our infirmities with the courage of fighting and by them to keepe vs waking that we may discerne the storme when it commeth and cast our ank or on Christ where it shall neuer be vnloosed Here the craft and wilinesse of flesh and bloud will so one take occasion of licenciousnesse as to say if our infirmities serue to do vs good and turne to Gods glory because by this meanes we see our weaknesse then it is good to make much of them euen as Porphyrius commendeth the treason of Iudas against Christ because by Christ his death saluation is brought to many But miserable and blasphemous is this opinion for this were to turne the grace of God into wantonnes for though our infirmities doe further vs many waies to saluation yet in it owne nature sinne is alway sinfull God can make Satan a Physitian to cure Paul yet is he euer Satan that is an enemie God can make the tyrannie of Pharaoh as a trumpet to stir vp the Israelites to crie to him for helpe Exod. 2.23 yet doth this nothing diminish from his malice to Gods people Luk. 22.47 Iohn 17.12 God can make Iudas by a kisse the executioner of his decree yet doth he continue the child of perdition So as we must striue against our infirmities because they be in themselues simplie euill though qualified and tempered with the Lords hand they turne to our good Adulterie it was a horrible sinne in Dauid though it was made profitable for his soule in bringing him to such a low degree of humiliation as is set downe Psal 32.6 For the heauens to be brasse as not good in it owne nature but it is a vengeance of we want the first and latter raine whereby to ripen the fruits of the earth yet at the praier of Eliah 1. King 17. and Iames 5.16 it rained not on the earth for three yeeres and six monthes that the Lords mercie and power might the more be seene yea the Lord can create light out of darknesse yet darknesse is alwaie darknesse Adams fall it was good in that end God had ordained it namely Gen. 3.14 to prepare the waie to raise vs vp a Sauiour of the seed of the woman but it was a most damnable sinne as Satan and Adam meant it for they did it in rebellion against God Further we must consider how the persons be qualified to whom all things turne to the best it is to them that loue God which is the most excellent and Christian commendation that can be this our loue issuing and streaming from that fountaine of the loue of God Euen as all waters come from the sea as from the well-head and returne thither againe boiling out of the veines of the earth so God sending forth the streames of his loue into our hearts it must euen from the very bottome of our hearts returne to him againe for wee haue nothing but what wee haue receiued Now there was neuer any Senacherib nor Iesabel but said they loued God therefore this true Christian loue of God that it may bee seene not to be counterfeit is accompanied with six properties first with a care to keepe his commandements for such is the rule of Christ If yee loue mee keepe my commandements which wee must doe so much the rather because the Lord hath giuen and forgiuen vs much hauing made vs of enemies friends as Abraham was tearmed to bee the friend of God hauing brought vs home when we wandred in the wildernesse of sinne Luk. 1â— 2â— as he did the lost sonne hauing fed vs when wee wanted and had no meanes to succour vs as hee did Eliah 1. King 17.6 hauing clearelie set off the debt which we did owe and cancelled the hand-writing which was against vs. If wee should not performe obedience to such a God and weare his commandements as a frontlet before our eies our condemnation could neuer be too heauy nor our stripes too many Howbeit euerie blasphemer sieth against his owne soule that dare say euen in the height of his wickednesse he soueth God for can a woman prostitute her bodie to a varlet and mingle her flesh with his strange flesh and yet trulie say she loues her husband it is not possible no more can anie man trulie call himselfe the child of Abraham if hee doe and performe the workes of the Diuell Secondlie Iohn 8.44 this loue of God must breed in vs a base estimation and account nay rather a contempt of these earthlie things in respect of Gods loue To such a passe had Paul brought his iudgement and his affections to Philipp 3.8 when he esteemed all things but as dung in comparison of the treasure of the life to come and that he might win Christ So Moses refused the pleasures of sinne in Egypt in respect of the assurance of Gods loue manifested in his afflicted seruants Exod. 2.11 and Peter and other of the Disciples were so rauished with ioie at the call of Christ Math. 4.20 that they left their nets and forsooke the world to follow him And this is that indeede which wee shall all finde at the last to bee the truest comfort for riches are transitorie and will beguile vs honour is slipperie and will deceiue vs the world is moth-eaten and weares awaie at least wee our selues are but claie and soone perish but the loue of God in Christ endureth for euer Thirdlie this our loue of God is accompanied with a feruent zeale of his glorie and more delight wee take heerein then in the enioying the wiues of our youth This was the commendation of the Church of Thy atira Reuelat. 2.18 and by this was their loue of God discerned by their increase in the workes of charitie faith and patience and by their zeale of Gods glorie that they profited and went forward in religion more at last then at first This kinde of loue is described Cantic 8.5.6 to bee stronger then death the coales thereof to bee fierie to expresse the zeale and vehemencie of it whole flouds of affliction cannot drowne it neither can anie treasure buie it Such was the loue of Paul and of Moses that wished themselues accursed to saue their brethren Rom. 9.3 Exod. 32.32 because they thought it more glorie for God to saue many then to saue one Fourthly this our loue of God must make vs presently hate all things whereby God is openly dishonored This was it that so fiercely inflamed the wrath of Moses Exod. 32.19 that when he saw idolatrie set vp by the peoples dauncing before the calfe he broke the Tables of the Law and burned the calfe and strewed the powder of it on the waters and in detestation of their superstition made the children of Israel to drinke thereof Hereof commeth that Ezech. 9.4 that they that haue the marke in their foreheads that is such as are sealed vp to saluation doe mourne and crie for the iniquitie of the times And such was the affection of Dauid
comfort of the scriptures yet the Lord after he hath sufficiently humbled vs if we goe on with a simple heart and perseuere as these Wise-men did in their iourney in a time vnlooked for he will kindle in vs the former light and take away that foggy mist that obscured the Sunne of righteousnes and it shall clearely shine vpon vs and our ioy in the holy Ghost shall bee multiplied and the Lord will ease that heart that was before troden downe with the burden of sinne Now in that it is said they found the babe lying in a cratch we may consider how strangely and strongly the Lord did exercise the faith and perswasion of these Wise-men that after the former discouragements passed ouer they find the babe lying in this base place which had beene enough to haue made them repent their long trauell in the end to see no other sight then this but such was the quicke sight of the eye of faith and the speciall instigation of the holy Ghost as they were not dismaied with the basenesse of this King Heere they find neither guard to defend him nor resort of people to see him neither Crowne on his head nor Scepter in his hand but such a child as for outward beauty they might haue seene many a thousand equall and farre beyond him in their owne countrey without this great trauell Where learne that for the beleeuing of the promise and to be resolued of the truth the Lord doeth so incline the heart and bend the conscience that whatsoeuer doth seeme contrary doth nothing offend them for these Wise-men doe beleeue that this base child laied in this base manner is the King of heauen and earth Heereupon it is that Sara must beleeue being a dead woman that is spent by nature and ouergrowen with yeeres that so many children must come from her as there bee starres in the firmament Gen. 17.19 So Abraham Gen. 15.18 must beleeue that he and his posterity shall bee inheritours of the land of Canaan though they be not to haue actuall possession of it foure hundred yeeres after So Dauid 1. Sam. 17.15 comming from the sheepe must beleeue that he shall be a king yet he seeth Saul so furious against him 1. Sam. 19.1 as he proclaimes it saying Let me see if I haue any that will kill Dauid Heere is open conspiracy yea hee is driuen into caues and holes he is as a stone that euery man refuseth yet his faith may not faile him but he must perswade himselfe hee shall be crowned though Saul bee euen at his heeles to dispatch him and it shall be performed Ioseph hee had a dreame that the Sunne and Moone and eleuen starres Gen. 37.10 should tall downe and worship him when he was in the pit ready to be slaine in the malice of some of his brethren hee beleeued this yea being sold into Egypt and after by the false accusation of his mistres Genes 39.20 cast into prison where he could see neither Sunne nor Moone yet he fainteth not but perswadeth himselfe of the truth of his dreame and it fell out accordingly So Ezechiel being brought into the field of the Lord Ezec. 37.4 must beleeue that of a company of dead bones there shall rise vp armed men for those dead bones were the house of Israel Yea faith must be so quicke sighted as to beleeue that in prison there is liberty in persecution comfort in life death in the Crosse a Crowne and in a manger the Lord Iesus Heere also learne by the example of these Wise-men not to be offended at the basenesse of the Gospell for if they had beene offended at the basenesse of Christ in the flesh they had not had the blessing of seeing the Messias Therefore howsoeuer the diuell in Christs time broached this argument to with draw men from the Gospell Iohn 7.48 see whether any of the Scribes or of the famous learned men follow Christ onely a few rascall company flocke vnto him yet wee must not thinke that the kingdome of Christ standeth in any outward pompe or glory for so much did Simeon Luk. 2.34 insinuate to his mother Mary that she should not expect any glorious acceptation of her sonne no not in Israel confirmed by the Prophet Esay chap. 8.14.28.16 but that he should be as a white set vp in a but whereat euery man would shoot some bolt Such therefore shall bee blessed who as himselfe speaketh shall not be offended at him for we must obserue Math. 11.6 that as the proceeding of his kingdome is aboue nature so the perswading of vs to his kingdome is most contrary to nature and that either in a generall opposition of the world which is caried away with the affectation of honour and an vtter hatred of falling into the extremities of contempt pouerty and persecution or else to euery mans particular heart which is forcible to disswade him from suffering in the flesh or for casting the anker of his affections vpon the basenesse of Christ and of his Crosse True it is if an Orator should vse an argument contrary to art he could not preuaile but if hee should frame his argument of that the people were most in hatred of it were a fruitlesse labour and a vaine hope to expect his purpose so if a Physitian should apply a medicine contrary to the disease he could neuer hope to cure it but if the medicine were also contrary to the complexion of the party then were it most vnlikely to haue successe But such is the miraculous power of the Almighty that as hee can make something of nothing so he can also make of a thing contrary such as hee would haue it as hee hath vanquished the crownes of Monarks by the Crosse whose triumphant seates are most contrary to the Crosse he hath ouercome the pride of the world by pouerty and the wisdome of the flesh by the foolishnesse of the spirit yea he hath wrought submission in the hearts of these heathen men that though Christ lay in a cratch void of all dignity yet they take no offence at it which thing is onely proper for the spirit of God to performe who hath both the tongue the heart and the knee in his power In that these Wise-men offered gold and other gifts vnto the babe obserue how gratiously the Lord prouided for the pouerty of Iesus parents that euen now immediatly before the persecution came hee sends them gold from the East for their reliefe and comfort And thus doth the Lord deale with all that depend vpon him neuer suffering them to fall into extremity or to be too much distressed with pouerty as Dauid saith Psal 37.25 he neuer saw the righteous begging their bread but the Lord supported them by his power and will make the stones to yeeld bread the rockes water the heauens Manna rather than his children shall be vnprouided For if Eliah be forced to hide himselfe from the knife of Iesabel 1. King 17.4 rather then he
