Coronation for then shall we haue not Reedes but Palmes in our hands to shew our triumph and bee crowned not with Thornes but with Glory euen the glory that Christ had from the beginning Now for life that cannot doe it for there is no temptation in this life neither excessiue pleasure nor abundant profit not magnificent state that a righteous soule will not forgoe rather then forsake the righteousnesse of Câ—â—â—â— or their owne peace of conscience yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moses â—â—â—â—her then to lose the least light of the Lords conntenance we will refuse to be made glorious by our birth and chuse to suffer affliction with the children of God Heb. 11.24 and with Paul Phil. 3.8 to esteeme all things but as the excrement of a dog in comparison of the security and confidence we haue of the Lords loue towards vs so as we are Christs in our life also And though we doe desire to see the face and glory of the Lord yet as Saint Paul speaketh whether we be in our body at home absent Phil. 1.20 or abroad in our separation our soules still wait vpon the Lord for for this cause as Rom. 14.8.9 Christ died that whether we liue or die we might be the Lords Now for Angels Powers or Principalities by the names themselues may be vnderstood as well the good Angels as the bad wherof Paul speaketh 1. Cor. 6.3 Know ye not that we shall iudge the Angels that is the reprobate spirits for these be executioners of the Lords will though not by willing and loyall obedience as well as the other and though both these being seuerall haue in the scripture the same titles giuen them as the good are called Eph. 1.21 Powers and Principalities and so are the bad called by the same name Colos 2.15 where Christ is said to spoile and to traduce Principalities Powers to open shame and Eph. 6.12 We must fight against Principalities and Powers yet in this place by Angels are to bee taken the good and by Powers and Principalities the diuels The reason is because heere the Apostle maketh an opposition betweene contraries and also because in other places of the scripture where these same words are vsed to expresse the good Angels there is alwaies more added to their stile as Eph. 1.20 Thrones and Dominations are mentioned besides the other But it may be said will the Angels that are the messengers of God attempt any such thing as to part God and vs No it is impossible howsoeuer the Apostle speaketh excessiuely from the exultation ioy of his spirit for he reasons ab impossibili as if he should say if Angels which be the most excellent and most powerfull creatures could attempt to separate vs from the loue of God yet they could not for Christ which is the head of Angels hath ioyned vs to his Father and therefore much lesse any inferiour thing can doe it After this maner this Apostle speaketh Galat. 1.8 If an Angel from heauen should preach any other doctrine which is impossible let him be accursed So Rom. 9.3 Paul wisheth himselfe accursed to redeeme the Iewes and Moses praied to be rased out of the booke of life rather than the Israelites should perish which was not possible that the decree of God should bee frustrate But such was the vehemencie of their affection if the Lord would be intreated at their praiers And it was necessary for the Apostle heere to name Angels because they be the mightiest creatures and if they cannot part the Lord and vs much lesse can diuels for the worst they can doe is but to buffet vs whereby our infirmities shall be healed and as Christ said to Peter Satan desireth to winnow thee like wheat Mat. 22.31 but I haue praied that thy faith may not faile This also appeareth by that in the Reuelation 12.4 that the red Dragon cannot doe it though with his taile hee can draw starres from heauen that is discouer the hypocrisy of some great professors for first he waited vpon the woman as she was with child secondly in her deliuerie thirdly when the child was brought foorth to see first if he could haue destroied the Church of the Iewes and if not the Church of the Gentiles and if not the head of the Church the Lord Iesus or if not the whole bodie of the faithfull or if not some one of the faithfull but he was cast downe saith the text that is he was abased in his pride and sought to aduance and lift vp himselfe againe to heauen by destroying the woman and her seede that is by withstanding the saluation of the elect This Dragon hath especially two instruments first the great Beast that is the Romane Empire where was a name of blasphemie written in his fore-head which though it could with Eliah call fire from heauen yet could it neuer consume the faith of Gods chosen 2. King 1.10 nor euer draw one soule from Christ The second is the Romane Hierarchie raised out of the ruines of the former which though it could make the heauens brasse that it should not raine or the earth iron that it should yeeld no fruit yet could it neuer touch any that was written in the booke of the Lambe Reuel 5.3 for where hee sealeth none can open and where he openeth none can shut and as it is said in the former place They which are bought from the earth sing in great troupes a new song with the Lord Iesus For the other Neither things present that may be knowen nor things to come which may seeme to be doubtfull can make any separation of God from vs for the elect are sure the Lords grace shall assist them to the end neither height of heauen as Paul that was carried vp on high did not yet presume nor the depth of hell 2. Cor. 12.5 Ionah 2.1 as Ionas being in the belly of the Whale did not yet dispaire but had his praiers passing to heauen thorow the fishes mouth Iob. 13.15 Iob in the patieÌ„ce resolution of his spirit could say O Lord though thou kill me yet will I loue thee for hope which is the sure anchor of the soule maketh vs to enter with consideÌ„ce within the lists of the Lords presence and there staieth vs for the Lord doth know vs for his owne in his beloued Sonne Hence learne that a man may be assured he shall be saued for this place is without exception Yet some say this was a speciall reuelation Paul had of his owne saluation which is most iniurious to the whole text for though he saith I am perswaded as speaking of himselfe yet in the matter of the perswasion he ioyneth all the faithfull as that nothing can separate vs speaking generally of all which is proued also by many things and speeches before as verse 23. Wee grone for the redemption of our body Did Paul onely grone And verse 35. Who shall separate vs from the loue of God Was Paul only
present euen as the time of our life is for Gods children most bee like the rod of the Almond tree spoken of Ierem. 1.11 which in those countries where it groweth is the first that blossometh yea we must not onely giue the first fruits as vnder the law but euen all the fruits of our liues to the Lord for God often punisheth the want of his fear in our youth with the want of wisedome in our age if our godlines be not present he oftentimes cutteth vs off before we can see the time to come Neither yet must we thinke it sufficient to cherish godlinesse in our hearts no not in our chambers but it must be as a light set vpon a hill that not onely Gods children may see it for their direction but that euen the world may see it for their condemnation as Christ saith to his disciples I haue sent you to walke in the midst of a froward and crooked generation yet must they walke still for by this open profession of godlinesse we shew whose liuerie we weare and that we are not ashamed of the crosse nor abashed at it Howbeit this course of godlinesse which we must liue in is no more nor no lesse then an absolute resignation and giuing vp of all things in respect of God which standeth in three things first in giuing vp our reason secondly in denying our affections thirdly in framing our mind to a moderation in what estate the Lord shall set vs in For the first wee must resigne vp our reason to religion in two respects first for that it is an incomprehensible mysterie which is vnsearchable secondly for that the ignominie thereof is vnsufferable in our reason as to thinke that he is blessed that is hungrie they vnhappie that bee rich and that the Lords correction is loue For the second which is the giuing vp of our affections it will teach vs so to walke and so to deale as in the presence of God it will make vs plough vp those furrowes of pride and vaine-glorie which lie so deepe in our hearts and when by the instigation of our affections we are mooued to riot or voluptuousnesse it will make vs abstaine because we haue giuen our selues to God For the third to haue a willingnesse to suffer what the Lord sendeth will make vs resigne vp those inordinate cares of getting wherewith wee are oftentimes perplexed and to content our selues with that portion the Lord hath shared out vnto vs so as by religion and a godly life we shall learne to say with Dauid O Lord thou hast done it therefore I hold my peace and not only to beare an outward contentment in worldly things but euen in all calamities to rest vpon the mercifull hand of God IAMES chap. 2. vers 20.21 verse 20 But wilt thou vnderstand O thou vaine man that the faith which is without works is dead verse 21 Was not Abraham our father instified through workes when he offered Isaac his sonne vpon the altar THe word of God hath two parts in it first it is a word of wisedome secondly it is a word of knowledge by knowledge to reforme the iudgement and to conuince the conscience by wisdome to perswade the affections to the obedience of that we haue truly learned Saint Iames here indeuoreth to perswade that none could be saued without works and he proueth it by a double example of Abraham and of Rahab Wilt thou vnderstand c. as if he should say If that set downe before cannot sufficiently take root to affect thee and to perswade thee that without the workes of a holy life thy faith is no better then a diuels faith take this example of Abraham for all thou wilt grant that Abraham was an excellent person and had true faith and that the couenant was so made with him that none should be saued vnlesse they were of his seed either according to the flesh and spirit or at least according to the spirit And since the couenant was made with him and he was saued by faith so must all we be saued by his faith that is by a faith of the same kind that his was for there is but one faith though there be diuers measures of it Now Abraham had an approued faith as it is proued by this one act and worke of his for all because it was the principallest of all in that he staied not nor demurred vpon the