to be refused and hated but that which should procure Gods fauour toward vs there is nothing but that which is his and none of ours Which is his mercy and louing kindnesse whereby he calleth vs imbraceth vs closeth and adopteth vs as those for whom he reserueth a kingdome So much for the first part of this text that as touching the greatnesse of of the benefite of adoption in consideration of the fréedome we reape therby being deliuered from the slauerie and feare of the lawe and being altogither eased of the burden which commeth by the spirit of bondage Where also you haue heard howe and in what order and manner we are made and adopted the children of God 2. The second part sheweth the assurance of our adoption The assurance of adoption in these words The same spirit meaning the spirit of adoption beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God And verie necessarie is it that the weake spirits and doubting minds of Gods children should thus be strengthned and confirmed who haue many a thousand thought to cast them beside the stedfastnesse of their hope still giuen to wauering still giuen to distrusting For how can it be otherwise séeing the diuell hath diuers pollicies to cast vs into feares which vnlesse we were mightily susteined by the spirite of God were inough vtterly to ouerthrow vs our mindes and consciences being most easie to be cast downe Because as the Apostle witnesseth to the Heb. cap. 2. 15. All their life time they were subiect to bondage for feare of death sitting in darknesse and in the shadow of death looking rather for their destruction then for their saluation Carnall Gospellers wordly professors can perswade themselues any thing but they that are truly touched and humbled in so ioyful a change as from the feare of destruction to be made partakers of adoption liue as it were betwixt feare and hope wondring howe they should be made partakers of so excellent an estate as from the children of captiuitie to be made the children of freedome from the the children of wrath to be mads the children of mercy Weake minds faint harts vntill the assurednesse of faith hath banished all distrust The testimonie of their adoption may bee somewhat setled in them and although not in all yet in most of them it is but weake and can scarcely be perceiued by reason that they find in themselues a great strength of sinne and féeling also the grace of God to be in a smal measure as it were a fewe sparkes vnder a great heape of ashes and which as yet is more the continuall accusations of the diuell mouing our consciences to dispaire The strength of sinne was so great in that elect vessell of God S. Paule who had such an euident token of Gods adoption that he was wrapt into the heauens and sawe those thinges which were not to be vttered so that the loue of God was confirmed toward him in miraculous sort the strength of sinne was so great in him that he was in a manner violently drawne to do that which he hated What I would saith he that doo I not but that which I hate that doo I. And I finde such motions in my sinfull flesh rebelling against the lawe of my minde which preuaile so farre with me that they leade me captiue vnto the law of sinne The reward and wages wherof wee knowe is death By which reason it séemeth we should be greatly daunted and dismaied in respect of our adoption vnto life Againe the want of the féeling of the graces of God dooth worke such a coldnesse of spirit and such a dulnesse in our sences which may well bréede a doubfulnesse in our mindes and to make a wauering conscience to pleade against it selfe Which made the Prophet Dauid who was so highly in fauour with God greatly to faint because the graces of God in respect of his gréeuous sinnes laie as it were buried within him So that with griefe of minde he cried out for so great a want O Lord create in me a cleane heart and renue thy graces within me Restore me to the ioy of thy saluation hide thy face from my sinnes and put away all mine iniquities make mee to heare of ioy and gladnesse and let the certaintie of thy adoption and of my comfort be established in my heart Finally the diuell mouing our consciences to dispaire may bréed the greatest doubt in our harts and make vs beléeue that though we are adopted yet that we are not Gods children but rather that we are forsaken of him Wherein we must alwaies remember the propertie of the diuell which is that he goeth about like a roaring lion séeking whom he may deuour Whom saith the Apostle Resist being stedfast in faith and hold fast the hope of your adoptioÌ„ It is sathans desire to wiâ—â—ow vs as wheat but he that hath procured vs to be adopted and by whose means we are made the sonnes and children of God praieth for vs yâ— we might be strengthned and also sendeth his spirit into our harts to help vs in our praiers and maketh requests for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed Wherefore although the accusations of of the diuell be of great force to throw vs downe