greater then the Conscience and will much more condemne vs Ascendat itaque homo tribunal mentis suae si 〈◊〉 illud meminerit quod oportet eum ante tribunal Christi exhiberi Let therefore a man saith Augustine goe vp to the tribunall of his owne mind in time if he feare it let him remember that he must be presented before a greater tribunall The second dyat of iudgement which the Lord keepes against the wicked is in the houre of death wherein the Lord doth not onely repeat their former sentence of condemnation and that in a more fearefull and iudiciall manner but proceeds also to execution adiudging their bodies vntill the day of last iudgement to the prison of the graue to vnderly that curse pronounced on man for his Apostasie and condemning their spirits to be banished from the presence of God and cast into vtter darknesse Let not therefore the wicked man nourish himselfe in sinne with a vaine conceit of the delay of iudgement wherefore wilt thou put farre from thee the euill day what suppose the day of generall iudgement were not to come for many yeeres is not the day of thy perticular iudgement at hand vnto which thou shalt be drawne sodainely and perforce in the midst of thy deceiuing imaginations thou shalt bee taken away in an houre wherein thou thought not to dye more miserable than that rich glutton who hauing stored his head with false conclusions dreaming of many dayes to come when he had not one was that same day taken away to iudgement And this shall moue vs the more if we doe remember that such as we are in the day of death such shall we bee found in the day of iudgement In quo enim quemque invenerit suns nouissimus dies in hoc eum comprehendet mundi nouissimus dies quia qualis in die ifto quisque moritur talis in die illo iudicabitur and euery man in the last day shall be iudged to bee such as hee is when hee dyeth It would waken vs all more carefully to thinke vpon our end that so we might prepare our selues for this second dyat of iudgement But the third day of iudgement shall be most fearefull when all the wicked being gathered together in one shall bee condemned in that high and supreame court of iustice which the Lord shall hold vpon all that euer tooke life then shall the full measure of the wrath of God bee powred vppon all those who are not in Christ Iesus both in soule and body they shall bee punished with euerlasting perdition This iudgement shall bee most equitable for when that Ancient of dayes shal sit downe vpon his white throne before whose face heauen and earth shall flee away and when the Sea and the Earth hath rendred vp their dead then the bookes shall bee opened according to which hee shall proceed vnto iudgement And the bookes are two the booke of the law which sheweth to a man what the should doe and the booke of Conscience which sheweth him what hee hath done by those shall the wicked man bee iudged and hee shall not bee able to make exception against any of them against the booke of the law hee shall bee able to speake nothing for the Commandements of the Lord are pure and righteous altogether And as to the booke of conscience thou canst not denye it the Lord shall not iudge thee by an other mans conscience but by thine owne that booke thou hast had it alway in thine owne keeping who then could falsifie it neither is any thing written in it of things thou hast done but that which thine owne hand hath written how then canst thou make any exception against it Thus the bookes being opened the iudgement shall proceed in this manner The Law shall pleade for transgression of her precepts requiring that the
in the commandements of God it is an agreement that as yet hee had not attayned to the marke to the which wee may adde the third out of that same place the dombnesse inflicted vpon him for his misbeleeuing euidently proues he was not so perfect as to bee without sinne Beside this he customably distinguishes betweene peccatum crimen sinne and a crime that is some grieuous offence that giues slaunder and is worthie of crimination Sanctorum hominum vitam inveniri posse dicimus sine crimine we affirme that the life of holy men may be found without a crime And againe nunc bene viuitur si sine crimine sinâ— peccato autem qui se viuere existimat non id agit vt peccatum non habeat sed vt veniam non accipiat now men liue well if they liue without crime but he who thinkes he can liue without sinne doth not thereby make himselfe free of sinne but debarres himselfe from the pardon of his sinne And so much for refutation of their errour Now for our instruction we marke againe here that seeing the end of Christs death is our sanctification it cannot be but a mocking of the sonne of God and a treading of his holy blood vnder the vncleane feete of men to make the death of Christ a nourishment of sin let such thoughts bee farre from vs that we should take liberty to sinne because we haue a Sauiour this is to make Christ a minister of sinne and as was said to build vp that which Christ came to destroy O thou who louest the Lord Iesus bee it far from thee to take pleasure in that which made his blessed soule heauie vnto death let vs neuer nourish that life of sin which was the cause of the death of Christ but let vs daily cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and grow vp vnto full holinesse in the feare of God For albeit by Christ we be deliuered from the curse of the Law yet are we not exempted from the obedience thereof In respect of the one the Apostle said Wee are not vnder the Law but vnder Grace in respect of the other hee hath said that the Law is good and our Sauiour protests he came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it both in himselfe and his members not onely by righteousnesse imputed but also inherent For the law stands to vs a rule of our life we loue the holinesse thereof and striues to conforme our selues vnto it iustificati enim amici leges efficiuntur for men when they are iustified become louers of the law which before they hated So that hereby wee are to try whether we be in Christ if we delight in the law of God if wee be grieued when our sinfull nature transgresses the precepts thereof if we finde a begunne harmonie betweene our affections actions and her commandements by these and the like effects may we know that in Christ we are iustified Lastly we haue this comfort that seeing our sanctification is an end which the Lord Iesus hath proposed vnto himselfe wee may be sure hee shall attaine vnto it In the first creation what he commaunded was done hee made light to shine out of darknesse no impediment could stay the work of the Lord so is it in the second creation neither Sathans mallice nor the deceitfull allurements of the world nor the sinnefull corruption of our owne nature shall stay that work of our perfect sanctification which the Lord Iesus hath not onely begun but also taken vpon him to accomplish Verse 5. For they who are after the flesh sauour the things of the flesh but they who are after the spirit sauour the things of the spirit HItherto we haue heard the proposition of comfort the reason of confirmation and explication thereof Now because the Apostle restrayned that comfort to those who walkes after the spirit not after the flesh now in this third member of the first part of the Chapter hee subioynes an exhortation Wherein by sundry reasons he disswades vs for walking after the flesh and exhorts vs to walke after the spirit wherein he keepes this order First he oppones these two to walke after the flesh and after the spirit as contraries which cannot consist He lets vs see the miserable estate of them who walke after the one and illustrates it by the happy estate of those who walke after the other and then concludes that they who are in the flesh cannot please God vers 5. 