God is dishonored with as earnest diligēce to preasse forward to that other lyfe which they see to be freed from all vncleannes so from all occasion of offending or dishonoring their God And yet further to weigh the cōfort of this point we must remēber that which is cōtained in the former which instructeth vs that this inheritāce is immortall These two so still accompanie one another that the one that is immortality can not be without this other property of vndefilednes For death is the rewarde of sinne Rom. 6.23 so that were sinne is not there is no death Hereby appeareth that excellēcy of this lyfe in that it is exempt from sinne and so consequently from death so that this propertie may very well be called the cause of the other whiche precedeth that is Immortalitie Like as Immortalitie may be compted the cause of the last property that is vnchangeablenes for sinne is the sting of death 1 Cor. 15.56 saith the Apostle And therefore take away sinne which is the thing that defileth both vs and our lyfe yea the heavens the earth and al creatures death shal have nothing wherewith to annoy vs the strength of death which is sinne being taken away Now to come to the vse of this point it serveth for a threefolde comfort to man when either hee looketh to his estate evē vnder grace in this presēt world or to the estate of man in his first creation or yet to the estate of Angels in their first creation In his estate vnder grace albeit he have begun to live the life of God yet still as wee have said he findeth a rebellion of sinn in his flesh resisting the will of God in his minde which wee have sheweth to be a matter of continuall grief to the godlie now to the heart oppressed with this godlie sorrow for sinne that daylie defileth him what can bee more comfortable then that hope of that lyfe in the which he shall cease from sinne and bee wholy freed from all the bondes cordes of iniquitie in the ful freedome and libertie of holines Herewith did the Apostle take vp him selfe from his griefe in his exclamation wherein he lamented his owne miserie in the seventh Chap. to the Rom. After hee had saide Rom. 7.24 O miserable man that I am who shal deliver me from the body of this death Looking to that blessed estate of perfect holines vnto the which we were called by God in Christ he addeth these wordes of consolation to recreate his owne soule I thanke my God through Iesus Christ my Lorde This maketh the heart to reioyce which never could otherwayes have perfite pleasure nor ioy in the beginnings of grace righteousnes and holines graunted in this lyfe no not in the greatest measure that ever was given by Christ Iesus to any creature but this hope of victorie maketh vs not to faint nor wearie in our mindes striving against sinne but patiently to fight vnto the end wayting for that blessed hope Now if man looke further vnto that case wherein Adam was in Paradise albeit in the estate of perfection without sinne yet sinne did prevayle over him and did both defile him and all other things to him Furthermore the Angels that were created in perfection yet did not stand in their first estate but were overcome by sinn So strong a thing is sin that neither man in his integritie nor Angells in their glorie were able to resist it Here now appeareth vpon the consideration of this propertie of our inheritance how exceeding more happie is our estate in Christ then was the estate of Adam by creation yea the estate of Angells in glorie Their estate was subiect to falling as doleful experience in both did prove but in this estate wherevnto wee are renewed in Christ there is no possibilitie of sinning any more after we are possest with our life in the heavens and so the feare of the like miserie which might arise in our heartes vpon their fall is quite taken away for our life and inheritance is vndefiled For when we shal enioy the fruite of our high Priestes oblation and recōciliation Heb. 7.26 as he is holy harmeles vndefiled seperate from sinners and made higher thē the heavens so shall wee also be holy harmeles vndefiled seperate from sinners and made higher then the heavens So then when our God shal be al in vs all sinne shall haue no more place in our minde in will in affection nor any parte of our flesh And wheras now to those that are defiled nothing is pure Tit. 1.15 but even their mindes and consciences are defiled So then when wee shal be vndefiled all things shall be cleane to vs the heavens the earth and all things because wee our selves our mindes and consciences shal be cleane and therefore is it that wee waite for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnes For in that kingdome wherin no vncleane thing shall enter all things shal be cleane so established in cleannes that nothing shal be able to defile them for ever Here is the comfort for them that mourne in this life for their owne sinnes and the sinnes and abominations that are committed in the middes of the house of God even that they them selves and the whole house of God Ezech. 