another feruently being borne againe c. maketh a difference betweene these three Regeneration Sanctification and the fruits thereof in louing one another This is yet more euident in that Regeneration is that which b Iohn 1. 12 13 maketh vs the sonnes of God but c Ro. 8 9 10 11 Sanctification is the worke of Gods Spirit when 〈◊〉 once his sonnes although these things in time cannot bee seuered but in order and nature onely I make therefore Regeneration to be the whole work of our being in Christ and the meanes of those two notable Graces that wee haue from him Iustification and Sanctification as Generation is the meanes of that corruption that from our fleshly Parents commeth downe vpon vs so our Sauiour taketh it in the d Iohn 3. 3. place before named propounding this as the summe of Christianitie Vnlesse a man bee borne againe hee cannot see the Kingdom of God And this Regeneration is indeed a great and a wonderfull worke of God a Miracle of all Miracles and the onely Miracle which now adayes hee worketh ordinarily in his Church raising men from death to life a more excellent life then we lost in Adam whereupon it is called A quickening Ephes 2. 5. To proceed then to the opening of the former definition First The worke of Regeneration is altogether heauenly o. ◠spirituall and spirituall as in Generation all things are fleshly and carnall whereupon it is called The Seed of God 1. Iohn 3. 9. This deceiued that great Doctor Nicodemus that when our Sauiour taught him Vnlesse a man be borne againe he cannot see the Kingdome of God he answered How e Iohn 3. 4. can this bee Can a man that is old enter into his Mothers wombe and bee borne againe Not vnderstanding that all things heere are spirituall The begetter not a man as our Parents according to the flesh are but the Spirit of God himselfe That f Iohn 3. 6. which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit g Iohn 1. 13. which are not borne of bloud nor of the will of man but of GOD. h 1. Cor. 12. 13. By one Spirit wee are of the will of the flesh all baptized into one Bodie c. The seed wherewith wee are begotten is the i 1. Iohn 3. 9. seed of God not corruptible but immortall the worke it selfe spirituall For that which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit Iohn 3. 6. And thus doth the Apostle 1. Cor. 15. 45. compare our heauenly and spirituall condition that wee haue by Christ opposing it to that wee had in Adam who though he were made perfectly holy yet was made onely naturall The first man ADAM was made a liuing soule or a naturall person the last ADAM was made a quickening Spirit Againe k Verse 49. Such as the earthly one is such also are those that are earthly and such as the heauenly one is such also are those that are heauenly And as we beare the Image of the earthly one so shall wee beare the Image of the heauenly one Secondly I note the dignitie of those that GOD incorporating into Christ vouchsafeth the honour of a new Birth vnto that it is a translating of them from the rotten stocke of their Parents according to the flesh and an in graffing of them into the noble Stocke of his Sonne Christ Iesus that as we are of one fleshly mould and substance with our Parents so are we spiritually of one nature and substance with Christ and are truely and indeed but in a heauenly and spirituall manner bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh as the Apostle saith By l 1. Cor. 12. 13. one Spirit wee all are baptized into one Bodie and are made to drinke into one Spirit that is are incorporate into Christ and made partakers of his whole person both of his bodie and soule And hereupon wee are said to bee m 2. Cor. 5. 17. in Christ to n Gal. 3. 27. put on Christ that o Ephes 3. 17. Christ dwelleth in vs and that wee are his p Heb. 3. 6. House and q 2. Cor. 6. 16. Temples c. This neere coniunction our Sauiour expresseth by the similitude of a Vine and the branches Iohn 15. 1 2. The Apostle of a Bodie and the members 1. Cor. 12. 12. and againe of a man and wife in wedlocke Ephes 5. 23. The husband is the wiues head as Christ is the head of the Church Thus the Prophet also speaketh Hosh 2. 18. I will espouse thee to be mine for euer The Song of Salomon and the fiue fortieth Psalme are wholly spēt in the celebrating of this spirituall Marriage And Ezechiel in his sixteenth Chapter doth notably declare it from the eighth Verse vnto the foureteenth I stretched the wing of my garment ouer thee taking there for my Wife and being thy Husband and Redeemer I couered thy nakednesse and sware and entred into a Couenant with thee that thou mightest be mine I washed thee with water and washed away the abundance of bloud from thee and anoynted thee with Oyle as great Princes were wont to haue their Wiues to bee before they came together meaning the anointing of the Spirit whereby shee was regenerate and restored to her beautie To conclude saith hee I clothed thee with broydered worke and shod thee with Badgers skinnes and I girded thee about with fine Linnen and couered thee with Silke I decked thee also with Ornaments and I put Bracelets vpon thy hands and a Chaine on thy necke and I put a Frontlet vpon thy face and Earings in thine eares and a beautifull Crowne vpon thine head that is I gaue thee all things both for necessitie and delight crowned thee with beautie and great honour and made thee a Queene by thy match with me The man thus borne againe or so much of him as is regenerate is called r 1. Cor. 5. 5. Gal. 5. 17. Spirit A ſ Ephes 4. 24. Col. 3. 20. new man or a man new created The t Rom. 7. 22 25. minde The u Rom. 7. 22. Ephes 3. 16. inner man The Spirit principally in regard of the Authour and Efficient of it the Spirit of God and of that whole heauenly and spirituall worke whereof wee heard before A man new created to shew both the excellencie and difficultie of the worke the excellencie as being all cast into a new mould that our fleshlinesse may bee put off the difficultie in that it is no lesse a piece of worke then to make the World againe that so wee may learne to ascribe the Glorie of it vnto God alone For x Psal 100. 3. he hath made vs and we haue not made our selues to be his flocke and the sheepe of his pasture And as the Apostle saith to the y Ephes 1. 10. Ephesians Wee are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes Lastly Because in our m 〈…〉 e and inward parts this
is Dying ye shall not dye or It is certain ye shall not dye which had bin directly contrary to Gods threatning but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye shall not dye in dying that is Ye shall not certainly dye or It is not certaine ye shall dye for in the Hebrew Tongue there is as much difference between these 2. kinds of speech as there is in English betweene this Certainly yee shall not dye and this Yee shall not certainly dye which latter being more nice and ambiguous is that the Deuill here vseth and through her of Adam they and in them all Mankind did fall shall not dye in dying As if he should say Then it is not certaine that yee shall dye Thirdly When hee seeth shee held her eares open to his Charmes and that hee had once wound within her then he beginneth to shew himselfe in his colours Now he stickes not monstrously audaciously impudently and like himselfe to belye God vnto his face appealing to him for the iustifying of a most foule and horrible slander against his owne Maiestie hee scoffes Adam and Eue with his Equiuocatiōs that their eyes should be opened they should be for sooth as Gods c. he maketh a sophisticall Interpretatiō of the name that God had giuen to the Tree of knowledge of good and euill This sinne fearefull at the first and ashamed to shew the face when it getteth strength and groweth vnto a height it becommeth most insolent and intolerable A fourth thing in this temptation of Satan is that he vsed the woman as an instrument to seduce the man The last Actors were Adam and Eue themselues who through weaknesse but voluntarie and of their owne free-will gaue place to this temptation The third thing I obserue in the fall of man is That in Adam and Eue all Mankind did fall he being considered not as one priuate man but as the father of all men and sustayning the publike person of Mankinde And therefore wee all haue part in his transgression As the Apostle saith Rom. 5. 12. In whom all men sinned because we are his Off-spring and Posteritie and were in his loynes when hee offended According whereunto Heb. 7. 9 10. Leui is said to haue payd Tithes because Abraham in whose loynes hee was when hee met Melchisedeck payd Tithes vnto him Which makes Adams sinne the greater in that he murdered not himselfe but all that come from him And this is the first sinne of all Man-kinde that Adams eating of the forbidden fruit with all the sinnes that did accompanie it is our eating and we guiltie of the same offences which is a sinne foraine and without vs. Thus farre of the fall of man Their punishment by the great patience and long sufferance The curse vnto them by the great patience and long sufferance or God and in his singular mercie to make away for the Redemption of Mankind is so qualified that the vttermost and most extreme furie of it is put off till the latter Day whereupon grow two degrees of this cursed estate for either it is in part onely during this life or in the fulnesse of it after death In part onely as their sinfulnes not in the highest pitch of God and in his singular mercie to make a way for the Redemption of the World is so qualified that the vttermost and most extreme furie of it is put off vnto the latter Day whereupon grow two distinct degrees of this sinfull and cursed estate The first is that which is in part only during this present life wherin our sinfulnesse is indeed a thorow and a totall corruption of the whole strength of nature of all that integritie wherein we were created to the committing of all vnrighteousnesse though not in so full and high a pitch as shall be afterwards I terme it totall because The doctrine of Free-will which Pelagius and after him the Papists teach Semipelagians that imagine in a man vnregenerate some abilitie to do wel but weake and vnsufficient of it selfe vnlesse it be holpen of God And so take part of Gods honour from him abusing to that purpose those very places which the Apostle professedly doth write to giue the whole glory vnto God we are wholly tainted and defiled with sinne that as Oyle it soketh into our bones and as rottennesse it goeth thorow euerie part and power both of soule and bodie aswell to the corruption of our whole nature as which followeth necessarily thereupon to the deprauing of all our actions and waies and that in both the parts of Righteousnesse Pietie and Iustice for as the Apostle beareth record God hath shut vp o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all that is all men and whatsoeuer is of man vnder sinne Gal. 3. 