6. 7. 8. Secondly he comforts the godly least that they considering vpright and can looke to heauen the soule which is from aboue hath forgotten her originall is crooked to the earth and like a Serpent creeping on many feet so walketh it after the dust with all her affections sauouring onely those things which are carnall This is mans miserable estate by nature The Lord open our eyes that wee may see how farre wee are fallen by our apostacie how deadly wee are wounded that in time wee may make our recourse to the Physition of our soules who now offers by Grace to restore vs. But to returne this diuersitie of dispositions in the man naturall and spirituall the Apostle designes to flow from the diuersitie of their generations they who are after the flesh that is as our Sauiour expounds it that which is borne of the flesh is flesh so then the cause why they are carnall and sauours onely the things of the flesh is because they are onely pertakers of a carnall generation Euery creature as ye may see hath an inclination to follow the owne kind some liues in the earth some in the water euery one of them by instinct of that nature which they receiued in their generation following so earnestly their owne kinde that a contrarie education cannot make them to forsake it The Fowle whose kinde is to liue in the waters though she be brought vp vnder the wings of another damme whose kinde is to liue in the earth so soone as shee is strengthened with feathers forsaking her education followes her kinde so also in euery man the disposition of his affections and actions is answerable to the nature of his life If he haue no more but a naturall life his cogitations counsels resolutions and actions are onely carnall but if he haue also a spirituall life then shall he be able to mount aboue nature hauing an inclination to heauenly things for euery one who is risen with Iesus seekes those things which are aboue Now this difference of ther dispositions flowing from their different kindes shall appeare the more clearely if ye compare the affections words and actions of the one with the other And first to begin at the vnderstanding it is certaine that the naturall man vnderstands not those things which are of God Let Iesus Christ speake to naturall Nicodemus of regeneration and Nicodemus shall conceiue that he
speaking in the name of the Lord not thy merits for if I should seeke thy merits thou shouldst neuer bee pertaker of my gifts When the Apostle Saint Paul had reckoned out how hee had laboured more aboundantly in the worke of the ministerie then all the rest of the Apostles hee subioynes as it were by correction yet not I but the grace of God in me learning vs when vve haue done all the good we can to be humble in our selues and giue the glory to God if he promise vs a crowne nihil aliud coronat nisi dona sua he crownes no other thing but his owne gifts if by promise hee bindes himselfe a debter vnto vs to giue vs a reward debitor factus est nobis non aliquid a nobis accipiendo sed quod ille placuit promittendo he is become a debter vnto vs not by receiuing any thing from vs but by promosing freely to vs that which pleased him and therefore when we are exhorted to mortifie the deeds of the body by the spirit let vs first turne this and the like of the precepts into prayers that the Lord would enable vs by grace to doe that which he commaunds vs and then when in some measure we haue done it that we returne the praise and glory to the Lord. Mortifie c. Seeing the first part of our sanctification is called mortification vve are to consider hovv in this word there lurkes a rule vvhereby euery man may try hovv farre forth he hath profited in sanctification vve see by experience that the neerer a man drawes to death the lesse motion is in him but after hee is once dead hee moues not at all present him pleasant obiects they delight him not praise him yet he is not puffed vp speake euill of him yet he is not offended euen so is it with the spirituall man the greater progresse he makes in sanctification the motions of sin are euer the weaker in him the pleasures of the world moues him not as they were wont if thou praise him the breath of thy mouth cannot lift him vp if thou offend him the more he is mortified the lesse he is grieued As a man saith Basile being dead is seperate from those with whom he was conuersant before so hee who is mortified is instantly sundred in his affections from those who before were his familiar companions in sinne yea those actions wherein he delighted before are a griefe vnto him now it is a vexation of his soule to heare and see the vnrighteous deedes of the wicked which were wont to be vnto him the matter of his sport and laughter Therefore doth he wish and so should we that we might alwayes die this kind of death foelix mors quae alienum facit hominem ab hoc saeculo certainly it is a happy death which alienates and turnes away the hart of man from the loue of this world Bona mors quippe vitam non aufert sed transfert in melius for it is a good kinde of death which doth not take life away but changes it into a better But alas how farre are we from this spirituall disposition doth not the angry countenance of one in wordly authoritie terrifie vs the disdainfull words of men doe they not put vs out of the state of patience if the world flatter vs are we not puft vp if she frowne vpon vs are wee not cast downe and this our great weakenesse proceeds onely from the strength of sinne in vs this lets vs see what cause we haue to bee humbled considering that hauing liued long in this time of grace yet haue we profited little in the mortification of our sinfull lusts and affections Againe out of this same word of Mortification wee learne that the worke of our Sanctification is a worke of difficultie not accomplished without labour paine and dolour for it receiues these three names as to bee called Mortification Regeneration and Circumcision As no birth no death no cutting off the flesh can bee without dolour and sorrow so the conuersion of a sinner is not wrought without inward paine and sorrow The Infant that hath laid but nine Moneths in the wombe of the