9.24 shal be delivered frō filthines of sinn being possest with that everlasting righteousnes which is brought in by the sōne of God The Saints in heaven not subiect to change Now followeth the third propertie of our inheritāce which is that it withereth not This maketh vp the perfectiō of our estate in heaven for nothing can make a man happie which is not constant and stable without change The rich man is not made happie by his vncertaine riches because as Iob he may be turned to povertie and his habitation made desolate So is it of all things earthlie for there is nothing constant vnder the sunne therfore all is but vanitie It is true that not only the wicked but even sometimes the children of God being in prosperite wil be brought to say Iob. 29.18.19 Psal 10.6 Psal 30.6 That they shall dye in their Nest that their roote is spread out by the water and therefore they shall never be mooved nor suffer any changes but they finde when the Lord shall hide his face that they are troubled and their estate changed Moreover albeit all other things should continew after one yet mans owne frayeltie maketh his life miserable for albeit he grew vp in strength and activenes yet age cometh changeth him So that the moysture of his life being dried vp they wither as grasse even as the herbe and grasse of the field trees of the forrest albeit they florish in summer yet in winter they wither and loose all their beautie of their life 1 Pet. 1.24 Therefore doeth de spirit of God compare all flesh to grasse Iam. 1.10 and the glorie of
his aboundance so can not all his aboundance preserve a man from death nor yet procure the restoring of one dead to life againe as the Lord declareth in the 49. Psalme Ps 49.6.7 neither can any redeeme his brother nor give his raunsome to God so precious is the redemption of their soules and the cōtinuance for ever that he may live still for euer Eccl. 6.7 and not see the grave Thirdlie Salomon sheweth that all the labour of man is for the mouth yet the soule is not filled and therefore man paineth him selfe in vaine in traveling for the winde seeing he never can fill his soule nor satisfie his heart with all his labours Lastlie sayeth the Lord in the foresaid Psalme Psal 49.17 Man shall take nothing away when he dieth neither shall his pompe descend after him When vaine man seeth this that all his labour is in vaine seeing he can not thereby preserve his life but he must die Eccl. 2. c. and lye like a sheepe in the grave then doeth his soule abhorre all comfort nothing is there in the world that can be able to make him reioyce Eccl. 3.18.19 c. feeing he must lose that for which all other things are desired and without the which al things do serve for nothing Eccl. 2.15.16 Salomon doth teach this who seeing that he must die and leave all his labours to the mā that should be after him Eccl. 2.17.18 cōsidering that mē in them selves were as beasts the condition of both being one seeing as the one dieth so dieth the other all go to one place and all was of the dust and al shall returne to dust and perceyving that wisedome nor riches nor strength c. made no difference but that it did befall to the wise as it did to the foole then began he to hate all his labour yea even the life it selfe because it was to end A most evident proove that albeit a man doe enioye all pleasures riches and honors yea all whatsoever he traveleth for vnder the sunne or whatsoever his hart can wishe in this world yet is there no peace to the hart of him nor ioye to the soule of him nor happines in the estate of him so long as he seeth he must die and his life must end then doeth he with Salomon conclude al not onely to be vanitie but also vexation of spirit yea the more he doth possesse of these earthlie blessings the greater is his miserie and more greevous are his sorrowes when death cometh to plucke him from his house to the grave Thus even the verie life of man wherein is the chiefest comfort of man by mortalitie becometh a grief to man and a vexation to the spirit of man For all the ioyes of this world and all the comfortes of this life are eclipsed by death This being rightlie weyghed and well considered wee shall then apprehend what infinite consolation this firste propertie of the life vnto the hope whereof our God hath begotten vs againe doth minister vnto vs. for therein we see that taken away which alone is sufficient to make our life miserable cursed even mortalitie and death which is the curse of God vpon mā for sinne Surelie let a man looke to his life albeit in the eyes of mā never so happie yet if he looke to it as it is in deed that is to saye mortall and deadlie although it be busked with all the beauties of this world and fortified with all the strength of this worlde and crowned with all the glorie of this world yet shall he never haue comfort in it and it is most certaine that they see not what this life is who glorie in it and it is the verie blindnes of their eyes which do not let them see their end that maketh the wretches of this world to reioyce in any thing vnder the sunne seeing all shal perish and come to nought No No they see not life to reioyce in that seeth not this life of the children of God vnto the hope whereof the Lord begetteth them This is the ground of the reioycing and gloriation of the Saintes saith the Apostle to the Romanes even the hope of this inheritance which is immortall And this same sight of this immortalitie of that lyfe was the thing that mooved the Apostle himselfe to desire with sighes to change this earthlie tabernacle with that which is not made with handes but is of God For hee did knowe that it was eternall therefore desired hee to be clothed with it even to this end that mortalitie might be swallowed vp of lyfe This then is the comfort of this first propertie that death shall have noe dominion over our lyfe in heaven but it shall remaine for evermore And herein standeth one of the chief pointes of the happines and felicitie of the Saints in the world to come that their inheritance is immortal All whatsoever a mā inheriteth in this worlde is mortall his life here endeth but in the world to come it endureth eternallie The honour ritches and pleasures of this world perish but in heaven there is prepared for vs an induring substance Heb. 10.34 saith the Apostle to the Hebrewes And the