22. Whereupon 1. Cor. 4. 7. he cryeth out What hast thou O man regenerate and borne againe that thou hast not receiued wholy and euery whit from the free Grace of God It is therefore termed totall in three respects First In respect of all the powers and faculties of the minde soule and bodie which as a Leprosie it hath in euery part infected and as a generall floud it hath wholy ouer-flowne As God himselfe speaketh of the heart that the whole p Gen. 6. 5. frame of it is onely euill continually Gen. 6 The minde q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first the Queene and Ladie Mistris of all other faculties which the Philosophers so much extoll is reckoned amongst the most corrupt parts of man 1. Tim. 6. 5. and 2. Timoth. 3. 8. Men corrupted in their mude So Rom. 1. the Apostle attributeth to all men by nature an r Rom. 1. 21. heart without vnderstanding and a ſ Rom. 1. 28. minde voyde of iudgement Wherefore Rom. 12. 2. hee doth exhort vs Be transformed in the renewing of your minde And Ephes 4. 23. Be renewed in t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit of your minde So calling the very power and strength of our minde or that which is most inward in the minde The minde as it were of the minde it selfe to shew that in those parts that of all other ought to bee the soundest and where the force of reason should bee greatest here this corruption hath taken fastest hold Wherefore in another place he speaketh of that most excellent u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power and facultie of the soule whereby we reason and discourse and draw one thing out of another That x Ephes 1. 18. the eyes of your discoursing part may be inlightned as being of it selfe full of darknesse as y Ephes 4. 18. other-where hee saith And Rom. 1. 21. hee reckoneth vp in the number there set downe Men vaize in their reasonings and the will of the flesh and reasoning part are ioyned together as both corrupt and naught Ephes 2. 3. Neither is the minde onely but the conscience also is defiled for so the Apostle testifieth Titus 1. 5. To the vncleane nothing is pure but
Iohn 2. 16. lusts of the flesh The y Ephes 2. 3. will of the flesh The z Gal. 5. 24. affections of the flesh All these parts before reckoned the Apostle comprehendeth Ephes 2. 3. First generally naming the flesh or the whole man vnregenerate which he afterwards deuideth into two kind The flesh so calling by the generall name that part of the soule wherein the lust and will and vnbridled affections are and our discoursing parts or the very strength of the Mind of Knowledge Iudgemēt Memorie Conscience Among whom euen wee all did once conuerse in the lusts of our flesh doing the will of the flesh and of the discoursing parts All which hee calleth not halfe dead but thorowly and wholy a Vers 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dead leauing nothing vnto man which sinne hath not defiled Shewing further that wee haue this by b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nature not by custome or example as elsewhere c Rom. 5. 13 14. hee prooueth by the death of little Infants which neuer transgressed actually as Adam did dying as soone as they were borne and yet sinners by nature for otherwise they could not dye vntill the Law for sinne was in the World for Death raigned from ADAM vnto MOSES euen vpon them which had not sinned according to the likenesse of the transgression of ADAM for as our Sauiour d Iohn 3. 6. saith That which is borne of the flesh such wee are all by nature is flesh and Who saith IOB e Iob 13. 4. can giue a cleane thing out of that which is vncleane Not one This naturall corruption the Scripture calleth sinne f Rom. 7. 17. because it is the sinke and puddle of all other sinnes and the Law g Rom. 7. 23. of sinne which as vtterly peruerting the whole strength of nature and contrary thereunto hath an elegant addition giuen vnto it Heb. 12. 1. h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sinne that is so well fitted to gird vs in as a curbe and a bridle holding vs backe that wee are not able to runne the course that is set before vs. Thereof it is that all our actions are corrupted and naught Rom. 3. 12. There is none that doth good no not one Rom. 7. 5. When wee were in the flesh sinfull affections wrought in our members to bring forth fruit to Death which fruits hee setteth downe Titus 3. 3. For euen wee also were foolish disobedient seruing lusts and diuers kinde of pleasures leading our life in malicousnesse and enuie hated and hating one another And how can it otherwise bee chosen but that all our fruits must needes bee vnsauourie and bad when as the whole Tree and all the twigs and branches of it are rotten and naught Thirdly and lastly it is called totall in respect of both the parts of Righteousnesse Pietie and Iustice which with all the powers of our soule and bodie both by nature and in all our actions wee doe nothing else but continually transgresse Therefore PAVL Rom 1. 18. pronounceth of all men that the wrath of God is reuealed from Heauen vpon all impietie and iniustice of men as those that with-hold the truth or those small sparkes of light that God hath left them in vnrighteousnesse meaning that by reason thereof they rush forth vnto all vnrighteousnesse And Ephes 4. 24. hee willeth our renewing to be in both these parts of Holinesse and Iustice as being corrupt in both by nature All men by nature are thus alike sinfull neither doth face more answere vnto face then one mans corruption answereth to another but the fruits of sinne are in some more aboundant for as he that is sicke of the Dropsie the more he drinkes the more he may so men by long custome of sinning come at the length to such an habit that they are not afraid to lash forth openly audaciously and impudently into all euill casting off all feare of God and reuerence of man as he shameth not to professe of himselfe in the i Luke 18. 4. Gospell and so come to bee Monsters and prodigious in all kinde of wickednesse Of these the Apostle speaketh Ephesians 4. 19. Who casting off all griefe haue giuen themselues to wantonnesse to worke all vncleannesse euen with greedinesse So much for their sinfulnesse Touching their miserable and cursed estate albeit For the rest the wrath of God be fully and wholy powred forth vpon 1. The wrath of God vpon them all that sinne yet is it not so presently for being in his wisdome and goodnesse pleased to make a difference betweene Angels and Men offending both for that their state and case doth differ and for the Elects sake whom he meant to take out of the Race of Adam hee purposed with himselfe not to ouer-whelme them at once with the waight of his Iustice as hee would the Angels that did transgresse but in his mercie to spare them for a time that so a way might be made for his to come vnto Repentance This time is the whole course of their life wherein they beare not the full burden of their sinne that presseth downe to Hell but feele onely some light beginning of that heauy Iudgement which hereafter is to seize vpon them if by turning vnto God they doe not repent and turne the same away Therefore the Apostle k Act. 27. 26 27 saith that God hath made of one bloud all Mankinde to dwell vpon the face of the Earth determining the oportunities of times which hee hath fore-set and the set bounds of their habitation that they may seeke the Lord if so be by groping after him they may finde him This is the reason why the whole course of our life is tearmed that Day l Iohn 9. 4. wherein we must doe good before the night come when none shall be able to worke that time of m Gal. 6. 8 10. sowing either to the flesh or Spirit the Haruest whereof shall be death or eternall Life for such as the houre of death findeth vs such shall our doome be and with n Heb. 9. 27. Death the irreuocable sentence commeth None shall rise againe to better the things he hath done in the dayes of his flesh whether they be good or euill No Sacrifice any more for sinne no intercession for the dead no Purgatory to make them cleane But whosoeuer by Christs purgation are not in this life washed from their sinnes shall after this life lye and rotte in their sins foreuer The summe is that albeit God in his mercie for the cause before remembred doe thus forbeare all yet euen during o Iohn 3. 18. this life such as haue no part in Christ that is to say all men in themselues considered are indeed and truly though not fully accursed for so the Scripture speaketh Hee that beleeueth not is alreadie condemned And p Gen. 4. 11. GOD telleth CAIN Cursed art thou euen whilest thou now art aliue In this estate I