mother is not deliuered without great paine suppose shee conceiued it with pleasure and shalt thou thinke to part with sinne which in thee was conceiued with thee and which since so often thou hast nourished with pleasure and not to proue the dolours of the New-birth No assuredly In the worke of mans conuersion there is the contrite spirit the humbled heart the mourning weede the melting eye the pale countenance the voyce of lamentation let not such as feele them if they find therwith a rending of their affections from their old sins be troubled for these are but the dolors of their new birth and for others who know not these inward humiliations and wrestlings of the Children of God they haue iust cause to suspect themselues that they haue not so much as the beginnings of Mortification Regeneration and spirituall Circumcision By the Spirit Nature will not destroy our sinfull lusts they are mortified by the Spirit of Christ and therefore vve are to nourish and entertaine this Spirit by the meanes before prescribed As those Beasts which sacrificed to God vnder the Law were first slaine by the knife of the Leuite and then offered to God vpon the Altar so the Lord Iesus must mortifie our affections by the power of his word and Spirit before they can be presented acceptable sacrifices to the Lord our God Yee shall liue As I spake of death which is threatned so speake I of life here promised this temporall life cannot bee the recompense of righteousnesse for it is common both to the Godly and the wicked If in this life onely we had hope of all men wee were the most miserable but the life here promised is eternall life the beginning whereof presently vve enjoy by the Spirit of our Lord who hath quickned vs so that wee may say now I liue yet not I but Christ Iesus liueth in mee the accomplishment thereof wee looke for hereafter Thus hath the Apostle set before vs both life and death he hath shewed vs the way how wee may eschew the one and attaine to the other the Lord graunt that according to his counsell wee may make choyse of the best Verse 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sonnes of God IN this Verse the Apostle subioynes a Confirmation of his preceding argument in the last part thereof hee hath said If yee mortifie the deedes of the body by the Spirit ye shall liue now he proues it They who mortefie the deedes of the body by the Spirit or they who are led by the Spirit of God for these phrases are equiualent are the Sonnes of God therefore they must liue the necessitie of the consequence is euident of that which followeth the Sonnes of God
Adoption we pray vnto God without that Spirit men may speake of God but without him they cannot speake vnto God Prayer is a proper action of the sons of God The Apostle describing them who are Saints by calling saith they are sanctified by Christ and call vpon the name of the Lord Iesus hee ioynes these two together to tell vs that they who are not called by God and sanctified in Christ cannot call vpon him as for prophane men it is certain they cannot pray though they repeat that prayer Our Father which art in heauen what else doe they but multiply lyes as they multiply words Onely the spirit of Adoption teacheth the Children of God to pray Prayer is vnto them like that fire Chariot in the which Eliah was carried from earth to heauen by it they are transported to haue their conuersation with God and speake to him in so familiar a manner that they know not those things which are beside them neyther see they those things which are before them being in the body they are carried out of the body they present to the Lord sighs which cannot be expressed and vtters to the Lord such words as they themselues are not able to repeat againe and that all this proceeds from the operation of the Spirit who bends vp their affections and teacheth them to pray is euident by this that when this holy Spirit intermits or relents his working in them they become senselesse and heauy hearted more ready to sleepe with Peter Iames and Iohn than to watch and pray with Iesus yea suppose it were in the very houre of tentation Wee cry c. The Apostle you see reckons himselfe among others who cryes by this spirit of Adoption though the children of God be many yet seeing they all are led by one spirit they should all cry for one thing vnto God the assemblies of the Church militant on earth should resemble as neere as they can the glorious assemblies of the Church triumphant in heauen many are they who followes the Lambe their voyce is like vnto the voyce of many waters yet they all sing but one song so should there be among vs that are Christians but one voyce specially when we meet in the publike assemblies of the Church though wee were neuer so many yet our affections and desires should concur in one and all of vs send vp one voyce to the Lord. Wee see that in nature coniunction of things which are of one kinde makes them much stronger many flames of fire vnited in one are not easily quenched many springs of water if they meet together in one make the stronger riuer but being deuided are the more easily ouercome Saint Iames saith the prayer of one righteous man auailes much if it be powred out in faith what then shall we thinke of the prayers of many Oh what a blessing might we looke for if wee could ioyne in one to call vpon God but now alas where one with a contrite hart cryes to God for mercy how many by continuance in sinne cryes to him for iudgement what meruaile then the arme of the Lord be shortned toward vs and hee doe not help vs As they who resolue to lift any heauie burthen ioyne their hands together vnder it and so by mutuall strength makes that easie to many which were impossible to one so when we are assembled together to lift from off our heads by vnfayned repentance that burthen of the wrath of God which our sinnes hath brought vpon vs if there be among vs no deceiuers but that euery man in the sinceritie of his hart ioyne his earnest supplication with the prayers of his brethren what a blessing may wee looke for Take heede therefore how you behaue your selues in the holy assemblies though they should neuer bee brought forth by speach of the mouth and this for their comfort who through extremitie of sicknesse or otherwise are not able to vse their tongues in prayer to God Father wee learne here that the Parent which begets Prayer is the Spirit of adoption the mother that conceiues it is the humble and contrite heart for no proud vncleane and hard heart can pray vnto God the vvinges whereby it ascends are feruencie and an heauenly disposition feruency is noted in the word of Crying for as in crying there is an earnestnesse of the powers of the body to send out the voice so in prayer should there bee an earnestnesse of the powers of our soule to send vp our desires As incense without fire makes no smell and therefore the Lord commaunded it to bee sacrificed with fire in the Law so prayer without feruencie sends vp no sweet