me to haue me vse my liberty in this place but I discerne thy subtilty and to doe this thou requirest should be no glory to my Father nor any confirmation of doctrine heereafter therefore I will not cast pearles before Sathan The words containe two parts first the suggestion or temptation secondly the beating backe of the temptation In the first consider first the occasion sathan tooke to tempt him namely his hunger secondly the matter wherewith he was tempted For the first he tempts him in a matter of food being hungry Where learne that Sathan espieth all aduantages where and when he may finde vs best and he vseth our present infirmities or conditions of life as the fittest coales to set vs on fire withall For the rich man is neuer assaulted with the temptation to steale because he hath enough nor beggers to purchase because they want nor priuate men to peruert iustice because they sit not in place but there bee some temptations on the right hand and some on the left some are tempted by sickenesse to impatience by health to forget God by youth to embrace liberty and by age to loue riches by fulnesse to lift vp their heele against God some by penury to distrust him as if hee had cast off all care of them some are moued to reuenge by being disgraced and some to worke mischiefe by being flattered therefore we must correct such imperfections whereunto by nature wee are most inclined and not to giue the least aduantage vnto Sathan lest vpon our vnwatchfulnesse we be surprized for euery one shall finde that in something hee is not left vntempted and since temptations come on both sides wee must arme our selues with weapons on each side For the second which is the matter of the temptation we obserue a double drift in Sathan first to driue Christ to doubt that he is not Gods child because of his present exigent and want secondly vpon this to driue him to vse a preposterous miracle against Gods glory and whereby hee should haue graunted the diuell that he could not haue liued without bread and by this meanes to haue lost the glory of the triumph For the first of these leauing the particular of Christ the head let vs see whether the members bee not afflicted with the same temptations Psal 73.13.14.15 The greatest man the Prophet Dauid was mightily shaken with this when he saw Gods children liue so miserablie and the wicked so prosperously The Prophet Ieremy ch 12.1 desireth to reason with the Lord about this matter and bursteth forth with wonder Why doeth the way of the wicked so prosper why are all they in wealth that rebelliously transgresse They are planted and they grow where as the godly leade a life fraught and full of sorrow And this was the argument of all Iobs friends that being so strangely afflicted he must needs be Gods enemy Iob. 8.20 Indeed if the Lords loue should be measured by outward blessings the vngodly had farre greater cause to boast for they weare pride about their neckes as a chaine and are couered with extortions as with a garment their faces shine saith Ieremy and their plants are safely rooted yea not onely their persons but their children are like flockes of sheepe in the pleasant field and like oliue branches at a furnished table they see their houses established before their faces and are comforted with the sight of their childrens children Nay all things fareth well with them their Cow calueth and casteth not their hearâ—â— come in and out with daily plenty so as with them euery thing prospereth by a proportionable kinde of happinesse And as they are happie in their liues so they haue a great priuiledge in the time of death for they die like lambes and passe away farre men comfortably to the eye then Gods children for they die not languishingly or as the prisoners of death but they goe to the graue sodainly yet their wickednesse is such and their hearts so full of poison as Iob describing their cogitations saith they regard not chap. 21.15 the Almighty but say what is the Lord that they should serue him And Dauid Psal 7.5 sheâ—â—â— that their mouthes speake blasphemy against the heauens and their tongues walke freely through the earth not fearing mâ—â— Whereas on the other side 1. Pet. 4.17 the iudgement of God beginner aâ— his owne house and they drinke the dregs of the cup of sorrow they are but wormes scarce worthy to creepe in respect of the magnificence of the wicked they eate the bread of care and quench their thirst with the water of affliction they are for their bodies poore for their credit despised and for their consciences they haue many combats the terrors of death doe oft so fight against them as they are shaken in the foundation of their faith so as they doubt besides these miseries they sustaine heere they shall be adiudged to death in the life to come yea they are hated of those by their name that neuer saw them by their face And besides this amid these waues of their miseries they are tempted yet by Sathan as that they are but grashoppers abiected of the world ouerwhelmed with sinne which woundeth their soule to death and yet they take themselues to bee heires of heauen and fellow-heires with Christ These seas of miseries should neuer ouerflow thee which sting thy conscience nor these disgraces outward should neuer ouerthrow thee which touch thy body if thou wert Gods child for then should his eye watch ouer thee to ease thee Such is the portion allotted to Gods Saints so as Dauid was caried so farre in perturbation of spirit that had hee not entred into the sanctuarie of the Lord he had vtterly condemned the generation of the godly Howbeit when we are assaulted on this sort let vs not bee dismayed but let vs know that herein is wrought our conformity with the Lord Iesus let vs learne the same defence that he vsed not to seeke to wind out our selues by our owne power or policy but to rely wholly vpon the Lord for the hath many secret waies to rescue vs if it please him to shew the power of his prouidence and by this trouble and depth of sorrowes we are plunged into we may the rather assure our selues that there shall be a generall restauration of all things because they are now so out of frame whereas if the wicked should heere bee punished and the godly prosper we might more call in doubt the comming of the Lord to glory But now seeing things in such a lamentable confusion euen this nay perswade vs with Saint Paul that there shall come a daie of vengeance for them that liue wickedly 2. Thess 1.7.8 and for them that are now distressed a day of comfort for if euery thing should be caried with an euen hand we might well doubt of an immortalitie For the second drift of Satan which was to vrge Christ vpon this his distresse to worke
the euerlasting curse of God for so are we all by nature in which nature of ours he representing vs became vile before his father in respect of vs. But now for the punishment of sinne vpon him that was not imaginarie but true and sensible both in soule and body so extreame as in anguish of spirit he was driuen to crie My God my God why hast thou forsaken me yea the death he endured was in it owne kind accursed as it is written Deut. 21.23 Cursed is euery one that hangeth on the tree yea looke what miseries what wants what dangers he did vndergoe and taste of from his birth to his ascension into heauen the same he suffered and slept in onely for vs which cleareth the iustice of God that a righteous man should smart for vs sinners because we are in him and he in vs which I vrge the more that we may see the great price the sonne of God paied for our redemption to stirre vs vp to a better and deeper consideration of it he being the only shepheard that euer gaue his life for his sheepe the only lambe which being vnspotted in himselfe did euer take vpon him the scabbes and vlcers of the whole flocke the onely man full of sorrowes and experience of infirmities whom the world iudged as plagued smitten of God and humbled yet was it onely for our iniquities that the chastisement of our peace might be vpon him Therfore as Esay 53.11 let him see the trauell of his soule that is the fruit of his labour and the efficacy of his death in the saluation of vs his people For the other profit it is also double as first we are made partakers of his graces secondly of the glorie for his graces And this standeth also with the iustice of God that he being in vs and we in him God must needs with him giue vs all things also Now the graces we taste of by this coniunction are twofold first by imputation which is his satisfaction for our sinnes we being starke bankerupts able to pay nothing and the benefit of his obedience we being rebellious bastards able to fulfill nothing secondly in our selues but drawen and deriued from Christ the fountaine as the change of our affections reforming of our iudgements renuing of our minds mortification a sanctified life and these graces did farre more abound in Christ then euer they did in Adam in his integrity for he was flesh made â—â—t after the image of God wheras this flesh Christ had the God head dwelling in him bodily as Col. 1.18 had in all things the preheminence that we might tast of the fulnes of his graces as far as is fit And for the second much is the glory for his graces namly eternall life of this hee hath also made vs partakers ye as if he had no other errand to heauen he saith Io. 14.32 I go to prepare a place for you in my fathers house Therfore let vs not say in our hearts that is let vs not doubt but assure our selues that as Christ is ascended so shall we and it is no presumption to beleeue that the Lord for his Sonnes sake will saue thee for he hath first giuen thee his word and promise He that beleeueth and repenteth shall be saued so as if thou canst apply repentance to thy selfe thou maiest challenge him on his word and secondly