Fruits of the Earth by the Caterpiller the g 40. Oliue Tree to cast her Oliues In goods the h 17. basket the Dough the i 18. increase of the Kine and the flocke of the Sheepe to be accursed that which k 29 33. one hath to bee taken from him by Rapine and Fraud his l 31. Oxe to be slayne before his eyes and he not eate of it his Asse taken away and come no more to him his Sheepe to bee giuen to his Enemies and none to keepe him from this violence And thus for m 48. outward sustenance to be brought to extreme penurie and want of all things that n 44. hee must bee driuen to borrow and not able to lend In estate and honour the o 43. Stranger amongst them to climbe aloft high high and they to come downe lowe lowe the p 44. Stranger to bee the head and they the tayle In ones name fame and estimation to be a q 37. taunt a by-word and a Prouer be vnto all people and to get r 20. shame and rebuke in whatsoeuer they set their hand vnto Particularly of this kind are First Ignorance losing all that excellency of Wisedome Ignorance Knowledge and vnderstanding that was in Adam and in stead thereof a putting on a contrarie habit of blindnesse and errour a manifest fruit of sinne and so noted Deut. 28. 28. Secondly Shame comming from that nakednesse Shame whereby wee are stripped of all the ornaments of our Glorie for that by sinne shame entred into the World it is plaine in that Å¿ Gen. 2. 25. compared with Gen. 37. before Adam and his Wife were naked and yet not ashamed Thirdly All kinde of paine weaknesse and infirmitie the t Gen. 3. 19. woman in sorrow to conceiue and beare the man u Gen. 3. 19. Infirmitie Sicknesse in the sweat of his browes to eate his bread Againe x Deut. 28. 1 22 27 35. hunger thirst wearinesse sores itches sicknesse c. And that these and such like are the fruits of sinne appeareth also by the warning our Sauiour gaue to him that hee had healed of his sicknesse Iohn 5. Iehoua shall make the pestilence cleane vnto thee vntill be hath consumed thee Iehoua shall smite thee wâ—â—h a Consumption and with the Feuer and with a hot burning Ague and with a feruent heate Iehoua shall smite thee with the Botch of Egypt and with the Emeâ—ods and with the Scabs and with the Itch. Iehoua shall smite thee in the knees and in the thighes with a sore Botch that thou canst not be healed euen from the sole of thy foot vnto the top of thy head and in the end Death which is the separation of soule and bodie 14. Behold thou art made whole sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto thee Therefore Mat. 9. 2. when hee was to heale the man sicke of the palsie hee said vnto him Be of good comfort sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Fourthly Death the separation of the soule and bodie So the Apostle telleth vs Rom. 5. 12. Through death sinne came into the World which bodily death is a part of that death threatned at the first Gen. 2. 17. What day thou eatest of it thou shalt dye And this is as it were the last and vttermost period of all our former miseries in which one they all are comprehended for in death our shame weaknesse and dishonour is most apparant as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 15. 42 43. that our bodie is sowne that is buried and committed to the ground in corruption in dishonour and in weakenesse And of this nature is a y 1. Co 15 51 52. 1. Thes 4. 15 16. Yet in all this some reliques of former dignitie doe remaine namely in the minde miserable change like to death which shall befall them that are aliue in the latter Day But in all this God hath beene pleased to vse a temper leauing still some reliques of our dignitie and first condition That part indeed of his image which standeth in righteousnesse and true holinesse is quite and cleane abolished that not so much as any steps or fragments doe remayne the z Ephes 2. 1. Apostle bearing witnesse that we are borne dead in sinne but the Image of GOD standeth also in the excellencie of man aboue other Creatures of which dignitie or excellencie but not of holinesse or Innocencie some reliques wee carrie yet about vs And they are first in the minde or bodie alone and by themselues considered then in the whole man In the minde First Common principles of good and euill which Common principles of good and euil sparkes of that light of nature the a Rom. 1. 18. Apostle calleth Truth that is some seed of the eternall Truth both for knowledge of God and of our duties to our brethren as that there is one God and that the same God is to bee serued that hee rewardeth those that keepe his Law and punisheth the transgressors that men must reuerence their Superiours and not harme their Neighbours nor doe iniurie one vnto another And from this light that euerie one carryeth about him and is borne and bred together with him commeth the Law of nature that nature which now wee haue since the fall of Adam therefore Iohn 1. 9. it is said that euery man comming into the World is lightened therewithall And this serueth notably for the collection and gathering of his Church out of the wicked World for if all common honestie all seedes of comelinesse and vertue were vtterly extinguished and put out how could either the Church bee gathered at all or preserued or kept when it is once gathered Secondly A conscience when we doe amisse whereof some seedes of conscience naturally some seedes are left in euerie one the better to represse the vnbrideled course of our affections howsoeuer some struggle to shake them off Rom. 2. 15. their conscience accusing or excusing Now this light of Nature and seedes of conscience which notwithstanding are wholy sinfull left in man are good and holy things in themselues and of their owne nature but in vs vtterly corrupt and naught All whose parts and powers are wholy tainted and defiled with sinne that truly the a Titus 1. 15. Apostle saith Both our minde and conscience is defiled Therefore they serue not at all to iustifie vs as though and doe but serue partly to keepe men from breaking forth without all shame or regard of honestie partly to make them vnexcusable by our owne Wisedome Reason Will Desire or Affections wee were able to doe or to indeuour that that is good but partly to keepe men from breaking out without shame vnto an ouer-bold and audacious defiance of all godlinesse and honestie partly to make vs inexcusable in the sight of God Rom. 1. 20. For first those seedes of Truth and Light which wee haue of God are so farre
from being our guide to leade vs vnto Heauen the same being the proper office of Christ Who b Ioh. 14. 6. is the Way the Truth and the Life as contrariwise they conuince vs euery mothers childe both of impietie to God and iniustice to men in that wee shew not forth the power thereof in our liues but restrayne and keepe it backe vniustly to doe quite the contrarie Insomuch as men naturally knowing c Rom. 1. 19 20 God both his eternall Power and Godhead yet they glorifie him not as God but wax vaine in their reasonings and disputes and rush forth into all vnrighteousnesse against men as the Apostle there at large declareth And the like may bee said of the conscience also that it tendeth onely vnto this to take away all excuse from vs Rom. 2. 15. So as our Desire Will Affections retayne now no part of our former conscience but are wholy brutish sensuall and slaues vnto sinne as wee heard before Not that hereby wee take away all freedome of will from man but we teach that the same hath place onely in the naturall inclinations common to all liuing Creatures which naturally seeke their own good life nourishment maintenance preseruation propagation c. or in the outward actions of this life for matter of manners gouernment of Houses Families Common-wealth Cities c. but not to doe the things that are good and pleasing vnto God The reliques of our former dignitie that yet remaine In the bodie a kind of maiestie in the bodie are c Gen. 9 6. Maiestie and comelinesse of person which bring men many times into a loue and admiration of vs. In the whole d Gen. 9. 2. man there is a certaine soueraigntie that keepeth in awe the brute Creatures insomuch as In the whole man a certain soueraigntie that keepeth in awe the brute creatures The creature here through the fall of maÌ„ receiueth an impaire of his first perfection many sauage beasts that farre excell man in strength doe willingly yeeld themselues to be tamed of him Lastly the punishment of mans transgression resteth not in man alone it is of a more large extent reacheth for mans sake to the other creatures for as they were for his seruice and command made in all excellencie of perfection So by the fall of Adam he hath not onely vndone himselfe and his posteritie but euen the brute beasts and all the dumbe creatures are impayted by it grone vnder that impayre for so God pronounceth Gen. 3. 17. Cursed bee the earth for thy sake And againe Verse 18. Brambles and Bryers shall it bring forth vnto thee And the Apostle Rom. 8. 22. The whole Creation that is all the things created grone and trauaile together vnto this present time And that hee calleth there vanitie or a vanishing and a flitting estate subiect to corruption and decay they hauing a part in the punishment of man to agrieue his curse and to make it more appeare how fearfull his transgression was whereof all the Creatures and the whole frame of the Creation doth feele the smart as e Rom 8. 