smell vnto the Lord. Our heauenly disposition required in prayer is collected out of this that hee to whom wee speake is our Father in Heauen if our mindes bee earthly wee can haue no communing with him that is in heauen vvee must therefore ascend in our affection enter within the vaile if vvee would speake familiarly vvith our Father Prayer this manner of way sent vp and presented to our aduocate and intercessor the Lord Iesus out of the hand of Faith cannot but returne a fauourable answere if not at the first as in the very time of Prayer Daniell receiued his answer yea at the beginning of his supplication as the Angell Gabriell informed him the commandement came forth to answere him yet shall not the Lord faile in his owne good time to fulfill the desires of them vvho feare him Manifold examples of holy Scripture lets vs see that Prayer this vvay powred out vnto God is most effectuall At fiue sundry petitions did not Abraham bring the Lord from fitie to ten euery petition returnes to Abraham some vantage faine vvould Abraham had Sodome preserued for Lots cause at his first request hee got this answere that the Lord would spare it for fiftie righteous mens sake if they might be found in it but at the last from fiftie hee brings him to ten as long as Abraham prayed the Lord answered and for euery petition hee yeelded something to Abraham and most comfortable is it that the Lord ceases not from answering till Abraham ceased from asking any more When Peter prayed vpon the house top he fel into a trance and saw a heauenly vision when Iesus prayed vpon Mount Tabor he was transfigured and if at any time the children of God bee transformed from an earthly disposition to a heauenly they finde in their owne experience that it is in the time of prayer Sathan for this cause is a most troublesome enimie to the exercises of the word and of prayer because the one is the mother the other is the nurse of all the graces of God in vs either hee makes men lightly to esteeme the exercise of prayer or then doth what he can to interrupt them in it as that Pithonisse interrupted Paul while hee was going to pray
our heauenly Father may be glorified though workes can be no merits yet are they your witnesses and what haue yee done to remaine when yee are dead as witnesses of your loue toward the Lord Though your goodnesse extend not to the Lord yet where is your delight that should be on his Saints and excellent ones vpon earth where is your compassion and loue toward the brethren are not the men of this age like vnto that fig-tree which had faire leaues but not so much as one figge to giue vnto Iesus in his hunger hauing the shew of godlinesse but haue denyed the power therof yeelding words inough but no fruits to adorne the glorious Gospell of our Lord Iesus Of these and many moe if wee might insist in them it is manifest that all haue not the loue of God in their hearts who this day pretend it The last tryall of Loue which novv we bring is readinesse to suffer affliction for the cause of God The Apostles being beaten for preaching in the name of Iesus instead of mourning departed reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christs sake and all because they loued him For the loue of Rahel seauen yeeres of hard seruitude seemed vnto Iacob but a short space For the loue of Dinah Sichem willingly sustayned the circumcision and cutting of his flesh much more to him in whose heart abounds the loue of the Lord vvill bitter things become sweet and hard things easie This Loue hath made the holy Martyres step out of their owne element into the fire with greater ioy and willingnesse then worldlings haue when they fit downe to their banquetting tables to refresh them or lyes downe in their beds to rest them The Apostle who suffered all sorts of affliction for the Gospell giues this for a reason that the loue of Iesus constrayned him Thus much concerning the effects of holy loue by which we are to make sure our calling and consequently our election for our euerlasting comfort Euenâ—toâ—them that are called according to his purpose Hitherto the Apostle hath summarily set downe his third principall argument of comfort and now in the end of this verse he shortly breakes vp the confirmation thereof which is this they who loue God are called according to his purpose therefore all things must work for the best vnto them The necessitie of this reason shall appeare if we consider that the Lord cannot be frustrated of his end Those whom the Lord in his immutable purpose hath ordayned to glory and whom according to that purpose he hath called in time how can it be but all things must worke vnto their good for the working prouidence of God which is the executer of his purpose doth so ouer-rule all incidents which fall out in the world and doth so gouerne all secondary and inferiour causes that of necessitie they are directed to that end whereunto the supreame cause of all to wit the purpose and will of God hath ordayned them This is shortly set downe in these words and more largely explaned in the two verses following It is the last reason of comfort and the highest for now the Apostle leades vs out of our selues and sets vs vpon that rocke which is higher than wee hee carries vs by the hand as it were out of the earth vp into heauen and lets vs see how our saluation is so grounded in Gods eternall purpose that no accident in the world can change it We haue here then three things euery one of them depening vpon another the loue of God flowing from the calling of God and the calling of God comming from the purpose of God vnto which the Apostle here drawes vs that vve casting our anchor within the vaile and resting in the Lords immutable purpose may haue comfort in all our present tentations It is most expedient for the godly to marke this that our manifold changes doe not interrupt our peace let vs consider that the Lord hath in such sort dispensed our saluation that the ground thereof is laid in his owne immutable purpose but the markes and tokens thereof are placed in vs after our calling the markes and tokens are changeable like a wee our selues in whom they are are changeable but the ground holds fast being laid in that vnchangeable God in whom falles no shadow of alteration I am God and am not changed My sheepe none can take out of my hand The counsell of the Lord shall stand and his foundation remaines sure It is true that the tokens of election cannot be fully taken away from any that is effectually called nay not in the greatest desertion yet haue they in vs their owne intention and remission And this should comfort vs against our daily vicissitudes and changes when wee feele that our Faith doth faint our life languishes our hope houers and we are like to sincke in the tentation with Peter and our feeble hands fall downe with Moses yet let vs not dispaire no change in vs can alter Gods vnchangeable purpose he who hath begunne the worke in vs will also perfect it Because I am not