yet are the helpes which it pleaseth God to graunt vs more auailable to raise vs vp againe Whereby it commeth to passe that our hearts and consciences being setled in the assurance of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and we being sanctified by the blood of Christ are inwardly and fully perswaded of our adoption in such sort that all doubting is remoued away and all distrust banished Yet neuerthelesse because by the meanes aforesaid that is by the strength of sinne which dwelleth within vs the weakenesse of gods graces the troublesome accusations of the diuell the stedfastnesse of our adoption may sometime or other be called in question therefore God of his goodnesse to support our féeble spirites and weake thoughts hath giuen vs his owne spirit to be a fellow witnesse with our spirit fully to perswade and assure vs. For the elect chosen childreÌ„ of God haue in themselues the spirit of Iesus Christ testifying vnto them and perswading them that they are the adopted children of god The same spirit of god his fatherly goodnesse and that he wil be a father vnto vs and that he would haue vs so to account of him beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of god For this cause amongst diuerse other names wherewith the holy ghost is intituled this is one especiall name and title that it is called the spirite of adoption because it worketh in vs the assurance of our adoption Also it is called a pawne or earnest as we may reade 2. Corinth 1. 22. It is God who hath sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirit in our hearts Thus by two most effectuall parables â— similitudes are the children of god confirmed in the certaintie of
returne vnto him By which forbearing many are wonne to God as also the worst sort are hardned against the day of wrath heaping vnto themselues vengeance against the day of the declaration of Gods iust iudgement Wherein all both the best and the worst cannot say otherwise but that the lord is gratious mercifull in forbearing Slow to anger and of great kindnesse yet Correcting not so slowe that hée will neuer strike or that he will suffer his patience to be abused but when he is throughly prouoked hée putteth his anger in effect Neuerthelesse as the wicked féele the waight of his anger so towardes his people hée dooth so moderate the same that in wrath hée remembreth mercie and causeth his punishments to be but remedies to his his owne people as the Surgion vseth cutting and launcing for the benefit of him whome hée so handleth The scourges and afflictions 2. Macc. 6. 12. 17. that God sendeth amongst his people are not for destruction but for a chastening For it is a token of his great goodnesse and of his gratious kindnesse not to suffer sinners long to continue but straightwaies to punishe them For the Lorde dooth not long wayte for vs as for other Nations whome hee punisheth when they are come to the fulnesse of their sinnes but thus hée dealeth with vs that our sinnes should not be heaped vp the full so that afterwards we should be the more gréeuously punished And therefore he neuer withdraweth his mercie from vs and though hée punish vs yet dooth hée neuer vtterly forsake vs. So slowe hée is to anger that hée punisheth them that goe wrong in a measure warning them by putting them in remembraunce of the thinges wherein they haue offended that they might leaue their wickednesse Furthermore hée maketh them féele his rodde by a little and little giuing them space to repent If saith the wise man thou haste punished the Egyptians the enemies of thy children hauing deserued death with so great consideration and requesting vnto them giuing them time and place that they might chaunge from their wickednesse with howe great circumspection wilt thou punishe thy owne children When thou doest chasten vs thou punishest our enemies a thousand times more to the intent that when we iudge we shuld diligently consider thy goodnesse and when we are iudged we should hope for mercie We are neuer further off frō God then when he doth most fauour vs and he is neuer more truly serued then when he striketh vs with his rod. These effects of Gods anger and his corrections may more truly be termed chastisements then punishments according to that of the Prophet Ieremy cap. 10. 24. O Lorde correct mee but with iudgement let thy punishment be lenified and moderated with mercy let it not proceede in thine anger least I bee consumed and brought to nothing In the Psalme 85. God saith by the mouth of his Prophet If my children forsake my lawe and walke not in my iudgements then will I visit their transgression with the rodde and their iniquitie with strokes and scourges For as sinne and the breaking of Gods commaundements is the cause of correction so is correction the remedie to bring vs into the way againe By which forcible mean of Gods fauour we are so humbled and altered that it procureth amendment in vs. Yea it wrought mightily with the heathen king Nebuchadnezer and brought him to the worship of God This forcible meane of Gods fauoure I say of his fauoure for otherwise where hee dooth correct vs hee might destroy vs preuailed so with King Dauid that after he felt the stroke of his correction hée desired that the Lorde woulde instruct him in his lawe and furthermore that it gréeued his heart to sée the wicked transgresse Gods lawe Finally howe great the goodnesse of the Lorde is in correcting vs wée may well perceiue by the words of the Apostle 1. Cor. 11. 