20. Paul saith They are subiect vnto vanitie for him that subdued them that is to obey the Creatours pleasure who by casting them into this vanitie would leaue it testified how much he is offended with man for whose good he had created them in a farre more excellent condition So much of that which is in part The fulnesse of the curse after death is damnation with the Deuill and his angels This which you haue heard is that miserable and wretched estate which sinne hath drawne vpon all the sonnes of Adam so long as they liue in this World That which we call full cursednesse is a sorer and a more grieuous punishment the full cup of Gods heauie indignation insupportable of all his Creatures No Angell no man not all the Angels or men of the World able to before it or to indure the least brunt of it but forceth miserable man vpon whom it lighteth downe into Hell that horrible place of darknesse where they indure euerlasting torments with the Deuill and his angels such as no tongue can expresse or vtter And therefore it is called The f 2. Thes 1. 9. destruction of the creature The second g Reuel 2. 6. 21. 8. death h 1. Cor. 11. 32. damnation and there is said to bee i Mat. 22. 13. 25. 30. weeping and wayling and gnashing of teeth for first they are separate and quite cut off from the gracious presence of God Present indeed they find and feele him by experience but that presence separated from his fauour is an increase of their feare and horrour not onely so but the wrath of God sensibly pursuing them giueth no rest vnto their soules but as a Worme biteth and gnaweth on them continually the fearefulnesse of which torment what heart is able to conceiue But to giue some glimpse of it the Scriptures vse diuers names The k Mar. 9. 43 44 45 46 47. Worme that neuer dyeth Hell fire Vnquenchable fire The l Reuel 19. 20. 20. 10 14. burning Lake Therefore wretched and fearefull is their condition yea thrice miserable are they and happie had it beene for them if neuer they had beene borne as also our m Mat. 26. 24. Sauiour Christ doth say Two circumstances there are whereby these torments insupportable in themselues are made yet more grieuous First By the place Hell where they are kept fast bound in chaines and fetters of darknesse In regard whereof it is called Outer n Mat. 22 13. 25. 30. Darknesse Secondly By the eternitie of the punishment o Mat. 18. 8. 2. Thess 1. 9. Dan. 19. 2. being euerlasting without all hope of ransome no strong nor mightie man to be looked for that may breake this Prison and let the Prisoners loose no end of punishment nor hope of any end alwayes dying and neuer seeing an end of death Their p Esay 66. Mat. 9. 44 45 46 48. Worme neuer dyeth their Fire neuer goeth out they finde not so much as one q Luke 16. â—4 drop of cold water at any time to quench their thirst A paine otherwise not so grieuous if it haue no intermission nor hope of any ease is worse then a thousand deaths O how much more then doth this exceede which with the first waight thereof breaking the very bones and all the veines and sinnewes of their heart must needes in the euerlasting continuance of it infinitely be increased The sinfulnesse annexed to this estate is hatred of God finall desperation and the full height and top of all iniquitie as in the damned spirits we saw before Further to this estate three things are proper In soule presently till the latter Day First it lighteth vpon men one by one presently after death So hath the wisdome of God ordayned that when the course of this life is runne out
calleth them Iohn 8. 44. he is the Seed of the woman to bruise and tread downe their head in perpetuall enmitie and defiance with them not a friend to dye and suffer for them being that wherein he doth so much l Rom. 5. 8. commend his loue Christ indeed gaue an infinite merit to all his Actions to the end whereunto he purposed them and suffered in waight and measure a proportionable punishment for the Redemption of all Gods people But the Scripture speaketh euidently that m Gal. 2. 21. Christ dyed not he suffered nothing in vaine nor more then was of necessity for the sauing of his Church And when Prayers and Intercession which hee offered not for all are one part of his Priesthood and consequently of that sufficiencie which it was requisite hee should performe to God-ward for vs it is manifest that in the Ordinance and Decree of God his death without the same had not beene thorowly sufficient for the sauing of the Elect themselues much lesse of all the World And why should we imagine a halfe sufficiencie wrought for them in his death and sufferings when the other part of his Prayers and Intercession without which there is no complete nor perfect sufficiency at all cannot be drawne vnto them No better is the Dreame of vniuersall Grace in Christ offered vnto all and that for the vnbeliefe which God fore-saw would be in some hee hath decreed to reiect them which beside the Word of God common sense and experience doth controll since it is plaine and stands prooued before at large that all men are not called no not without an outward call Sixtly The end of all is the setting forth of his Glorie to set forth in them the prayse of his Mercie specially in Election to shew the riches of his Mercie in Reprobation the seueritie of his Iustice as the Wiseman saith n Pro. 16. 4. God hath made all for himselfe that is for his Glorie sake euen the wicked vnto the day of euill The end therefore of these Decrees is not simply the sauing of the one and the destroying of the other but a farther and a farre more excellent and precious end to manifest the Glorie of God in them both His Wisedome Power Truth Lenitie Patience Long sufferance Hatred of sinne loue of Righteousnesse and other Vertues as hath appeared before out of the ninth to the Romanes But especially his Mercie and Iustice heere shine foorth and carrie away the prayse His wonderfull and seuere Iustice in punishing transgression and inflicting wrath which end the Apostle teacheth Rom. 9. 22. What if God willing to shew wrath c The riches of his Mercie and Goodnesse in helping out of miserie in and of and by for himselfe poore silly and wretched man whom otherwise saluation it selfe had not beene able for to saue This end the Apostle there teacheth plainely That o Rom. 9. 23. he might make knowne the riches of his Glorie vpon the vessels of mercie which he hath before prepared vnto glorie And Ephes 1. 5 6. He that predestinated vs to be his adopted sonnes through Iesus Christ to the praise of the glorie of his grace That so no flesh p 1. Cor. 1. 29. might reioyce before him but euerie q Phil. 2. 11. tongue might confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord to the praise of God the Father To returne to the Couenant mediated by Christ Because This Couenant is called the Couenant of Grace the same commeth from the onely mercie and fauour of God in his Sonne it is called the Couenant of Grace Here therefore is another Couenant that God hath made with man ouer beside the Couenant of Works which he made before A Couenant of another and a quite differing nature for First it is grounded vpon the free mercie of God in Christ otherwise it is in the Couenant of Works where Christ or the Grace of God in Christ was no part at all of the Couenant for there needed then no Mediator because in the beginning God and man were not at oddes Secondly the conditions of these two Couenants differ the Law or Couenant of Workes offereth saluation vnder condition of perfect obedience The Gospell or Couenant of Grace vnder the condition of faith that is to say if we beleeue in Christ who hath done it for vs. Of both these Couenants the Couenant of Workes and the Couenant of Grace Ieremie r Ier. 31. 31. speaketh in his one and thirtieth Chapter and Paul to the Å¿ Gal. 4. 24. Galatians sheweth how they were shadowed by two women as by two types that is to say by Hagar the bond and Sara the free-woman for these women saith hee are the two Couenants You may see further touching them both t Phil. 3 9. That I might be found in him that is not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnesse which is of God through Christ Phil. 3. u Rom. 9. 30 31 32. What shal we say then that the Gentiles which followed not righteousnesse haue attained vnto righteousnesse euen the righteousnesse which is of faith Put Israel which followed the Law of righteousnes could not attain vnto the Law of Righteousnesse Wherefore because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the workes of the Law Rom. 9. x Rom. 10. 3 â— 5 6 7. For they beeing ignorant of the righteousnesse of God and going about to establish thei owne righteousnesse haue not submitted themselues to the righteousnesse of God for Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to euerie one that beleeueth for Moses thus describeth the righteousnesse which is of the Law that the man which doth these thinks shall liue thereby But the righteousnesse which is of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine heart Who shall ascend into Heauen That is to bring Christ from aboue Or Who shall goe downe into the deepe That is to bring vp Christ from the dead Rom. 10. y Gal. 3. 11 12. That no man is iustified by the Law in the sight of God it is euident for the iust shall liue by faith Now the Law is not of faith but the man that doth these things shall liue by them Gal. 3. And these two being the onely meanes whereby true happinesse may bee attained are so contrarie one vnto another that where the one is the other cannot bee neyther can saluation come in part by the one and in part by the other Whereupon the Apostle vseth to dispute that we are iustified by workes onely or by faith alone This is the summe of his whole Argument in the three first Chapters of the Epistle to the Romans Eyther we are iustified by Workes or by Faith But not by workes neyther of the Law of Nature nor of the morall Law neyther Gentile which is without the Law written nor Iew which hath it
