vs but that we haue by nature our estate were most miserable but seeing beside nature there is in vs a new workmanship of grace from the which the Lord accounts vs new spirituall men we haue thanks be to God matter of comfort As Sathan is a lyer in denying the name of spirituall men Papists will haue none called spirituall men but their Cleargie to men regenerate so his supposts aduersaries of the truth of Christ are lying deceiuers and vniust robbers when they restraine this name to such as are of their Cleargie which here the Apostle makes competent to euery man in whom the spirit of Christ dwelleth Spiritualâ—m non facit vestis locus Ferus â—fficium opus sed Spiritus it is neither garment sayes one of their owne nor place nor office nor externall worke that makes a man spirituall but the holy Spirit dwelling in him Because the Spirit of God dwels in you Hee subioynes The spirit of God where he dwels works wher he works he workes not in vaine therefore they cannot but be spiritual in whom he dwels here the confirmation of his former comfort he hath said vnto them yee are not in the flesh he proues it the Spirit of God dwels in you therefore yee are not in the flesh nor carnall but spirituall The necessity of the consequence depends vpon this middest that the spirit of God where he dwels is not idle but works where he works he works not in vaine but effectuates that which he intends he transformes them in whom he dwels into the similitude of his owne Image he is compared to fire that giues light euen to them who are farre of and heate to them who are neere hand but transchangeth those things into the nature of fire which are cast into it with so meruailous a vertue that yron which is colde by nature being put into the fire becomes hot and burning so doth that holy Spirit illuminate euery one who comes into the world but he changeth all those in whom he dwelleth he transformeth them into his owne similitude and endueth them with an holy and heauenly disposition then his argument is sure the Spirit of God dwelleth in you therefore yee are not carnall but spirituall In the end of the last Chapter the Apostle said that Strange that two guests of so contrary natures as sinne and the holy spirit should dwell in one man Rom. 7. 17. The soule of man regenerate compared to the house of Abraham sinne dwelleth in the man regenerate it is not I but sinne that dwelleth in me and here he sayes that the spirit of God dwelleth in the man regenerate this is strange that two guests of so contrary natures should both at one time haue their dwelling in man I compare the soule of man regenerate to the house of Abraham wherein there was both a free woman Sarah and a bond woman Hagar with their children Ismael the sonne of the bond woman borne after the flesh is older and stronger then Isaac the sonne of the free woman borne after the spirit that is according to the promise hee disdaines little Isaac as weaker and persecutes him yet the comfort of Isaac is that though Ismaell dwell in the house of Abraham for a while hee shall not remaine the sonne of the bond woman shall be cast out and shall not inherit the promise with the sonne of the free woman such a house is the soule of a Christian there dwelleth in it at one time both old nature and new grace with their children the olde man at the first being older and stronger than the new man doth persecute him and seekes by all meanes to oppresse him but at the last he shall be cast out This Metaphor of dwelling doth also yeeld vnto vs exceeding Meruailous that the inhabiter is larger than the habitation great comfort in all other habitations the lodging is larger than the inhabiter but this is meruailous that the lodging here is so little and the inhabiter so great that infinite maiestie whom the heauen of heauens cannot contain who hath the heauen for his throne and the earth for his footestoole hath chosen for his dwelling and place of rest the soule of him that is poore contrite and trembles at his word A wonderfull mercy that the highest maiestie should so farre dimit the selfe as that passing by all his other creatures hee should make choyse of man to be his pleasant sanctuarie From this it is euident that this dwelling doth designe The speâ—iall glory of a Christian is that God dwels in him some speciall presence of God with his own children which he shewes not vnto others it is true he is present in euery place bounded within no place he containes all things vncontayned of any where he dwelleth not as a Father there hee sits as a Iudge and is a terrour which manner of way the damned are continually vexed with his presence but in the Christian he dwels as a maister in his owne family as a Father with his children quickning ruling and preseruing them and prouiding for them Worldings may match Worldlings may exceede him in worldly gifts but cannot match him in this the Christian in externall gifts but cannot compare with him in this internall glory though without hee be but an earthen vessell yet hath he within an heauenly treasure for he is the habitation of God in whom the Lord dwels by his spirit It was Beniamin his glory that the Lord should dwell betweene his shoulders and the glory of Ierusalem Deut. 33. 