32. We are chastened of the Lord because wee should not bee condemned with the worlde For those whome GOD loueth those doeth hee chasten as for the wicked and vngodly hée letteth them runne on still till they haue filled vp the measure of their sinne and then in steade of correction whiche mighte conuert them they shall féele the gréeuous and heauie burthen of Gods wrath vtterly to destroy them Correction bringeth with it time and place to repent but a suddaine destruction cutteth off all repentance For the grace of God doth often accompany correction as alwaies his wrath is ioyned with destruction The Lord is mercisull and gratious slow to anger to bring the wicked to repentance whom the Apostle Rom. 2. doth greatly reproue for their hardnesse of heart and for abusing his gratious mercy and long suffering Despisest thou saith he the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience and long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth thée to repentance Againe he is mercisull and gratious and slow to anger in respect of the godly because hee dooth not put his anger in full execution against them And that when he striketh them being moued thereto by his anger it is for their great good and benefit A more large exposition of that which goeth before is 3 Abundant in goodnesse seene in these words Abundant in goodnesse and truth Reseruing Mercy c. Which words giue vs to vnderstand how God vseth all meanes to kéepe vs in his feare by inriching vs with his benefits and powring downe his blessings vpon vs and not onely that but effectually performing whatsoeuer faithfully he hath promised dealing with vs and alluring vs as we sée how carthly fathers go about to winne their children to all vertue and goodnesse by faire words and promises and sometimes bestowing gifts vpon them And this onely and most substantiall argument doth the Apostle S. Paul vse Act. 14. 17. as it were by most sensible meanes to draw the minds of the heathen people from their Idolatry to the true worship of God For saith he although God suffered you to walke in your owne waies yet that you might be without excuse he left not himself without witnesse among you in that he did good and gaue you raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons filling your hearts with foode and gladnesse All which benefits although hée might haue withdrawne because you abused them to his dishonour yet still was he aboundant in goodnesse when you were most vnworthie of them A maister will not doo good to that seruant that shall disgrace him a father will withdrawe his heart from an vnkinde childe Although a mans iealousie bee such that hauing iust cause to forsake his wife for her lewdenesse hée will neuer be intreated to receiue her yet is the Lorde aboundant in goodnesse Let my people saith hee put away her fornications and I will receiue her againe into fauoure The Lordes workes are not as mans workes and hée is aboundant in kindnesse farre contrarie to our nature who can hardly or neuer incline our hearts
not imagine that there are more gods then one because God said Let vs make but rather the authoritie of the Trinitie is proued vnto vs that though there be thrée persons in the Godhead yet there is but one God For as God the father createth so is God the sonne the wisedome of all the creation and from God the holy Ghost procéedeth the vertue and power of all things The excellent qualities of the soule and wherein the image of God consisteth is especially to be séene in these two points namely Holinesse and Holinesse and Righteousnesse Righteousnesse yet furthermore they had Frée-will and by their creation were immortall and frée from death and last of all God gaue vnto them this great priviledge as to haue the soueraigntie the rule and gouernment ouer all his creatures By which we plainly vnderstand that our first parents in their time were frée from all sinne which time is called their time of innocency In respect whereof Salomon searching the nature of man and comparing the time of his iniquitie to the time of his innocency doth thus pronounce of him Onely loe this haue I found that God hath made man righteous but they haue sought many inuentions and are gone astray through their owne foolishnesse and so are the cause of their owne destruction and are fallen away from the image of God which hee had planted in them The image of God consisteth in the depth of wisedome in the vnmeasurablenesse of power in the infinitnesse of his goodnesse and mercy being