pleasures which are at the right hand of God are for evermore saith David Psal 16.11 These heavens shall passe away and the elements shall melt with heate and this earth with the workes that are therein shal be burnt vp sayeth Peter 2. Pet. 3.10 13. but we hope for new heavens and a newe earth according to the promise of God wherein dwelleth rigeteousnes So whatsoever we vnderstand by this inheritance all is eternall in the world to come the life eternal the heavens the earth the glory the riches the pleasures the reast theioy that we shal enioy eternal The first vse of this point is to make vs who doe finde nothing perfectly happie nor comfortable which is subiect to mortalitie to take our hearts and affections of this perishing life and world and to cast away the love of corruptible things and to beholde and affect the lyfe blessings that are permanent and everlasting The second vse is to comfort vs against two tentatiōs wherwith we have to fight the one is touching our present estate and feeling the other is touching the feare that might enter in our mindes of that might befall vs in the possession of this life of God in heaven In this present lyfe wee have not onely to looke for an ende of our lyfe and of all creatures but the Saintes they have a feeling of the dayly decay of the outwarde man themselves hasting to an end now this death that cometh in betwixt vs and our hope for lyfe can not but sometimes trouble and grievouslie torment the mind that hath no sight of that immortall state to come Therefore the wicked are weary in beating of affliction and are altogether vnable to digest the dolours and paynes which they
conceive of death having no sence nor sight nor hope of a permanent and endles life but the godly man who findeth his inward man renewing daylie and feeling in himselfe the powers of the world to come and being established by hope he is so farre from fainting with present afflictions that he reioyceth in them as saith the Apostle to the Romanes Rom. 5.3 and so farre is hee from being discouraged or affraid of death that he chuseth rather to be dissolved yea many haue refused to be delivered from death that they might receive a better resurrection O if this wretched world did knowe what great advantage the man renewed hath aboue him who is not renewed in the time of trouble and affliction and speciallie in the houre of death which putteth an end to all the ioyes of this life howe much would they esteeme of that renewing grace that bringeth men to the hope of an inheritance immortall and how carefull would they be to finde themselves begotten againe to the hope of this inheritance before that heavie day of death doe come vpō them that they might have comfort against the terrour of it by the sence and feeling of the life of God begunne in their soules which never can be ended but rather perfited by the death of our flesh the soule that hopeth even in dying apprehending eternall life so the hope of this inheritāce which is immortall doth comfort vs against the mortalitie of our present estate and future ruine and destruction of this present world The second vse is to comfort vs against that which we might feare should happē to vs being possest againe with the life of God in heavē evē the losse of that life againe the grounds of this feare may be the experience past in Adam and in Angells Adam being created to the likenes of God being placed in Paradise did nevertheles lose his perfection and lyfe and was thrust out of Paradise Thus left to himselfe hee could neither keepe his lyfe nor the possession of Paradise but loosed both by obeying Sathan who did slay him in making him to sinne Iud. 6. The Angels that were in heaven with God did not keepe their first estate wherein they were created which they did enioy in the presence of God and now are reserved vnder darknes vnto the iudgement of the great day Who would not feare at these examples to be deprived of lyfe although once possessed with it that also in heaven Death having overthrowen the life both of man Angell even then when they enioyed all perfection of life the one in Paradise the other in heaven What then is our consolation evē this that our lyfe which in Christ we recover is more sure then the life which Adam had even then the life whiche Angells had by creation for theirs was subiect to hasarde but our life is exempt from all hasard of death therefore are we not to feare that it shall befall so to vs any more as it did to them For our inheritance which we looke for is permanent and immortall therefore after our resurrection wee shall bee no more in feare nor daunger of death For this corruptible shall put on incorruption and this mortall shal put on immortality 1 Cor. 15.53 and then shall death be swallowed vp into victory mortality shal be swallowed vp of lyfe 1 Cor. 5.4 and death it selfe that last enemie in that day shal be destroyed for death and hell shal be cast into the lake of fire 1 Cor. 15.26 Revel 20.14 1 Cor. 15.55 which is the seconde death then shal we sing most ioyfully that song of triumph O death where is they sting O grave wher is thy victory Thus this first point doth enceedingly comfort vs giveth vs ample matter of glorifying God that hee called vs who are mortall and corruptible creatures frō this miserable estate to a life that endureth for ever yet doth this next property of this life and inheritance much more comfort the true children of God who have no further pleasure in life it self then so farre as it doeth serve to the glory of God albeit the wicked take no care of dishonoring God so being they may live For hee that is truely wyse knoweth that the life which serveth no