12. that there the Lord dwelt betweene the Cherubins but most of all the glory of a Christian that the Lord dwelleth betweene the secrets of his soule let worldlings reioyce in their outward priuiledges and in their presumptuous minds leape like the mighty mountaines esteeming themselues high as mount Basan yet this is the glory of a Christian that God delights to dwell in him Let vs therfore make much of them who feare the Lord They should be honoured in whom Christ dwels Dan. 6. though in regard of their outward estate they were neuer so base we should not be ashamed to doe them honour for his sake who dwelleth in them Darius preferred Daniel because the spirit was excellent in him and Pharaoh honoured Gen. 41. 42. Ioseph because the Spirit of God was in him yea the Angels are content to be Seruants and Ministers to them who feare the Lord they honoured Shepheards for Christs sake with their presence which they did not vnto King Herod for all his glory and shall not wee delight in Gods excellent ones vpon earth surely he shall dwell in the Tabernacle of God in Psal 15. whose eyes a vile person is contemned but hee honoureth them who feare the Lord. Hereby we know that wee are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren Not onely doth this Metaphor of dwelling import a familiar The Metaphor
resurrection which for the same cause is called by our Sauiour the day of regeneration for then shall hee change our mortall bodies and make them like vnto his owne glorious body thus by his dwelling in vs haue we the reparation both of our soules and bodies The other benefit we enioy by his dwelling in vs is the 2 He prouides all necessaries where hee dwels Iren. cont val lib. 4. cap. 28. benefit of Prouision where he comes to dwell hee is not burdenable after the manner of earthly Kings but his reward is with him for he hath not chosen vs to be his â—aâ—itation for any neede he hath of vs sed vt haberet in quem collocaret â—ua beneficia but that he might haue some on whom to bestow his benefits non indigeâ— nostrâ— ministerio vt domini seruorum sed sequimur ipâ—um vt homines lumen sequuntar nihil ipsi praestantes sed beneficium a lumine accipientes hee hath no need of our seruice as other Lords haue neede of their seruants but we follow him as men follow the light giuing nothing to it but receiuing a benefit from it It falles commonly out that where men of meane estate Not like kings of the earth who oft times are burdenable to them with whom they lodge Aug. de verb. Apost ser 15. receiue to lodge those that are more honourable they disease themselues to ease their guests but if thou receiue this rich spirit of the Lord to lodge non angustabâ—ris sed dilataberis thou shalt not be straited but shalt be enlarged saith Augustine he knew the comfort hee reaped by this presence of GOD and therefore could speake the better thereof vnto others quando hic non eras angustias patiebar nunc implesti cellam meam non me exclusisti sed angustiam meam when thou Lord dwelst not in me much anguish of minde oppressed me now thou hast filled the cellers of my heart thou hast not excluded me but excluded that anguish which troubled me In a word the benefits wee receiue by him doe not onely concerne this life but are stretched out also to eternall life Dauid comprises all in a short summe the Lord is a light and defence hee will giue grace and glory and no good thing shall be withholden from them that Psal 84. 11. loue him The greater benefits we haue by the dwelling of Christ What duties of thankfulnes we owe to our Lord who dwels in vs. in vs the more are we obliged in our dutie to him O how should that house be kept in order wherein the King of glory is resident what daily circumspection ought to be vsed that nothing be done to offend him not without cause are these watch-words giuen vs grieue not the spirit quench Eph. 4. 30. 1. Thes 5. 19. not the spirit There are none in a family but they discerne the voyce of the master thereof and followes it they goe 1 That we discerne the voyce of our Master and obay it Math. 8. 9. out and in at his commandment if he say vnto one Goe he goeth if to another Come he commeth if the Lord be our master let vs heare euery morning his voyce and enquire what his will is we should doe with a promise to resigne the gouernment of our hearts vnto him for it is certaine he will not dwell where he rules not as he will admit no vncleane thing within his holy habitation so will he not dwell with the vncircumcised in heart the Lord will not take a wicked man by the hand nor haue fellowship with the throne of iniquitie If holy men when they see brothels Macar hom 12. abhorre them and goes by them how much more shall we thinke that the most holy Lord will despise and passe by their soules which are polluted rather like to the filthie stewes of Sodome than the holy sanctuary of Sion for the Lord to dwell in And if hereby the weake conscience be cast downe reasoning That euery day we sweepe and water his chamber with the besome teares of repentance Zach. 13. 