perfect holy perfect righteous doing all things according to the pleasure of his own will in whom onely dwelleth life and immortalitie The most of which qualities if not all man at the first was indued withall which were and are in God in the highest degrée but to man they were giuen onely in a measure and in a farre inferiour degrée and that with a condition if so be hee did continue in the obedience of gods commaundements This image of God in our first parents is nothing else but the natural conformitie and disposition of the soule and of all the functions powers and operations thereof vnto the lawe of god whereby fréely and voluntarily it inclineth vnto true and perfect holinesse and righteousnesse that according to that rule he might serue god his Creator all the dayes of his life For as god is a spirit so will he be worshipped in spirit and truth and in sinceriie of heart and minde hating all manner of counterfait and false worship wherunto the nature of man is now too much inclined and had rather worship any thing then god himselfe Also his dealing to his neighbour should bee inst and vpright but such are vanished out of the world and now there is nothing but subtiltie and craft and wrongfull dealing and all iniury and oppressien practised good hearbes are plucked vp and nothing is now to be séene but wéedes The holinesse that god requireth of vs and according to the which our mindes and hearts were first framed is the holy obedience and true worship of god ioyned with a sincere loue of god procéeding from an effectuall faith in the knowledge of God his word and his works In stéed wherof now ratgneth idolatry the loue of the world and worldly lustes the ignorance of God his word is more rife then the knowledge of the same and none more accepted then they that most despise it The righteousnesse also which God nowe requireth and wherwith we are inabled is such a louely respect and friendly regard of our neighbours that we haue care of them as of our selues and wish no otherwise vnto them then to our selues and doo vnto them as we would other should do vnto vs and that not outwardly for a fashion but inwardly and from the heart not in a word onely but in déed yea in our thought secrets This holinesse and righteousnesse was once planted but neuer came to perfect growth the good corne is choked vp and as we say il wéeds grow apace The dayes of this present euill worlde are such that now the age wherein we liue may well be termed an iron age and worse if worse may be in respect of the first age and the beginning of the worlde which time was a golden and precious time when the hearts and mindes of men were as fine and pure as golde or if there bee any thing that may bee saide to be more pure Now is there a vaile cast ouer our mindes and consciences our faces are couered as it were with visors and a thicke skinne is growne ouer the heart all shame is banished and a holie minde and a true and sound heart is either very rare or no where to be founde Which in the beginning was not so So that now we had néede daily to haue these wordes often repeated vnto vs. Lord who shall dwell in thy tabernacle Who shall rest in thine holy mountaine and bee receiued into heauen when this life is ended None but suche as walke vprightly and woorke righteousnesse and that speake the truth from their heart Who doo not abuse their tongue in slaundering nor doo any euill to their neighbours nor receiué and beléeue a false report against them In whose eyes a vile and wicked person is contemned and who maketh much of them that feare the Lord who performeth his oath and chaungeth not his mind although it be to his owne hinderance Who giue not their money to vsury séeking thereby the vndooing and vtter impouerishing of their neighbors who take no rewarde against the innocent or stande against them and doo them harme And they that doo these things and whatsoeuer else may stand with an vpright conscience in the feare of God they shall neuer bee mooued that is they shall not be cast from Gods presence as they shall bee that doo the contrary but their part shall bee in the kingdome of heauen and their soules onely shall rest among the blessed soules Let vs looke into our first creation and let that be our example and our patterne and let that be the high way for vs to walke in In the soule of man there are two especiall parts first his vnderstanding and reason secondly his will and desire and all the motions affections and inclinations that procéede from the same His vnderstanding by his creation was furnished with all knowledge méete and conuenient for him so that hée néeded not any to teach him but God had endued him with that knowledge which might haue well directed him chiefly in those things that pertaine to the worship and seruice of God to his owne saluation and the benefite of his neighbour And not only his vnderstanding and reason was fraught with all knowledge but his will also and his desire was most readie to performe the worship of God his will and desire was most readie to the obedience of Gods commandements Then by his vnderstanding hee was able to discerne the trueth perfectly