changed saith the Lord therefore is it that yee O sonnes of Iacob are not consumed This purpose of God is called otherwise the will of God and the good pleasure of his Will In that the Apostle saith our calling is according to his purpose it teacheth vs to ascribe the whole praise of our saluation to the good pleasure of his will and not to our owne foreseene merits That poyson of pride which Sathan poured into our first parents and by which they aspyred to be equall with God doth yet breake forth in their posteritie the corrupt heart of man euer ayming at this to seeke vnto himselfe either in part or in whole the power and praise of his own saluation This is to start vp into the roome of God and to vsurpe that glory which belongs to the Lord and he will not giue to any other than the which no greater sacriledge can be committed against the Lord. O man content thee with that which the Lord offers thee and let that alone which hee reserues vnto himselfe My peace saith the Lord I giue to you my glory I will not giue to any other The first Preachers of the Gospell were Angels they proclaymed glory and peace but glory they gaue to God which is on high and peace they cryed to the children of his good will which are vpon earth It is inough that peace and saluation is giuen to be thine but as for the glory of saluation let it remain to the Lord. Hee is for this called the father of mercy because mercy bred in his owne bosome Hee hath found many causes without himselfe mouing him to execute iustice but a cause mouing him to shew mercie hee neuer found but the good pleasure of his will therefore the Apostle saith the Lord hath called vs with an holy calling not according to
the meanes of men and not according to the determinate purpose of God it is no meruaile if still they returne to their old sinnes and remaine disobedient to the heauenly vocation And further out of the ground laid already that the calling of God is according to his purpose we are taught that the least intermission of Gods calling should be vnto vs a great matter of our humiliation seeing the Lord calleth men to be Preachers and hath them in his hand as starres holding them out sometime to one part of the world and sometime to another that hee may communicate light to them who are sitting in darknesse the remouing of them from a people is a fearefull token of the Lords departure and translating of his kingdome The Husbandman calles not his Labourers out of the field in the middest of the day vnlesse the haruest be done and if the Lord remoue his Seruants from a people it is because his purpose is finished for the ground is sure that his calling is according to his purpose but the Lord forbid that the tearme of the ending of this calling should euer come in our dayes And to the ende that wee haste it not vpon our selues wee are to know that as the Gospell comes not to a Land by mans procurement so no power of man is able to remoue it The Lord who set the Sunne in the Firmament and gouernes it in such sort that it giues light to one part of the world when another is in darknesse and no malice of the euill doer is able to obscure it howeuer hee hates it hath also set his Gospell in the firmament of his Church to giue light to Goshen while as Egypt is in darknesse and all the courses of politikes though they were filled vvith Achitophels wisedome are not able to stay it onely our owne vnthankfulnesse and abuse of the time of Grace is to be feared if therefore wee loue the light let vs cast away the vvorkes of darkenesse and walke in the light while as yet wee haue it let vs welcome those messengers of peace that come to vs in the name of the Lord endeuouring by all holy meanes to transferre this Kingdome of God to our Children after vs that they also may see the beautie of the Lord which vvee haue seene to their euerlasting saluation Verse 29. For those whom hee knew before hee also predestinated to be made like vnto the image of his Sonne that he might be the first borne among many brethren THe whole Booke of God is full of heauenly consolation euery parcell thereof hath in it the words of eternall life but this place of Scripture wherein now wee are trauailing may be called aboue the rest a treasure of comfort for here the Apostle leadeth vp the Christian to the register of God and lets him see his owne name written in the booke of life his saluation established in Gods immutable decree exhibited now by Gods effectuall calling to be performed and perfected to him by his endlesse glorification So that in all the booke of God there is not so cleare and certaine a sight of saluation giuen to the Christian as in this place It comforted Stephen when he was in the vally of death that he saw the heauens opened and the Lord Iesus standing at the right hand of his Father and it should no lesse comfort vs in all our tribulations that the Apostle here lets vs see the third heauens opened vnto vs to make knowne vnto vs the will of God concerning our saluation This comfort the Apostle brake vp shortly as we heard in the end of the last verse and now more largely explanes it in these two verses in the which hee sets downe in order the causes of our saluation and lets vs see how our present effectuall calling is so inseperably knit with our election glorification by the hand of God that no power in earth nor in hell is able to sunder them whereof the certaintie of his former comfort appeares cleerely that of necessitie all things must worke together for the best vnto them that loue God euen to them that are called according to his purpose Which shall yet be more manifested if wee consider how that this golden Chaine of our saluation reaches so to speake it from eternitie to eternitie the beginning of it albeit without beginning is our Election the end of it albeit without end is our Glorification And these two ends of the chaine the Lord keepes them sure and secret in his owne hand but the two middle linckes thereof to wit our Calling and Iustification the Lord lets them downe from heauen to the earth that wee for our comfort might gripe and apprehend them and being sure of the two middle linekes we might also be sure of the two ends because the Lord hath knit them inseperably together Thou then who wouldst be comforted with the assurance of thy saluation make it first knowne to thy owne conscience by breaking off the former course of thy sinnes and by well doing for the time to come that God hath called thee and iustified thee Gripe sure as it were with the one hand the lincke of Calling and with the other the linck of Iustification fasten both thy hands vpon the middle linckes of this Chaine that by them thou mayst be pulled out of this dungeon and raised vp to heauen to see that thou art one of them who was elected before time after time shall be glorified To make this yet more plaine we are to know that this mortall life of ours is a short interiected point of time betweene two eternities so to call it in