thou hast his oath hee sware to Abraham that his seed through his faith should be blessed and this hath Christ sworne againe A men Amen he that beleeueth is already translated from death to life shewing the certainty of it by the maner of speech as if it were already done and if thou wilt relie vpon neither of the former he hath thirdly left thee a pawne that is his spirit to guide and conduct thee in the right way that though thy selfe connot be in heauen as yet yet thy affections may be in the bosome of Christ and that thy faith in his resurrection may assure thee of thy incorruption and thy comfort in his sitting at the right hand of God may rebound backe vpon thy owne soule in being an vndoubted testimony of thy exaltation and aduancement heereafter for where Christ is there by reason of this coniunction betweene thee and him thou must needs be also Hence ariseth a most comfortable instruction for an afflicted conscience for Sathan will lay a whole scrowle of particular sins before thee charge thee that there be many omitted wherein thou hast offended that corruption is so worne into thy bones and lieth so low at the heart as it cannot be taken forth but must needs rankle to damnation and that thy sinnes are in their number so many and in their weight so heauy as there can be no case nor satisfaction for them Thou must confesse thou art indeed in thy selfe a worme vnworthy to creepe vpon the earth but in Christ as bold and strong as a lion yea if thou canst appropriate the sufferings of Christ to thy selfe in particular as the Gospâ—â— propounds them generally thou maiest answer that by the â—â—rity of his birth the obedience of his life and the bitternesse of his death he hath clensed thee from thy sinne wherein thou wert conceiued made vp the breach of thy rebellion and ransomed thee from the cruelty of that second death whereinto thou wert plunged by thine actuall pollution this thou knowest because thou art one with him and he with thee True indeed sathan will confesse that Christ took our flesh vpon him as himself said in the Gospell that he was come before his time to torment him but yet he will suggest that Christ being but one his satisfaction can be but for one and he will tell thee in this truely that the sinnes of all men are infinite and the wrath of God for them is infinite for which the satisfaction of Christ must bee as infinite which saith he cannot be To which answer that as by the first Adam all men are made sinners so by the second Adam which is Christ all that beleeue are made righteous and as Adam can damne all that shall be damned for all in him did eate of the forbidden fruit so Christ can saue all that shall be saued for all in him are brought againe into the Paradise of God Reu. 2.7 In Rom. 5.14 and 1. Cor. 15.22 Adam is said to be a figure of Christ wherein they agree in this that as Adam gaue as much as he had to his posterity so doth Christ proportionably giue that he hath to those that be his Adam gaue sinne and death Christ giueth life and grace And they disagree in three respects first we receaue sin from Adam by nature but we receaue not the graces of Christ and life eternall by nature but by imputation and by grace only and not by imitation for we cannot imitate Christ in euery thing secondly by Adam came only originall sinne not actuall but Christ hath satisfied for both
the time we may faile of his promotion there being but one particular flower of that kind in the whole garden of God besides he had no such meanes of faith offered him till he was vpon the gallowes wheras we haue had and doe still enioy great store both for our present vse and for to lay vp against a dearth heereafter againe by this our deferring and shufling off the time of saluation we sinne three waies against God against the saints of God and against our owne soules against God because we dally with him and abuse his patience putting that day far off which may come at the least to thee in an instant if the Lord withdrawe thy breath but a while from thee against the Saints of God because thou depriuest them of that company comfort and profit thou mightest haue each of other for heerein standeth the communion of Saints in a fellow-feeling one of anothers miseries comforting them in their griefes strengthening them in their infirmities supplying them in their wantes and encouraging them in the faith and power of grace which they haue receiued lastly against themselues in thus hazarding their soules for it is not enough to say Lord haue mercy on thee when thou art on thy death bed when rather sense of thy paine then feeling of thy sinne doth driue thee to that extremity but thou must seeke for mercy before thou art thrust into those straites else may thy conscience then flie in thy face and the remembrance of thy former negligence stop thy mouth as a iust reuenge for thy sinne of delay which was before committed Againe heere all lithernesse and lazinesse is remoued from them that are ready to finde excuse for not walking so cheerefully boldly and constantly in the right way as they should for assure thy selfe there is no crosse can fall vpon thee of that force as to crosse the working of Gods spirit in thee if thou thy selfe be not a meanes to quench it for if thou wilt hide thy talent it is true it can turne thee to no aduantage and if thou doest not stirre vp the graces in thee and varnish them as it were with a continuall vse of them no maruell though they decay and thou too for the kingdome of heauen is taken onely by the violent that striue and sweat and labour euen as he that is famished doth for meat so that if thou entertaine the spirit with diligence in praier in hearing in meditation and such like holy duties it will awake thee from thy sleep and remoue all impediments that may either turne backe thine eies from beholding thine anointed Christ Iesus or with draw thy heart from buying that hidden treasure that is sealed vp for thee in the booke of the promises of God Lastly obserue the maner of the Apostles speech beginning with the negatiue We must not walke after the flesh as a matter of greatest weight before hee commeth to the affirmatiue to walke after the spirit for where there is the absence of good there must needs be euil but where there is the absence of euill it followeth not that there is good therefore we must not onely not doe euill but we must doe good as Dauid saith Cease from euill and doe good so as the flesh must first be shaken off before we can shape our actions or affections after the spirit and to this purpose Esay saith cap. 1.16.17 Cease to doe euill learne to doe well and Paul Rom. 13.12 Cast away the workes of darkenesse and put on the armour of light and Ephe. 4.22.23 Cast off the old man which is corrupt and be renued in the spirit of your minde and as Tit. 2.12 we must not onely deny vngodlinesse but we must liue religiously and 1. Pet. 4.1 There must be in vs a signe not onely of Christs suffering but also of his resurrection to liue not after the lusts of men but after the will of God and as Rom. 7.4 Wee must not onely bee diuorced from our first husband the flesh but we must be married to our second husband which is the spirit so as for thesound cure of our corruption the rotten flesh must first be pared away that the right plaister may bee applied and when thou art healed thou must sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto thee but as hauing the sore running on thee the Lord dispensed with thy vntowardnesse for that time so now hauing the wound stopt and thine eies opened by a second laying of Christs hands vpon thee thou must performe such actions of life onely as are deriued from the spirit of God working in thee The vsurer therefore must not onely leaue his vsury but he must lend freely the oppressor must not onely cease from grinding the faces of the poore but hee must releeue them liberally the proud man must not onely forget to wrinkle his face by looking austerely but with meekenesse and humility he must embrace his brethren the profane man must not onely forsake his iesting and scoffing at religion but hee must set himselfe in the same ranke to be railed at for the name of Christ knowing that by this meanes as 1. Pet. 4.14 The spirit on his part is glorified And this may serue to stop their mouthes that thinke him an honest man that doth no harme whereas the not doing hurt is but as a tingling and pricking in the flesh after a great benumnednesse but it must be the action of good that must shew the life of Christ to bee in thee else maiest thou as well thinke it a causelesse curse vpon the figge-tree that hauing but leaues wherewith she did no harme was yet dried vp because she bare no fruit ROM chap. 8. vers 5.6 verse 5 For they that are after the flesh sauour the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit verse 6 For the wisedome of the flesh is death but the wisdome of the spirit is life and peace HEnce the Apostle proceedeth to proue who those bee who are ingrafted into Christ and who are not but continue in the wrath of God and this hee doth by following the opposition first made between the flesh and the spirit shewing in these verses what the seuerall natures and dispositions of them both are And secondly what are their seuerall ends they that are after the flesh thinke nothing sauoury but what comes from the flesh but their fruit and end is death that is damnation but they that are guided by the spirit taste nothing but what is spirituall and the fruit and end of them tendeth to a double comfort for their soules first bringing peace of conscience which is a continual feast in this life secondly eternal felicity in the life to come so as in summe his meaning is to shew that as many as are not in Christ shall be damned and as many as build vpon Christ shall be saued Then we must first know what is meant by flesh and what is