1. within it selfe alas how can my beloued dwell with me who am so polluted and defiled remember that the more thou art displeased with thy selfe the more thy Lord is pleased with thee for thy daily pollutions hee hath appointed daily washings in that fountaine which he hath opened to the house of Dauid for sin and for vncleannesse Sweepe out thy sinnes euery day by the besome of holy anger and reuenge and water the house of thy heart with the teares of contrition quoniam sine aliquo vulnere esse non possumus medelis Cyprian spiritualibus vulnera nostra curemus seeing wee cannot be without some wounds of Conscience let vs daily goe to the next remedie that with spirituall medicines wee may â—ure them chasting our selues euery morning and examining our selues vpon our bed in the euening And againe seeing we are made the Temples of the That in his Temple there want not morning and euening sacrifice holy Ghost there should be within vs continuall sacrifices offered vnto God of prayer and praising together with a daily slaughter of our beastly affections Among the Israelites Princes were knowne by the multitude of their sacrifices which they offered vnto God but now they who sacrifice most of their vncleane affections are most approued as excellent Israelites of the Lord who can best discerne an Israelite From the time the Lord departed from Ierusalems Temple the daily sacrifice and oblation ceased and where there is not in man neither prayer nor praysing Macar hom 28. of God nor mortification of his beastly lusts but the spirituall Chaldeans hath come in and taken away this daily sacrifice it is an euident argument that the Lord dwelleth not there Last of all let vs marke here that the Apostle sayth Bastard professors lodges this holy spirit in a wrong roome Ephe. 3. 17. this dwelling of the spirit is in vs it is not without vs the kingdome of God is within vs if he dwell he will dwell in our hearts by saith for he himselfe requires the heart As for them who lodge him in their mouths by professing him in their eyes by aduancing them to heauen in their hands by doing some workes of mercy and not in their hearts these are carnall men not spirituall pretend what they will hipocrites who drawes neere the Lord with their lips but their hearts are farre from him accursed deceiuers who hauing a male in their flocke vowes and sacrifices a corrupt thing vnto the Lord which I doe not speake as if I did condemne the outward seruice done in the body to the Lord prouiding it flowe from the heart Ye are bought with a price 1 Cor. 6. 20. therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit for they are Gods And this also is to be marked for the amendment of two Humble gestures of the bodie in
of his bone and flesh of his flesh albeit he had neuer seene her before and shall we thinke that the second Adam restoreth lesse knowledge to his redeemed than they lost in the first Adam The consideration of the place shewes the greatnesse of that glory Last of all the consideration of the place vvherein wee shall be glorified will leade vs to consider the excellency of that glorie As for the place our Sauiour sometime calleth it Paradise there being no meeter place in the earth to shadow it then was that Garden of Eden the habitation of man in the state of innocencie sometime he calleth it his fathers house wherein are many mansions sometime the euerlasting habitations The Apostle calleth it the third heauens a house not made vvith hands but eternall in the heauens Wee see in this composition of the world that finest things are situate in highest places the earth as grosest is put in the lowest roome the water aboue the earth the ayre aboue the water the fire aboue the ayre the spheres of heauen purer then any of them aboue the rest but the place of our glorie is aboue them all in the heauen of heauens which doth not onely note the excellent purity therof but shewes also what excellent puritie is required in all them who are to inhabite it There are three places saith one wherein the sonnes Three places of our residence the first is our mothers wombe the second is the earth the third is the heauens of God at three sundry times makes residence according to Gods good pleasure The first is in our mothers wombe the second is this Earth the third is that pallace of glorie which is aboue from the first the Lord hath brought vs to the second and from the second wee rest in hope that the Lord â—n his owne good time vvill bring vs to the third If vvee compare these three together in time in bounds and in beautie vvee shall finde the second doth not so farre excell the first as the third excels the second The ordinarie time of our remayning in our mothers wombe is nine Compared together in time months the time of our soiourning in our second house is farre longer threescore and tenne times twelue months but in our third house neyther dayes months nor yeeres shall be reckoned vnto vs for it is the place of our euerlasting habitation If againe we compare them in bounds and largenesse of Compared in bounds place vvee shall finde that as the belly of a vvoman is but of narrow bounds in regard of this ample vniuerse so this is nothing in comparison of that high pallace wherein are innumerable mansions prepared for many thousands of elect men and Angels For if one starre be more than the vvhole earth vvhat is the firmament vvhich containes so many starres and if the firmament be so large vvhat shall we thinke of the heauen of heauens which hath no limites vvithin which it is bounded And last if wee compare them in beautie and pleasure Compared in beautie and pleasure O then what a difference shall arise when thou wast in thy mothers belly though thy body vvas indued with those same organes of senses yet what sawest thou or heardest thou there euery sense wanting the owne naturall obiect could breed thee no delight but this thy second house thou seest it replenished with varietie of all necessarie and pleasant things no sense wanting innumerable obiects that may delight thee and yet all the beautie and pleasure of this earth is as farre inferiour to that which is aboue as it is superiour to that which the infant had in the mothers belly The firmament which is the seeling of our second house The seeling of our second house is but the pauement of our third house beautified vvith the Sunne Moone and Starres set in it by the hand of God and shining more gloriously than all the precious stones in the world shal be no other thing but the neather side of the pauement of our Palace Iohn the Baptist sprung for ioy in the belly of his mother Elizabeth when Luke 1. 