the which some in feare and trembling working out their saluation passes from Gods eternall election to endlesse glorification others againe in wantonnes and carelesse securitie drincke in iniquitie with greedinesse and so steps from the decree of reprobation that most iustly they procure their owne condemnation So that euery man hath to consider of his euerlasting weale or woe by his present disposition in this life Oh that we had sanctified memories alwayes to remember this so long as we are here if of weakenesse wee fall wee may rise againe and if in one day we haue not learned well to repent we haue leaue of the Lords patience to learne it better another day but he who in the day of his transmigration steps the wrong step will neuer get leaue to amend it where the tree fals it shall lye there the wicked who die in their sinnes step downeward to the deepe pit and gulfe out of the which there is no redemption Let vs therefore be well aduised before we leape let vs fasten the one foote vpon the border of that Canaan before we go out of the body let vs make sure that wee shall be receiued into those euerlasting habitations This shall be done if we make our whole life a proceeding from election to
glorification and that through calling and iustification which two haue inseperably following them the sanctification and renouation of the whole man The Lord make vs wise in time that we may consider the course of our life and thinke of the end whereunto it leads vs for as Moses protested to Israell so doe I vnto you I haue laid this day life and death before you the Lord giue you grace to make choise of the best In these causes of our saluation linked together in this Chaine we haue first to looke vnto Gods decree consisting in his foreknowledge and predestination secondly to the execution thereof which is made by his Calling Iustification and Glorification The decree hath in it these two acts or preordinances so to call them Prescience and Predestination which this manner of way are to be distinguished by foreknowledge the Lord sets before him the whole number of mankinde whom of the good pleasure of his owne will he purposed to saue so that the first preordinance is this these are they whom I will saue by predestination againe he concluded to saue them by such and such meanes so that the second preordinance of the decree is this those whom I haue decreed to saue I will saue this manner of way so that prescience lookes to the person to be saued predestination to the meanes whereby they are to be saued Where wee must consider that this decree of God is thus distinguished by the Apostle in these two words for our capacitie who being but mortall creatures endued with reason conceiues vnderstands and discernes one thing after another and cannot doe otherwise but it is not so with the Lord our God who being himselfe a most perfect vnderstanding by one act without prioritie or posterioritie knowes conceiues and discernes all things We come first now to speake of Gods foreknowledge the properties of God are either absolute as namely that he is a Spirit simple and infinite or else such as haue a relation to the creature And of this sort is foreknowledge which improperly is ascribed vnto God for properly there is no fore not after in God nothing past nothing to come but foreknowledge is ascribed to God in respect of the creature because he knew vs before that wee were This foreknowledge is two wayes considered first generally as it is extended to all his creatures and so it is compared to a common booke of register wherein the Lord hath written all things which were afterward to be and of this speakes the Psalmist My bones sayth he are not hid from thee though I was made in a secret place and fashioned beneath in the earth thine eyes did see mee when I was without forme for in thy booke were all things written which in continuance of time were fashioned though they were not before Of it also speakes the Apostle All things are manifest in his sight with whom wee haue to doe This manner of way foreknowledge is Gods vniuersall eye by which vvith one looke hee knoweth all his creatures vvithin and vvithout their nature their shape their actions their beginnings their ends but foreknowledge this manner of vvay considered is not a lincke of this Chaine it being certaine that there is not one of these lincks more patent not largely extended than another as yee shall afterward heare Foreknowledge then in this Chaine of Saluation is specially considered as it is conioyned cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the loue and liking of God as it is all one with Election extended to none but vnto the children of his good will this way it is affirmed of the Godly the Lord knoweth who are his but denyed of the wicked depart from me yee workers of iniquitie I know you not that is albeit I know your persons yea your most secret actions yet your selues I know not so that I loue you and this way foreknowledge specially considered is called the booke of life vvherein the Lord hath written the names of those vvhom hee hath ordayned to life Predestination is also two manner of wayes considered first as it is generally extended to all his creatures for as he knew them all before they were so he appointed them by middes vnto their owne end other artificers when they haue made a worke know not what will be the end of it hee that buildeth an house knowes not how long it vvill stand whether fire shall consume it or the winde ouer-turne it or the earth-quake vndermine it but the Lord as hee hath made his creatures so hath he appoynted them to an end which hee knoweth himselfe but here Predestination is specially considered and is no larger than Election respecting the Elect onely whom he hath ordayned vnto life by his owne middes for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here not onely signifieth to ordayne to an end but also to appoynt all the limits borders and middes within and by which thou art to come to that end Where before wee come to the doctrine of instruction wee vvill shortly encounter vvith our aduersaries who read these words in this manner that the Lord predestinated those whom hee fore-knew to be conformed to the image of his Sonne that so they may establish here out their errour of fore-seene merits It were sufficient to bring against them the best learned of their owne side some wherofread these words no otherwise then wee doe as the Iesuiâ—s of Rhemes others plainely impugne that reading and the errour of foreseene merits founded vpon it for so Caietane writeth vpon this place Ad confutandum dogma illorum qui primum salutis nostrae locum tribuunt diuinae praescientiae futurorum qui praescientiam meritorum ponunt rationem definitionis diuinae ad confutandum inquit haec primum nostrae salutis locum tribuit diuino proposito dicendo ijs qui secundum propositum vocati sunt To confute saith hee the doctrine of those who giue the first place of saluation to Gods foreknowledge of mans merits which hee was to doe and so puts his prescience as a reason and cause of his predestination to confute these I say hee giues the first place of saluation to the purpose of God while hee saith to them that are called according to his purpose Aquinas in like manner writing vpon this same place sayth Ponere quod aliquod meritum ex parte nostra praesupponatur cuius praescientia sit ratio praedestinationis nihil est aliud quam ponere gratiam dari ex meritis nostris quod principium bonorum operum est ex nobis consummatio ex Deo To affirme that any merit vpon our part must be presupposed the prescience whereof was the cause of predestination is no other thing but to affirme that grace were giuen of our merits and that the beginning of good workes were of our selues and the consummation thereof were of God therefore saith hee the words are to be read this way more