flesh he was iustified in the Spirit And g Acts 2. 22. PETER calleth him a man approued of God by the excellent Deedes and miracles and signes which God had done by him Which as h Iohn 2. 11. Iohn noteth were to manifest his glorie In regard whereof he saith i Iohn 1. 14 Wee saw his glorie as the glorie of the onely begotten Sonne of God But yet sometimes more gloriously then at other he was pleased in an extraordinary manner to reueale it as in his Transfiguring vpon the Mount when k Matth. 17. 2. his face shined as the Sunne and his garments were made white as the light In his l Iohn 2. 15. whipping of the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple In his m Iohn 18. 6. causing of them that came to apprehend him onely by the power of his Word to fall vnto the ground c. yea in the very midst of all his sufferings and euen vpon the Crosse it selfe how did his glorie shine taking vpon him to n Luk. 23. 42 43. dispose of Paradise the kingdome of heauen at his pleasure and making heauen and earth the liuing and the dead to worke together for the celebrating of his greatnesse When the Sunne ashamed of their doings o Matth. 27. 45 pulled in his beames and refused to giue them Light when at p Matth. 27. 50 51 52. his voice and the noyse of his roring the Earth trembled and shooke the Vale of the Temple rent a sunder from the top vnto the bottome Rockes flew in pieces the Graues were opened and the Bodies of many dead Saints did arise when hee wrung out of the q Matth 27. 54 Centurions mouth a confession of his person and made the r Iohn 19. 19 20 21 22. hands of Pilate imbrued with his bloud to be the instruments of the publishing of his Office and to lift vp the Standard of his prayse to all people Latines Greekes and Hebrewes that not without iust cause doth the Å¿ Coloss 2. 15. Apostle say that He spoyled Principalities and Powers and led them in open shew triumphing vpon the Crosse So as the shamefull and ignominious Crosse was contrary to its nature so altered and changed by Christs Diuine Power that it serued now for a Trophee and Monument of his Victorie being as a Chariot wherein he rode more glorious then any Emperour or Potentate of the World in the middest of his greatest Triumph and had all the enemies of our Saluation Satan Sinne Hell and Condemnation led after him chayned and fast bound with all their weapons pulled from them as men taken captiues But this Glorie of his afterwards shined foorth most were in soule or bodie apart or ioyntly in them both In soule he went to Heauen presently after death cleerely in foure steps or degrees In the first place may bee reckoned though it were not conspicuous to the World that he went in soule vnto Heauen after death So hee t Luke 23. 43. saith to the Thiefe This day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise And after being readie to giue vp the ghost u Verse 46. Father into thy hands I commit my Spirit Which to bee meant of his present going to God his Father is manifest by other places where the like phrase is vsed as Acts 7. 59. in the Prayer of STEPHEN Lord receiue my spirit The second step is his Resurrection when in the His bodie hee raysed from the dead Chambers of death he conquered death it selfe and being a Morsell that the graue was not able for to swallow arose from the dead and made thereby a perfect conquest of all his foes and full demonstration of his Glorie as the Apostle saith x Rom. 1. 4. He was mightily declared to be the Sonne of God as touching the spirit of Sanctification by rising from the dead In his Resurrection I note these sixe things First The cause of his Resurrection which was by his owne Diuine Power Secondly The manner of his rising mightily and powerfully not bound hand and foote as Lazarus came forth but like Samson hee y Acts 2. 24. brake the bands of death and of the graue in sunder Thirdly What bodie hee rose withall a Bodie freed glorious from all infirmitie hunger thirst wearinesse c. and indued with immortalitie strength nimblenesse agilitie Behold my hands and my feet It is euen â— touch me and see mee A Spirit hath not flesh and bones as yee see mee to haue Acts 2. 32. Acts 3. 13 15. able to mooue vpwards aswell as to goe downewards glorious and shining and therefore called z Phil. 3. 21. A bodie glorious Howsoeuer it Vbiquists that teach Christs body since his Resurrection to bee Omnipotent euerywhere remayne a a Luke 24 39. bodie still to bee handled touched felt hauing length breadth c. with all other essentiall properties belonging to a Bodie and locally comprehended in one certaine place Fourthly The time when hee rose which was the the third day at the dawning of the day b Mat. 16. 21. Luke 24. 7. 11. Acts 10 40. 1. Cor. 15. 4. third Day early in the morning Fiftly The fruit and benefit in all those good and excellent things which are to bee remembred when wee speake of the Kingdome of Heauen The third step is his most blessed and glorious Ascension whereby in stead of the lower part of the In his whole person soule and bodie he ascends into Heauen Earth whither for his great loue vnto vs he did willingly come downe God hath taken him vp and set him aboue the highest Heauens as the Apostle noteth Ephes 4. 10 11. Now this that he ascended what is it but that hee first descended into the lower parts of the Earth He that descended is the selfe-same that ascended farre aboue all the Heauens c. Of this is the Storie recorded Marke 16. 19. Luke 24. 51. and more fully Acts 1. 29. that whilest they looked he was lifted vp or as the Angell calleth it Acts 1. 11. taken vp from them into Heauen that is his humane nature by the power and vertue of his God-head was truly and locally translated from the Earth into the highest Heauens of the Blessed where it is to remayne in all glorie and excellencie till the latter Day as the Angell telleth his Apostles Acts 1. 11. This Iesus that is taken vp from you into Heauen shall so come as you haue seene him going into Heauen And Peter more plainly Acts 3. 21. Whom Heauen must contayne till the times of the restoring of all things For where our Sauiour saith Mat. 28. 20. I am with you alwayes to the end of the World and a c Mat. 26. 11. little before had said Me you shall not haue alwayes among you it appeareth that the manner of his presence is to bee distinguished for hee is present indeed alwayes with his Church but by the
with hands euerlasting in the Heauens k 1. Ioh. 3. 4. We know that wee are translated from death vnto life because we loue the brethren l Matth. 9. 2. Sonne be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiuen thee m 1. Tim. 1. 15. Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners of whom I am chiefe As if he should say One and a speciall one Giuing to vnderstand that he himselfe was one of those whom Christ came into the world to saue Lastly This is proued by both the Sacraments the seales of the Couenant of grace which are giuen and offered to euery particular man Therefore the n Eph. 3 17. Apostle assigneth it as a fruit of faith that thereby Christ dwelleth in our hearts which without a particular application cannot be From this part Faith is termed a speciall confidence o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 affiance or trust for the nature of Faith is chiefly seene in it when the will and heart is not so much in expectation and hope as it doth in present apprehend some good and dependeth thereupon and reioyceth as if it had it which affiance is of the nature of Faith both deriued from one p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 38. Phil. 1. 6. 2. Cor. 5. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word that signifieth to perswade Another kind of confidence there is which is but a consequence and a fruit of faith whereof we shal speake hereafter Touching the subiect or persons to whom it is appropriate Faith is the proper and peculiar gift of Gods Elect which onely differenceth them from the rest of the World for all other graces be they neuer so bright or shining are common with the Reprobate but faith with the fruits thereof is proper to the godly Wherevpon Tit. 1. 1. it is called The faith of Gods Elect for onely they and of them all and euerie one are in their time by vertue of Gods Couenant brought to beleeue Ioh. 6. 37. Euerie one that the Father giueth mee commeth vnto mee Else in what better case are wee now then when the couenant of Workes did hold vs seeing it is as impossible of our selues and by our own strength to repent and belieue the Gospel which is the condition of the Couenant of Grace as it was to fulfill the Law Wherefore we must vnderstand that God to speake properly doth not require the same as a mutuall resâ—ipulation of our part as it was in the former Couenant where nothing is imposed which mans nature could not weild But here it is rather a declaration of his pleasure what he would haue vs doe and whereunto he will enable vs not a condition to endanger the Couenant but an assurance that he will giue vs strength to keepe it So as the whole Couenant properly and in truth riseth of his part and lyeth vpon him Like his other Couenant q Ier. 31. 35 36. brought to confirme this with the Sun and Moone and Starres whom otherwise vnable of themselues he maketh to runne their course But howsoeuer r Ier. 32. 39. Ezech. 36. 26 27. all come from his onely grace and vertue yet to vs that are not stockes and stones but endued with a reasonable 2. Cor. 5. 