his manhoode he hath merited as indeede it is their common assertion then yet we say that that is absurd and erroneous likewise bicause his manhoode is a creature euen as wee our selues are though he be freed from sinne and hard is it yea it was yet neuer heard of that creatures could indeed deserue at the hands of the creator who hath indued them with breath and being and filled them of his owne free fauor with the fulnes and riches of al his mercies For what can the creator by his infinit liberalitie goodnes wisedome and whatsoeuer else is excellent and high in him purchase at the handes of his creatures more than by wel-doing towardes them to deserue their loue and obedience againe towards him and so they with an vnfained affection imbrace loue and honour him Dauid a man according to Gods owne hart was content to confesse Psal 16.2 O Lorde my voel-dooing extendeth not to thee And in an other place Psal 116.12 VVhat shall I render to the Lorde for all his benefits to me as if he shoulde say I cannot tell what Of a trueth I haue nothing that will answere the least of them much lesse deserue the best And if they wil say that he had the fulnes of goodnes in himselfe wee answeare that that will nothing helpe them For though that be true yet hee had it not as from his manhoode though it were in his manhoode but from the fulnes of the sanctifieng spirit and the excellencie of his eternall godhead which did so plentifully replenish his humane nature with all manner of grace and goodnes Iohn 1.16 that of his fulnes vve haue all receiued euen grace for grace and yet notwithstanding he hath neuer a whit the lesse in himselfe no more than God by induing vs with immortall soules or giuing vs wisdome righteousnes and such like hath either spoiled himselfe of or diminished his owne immortalitie iustice wisdome and other essentiall properties in him Now then if Christ haue not merited neither in his person nor in his seuerall and distinct natures as we haue already sufficiently proued I hope and we know not neither beleeue any more in Christ than his person and natures to work by either they must of necessity let this curious dotage of Christs meriting for himself passe vanish away like smoke in the aire and so imbrace the contrarie truth togither with vs or else shewe something besids in him which hath performed this so high and excellent work that they wil haue euery man that not only for auoiding suspition of heresie but vppon paine of condemnation of their souls vnfainedly to beleeue In the third point namely concerning the matter hee merited to himselfe they are as hardely distressed and as much at their wits ende yea and at as great iarres and contentions also amongst them selues touching the same as they were in the former some affirming that he merited immortalitie to his bodie and impassibilitie as they call it to his soule and of this minde is the maister of the sentences in the place aboue quoated othersome that he merited life euerlasting and the glorie of heauen as our Rhemists vpon Rom. 8. and othersome againe that hee merited all and euerie one of these matters togither For answere wherevnto and to take no aduantage of this that they can not agree nor resolue what it is certainely that hee merited to himselfe sauing that by this wee may perceiue that we haue little hope that they will consent with vs in truth that be at daggers drawing among them selues in falshoode bicause he verily will hardlie agree with any that diffenteth from himselfe we tell them that hee merited neither any one of these things seuerally nor all these things iointly and that therefore whatsoeuer they holde herein is but some swimming imaginations of their owne heads For first touching the immortalitie of his bodie and the impassibilitie of his soule if they say he deserued these before his sufferings why had he not then his due deserts giuen him that in due time For the thing deseruing being once performed the merit presently groweth due and if there be anie delay made there is iniurie and iniustice offered to the party deseruing by the party that shoulde recompence in as much as hee deteineth and vseth that which is proper to another And so by this doctrine the Lorde is found both greately in debt to man and iniust to all those whose wel-dooings hee rewardeth not euen presently after the worke is performed But to vs ouer and besides the reason before alleadged it seemeth impossible that hee could deserue either the one or the other of them specially sith the articles of our religion teach vs to beleeue that he was dead and buried and the scripture assureth vs that hee sustained most greeuous pangs and passions in his soule specially when he affirmed that his soule vvas heauie euen vnto death Mat. 26.38 and againe when hee cried out vppon the crosse in the anguish and bitternesse of his spirit My God Mar. 15.34 my God vvhy hast thou forsaken me What was not God of power to performe that which Christ had deserued Or was he not willing to satisfie and pay that which his onely sonne had merited Doe you not see that these absurdities errours yea blasphemies must of necessitie follow vpon these lewse and lewd conclusions What will you say he had these graces bestowed vpon him after his death and resurrection by the power of his passion I answere that then you say as much as if indeede you had said nothing at all first bicause that the withholding of his deserts before touched remaineth notwithstanding still vnsatisfied and not taken away Secondly bicause that if he merited those things by his conception as the master holdeth it is vnseasonable to ascribe these merits or things deserued to an other matter Thirdly bicause that in that meriting what had Christ that we haue not I meane the faithfull For after naturall death they haue as in respect of their soules Reuel 7.17 all teares vviped avvay from their eies and be freed from the sufferings of this present world and the torments of that that is to come and at the resurrection their base and vile bodies though otherwise dissolued into dust and powder shall according to the mightie povver Philip. 