14. the Lord Iesus came into the house in the wombe of his mother Mary but afterward when hee saw the Lord Iesus more clearely face to face and pointed him out with the finger behold the Lambe of God when hee stood by him as Iohn 1. 36. a friend and heard the voyce of the Bridegroome he reioyced in another manner so in very truth all the reioycing that wee haue in the house of our pilgrimage is but like the springing of Iohn Baptist in the mothers vvombe in comparison of those infinite ioyes wherewith vve shall be replenished when we shall meete vvith our bridegroome in our Fathers house wherein wee shall see him face to face and abide vvith him for euer It is vvritten of Ahashuerus that he made a great banquet Ahashuerus banquet not comparable to our marriage banquet to his Princes and Nobles which lasted for the space of an hundred and fourescore dayes and when he had done with that hee made another banquet to his Commons for the space of seauen dayes the place was the outmost court of the Kings Palace the Tapestry vvas of all sorts of colours Esth 1. white greene and blew fastned with cords of fine linnen and purple through rings and pillars of siluer and marble the beds were of gold and siluer the pauement of porphire marble alablaster and blew colour the vessels wherein they dranke vvere all of Gold all this hee did that he might shew the glorie of his kingdome and the honor of his maiestie If a worm of the earth hath done so much for declaring his begged glory as rauished men into admiration thereof how I pray you shall the Lord our God the great King declare his glorie when he shall make his banquet couer his Table and gather his Princes that is his Sonnes thereunto not for a few dayes but for euer not in the outmost Court but in the inner Court of his Palace Surely no tongue can expresse it for seeing hee hath decked this If the outward court of Gods palace be so furnished as we see what is the inner vvorld vvherein vve soiourne and which I haue called the outmost Court of this Palace in so rich and glorious manner that hee hath ordained lights both by day and night to shine in it and hath prepared a store-house of Fowles in the ayre another of Beasts in the earth and the third of Fishes in the Sea for our necessitie beside innumerable pleasures for delectation what glory and varietie of pleasures may vvee looke for when hee shall separate vs fully from the children of vvrath and assemble vs all into the inner Court of his owne Palace into the chamber of his presence vvee may vvell thinke vvith the Apostle that the heart of man is not able to vnderstand those things which God hath prepared for vs and
shall see Esau seeking the blessing with greater crying and moe teares than Iacob and Saul shall confesse his sinne no lesse than Dauid and Ahab shall humble himselfe in dust and ashes more penitent like than Ezechiah the Pharisee shall be more abundant in fasting giuing of almes than the Publican As he that doth paint a faire fire may paint the colour and the forme of the bowing flame thereof but can no way paint the heat thereof so an Hypocrite can looke like a Christian speake like a Christian and in outward actions counterfait the Christian but can neuer attaine to the Christians heart therefore is it that the Lord most of all delights in the heart and vvee also most of all should take heed vnto it to keepe it holy Beside this that the Lord hath locked vp the heart of It is in great wisedome that God hath locked vp the hart of one man from another one man from another and hath reserued the knowledge of the heart to himselfe onely the Lord hath done it in great wisedome for seeing that man diuided himselfe by sinne from God their hearts by nature are so discordant among themselues that if their hearts were as manifest to others as their faces there could not be a fellowship nor societie entertained among men Looke how many men are in the world there are as many sundry iudgements and wils euery man hauing a kingdome in his breast and so carryed away with a desire of his owne super-excellencie that he seeketh the aduancement of his owne will with the ouerthrow of all others whose will is not agreeable to his if hee might attaine vnto it Againe the heart of man is such a bottomles fountaine of wickednesse that if it vvere manifested the vvorld should be infected vvith viler abhominations than any that yet are knowne in it for if the tongue which is but a little member of the body when it somes out but a small part of that filth vvhich abounds in the heart be so forcible as to corrupt the honest minds and manners of the hearers vvhat should be done if the heart it selfe were laid open which is by nature but a stincking puddle and filthy store-house of all iniquitie And further for the comfort of the whole Church of God The soueraignty of God ouer man appeares in this that he is vpon the secrets of their hearts and euery member thereof let vs marke the soueraigntie of our God ouer all his creatures in these two that not onely hee is vpon their secrets vvhether they vvill or not for he sits in their hearts but also hath soueraign commandement ouer them so that he can when he will will when his glory requires eyther take their hearts vtterly from them or turn their owne hearts against