We must learne our hearts to bee content with it nay to take it as a rich and liberall portion what euer it be and as a barre to hold in our affections from raunging into gréedie desire For our affections are as gulfes that are most insatiable which would neuer rest with contentation in any thing but still be inflamed with the desire of more and drawe and hale vs forward and so hold vs in continuall torment The remedie whereof the Lord hath appointed our owne estate to be whatsoeuer it is that it might appease our affections and settle them with rest peace and good liking as in the seate which our good God hath séene to be conuenient for vs and therefore hath set vs in it to finde ease quiet comfort and contentment therein For if thine heart be not setled in thine estate with good liking and contentation as in a good prouision it is impossible that euer thou shouldest become thankfull for it For to séeme to ioy without ioy is to play the hipocrite and to dissemble with God Now if there be any of vs who are so loaden with infirmities and ouercome of their owne weakenesse that this godly sobrietie cannot take place in euerie respect as it ought let him or them become earnest sutors vnto the Lord to preuaile against their corruption which dooth so abounde that it cannot neither will of it owne accord entertaine sobrietie and contentation And let them bee well assured that the vnfained petition and praier of them that are so loaden with the burthen of their wants their praiers being continued cannot returne emptie from that God who by name calleth out such to come vnto him with promise that he will heare him and them whosoeuer For he that hath begunne this grace within them will also in good time make it perfect So that all vnséemly behauiour all vncleannesse pride and excesse couetous desires and discontentments shall vanish away by litle and litle when as the grace of God hath fully taught vs to liue soberly 2. After we be fully perswaded to liue soberly then also Righteously shall we be desirous to liue both righteously and godly For the grace of God cannot be without his true effects To liue righteously is so to order our life as euery man may haue his owne at our hands for iustice and equitie is a vertue that giueth to euery one his due This vertue doth first and principally touch Kings Princes Magistrates Iudges and Lawiers whome God hath made the Lordes and Rulers of right and to minister true iustice vnto the people Secondarily and more nearly it concerneth euery one particulerly and namely by this generall rule of Right that we should wish and do to euery one as we would that King other should wish and do to vs. The King and Prince in a realme ought chiefly to take care that he make and ordain no lawes wherby his subiects should be iniured and wronged and that it may be said of him as it was of King Dauid who ruled the people committed to his charge prudently with all his power And that the King might deale vprightly therefore God commanded that his lawe should be written in a booke that the King might haue it alwaies before his eies and that in ruling well and vprightly he might prosper According to that we reade Ier. 22. concerning the King Iehoiakim Shalt thou raigne saith the Prophet to Iehoiakim because thou closest thy selfe in Cedar Did not thy father eate drinke and prosper when he executed iustice and iudgement when he iudged the cause of the poore he prospered Was not this because he knew me saith the Lord But thy eies and thy heart are only for couetousnes and for oppression Therefore thus saith the Lord of Iehoiakim he shall be buried as an asse is buried Prou. 20. 8. A King that sitteth in the throne of iudgement chaseth away all euill with his eies The care of iustice shall preserue the King and establish him in his throne For a King by iudgement maintaineth the countrey Prou. 29. 4. yea so much the more ought the King to haue care hereof because his whole land shall be punished for the want of it as where it is vsed the land shall prosper the better for it Iustice and iudgement they are the strong holdes and fenced places of the land they are the keies of the country and they kéep vs better then all the block-houses or places of defence whersoeuer They are better able to encounter with our enemies then any garrison of men how well practised or prepared soeuer they may be But contrariwise the neglect of iustice is worse then rebellion it pulleth Princes out of their throanes maketh the land cast out her inhabitants ioyneth with forreine power openeth the gates of all our castles and holds taketh the weapon from the warriour the heart from the valiant souldier wisedom and forecast from the wise counsailour and poisoneth al our munition What is it for Kings and Princes to take care for a mightie nauie or a valiant army or forcastles