which we no sooner feele but being warned by this spirit we gather our feete the more close together to stand fast Since then this spirit of God hath set vp his rest in our soules let vs as liuely stones in this spirituall building cleanse polish our selues from all corruptions that it may take delight to continue with vs for if he come to suruey thy heart to see what roome thou hast for him and he finde euery chamber there full of some sinne and seeth that as fast as he emptieth it with one hand thou fillest it vp with another reâ—sting the power of him as if he came to torment thee he will take his flight from thee and thy sinnes shall breake out as the plague-sore vpon thee to thy vtter confusion but if thou submit thy selfe to his worke suffering him to mine and vndermine euery veine in thy body and to cleanse euery corner in thy soule and being emptied of thy corruption wilt labour in sanctification to keepe thy selfe cleane so beating downe thy fleshly thoughts and carnall desires as they shall not so much as sleepe with thee and if they chance to creepe into thy bed thou wilt spurne them out as a chaste louer wil a harlot then shal the spirit take vp thy body as his house and thou entertaining him he will keepe out all thine enemies that may disturbe thy peace with Christ Lastly where he saith But he that hath not the spirit of Christ is not his obserue that by an argument drawne from a naturall man he prooueth that as many as haue the spirit of Christ are sure of their saluation for as a naturall man who hath not the spirit is not Christs so long as hee remaineth a naturall man so consequentlie it followeth that they that haue the spirit are Christs and being his it were an absurd thing if they should not be saued for the conscience being pacified that God will accept vs in Christ we are not now perplexiuely to doubt of our saluation or how to auoid damnation for if we should doubt of our ROM chap. 8. vers 10. Vers 10 And if Christ be in you the bodie is dead because of sinne but the spirit is life for righteousnesse sake IN this verse the Apostle maketh the preuenâ—â—â—â— of a doubt which might haue risen out of the former doctrine for hee hauing before prooued that the spirit of God the spirit of Christ and Christ himselfe are in vs that are elect wee might make question of the trueth of this seeing we haue a large remnant of sinne and of the corruption of nature abiding in vs To this the Apostle answereth in this verse and those that follow First granting that so long as wee carrie about vs this bodie so long shall we carrie about vs sinne in our bodie part whereof is alreadie mortified in this life the rest can not be but by mortalitie But then in the second place that wee might not be too much deiected with this clogge of sinne we draw after vs he would haue vs with this occasion we haue to humble vs to ioyne withall the consideration of the spirit of Christ which is in vs to raise vs vp againe assuring vs that if our faith by her visible fruites can appeare in our liues that though we haue a portion of sinne which can not die but by death yet we haue the spirit of God the spirit of Christ and Christ himselfe-dwelling in vs the fruite whereof is euerlasting life in glorie obtained by the righteousnesse of Christ for vs applying himselfe in the latter part of the verse to comfort the weakenesse and to cheere vp the faint hearts of the faithfull labouring to relieue them with some spirituall consolation that notwithstanding they cannot shake off the sluggishnesse of the flesh but are taken as it were with a palsey halfe dead on the one side being compassed about with many infirmities in this life and hauing many grudgings and resistances of this earthly lumpe which is the bodie against the worke of our sanctification yet for all this the faithfull and elect may know and be assured that they are not trained foorth to fight and haue the foile nor that they are called to any doubtfull combate but to such a field where our hands shall be held vp if wee faint Exod. 17.12 as were the hands of Moses and where wee shall preuaile not onely against the Amalekites as did Ioshua which are enemies without vs but euen against the hidden enemies of our heart the rebellion of the flesh and the corrupâ—â—â—â— of nature which is contained in these words But the spirit is life so as the verse standeth on two parts First hee granteth part of the obiection namely that sinne cannot fully be shaken off Secondly to the full satisfaction of our consciences he answereth the other part of the obiection namely that notwithstanding this remainder of sinne in vs we need not be perplexed or doubt of our saluation Heere first wee are to consider of the three speciall kindes and phrases of speech the Apostle vseth in the former verses and in this concerning the spirit of God which is in vs the spirit of Christ which is in vs and Christ himselfe which is in vs. Whereby we are taught to beleeue that the whole Godhead and Trinitie dwelleth in euery Christian Howbeit concerning the spirit of God wee must know we cannot attaine vnto it but by the spirit of Christ for as the waters that boile in the earth cannot be conueied vnto vs but by wels and pipes by which we receiue of the fountaine it selfe so the spirit of God is the fountaine of life but a Well too deepe and the place too high for vs to reach to hee dwelling in a place vnaccessible and not to be approched vnto and for this cause the spirit of Christ is the well-spring and pipe which passeth this life to vs and by this we are made partakers of that life in glory so that in this respect the spirit of God is said to bee in vs and also the spirit of Christ which spirit could not be conueied vnto to vs but by the flesh of Christ God and man to reconcile vs to his Father and yet all this is but one God and one spirit as 1. Ioh. 5.7 which prooueth these two things first that Christ is God secondly that the holie Ghost proceedeth both from God and Christ because they both are but one and the selfe-same spirit is but one And in that Christ is also said to be in vs it is but the same in effect that the spirit of Christ is in vs yet are wee verily to beleeue that verie Christ is really in vs indeed yet inuisiblie and this must bee vnderstood supernaturally and therefore they that hold they are onely partakers of the graces and benefits of Christ but not of Christ himselfe cannot beleeue that Christ shall saue them for Christs benefits are so inseparablie vnited to his person as
bee called sanctified but saith he the spirit is in you for if they should deny that they runne into this that they must needs be reprobates and wrapped vp in condemnation Secondly obserue in the raising vp of Christ two parts first that he was raised vp secondly by what power he was raised vp namely by the spirit of his Father That Christ was raised vp the Apostle doth not demonstrate it but assumeth it for if Christ were not risen then all Pauls reasons 1. Cor. 15. to proue our resurrection may easily be eluded for that is the first argument hee there vseth to prooue a resurrection because Christ is risen and all his arguments there following are linked to that and depend on that reasoning from absurdities if Christ be not risen our preaching is in vaine and your faith is in vaine for Christ crucified and his resurrection is the summe of the Gospell and the end of our faith But the matter is by what power Christ was raised vp As he was flesh it profited nothing to raise vp it selfe for 1. Pet. 3.18 it is said he was put to death according to the flesh that is according to his humane nature and was quickned in the spirit which the Apostle there sheweth to be by that spirit wherein he preached in Noahs time And Rom. 1.3 the Apostle speaking of Christ saith he was of the seed of Dauid according to the flesh but declared to be the sonne of God by the resurrection from the dead which sheweth that it was the power of God that raised him vp He that raised vp Christ c. Heere consider three parts first what shall be raised vp our bodies secondly by what power they shall rise by the same power by which Christ was raised vp thirdly after what maner the same spirit that quickned Christ is now communicated to vs and by Christs righteousnesse we are made righteous and so are become fit temples for his spirit to inhabite in vs. The Scripture proposeth two arguments to prooue the resurrection first the conformitie of the bodie with the head that as Christ our head is risen so wee his bodie shall rise againe The secondly is the consideration of Gods omnipotency and out saith in his power that is to beleeue that he can doe all things and therefore can raise vp our putrified bodies The first reason holdeth both waies if Christ be raised vp then shall we be raised vp Christ is not risen therefore we shall not rise We are raised vp therefore Christ is raised vp we are not raised vp therefore Christ is not risen And this doth minister vnto vs great comfort and may euen astonish our hearts with ioie for it is impossible that we who are the body can be drowned as long as Christ our head is aboue the water So then since our head Christ is lifted vp aboue all gulfes hath tasted of all sorrowes and hath ouercome all dangers we need not to feare that we shall be stifled or swallowed vp of the wanes of torments and afflictions though we seeme neuer so much cast downe in the outward man for let the wild beasts of the forrest roare neuer so fiercely or let the raine fall and the waues beat and the windes blow neuer so strongly Mat. 7.27 yet shall their mouthes bee shut that they shall not hurt vs and our house is built vpon a rocke that cannot mooue for our Redeemer liueth and our head is safe and we at the last when he hath sufficiently exercised his graces in vs by the triall of our faith and the experience of our loue of him Ioh. 19.25 shall through him ouercome all troubles and sorrowes For the second reason to proue the resurrection which is the consideration of Gods omnipotency the Apostle Philipp 3.21 ioyneth the raising vp of our bodies to the consideration of that power whereby God is able to subdue all things This also is euident Ezech. 37.5 where the Lord by his power giueth life to a companie of dead bones And Christ Ioh. 5.25 saith his Gospell was able to raise vp dead soules that is such as be dead in profanenesse but by the power of his word shall be reuiued and quickned in the spirit which is the first resurrection and vers 28. The day shall come saith he when yee shall find that to bee true in the second resurrection to your damnation which yee will not now beleeue in the first resurrection â—â—â—our saluation when by the very voice of God the dead shall be raised vp Among many places to proue the resurrection of the bodie that is most excellent Mat. 22.32 vpon the demand of the Sadduces whose wife shee that had had seuen husbands should be in the resurrection I am saith he the God of Abraham c. I am not the God of the dead but of the liuing No place at the first sight may seeme to carry lesse proofe of the matter Christ then had in hand but being dulie weighed it is most substantiall to prooue it It may be said True it is thou art the God of Abraham that is of so much of Abraham as now liueth so as thou art the God of Abrahams soule but it is conuinced out of the place it selfe that thou art not the God of the dead and therefore thou art not the God of Abrahams body for his body is dead But note he doth not say hee is the God of part of Abraham but hee is the God of Abrahams person which person of his standeth vpon soule and body Secondly some say this place prooueth the immortality of the soule onely Nay it is certaine if the body be not immortall the soule cannot be immortall for if Abraham liueth in any part now hee must at the last liue in all and if immortality were onely giuen to one part then all the reasons of Paul 1. Cor. 15. to proue the resurrection of the body might be easily euaded For the Apostle there vers 18. to prooue the resurrection of the bodie saith Vnlesse Christ be risen and we rise we that are a sleepe 〈◊〉 Christ are perished But it may be obiected Nay there may bee an immortality if the blessed soules doe liue and therefore they cannot bee said to be perished And vers 19. If our hope saith Paul bee in this life onely we are of all the most miserable Nay it may be said we are happy in the life to come in the soule so vers 29. hee proueth the resurrection of the body from our baptisme Yea but it may bee said That is not so Paul for though our bodies rise not yet baptisme may profit vs in the spirit and though thy bodie Paul doe not rise yet thou hast not fought with beasts at Ephesus in vaine for thou shalt bee crowned with glorie in thy soule for that thou hast sustained these combats And thus if we stand onely vpon the immortalitie of the soule all Pauls arguments in that place may be soone reiected It is