wayes to the honour of God shall never procure honour to him that enioyeth it And whē the Authour of his lyfe is nothing benefited by his lyfe it were better for him never to have had lyfe seeing it must needes in the end procure his greater harme and therefore seeing God is holines it selfe and so by consequence a mortall enemie of all vncleannes there can be no happines in a lyfe that is vncleane and polluted For it standeth sure which the Apostle sayeth Heb. 12.14 That without holines no man shall see God For this cause it is that the Saints sighe continuallie in this life 2 Cor. 5.4 because of the burdē of sin wherewith they are burdened knowing that a necessitie of sinning is laid vpon vs whyle we walk in this earthly tabernacle and therefore with the Apostle to the Romanes Rom. 7.24 finding that we are solde vnder sin so that in our flesh ther dwelleth no goodnes and albeit by the grace of God to will be present with vs yet we finde no meanes to performe that which is good because although we delite in the Law of God cōcerning the inward man yet we stil see another law in our mēbers rebelling against the law of the minde and leading vs captive vnto the law of sinne which is in our members Therfore I say with the Apostle wee are compelled to crie out against our lyfe O wretched men that we are who shall deliver vs from this body of death ever wishing and desiring to be freed from this lyfe that is polluted and in the which wee can not preserve our selves from vncleanes And this is the second cause why this present life is miserable in all men of what soever estate they be all men without exception being defiled with sinne even from their first conception Psal 51.5 as being both conceyved and berne in sinne and therefore is it that the Saintes desire to be dissolved because they know as saith the Apostle that if their earthlie house of this tabernacle were destroyed 2 Cor. 5.1 they haue a building given of God that is an house not made with hādes but eternal in the heavens In which house they shall sinne no more because corruption shal be swallowed vp of incorruption By this difference now betwixt this present sinful life that blessed life in holines to the which wee are begotten againe doeth appeare the excellēcie of the one aboue the other so doth give iust occasion to al the godlie to cast the love of this life all things in it farre from them being so disposed by the grace of God that they can not love nor like that whereby their
to be shutt vp in displeasure there is no assurance of lyfe Psal 116.3 but the snares of death doe coÌ„passe them then the greeues of the graue doeth gripe them and they finde trouble and sorrowe And then doth their soule returne to rest when they haue tasted of Gods mercie and therefore in all their troubles the ground of their confidence and drawing neare to God is and euer hath bene 〈◊〉 â— 16 his mercy Therfore doeth the Apostle to the Hebrues will vs to goe bodly to the throne of grace that we may receaue mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede Now come we to the qualitie of this mercy that mooueth God to cal vs to the hope of lyfe The Apostle calleth it his aboundant mercie It is most certaine that all the creatures of God doe taste of his mercie towards them yea the very reprobates and the very Deuils themselues For it is a great mercie that they are referued so long vnto the iudgement of the great day and that they and the wicked are so long spared vncast in hell fyre â—ud 6. Many a time doth both the word of God and daylie experience teach vs that God doth giue many blessings and deliuerances to the wicked Achab being a man as witnessed the booke of God who had not his like who did sell himselfe to worke wickednes in the sight of the Lord hauing heard the threatning of the Prophete against him for the killing of Naboth c. and humbling himselfe albeit without true repentance the Lord did delay his iudgement all his dayes and did not execute the euill denunced against him till his sonnes dayes for the Lords mercie is aboue all his workes Therefore as wee haue said before hee maketh the Sunne to arise on the wicked the good and sendeth raine to the iust and vniust Moreouer he giueth to the wicked kingdomes Empires Dominions yet doeth not this mercy that obtaines so many blessings procure to the wicked that they should be renewed to the hope of Eternall lyfe and receiue remission of sinnes For it is not a small mercie that mooveth God to doe so that is to iustifie a sinner to call his enemies to the dignitie of the sonnes of God to giue theÌ„ the hope of eternal life it must be a mercie running ouer superaboundant that must mooue the Lord to bestow these blessings which are of greater value then all the kingdomes of the world Therefore doth the Apostle to the Ephesians call this grace a ritch grace Whereby the Lord hath bene aboundant towards vs in all wisedome and vnderstanding Ephe. 1.7 â— And this aboundance of Gods mercy and grace is most clearly manifested by that which the Apostle speaketh to the Romanes in declaring both the end of the giuing of the Lawe and effectes of the Lawe giuen the end of it sayeth he was that the offence should abound whereby it might seeme that thereby wee should bee put further from the hope of grace then before but hee addeth for our comfort that where sinne abounded there did grace abound much more the grace might raigne through righteousnes vnto life eternal through Iesus Christ our Lord even there wher sinne had raigned vnto death Before sin hauing taken occasioÌ„ by the Law to worke in vs al maner of concupiscence that sinne might appeare sinne to be out of measure sinfull in