3.21 vvhereby Christ is able euen to subdue all things vnto himselfe be raised againe and be made mortall and glorious as the scripture plainly teacheth in many places and namely 1. Cor. 15. Wherevpon also it will follow directly that as men in their doctrine may merit so they may merite as muche to themselues as Christ didde for himselfe But of a truth the mortalitie of Christs body standeth not as they suppose vppon Christs meriting of it but vpon the trueth and certainetie of the promises passed long before hee was clad with our flesh Psal 16.10 The prophet saying Thou vvilt not leaue
in the order of nature which our aduersaries doe in opposing mans supposed righteousnes which indeede is not at all and therefore their dealings more absurd in that behalfe against mans sinne the euidence whereof is so notorions that it is most liuely painted out vnto vs by the light of the worde by the stinging testimony of our owne hearts and by that great floud of all manner of wickednesse which as heeretofore so presently ouerfloweth all Wherefore if euer men manifested ignora unce in discerning or else faulted foulie in matter of opposing contraries one of them to an other our aduersaries in this behalfe be most shamefully ouertaken who though they do set life against death and saluation against damnation haue not yet in the working and performance of these things learned to set God against man and his grace and goodnesse against mans peruersenesse and euill whereby also these inconueniences fall out not onelie that men are puffed vppe in pride aboue measure and that in their owne eies before GOD and their brethren but the infinite riches of GODS grace and goodnesse also is as much as they may vtterlie obscured and darkened which doth not in anie nor in all thinges whatsoeuer more plentifully and plainely shewe foorth it selfe than in the forgiuenesse of the sins of his seruants thorow the death and obedience of his sonne Christ the bringing of them to euerlasting life and blessednesse thorowe his powerfull resurrection and glorious ascension notwithstanding that by the meanes of their iniquities they haue deserued the contrarie to wit euerlasting condemnation both of bodie and soule with the diuell and his angelles in that lake of fire brimstone that burneth for euer One thing more there is in their notes vppon this place which I cannot wel let passe bicause it is a branch of their corrupted doctrine sauoreth as much of error and heresie as the former points to wit that they affirme that the value of Christs actions riseth out of the length or greatnesse of them in themselues but of the worthines of the person What if wee yeelde to this as to a trueth What shall you gaine thereby or what will you inferre therevpon Forsooth that so the value of our actions riseth of the grace of our adoption But wee tell you it is a non sequitur as they say in schooles Wil you always plovve vvith an oxe and an asse Deut. 22 10 11 And wil you continually vveare a garment of linsey vvolsey And will you neuer learne for all that hath beene said to compare and resemble either quite contrarie things or right equall and like things togither Why do you not infer for so you shold haue done if you would haue dealt plainely that the price of our works riseth from the worthines of our persons also But this you knew was blasphemous and contrarie to the written word of God which in many places reiecteth both vs our good deeds specially when they are done with an opinion or mind to merit and that before God as hath beene already plainely prooued and therefore you wil smooth it ouer with the grace of adoption To which we tell you in fewe wordes that we our selues do in truth and sinceritie attribute more to the grace of Gods adoption than you that babble so much of it and vnder such colours go about to deceiue the hearts of the simple And yet notwithstanding all this afterwards you blush not to saye that good workes which be meritorious proceede from the childe of God But deale plainely with vs and the worlde we beseech you and tel vs but yet in no darke speeches whether the merite of mans workes proceede from the grace of adoption onely yea or no Or else whether the merit of them floweth frō men alone as they are Gods adopted children Or else whether from God and man togither as working causes of merit For our owne parts wee feare not to affirme that whatsoeuer you will put downe in this case is and must be accounted in the iudgement of truth meerely absurde and erronious For to ascribe it vnto the grace of adoption by it selfe sundred from man and his merits that you dare not bicause it is flatly opposite to the whole doctrine of poperie and to your owne assertions in many places agreeable therewith Besides the grace of adoption is a free gift of God and not a merit for of whome I pray you should God deserue it for our sakes And to cast it vpon men alone without the grace and fauour of God is not onelie presumptuous as in regarde of man Iohn 25.5 vvho vvithout him can do nothing and yet against him wil haue heauen whether he will or no if that be once yeelded vnto but is bla phemous to God whose grace and goodnes must needs be vtterlie euacuated if that assertion be established And if you will say it proceedeth from both togither