Lords commandement in offering vp his fonne the greatest worke that euer flesh and bloud did except his that was more then flesh and blood namely Christ And because the Iesuits as hardened enemies against the truth haue strangely peruerted this place we must vnderstand a difference betweene these speeches Faith without workes is dead and Faith that is without workes is dead for by the first speech may bee thought that works giue life to faith which is most false but the second speech is true workes being a necessarie consequent of faith and an infallible signe that faith hath gone before euen as in these speeches to say The body is dead without breathing and the body that is without breathing is dead for if wee affirme and attribute the cause of life to breathing it is false for the soule is the cause of life in the body but the other speech is true for the body that hath no breath in it is deadâ— and where breath is it is a signe there is life So to say the tree that is without fruit is dead is true but not to say the tree without fruit is dead for the tree that standeth in the ground is not fruitfull we may well say is dead at the root but when the sap lieth at the root we may well say there is life in the tree though there be no fruit on the branches Now the aduersaries argue thus No dead faith can iustifie faith without workes is dead therefore no faith can iustifie without workes as if they should say Christ Iesus neuer raised vp himselfe without his humanity therefore his humanity helped in raising vp his flesh which is most blasphemous Howbeit Christ separated from his humanity was neuer raised vp this is must true So they in their former argument referre iustification to workes which is most false but if they had concluded therfore faith that is without workes cannot iustifie they had done well for thereby had been proued that works had been inseparable from faith but not that they concurre for faith is alone euer in iustifying but neuer alone in the person iustified euen as the eye alone of all the parts of the bodie doth see but the eye that is alone separate from the other parts of the body doth not sece at all but is a dead eye Was not Abraham c. Heere consider two points first in what sense this is true secondly why this worke aboue the rest is commended and registred for a proofe of Abrahams faith The words heere set downe are directly contrary to the
in a holy conuersation Heere will be obiected since workes are so precisely vrged what say wee to the faith of the theefe vpon the crosse what workes did he and by this example many betray their soules in presuming of the like grace Wee answer that this was a particular priuiledge giuen to that theefe euen as a pardon may bee giuen to a man vpon the gallowes and if any embolden himselfe heereupon perhaps the rope will be his hire and it is not good to put it vpon the Psalme of Miserere and the necke-verse for sometime he proueth no Clarke And for this theefe the Lord neuer did it but to one that none might presume and yet hee did it to one and did saue one in the exigent of his life that none might despaire Secondly this was a worke reserued for the manifestation of the power of the Sonne of God that he should beleeue in his fellow sufferer and desire him to saue him that when the Pharisees denied him to be the Sonne of God yet a poore wretch and a theefe should confesse it Thirdly we must not regard the shortnesse of his confession but consider the time and circumstance when and before whom this confession was made euen then when no man durst defend the innocencie of the Sonne of God when the Pharisees left him when all his Disciples were scattered and when Marie his mother that stood a farre off and knew him to be the Sonne of God and yet spake nothing in his defence whereby she finned against the first table She was his mother and saw him put to death vniustly and yet would not testifie of his innocencie whereby she bore false witnesse against him so sinned against the ninth commaundement being her sonne she did not comfort him vpon the crosse and so sinned against the fift commaundement yet when all these either doubted of his diuinity or despaired the poore theefe did confesse him to be that Christ the Sonne of God who â—â—d Paradise to dispose Lastly know that he was such a wretch that he neuer knew God before and therefore was it no maruell though he committed felonie but as soone as the Lord knockt at his heart first he confesseth Christ to be God and to die an innocent Luk. 23.41 We suffer righteously but this man hath done nothing amisse wherein he wrought a worke of the first table secondly he reprooued his fellow who raned on Christ wherein he wrought a worke of the second table So as this example of the theefe is no warrant to deferre or trifle off our repentance till the last houre for hee wrought as soone as hee was called If therefore the Lord hath offered vnto vs the riches of his mercie let vs in the acceptable time embrace it and not abuse his long suffering by growing more leane and ill-fauoured by these many yeeres wee haue had of religious peace and plentie but let vs returne vnto him while he is in the way before darknesse too fast ouer-grow our soules and before death snatch vs away into the graue For the similitude which is vers 26. obserue onely that it agreeth not in all points for the soule is the cause of the life of the body but so are not good works the cause of faith but only an effect and fruit of it for faith giueth life to good works and faith worketh by loue in the person instified for we must as hath bene said first be good before we can do good and we are made good spiritually by our regeneration in Christ and we being ingrafted into him then we do good so as the meaning only of the Apostle is by this similitude to shew that when a dead man being dead can speake which is impossible then faith which hath no workes and so is but a dead faith shall iustifie and saue vs. 1. IOHN chap. 3. vers 9.10 verse 9 Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not for his seed remaineth in him neither can he sinne because he is borne of God verse 10 In this are the children of God knowen and the children of the diuell who so doth not righteousnesse is not of God neither he that loueth not his brother THE Apostle in the beginning of this chapter first setteth downe that God the Father by his euerlasting loue in his Sonne hath bestowed vpon the faithfull this priuiledge to be called the sonnes of God in the sonne of God Christ Iesus Secondly that this dignity to bee the sonne of God and so to be called is not to be discerned by the men of the world because they haue not knowen the Sonne hauing not his spirit for spirituall things cannot be discerned by them that haue nothing but fleshly policy Thirdly as this cannot be discerned of the world so it is impossible our selues should sufficiently conceiue of it while we remaine in the tabernacle of this life because there is another glory we expect vers 2. Fourthly he setteth downe an effect inseparable from this adoption As many as are the sonnes of God and haue this hope of future glory they striue to reformation of life not to be equally pure but to bee like pure to the Lord Iesus This hee prooueth first from the institution of the law God neuer ordained the law neither after our creation nor after our redemption but to bee kept and the reason is thus The breach of the law is a disparagement swinge and sinne it perfect strength Thirdly the godly eâ—e said not to sinne be 〈◊〉 he laboureth to walke in all the commandements of the Lord. Now he that walketh in the right way may somtime fall but if hee doe heâ— striueth to regaine it by greater carefulnesse and speedier passageâ— but the wicked goe cleane out of the way as if heauen stood at hell gate Lastly because in the godly there is a combat for there is two men in them in the inward man they would faine please God and by the outward as Saint Paul saith they are made captiue to sinne Rom. 7.23 but in a meere naturall man there is nothing but flesh and so no combat for where all is one there is no diuision and if there be any strife in him it is betweene his conscience and himselfe in iudgement conuincing him that it is sinne and not betweene his conscience and his affection misliking it as it is sinne for this is easily seene by his often relapse into the same sinne Now for the reason hee doth not sinne because the holy Ghost which is the seed of our second birth remaineth in him neither can he sin and this is proued by two places of scripture first Rom. 8.1 where the Apostle proueth these two graces inseparable iustification from sinne and sanctification from sinne thus There is no condemnation to him that liueth a spirituall man this is proued vers 5. by contraries They that liue after the flesh sauour the things of the flesh but he that is borne of God cannot doe so for then
sanctification for he is a true childe of Abraham that walketh in the faith and steppes of Abraham Roman 4.12 and they that doe otherwise as Christ saith Ioh. 8.44 are the children of their father To which the Pharisees in great indignation excepting What say they dost thou account vs bastards Abraham is our father No saith Christ so as trueth and meekenesse it selfe spake it yee are the children of the diuell For vnder this pretence of issuing from Abrahams loines they would despise that sonne and abandon that Messias in whom Abraham and the rest of the fathers looked and trusted to be saued Howbeit if we come to this why doth Ismael persecute the profession of Isaac and Esau sell his birth-right and Iacob embrace it as a pledge of the inheritance of heauen This commeth from the election of God who had purposed to giue this grace to the one and to denie it to the other the cause of his infidelitie resting in his owne soule And it was not an vniuersall promise plight to Abraham that he would be the God of euery particular singular man that should come from his line but it was giuen indefinitely without limitation to thy seed as of one which is that Paul prooueth Gal. 3.16 namely that there could be no reconciliation betweene the Iewes and the Gentiles but by that one seed which was Christ Now the cause Saint Iohn giueth and the reason hee alleageth why they should not thus flatter and deceiue themselues in the name of Abrahams seed is because God is able euen of stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham And at the first Abraham indeed was dead in respect of that strength of nature to beget a childe Gen. 18.12 and it was as easie to make a stone a man as to