and bulwarkes for shot and ordinance if Gods ordinances bee not fulfilled accordingly and iustice and equitie be not executed in the land For God can giue ouer a great number into the hands of a fewe and make things impossible séeme very easie Next to the King and Prince are they to looke to the Iudge due ministration of iustice whom the King doth put in his place and whom he doth put in trust to see all things rightly performed That they may haue regarde to bee men of courage to feare God to deale truly and to hate couetousnesse Yea such as that godly King Iehoshaphat would haue to be vnder him as we reade 2. Chro. 19. whom he did vnto his great commendation worthily exhort vnto their dutie that through the counsaile and countenance of the King they might haue heart to do it And he said to the Iudges whom he had set in the land throughout all the strong citties citie by citie Take héed what ye do for ye execute not the iudgements of man but of the Lord and he wil be with you in the cause iudgement Wherefore now let the feare of the Lord be vpon you take héed and do it for there is no iniquitie with the Lord our God neither respect of persons nor receiuing of reward That the Iudges should not be danted or corrupted they know séeing they are men of reuerend grauitie and great wisedome that they beare the person of the King as though the King himselfe were there in presence The Princes armes are hung ouer them the best of the shire do homage and reuerence vnto them they countenance them out before the people the Sheriffe waiteth vppon them with all his power Yea more then this God hath appointed them in his seate and calleth them by his owne name Gods that they may be put in minde that God in all rightfull causes will maintaine them
the blessed hope c. Faith must giue vs assurance of greater glory froÌ„ god ere we can let go the hold we haue here beneath Therfore it is made a speciall note of gods childreÌ„ and necessarily toyned vnto his worship to be in expectation of the latter day and the glorie and of Christ his comming who shall bestow this benefite vpon the godly as to deliuer them from the wrath to come The Apostle going about to perswade the Thessalonians taketh his effectuall reason from that which was in most reuerence and regard with them and likewise to bring them into the earnest consideration of his words framing his speach thus 2. Thes 2. I beseech you brethren by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ and our gathering togither and vniting vnto him So that the looking for of the last day séemeth to him to be in great reuerence regard and assured expectation among them And when hee laboureth to lift them off the earth commonly he reareth them vp with no other instrument then this that is the waiting for the glorie and hope of another life And in the third to the Phil. opening the meane of their stay from hunting after worldly and transitorie matters with the false Apostles which minded earthly thinges he saith thus But our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for a sauiour euen the Lord Iesus who shall change our vile bodie that it may be like his glorious bodie In the 11. to the Heb. the obedience of Abraham in leauing his own countrey not knowing whither he should go nor what should become of him is ascribed to this that he waited for a citie that had a foundation whose builder and maker is God For all thinges in the world are subiect to corruption and alteration The great thinges that are spoken of Moyses in accompâ—ing the rebuke of Christ to be of more value than the treasures of Egypt and his not fearing the furie of the king is onely imputed to this that he was as if he had séene him that is inuisible The comming of the glory of the great God was alwaies before his eies The greatnesse of the thing and the excellency of it is noted in these wordes The glory of the great God our sauior Christ The same glory which the great God our sauior Christ inheriteth is that which we waite for and hepe in due time according to our measure to be partakers of Most worthie it is the waiting for and great cause there is why we should be moued to sanctification and holinesse of life hauing so great things in expectation We beséech you saith S. Paul 1. Thes 2. 