working death in vs by that which is good And all this for no other thing but for the praise of the glory of his rich grace whereby hee doeth abound towardes vs aboue all aboundaÌ„ce of sinne in vs that his mercie may be knowen to be greater then our iniquities yea to be greater then al his workes For it is saide in the 108 Psalm His mercie is great aboue the heauens And again As high as the heaueÌ„ is aboue the earth so great is his mercie towards them that feare him For it is not that common goodnes and general mercie of God to all his Creatures whereby he giveth life and being and moouing to all whereby he giveth riches and honours and Kingdomes that mooveth the Lord to bestow this blessing of remission of sinnes hope of eternal life This teacheth vs neuer to content our selues with that sence of Gods mercie which ariseth only vpon the enioying of teÌ„porall blessings be they neuer so great though he should giue vs the whole world For this errour doth deceyve many who thinke the man to bee beloued of God with whoÌ„ he dealeth mercifully in things belonging to this lyfe Albeit it bee true that a man may be made Monarch of the whole world and yet bee voyde of the sauing grace and mercie of God The true reioycing in Gods mercy ariseth vpon the hope of the glory of God builded vpon the peace which we haue toward God through Iesus Christ Rom. 5.1.2 and 11. arising vpon the remission of sinns in his bloud or iustification by faith and the attonement which we haue receyved by Iesus Christ our Lord. Therefore 1. Pet. 1.6 and 8. gett what we will get from God wee never shall be satisfied with all the tokens of his love and mercy vntill wee gett that gift of God whereof Christ speaketh in the 4. of Iohn to the woman of Samaria when shee did denye him a cup of water Iohn 4.10 If sayeth he thou knewest that gift of God meaning himself shewing vs that he knoweth nothing of the sauing mercie of God nor of the grouÌ„d or warraÌ„t of eternall lyfe though he know al the giftes that euer God did giue to man who yet knoweth not the Lord Iesus and hath not bene a feeling partaker of the mercy of God which is in him through him This serueth to moove vs to esteeme more of the spirituall blessings of God then of all earthly things Psal 4.6.7 And with Dauid to desire the Lord to lift vp the light of his couÌ„tecance on vs and not with the world to seeke for earthly things for therby shall we haue more ioy of heart then they haue when their wheate and their wine doeth abound The vses of the aboundance of Gods mercie The vse of this poynt is threefolde It serveth for Instruction for consolation for conviction For instruction in teaching vs seeing it is an aboundaÌ„t mercy wherby the Lord doth call vs to the hope of lyfe and to this effect begetteth vs to bee his children that sinne iniquitie is a thing most detestable before God since that generall goodnes of God that mooueth him to giue all earthly things to man maketh him not to giue remission of sinnes to man Therfore should wee aboue all things abhorre sinne by all meanes indeuour to eschew sinne as the thing most daungerous and pernitious to man For although thou be a sinner God will blesse thee with honour and riches of this lyfe yet will giue thee no portion of his inheritance in the heavens He
resurrection If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men the most miserable for besides the crosses and calamities wherevnto we are subiect in this life death cometh in betwixt vs our hope in Christ and it seemeth to cutt vs vtterlie from him all fruition of his blisse For if death had dominion over vs so that the sorrowes thereof could not be loosed but that we should be holden of it what avayled it vs to be in ieopardie everie houre 1 Cor. 19.18 and wherefore should we suffer affliction for the name of Iesus for all that sleepe in him were perished as saith the Apostle in the same place to the Corinthians If there were no Resurrection Therefore to comfort vs not only againstal the afflictions of this present life but chieflie against that last and most fearfull tentation of death the Lord doth instruct vs in the resurrection from the dead This was the comfort that Iob had in all his miseries as he saieth himself That although after his skinne wormes destroy his bodie yet shall I see God in my flesh whom I my selfe shall see and my eyes beholde and none other for me though my reynes are consumed within me This also saith the Apostle to the Corinthi was the cause which made him not onely to faint ◠Cor 5.1 but also to sighe Desiring to be dissolved even because he did know If this earthly house of this tabernacle were destroyed he had a building given vs of God an house not made with handes but eternall in the heavens So that death was no terrour at all to him who did know that he which raised the Lord Iesus should raise him vp also and give him a glorious bodie And for this cause is it that Christ Iesus in the sixt chap. of Iohn willing to confirme his assertion and saying That of all which the Father had given him he should loose nothing so oft bringeth in this promise And I will raise him vp at the last day And with this he comforted Martha Iohn 11.2 mourning for the death of her brother Lazarus saying Thy brother shal rise againe And the Apostle Paul writing to the Thessalonians willing to comfort them to stay their excessiue mourning for the dead doth bring in this same reason That they which are a sleepe 1 Thes 4.13 shal rise at the cōming of the Lord. This point therefore must we carefullie hold since without it we can haue no comfort And to this effect we haue next to consider what it is that doth assure vs and certifie our soules