make a dead man get a man Out of which we learne that God is omnipotent not onely to do what he will but also to do more then euer yet he hath purposed to doe as heere he is able of stones to raise vp men but he neuer did it Answerable to that speech of Christ in the Gospell If I would I could command Mat. 26.53 twelue legions of Angels to rescue me yet he did it not Now three things there be which God cannot doe and yet sheweth no impotencie nor derogateth any thing from his omnipotencie as first he cannot doe contrarie to the propertie of his person as God cannot be begotten nor the Sonne of God cannot beget secondly that is contrarie to the essentiall properties of his Godhead Ier. 1.17 as he cannot repent nor change nor lie nor be finite for all these are signes of weaknesse and imperfection thirdly he cannot doe that which implies a contradiction as that a stone being a stone should be a man but of a stone he can make a man and of a man a stone as Lots wife was turned Gen. 19.26 into a pillar of salt but when she ceased to be a woman So against the Lutherans that hold they eate the very flesh of Christ in the Sacrament wee acknowledge that God is able to turne bread into flesh but then he must change the substance for I will neuer beleeue that that which I see and taste and touch as bread can being bread be flesh also So for the humanitie of Christ as it is his bodie it cannot be euery where for a bodie must haue his dimensities as height breadth and length and must be limited and circumscribed in a place certaine And it abridgeth nothing from his all-sufficiencie for it is contrarie to the nature of a substance to be euery where remaining a substance True it is the Lord can make the sea to stand vp as wals Exod. 14.21 on both sides for the passage of the Israelites but it was a sea still so he can make the Sunne against the course of nature Iosh 10.12 to stand still and stay his course but it was the Sunne still but he cannot make a body to be euery where for that doth abolish the nature of it Now is the Axelaied to the root c. This is the third point was deliuered namely the commination which Iohn vsed mixing and interlacing his sermon with the iudgements of God wherein he threatneth them with eternall damnation except they repent and become new men The whole speech is allegoricall and a continued borrowed speech which may be thus resolued God is compared to a husbandman for he had planted a vineyard in Iuda namely his church the people are compared to trees the ministerie of Iohn to an axe that will cut quickly either to hasten to damnation or to saluation As elsewhere it is compared to a Fanne that separates the chaffe from the wheat and in Ieremie to a hammer either to bruse a broken heart or to beat it downe to hell The roots of the trees are compared to the soules of men the forme of the speech prefigureth the finall sentence that shall bee giuen at the latter day the hewing downe signifieth the separation of the bastardly Iewes from the communion and fellowship of the true Israelites and casting into the fire setteth foorth their eternall damnation in hell so as it is thus much in effect You Pharisees presume not any longer vpon Gods patience for yee cannot now pretend ignorance as yee might haue done and for that time as Acts 17.30 God will not call you to any heauie reckoning he hath bene carefull to dresse his garden he hath suffered you to abuse the people by your gouernment in the Church but now looke vnto your selues for now shall my ministerie cut into your soules and shall shew whether yee be bastards or no and now shall it appeare who is the child of Abraham by receiuing Christ that commeth In that it is said now and that the axe is laid not to lop but to cut downe learne that when the Gospell is preached then the Lord comes to make a separation betweene the elect and the reprobate which could not before be discerned as it is in the Gospell there shall be two in one bed one shall be receiued and the other reiected for when this raine falleth then the Lord meaneth to trie who is truely planted and hath taken root in his sonne Luk. 17.34 and if as Heb. 6.7 it bringeth foorth herbes meet for the dresser then receiueth it a blessing but if the heart bring â—oorth thornes then is meere vnto cursing so as if any obstinately persist in the earth drinking in the moisture and yet increaseth not his damnation shall be the more iust because there is now no place for excuse left And to applie this more neerely to our selues if the Sodomites Gen. 19.28 were wasted with fire for abusing but one Lot If the Niniuites had beene destroyed Ionah 4.11 for not repenting at the preaching of one Ionah If they were put to death that despised but one Moses and the old world Gen. 6.13 swept away for contemning the preaching of one Noah If they were
affections if our vnderstandings be illuminated and lightened with the lampe of the Gospell if we be inflamed and set on fire with the zeale of Gods glory and well hearted toward his children then may wee hope to haue beene baptized truely for the holy Ghost worketh these things in beleeuers But he that is drossie or luke-warme in his profession that is hard hearted to the Saints that followeth the sent of his affections and that is weary of the candle of truth hath cause to suspect that he is not yet baptized with the holy Ghost In Ioh. 3.5 this spirit is compared to water cleansing the soule inwardly which hath three properties first to wash away filthinesse secondly to moisten that which is drie and to quench thirst and allay the scorching heate thirdly to fructifie as Psalm 1. willowes are said to bee fruitfull planted by the water side euen so the holy Ghost doth purifie and wash the soule refresheth the conscience scorched with the feare of Gods vengeance and giueth power to make our drie and barren hearts to prosper in euery good worke MATH chap. 3. vers 12. verse 12 Which hath his fan in his hand and will make cleane his floore and gather his wheat into his garner but will burne vp the chaffe with vnquenchable fire BEcause it falleth out in great auditories and assemblies that there bee many wilfull and peruerse persons which doe not esteeme of the Lords rich bounty but doe scorne and tread vnder foote tâ—â— mercy offered Iohn Baptisâ— doth heere denounce peremptory vengeance and intollerable torment against all â—â—ose that shall not submit themselues to the ministery of the Messias and that they which will not bee baptized with the fire of the holy Ghost and of Christ that is with his bloud and with his spirit shall be baptized with the fire of hell The words doe containe an Allegorie or continued borrowed speech which may be thus resolued First by the Fanne vnderstand the ministerie of the Gospell which should begin at the preaching of Iesus and should winnow the people to make a separation betweene the bastardly brood of Abraham and the true Nathaniels Ioh. 1. chap. 47. Israelites in whom is no guile betweene them that had onely the marke of circumcision in the flesh and them whose hearts and vile affections were inwardly circumcised By that it is said In his hand is ment that it is presently to be manifested By floore vnderstand all places where a Church may be gathered or more specially for a visible Church alreadie gathered Iohn addressing his speech heere to the Iewes which were at this time the Church of God By wheate is ment all that should beleeue either Iewes or Gentiles By the Garner is ment the kingdome of heauen By chaffe is ment hypocrites and vnbeleeuers mis-liuers or the children of perdition that refuse to bee fanned by the Lords voice By cleansing is ment that separation the Gospell should make betweene the apostate Iew and the beleeuing Iew. By vnquenchable fire is ment the torment of hell prouided for vnbeleeuers Out of this first generally obserue that where the Gospell comes and is preached with power and with a good conscience and not huckstered nor merchandized as men doe their wares but that they so labour as not to be ashamed of that they doe preaching their doctrine not to the eare but to the doore of the conscience that there it makes a manifest difference betweene true and false children whereas before all was shuffled together for though before this time the Pharisees and all others were as one bearing the same title of Abrahams seed yet saith Iohn afterward shall come the venting of the Gospell which with the powerfull blast thereof shall scatter the hypocrites and make knowne the faithfulnesse of them that with honest hearts embrace and cherish it After this maner is the word in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Heb. 4.12 compared to a sword with two edges that cutteth two waies either to conuersion if it be beleeued or to confusion if it be despised Hereupon it is that Simeon did prophesie to Mary Luk. 2.34 to preuent any conceit might rise in her minde of her dignitie and glory being the mother of the eternall Lord heereby thinking that all the world should applaud her for her Sonne telling her that this child should be set vp for the rising and ruine of many a marke that euery man should shoot at and by his comming should the hearts of many be discouered For the sound of his mouth Heb. 4.12 deuides betweene the ioynts and the sinewes and the marrow and the bones anatomizing the hearts of men to see whether they be sound or rotten And they that before seemed to bee all one shall when the fan comes differ then the poison that before lurked shall bee layed foorth and the hidden gall shall be displaied Heereupon also the word is compared to fire which hath a double effect to wast stubble and drosse and to purifie that is refinable as siluer and gold For the Gospell hath this vertue to inflame some mens hearts with a zealous loue of God and his glory setting others on fire to persecute it to quench and to impugne it This effect had it in Iohns time some saying that he was an honest man some that he was Christ others that he was a Galilean Luk. 3.16 Mat. 11.16 whence could come no good thing and others more plainely that hee was a diuell all before being as they thought well circumcised and the children of Abraham So when Christ spake in his owne person the chaffe flew away and then was easily knowen who was an hypocrite hee comming to some place where they had rather haue their hogges Mark 5.17 then their soules saued Luk. 4.29 and to others where they brought him to the side of a hill of purpose to haue throwne him downe and to Iairus house where some Mark. 5.40 laugh him to scorne for his speech This fanne by Christ was committed to his Apostles that they likewise should make a separation where they came Paul Preaching at Antioch the Iewes railed against him when the Gentiles desired him to preach the same sermon the next Sabbath And by the power of this Fanne Act. 22.23 the Iewes cast vp dust in the aire and crie that Paul is vnworthy to liue And Act. 23.12 certaine doe bind themselues by oath not to eate nor drinke till they had killed him when as others in Iudaea did submit themselues and became the true disciples of Christ Yea Luk. 12.53 it appeareth that there is no bond so streight nor so well knit but religion will violate and cause the father with the sonne the mother with the daughter to impugne the Gospell with hostility not that it is the property of the Gospell to breed dissention but it is the malice of Sathan to enrage mens hearts that they should not receiue it that his barnes might be full And then must Ahab 1. King 21.19