a persecuter is in great worldly honour commissioner of the high Priest and Elders of Ierulalâ—m but when he becomes a Preacher his former friends becomes his enimies The same is also true in inward tentations when our Sauiour beganne to discharge the publicke office of the Messiah sathan began to tempt him of his two most excellent Apostles the one was winnowed by Sathan the other buffeted by the Angell of Sathan and all to tell vs that notwithstanding the Lord be present with vs yet we may be tempted as our Sauiour was winnowed as Peter was buffeted as Paul was and therefore let vs dispise the iudgement of worldlings and lying conclusions of Sathan who would make vs to esteeme our inward and outward tentations to be tokens and arguments of Gods departure from vs. Againe perceiue here hovv in the vvorld are two contrary factions the one alway militant against the other This inimitie was proclaimed by God in Paradise and hath continued since like as it shall for euer without reconciliation onely let vs take heede vpon what side we standâ— if we stand vpon that wherein God is Captaine and all the Saints of Christ are souldiers we are happy for here the victory is certaine otherwise they who are among the children of disobedience militant vnder the Prince of the aire are most miserable their end is darkenesse shame and confusion It is a comfortable Oration which Abijah King of Iudâ— hauing in his armie foure hundreth thousand made to Ieroboam King of Israell his army of eight hundred thousand with you said he is the multitude but with them yee haue the golden calues but with vs God is a captaine and his Priests to sound with the trumpet an Alarum against you therfore O Israel fight not against the Lord God of your fathers for yee shall not prosper but this comfort much more appertaines to the true Israell of God howsoeuer there be many which are against vs the golden calues are with theÌ„ that is strange gods which shall be their destruction As Moses when he was to plead the cause of God stood in the gate of the Campe cryed whosoeuer pertains to the Lord let him come to me so daily by the word of God doe we exhort you which are on Gods â—ide to gather you together into one not that it is possible ye can be seperate from them in this life in regard of personall conuersation for so saith the Apostle ye behoued to goe out of the world but that by difference of your words and deedes from them yee declare that ye are not of their communion They who are one the side of Iesus are knowne chiefely these two manner of wayes First Sathan fights against them Secondly they are also warriours against him the first without the second is nothing for man euen as hee is a naturall man is an obiect of Sathans malice but where the grace of God hath made the man a new creature there Sathan doubles his hatred for hee enuies most the glory of Gods mercy whereof hee knowes he shall neuer be pertaker As Nabuchadnezers countenance changed and his rage encreased when the three Children refused in his face to worship his image and thereupon commaunded to make his Ouen seauen times hotter than it was before so is Sathans malice most intended against those who plainly refuse to fall downe and worship him But that the godly be not discouraged with his malice let vs remember that first hee was an enimie vnto God or euer he was an enimie vnto vs and that wee haue cause to reioyce in that we finde that Apostate spirit an enimie vnto vs whom God from the beginning hath proclaymed to be an enimie vnto himselfe Secondly we are to collect of his inuasion and our resistance that there is in vs some measure of the grace of Iesus Christ for against those doth he multiply his malitious assaults on whom hee sees that the Lord hath multiplyed his graces like to a crafitie Pirate who passing by the emptie vessell sets vpon that which is loadned Thirdly howeuer he being compared with vs hath many vantages as that he is more subtile in nature being of greater experience and more auncient being now almost sixe thousand yeeres old and hath also vantage of place for he is the Prince of the Aire assisted with armies of spirituall wickednesse who for their number are legions for their strength principalities powers for their subtiltie serpents for their fiercenesse dragons yet stronger is he who is on our side than they who are against vs the serpents head is bruised some life remaines in him but hee hath no power to inflict death on them which are in Christ. But what euer inimitie Sathan exercise against vs it is not sufficient to comfort vs vnlesse wee also liue as enimies vnto him It was a notable speach of Azariah to Prophet to Asa the Lord is with you while yee be with him if thou stand with the compleat armour of God pleading the cause of God fighting against the enimie of God than mayst thou say in a good conscience God is with thee and thou art with him But alas we see in this generation many wearing Christs liuerie and bearing Sathans armour professing friendship to Christ yet fighting against him these two factions are entred already into the battaile pelmell so that in the smallest fellowships some ye shall finde aduancing the kingdome of the one though very few to fight for the glory of the other What a shame is this for vs who say we are on the Lords side that a wicked man seruing Sathan shall in our audience open his mouth to blaspheme God and we will not open our mouthes to rebuke him we see carnall men so shamelesse that they stand vpon no circumstances to dishonour God and we who professe we loue him for feare wee faile against curtesie and I cannot tell what circumstances dare not open our mouthes to praise him Our coldnesse in this point hath neede to be admonished that we may be stirred vp not by profession onely but by conuersation also to make it knowen to the world that wee belong wholy to the Lord Iesus Who can be against vs It may seeme strange that the Apostle should vse any such interrogaâ—orie what Christian wants enimies inough against him yea saith not the Apostle of himselfe that hee had beasts at Ephesus with whom he behoued to fight was there not an Angell of Sathan sent to buffet him did not Nero at length behead him how is it then that he askes who can be against him But wee are to know that the Apostles meaning is not that godly men haue no enimies but that no enimie can take from vs that for which wee striue it is not for the maintenance of our bodily life that wee fight when our enimies haue taken that from vs they haue done no more than Poâ—iphars wife did