17 18. soule vnderstanding will and other faculties this Couenant is wont to bee expressed sometimes by words Å¿ Rom. 10. 9. Rom. 8 13. conditionall sometimes in t Ezech. 18. 31. commanding wise that the greatnesse of the perill and the difficultie of the precept might make vs to bestirre our selues to vse with care and conscience the meanes that he appointeth for the attayning of that precious gift and to worke together with God when we are once wrought vpon by his Spirit And herein lieth one other maine difference between the Law and the Gospel or the couenant of Works and this couenant of Grace The Law onely commandeth obedience but giueth no power to obey and therefore is called u 2. Cor. 3. 3 6 8 9. The dead Letter written with Inke and in Tables of Stone readie indeed to be read and seene but hauing no life in it to change the heart which remayneth as stonie as before The Gospel not onely commandeth but giueth faith and newnesse of life and is therefore said to be written in our hearts and called The ministration of the Spirit because it giueth the Spirit of Christ and righteousnesse through him The Law therefore pronouncing nothing but Iudgement and condemnation against vs as that which commandeth things impossible by reason of our weakenesse terrifieth and amazeth the conscience In which respect it is called x 2. Cor. 3. 7 9. The ministerie of death and condemnation Contrariwise the Gospel bringing glad tidings of peace and reconciliation quieteth appeaseth the conscience Rom. 5. 1. Being iustified by faith wee haue peace with God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Both parts of this difference are found Rom. 10. 5 6 7 8. For MOSES thus describeth the righteousnesse which is of the Law that the man which doth these things shall liue thereby But the righteousnesse which is of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine heart Who shall ascend into heauen That is to bring Christ from aboue Or Who shall descend into the deepe That is to bring Christ againe from the dead But what saith it The Word is neere thee euen in thy mouth and in thine heart This is the Word of Faith which wee preach But if God bestow faith vpon all and euery of his Elect what shall wee then say of Infants that dye in the Mothers Wombe or assoone as they are borne who cannot as it seemeth properly bee said to haue faith and yet neuerthelesse we cannot deny but the x Mat. 19. 14. Kingdome of God doth appertayne vnto them If it bee cleere that Infants haue no faith then wee must needes say the Spirit of God in some other vnspeakeable manner vniteth them vnto Christ But yeelding all due respect to other mens opinions I should thinke that were rather a quaere then a ruled case for First As they haue knowledge and other faculties of the minde without which no reasonable soule consisteth so I doe not see but they may haue supernaturall Grace some seedes of the habit of faith for the apprehending of Christ that are of the nature of faith and faith it selfe in a kind which how small soeuer sufficeth to saluation doth the weaknesse of the Organ of the bodie make it impossible for God to worke supernaturally in their soule and to giue to little children whome his purpose is to saue at the least so much illumination of the minde more then is ordinarie for that age as may bee fit to receiue the Grace of Christ Those whom in a moment and at an instant as soone as they are taken vp into Heauen hee filleth with a whole Sea of Knowledge and Vnderstanding of Christ more then all the Prophets and Apostles had
certaine promise or the faith and credit of the Promise-Maker may bee called in question But that hope which the Scripture speaketh of and which here wee deale with respecting celestiall Happinesse and eternall Glorie in Heauen which i Titus 1. 2 3. God that cannot lye hath promised in his Word apprehendeth the same most certainly without all exception and therfore is said k Rom. 5. 5. not to make ashamed being a Noble and a Royall Vertue and of a Diuine Ofspring the Daughter of Faith and Mother of Patience Daughter and inseparable Companion of Faith for what is Faith else but l Heb. 11. 1. the ground-worke or foundation and subsistence of things hoped for Againe it is the Mother of Patience as wee heard euen now out of the Epistle to the Romanes If m Rom. ◠25. wee hope for that we see not wee doe wait for it with patience Therfore the Apostle elegantly termeth it n Heb. 6. 19. The Anchor of our soules to stay vs in the middest of the stormes and troubles of this life til we ariue at the hauē of all our rest Faith and Hope do thus differ Faith imbraceth Christ as present and in him all Happinesse in generall Hope looketh at one certaine Happinesse to come which is the inioying of the glorious presence of God of CHRIST and of the holy Angels in Heauen CHAP. VIII Of Regeneration THE fruit and glorious effect of Faith that The fruit of an effectuall calling is that destroying of the old world that is our sinfull cursed estate by the power of his death and sufferings he maketh is of Christ by Faith apprehended of Gods Elect is this that destroying in them the old World that is our sinfull and cursed estate by the power of his death and sufferings as the Apostle teacheth Gal. 6. 14. and in other places hee maketh of the true Church a new a heauenly World giuing his Sonne vnto them and Righteousnesse Holinesse and life euerlasting in and through him Many points of great waight and singular vse arise from hence seriously to be attended First Here is the reall and royall performance of the Couenant which God that cannot lye not onely offereth vnto all to whose eares the sound of the Word doth come and striketh hands with such as by Faith make it theirs but giueth and performeth the very truth thereof when they are once entred into the societie of the Couenant wherefore it is called o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The exhibiting of the Couenant a putting into possession as it were by liuerie and seisin Ezech. 20. 37. and Paul saith Gal. 3. 23. The promise by the Faith of Iesus Christ is giuen to those that beleeue So wee finde recorded Ier. 31. 34 34. This is the Couenant which I will make with the House of Israel I will put my Law in their minde and write it in their heart and will bee their God and they shall bee my people I will bee fauourable to their iniquities and their sinnes will I remember no more And againe Ezech. 36. 25 26 27. I will powre vpon you cleane waters and yee shall be cleane from your pollutions and from all your abominations will I clense you and I will giue vnto you a new heart and a new Spirit will I put in the midst of you and I will take away the heart of stone out of your flesh and will giue vnto you a hart of flesh and my Spirit will I put in the midst of you and make that yee shall walke in mine Ordinances my Iudgements ye shal obserue doe Secondly This Couenant is exhibited but to a few of the true Church Ier. 31. 33. the House of Israel Gods faithfull people whereas all mankind was partaker of the former Couenant for in Adam all were made righteous Wherefore Faith is the onely meanes and instrument whereby God in this life giueth his Sonne or Christ giueth himselfe vnto vs and is made ours by spirituall Regeneration as the Apostle witnesseth q 1. Ioh. 5. 1. Euerie one that beleeueth that Iesus is that Christ is borne of God And againe r Ioh. 1. 12. As many as receyued him he gaue vnto them this dignitie to become the sonnes of God euen to those that beleeue in his name who are not borne of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God ſ Gal. 3. 26. All yee saith the Apostle to the Galatians are the sonnes of God through faith in Christ Iesus This alone putteth vs in possession of Christ and of all the good things we haue from him for t Eph. 3. 17. he dwelleth in our hearts by faith and there is u Ioh. 6. 35. no way to feed vpon him but by beleeuing in him no way to life but by feeding on him Otherwise wee cannot haue his Spirit which x Gal. 3. 14. wee receiue by faith onely nor y Act. 26. 18. haue our sinnes forgiuen vs or Christs righteousnesse imputed to vs which is euery where called z Rom. 4. 11 13. The righteousnesse of faith a Rom. 9. 13. 10. 6. The righteousnesse by faith b Rom. 3. 22. The righteousnesse of God by faith c Rom. 4. 5 9. Faith imputed for righteousnesse And Faith said to be that whereby we d Abacuc 2. 4. Rom. 1. 17. Gal. 3. 11. Heb. 10. 38. are righteous whereby we e Rom. 3. 26 28. 5. 1. Gal. 2. 16. 3. 8 24. are iustified not for any inherent qualitie that is in Faith more than in Loue Hope or other vertues but because it apprehendeth Christ and maketh him ours who is our onely righteousnesse our hearts cannot else be purified for f Act. 15. 9. that Faith doth alone Else can we not be partakers of the promised bessednesse g Gal. 3. 9. which is giuen to the faithfull onely So wonderfull is the worke of Faith Thirdly Here is the verie life and power of the Kingdome a new of Christ and that wherein his glorie shineth incomparably most of all in that he frameth and fashioneth vs from aboue to be new Creatures of naturall men spirituall heauenly men of carnall h Psal 102. 19. So Eph. 2. 10. a people created againe as the Psalmist speaketh whereby he maketh a new face of things and as it were another world i Esay 65. 17. I make new heauens and a new earth k 2. Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new The Author to the Hebrewes termeth this excellent condition and estate l Heb. 2. 5. The world to come in opposition to this present world wherof the Apostle saith that m Gal. 1. 4. Christ hath deliuered vs out of this present euill world Wherefore by the world to come is not meant as in our common speech it is