that we shall rise againe For it is a matter harde to be beleeved The assurance of our resurrection dependeth vpō the resurrectiō of Christ that the body which is once dead turned into dust shal raise againe The thing that giveth certaine hope to vs of out resurrection is the Resurrection of Iesus Christ our Sauiour If he had not risen frō the dead we could never have had any hope that ever our bodies shuld haue received life after death For this is a sure grounde which we must stedfastlie hold that our God mindeth to doe nothing to vs which hee hath not first done to Iesus Christ our head and Prince of our salvation for our cause For he is as the first fruits in all things Col. 1.18 for in all things he hath the preheminence as saith the Apostle to the Colossians therefore also is hee the beginning and first begottē among the dead And againe to the Corinthians the Apostle sheweth vs that he is made the first frutes of them that sleepe 1. Cor. 19.20 Seeing then that in the first frutes the whole is sanctified no otherwayes It must needs follow that Christ behooved to 〈◊〉 so from the dead before wee could be raised our resurrection depending vpon his flowing from his For as saieth the Apostle in that same place to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 15.21 As by man came death so also by man cometh the resurrection from the dead For as in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made aliue but euerie one saith he in his owne order the first fruites is Christ thereafter they that are Christes at his appearing Therefore doeth he call him selfe in the 11. Iohn 11.25 chapter of Iohn speaking to Martha The Resurrection and Lyfe Herof it followeth that he who knoweth not Christ to be risen from the dead and beleeveth not that he is risen can no wayes beleeve that ever he shall rise againe to life 1. Pet. 1.21 For this same Apostle Peter in this same Chapter hereafter plainlie witnesseth that God hath raised Christ from the dead and hath giuen him glorie that our faith hope should be in God Wherby he teacheth vs two things concerning our hope First that it must bee in God Secondlie that it can not bee in God but through Christ and therefore that wee could not hope in God that he would raise vs from the dead if he had not first raised Christ our head seeing wee must beleeve in God through him The vse of this point is twofolde First it learneth vs to discerne the trueth and veritie of our hope from the right ground and foundation of it Colos 1.21 For every mans hope must have a foundation to vpholde it even as our faith and hope is the foundation whereby we are vpholden as saith the Apostle to the Colossians Frō the which if we fall we fall from God and from life so our hope hath the same foundation whereby it is vpholden in vs that wee doe not cast away our confidence and reioycing of our hope albeit assailed with innumerable and grievous tentations this foūdation is Christ himself And therfore whyle the Apostle doth exhort vs to constancy in our hope and patient running of the race that is layed before vs vnto the end he willeth vs to looke still vpon Iesus Christ the authour finisher of our faith For if our sight be cast vpon any thing besides him Rom. 4.18 so that we drawe our eyes from be holding him then must our hope faile vs. It is said of Abraham the Father of the faithfull who aboue hope beleeved vnder hope that he should bee the Father of many nations according to the promise that hee considered not his owne body which nowe was dead beeing almost an hundreth yeares old neither the deadnes of Saraes wombe neither did he doubt of the promise but did looke to him who did promise being fullie assured that he was able to performe herein this promise made to Abraham If Abraham had not cast his sight on him that promised that is the Sonne of God but had looked to him selfe or Sara he could haue had no hope of the promise So in the promise of our Resurrection frō the dead to eternall life if we cast our eyes vpon our selues our bodies dying and cōsuming and turning into dust whereof they
were made we can neuer hope that we can rise againe vnto life but looking to Christ our Sauiour ◠Cor. 1.20 in whom all the promises of God are Yea and Amen as saith the Apostle to the Corinth we finde sufficient reason and grounde to beleeve the Resurrection from the dead Seeing he who was made man like to his brethren in all things except sinne albeit walking in the similitude of sinfull fleshe being put to death did loose the sorrowes of death and was declared mightilie to be the sonne of God touching the spirit of sanctification by the resutrection from the dead 2 Cor 4.14 Therefore doe we with the Apostle to the Corinths know That he which hath raised vp the Lorde Iesus shall rayse vs vp also by Iesus for therefore is it that we are baptised for dead as saieth the Apostle to the Corinthes For wee that are baptised into Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 2.15 29. Rom. 6.3 haue bene baptised into his death saieth the Apostle to the Romanes And therefore if we bee dead with him we beleeve also that wee shall live with him For if we be planted with him to the similitude of his death even so shall we be to the similitude of his resurrection saith the same Apostle in the same place For he that is Christes hath the spirit of God dwelling in him as is plaine by the Apostle to the Romanes Rom. 6.5 Rom. 8.8 1 Iohn 3.24 And Iohn in his first Epistle saieth That hereby we know that he abydeth in vs even by that spirit which he hath given vs And if the spirit of him that raised vp Iesus Christ from the dead dwell in vs hee that raised vp Christ from the death