themselues as domestick enemies to torment them And as for the first it is manifest out of this place that the Lord sitteth vpon the secret counsell of the wicked for hee searcheth the heart It was a great discouragement to Benhadad King of Aram that the secret conclusion vvhich he laid with his captaines in his cabinet counsel concerning the ordering of his battels against Israel were discouered as they were concluded by Elisha the Prophet vnto the King of Israel and vvho reueiled them to Elisha but the Lord our God who sits as moderator in the counsell of the wicked whether they will or not to ouerrule their determinations direct them to their own end which is the glory and good of his church Let our enemies then take counsell and conspire together as they will hee that doth sit in the heauens shal haue them in derision The counsell of the Lord shall stand and what he hath decreed shall onely come to passe let vs therefore rest in him It vvere good for men to consider this that albeit man Man hath but his hart to hold him vp and God can take it from him when he will be sustained and vpholden by his owne heart so that no other thing can help him if it faile him yet it is in the Lords power to doe vvith it what he vvill how oft haue we seene that the Lord being angry at man passing by all the members of his body and leauing them whole and sound hath stricken the heart with such terrours that most valiant men hauing eyes could not see hauing a tongue could not speak hauing hands could not strike to defend themselues and hauing feete could not doe so much as runne away their heart being taken from them by God they are left in a strait and comfortlesse estate But farre more miserable are they when the Lord turnes their own hearts against themselues and makes them a terrour to themselues A fearefull example whereof vvee haue in Belshazzar who seeing nothing Dan. 4. 6. vvithout him but the figure of a hand which stirred him not vvas so stricken and pursued with his owne heart within him that his flesh trembled his countenance waxed pale his knees smote one against another If man considered this he would be loath to prouoke the Lord vnto anger seeing he can neither sustaine the wrath of God nor eschew it Moreouer vvee are taught here seeing our Prayer is a We haue neede of great reuerence in praier seeing we speak to him who searcheth the heart conference with him who searcheth the hart that we should alway pray with our heart for otherwise if wee draw neere him with our lips our heart being farre from him he vvill curse vs as deceiuers that hauing a male in our flock doe sacrifice a lame thing vnto the Lord that is in stead of the seruice of our hearts doe offer vnto him the seruice of our lips The Lord hath no delight in the sacrifice of fooles who are rash with their mouth to vtter a thing before him not considering that hee is in heauen and they are vpon earth the mouth may reach to men vvho are beside vs the heart onely may reach to God who is aboue It was a very godly Psal 139. 23. protestation that Dauid made Try me O Lord and proue my thoughts in the night and see if at any time I haue spoken that to thee with my mouth which I haue not thought with my heart and albeit vve haue not as yet attayned vnto it yet it is that holy sinceritie vvhereat vve should ayme in all our Prayers so to speake vnto GOD that our conscience may beare vs record that vve lye not and that vve haue spoken nothing vvith our mouth vvhich vve haue not thought vvith our heart We are therefore for the right ordering of our prayers Three things to be obserued in Prayer to take heed to these three things First preparation before prayer Secondly attention in prayer Thirdly reuerent 1 That preparation go before it thanksgiuing after prayer As for the first as Moses and Iosua put off their shooes before they came neere the Lord so are we to remoue out
growing according to it he esteemes iudges and speakes of the Christian from it hee giues vs these names as to call vs Saints righteous c. not counting with vs vvhat haue vve beene neyther yet weighing vs by the corruption of sinnefull nature which remaines in vs but according to the new grace vvhich in our regeneration hee hath created in vs Hee sees no iniquitie in Israel and it is his Numb 23. 21. praise to passe by the transgressions of his heritage But the Christian by the contrarie in iudging of himselfe he lookes most commonly â—o that vvhereunto the Lord lookes least his sinnes are euer before him the old man is continually in his sight as a strong and mighty Gyant vvhose force hee feares vvhose tyrannie makes him to tremble and by whom hee findes himselfe detayned vnder miserable thraldome farre against his will and therefore all his care is how to subdue his tyrannie how to quench his life and shake off his dominion in this vvarfare he sighes complaines and cryes vnto GOD with the holy Apostle O miserable Rom. 7. 