that also is as vnreasonable and false bicause one and the selfe-same streame alone as for example your matter of merits here which is but one thing can not proceede from two seuerall heads specially so opposite one of them to another as god man are yea and it hath bin hardly heard of that euen in naturall things there should be two principall efficient causes concurring to the constitution of one and the selfe same subiect Of a truth wee can not but tell you in all plainenesse and simplicitie that if you will holde that the merit of mans workes commeth from man as of and from himselfe alone or as coupled with an other that then the whole worde written the certaintie of religion yeelded to in all ages and testimonie of trueth in former time declared wil crie out against you blasphemie and intollerable presumptiō yea al the world that is of sound iudgement cannot but condemne you for matching vnequall thinges togither yea for mingling most cleane and most filthie thinges one of them wyth another For though wee might grant that the grace of adoption as it proceedeth from God being also a perfect worke as nothing comming from him can be vnperfect might as in respect of it selfe if it were not defiled with our corruptions and imperfections merit something before God yet there is no cause at all why we shoulde yeelde to it when our workes be ioined therewith considering how much we taint and deface euen the best graces of God in vs or bestowed vppon vs. To conclude this point of confutation wherein we confesse we haue bin very long but our aduersaries importunitie and tediousnes hath drawen vs thereto with a notable testimonie or two of some one of the docto is of the church in stead of manie though I doe not greatly delight I confesse in the allegation of them bicause the trueth of the worde without them is strong enough as which hath not his credite and authoritie from men but from the Lorde himselfe that so it may appeere how much they haue both
let vs come to that verse which remaineth of this text wherein the Apostle affirmeth that which he had doone before touching the groanings of the creatures and the sighs and sobs as it were of the children of God And yet this is no vaine tantologie or idle repetition but a more vehement affirmation of that whiche went before which may appeere in that the Apostle vseth this terme not onely and a more plaine and particular declaration of that which he had somewhat darkely expressed before namely in the 22. verse affirming that the creatures vvith vs did groane and trauell in payne togither not onelie shewing heere what he meant by that terme vs which hee expoundeth in these words vve vvhich haue receiued the first fruits of the spirite but also what it is that vvee both sighe and vvayte for to wit our adoption that is the full manifestation and declaration of it which shall then indeede and not before bee perfectly accomplished When that our bodies shall be raised againe out of the dust of death and vntied to their owne soules and so wee both in bodie and soule made perfect partakers of eternall life and blessednesse But let vs more particularly examine the wordes and obserue some doctrines out of the same that so also we may come to the end of this treatie Vers 23. And not only the creature To wit groaneth and trauelleth in paine as before verse 23. vnderstanding the worde Creature here as there True it is that the word creature is not in the Greeke text but yet it is wel supplied both by reson he hadde made mention of it before twice or thrice and minding also by amplification to inlarge the point by that terme not onelie hee sheweth that that affection is not proper to them alone but that the sons and seruaunts of God haue it in greater excellencie by much than the creatures themselues If any man therfore should not thinke well of laying that word to the rest he hath his answere before and yet may the better beare it also bicause it is doone for euidence and explanation sake Neither should any man thinke this short kinde of speaking strange sith it is vsuall in our owne toong and very rife and common with the Apostle as in other his writings so in this his epistle to the Romans for proofe whereof the learned reader may look vpon Rom. 5.3.11 Rom. 9.10 But vve also I take it to be as much as if he shold say euen we our selues do perform the self-same duty that the rest of the creatures do although as was said before in a more excellent sort and maner that this should be the Apostles meaning we haue not onelie this reason for it bicause they do it not by others neither indeede can others besides them performe it for them but also bicause the Apostle himselfe doth afterwards emphatically as wee saie repeate the same againe in this verse saying euen we doe sigh in our selues By which also the Apostle woulde teache vs both how necessary this duty is and how carefull we our selues shoulde be to do the same But alas wee are so farre off from the practise of it that our thoughts are not busied about it or anie such other good matter but rather as the Prophet saieth Our hearts goeth after our couetousnesse VVhich haue the first fruites of the spirit He meaneth by that worde haue Ezec. 33.31 not onely the receiuing of those graces but euen the very actual and present possession of them yea the perpetual possession of them which may appeere by this that he vseth a participle of the present tense noting as it were thereby not onely the beginning but euen as it were the continuaÌ„ce of them The knowledge whereof is not onely profitable to confute suche as suppose that the spirite it selfe and the graces of it go and come according to the seueral state of goodnes and euill