escape And this doth set foorth the loue of God the fulnesse of it and the depth of it being not to be comprehended of all the hearts of men ioyned in one though euery one of them were wiser then Salomon but is onely to be reuerenced and adored of all Further in this deliuering vp of the Sonne of God to death we may obserue a reconciliation of two extremes infinit iustice and infinite mercy both which the Lord performed in this action Infinite iustice in that the Lord will be paid all his debt for rather then he will be vnsatisfied the bloud of Christ shall paie all for what dishonour had it beene for the King of heauen to haue suffered the Serpent to haue so insulted vpon his Maiestie and wretched man to haue so rebelliously defaced his image and so presumptuously charged him with malice and enuie yet to haue set him scotfree If the Lord had borne these indignities at our hands it had too much blemished the power of his iustice and therfore he could take no lesse satisfaction then a sacrifice of bloud and that this bloud must issue streame out of the veines of the hart of Christ hath shewed him to haue set an infinite price valuation vpon his iustice yet hath the Lord withal heerein set foorth his most perfect infinite and endlesse mercy that though he would not forgiue the debt yet he paid himselfe for God did suffer and this is such a thing as no mortall man in the same action is able to shew forth We reade of one Zaledicus king of the Locrenses that went about such a matter who making a law that who so defloured a woman should lose both his eies it fell out his owne sonne was the first that brake it whereupon the king would haue had the law executed vpon him prefering the loue of iustice before the loue of nature but what by the obtestation and intreatie of his nobles instant vpon him and what through feare of tumult and insurrection threatned if he would not dispence with the law in this yoong Prince who was of great expectation for his towardlinesse and in great fauour with the people for his vertue at last the king resolued to satisfie the law and yet to shew mercy to his sonne and therefore whereas the law was that such an offendour should lose both his eies he caused one of his sons to be put out and one of his owne shewing mercy in putting out one of his owne and iustice in putting out one of his sonnes but this was not perfect for then in mercy hee should haue put out both his owne eies or in iustice both his sonnes And no maruell for how can flesh and bloud imagine to reach the wisedome of God when our vnderstandings are but as the stubble carried to and fro with the winde and we our selues but as dust ashes that cannot reach the depth and dignitie of so glorious a Prince Now for the second point for whom this Sonne of God was giuen vp it is said for all that is for all beleeuers for so Christ expounds himself Ioh. 17.20 And therfore execrable is the opinion of Andreas a Lutheran who holds that God deliuered vp his Son for an vniuersall saluation meaning thereby to saue all if all will be saued for they that will not beleeue saith he condemne themselues But we say the purpose of God was not that Christ should die effectually for all for first he neuer died for those he neuer prayed for and Iohn 17.9 he prayed not for the world Secondly if Gods purpose had bin to haue giuen him to death for all without exception then how is it that some are already damned others haue no faith and shal be damned here after either his purpose being to saue them is frustrate and void or else God cannot do it and so something should resist the power of God which is blasphemie to thinke If God had such a purpose and after seeing the incredulitie of man he should change his minde then the execution of his will should depend vpon the incertaintie and instabilitie of the euen which doth derogate much from the al sufficiencie of God and therefore we say that hee was crucified for none but for such as haue their garments dipped in the bloud of the Lambe but for such as haue their faith burning like a lampe but for such whose workes proceed from an vndefiled heart and whose praiers through Christ his helpe ascend to the euerliuing God Further consider in these words He deliuered him vp to death that this very phrase and maner of speech is attributed to Iudas who is called Traditor a deliuerer vp or a traitor How shall we then determine of this Shall we challenge God to be euill because he deliuered him vp or excuse Iudas because he executeth that which God had purposed God forbid for neither is God to be accused that Iudas wrought with him in the same action nor Iudas to bee excused for deliuering him vp according to Gods purpose Your wicked hands saith Peter Act. 2.23 haue crucified him whom God in his determinate counsell had deliuered vp Why then shall Iudas be blamed being but the instrument Because as Iudas did it it was most wicked he doing it by the instigation of the diuell his heart being possessed with couetousnesse and blinded with infidelitie yet was it good in respect of the end whereto God had ordaine it though as it proceeded from his poisoned heart it was most execrable for alwaies the action of the instrument beareth the name or is denominated from the affection of the instrument and therefore Iudas betraying his Master for thirtie peeces of siluer it was a most damnable sinne in him and the turning of it to the saluation of the faithfull was onely the worke of God It may be said God did appoint Iudas to doe it for nothing is done but by his appointment how then can Iudas be blamed We answer this by a double comparison or similitude the soule giueth power to a lame limme or member of the bodie to mooue and to stirre yet may not the power of the soule be blamed for the lamenesse of the limme for the lamenesse thereof doth not enter into the soule neither proceedeth from the soule but from the bodie though the soule be the cause of the motion Euen so the Lord moued Iudas to the action but the imperfection and sinne in the action proceeded not from the Lord but from the diuell that had corrupted his heart And no more then the brightnesse and heate of the Sunne can be said to be the cause of the stench of the caâ—kas or the corruption thereof can reach to defile the Sunne no more can the holinesse of God excuse in any action the wickednesse of man or the wickednesse of man defile his holinesse The incestuous wickednesse of Absolon the mischieuous purpose of Achitophel 1. Sa. 16.21.22 Gen. 37.27 the hatred of Iosephs
hauing described the necessitie of these miseries that shall befall the elect the demand or question is most triumphantly answered when he saith In all these we are more them conquerors For the first which is the demaund it selfe it cannot be made plainer onely in the words To be separate from the loue of Christ we must not vnderstand it actiuely but passiuely not of the loue wherewith we loue Christ but of that loue wherewith wee are beloued of God in Christ For though our loue to Christ is so substantially rooted in our hearts as that it is Cant. 8.6 strong as death which ouercometh all things hard as the graue that swalloweth vp all things like the flame of God that whole flouds of water cannot quench yea such as we will not depart with for any money and such and so great as it is true that nothing thing can separate vs from the loue of Christ yet this is to be taken and vnderstood of the loue of Christ to vs as appeareth by the end of the 37. Luk. 22.60 2. Tim. 4.10 2. Tim. 2.13 and 39. verses So as if it were possible we should forget Christ or renounce him as Peter did or forsake him as Demas did yet he cannot forget vs for he is faithfull that hath promised For the second which is the testimonie out of Psal 44.22 that we that are Christians do as verily looke for these miseries as we do for the rising of the Sunne the Prophet setting it down as an absolute purpose of God not to bee preuented nor auorded and not onely permitting it as a thing which may and may not come In which words consider two points first what is the cause in Gods sight why the world afflicteth the Church secondly in what grieuous sort it is afflicted For the first the cause is set downe in these words for they names sake that is because thou opposest thy selfe against Anrichrist and dost not fall downe nor bow to Baal nor dost not fashion thy selfe after the world in swallowing vp their iolities and delights Wherein obserue that true Christians are not only subiect to common miseries as those that beare the face of fleshly Adam but to some peculiar calamities that neuer disquiet the wicked and this onely as they beare the image of that heauenly Adam Christ Iesus from which the world is exempted euen as the chaffe and the wheate they both feele the flaile but the chaffe is free from the milstone from the fanne and from the ouen for of these onely doth the wheate taste and happy is he that is ground fit for the Lords table for though the chaffe feele not the bitternesse of the mill nor the heare of the ouen yet marke what becommeth of it Hark 9.50 it is like vnsauorie salt good for nothing but to be cast foorth and is either troden vnder feete or caried away with the winde and so vanisheth in the aire Such is the case and estate of the wicked for when they are separated as tares from the corne either the Lord treads vpon them in his wrath or burneth them in his displeasure or bloweth them from his presence like the stubble Secondly obserue where it is said We are killed for thy names sake that though God doth neuer chastise any man vniustly because hee may haue occasion enough to afflict him for his owne corruption whereby he may be humbled yet heerein appeareth his infinite wisedome that hee maketh the cause of our sufferings to be more honorable bearing this title and superscription for the name of God the puritie of religion and because we will not communicate with the world in their superstitious deuotions So as the Lord changeth the nature of the chastisement and imputeth it as borne for none of our wickednesse but for the glorious profession of the Gospell the wicked not punishing in vs our sinnes but Gods graces for if we would partake with them in their lusts we might goe free For if Balaam would curse the people hee might soone rise to promotion Numb 22.37 and if Michaiah would please the king in his Prophesie hee need not befed with the bread of affliction 1. King 22.27 and if the three children would worship Nabuchadnezzars Image they might easily escape the fornace Dan. 3.12 but we must keepe our standing and not shrinke a foorâ— from the foolishnesse of the Gospell what stormes soeuer may arise for it is no more then as if Christ should borrow our lines for a time to do him credit withall which shall bee mightily rewarded Thirdly in that it is said killed for thy names sake there ariseth this consolation that forasmuch as our suffrings are ioyned with Gods glorie and are brought vpon vs for Gods glorie we may be sure they shall haue a good issue and shall end well for as he tendreth his owne glorie so will hee also tender vs. We thinke it strange that the wicked haue such a swinge in their delights and that wee hang downe our heads Yea Danid complaineth that seeing the prosperitie of the wicked he had almost in his haste accused God of partialitie but Paul 2. Thes Psal 73.13 1.5.6 prooueth that it is impossible since we that are thus tossed and vexed as it were in the whirlepoole of sorrowes are better then the world and in higher account with God but that there shall come a day when rest shall be giuen to our soules and vengeance powred into the bosomes of persecutors For there cannot be a truth more certainly to be beleeued then this that since we doe suffer at their hands who are woorse then our selues it is a sure token that there shall come a reuelation of Gods iudgement wherein the iron rod of the Lords wrath shall bruise them soule and bodie when wee shall be caried vp with S. Paul into the third heauen and with Lazarus into Abrahams bosome 2. Cor. 12.4 Luk. 16.23 and when the vengeance of the Lord shall pursue our enemies driuing them from his presence and from the glorie of his power 2. Thes 1.9 Fourthly in that it is said for thy names sake obserue that it is not the suffering of euery phanaticall or phantasticall spirit that shall be taken for the Lords truth for there may be such forcible illusions as men may giue their bodies to the fire or neckes to the halter for the supposed truth of Poperie then their suffering is as a seale set to a wrong instrument but it must bee in a true zeale of a true cause for the death doth not iustifie the cause to be good but the cause iustifieth the death to be holie and religious For Paul 1. Tim. 1.13 was a zealous persecutor when he was a blasphemer and yet though the did God good seruice but when God receiued him to mercie then hee forsooke and disclaimed the righteousnesse of workes So that if our sufferings be for God we must lay our foundation onely in Christ crucified harbouring and maintaining a pure