but that the workes of God may be made manifest which our Sauiour plainely teacheth vs when being demaunded concerning him that was borne blind whether it was for his owne sinnes or the sinnes of his Parents aunswered it was for neyther of them but that the workes of God might be made manifest in him And these workes of God manifested by affliction are of two sorts for not onely his meruailous power and constant truth in preseruing and deliuering his owne Church in all troubles against the power falshoode and malice of the world are manifested that all men may see it is not by the arme of man but by the power of God that his Church is continued vpon earth but likewise these manifold graces of God wrought secretly by his holy Spirit in the hearts of his children are made manifest to the world such as their constant faith their inuincible loue toward God their patience in the hardest sort of crosses And vnto these kindes of afflictions doe wee referre that which here is spoken These afflictions which are for Gods sake require these two things comprised by the Apostle in these words Faith and a good Conscience that is a good Religion and a good conuersation though thy life be so good that it be vnreproueable in the eyes of man yet if thou be not found in the faith thy suffering is not suffering for Gods cause and albeit the Religion thou professest be good if thy conuersation be euill though thou wouldest giue thy body to be burnt for Religion yet shall not thy suffering be suffering for Chists cause Let none of you suffer as euill doers but if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed Non suppliciuÌ„ facit martyrem sed causa it is not the crosse makes the Martyr but the cause There hath beene no Heresie so grosse but some men haue beene bold to dye for it which is not Christian fortitude but miserable hardnesse of heart As the Lord Iesus hath his Apostles and Martyres so Sathan hath his false Apostles and Martyrs Martires Satanicae virtutis and therefore wee will conclude with Augustine Non est ex passione certa Iustitia it is not suffering that makes sure a cause to be righteous Sed ex Iustitia gloriosa passio but it is righteousnesse which makes suffering glorious For thy sake It is common to all the Godly to suffer with Christ as yee heard before but to suffer for Christ is not a honour communicated to them all the rarer that it is the more heartely should wee welcome it when God sends it The Apostle reioyced in the bonds wherewith hee was bound for Christs cause the golden chaines of earthly ambassadours are nothing so honourable as chaines of yron which are worne for Christs cause The Emperour Constantine honoured all the Fathers of the Counsell of Nice but made most of those who had suffered for the cause of Christ as in perticular hee kissed the hole of Paphnutius eye which had beene put out in time of trouble for Christs sake yet did hee reuerence it as the most honourable and precious part of his body no face so beautifull as that which is deformed no man so rich as hee who hath sustained spoliation of his goods if it be for Christs sake neyther is any death so glorious as that which is sustained for his cause Si enim beati qui moriuntur in Domino multo magis qui pro Domino for if they be blessed which dye in the Lord much more blessed are they wâ—o dye for the Lord. But now because no Christian is persecuted without some cause alleadged against him by his persecuters and that also in euery trouble his owne conscience saith that hee hath most iustly deserued it how can hee haue this comfort that he suffers for Christs sake The first is easily answered if we put a difference betweene the pretended and the true cause for which the wicked doe persecute vs. If Haman beare malice to Mordecay for his sake hee will forge a crime against all the people of the Iewes if Amazia can couer his hatred against Amos by pretending that Amos hath conspired against the King If the Princes of Darius enuy Daniels preferment they can delate him as a rebell to the kings proclamation If Ieremie exhort the Iewes to goe out to the King of Babell hee shall be accused as a confederate with the Chaldean It is a common stratagem of Sathans to staine the glory of Gods Children in their sufferings with false pretended crimes Vt qui conscientiae suae luce clarescunt fâ—lsis rumoribus sordidentur that they who are cleared by the light of their owne conscience may be defiled with false reports Sed bene sibi conscius non debet falsis moueri nec putare plus esse ponderis in alieno conuitio quam in suo testimonio but heeâ— who hath a good conscience ought not to be moued with false things nor to thinke there is more waight in any other mans traducing than is in his owne testimonie Our comfort doth stand sure if wee can say with Dauid They hate me without a cause And againe They are gathered together against mee not for mine offence not for my sinne O Lord. As for the other the accusation of our conscience in trouble charging vs with sinnes which no man can lay to our charge if wee will distinguish betweene the quarrell which conscience hath against vs and that wherewith the wicked doe charge vs it shall be manifest that the cause of our persecution is our disagreement with them in an euill course and not any sinne committed by vs against God and so shall our comfort still remaine that vvee are sufferers for Christs sake We are killed How farre forth this killing extends our Sauiour doth teach vs when hee sayes they are able to kill the body and doe no more Qui pro Christo moriuntur aliquid mortis accipiunt ne tot a contingat they may cast downe this earthly tabernacle but cannot hurt the man of God But here it is enquired seeing these godly ones were aliue when they sent vp this complaint vnto God how is it said they were slaine To this I answere that two manner of wayes are the godly pertakers of Christs afflictions euen when they are not troubled in their owne persons first by lympathie with others that are troubled for as the head of the misticall body accounts himselfe persecuted when his members are persecuted so among the liuely members therof the griefe and trouble of one is the griefe and trouble of the rest If we mourne with them that mournes and remember them who are in bonds as if wee were in bonds with them we are pertakers of their sufferings but now the want of this compassion in many who resting in their yâ—orie beds sorrowes not for Iosephs affliction proues them to be but dead