heauen and the holy Ghost was there by his soleâ—â—â— presence He had no possessions of his owne but was maintained by the almes of deuout women but out of them had hee cast Diuels Hee must paie tribute Mat. 17.27 but hee will fetch it out of the fishes mouth in the end hee was taken with a band of men but when he spake Ioh. 18.6 they reeled backward and none durst lay hold on him he was whipped and ill intreated but twice before had hee whipped the money changers out of the Temple and none durst open their mouth against him Mark 11.15 Mat. 27.19.24 he was condemned to die but the Iudges wife dreamed and was troubled being perswaded of his innocency and Pilat himselfe acquitted him When he was going to the crosse he was so worne as he was not able to beare it but he was able to beare the wrath of his Father He was hanged betweene two theeues Mat. 27.32 Luk. 23.43 but he saueth one of them And howsoeuer sometimes he was called Belzebub yet Belzebub confesseth him often to bee the Sonne of God thus was euer his humility qualified with some testimony of his diuinitie In that it is said The Angels came and ministred vnto him note that howsoeuer they bee ministring spirits to giue vs security of the Lords protection though his promise were sufficient yet by speciall prerogatiue they are attending on Christ to whom alone they owe and doe their homage And besides learne heere the time when we are to expect this ministery of Angels not vntill we haue fought the battels of the Lord then to succour our faint spirits and to releeue our distressed hearts they are sent as comforters vnto vs. Gen. 22.11 And thus when Abraham held in his body an anguished soule and in his hand a blondy knife to haue fetched the life of Isaac from him then was the window of comfort opened and then had God prouided another sacrifice When Iacch was wearied and benighted Gen. 28. hauing for his bed the earth and for his pillow an heape of stones then standeth the Lord about him and blesseth him and when Eliah is forced to flie to preserue his life and yet ready to die for want of food then doth the Lord awake him by his Angell and bid him eate 1. King 19.5 And when Christ had finished the combat and wonne the field then the Angels come to waite vpon him so as wee may not thinke to beare away the victory without blowes nor to be comforted without sorrowes not to bee refreshed without 〈◊〉 MATH 4. vers 12 13.14.15.16 verse 12 And when Iesus heard that Iohn was committed to prison he turned into Galile verse 13 And leauing Nazareth went and dwelt in Capernaum which is neere the sea in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalins verse 14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet Esaias saying verse 15 The land of Zabulon and the land of Nephthalins by the way of the sea beyond Iordan Galile of the Gentiles verse 16 The people which sate in darknesse saw great light and to them which sate in the region and shadow of death light as risen vp HEere followeth the real execution of Christs office and what hee did after Iohn was in prison For now was the time that the day-star going away the Sunne of righteousnesse might appeare In the words there are three things to bee considered first the cause why Christ returned into Galile the very place where that Herod dwelt that committed Iohn for reprouing him of his adultery Secondly that hee leaueth Nazareth his owne place the reason whereof is giuen by Saint Luke chap. 4.29 because they sought to breake his necke Thirdly the cause of his going to Capernaum to fulfill Esay his Prophesie that those quarters should first bee made famous through Christs doctrine and miracles being the first that were caried away into captiuity Now first it shall not be amisse since wee see Iohn in prison to seeke out the cause of his commitment which though it bee not heere expressed yet it is in the 14. chapter of this Euangelist set downe vpon another occasion that Herod thought the soule of Iohn Baptist to be gone into Christ howbeit S. Luk. chap. 3.19 vpon this very occasion sheweth the cause to bee for reprouing Herod for taking his brother Philips wife Where note behold as in a mirror the wonderfull resolution of a Christian seruant of God that durst tell a king to his face of so enormous a crime And if Iohn liued now howeuer many might haue commended his zeale yet most would haue condemned his discretion that durst aduenture himselfe so far for he was growen into high fauor with the king as appeareth Mark 6.20 Herod would heare him often acknowledged him to bee godly reformed many things and granted many things at his request so that heerein men now adaies would call in question his discretion that hauing such interest in the king he would not spare him in this one vice but must needs lance this sore whereas if he had but stopped his mouth in this one hee might haue continued still and done much good But Iohn Baptist durst not conceale any part of his ambassage The imitation of which president will be thought to be preiudiciall to the serpentine wisedome of these times for now it is thought good aduice not to wake a sleeping Lion nor to put our hands into the hiue lest we be stung but to beware of vae nobis lest wee come coram vobis not at all to reproue lest wee bee striken Which is contrary to the wisedome of Iohn for though there were none left but Christ yet hee spareth not his message nor is ashamed to tell Herod of that sin he ought to be ashamed to commit and away with this idoll discretion which marreth all euen as the image in Daniel chap. 3.1 which was set vp in Dura Nathan 2. Sam. 12.1 must tell Dauid of his adultery to his face and Paul aduiseth 1. Tim. 5.20 those that sin to rebuke openly that the rest may feare which being sealed by the canon of the Apostle prooueth that men must not onely rebuke in generall but in particular And if Paul had need of the prayer of the Ephesians chap. 6.19 that he might speake boldly much more haue wee that stand in such feare to be bound for our speech for by this courage and boldnesse shall wee establish our doctrine in mens consciences Secondly in this example of Iohn note as his constancy to speake boldly so his persecution to suffer extreamly and this is the portion allotted to all Gods Ministers If Eliah speake the truth in reprouing Ahab 1. King 19.8 he must flie to the mount Horeb to saue himselfe If Amos preach at Bethel the destruction of Ieroboams house Amos 7.12 he must go to his tar-box again And if Michaiah 1. Kings 22.17 tell the king truly he may not go to battell he shall be sure to
vpon earth then doe we seeke Christ on earth when we know hee is gone into heauen But from whence hath he deliuered vs From hell Then must we take heed we doe not the workes of hell and of darknesse And then whither hath he brought vs Where he is that is in heauen Then if we will say we are married to him Ioh. 14.2 and that he was crucified for our sinnes and hath crucified sinne in vs and freed vs from sinne Sathan and condemnation let our conuersation be where his body is for where the dead corse is thither will the Egles resort and where the husband is thither will the wise haste to see him and to liue with him so that as Christ died in body so must we die in spirit that his spirit may haue his full worke in vs to raise vs vp to heauenly meditations Thirdly we must learne that betwixt the corporall and spirituall marriage there is great difference for the woman for certain causes may be diuorced from her husband and he being dead she may as lawfully keepe herselfe a widow as marry againe but in this our spirituall marriage there is neither diuorce nor widowhood for as soone as we are diuorced from the flesh and the lusts thereof we must not stay and remaine a widow but we must presently marry with the spirit of God and the fruites thereof and he shall remaine our husband for euer Howbeit we must know we haue no liberty to marry with our second husband the Lord Iesus vntill we be deliuerd from the whole body of sinne and the powers thereof as lust sensuality and such like and the meanes of this our freedome and deliuerance is in the body of Christ so as vnlesse the body of Christ hath destroied sinne in our naturall bodies we are not conioined vnto him We must then consider what there is in this bodie of ours which is a body of sinne Rom. 6.6 And in this body of ours there are three things First condemnation for sin Secondly disobedience by sinning Thirdly the corruption of nature which causeth this disobedience In the second place we must consider how we are deliuered from these three and how they be taken from vs. The first which is our condemnation is taken away by the satisfaction of Christ for our sinne the second which is our disobedience is taken away by the righteousnesse of Christ free from sinne and these things are without vs but the third which is the corruption of our nature is taken away by the powerfull working of Gods spirit within vs so that except we haue this third thing the spirit to abolish sinne in vs we are not yet flesh of his flesh and so none of his spouse For as for Christs satisfaction for condemnation and his obedience for our rebellion the very Turkes may hope for their saluation as well as we therefore it must be the slaying of sinne by the spirit that must assure vs of our coniunction and marriage with Christ for if corruption remaineth whence springeth disobedience then there remaineth for this disobedience condemnation for euery sinne committed by them that are regenerate is as it were the bringing foorth of a bastard vnto God which we know how much he abhorreth Sixtly this our coniunction with Christ is set foorth Ioh. 15.5 vnder the parable