24. man who shall deliuer me from this body of sinne But because so long as this old man hath a life hee neuer rests to send out sinnefull motions and actions which doe greatly grieue the child of God therefore is it that hee esteemes himselfe a miserable creature yea and the chiefe of all sinners Thus yee see how it is that God accounts his children Saints and they account themselues Sinners Where againe Saint Iohn saith that he who is borne of God How it is to be vnderstood that he who is borne of God sinneth not sinnes not and yet that hee who saith hee hath no sinne is a lyer both of these is true He that is borne of God that is the new man sinneth not for sure it is that all the sins which are committed by man are either done without the knowledge of the new man his vnderstanding being as yet so vveake that he doth not know euery sinne to be sinne or then if he knowes them to be sinnes they are done without his consent or approbation yea they are done sore against his will so that the new man in the sinnes which are done in the body is a patient not an agent So that as an honest man captiued by violence and against The new man liues in the body like Lot in Sodome his will compelled to behold wicked and abhomiâ—able deedes which he would not so much as looke to if hee were free so is the new man detayned in the body as a captiue and compelled to looke vnto that which he loues not that is to the sinfull motions vnruly lusts and affections of his corrupt nature whereunto he consents not but protests against them and for their sake becomes wearie of soiourning in the body so that Ioseph was not more wearie of his prison nor Ieremie of his dungeon nor Daniel of the company of Lyons nor Dauid more wearie of his dwelling in Psal 120. 5. the tents of Kedar than is the new man wearie of his abiding in the body He is like Lot in Sodome whose righteous soule was vext day by day by hearing and seeing the vncleane conuersation of the Sodomites he is like Israel in Aegipt kept in most vile slauerie by the tyrannie of Pharaoh sighing and crying hee is like the godly Iewes holden in captiuitie in Babell many things they saw there done to the dishonour of God which they no way approued and many things they would haue done that they had no liberty to do So this new man perceiues many sinfull motions actions brought in vpon him by a superiour power which are a griefe vnto him and vexation of his spirit And this is the greatest comfort of the new man that Reioycing when â—e doth good grieued when he doth euill Rom. 7. 15. whatsoeuer good he doth hee doth it with ioy and on the contrary euill that is done in the body it is a griefe to him to see it yea he protests against it O Lord this is not I but sin that dwels in me thou knowst I like it not I allow it not I wish from my heart there were not done in me any thing that might offend thee Onely happy and thrice happy is the man who with the holy Apostle is able to say so Thus yee see in what sense the Godly are said by the Euangelist in one place not to sinne and in another not to be without sin The Lord worke this holy disposition in vs that the life of sinne may daily be weakned in vs. According to God Wee haue last of all to marke here We should not present petitions to God which are not according to his will that those petitions which flow from the Spirit are according to Gods will and therefore as concerning temporall things because wee know not absolutely what is the will of God whether health or sicknesse riches or pouertie be most expedient for vs we are to pray with a condition if it be his will but as for those things which are directly against his will it is a great mockery if it be done with knowledge or otherwise a grosse impietie to seeke them from him It is written of Vitellius that one of his friends asking from him a certaine thing which hee refused and being impatient of the refusall did say to him What auaileth thy friendship to me if I cannot obtaine that which I craue returned backe to his friend this answere And what auaileth to mee thy friendship if for thy sake I must doe that which becomes me not If such equitie be in a mortall man that he will not graunt an vnlawfull thing euen to his tender friend how much more are we to thinke that it is in the Lord our God Away therefore with these cursed and abhominable sacrifices as to present vnto the Lord petitions which are not agreeable vnto his holy will And last to conclude this that wee may be encouraged A Christian hath accesse to the priuie chamber of the great king euer when he pleaseth to prayer let vs consider what excellent priuiledge this is that the Christian as oft as hee pleaseth hath libertie to speake vnto the Lord his God The Persians thought it a piece of their silly glory not to graunt accesse easily vnto their subiects yea not to those of most noble ranck therefore yee see how afraid Hester the Queene was to goe in vnto the King vnsent for But the Lord our God King of Kings proclaimes vnto vs free accesse as oft as we are disposed to call vpon him ready at all times to extend the Scepter of his peace toward those who seeke him in spirit and truth Yea though with Dauid thou preuent the morning and rise at midnight to call vpon him thou shalt finde him euen then waiting vpon thee Inuenire potes praeuenire non potes come when thou wilt thou maist finde him but canst