wherein menne are by reason of their sinnes and their disposition to better thinges as they imagine but also comfortable for suche as through the erroneous opinions of other men and the want of feeling in their owne soules are greatly distressed and beate downe as in that respect Now whereas hee addeth the first fruits of the spirite wee are to knowe that it is a metaphor borrowed from the ceremoniall lawe The Lorde appointing that the first fruits of all their increase should be dedicated as a holie thing vnto his maiestie and serue for these two endes specially the one was the maintenaunce of the priests and the other to be a pledge that the remainder that was left in the handes of the owners for their lawfull vse was nowe sanctified vnto them in as much as God the author of holinesse hadde vouchsafed to receiue a portion of it for his owne seruice and other holy vses all which is plainely putte downe in manie places of the bookes of the lawe and namely in Leuiticus and Deuteronomie From which wee may learne many good and profitable instructions as first in that the first fruits of euerie thing were consecrated to the Lorde that therefore in the seruice of our GOD wee shoulde imploie not onelie the meanest thinges that wee haue a fault as heeretofore so nowe Mal. 1.8.9 c too common in this vnthankefull worlde either in contempt will yeelde GOD nothing or in carelesnesse offer him the woorst of all the flocke but euen the best wee possesse and inioye if wee haue any thing better than an other either within vs or without Neither was this obscurely onely figured in the lawe by this ceremonie but plainelie and expresly putte downe in these termes Deut. 6.5 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God vvith all thyne hearte vvith all thy soule and vvith all thy minde wee knowing and confessing that wee haue nothing more excellent than our inward partes as wherein consisteth all our affection reason yea and naturall life it selfe Secondly in that the Lorde in this behalfe demanded nothing of them that was in their owne power to performe but that which hee had commaunded the earth to yeelde them euen as his owne speciall blessing vppon the earth and them also for though their labour might seeme somewhat and the earth naturallie to giue her increase yet wee knowe on the one side that it is in vayne for men to rise early and to lie dovvne late Psal 1â—â— â—â— and to eate the breade of affliction or sorrovv and on the other side that it is the Lords blessing that maketh men rich and prosperous 〈◊〉 10. â—â— with which also hee addeth no sorrovves as the Holie-ghost telleth vs he would hereby teach vs not onely howe vnapte and vnable wee are to the performance of good and holie duties before him a matter which ought to humble vs greatly in our owne eies but also that hee will not refuse but accept rather the best good grace that he himselfe hath giuen vs though sometimes it sauor of the naughtinesse
vppon them from GOD Yea sunder this if it could be which is the accomplishment of all from all other the mercies of God towards vs in Christ and his merits and then what good as a man would say can they do vs For if wee respect worldly things as meate drinke health and such like what are they without this though otherwise they seeme neuer so delightful and plesant vnto vs but so many instruments and meanes to fatte vs as stall-feede oxen against the day of our slaughter And though it be true Rom. 4.25 that we might haue thorow Christ his death the forgiuenes of our sins thorowe his resurrection the imputation of his righteousnes and be inabled so to stand before God as pure and cleane being clothed with his holinesse and innocencie yet if we should not come to that eternall inheritance through the strength and power of his glorious ascension but liue heere vppon the earth subiect to so many infirmities of our own both in bodie and mind as we continually carrie about with vs and lie open to the buffetings of Satan and the blowes of the wicked as his seruaunts who in the rage of their spirites are ready euerie minute of an houre with violence death and destruction to rush in and fal vpon vs what were it els but after a sort to be as it were euen in the pains torments of hel it selfe Let vs therfore sticke fast to this thinke vpon it often and make much of it as a notable bulwark or buttresse to our faith pacience and all other the particular fruits thereof whatsoeuer There followeth a third argument for comforte in afflictions and troubles euen in the very beginning of this text that wee haue now taken in hand to interprete namely in the eighteenth verse and these wordes For I account that the afflictions of this present time c. Which as it is drawn from the great oddes as you would say that is betweene the pains that we indure in this world and the eternall ioyes that are prepared for vs in the life to come the one sort being in it owne nature finite as all things in this life are though perhaps innumerable as in regard of vs the other both as in respect of God the creator as also in respect of it selfe being infinit and vnmeasurable so doth it not onely wel but necessarily also depend euen vpon both the former resons and may fitly be fastned vnto them in this sort that whereas he had in the former made mention partly of manifold afflictions and partly of heauenlie glorie now in this he laboreth to shew that though our troubles and trialles bee neuer so great or many that yet it should not any whit at all discourage vs in as much as there is a farre more excellent glorie by infinite degrees laid vp for vs in heauen than al our sufferings can amount vnto whatsoeuer they be or can be and so deliuereth vnto vs a