prescribed and with that alacrity and resolution that we ought euen as Abraham did heere to the sacrificing of his sonne Secondly in this example obserue that if Abraham could for beare to command his naturall loue of a father to a child at the Lords commandement how much more shall wee bee vnexcusable that cannot command our selues from vncleannesse of the flesh and such like sinnes but will keepe our sinnes as tenderly and as long as wee keepe our liues and yet will bee counted the children of Abraham But wee must answer our selues as Christ did the Pharisees Ioh. 8.44 and as Saint Iohn did answer those to whom he wrot 1. Iohn 3.7 that we doe but flatter our selues with the name when wee are in truth the children of the diuell for hee that doth righteousnesse is righteous and if Abraham resigned vp the lawfulnesse of the tender affection of a father at the Lords commandement much more must wee resigne vp our affections and discourses in vnlawfull matters Further obserue that it is not enough for vs to deny our vnlawfull pleasures and appetites but wee must euen forbeare things lawfull if the Lord command it If hee call vs foorth to triall for the Gospels sake Mat. 4.20 we must with Peter and Andrew leaue our nets that is our calling and forsake our wiues that is our comforts Mark 9.47 and our selues euen to pull out our right eyes if they be any impediments to vs in the progression of faith and a good conscience and if there be any repugnancy that we cannot enioy our wiues and glorifie God we must not regard them in respect of God for if we doe the Lords mouth hath spoken it we shall neuer be saued Let vs therefore take heed how wee build for if our foundation be of stubble the day of affliction will soone consume it and wee shall be as blowne bladders emptied with the least pricke of any triall and as brasse that yeeldeth an hideous sound vnder the hammer but if we ground vpon that golden foundation of faith then in our afflictions shall we be as gold which is more agreeable in the sound and more pliable in the stroke and we lying betweene the anuill of death and the hammer of the Lords hand shall shew our selues in patience to possesse our soules euen like Abraham who without grudging did execute the Lords ambassage though most repugnant to nature and to the promise made Againe obserue as this matter of triall in Abraham turned in the end to a comfortable issue euen so shall it fare with vs in our afflictions and temptations and if we wil sacrifice vp our honor our affections our Isaac that is our laughter the ramme only shall die for it that is our cares our troubles our afflictions and our vexations shall be wiped away This is agreeable to that Mat. 10. Yee shall for my names sake forsake what you honour most and loue best and then followeth If any man doe this I will giue him in this life an hundred fold more that is more ioy more resolution and peace of conscience and more comfort in this base and low estate then he should haue had in an hundred fathers or an hundred wiues not regarding the quantitie but the blessing of God in the comfortable enioying of them This offereth singular consolation to those that suffer for the crosse of Christ that the thrones of this life shall onely be sacrificed and our soules and consciences shall rest secure filled with greater ioy in the end and issue of our troubles then euer wee were before And as the world saith that he is rich that is contented euen so we say that he is safe that resteth in the Lords hands And if we stretch foorth all our powers to embrace Christ then is he gone as a harbinger to prouide a place for vs in heauen Ioh. 14.3 and he that saueth our soules wee may well trust him with our bodies Further obserue that he offered vp his sonne and yet he did it not wherein we learne that the purpose of a mans heart being fully resolued to do a thing it is in the Lords eies as if he did it though he doe it not for therefore is Isaac said to be offred vp because he was so in the purpose of Abrahams heart which the Lord accepted as an execution of the thing it selfe And this holdeth both in vertues and in vices for if a man be called before the iudgement seate as an heretike in any time whatsoeuer and being called thus to triall offereth to seale his opinion with his blood and matters going further doth not relent what is this man in the light of God if his religion bee true but a Martyr though his life be after pardoned Not that euery resolution is taken of God as if it were performed for Peter was caried with a vehement precipitation and presumptuous conceit of his owne strength when he said Master though all men forsake thee yet will not I Iohn 13.37 but I will lay downe my life for thy sake and yet afterward vpon a small occasion he denied him But if a man stand in the day of his examination and triall and shrinke not but is ready to sacrifice his life for the defence of God his truth as Abraham was ready to haue sacrificed his sonne then because in the triall he did not relent but euen in this time did purpose it it shall be taken of God euen as this worke of Abraham done though not done and his life lost though he escaped with his life In like manner falleth it out in sinnes for if thy heart be full of a dultery and yet because shee that should bee thy harlot dallied too long with thee or else occasion did not fit thee wherby thou art kept from the act it selfe yet art thou a whoremonger in the sight of God Mat. 5.28 The like may be said of other sinnes for though Saul threw not a stone at Stephen but onely kept the clothes of them that did it yet is he Act. 8.1 inrolled in the booke of God as one that consented to his death Vers 22. Seest thou not that the faith wrought with his works and through the works was the faith made perfect 23. And the Seripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham beleened God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse and hee was called the friend of God 24. Ye see then how that of workes a man is iustified and not of faith onely This is the third part namely the amplifying of this example in the 22. and 23. verses together with the conclusion in the 24. verse Heereupon the Papists take occasion to say that not faith alone but faith together with workes worketh our iustification Whereunto we answer that there be some things wherein faith worketh alone and some things wherein it worketh together with workes Faith worketh alone with God it hath wings and flies to heauen it dealeth onely betweene God and Christ
and prostrateth it selfe before God in Christ vpon confession that the soule is Satans due and deserueth to bee bound hand and foote and to bee cast into prison as vnable to pay the debt it intreateth that this obligation may bee taken from Satan it wrastleth with death and damnation and terror of conscience Coloss 2.14 and craueth a pardon bringing nothing but the very heart blood of Christ And euen as the very looking vpon the Serpent healed them in the wildernesse Num. 21.9 and nothing else could appease the tempest Ionâ—h 1.15 but the very casting of Ionah into the sea and the sinnes of the people Leuit. 16.22 were laid onely vpon the Goate so faith in this petition of forgiuenesse brings nothing but commeth emptie and laieth all vpon the shoulders of Christ But now betweene men and men on earth faith worketh by loue so as if we bring nothing to men but faith it is certaine wee neuer brought faith from God for since thy heart is not discernable and the spirit and piety of the heart is vnsearchable in respect of men and good to God wee cannot doe our faith vpon earth must be as busie before men in workes as it is before God in the blood of Christ And as Martha and Mary Luk. 10.39 dwelled in one house one onely to heare Christ the other working and labouring to entertaine Christ euen so our faith with Mary must onely kneele at Gods feet to heare that comfortable voice of the pardon and absolution of our sinnes in the blood of Christ but our faith on earth must labour with Martha by loue and good works to entertaine and helpe our brethren Besides wee must consider that things may worke together but not together in the same worke Euen as Christ in the worke of mediation must haue two natures a diuine humanity and an humane diuinity and we say not that Christ as God onely nor as man onely is Mediator but by these two concurring together and as wee saie that Christ is not Mediator without flesh and as truely we saie that hee raised not vp his flesh by his humanitie but suffered in the flesh and was raised vp by the power of his diuinitie onely and that his diuinitie died not but his flesh onely and in this they worked seuerally in the flesh to be ouercome of death and in the spirit onely to ouercome death yet these two in the worke of our saluation doe worke together Euen so faith worketh with loue in bringing foorth sanctification and a holy life but in the verie apprehending of Christ his bloud this power to iustifie is of faith onely Like as the roote of it selfe giues life but the roote with the branches bring foorth fruite And as the fire maketh warme by heate and light and yet the heate of the fire warmeth alone but light is inseparable from it so no faith can worke well without workes but yet there are none iustified by the power of workes but by faith onely Now where it it said Faith wrought with his workes and through the workes the faith made perfect obserue that this is meant onely of a declaration to men for we are perfectly iustified in the sight of God by the bloud of Christ And though the hand be leprous yet it can receiue sound meate so though our faith be imperfect yet our iustification is perfect For there is but one pardon in heauen through that one death and passion