shall also quicken our mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in vs. Rom. 8 1◠So doeth the Apostle from the presence of the same spirit prove the like effect in raysing vs frō the death 2 Cor. 4.13 and therfore as he saith to the Corinth because we have the same spirite of faith as it is written I beleeved and therfore I haue spoken wee also beleeve and therefore speake knowing that he which hath raised vp the Lord Iesus shall raise vs vp also by Iesus and set vs with him So it is evident that the Resurrection of Iesus from the death is the ground and foundation of the hope of Resurrection from the dead to all that have the same spirit of life that is in Christ Iesus dwelling in them for the law of that spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus doth free all those in whom he dwelleth from the law both of sinne and death Rom. 8.2 as testifieth the Apostle to the Romanes Hereby are wee taught two profitable lessons the first is Al the promises of God are first fulfilled in Christ himselfe to carefully marke how farre God accomplished his promises in Christ his sonne For so farre may all that beleeve be assured that he shall accomplishe them in them through Christ Therefore have we hope of sanctification from sinne Resurrection from the dead and glorification in the heavens because these promises are fulfilled in Christ whom we see crowned with glorie and honour as sayeth the Apostle to the Hebrewes Heb. 2.9 which was made a little inferior to the Angels through the suffering of death For God hee predestinateth all those whom he hath foreknowen to be made like to the Image of his Sonne Rom. 8.29 that he might be the first born among manie brethrē And therfor the knowledge of Christ should be to vs most pretious since we can know no more nor hope for no more blessing frō God then we first knew to have been bestowed on Iesus Christ our head 1. Cor. 30. who is made to vs of God wisedome sanctification iustification and Redemptiō Phil. 3.8 c Therfore did the Apostle Paul esteeme all things losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Iesus Christ our Lord and did iudge all things but dung that hee might gaine Christ and know him And the vertue of his Resurrection that he also thereby might attaine to the resurrection from the dead The second lesson is to pray to God day and night to send vs that blessed spirit of promise seeing the things which are wrought in Christ shall not bee accomplished in any but those who have the same spirit of lyfe that is in Christ Iesus dwelling in them And therefore they can not hope for renovation to the Image of God and restauration of their dead bodies to the lyfe of God and glorification with the glorie of God wherwith Christ is glorified who have not the spirit of Christ This is the first vse of this poynt whereby wee are taught to discerne true hope from the groūd and foundation whereon only it is builded and that is Iesus Christ alone The second vse is to teach vs A distinct knowledge of Christ requisite not only cōfusedlie to learne Christ but even perticularlie to consider all the degrees and seuerall partes of that great worke of our redemption by him for the more solide and stedfast fixing of our hartes in him For albeit it be most true that he who is pertaker of the death of the Sonne of God is also pertaker of his life of his glory c. yet neither can the faith and hope bee so stable nor the comfort so great as when in Christ our Lord we see a perticular groūd and warrant for every article of our faith Therefore in this place doth the Apostle lead vs to the resurrection of Christ from the dead for establishing our hearts in the hope of our life with God in the heavens For as wee goe forward in consideration of the partes of Christes working and severall actions done by him for our full redēption so doeth our faith increase our hope by degree to degree whē we looke to Christ dying for vs we learne to beleeve remissiō of sinnes in his blood whē we goe on to his refurrectiō we imbrace the hope of lyfe frō the dead when we looke to his ascention we apprehend our ascending to the heavens and in his glorification wee are comforted by the hope of that same glorie Thus doeth it serve much for our comfort to know all the perticularities of Christes humiliation exaltation according as the Lord our God hath revealed them in his word beginning at his Incarnation going on to his birth in great basenes expressing therafter the troubles of his youth laying out next the sorrowes of his life whyle hee caried our infirmities walking in the similitude of sinfull fleshe and subiect to all the infirmities thereof except sinne proceeding to his death and kinde thereof being most accursed Gal. 3.13 as witnesseth the Apostle to the Galathians In all which the spirit of God letteth vs see our infirmities our sinnes and our sorrowes layed vpon him and vs acquitted of them in him Thereafter are we led