of the vine to which Christ is compared and we to the branches for as the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe vnlesse it grow vp with the stocke no more can we except we grow vp in Christ and as the branches receiue sap from the root whereby they fructifie so we being ingrasted into Christ receiue life from him whereby we are fruitfull in good workes and as the branches seuered from the body of the tree doe fall away and perish so if we once wither away and the graces of God decay and wax cold in vs drinking in the raine and yet not bringing foorth herbes meet for the dresser then are we neere vnto cursing and our end is to be burned Out of which learne that if thou cariest in thy life onely leaues as it were of thy profession Heb. 6.8 as the figge tree did that seemed greene a farre off and goodly and art not fruitfull in thy conuersation to walke as one redeemed out of darknesse thou art but as a branch broken off and as a blade that withereth before the time of haruest for as Rom. 11.16 If the roote be holy so are the branches and if the ground of thy heart be seasoned with the graces of God it will spring foorth into all thy members The Seuenth comparison is Ioh. 6.56 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in him Where Christ is compared to flesh and bloud which we must not vnderstand of materiall but of spirituall eating which is comprehended by faith wrought in vs by the spirit reuealed to vs by the Sonne of God deliuered to vs by the word of God and sealed vnto vs by the Sacraments Since then our feeding on Christ doth draw such fruit after it bring such efficacy with it let vs labour to meet him in those meanes himselfe hath ordained namely in his word and sacraments the one being the store-house of his promises the other as it were a patent of confirming them to vs vnder the seales left vs by the King of heauen that as these infirme bodies of ours cannot be supported without the stafes of bread and drinke the one to kill the hunger the other to stanch the thirst wherewith our natures are assaulted so we may perswade our selues that our soules for their cherishing and refreshing doe require the like necessity to be sed with the flesh and bloud of Christ that we may grow vp perfect men in him and be freed from the scorching heat of desperation whereinto we may easily fall through that streame and current of sin wherewith we are carried in the whole course of our liues and from which wee cannot be saued but through the sprinkling of that blood which was shed for vs vpon the Crosse Now for the second point which is the profit and benefit we receiue by this Coniunction it is twofold first that Christ hath taken our sinnes and the punishment of our sinnes vpon him for he being without sinne was made sinfull for vs was wounded for our transgressions and as 1. Pet. 2.24 bare our sinnes in his body on the tree that by his stripes we might be healed secondly that by his death we are made partakers of his obedience and the reward of his obedience which is eternall life and of his graces and the glory for his graces which is eternall glory Touching the first profit it is double First he tooke our sinnes vpon him Secondly the satisfaction of our sinnes which is death the first by imputation the second really and sensibly for being clothed with our flesh and appearing in our persons he became the child of wrath subiect to
Apostle saith heere he was freed from the law of sinne for Christs body was not onely crucified for our sinnes our sinnes being the very cause of his crucifying but hee was also crucified to sinne that is to crucifie and kill sinne in vs which are his members so that except we finde the spirit of God daily working and striking at the roote of sinne to weaken it and at the branch of sinne to cut it off at the first blossome we cannot conclude he was crucified for sinne because he is not crucified to sinne in vs so as we must measure the life of Christ in himselfe no further to pertaine to vs then we finde the power of sinne abated in vs. And therefore if we walke after the Prince that ruleth in the aire and that worketh in the children of disobedience and haue our conuersation in the lusts of the flesh then hath not the life of Christ freed vs from the law of sinne and then are we in the state of condemnation if God be not rich in mercy to vs heereafter For howsoeuer the Lord is contented so farre to dispence with the rigour of his iustice as to suffer â—â—e Sunne to shine both vpon the iust and vniust yet doth the Soâ—â—e of righteousnesse neuer arise vpon any that is holden with â—â—e cords of his owne sinne making as Salomon saith Prouerbesâ—â— 12.13 a signe with his eies signifying with his feet and instructing with his fingers to haue those leude things which luâ—ke in his heart countenanced and performed both by himselfe and others by his entisement Let vs therefore labour to haue our spirits raised vp from the dead in the body of Christ or through the life of Christ till when we are not freed from the law of death for so long as we remaine naturall men we are dead both in the punishment of sinne and also in the pollution of sinne of the latter we 〈◊〉 in this life as 2. Cor. 5.15 If one be dead for all then were we all dead The other is reserued for the life to come and is called Reue. 20.14 the second death when carnall and fleshly minded men shall be cast into the lake of fire We must know then that vntil the spirit hath raised vs from the dead we are but dead men though we seeme to liue and so long as we are thus dead we are separated from the grace of God that is the grace of God is dead in vs and we are liuing vnto all sinne and so not freed neither from the law of sin nor of death Our spirits then are said to be raised from the dead two waies First when it reuiueth and renueth that which is dead in vs And secondly when it slaieth and mortifieth that which is quicke in vs that which is dead in vs is the grace and fauour of God that which is quicke in vs is sinne as concupiscence lust sensuality and such like so that till this spring-time come that the grace of God be seene to flower and bud forth in vs our estate is no better then that of the damned soules for as they at the last day shall be separated for euer from the presence of God so as long as we remaine carnall and vnsanctified men we are at this day separated from the fauour of God and as the damned in their separation doe liue in torments for euer being dead in the punishment of sinne so are we carnall men inwardly tormented in conscience for being dead in the pollution of sinne that is we commit those sinnes for which the damned are tormented and in some respects the damned are better then carnall men for they can sinne no more though theâ—â—gnash their teeth and sâ—et at the iustice of God whereas the wicked and vniust doe still commit sin adding sin to sinne whereby heaping the more dishonour vpon God they drawe the heauier condemnation vpon themselues Further where the Apostle saith He was freed from the law of sinne we must not vnderstand it as if there was any law or commandement to sinne but as Rom. 7.11 that sinne tooke an occasion by the commandement to deceiue vs and to slay vs there being accompulsary and an vnchangeable necessity in vs to sinne as long as we are holden of the flesh that will we nill we we cannot but sinne we being by sin deceiued fiue waies First by concupiscence and lust as was Euah Secondly through infidelity Thirdly by blindnesse of iudgment Fourthly by particular ignorance And lastly by the malice of the heart and if the hart come once to be little worth as Salomon â—â—â—â—â—eth Pro. 10.20 and as it is in all carnall men then is the â—â—â—â—â—antiall law of God which otherwise in it selfe is holy iust and righteous to such men but a law of sinne that is sinning the more because the law forbiddeth it and a killing letter as 2. Cor. 3.6 First in respect naturall men are but flesh sold vnder sinne Secondly in respect hee reading it readeth his owne damnation and a seducing letter inticing them therefore to sin because they are restrained from sinne yea to them as Rom. 3.20 it is the power of sinne and as Rom. 4.15 it is the law of wrath and as 2. Cor. 3.15 it is as a vaile laid ouer their hearts to blinde them and as 1. Tim. 1.9 it is said not to be giuen to the righteous but to the disobedient and as Peter calleth it Act. 15.10 a yoake which neither they nor their forefathers were able to beare meaning thereby what it is to the carnall man and what it was then made by the Scribes and Pharisees who preferred the law before Christ which being but a schoole-master to bring vs to him was by them made a master aboue him to teach him 〈◊〉 it is no maruell though to such as would liue by the law without the life which is in Christ that it proue to them a law of sinne and of death for by the law shall neuer any bee iustified but through faith in the life of Christ must we attaine saluation ROM chap. 8. vers â— verse 3 For that that was impossible to the law in as much aâ— it was weake because of the flesh God sending his owne sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh HEere the Apostle proceedeth to make the matter formerly deliuered more plaine and easie wherin obserue two materiall points First that he taketh away all the power of the law to saue Secondly that this power is giuen onely to Christ who tooke vpon him not the similitude of flesh but of sinfull flesh to condemne sinne in the flesh by whose grace we are only saued without the workes of the law For the first obserue two things first that it is impossible for any to be saued by fulfilling the Law because none can exactly and perfectly doe it secondly from whence this disabilitie proceedeth not from any defects in the law but from our corrupt nature