naughtie one as they are termed Mat. 13. 38. For l Iohn 15. 19. and 17. 14. because wee are not of the World but GOD hath chosen vs out of the World therefore doth the World hate vs which is the perpetuall state of Gods Church from the beginning and was figured in m Ge. 25. 22 23 Rebecca a Type of the Church in whose wombe were two Nations deuided that stroue and fought together And our Sauiour doth fore-warne vs not to looke for better In n Iohn 16. 33. the World yee shall haue affliction Secondly Whatsoeuer is vnregenerate in the Children of God themselues whereby it many times falleth out that none are greater instruments vnto vs of offending God then they By the flesh I meane our naturall corruption and all the lusts and workes of it an enemie which we alwayes carrie about vs not onely in our bosome but in our very bowels So that heere is the battell between the flesh the Spirit wherof the o Gal. 5. 17. Apostle saith that the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh And these saith he are opposite one to another Rom. 22. 23. It is elegantly described I finde therefore this Law for mee when I would doe well that euill lyeth readie for me to slay and seize on mee as the Lord speaketh of sinne Genes 4. 6. For I am delighted in the Law of God as touching the inner man but I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind leading me captiue to the law of sin that is in my members p 1. Pet. â— 11. PETER in like sort willeth vs to abstaine from fleshly lusts that war against the soule And heereof are the exhortations so common in the Scripture q Gal. 5. 16. Walke in the Spirit and fulfill not the lusts of the flesh Wee r Rom. 8. 12. are debtors not to the flesh to liue after the flesh but to the Spirit to be led by it Take Å¿ Rom. 13. 14. no care of the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Christ t 1. Pet. 4. 1. therefore hauing suffered for vs in the flesh Put you on also the same minde that he which suffereth in the flesh hath ceased from sinne Secondly In this conflict are to be considered the two Generals of these Battels The Captaine vnder whome wee fight IESVS the u Heb. 12. 2. Prince and perfiter of our Faith in x Gen. 3. 15. Genesis pointed out by the seed of the woman to note his Manhood in the y Reuel 12. 7. Reuelation by Michael equall with the mightie God to set forth his God-head you shall find him royally described Reuel 19. 11 12 13 14 15 16. The head and generall lifted vp against him is the Dragon the old Serpent Satan or the Deuill as wee heard before Thirdly The weapons of this Warfare both those which our Aduersaries the Flesh the World and the Deuill fight withall and those whereby wee doe resist them The weapon of sinne or of the flesh is Lust as it is said Rom. 7. 8. Sinne taking occasion by the Law wrought in me all manner of lust Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit The weapons of the World are First Outward Afflictions and Persecutions Reproches Slanders c. to draw vs from Christ Iohn 16. 33. In the World ye shall haue afflictions Secondly Ease Credit Pleasure Profit Honour c. Thirdly Euill Examples Satans weapons are outward or inward Outward First The World for wicked men are the Hel-hounds of Satan the Champions and Souldiers which hee fights withall whose head and generall hee is and therefore called the z Iohn 14. 30. and 16. 11. prince of this World which name is giuen to all a Ephes 6. 12. vncleane spirits The b 2. Cor. 4. 4. god of this World And the afflictions of the World as they proceed from him are called The c 2. Co. 12. 7. buffetings of Satan Secondly The obiects of sinne to our eyes our eares and other sences which Satan setteth before vs to draw vs to a loue and in loue to a committing of it as hee did to our first Parents in Paradise and to our d Mat. 4. Sauiour Christ in the Wildernesse and as hee ceaseth not continually to doe to vs. Inward ones are First His kindling of the fire of our owne concupiscence blowing as it were the bellowes and gathering together matter for it to worke vpon Secondly Temptations or Illusions which he casteth into hearts as Venome or Poyson for to infect vs. Our weapons whereby wee doe resist them what they are the Apostle notably declareth 2. Cor. 10. 4. not carnall but mightie and valiant to the throwing downe of all the strong holds of sinne Where though he speake specially of the Ministers yet the like is to bee said in their degree and place of all other Christians Generally it is the Word of God as appeareth 2. Thess 2. 8. Whom God will consume with the breath of his mouth But more particularly they may be reduced vnto two heads Faith and the fruits of Sanctification that come from it for so e 1. Tim. 1. 18. Paul to Timothy vnder these two comprehendeth all willing him to fight that good Fight hauing faith and a good conscience And 1. Thess 5. 8. Put on the Brest-plate of Faith and Loue and for a Helmet the hope of Saluation And 1. Cor. 16. 13 14. Watch stand in the Faith Let all your things bee done in loue In the f Reuel 12. 11. Reuelation they are reckoned these three which come all vnder the other two Faith in the bloud of the Lambe as the Shield the Sword of the Word of God and confession of Christ vnto the death Of Faith the Apostle speaketh 1. Pe. 5. 9. Whom that is the Deuill resist stedfast in Faith And 1. Iohn 5. 4 5 This is the victorie that ouercommeth the World euen your Faith And this as our chiefe and principall weapon the Apostle biddeth vs aboue all to take vnto vs by it hauing Christ himselfe and his Spirit to bee ours And therefore being that g Ephes 6. 16. whereby we are able to quench the fiery darts of the Deuill The fruits of Sanctification are all the Christian Vertues and Qualities which the Word of God requireth The Apostle Ephes 6. reckoneth them vp in this order First Truth or a sound and sincere heart wrought by the Gospell which is the Word of Truth as a belt to gird vs in Secondly Righteousnes both Piety and Iustice in a Holines towards God Innocencie towards our Neighbours for a Brest-plate the habit and perfection wherof being Loue h 1. Tim. 1. 5. out of Faith vnfained The Apostle therfore 1. Thess 5. 8. calleth it The Brest-plate of Faith and Loue. Thirdly Preparation or readinesse of minde which is as it were the shooing of our feet to make them light and nimble
and of edification one towards another Destroy not for meates sake the worke of God All things indeed are cleane but it is ill for the man that eateth with offence It is good not to eate flesh nor to drinke wine nor to doe any thing whereby thy Brother stumbleth or is offended or made weake To set downe therefore the cautions that are to bee giuen heerein and how and in what cases wee are so to bridle our Christian libertie The first caution is that it bee in things which GOD hath once restrayned for no Law of God nor rule of Charitie bindeth to forbeare meates or drinkes or other things which neuer were vnlawfull by the Commandement of God but by the vaine superstition of men that being but to giue strength and countenance to the doctrine of Deuils with which name the Apostle brandeth them 1. Tim. 4. 1. Secondly It must bee but to beare with our weake Brethren and for awhile t Act. 15 28 29 till they may be better informed of the libertie they haue in Christ it must not bee to nourish or strengthen men in euill nor when it tendeth not to edification but destruction So did u Act. 16. 3. Paul circumcise Timothy not as the Sacrament that God had once ordayned but as a bare Ceremonie and thing indifferent which he had free power to vse for the edification of the Church till the abolishing of Ceremonies by the comming of Christ were better knowne But x Gal. 2. 4 5. Titus he would in no sort circumcise when he saw he could not doe it without betraying the Truth of the Gospell and giuing occasion to the aduersaries against him The second step of our Soueraigntie renewed is the and deliuerance from the bondage of Satan setting vs free from the bondage and slauerie of Satan vnder whom we were held before in thraldome in a continuall feare of death as the Apostle teacheth Heb. 2. 14. 15. that by death he might abolish him that hath the power of death that is to say the Deuil and might set free from his tyrannie and dominion as many as through feare of death were all their life long subiect vnto bondage This was the first promise made in Paradise y Gen. 3. 15. The seed of the woman Christ and in him and by his power all those that are his shall bruise the head of the Serpent The third last is a noble priuiledge and prerogatiue This also as a noble accesse added thereunto that the holy Angels themselues are made Ministers for our good to Gods children ouer aboue all that Adā had that the holy Angels themselues are made Ministers for our good whereof there bee many most glorious promises in the Word Psal 91. 11. Hee will giue his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes A fauour principally meant to Christ the Head of the Church and after him to all the faithfull Generally the Apostle to the z Heb. 1. 14. Hebrewes saith They are ministring Spirits sent forth for their sakes that are to inherit saluation And in the Psalme a Psal 34. 9. The Angell of IEHOVAH pitcheth his Tents round about those that feare him Hereupon our Sauiour calleth them our b Mat. 18. 10. See you despise not one of these little ones for I say vnto you that their Angels in Heauen doe alwayes behold the face of my Father c. Angels for first thorowout the course of our life they watch ouer vs to keepe vs in all our wayes that no euill should come vnto vs as it followeth in that c Psal 91. 