of Christ and before a man be perfectly iustified he cannot do a good worke for we must first be in Christ before wee haue faith and must haue faith before wee can worke for these are fruits of faith And as a Toade is not therefore a Toade because it poisons but therefore poisons because it is a Toade nor a Serpent is not therefore a Serpent because it stings but stings because it is a Serpent so we are not ingrafted into Christ because we are good but being ingrafted into Christ wee are made good Lastly obserue in the wordes that wee are not iustified because wee worke but because wee shall be saued therefore wee worke Zaccheus Luke 19.8 had not saluation because hee restored foure-fold and gaue halfe his goods to the poore but because the Lord was come into his house and had taken possession of his heart therefore hee wrought these works of faith Neither was the poore man in the Gospell healed because he should sinne no more Iohn 5.14 but Christ faith Thou art healed therefore in signe of thankfulnesse for thy health looke to thy life that thou sinne no more for heauen shall not be giuen to workes but to workers and promise of eternall life is made to the workes of the iust as they are iustified Gal. 3.11.12 and they are iustified onely in Christ for in euery worke there is imperfection not but that the spirit could worke perfectly but that euery thing is receiued according to the measure of that that doth receiue it and wee in this life are able onely to receiue the first fruites and not the fulnesse of the spirit for the spirit is like the Sea that is able to fill any vessell but no vessell is able to containe it Now in the 23. verse two parts are to be considered first the purpose of the Apostle in alledging this Scripture secondly the sense of the matter deliuered For the first if Saint Iames cited this place to proue that Abraham was imputed righteous in the sight of God by this work of sacrificing his sonne hee must needes haue wrested this Scripture which were blasphemy to say being written by the singer of God for Abraham had this imputation of righteousnesse through his beleefe giuen him and pronounced by God himselfe Genes 15.6 before either Ismael or Isaak were borne so as then the meaning of the Apostle in alledging this scripture is onely to shew that that testimony which God gaue Abraham of the excellency of his faith was declared and approued to bee true by the performance and execution of this speciall worke Now for the second point concerning the sense of the place cited namely that Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse here we see that it is agreeable to the scripture that the obedience of the sonne which stood in two parts first in fulfilling the law secondly in satisfying for our sins is onely inherent in the sonne and was in him euen from the moment of his conception to the moment of his ascension and that wee haue onely his obedience allowed vnto vs and through the imputation thereof we are made iust not that it abideth in our selues for we are no better then Abraham but we haue it by imputation as Abraham had And this is a doctrine of great comfort and necessitie to be beleeued that wee haue it by imputation and not of our selues for now wee are sure it shall neuer faile vs nor wee shall neuer lose it as Adam at first lost
his innocencie wherein he was created and therefore now since the Lord recouered vs being lost he hath more care of vs then to trust vs with the cariage of our owne righteousnesse and therfore hath committed it to him whose loue faileth vs not and of whose abundance euery of vs are filled Now this the Iesuites doe greatly scorne and call it a new no righteousnesse if we be not iust in our owne persons and they say that God cannot be iust if he make a man iust through the righteousnesse of another and not in himselfe Take heed say they of the glosse of the Caluinists who hold that our righteousnesse is a thing onely inherent in Christ which is a fantastical imputatiue new no righteousnesse whereby we conceiue that to be in vs which cannot bee found in vs and they say the Iesuites count it more to Gods honor to take him to be iust that is not so then for God to make him iust through his grace that was wicked Further the Iesuites say that God at first iustifieth meerely by grace but after so qualifieth a man as after his conuersion he hath righteousnesse inherent in him and so not imputed and this is mans righteousnesse because it is in man but Gods righteousnesse because it commeth from God To this we answer and agree that God iustifieth the wicked but it is blasphemie to say that hee iustifieth the wicked continuing wicked and we hold that wee are made iust through the obedienceof Christ communicated to vs and as Christ for vs was made sinne who of himselfe had no sin so we in Christ are made righteous being of our selues vniust And wheras they say that God after a mans conuersion doth qualifie him with some habituall matter whereby he is in himselfe iust before God we say that he iustifieth no man but after his calling when he giueth him the spirit of regeneration whereby he is chaunged in his affections and reformed in his life which is as water where bloud hath gone before by bloud to cleare him from the guiltinesse and by water to cleanse him from the filthinesse of his sinne so as we say he is not wicked after his calling 1. Ioh. 5.6 but God then maketh him partaker of the first fruites of the spirit witnesse his conuersation and by this effect he is declared to be iustified in the bloud of Christ Yea but say the Iesuites your opinion cannot be sound since righteousnesse giueth a denomination that such a man is righteous before God and it is such a qualitie as a man cannot be said to be iust in the iustice of another no more then to liue by another mans health Now this is true of formall qualities but not of iudiciall imputation for as a payment made by another dischargeth the obligation and maketh the principall partie no debter so the iustice of God being satisfied in the death of Christ wee are freed from that penaltie we had incurred and acquitted of that debt we did owe which we should haue paied had not Christ done it Hereupon the righteousnesse of Christ is called a garment which we haue not by birth but as a thing that commeth from without so as the righteousnesse of Christ confisting in the couering of our nakednesse as a garment prooueth that that whereby we are imputed righteous is not a thing abiding in vs but a thing laied vpon vs in the loue of Christ Yea but say the Iesuites what iustice is this in God to accompt a man righteous in anothers righteousnesse or to account him a sinner that had no sinne True it is it is another mans righteousnes if we speake of the inherencie but yet our righteousnesse and not his onely as he is our person our Christ and our Sauiour Ioh. 17.23 and it is ours since wee haue him whose it is and this maintaineth Gods iustice to punish Christ in our person and to iustifie vs in his in respect that he is in vs and we in him and so doth he neither punish the innocent nor iustifie the wicked And for this cause it is said that we are flesh of his flesh Ephes 5.30 and bone of his bone which must not be vnderstood of any incarnation grosse naturall coalition and mixture of his flesh and ours for then the reprobate should haue this righteousnesse aswell as the elect But as it is said in mariage man and wife are but one flesh not meaning thereby any coniunction of natures but still they remaine seuerall but onely because by couenant and promise they are to separate their bodies one for another so is it to be vnderstood not that we with Christ are conioyned in substance but yet more nearely conioyned then any naturall or artificiall vnion and more truely but yet spiritually then the husband is to the wife the members to the body the branch to the tree or the meat to the body that it nourisheth which must alwaies bee taken mystically And in this respect when wee know that Christ is truely ours that God giueth life and this life is in the Sonne and this Sonne is in vs it followeth that wee are not saued by his righteousnesse but by our owne his person being made one person with vs not really in substance but spiritually and yet not subiect to fantasie onely for wee are indeed in Christ and not partakers of his spirit onely but of his flesh also according to that of Christ Iohn 6.50 Vnlesse ye eat my flesh and drinke my bloud yee haue no life in you not that wee eat the verie flesh of Christ with our mouth but leauing the grossenesse of substance we do truly feed on him by faith spiritually and we are made not onely partakers of his benefites but of Christ himselfe as it is said He that hath the Sonne hath life not the benefits of his life but life it selfe so as we are ingrafted not into Christ his death but into Christ himselfe and Christ dwelleth in vs as himselfe speaketh Iohn 6.56 And wee are made not one soule with Christ in desire nor called spirituall because we are ioyned to him in spirit for wee are ioyned to him in bodie allso yet is it called spirituall because it is wrought by the power of the holy Ghost by faith in this life and in the life to come by the very aspect and beholding of God and the irradiation of the blessed Trinity And although we are not able to conceiue and vnderstand this it is no maruell for it is a great mystery a mystery of all mysteries surpassing the excellency of an Angels conceipt only adore it and beleeue it and labour not to compasse it by the weaknesse of thine vnderstanding which shall neuer be truly vnderstood till we see God face to face Heere may be demanded how Abraham could bee one flesh with Christ seeing that he died long before Christ was borne Notwithstanding this be so yet Abraham and all the rest of the Fathers through their