Saints of God and put religion on their faces as a maske to hide the foule deformitie hypocrisie of their hearts Therfore vpon the question demanded Whether more in number shall be saued or damned Christ resolueth it Luk. 13.25 shewing that some shall haue bestowed such paines and walked so farre in the course of Christianity as euen to knocke at heauen gates and to challenge the Lord to let them in and yet he shall not know them that whatsoeuer profession they haue made in the face of the world as to come before the Lord as a pâ—â—ple yet because they haue not liued as a people he will not acknowledge them So as true it is that none shall enioy the presence of the Almighty but they that haue their lampes burning at the houre of their death Mat. 25.10 none but they that haue their foundation setled vpon the rockes Mat. 7.25 as not to be shaken with the blast of any persecution none but they who like faithfull seruants by spirituall trafficke haue employed their talents to their Lords aduantage Luk. 19.24 none but they that are able to testifie by the fruites of the spirit that they haue the spirit But vpon demand how we shall be saued our answer is Onely by the blood of Christ as the cause and effectuall meanes thereof for heauen is giuen operantibus non operibus to workers not to works as 2. Cor. 5.10 The Lord shall giue to euery man according as he hath wrought not for that he hath wrought Heb. 13.21 none shall see God without a pure conuersation but not because of his pure conuersation for though we must be perfect in workes yet this working must bee wrought in vs by God as the Apostle there speaketh So likewise none but the obedient child shall be heire not because he is obedient but because he is heire and yet only the obedient child shall receiue the inheritance And euen as we adore and worship Iesus Christ man but not his humanity Hominem non humanitatem so holinesse of life speaking in the abstract quality doth not saue but holy men shall be saued so faith and workes in the person iustified must concurre but in the matter of iustification faith onely and alone hath the place If therefore it be demanded whether workes be necessary to iustification we answer yea as absolutely necessary in their place as faith for wee can not assure our selues of faith but by the visible fruite of workes so as they be not Concausae causes concurring and iumping together but they are Consectaria consectaries and consequents of faith Vers 14. For as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God This is a confirmation of the reason before going on both parts for as many as mortifie the flesh by the sprit are the sonnes of God and they that doe not so are the sonnes of the diuell So the force of the argument is they that are Gods sonnes are led to mortifie the flesh and being his sons they are inheritors of heauen and this the Apostle assumeth and taketh as granted that the sons of God must needs haue eternall life Whereupon the contrary proposition is true he that liues after the flesh is not the son of God for if he were he would liue after the spirit but hee that doth not mortifie the flesh hath not the spirit therefore he is not the son of God Hereupon followeth if they be sons and not Gods they are as Christ speaketh Iohn 8.44 the children of the diuell Wherein we learne that if we be asked by what title and interest we can challenge or lay claime to heauen it is by none but by this that we are the sonnes of God and we are his sons onely by adoption and wee are adopted to it onely in the naturall heire and son of God Christ Iesus by whose blood we are iustified and sanctified by his spirit Being then adopted to this inheritance as heires we are not borne to it for adoptioÌ„ excludeth birth being not borne to it it is purchased for vs in the obedience of Christ wee must learne then to resemble Christ in being obedient to the will of God as he was and shew foorth and expresse our obedience by keeping his commandements Mat. 26.42 and keepe them by leauing of grosse sins and walking according to his will with a full purpose of our hearts to performe it alwaies excepting our infirmities and inborne weaknesse which cleaue so fast to vs as we cannot shake them off nor be deliuered of them till we ouercome all in death Hauing then no title to heauen but by inheritance nor no title to this inheritance but by Christ there is excluded all merits to deserue it and only because we are to be saued we must do well for it is giuen vs as the inheritance of children and not as any stipendary wages of a mercenary man Herupon we must wisely vnderstand that when Christ saith Mat. 25.35 Come ye blessed c. for ye haue releeued the poore c. that this releeuing of the poore and such other workes of faith and loue there mentioned are not set downe as causes of blessednesse for these speeches for and because do not alwaies inferre and bring in a cause but they are such words and particles as sometime ioine the cause with the effect and sometime the effect with the cause as when wee say it is spring time for it blossoms not that the blossoms are the cause of the spring but an effect and euidence that the spring is come So when we say he hath a soule because he breatheth and yet the soul is the cause of breath and breathing but an effect of the soule euen so when Christ saith come and receiue a kingdome for ye haue done such and such particular works of loue it is onely a knitting of the effect with the cause for God hauing preelected or chosen vs before all worlds to this saluation giueth vs this his spirit by whose power and vertue wee worke these good things And in this kinde and phrase of speech the cause is ioyned with the effect as if it should be said Come you that haue releeued the poore that haue comforted the distressed that haue sorrowed with the afflicted receiue the kingdome for it is your inheritance So as the speech of Christ hath this meaning in it You haue done good workes to testifie my kingdome to be yours come take the inheritance prepared for you in the preelection of God for you are the inheritors of heauen because of these fruites and effects which you haue shewed in comforting the aflicted members of Christ We may not take it then that heauen which is the inheritance of the saints is giuen for any desert for when we haue attained to the highest degree of mortification and haue done all that we can we are as Christ saith but vnprofitable seruants Luk. 17.10 True say the Papists vnprofitable
such a maner as they do not profit by it but onely maketh them the more without excuse because they haue seen the light and yet haue loued darknes more then light And if it be asked why this mercy of the Lord hardneth them and not mollifieth them and why the Lord doth not pull them out of the fire it is because he found them corrupt in Adam But if it be asked why they are appointed to damnation here we stop our mouths and haue refuge to no other cause but to the Lords eternall purpose After the same sort doe we faie of saluation for to such as shall be saued he giueth mercy and maketh this mercy to worke vpon their hearts and finding them falne in Adam he raiseth them vp in Christ but why he doth this is not knowne to any but to himselfe Howbeit in this his purpose to saue vs he hath ordained we should find mercy in Christ by the degrees heere set downe by calling by iusufying by glorifying vs and yet to speake properly this fore knowledge 〈◊〉 God is not the cause of any thing for Adam did not fall because God foresaw iâ— but Adam fell therefore God foresaw it For the second point what is meant by this Like to the iâ—age of his son some expound it that shall be made like and conformable to his crosse which is very comfortable though not 〈◊〉 apt and fit for the place it selfe Heb. 2.10 For if the Prince of the Gentiles was consecrated through afflictions if by this meanes the Sonne himselfe learned obedience as it is Heb. 5.8 much more must we not that we shall be afflicted in the same measure or for the same cause that Christ was for he suffered for our soules and felt the smart for our sins yea and sustained the very wrath of God to his extreme anguish and horror Reu. 19.15 2. Tim. 3.12 but thus far we must resemble him that if we wil liue godly we must suffer persecution Howbeit this likenesse conformitie to Christ his image here spoken of must bee vnderstood of his glorie because of the words that follow mentioning the steps and degrees that lead to this glorie he calleth he iustifieth he glorifieth euen as he did his Son for wee are ordained to the same glory Ioh. 17.22 signified by the praier of Christ for his Apostles and al that should beleeue that his father would loue them with the same loue and crowne them with the same glorie he crowned him which is the most ioyfull message that can come to the eare of a Christan hart to be assured we shal hereafter be lifted vp and aduanced far aboue the third heauen For the third point namely that he is the first begotten among brethren consider three things first how he is our brother secondly what priuiledge he hath being eldest thirdly what priuiledge we haue aboue all other creatures by this brotherhood For the first he became our brother by this that the eternal word of God did assume take vpon himself our flesh Ioh. 1.1.2 that we might be his brethren For as to be a Mediator to God for vs he must haue a diuine humanitie and an humane diuinitie so to make vs brethren that we might haue his spirit could not be but by taking our flesh Betweene God and man euer since our first fall there hath bin enmity such and so great as none can see him and liue for Exod. 24.17 it is said that the sight of the glorie of the Lord euen in the mountaine of Sinai was like a consuming fire Esa 33.14 and as the Prophet Esay speaketh Who shall dwell with euerlasting fire This fire therefore must bee quenched and an entrance must be made for vs to the mount of God which is onely in Christ our elder brother howbeit we are become his brethren not by incarnation nor by his humane nature for then the reprobate should bee his brethren as well as wee for hee partaketh of their flesh as well as of ours But as this brother-hood commeth by the flesh in some respect so principallie by being mystically engrafted naturally into his bodie so as we are one flesh with him euen like man and wife Ephes 5.30 who are so tearmed and called in respect of a speciall and sanctified vnion and fellowship that is betweene them otherwise all men and all women are one flesh So then our brother-hood with Christ commeth not by anie grosse coalition or mixture of our natures but by spirituall regeneration as the Apostle to the Hebrewes said He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified Heb. 2.11 are all one so that we are his brethren not by his flesh simply but because wee are sanctified by his flesh Whereby we learne to reuerence and adore the infinite and euerlasting loue of God toward vs that he would thrust as it were his Sonne out of heauen that he might descend to draw vs thither that he must come downe in such basenesse to be clothed with our nakednesse and to put on our infirmities For the second point which is the priuiledge he hath being eldest obserue that the first begotten vnder the law had two priuiledges first he was the worthiest person secondly he had a double portion As Ruben Gen. 49.3 the eldest of Iacobs sonnes should haue had but that the dignitie of his person was translated to Iuda and the priuiledge of his portion to Ephraim and Manasses This likewise appeareth Deut. 21.17 where it is commanded that the first borne of a mans strength shall haue a double portion for it is his right This then we must allow to Christ who hath two titles giuen him first he is called the first begotten of all creatures Col. 1.15 because he was before anie cerature being from eternitie according to his diuinitie Secondlie he is called the first begotten among the brethren because he was the first in mans nature that God loued after the fall of Adam Heere know that Christ as he is the Sonne-man is the naturall Sonne of God not according to his humanitie but as he is Christ-man for though his humane nature was not taken from God yet as one person being man licèt non ratione humanitatis he is the Sonne of God euen as Mary is said in the Scripture to be the mother of God in respect of the vnion of his person Another priuiledge further Christ hath that hee as sonne of man hath receiued all power from God to iudge the world Ioh. 5.22 The father hath committed all iudgement vnto the Sonne not that his manhood alone shall iudge but Christ God and man shall giue the iudgement euen so wee praie and list vp our hands to the man Christ Iesus not to his man-hood non humanitati sed homini for the humanitie separated from the diuine person of Christ is but a creature Againe Christ as our elder brother is the head of Angels not as God only but as man Heereupon also it is