12. that ye would walk worthie of God who vouchsafeth to call you vnto his owne kingdome and glory The glory of this world dazeleth our cies and therefore must we be drawne vp by meditation of greater things before we shal be able to let these be of smal reckning and account with vs. The greatnesse of the glorie once throughly digested would set these in a base and lowe place it would make the things of this life vanish as smoake from our presence While in minde and inwarde thought we behold and looke not on the things which are séene but on the things which are not séene For the things which are séene are temporall but the things which are not séene are eternall If it be but the expectation of a transitorie kingdome when it is once deuoured and digested by hope we sée it maketh men neglect liues goods landes friends wife and children and so to hazard all The Merchant that is in expectation of some great gaine we sée into what vnknowne countries into what dangers by sea he wil commit himselfe The great regard and care that is had euery where to the things here belowe the gréedie following after them the carefull pursuing of pleasures profits and honors doo plainly speake that the hope of another life is not yet setled in the hearts of a number and that is the cause that godlinesse and a holy life is so litle practised and performed Let vs call to remembrance how that in this life is our day to wait and this is our time to serue and we must assure our selues with the holy Apostle S. Paul 2. Tim. 4. that we haue fought a good fight against our ghostly enemies sinne the world and the diuel and that we haue led our liues in the feare of God before we can or shal truly say and our conscience witnesse vnto vs that from hencefoorth is laide vp for me the crowne of righteousnesse And if our consciences and the good spirite of God can warrant our hearts herein without all doubt and feare then when Christ which is our life shall appeare shall be glorious and appeare with him in glory There is no pleasure in this world which the Lord hath not matched with some griefe and paine to take away and remoue if it might be our delight and to place it in thinges of greater estimation and which shal be more sure vnto vs. If the glorie of God cannot preuaile against vs â—â— it cannot change our taste and that the pleasures of this life be more swéete vnto vs this sweete shal not alwaies 〈◊〉 but as after a faire day commeth a foule and after a calme a tempest and so miserie in the world to come shall follow earthly delightes and this our transitorie worldly happinesse If so great hire as is Gods owne glory cannot allure vs brutish and sencelesse must then our nature néedes be what a greater argument and proofe can we haue of our blockishnesse then that so great thinges can get no more attendance of vs The truth is that we are too much perswaded of the excellencie of these worldly matters as pleasures honours riches and such like And therefore in all places that are alleadged and which speak of the waiting for of Christ his comming there the benefite is set sorth with it and the greatnesse thereof remembred which pointeth at our darknesse and vnbelief herein and telleth vs that the glory of this world standeth as a cloud betweene the great glory which is to come and our blinded sight Wherefore let ve inlarge our hope and by meditation and praier enter into some serious and waightie consideration of the length bredth depth of that glory So shall we sée such a portion of it as will comfort vs euen in our great afflictions and deepest extremities counting â—â— a great honour that we are vouchsafed his seruice as the Apostles heretofore haue reioyced herein And if the waiting for of that glory be so great as shall swallow vp all griefe and sorrow which afflictions may bring with them how much more shall the same incourage vs to a holie and sanctified life and to all duties of godlinesse And now am I come to the last part of my text which I purpose God willing in a few words to end least ye should be 〈◊〉 much wearied and too
forgetfull This third part setteth downe the cause of our sanctification in these wordes Who gaue himselfe for vs that hee might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purge vs to bee a peculiar people zealous of good workes The cause of our sanctification lieth The cause of sanctification partly in the death and passion of Christ and partly in the power of his holie spirite who is his vicegerent and deputie here on earth Before it pleased our sauiour to die for vs and by the shedding of his pretious bloud to clense vs from our sinnes we were altogither polluted and as the Prophet saith lying in our bloud Gréeuous sinnes in the sight of God miserable wretches appointed to death because through our iust desertes we were to looke for nothing els but eternall tormentes In which miserable and wofull estate our pitifull Sauiour séeing vs to be in gaue himselfe and offered himselfe most willingly to doe vs all the good he could and to make vs of a defiled and vnclean◠people cleane and holy And because in the lawe of Moses sacrifices were offered vp for the sinnes of the people and beastes slaine and bloud shed as we reade Heb. 9. 