hearing so if the raine fall on the rocke it moistneth it nothing at all neither softneth it and this is onely through the hardnesse of the rocke euen so fareth it betwixt the law and vs for that the law is depriued of the power to saue is not for any defect in it selfe for it is holy perfect righteous iust heauenly spirituall eternall but the fault is in our flesh for we are all weake blind deafe stony-harted not able to receaue any impression of obedience at all Againe the scripture speaketh of the law two maner of waies First either as giuen by the hand of God wrot with his finger in tables of stone which is the ten commandements Secondly or else it speaketh of that is proper to the law that is of the effects of the law The first which is the ten commandements it is double For it commandeth the good and forbiddeth the euill for the second the effects are also double for it rewadeth for the good and condemneth for the euill So as the law hath these foure things it commandeth and forbiddeth it rewardeth and condemneth he then that is not able to fulfill the law is a dead man I speake in respect of the law onlie and not of Christ for Christ himselfe said speaking to one that sought life by his workes If thou wilt haue life euerlasting keepe the commandements which is not possible for man to doe no more is it possible for the law to saue yea it is not onely vnable to doe this but by reason of the law we are made more sinfull for as Rom. 3.20 By the law commeth the knowledge of sinne and chap. 4.15 The law causeth wrath and 1. Cor. 15.56 The strength of sinne is the law So as first it conuinceth vs of the good we do our hearts being of themselues rotten and the root being vnsound so must the tree be the body being corrupt so must the members be and the fountaine being vnclean so must the streames be Secondly it conuinceth vs for not doing good in one thing is straiter then all the lawes of nations condemning our straying thoughts and chargeth vs not simply of sin and transgression but of voluntary treason and rebellion against our God And thirdly it dischargeth vpon vs not onely all the curses of this life from our conception to our death but also of damnation in the life to come so as in respect of the law onely we haue already the sentence of death pronounced against vs and doe eate talke buy sell and such like but as prisoners repriued and staied a while from execution And this is the quality and condition of the tenne commandements inse perse in it selfe and by it selfe separate from all other things for I speake not of the whole doctrine of the law as it was taught by Moses for that as Dauid saith Psal 119. is perfect and conuerteth the soule and giueth wisdome to the simple and teacheth vs faith to lay hold on Christ when wee are ready to sinke in our selues and draweth vs to repentance by commanding the good and forbidding the euill by rewarding the good and threatning the euill But the law as it is a bare letter bidding vs doe such a thing and giuing vs no strength to performe it losing it strength by the strength of our corruption sheweth in what a desperate case they stand that depend vpon the Law for their saluation for weighing our selues in this ballance we shall be lighter then the shickles of the sanctuary if we looke in this glasse we shal be wretched and deformed and trying our selues by this touch stone we shall be no gold but drosse To make this plainer and that our blood may bee vpon our owne ands and the law remaine vnblameable we must 〈◊〉 stand there are two sorts of lawes The one is the substantiall and naturall law the other is an accidentall or occasionall law mentioned by this Apostle Rom. 7.8.9 where we must obserue that sinne receaued no occasion from the law for then occasion had beene giuen but tooke an occasion not of the law but by the law that is because the law forbiddeth therefore we will doe it Now betweene a cause and occasion there is great difference The substantiall law of God which is the morall law of the tenne commandements hath two parts it forbiddeth impiety and vncleanenesse and commandeth sanctification and holinesse but the law occasionall proceedeth out of the first which is substantial for if the law had not said Thou shalt not lust thou wouldst not do it but being by the law restrained thou art in thine owne corruption prouoked vnto that sinne so that heere are two flat contrarieties met together the law and our nature the one commanding the other rebelling the one forbidding the otherser that cause embracing so as but for the law our sinne would not so much appeare for example wee are able to eate more in winter then in sommer by reason in winter there meeteth two contraries the outward cold and inward beat which being driuen into the body encreaseth the appetite which is not so in sommer for then rather heat meeteth with heat which abateth the stomacke euen so the Lord hath set his law as a bull-worke to keepe in sin that it breake not forth of the breast Now when sinne findeth such resistance as it cannot rush through this law then it reboundeth backe againe into our bosome and there kindleth a greater fire of concupiscence then it did before yet is the law holy pure righteous heauenly and spirituall the rule of obedience and of a sanctified life but out nature is impure vnrighteous corrupt and from the earth earthlie the law proceeding from God and our nature from the diuell who powreth this poison into our hearts for euen the law of nature which was the booke for all men and whereby the eternall power of the God-head was discerned that hee might be glorified we see how Rom. 1.20 he was thereby dishonored they turning the glory of the incorruptible God to the similitude of a corruptible mam which proceeded onely from their vaine thoughts and foolish hearts full of darknesse but their end was reprobation so for the law written where it pareth off the dead flesh that we may see how sorely we are smitten by sinne that by this meanes we might run to Christ who is a ready Physitian skilfull and pitifull in healing all wounds we still keepe at home and run backe into our selues as if thereby we could be cured where in truth our disease by this negligence is the more increased nothing being able to heale but the bloud of the son of God so for the Gospell whose end is to make peace between God and man and betweene man and man shewing there is but one God one spirit one faith therby we but one mans childrē euen Gods which should be the power of saluation to vs and the bond of loue among vs through the malice of sathan and
the profanenesse of our mindes we make a sauour of death and as it were a trumpet of debate and sedition to consume each other yea Ioh. 6.66 we see how diuers of Christs disciples went backe from him when hee preached a long sermon touching the sacrament of the supper which is a badge of our friendship with God with our brethren which proceeded not from the sacrament but from their rebellion that their sinne might bee made more sinfull yea such contagion is there in our nature as wee make Christ himselfe the authour and finisher of our hope to bee our condemnation a stone to stumble at and a rocke of offence 1. Pe. 2.8 the cause not being in him who is the light of the world but in our selues making him an occasion of our darkenesse Iohn 3.19 which by this light shall be made in the end farre more sinfull and damnable Since then the power of our corruption is so forcible as it is able to peruert all the meanes ordained for our saluation as to make the commandement of God in his law the promises of God in the Gospell the seales of God in his sacraments and the loue of God in his sonne to be vaine and of no value this must teach vs to humble our selues in the lowest degree in a hatred and detestation of our flesh and sinfull faculties of our soule which are as the poisoned soile that either casts vs or corrupts all the seeds of fruitfulnesse or wholsomenes that we throwen into it whereas our sin being disclosed both by the law and Gospell it is the more to bee hated and abhorred because it turneth the edge and benefit of both these to our destruction For what could the Lord doe more to preserue our first parents in their innocency than to set as it were a double fence about his commandement forbidding not onely the eating of the fruit but the touching of it binding the hands that they should not conuey it to the mouth and yet more hath he done for vs taking vs out of the fire by casting as it were his Sonne in the fire though as if we had neuer beene scorched or else being past sense we carrie still the coles in our bosome and will not haue them quenched with the water of the spirit to newnesse of life But let vs not be so wilfull peruerse so strong headed and stifnecked as not to bee turned into the way by the rod of the law but hauing spent the portion of the flesh and wasted the lusts thereof let vs grow in loue with our fathers house for what fruit can we haue in those things whereof we shall be ashamed or which at length shall bring shame on vs Let vs therfore shake off the sinnes we haue delighted in and then haue we suffered in the flesh and then hath Christ suffered in the flesh for vs which if he haue then is our flesh destroied in vs which if it be then shall we cease from sinne which if we doe then shall we liue after the will of God though not in perfection yet reformable to the perfection of his will and then to vs that are sanctified shall not the law be grieuous nor burdensome as Saint Iohn saith 1. Iohn 5.3 but it shall reioice the heart giuing light to the eies and sweetnesse to the taste as Dauid saith Psal 119.7.8.9.10 God sending his Sonne c. This is the second generall pâ—n spoken of at first namely that what was impossible to the law is made possible in Christ wherein obserue foure things First the person which sendeth Secondly the person which is sent Thirdly the maner how he is sent Fourthly the end of his sending For the first which is God consider the cause mooued him to this mercy not any thing in vs but his owne loue and compassion towards vs as it is expressed Ioh. 3.16 God so loued the world that he sent his sonne and Ezek. 16.3.4 It is said concerning the Church of God that at the beginning she was born and begotten of the heathen her father an Amorite her mother an Hittite at the day of her birth shee had no mid-wife neither was shee washed but remained filthy shee had not so much as a swadling clout to couer her neither did any that passed by pitie her but shee was cast out in the open field lay polluted in her blood ready euery houre to perish In which words the meaning of the holy Ghost is to set forth our vnworthinesse our shame and our nakednesse If now an honorable person shall passe by and open his compassion on her and bring her home and spread his owne skirts ouer her feed her at his owne table make her beautifull and aduance her to great honour whereby she that was despised comes to be beloued of all nations and yet she should againe fall to her pollution and become a common strumpet if notwithstanding this vnthankefulnesse and apostasie he should draw her home againe and renue his former fauours towards her no reason could be giuen of this but the free mercy of him that did it euen so hath God like an honorable person full of all power and riches strength and maiesty mercy compassion seene vs polluted in our bloud before our birth borne of corrupt parents brought forth into a more corrupted place which is this world yet hath he said we shall liue he hath caused vs to bud as the flower of the field yea our time hath beene as the time of loue hee hath spread the skirts of his protection ouer vs entred a couenant with vs and we are become his now for vs to enquire the cause of this we can finde none but his willing loue to haue it so but let vs striue by the fruits of our liues to honor him and with the calues of our lippes to praise him that hath thus aduanced his mercy on vs and let vs not doe the worke of a presumptuous whore either in giuing rewards to the flesh or taking rewards of the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof lest the Lord diminish our ordinary as Ezek 16.27 and feed vs with the blood of wrath and lealousie Againe heere note that the Lord neuer worketh but when it is impossible and the cure desperate in the eies of men for when the Law could not saue vs then rather than hee would want a people and lose the glory of his mercy hee sent his sonne to saue vs. The woman Mar. 5.25 that had her issue of blood twelue yeeres and had spent all her substance among Physitians and auailed not when man could not heale her then Christ did it when he that had beene diseased 38. yeeres and had line long at the poole of Bethesda Ioh. 5.6 and could get none to helpe him in when the water was troubled then did Christ bid him take vp his bed and walke when Ioh. 11.39.42 Lazarus had been in the graue foure daies that it was impossible for man to restore