not speake and so filled with evill that they seeme to be cut off doubting of their life And that which I speake of faith I speake also of the remayning partes of our life of our love to God and his Sanits our sanctification our zeale our ioy our peace which all sometimes florish sometimes fade and wither Which all in the life to come shall remaine eternallie and still florish in their ful perfectiō Thus much touching the excellencie of our inheritance Now followeth the third poynt The certaintie of salvation which is cōcerning the suretie of this inheritance which is the third thing that worketh the fulnes of our ioy when we know that ther is a life after this life to be hoped for and that this life is most excellent And lastlie that it is impossible to frustrate vs of this life The other two doe provoke a thirst and earnest desire of this life but the third bringeth peace and consolation to the man that longeth for it when hee knoweth assuredlie that hee shall have it Whereas the contrarie is a verie hell to the conscience For when it is given to a man to know there is a life prepared for a man in heavē and that this life is so excellent that there is nothing worthie of it in this world What grief and vnspeakeable sorrowe must it breed to him to be deprived of that estate wherein he seeth such felicitie Esau Gen. 27. when he heard that he was deprived of the blessing following the birthright he cryed out with a great crie and bitter out of measure sayeth the spirit of God for hee would haue inherited the blessing and therefore sought it with teares but hee was reiected saith the Apostle to the Hebrewes Heb. 12. found no place to repentance in his Father This is the iust iudgement of God against all prophane persons who preferre in their worldlie necessities the pleasures of this life to the inheirtance of the life to come to make their vaine and fruitles desires of that life to torment their mindes 2 Pet. 2.1 Iud. 11. The same mooved Balaam that prophane prophete which loved the wages of vnrighteousnes seeing the blessed end of the righteous but no wayes assured to enioy it to crie out Num. 23. O let me dye the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his So deadlie a wound doth pearce the soule that findeth no assurance of that life wherein consisteth all felicitie Therefore to make vs pertakers of that solide consolation which is proper to the godlie our God doeth let vs see how sure certaine this life is to al that are begotten to the hope of it For it is this certaine assurance of the enioying of it that worketh strong consolation in the Saints as is manifest by the wordes of the Apostle to the Hebrewes Heb. 5.17.18 c. God sayeth hee willing more aboundantlie to shew vnto the hetres of promise the stablenes of his counsell bound him selfe by an eath that by two immutable things wherein it is impossible that God should lie we might have strong consolation who haue our refuge to lay holde vpon that hope that is set before vs. Declaring hereby that the strength of our ioye dependeth vpon the infalliblenes of our hope Therfore is it that David doeth pray to God in the hundreth and sixt Psalme Psal 106.4 c. That he would remember him with the favour of his people that hee would visitie him with his salvation To that end he subioyneh himselfe that sayth That I may see the felicitie of thy chosen so reioyce in the ioy of thy people and glorie with thine inheritance Shewing that without sight of this felicitie and certaine assurance of it no heart can ioy nor glorie as doe the children of God We come therefore to consider this poynt which is set downe to vs in two partes according to the two folde daunger which may seeme to be in the attayning to this life The first is in the life it selfe to know that it be sure The second is in vs to know that wee be sure to that life For if either that life might be taken away from vs or yet that we could be taken away from enioying that life there could bee no certaintie of it to our soules Therefore first the Apostle declareth how this life is kept for vs. Next he sheweth how we are kept for it that neither it can be taken away from vs nor wee from it The keeping of it is set downe in these wordes Reserved in the heavens for vs and the keeping of vs to it in the wordes following who are kept by the power of God through faith vnto salvatiō And lastlie the time of the manifestation of it is set downe to vs by the Apostle saying Which is prepared to be shewed in the last time As touching the first parte of the suretie of our life it consisteth first in the keeping of it God the keeper of our life Secondlie in the place where it is kept And third lie in the end wherefore it is kept in the heavens It is kept sayeth the Apostle in the heaven and that for vs. First then we will speake of the keeping of it which bringeth great consolation to the beleeving soule Angells lost their life because the Lord did not keepe it to them And Adam lost his life likewise because it was cōmitted to his owne keeping But now the Lord doth no more commit the keeping of our life in Christ to our selves because we should doubtlesse loose it againe For if man in his integritie was not able to keepe his life how much lesse is he able to doe it in his corruption and infirmitie yea the verie Angels that yet doe continew in the life of God were not able to indure if God did not preserve them in that life Blessed therfor be God who hath taken in his owne hande the custodie of our life The Apostle doeth herein cōfort him selfe against the shame of the Crosse which he did suffer for preaching the gospell saying For which cause I also suffer these things 2 Timoth. 1.20 But I am not ashamed for I know whom I haue beleeved c. This made Paul reioyce that God was able to keep his life to whom he had committed it And this is the great mercie of our God towards vs that he doth take the care of keeping our life him self Sathan is most carefull sometimes against 〈◊〉 selves sometimes against our life for when he can not prevaile against the person to entise him to sinne and so to death then doth he assaile his life putting at his faith to see if he can wrest from him his confidence in God knowing that the destructiō of our persons followeth the losse of our spirituall life in Christ But thankes be to God that it is not in our hande to loose our life since it is not committed to our keeping And