like Thirdly his workes of godlinesse and sanctification as that he was subiect to his parents louing to his brethren painefull in his calling perseuering in prayer To prease to follow him in his personall vvorkes of Redemption is blasphemie or in his workes of Miracles is impâ—ssibilitie but to follow him in the workes of a godly life is true pietie In the first papists are blasphemous that on good-Friday makes a play to the people by counterfaiting In the first and second Papists are apish imitators the sufferings of Christ In the second Papists are ridiculous that practise to counterfaite him in his fortie dayes fasting as if that might ordinarily be done of men which once Iesus did for a Miracle In the third let all those vvho are truely religious strâ—ue to follow him as Children looking to their coppy learne to mend their letters so let vs by looking dayly to our example learne to amend our liues Imitation in the first two Iesus did neuer require onely In the third onely should we follow the Lord Iesus Ioh. 13. 12. hee craues that vve should follow him in the third there is his voyce Learne of me that I am loâ—ly and meeks he did not bid thee saith Augustine learne at him how to make the world or how to raise the dead but how to be lowly and meeke for this cause did our blessed Sauiour wash his Disciples feete that he might giue vs an example how one of vs should serue another as I haue loued you said Iesus so loue ye Iohn 15. 12. one another yea in that vpon the Crosse he prayed for his enemies hee hath also taught vs how to practise that precept Pray for them who persecute you In patience likewise he Mat. 5. 44. is proposed vnto vs for an example for so are we exhorted Heb. 12. 2. Let vs runne with patience the race that is set before vs looking vnto Iesus the author and finisher of our Faith these and such like are the workes wherein wee are commanded to conforme our selues vnto him We must also follow the Lord Iesus in suffering The other point wherein stands our conformitie vvith him is in patient suffering with him for righteousnes which vve shall not be able to doe except wee liue first after the similitude of his life what like suffering to the suffering of Christ than the suffering of that reprobate theâ—fe vvho dyed with Iesus at the same time the same kinde of death yet because his life was neuer like the life of Christ his sufferings shall neuer be accounted the sufferings of Christ Similis in â—oena dissimilis â—â—causa But as for the other whom Augustine the Lord Iesus conuerted vpon the Crosse to declare to all the world that euen in death hee retayned the power of a Sauiour able to giue life to them who are dead he brought out in the last houre of his life the first fruits of amendment of life he liued long a wicked malefactor but a short vvhile a conuerted Christian yet in that same space hee abounded in the fruits of Godlinesse confessing his sinnes giuing glory to the iustice of God rebuking the blasphemies of the other and pleading the cause of his innocent Sauiour thus being turned from his sinne hee began euen on the Crosse to liue with Iesus and therefore heard that ioyfull sentence This night thou shalt be with me in Paradise Luke 23. 43. Reasons mouing vs to a conformitie with Christ Now that we may be moued to embrace this conformitie with Iesus let vs remember that the image of God by which wee were created conforme vnto him is the most auncient glory to which wee can make claime and therefore 1 The Image of God is our most ancient glory stollen from vs by Sathan which we should seek to recouer if there be in vs any peece of manhood and spirituall wisedome we ought to endeauour to recouer it which our enemie craftily and maliciously hath stollen from vs. O what a pittie is it to see that man cannot doe that in the matter of saluation which hee can doe in the smallest things pertayning to this life There is no man among vs who knoweth that any tenement of land or portion of earth possessed now vniustly of another did of olde pertaine to his Fathers but if he can hee will seeke to recouer it seeking by iustice to bring that home to himselfe which oppressors vniustly had taken from him Is it not then most lamentable that where the Lord Iesus the King of righteousnesse and Prince of peace offers to restore vs to our most auncient glory which is his owne image that vvee vvill not call the oppressours of our soule before him nor seeke to be restored to that glory vvhich most deceitfully our aduersarie hath stollen from vs but this commeth also vpon man by the subtilty of Sathan that hauing once spoyled vs of the image of God he doth vvhat hee can so to blinde vs that vve should neuer seeke it againe nor doe so much as receiue it vvhen it is offered vnto vs. Iacob complained of Laban that hee had deceiued him Sathan a double deceiuer and changed his wages ten times and Esau complained of Iacoh â—s of a supplanter vvho first had stollen from him his birth-right and then the blessing also but more cause haue vve to turne these complaints vpon Sathan who hath not onely stollen from vs the Image of God but daily stealeth away the blessing whereby it is restored vnto vs. Oh that we had wise and vnderstanding hearts that wee might be stirred vp to an holy anger against the enemie of our saluation seeking in despite of him to be restored to that right vvhich by creation belonged to our fore-fathers But alas vvhat a beastly stupiditie is this that man vvill not doe so much for recouerie and maintenance of the image of God as hee vvill doe for preseruation of his owne portraiture drawne on a peece of timber if any man pollute it incontinent he is offended and stomacks at it as an iniurie done to himselfe but as for man who is the image of God he lyes downe like a beast content that Sathan should tread vpon him pollute defile him with all kind of abhomination all which proceeds from a pittifull ignorance of his own glory The second reason which should moue vs to conforme 2 Iesus Christ hath first conformed himselfe vnto vs. our selues to Iesus is that hee hath first of all conformed himselfe vnto vs hee was not ashamed to take vpon him the shape of a seruant and to become man like vnto vs in all things sinne accepted and shall we refuse to conforme our selues vnto him let it be farre from vs but rather putting from vs that foolish emulation by vvhich wee striue to conforme our selues vnto this vvorld let vs consider whereunto wee are called euen to be partakers of the diuine nature and may thinke it most greatest