singular commendation of the woonderfull excellencie and infinitenesse of the said glorie Men we see by daily experience wil force themselues far for worldly preferment for from whence commeth it that in games yea and those of no value to speake of men take such extraordinary pains Psal 127. ◠and in ordinarie trades trauell rising vp earlie lying dovvne late cating the bread of sorrovve and running thorow fire and water as you would say but for som hope that they haue either of gaine or of glorie the markes commonly that men set before them to aime at and hit Yea the more excellent the price is that is prefixed before thē or the reward that they promise vnto themselues or is promised them by others as th end of their trauels the more they striue and straine themselues why should not that adde sharpening as it were and giue a notable edge vnto our corage and constancie in the time of our conflicts and distresses whether they be of bodie or of soule there being as no comparison at all betweene our earthly afflictions and heauenly ioies so much lesse if lesse may be between earthly heuenly rewards 1. Cor. 9.25 Euery man saith thapostle in an other place that prooueth masteries abstaineth from all things they do it to obtain a corruptible crovvne but vve for an incorruptible Wherevnto that hee might the better excite and stirre vp the people to whome he wrote he doth in the same place set before them his owne example vvho did so runne but not as vncertainely and did fight but yet not as one that beateth the aire but did take dovvne his bodie and bring it into subiection to the spirit that so hee might be the more fitte for the performaunce of those his spirituall exercises In all this doubtles we may plainely see and behold two speciall points well woorth the weighing as first our owne backewardnes dulnes vnaptnes and inabilitie to good things which also appeareth by this that we haue neede of so many spurs to prouoke vs thereto as admonitions exhortations reprehensions consolations godlie mens examples and many such like and yet all of them little or nothing preuaile with vs a matter which beeing rightly looked into should make vs so far off from the prowd thoughts of any desire in our willes or abilitie in our power to wish or to doe anie thing good that if wee were truelie humbled before the lord our brethren as we ought to be would make vs go continually with moornful harts and countenances cast down til such time as God had both reformed our wils giuen vs power also for it is he alone that vvorketh in vs both the vvil and the deed of euery good thing ◅p 2.13 that according to his ovvne good pleasure Secondly we may here after a sort feele the greatest loue and singular kindnes of our God towards vs who though he might by his soueraigne authoritie ouer vs command vs and if we did not yeelde obedience might not onelie threaten vs but punish vs also and that with al maner of plagues both temporal and eternal as who hath the fulnes and seuerall sorts of them prest and ready in his owne power to poure them foorth when it pleaseth him is yet notwithstanding pleased by gentle words to intreat vs and by promises of al sorts to allure vs yea by the very example of his sonnes and seruaunts to draw vs on to that which indeed doth most directlie tend to our owne good and wherevnto though indeede wee had none of all these things to mooue vs yet if we were but led by the light of reason wee should carefully and earnestly stryue and labor Neither doth this great and vnspeakable bountifulnes of God once onelie and no more deale after this sort with vs but standeth continually knocking as it were at the doore of our conscience and waiting when by the comforts of his promises hee may haue a free entrance and ioyfull passage into our seuerall soules
my soule in the graue neither vvilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption Which place the apostle Peter doth notably expound in the Acts in plaine and euident termes Acts 2.24 telling vs that it vvas impossible that hee shoulde be held dovvne of the sorrovves of death this impossibilitie arising not from the strength of his merits but from the power of God raising him vp mightily againe from the dead And the like may be saide for the impassibilitie of his soule As for they that affirme that our Sauiour merited heauen and eternall glorie by his sufferings we feare not to tell them and that to their faces that either in the pride or ignorance of their hearts they speake they wot not what and in the lightnes of their braine and idlenesse of their head they babble out things directly contrary to the worde and to the iudgement also of some of the best of their sides Can a manne in time deserue that which hee had from before all times Our Sauiour I am sure in their iudgements if hee merited anie waie merited as man And dooth not hee himselfe praie the Father Iohn 17.5 To glorifie him vvith himselfe and that vvith that glorie vvhich hee had vvith him before the vvorlde vvas They are not so past shame or grace I hope that they will make our Sauiour vvho is the vvaie the life Iohn 14.6 and the trueth a liar Dooth not Melchios Canus one of the doubtiest diuines being conuicted with the euidence of this truth confesse the same Will they go against the plaine wordes of Christ And will they thwarte the iudgement of their best friendes It is fearefull but speciallie in matters of falshoode and vntrueth to doe either the one or the other for to crosse their acquaintance is to weaken and discredite their owne cause and dealing and to oppose themselues against Christ is to pull iudgement and condemnation vppon themselues bicause he is the stone Mat. 21.44 vvhich vvhosoeuer