escape And this doth set foorth the loue of God the fulnesse of it and the depth of it being not to be comprehended of all the hearts of men ioyned in one though euery one of them were wiser then Salomon but is onely to be reuerenced and adored of all Further in this deliuering vp of the Sonne of God to death we may obserue a reconciliation of two extremes infinit iustice and infinite mercy both which the Lord performed in this action Infinite iustice in that the Lord will be paid all his debt for rather then he will be vnsatisfied the bloud of Christ shall paie all for what dishonour had it beene for the King of heauen to haue suffered the Serpent to haue so insulted vpon his Maiestie and wretched man to haue so rebelliously defaced his image and so presumptuously charged him with malice and enuie yet to haue set him scotfree If the Lord had borne these indignities at our hands it had too much blemished the power of his iustice and therfore he could take no lesse satisfaction then a sacrifice of bloud and that this bloud must issue streame out of the veines of the hart of Christ hath shewed him to haue set an infinite price valuation vpon his iustice yet hath the Lord withal heerein set foorth his most perfect infinite and endlesse mercy that though he would not forgiue the debt yet he paid himselfe for God did suffer and this is such a thing as no mortall man in the same action is able to shew forth We reade of one Zaledicus king of the Locrenses that went about such a matter who making a law that who so defloured a woman should lose both his eies it fell out his owne sonne was the first that brake it whereupon the king would haue had the law executed vpon him prefering the loue of iustice before the loue of nature but what by the obtestation and intreatie of his nobles instant vpon him and what through feare of tumult and insurrection threatned if he would not dispence with the law in this yoong Prince who was of great expectation for his towardlinesse and in great fauour with the people for his vertue at last the king resolued to satisfie the law and yet to shew mercy to his sonne and therefore whereas the law was that such an offendour should lose both his eies he caused one of his sons to be put out and one of his owne shewing mercy in putting out one of his owne and iustice in putting out one of his sonnes but this was not perfect for then in mercy hee should haue put out both his owne eies or in iustice both his sonnes And no maruell for how can flesh and bloud imagine to reach the wisedome of God when our vnderstandings are but as the stubble carried to and fro with the winde and we our selues but as dust ashes that cannot reach the depth and dignitie of so glorious a Prince Now for the second point for whom this Sonne of God was giuen vp it is said for all that is for all beleeuers for so Christ expounds himself Ioh. 17.20 And therfore execrable is the opinion of Andreas a Lutheran who holds that God deliuered vp his Son for an vniuersall saluation meaning thereby to saue all if all will be saued for they that will not beleeue saith he condemne themselues But we say the purpose of God was not that Christ should die effectually for all for first he neuer died for those he neuer prayed for and Iohn 17.9 he prayed not for the world Secondly if Gods purpose had bin to haue giuen him to death for all without exception then how is it that some are already damned others haue no faith and shal be damned here after either his purpose being to saue them is frustrate and void or else God cannot do it and so something should resist the power of God which is blasphemie to thinke If God had such a purpose and after seeing the incredulitie of man he should change his minde then the execution of his will should depend vpon the incertaintie and instabilitie of the euen which doth derogate much from the al sufficiencie of God and therefore we say that hee was crucified for none but for such as haue their garments dipped in the bloud of the Lambe but for such as haue their faith burning like a lampe but for such whose workes proceed from an vndefiled heart and whose praiers through Christ his helpe ascend to the euerliuing God Further consider in these words He deliuered him vp to death that this very phrase and maner of speech is attributed to Iudas who is called Traditor a deliuerer vp or a traitor How shall we then determine of this Shall we challenge God to be euill because he deliuered him vp or excuse Iudas because he executeth that which God had purposed God forbid for neither is God to be accused that Iudas wrought with him in the same action nor Iudas to bee excused for deliuering him vp according to Gods purpose Your wicked hands saith Peter Act. 2.23 haue crucified him whom God in his determinate counsell had deliuered vp Why then shall Iudas be blamed being but the instrument Because as Iudas did it it was most wicked he doing it by the instigation of the diuell his heart being possessed with couetousnesse and blinded with infidelitie yet was it good in respect of the end whereto God had ordaine it though as it proceeded from his poisoned heart it was most execrable for alwaies the action of the instrument beareth the name or is denominated from the affection of the instrument and therefore Iudas betraying his Master for thirtie peeces of siluer it was a most damnable sinne in him and the turning of it to the saluation of the faithfull was onely the worke of God It may be said God did appoint Iudas to doe it for nothing is done but by his appointment how then can Iudas be blamed We answer this by a double comparison or similitude the soule giueth power to a lame limme or member of the bodie to mooue and to stirre yet may not the power of the soule be blamed for the lamenesse of the limme for the lamenesse thereof doth not enter into the soule neither proceedeth from the soule but from the bodie though the soule be the cause of the motion Euen so the Lord moued Iudas to the action but the imperfection and sinne in the action proceeded not from the Lord but from the diuell that had corrupted his heart And no more then the brightnesse and heate of the Sunne can be said to be the cause of the stench of the caâ—kas or the corruption thereof can reach to defile the Sunne no more can the holinesse of God excuse in any action the wickednesse of man or the wickednesse of man defile his holinesse The incestuous wickednesse of Absolon the mischieuous purpose of Achitophel 1. Sa. 16.21.22 Gen. 37.27 the hatred of Iosephs
hauing described the necessitie of these miseries that shall befall the elect the demand or question is most triumphantly answered when he saith In all these we are more them conquerors For the first which is the demaund it selfe it cannot be made plainer onely in the words To be separate from the loue of Christ we must not vnderstand it actiuely but passiuely not of the loue wherewith we loue Christ but of that loue wherewith wee are beloued of God in Christ For though our loue to Christ is so substantially rooted in our hearts as that it is Cant. 8.6 strong as death which ouercometh all things hard as the graue that swalloweth vp all things like the flame of God that whole flouds of water cannot quench yea such as we will not depart with for any money and such and so great as it is true that nothing thing can separate vs from the loue of Christ yet this is to be taken and vnderstood of the loue of Christ to vs as appeareth by the end of the 37. Luk. 22.60 2. Tim. 4.10 2. Tim. 2.13 and 39. verses So as if it were possible we should forget Christ or renounce him as Peter did or forsake him as Demas did yet he cannot forget vs for he is faithfull that hath promised For the second which is the testimonie out of Psal 44.22 that we that are Christians do as verily looke for these miseries as we do for the rising of the Sunne the Prophet setting it down as an absolute purpose of God not to bee preuented nor auorded and not onely permitting it as a thing which may and may not come In which words consider two points first what is the cause in Gods sight why the world afflicteth the Church secondly in what grieuous sort it is afflicted For the first the cause is set downe in these words for they names sake that is because thou opposest thy selfe against Anrichrist and dost not fall downe nor bow to Baal nor dost not fashion thy selfe after the world in swallowing vp their iolities and delights Wherein obserue that true Christians are not only subiect to common miseries as those that beare the face of fleshly Adam but to some peculiar calamities that neuer disquiet the wicked and this onely as they beare the image of that heauenly Adam Christ Iesus from which the world is exempted euen as the chaffe and the wheate they both feele the flaile but the chaffe is free from the milstone from the fanne and from the ouen for of these onely doth the wheate taste and happy is he that is ground fit for the Lords table for though the chaffe feele not the bitternesse of the mill nor the heare of the