22. All thinges were by the lawe purged with bloud and without shedding of bloud is no remission and forgiuenesse therefore it pleased our Sauior Christ to shed his dearest bloud that as the Prophet Esay ca. 53. saith by his stripes we were healed so by his bloud we might be clensed Which thing the Prophet Dauid meaneth in his 51. Psal which is the Psalme of his repentance wherein he sheweth his heartie griefe and his vnfeigned sorrow for those hainous sinnes whereby he had prouoked Gods wrath against him Haue mercie vpon me O God according to thy louing kindnesse according to thy compassions put away mine iniquities Wash me throughly from mine iniquitie and cleanse me from my sinne Purge me with hisope and I shal be cleane wash me and I shal be whiter then snowe Now if the bloud of bulles and goates and heiffers in the time of Moses lawe which law God ordained though Moses was the minister if the bloud of these beastes in Moses lawe sprinckling them that were vncleane did sanctifie and clense them by an outward kinde of clensing and sanctification Howe much more saith the Apostle Heb. 9. 14. shall the bloud of Christ that most perfect and absolute sacrifice who through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God At the time of his death and passion this matter was most notably declared when as his side being pierced through with a speare there issued out from thence both water and bloud to giue out a most effectuall signification that hée was the cause of our sanctification and cleansing from our sinnes Which is prooued by that which we reade I. Corinth 6. Knowe ye not saith the Apostle that the vnrighteous shall not inherite the kingdome of God Be not deceiued neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor wantons nor buggerers nor theeues nor couetous nor drunkardes nor railers nor extortioners shall inherite the kingdome of God And such were some of you and who can say my heart is cleare But ye are washed but ye are sanctified and made cleane in the name of the Lord Iesus that is by the shedding of his bloud and also we are sanctified and made cleane saith hée by the spirite of our God According to that of the Prophet Dauid in the Psalme aforesaide Wash me throughly and cleanse me from my sinne and establish me with thy frée spirit which may assure me that I am drawne out of the slauery of sin and that my guiltinesse shall be no more laid to my charge The law entred thereupon that the offence should abound that is the it might be known to be notorious neuerthelesse where sinne abounded there grace abounded much more That as sinne had raigned vnto death so might grace also raign by righteousnesse and sanctification vnto eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lord. The which grace that is the forgiuenesse of our sinnes through the blood of Christ the good spirit of God the holy Ghost doth certifie vnto our hearts And therefore it is well said to be the comfortor as our Sauiour Christ promised that after his ascention vp into heauen hée would send the comfortour Ib. 14. 16. and 16. 7. By the vertue of which spirite the power of sinne is beaten downe and our hearts are renued our mindes altered our liues chaunged and we become new creatures which before were foule and filthie ougly and loathsome through the deformitie of sinne and now are we sanctified and made holy But wherefore hath Christ redéemed vs from all our 〈◊〉 of good workes iniquitie and purged vs that we might be a peculiar people vnto himselfe if it bee not to this intent and purpose that wee should bee zealous of good workes A thankfull minde would aske how so great benefits might be requited and if no recompence could be made as certainly it cannot it would be desirous to know how part of a mends might be made and would be maruellous readie to put in practise any dutie which might shewe the thankfulnesse thereof Thou néedest not in this matter to go farre to enquire and search it out only this is required of thée that thou maiest shewe thy thankfulnesse bee zealous of good workes For we are the workmanship of God esperially by grace created anew in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that wee should walke in them Heere are all carnall gospellers condemned who liue in hope that vnder the countenance of their profession all libertie of life will be borne out well inough Who turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and make their profession their shame making Christ his death to bee nothing else but as it were a boude vnto their lewde life Here may we sée that the Lord hath not laide downe his life to purchase no other thing at our hands besides a profession of the truth but that he bought with his bloud a zealous addicting of our selues to Christian conuersation It is a wonder to sée how the wicked will boast of the benefite of Christ his blood how mightie it is to merite how sufficient to saue from sinne But for all that they will not giue ouer any libertie of life that before they haue enioyed whereas the life of Christ was giuen to purchase a new conuersation as well as a new profession For he gaue himselfe for vs that we might giue our selues vnto him being a peculiar people zealous of good workes Let vs marke it then my brethren that he gaue himselfe for vs that our life might be let out to honour him He made not so slender a purchase with so great a price as if he had a déep and sorrowfull sigh or a good word at our last breath that would suffice him no his life was