shall fall on shall be broken and on vvhomsoeuer it shall fall it shall grinde him to povvder But both these mischiefes and inconueniences they must of necessitie fall into that will vphold and defend such falshoodes and vncertainties And if their errors had staied here and gone no further than to magnifie Christ and his merites though indeede they haue done it beyond al truth and reason it had bin lesse euill for themselues and more profitable for vs who might by that meanes haue spared a great deale both of labour and time that we must of necessitie now bestowe least their poison shoulde infect the soules of men But as one iniquitie is readie to bring foorth another so they haue proceeded to tell vs that men also by their sufferings may merit eternall life But who seeth not how infinitly absurd in reason this is to argue from Christ Mat. 3.17 2. Cor. 5.19 free from sin and the person in vvhom alone God vvas vvell pleased and reconciled the vvorld vnto himselfe and had in him full absolute iustice yea such abundance of it that hee hath communicated holinesse innocencie and righteousnesse vnto all beleeuers to men tainted with all manner of iniquitie who neither cā please god for themselues nor others who also when they haue doone all that can be doone in this life are yet notwithstanding clogged with defects and wants by meanes whereof they cannot not onely procure vnto themselues any good things but purchase eternall confusion and euerlasting death as hath bin alreadie plainlie enough and sufficiently proued And as absurd and vnreasonable certainly is that their marginall note wherein they affirme that all suffrings in this life is nothing in comparison of the heauenly glory and yet that it is meritorious and worthie of the same For doe not all men euen by the very light of reason see and know that there is and must of necessitie be a certaine analogie and proportion betweene the thing deseruing and the thing deserued or else the party deseruing cannot claime as of dutie but of beneuolence vnles they will extort and wring foorth more than they haue merited Cā nothing deserue any thing or a matter of small industry labor merit a kingdom or earthly crowne Of a trueth no much lesse then can that which they themselues call nothing and woulde to God they thought it nothing indeede then would they let the cause and question about nothing fall to the ground deserue so excellent a thing as the incorruptible crowne and the heauenly kingdome of eternall life is No that as the apostle teacheth vs is the free gift of God And if it be free Rom. 6.23 it must be in all parts and in all respects free or else not at all as on the other side merits must be altogither merits or else no merits at all bicause if there be the least part of the thing deserued exceeding our deserts then are they so dashed and defaced that they cannot in any vpright iudgement stand vp before God or man to merit any thing For euen as the Apostle reasoneth and that rightlie of workes and grace affirming that if Gods election be of grace Rom. 11.6 it is no more of vvorkes or else vvere grace no more grace or if it be of vvorkes it is no more of grace or else vvere vvorkes no more vvorkes so may we safely affirme of Gods goodnes and mans merits namely that if eternall life in the whole and euery part of it be a free gift grace and goodnesse of God bestowed vpon vs in Christ then it is not of desert or merite for then Gods grace gift and goodnes shall be no more grace gift and goodnes and if it be of merit and desert then it can not be of grace and goodnes bicause then merit and desert can be no more merit and desert Sure I am of this and I hope euery good man that is acquainted with the trueth of the worde and hath particular experience of his owne corruption will with me confesse this to be true that there is no more contrarietie in the matter and question of free iustification before God in Christ betweene the grace of God and the workes of the lawe than there is betwixt Gods free goodnes in the matter of eternall life and the supposed merits that man must bring with him to the obtaining thereof And therefore if the argument be of force in the one it must also of necessitie conclude and that rightlie in the other As for that which they obiect touching the Greek phrase it wil no whit at al vphold their weake cause and rotten building it being indeede a childish logomachie or contention about wordes and that not onely besides the Apostles purpose and meaning but also contrarie to their own note the speech it selfe being not a comparatiue speech as they fondly imagine but a plaine and flat deniall yea a deniall after a sort as a man woulde say by diuination rather than by comparison
holie conuersation and godlines to looke for the comming of the Lorde declareth that the heauens being on fire shall be dissolued and the elements shall melt vvith heat and the earth vvith the vvorkes that are therein shall be burnt vp And though this be most true that the Apostle vnderstandeth by that worde creature heauen and earth with all creatures therein contained yet wee must notwithstanding except from that generall and that for the causes and reasons following also these particulars insuing namely the holie and elect angelles the faithfull and godlie people of the worlde the diuelles and damned spirits as also the wicked and vngodlie of the earth spirits as also the wicked and vngodlie of the earth For as for the angelles they haue already the full fruition of the thing it selfe our Sauiour himselfe affirming that they alvvayes beholde the face of God in heauen Mar 18.10 And they can not be wel saide to wish for that that they haue in continuall and most