ouen yet marke what becommeth of it Hark 9.50 it is like vnsauorie salt good for nothing but to be cast foorth and is either troden vnder feete or caried away with the winde and so vanisheth in the aire Such is the case and estate of the wicked for when they are separated as tares from the corne either the Lord treads vpon them in his wrath or burneth them in his displeasure or bloweth them from his presence like the stubble Secondly obserue where it is said We are killed for thy names sake that though God doth neuer chastise any man vniustly because hee may haue occasion enough to afflict him for his owne corruption whereby he may be humbled yet heerein appeareth his infinite wisedome that hee maketh the cause of our sufferings to be more honorable bearing this title and superscription for the name of God the puritie of religion and because we will not communicate with the world in their superstitious deuotions So as the Lord changeth the nature of the chastisement and imputeth it as borne for none of our wickednesse but for the glorious profession of the Gospell the wicked not punishing in vs our sinnes but Gods graces for if we would partake with them in their lusts we might goe free For if Balaam would curse the people hee might soone rise to promotion Numb 22.37 and if Michaiah would please the king in his Prophesie hee need not befed with the bread of affliction 1. King 22.27 and if the three children would worship Nabuchadnezzars Image they might easily escape the fornace Dan. 3.12 but we must keepe our standing and not shrinke a foorâ— from the foolishnesse of the Gospell what stormes soeuer may arise for it is no more then as if Christ should borrow our lines for a time to do him credit withall which shall bee mightily rewarded Thirdly in that it is said killed for thy names sake there ariseth this consolation that forasmuch as our suffrings are ioyned with Gods glorie and are brought vpon vs for Gods glorie we may be sure they shall haue a good issue and shall end well for as he tendreth his owne glorie so will hee also tender vs. We thinke it strange that the wicked haue such a swinge in their delights and that wee hang downe our heads Yea Danid complaineth that seeing the prosperitie of the wicked he had almost in his haste accused God of partialitie but Paul 2. Thes Psal 73.13 1.5.6 prooueth that it is impossible since we that are thus tossed and vexed as it were in the whirlepoole of sorrowes are better then the world and in higher account with God but that there shall come a day when rest shall be giuen to our soules and vengeance powred into the bosomes of persecutors For there cannot be a truth more certainly to be beleeued then this that since we doe suffer at their hands who are woorse then our selues it is a sure token that there shall come a reuelation of Gods iudgement wherein the iron rod of the Lords wrath shall bruise them soule and bodie when wee shall be caried vp with S. Paul into the third heauen and with Lazarus into Abrahams bosome 2. Cor. 12.4 Luk. 16.23 and when the vengeance of the Lord shall pursue our enemies driuing them from his presence and from the glorie of his power 2. Thes 1.9 Fourthly in that it is said for thy names sake obserue that it is not the suffering of euery phanaticall or phantasticall spirit that shall be taken for the Lords truth for there may be such forcible illusions as men may giue their bodies to the fire or neckes to the halter for the supposed truth of Poperie then their suffering is as a seale set to a wrong instrument but it must bee in a true zeale of a true cause for the death doth not iustifie the cause to be good but the cause iustifieth the death to be holie and religious For Paul 1. Tim. 1.13 was a zealous persecutor when he was a blasphemer and yet though the did God good seruice but when God receiued him to mercie then hee forsooke and disclaimed the righteousnesse of workes So that if our sufferings be for God we must lay our foundation onely in Christ crucified harbouring and maintaining a pure
for shee set them out at a window a thing done without mutinie or any fraudulent purpose to escape and therefore iustifiable euen as the letting downe of Paul in a basket was Acts 9.25 And in this whole worke shee sinned nothing but in making of a lie which though some excuse and extenuate because it was Mendacium officiosum an officious and dutifull lie yet it is no way excusable for no lie to saue a soule is lawfull Wherein wee obserue that euen the Saints of God in their best purposes haue in some things followed their mother wit and their owne corruption Withall note the louing kindnesse of the Lord that this particular blemish in the worke doth nothing derogate from the excellencie of her obedience no more then Rebecca Genes 27.8 who notwithstanding she subscribed to the oracle of God that Iacob should ouercome Esau yet shee by indirect meanes sought to preuent this worke of God which the Lord in mercie did winke at in respect of her generall resolution to be obedient The like may bee saied of Abraham who because hee thought the feare of God was not in the house of Abimelek and that they would haue slaine him for his wiues fake Genesis 20.2 dissembled Sarah to bee his wife and caried her vnder the name of his sister which infirmitie the Lord passed by because in other his actions hee was faithfull Heere some to debase this worke of Rahab may say Why was this such a matter to haâ—◠〈◊〉 few messengers of the Lord and why should this commend her faith since she neuer came to triall to auouch this worke We answer that the resolution she admitted was very great since it might haue cost her the greatest torment that could bee and shee might so haue stunke in the sight of the people by thus betraying them and their countrey as either the people in a mutiny or the King in iustice might seuerely and cruelly haue executed her so as by this it argueth that she was perswaded that the God of Israel was onely to bee worshipped and the seede of Abraham onely in the world to bee esteemed and heereupon shee did practise the rule of our Sauiuor Christ euen to hate her owne nation Mat. 11.20 and tooke her life as it were into her hands to saue theirs that were the seruants of God So as though in the former example the Ramme onely was sactificed and not Isaak and in this example Rahab safely deliuered and her parentage reseued yet the resolution of them both was nothing lesse and so the speech of Christ true that they that for his sake forsake all Mat. 10.37 shall haue more comfort in that little that is left hauing peace of conscience then of all the former store nay that they that suffer for his sake shall bee free when their persecutors shall bee fettered as appeareth Ieremie 39.11.15 Ieremie that was in desolation and in prison was safe when the King himselfe had his eyes put out and Ebedmelech the Kings counsellour was promised not to perish when the rest should fall by the sword because hee had made the Lord his arme Further this example of Rahab to stand so resolutely for the deliuerance of the Lords messengers conuinceth all those that howsoeuer religion twang vpon their tongue that they can prate of it yet proue that they haue nothing in them but the Laodicean luke-warmth Reuel 3. in that they so professe it as they shrinke in the day of triall and dare not aduenture to harbour the Lords Embassadors and to succor them as Rahab did Yea and this example condemneth others who are so farre from forsaking lawfull things as wife possessions life c. for the Gospels sake as they will not forbeare vnlawfull things no not to leaue off the least shew 〈◊〉 pride or the least profit in biting gaine Whereas by this example wee are taught to take vp our crosse and not to looke backe-like Lots wife Genes 19.26 for there is no tarying in Idolatrie or other profanenesse to fetch any thing from the house toppe Mat. 24.17 or to runne backe into the fields to take our garments though they bee necessarie for this life as our Sauiour speaketh in the Gospell But more iustly the example conuinceth them that row with the tide and professe with the parliament for he that doth therefore professe religion because he hath his protection from the Prince and State would with the State serue the diuell Nay in matters of religion wee must not ground vpon examples but vpon the trueth of the religion for as we must not follow a multitude to do euill so neither must we follow a multitude to do good onely because they do it Exod. 23.2 For it is not the religion of God which we enioy because the parliament enioineth it but therefore it is by parliament commanded because it is the religion of God and fearefull it is to thinke that a Prince can prescribe a law to the eternall God which is farre more disparagement then for a subiect to make a law how he will obey his Prince which notwithstanding is not sufferable But as Rahab was perswaded that the God of Israel that sent those men was the onely God and that the loines of Abraham for whom this land was to be gained were the true owners by the speciall promise of God and in this respect she regarded not her Prince nor her countrey nor her owne fathers house but that by speciall mercy they were exempted but she did most faithfully and in great obedience and in a most Christian resolution willingly resigne vp the countrey to them to whom the Lord had giuen the title Euen so must wee in matters of the Lords seruice alwaies preferre and stand for the will of God to be obserued rather then either to haue our countrey preserued or our Prince obeyed For as Peter saith Act. 4.19 It is better to obey God then man yet still so as we submit our selues to the power and authoritie of the higher powers vnder whose sword are our bodies though our soules be vnder the shadow of the Almightie Againe where it is said She receiued the messengers obserue the cause why she did it beâ—â—â—se she was perswaded the God of Israel sent them so that it was not to gratifie the men respecting the men sauing that religioâ—â— did constraine her and her loue to them arose in respect of her loue to God that had conuerted her Whereupon we noâ—â—â—â—at the world determineth wrongfully of good workes 〈…〉 man may be an honest man and liue well and doe good 〈◊〉 neighbor though he be not greatly religious for all actions wherein the glorie of God the loue of God in Christ the comfort of our consciences and the desire of the saluation of our brethren do not concurre those are not good so as a good action without religion can no more be good then a house without a foundation a tree without a root water without a