12 13 Psalme and as wee are taught not onely by the Example of d Dan. 1. 3. Daniel for whose sake God sent his Angell to stop the mouth of the Lyons that they should not hurt him And of Shadrach e Dan. 3. 28. Meshach and Abednego deliuered by an Angell from the fury of the flame which the prophane King himselfe was driuen to acknowledge and of diuers others whose liues are registred in the Scriptures but beside by the manifold experience that euery one of vs hath in our selues in so many so wonderfull and so strange escapes whereof no reason can be assigned but the Angels watchfull attendance and garding of vs. Secondly In the houre of death they are about vs readie at the last gaspe to receiue our Soule and by their Ministerie to conuey it vp to Heauen for when Lazarus dyed f Luke 16. 22. He was carryed saith our Sauiour Christ of the Angels into ABRAHAMS bosome The right whereby wee haue this is because being seruants vnto Christ who is the Head consequently they are to serue the faithfull which are his members The excellencie of their seruice the Scripture commendeth vnto vs by diuers arguments First By their nature qualified and made fit for it in that they are Spirits Secondly By their rule and soueraigntie being themselues called Thrones Dominions Principalities Gouernments Chiefe Princes c. And what a thing is it then to haue so great Princes attending on vs Thirdly By their power able to throw downe whatsoeuer doth withstand them Whereof among many other we haue a famous Example of one Angell that in one night slue one hundred fourescore and fiue thousand of the Assyrians Campe 2. Kings 19. 25. Fourthly By their Glorie to terrifie and amaze our Aduersaries as we reade in MATTHEW The g Mat. 28. 3 4. Angell of the Lord came downe from Heauen whose countenance was like lightening and his garment white as snow for feare of him the Keepers were smitten and became as dead men Fiftly By their Wisdome and Knowledge Sixtly By the place where they dwell being in Heauen and therefore haue all aduantages to doe vs good Seuenthly By the multitude and number of holy Angels which maketh not a little for the strengthening of our Faith for euen among men A h Eccles 4. 12. threefold cord is not easily broken When i Gen. 32. 1 2. Iacob went on his way to returne into his Countrey as God had commanded him the Angels of God met him euen a whole Armie and troope of Angels in so much as hee called the name of the place Machanaima a payre of Armies his owne and the Angels Armie So in k Luke 2. 13. Luke it is said that there was with the Shepherds a multitude of an heauenly Armie In the l Psal 68. 17. Psalmes They are named many thousands of Angels And to the m Heb. 12. 22. Hebrewes Myriades that is ten thousands of Angels n Dan. 7. 10. DANIEL also reckoneth a thousand thousand standing before the Ancient of dayes By this Argument o 2. Kings 6. 15 16 17. Elisha the man of God incourageth his Seruant when seeing the Companies and troopes of men that compassed the Citie and Horses and Chariots hee cryed out Alas Master what shall wee doe To whom ELISHA said Feare not for there
and all thus rise againe is the common Certaine men vpon our Sauiour Christs Resurrection rose againe and are already with him in Heauen condition of all Mankind some few excepted and those of three sorts for First Some there were who being dead vpon our Sauiour Christs Resurrection rose againe and are alreadie with him in glorie Of whom you may reade Mat. 27. 52 53. that the graues did open themselues and many bodies of the Saints which slept arose and came out of the Graues after his Resurrection and went into the holy Citie and appeared vnto many Which word appearing sheweth that they did not rise to conuerse among men or to dye againe as Lazarus and some other did but in their owne persons to attend vpon him in his Ascension vnto Heauen and by their Resurrection to seale vp the truth of his and of ours in and through him that so not onely in Christ our Head but in our Brethren and fellow-members full assurance might bee made vnto vs of this sweete and comfortable Doctrine Secondly Other there were that neuer dyed but So are Enoch and Elias both aliue assumed thither onely changed their miserable condition into Glorie Immortalitie and so were taken vp aliue into Heauen And this was the peculiar priuiledge of Enoch and Elias One before the Law another vnder the Law both in most corrupt and depraued times wherein the sincere worship of God was no where to bee found the hope of eternall Life and of the Resurrection to come vtterly lost and gone God therefore to leaue a plentifull testimonie of a blessed Resurrection till the cleerer manifestation of it by the rising of his Sonne and both to giue testimonie of the Faith and Pietie of such men and to conuince the wicked World of Infidelitie suffered not those two to goe the way of all flesh but by a speciall fauour did assume them bodie and soule vnto himselfe thereby also to make them types and figures of the Resurrection of his Sonne by whose power they thus escaped death Of Enoch first it is recorded Gen. 5. 24. That he walking with God three thousand yeers in which time as u Iude ver 24. Iude the Apostle witnesseth hee diligently executed the part of a faithfull Teacher in Gods Church reproouing the corrupt World of sin denouncing Gods seuere Iudgements against them euen to the extreme curse of Anathema Maranatha in the end hee was no more seene for God tooke him that is as the x Heb. 11. 5. Apostle to the Hebrewes doth expound it did translate him that hee should not see death And of Elias the Storie is set forth at large in the first and second Booke of Kings How after long conflicts with Achab the King of Israel and Iesabel his wife and with foure hundred and fiftie prophets the priests of Baal at once being tossed as wee say from Post to Pillar and driuen to flye for his life hauing restored the true Worship of God and reedified his Altars that before were throwne downe destroyed being now as hee thought left alone and wearie of his life God in the end after his many labours y 2. Kings 2. 23 tooke him vp in a whirlewinde into Heauen Thereby conuincing the Idolatry of that Age. And when in the Towne of Bethel where the Calues were erected and Idolatrie and Superstition raged they made a Scoffe of this Ascension and taught their children so to doe saying to Elisha in scoffing sort Ascend Bald-pate ascend Bald-pate that is Goe vp to Heauen as Elias did as if they should haue said A proper and goodly ascension two Beares comming out of the Forrest tare in pieces two forty children of them And that this was alwayes the iudgement of the Church concerning Elias may appeare Luke 9. 8. where in the diuersitie of opinions held of our Sauiour Christ some said that IOHN was raysed from the dead some that ELIAS had appeared other that one of the old Prophets was risen againe To all the rest attributing Resurrection as of bodies dead onely to ELIAS Apparition in the truth of his humane nature as of one that neuer dyed Two things there bee that may seeme to crosse this Doctrine One that Christ is called The first fruites of them that sleepe 1. Cor. 15. 20. The other that in the eleuenth to the Heb. 11. 39. the Apostle speaking of the holy men of God before the Comming of Christ And of Enoch among the rest saith of them all that they receiued not the promises But hereunto it may bee answered that the promise which the Apostle meaneth is the manifestation of Christ in the flesh and the more plentifull measure of grace now then was before his Comming which pertayneth nothing to this question As for that 1. Cor. 15. Christ is called The first fruits of them that sleepe because by the power of his Resurrection all shall rise againe and his Resurrection sanctifieth ours as the first fruits did the whole crop not that he of necessitie must be the first that rose no more then hee was the first whose soule did enter Heauen though all both before and since haue entred by his power Although if you should so farre presse this Phrase Christ was indeed the first that rose seeing to speake properly Enoch and Elias neuer dyed and therefore neuer rose And howsoeuer it bee an extraordinarie Example in one or two speciall persons it serueth not to ouerthrow a generall truth But the first I take to be the Apostles meaning Yet haue not these two sorts their full glorie alreadie for howsoeuer their whole nature bee made perfect yet the fulnesse of their perfection is deferred till the latter Day as to the rest of Gods Elect Euen as wee see the whole spirituall nature of the Angels that fell is now fully accursed and yet reserued for a more full damnation The third sort are those men that the Comming of Those that are liuing at the latter Day shall suddenly be changed after the dead are once risen Christ doth finde aliue who shall not dye but shall suddenly bee changed as Enoch and Elias were and so bee taken vp to meete Christ after that the dead in him shall be first risen All of vs saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 15. 51 52. shall not sleepe but all of vs shall be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last Trumpet for the Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall rise vp without corruption and we shall be changed And againe 1 Thess 4. 15 16 17. This say we to you in the Word of the Lord that we which liue and are remayning in the Comming of the Lord shall not preuent them which sleepe for the Lord himselfe shall come downe from Heauen and the dead in Christ shall arise first afterwards shall we which liue and remayne be caught vp also with them in the Clouds to meete the Lord in the Ayre By the Analogie