assured possession If anie man will obiect against this trueth 1. Pet. 1.12 that that Saint Peter saith to wit that the very Angelles desire to beholde the publishing of the gospell in this life and the inioyeng that vvhich the gospell promiseth in the life to come I answere that that is not spoken neither must or can be vnderstoode of their owne wants as though they wished that for themselues for as was said before they haue all fulnesse but as in regard of their zeale to the glory of GOD which shall then be perfected when the wicked shall be troden downe for euer and the godly continually exalted and as in respect of vnfained loue to vs and our saluation which is so deare and pretious vnto them that as they are alwayes readie according to the appointment and good will of God what they can to aduaunce and further the same so doubtlesse they doe much reioice therein of which our Sauiour himselfe beareth witnesse in an other place saying â—uke 15 10. that there is ioy in the presence of the angelles of God for one sinner that conuerteth And as for the elect and faithfull people seeing they are of two sorts and yet al making but one bodie that is to say some whome the Lorde hath taken to himselfe and finished the dayes of their pilgrimage heere and othersome that doe and must tarrie the Lordes good leasure for the time of their dissolution and departure hence wee feare not to affirme that either of these may iustly in a true and holie meaning and vppon very good reasons and causes also be excepted from being comprised vnder this generall terme creature for as for the first sort they being in that state and condition that the Angelles are that is alwaies beholding the face of God in heauen they can not nor doe not any more wish the same than they And if at anie time they seeme as the Angelles before are saide to doe the same and for and in regarde of the same considerations and causes they finding also now that they are in heauen that to beleeue in themselues which while they were on the earth they did as in regard of the forefathers of their faith beleeue to be true bicause the holy ghost hath spoken it That they vvithout vs can not bee perfect Hebr. 11.40 And the latter must needes be excepted likewise as who are by the spirite of God in the mouth and penne of the Apostle excepted in the 22. and 23. verses following Philip. 1.23 who daily desire euen in this life to be loosed from hence and to be vvith Christ vvhich is best of all and continually sigh and grone 2. Cor. 5.2 that they may be clothed vvith their house vvhich is from heauen As for the diuels and damned spirites which are the third in number that are excepted from this we haue also good reason to except them both bicause that in their peruersenesse against God and man they do not onelie not carry that loue toward the adauncement of Gods glorie or the accomplishment of the number of Gods elect and their saluation that the Angelles and faithful people do but rather would if they could tel how to the vttermost of their power continually deface both the one and the other and also bicause that they know that when that time commeth then there shall fall vpon them in most dreadfull maner the fulnesse and perpetuitie indeede of their endles condemnation they themselues after a sort confessing the truth of this when they saide to our Sauior Christ Art thou come to torment vs before the time Mat. 8.29 Lastly that the wicked themselues should be excepted there is a double reason likewise one is bicause they are so far off from desiring that day that they do rather prophanely scoffe scorne at as al truth vniuersally so particularly that which is deliuered touching the generall iudgement and the day of the restauration of all things Of whome S. Peter speaketh notably calling them mockers 2. Pet. 3.3 4. and men that vvill vvalke after their ovvne lusts vvhich say vvhere is the promise of his comming for since the fathers died all thinges continue alike from the beginning of the creation the other bicause they labor as much as in them lieth partlie by the manifolde pleasures that they possesse in this life and partly by benummednesse of heart and growing into forgetfulnes to put far from them the euil day wishing that either it might neuer come or els that it might be de ferred as long as possibly might be That wee may say nothing of this that euen they theÌ„selues as the diuels likewise whose slaues and seruants they are do in the sight of their sin the fear of the punishment that they know they haue deserued for it treÌ„ble quake we knowing this also to be true by coÌ„mon experience that no malefactor wisheth the day of his arraignement much lesse the time of his execution for if he might be left to his libertie or put to his choise he woulde be glad rather to liue though it were in all miserie and that therfore neither the diuelles nor the wicked can or will desire that time that shall be vnto them not so dreadful as death only but so fearful terrible both for bodies soules and that for euer and euer world without end as cannot be either thought or expressed In these exceptions I haue freelie according to my poore measure deliuered my minde not meaning yet therein either to attribute perfection to my owne words or to barre or stop vp the way to other who in these deep points may certainly see say more than I do from adding hervnto Only in this behalfe as in all other let vs looke to vtter that we do vpon good grounds and warrants of the word onelie It followeth vvaiteth to wit as it were with a certaine kind of patience and quietnes for howsoeuer the burthen be greeuous vnto them
sonne or childe if hee haue none of his owne or else if he haue of his own for euen such also might addopt to adde him vnto that number and to prouide for him though perhaps not in so high a degree as for a naturall sonne yet verie plentifullie and liberallie not onely as in respect of that poore estate wherein the partie addopted was before but to preferre him before all his seruaunts how tenderlie so euer he loued them or prouided carefullie for them so that the adopted children seemed to be in a meane estate betweene the naturall sonnes and daughters and these that were in the condition of seruaunts This tearme the Apostle taketh and applieth to Christian religion and namelie to note out the free choise of god adopting and taking vs vnto him selfe then when we were in most extreame miserie a large and notable discourse whereof we may read Ezechi 16-3 4.5 c. He not onely choosing vs vnto him selfe as seruaunts but as sonnes whose sonnes though we be not by nature and substance for so Iesus Christ is the onelie sonne of God begotten of the substance of the father before all vvorldes whereas we are contrariewise by nature the children of vvrath Yet are wee so by the grace of adoption by which also wee haue such priuiledge that we are not aduaunced into the honour of sonnes onely but of heires also yea heires of God and fellovve heires annexed vvith our Sauiour Christ as this our Apostle declareth in this eight Chapter to the Romans All which should teache vs as on the one side to see our owne miserie and wretchednes that so it may be a profitable meane continually to humble vs before our God so on the other side also to looke vpon the great loue and singuler fauour of God in this free choise of vs vnto himselfe that so it maie effectuallie stirre vs vp to walke worthie of so great grace making our election sure in our selues and to others also by good workes He addeth euen the redemption of our bodies shewing as it were more plainelie what hee ment by the true adoption to witte not onelie that free grace of God in choosing vs to be his sonnes and seruaunts but euen the full manifestation and perfection of it yea euen the enioying of the fruit of it that is the sauing of our soules in the daie of Christ yea the sauing of our whole man in that same great daie But perhaps some will saie here is no mention made of the soule What then the certaintie of that was so plaine and euident that the Apostle needed not to labour in the proofe of it that that seemed more dificulte and hard to beleeue as the restauration of the bodies of the faithfull of which some had bene deuoured by wild beastes other some consumed in the fire other some swallowed vppe of the sea c which how they should be brought againe seemeth verie hard if not impossible speciallie to fleshe and bloud was most of all to be traueiled in He putting therefore one part for the whole dealeth most specially with the part that seemed to haue most difficultie in it specially for the restauration of it But some man will thinke againe that this spech is preiudiciall to the death of Christ who by that sacrifice of his body offred once for al vpō the crosse hath perfectly performed the worke of the redemption both of our soules and bodies We answere that though that be most true that is put down that yet for all that wee enioye not the full benefite thereof in this life neither in deed shall vntill that the Lord hauing deliuered vs from this base and contemptible estate wherein we are haue by the rising againe from the dead made vs perfect pertakers of his eternall glorie This perfection of our blessednes the scripture calleth in manie places by sundrie names as sometimes our quickning our inheritance our glorie Philip. 5.21 sometimes our changing as Phillippians 5.21 where the Apostle telleth vs that Christ shall change the bodies of our basenes 1. Cor. 15.53 and make them like vnto his glorious bodie and in the Corinthians also where hee nameth it changing from a fleshlie and earthlie condition to a spirituall and heauenly state that that vvas before mortall being cloathed vvith immortalitie By all which you may see that wee doe not onelie vnderstand it as some do if the sundring of the soule from the bodie onelie which wee confesse to bee in part the Apostles meaning but yet not his whole meaning but also of the glorious restitution of our bodies as which doth not onelye best agree with the groundes of christian religion but most aptlie serueth for the Apostles purpose in this place as who dealeth here not so much with the dissolution of bodies as with the restitution of them to that eternall immortalitie that shall free them from dust and powder and set them in estate of eternall incorruption In a word to conclude this holie treatie wee see what the Apostles purpose is namely to teache the people of God to long and sigh after their life that is prepared and laid vppe for them in heauen The creatures in their kinde do it therefore ought wee much more that professe faith and godlines doe it who besides their example haue many other means set before vs to effect this worke in vs as the earnest and often admonition of the worde teaching vs to vse this vvorld as though vve vsed it not the manifold afflictions that both in bodie and soule we are subiect vnto in this life the great and greeuous persecutions that we sustaine for our holie profession at the handes of the wicked the Lord at that time and not before fullie manifesting his righteous iudgement in recompensing to them that trouble vs 2. Thes 1.6.7.8 tribulation and to vs that are troubled rest vvith the faithfull vvhen the Lord Iesus shall shevv him selfe from heauen vvith his mightie Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance vnto them that do not knovv God FINIS