consider what thou hopest to be after this 2 What we hope to be after this life life dost thou not hope to raigne as a King in the heauens and wilt thou now liue as a slaue to Sathan vpon earth Is any man crowned except he sâ—riue as he ought or doth he receiue the prize who runnes not the race or can hee obtaine the victorie who neuer wrestled why then fightest thou not why runnest thou not why beginnest thou not to raigne in earth as a king ouer thy lusts seeing thou hopest to raigne as a king in heauen in glory Doe not deceiue thy selfe that crowne is for conquerours not for captiues Non sperare potest regnum coelorum cui supra propria membra regnare Ber. de persecutione sustineÌ„da cap. 11. 1. Iohn 3. 2. non donatur hee cannot looke for that heauenly kingdome to whom it is not giuen to raigne ouer his own earthly members Wee know that when Iesus shall appeare we shall be like him for wee shall see him as hee is and hee that hath this hope in himselfe purgeth himselfe euen as hee is pâ—re Certainly if the Lord through Grace prepare thee not for his Heauenly Kingdome thou canst neuer say with a warrant that the Lord hath prepared that kingdome for thee And thirdly the consideration of the present occasion 3 What presently we may be should waken vs to goe out of this house of bondage for now the Sonne of God offers to make vs free a Prince of greater power is content to enter into confederacie with vs hee promiseth to restore vs to all the priuiledges wee lost in Adam yea to giue vs much more than euer we had in him and shall we neglect so faire an occasion When Cyrus king of Persia proclaymed liberty to the Iewes to goe from Babell the place of their captiuitie homeward to Ierusalem it is said that all those went forward whose spirit God had raised vp and now when the Lords annoynted proclaymes liberty to the captiues and the opening of the door to them that are in prison I know that none shall follow his calling but such whose spirit the Lord hath raised vp the rest being miserably blind delight to lye still in captiuitie thinking their bondage liberty The Lord giue vs grace that we may discerne the time of our visitation that with Dauid we may aduance our eyes toward the Lord who hath begunne to plucke our feet out of the nâ—t and that still we may lift vp and stretch out our hands vnto him till hee haue deliuered vs fully from the power of the enemie This being spoken of the bondage we are now to consider Our deliuerance from this bondage is to be ascribed vnto Christ only Heb. 13. 9. Reuel 7. 1â— Isai 42. 8. that our deliuerance from it is here ascribed to Iesus Christ Thy perdition is of thy selfe O Israell But our saluation belongs to the Lord and to the Lambe that sits vpon the throne Let no man therefore be so vnthankfull as to ascribe any part of this glory to another my glory will I not giue to another saith the Lord the glory of a temporall deliuerance God will not giue it vnto man hee would not saue Israell vnder Gideon with thirtie two thousand and why least Israell should vaunt against the Lord and say my right hand hath done it Or euer he entred his people Israell into the land of Canaan he forewarned them that they should not say it was for their righteousnesse and will hee then thinke yee giue the praise of this most notable deliuerance to the Creature No the whole booke of God witnesseth that it is not for our righteousnesse but for the praise of the glory of his rich mercie that we are entred into heauenly Canaan Did Peter Iames and Iohn helpe the Lord Iesus in that agonie which he suffered in the garden no surely be bad them watch with him and pray but when hee was sweating blood they were sleeping when he was buffeted in Caiphas hall did not Peter deny him when he went to the Crosse did not all his disciples forsake him and those who loued him most dearely did they not stand a farre off from him Certainely he alone troad the wine-presse of the wrath of God he alone bare the punishment of our sinnes in his blessed body on the Crosse to him therfore alone pertayneth the glory of our saluation As for the persons to whom this deliuerance pertaines Mercies of god shewed vpon others should confirme vs if we repent to looke for the like to our selues the Apostle names himselfe among them hath freed vs not to exclude but rather to confirme all others who are in Iesus Christ For he confesses of himselfe that he was receiued to mercy for this end that God might shew vpon him an example of long suffering to them who shall in time to come beleeue in him vnto eternall life therefore it is that hee speakes of this deliuerance in his owne person for the confirmation 2. Tim. 1. 16. of others who hauing beene before as hee was notorious sinners are now become such as repents and beleeues And indeed euery example of GODS mercy shewed vnto others should serue to strengthen vs. Audientâ—s Christum non horruisse confitentem latronem c. when we Bernard heare sayth Bernard that the Lord Iesus abhorred not the penitent Theefe on the Crosse that hee despised not the sinfull Cananitish woman when she made supplication nor the woman taken in Adulterie nor him that sat at the receipt of Custome nor the Publicane when hee sought mercie nor the Disciple that denyed him neither yet the persecuter of his Disciples in odore horum vnguentorum â—urramus post cum in the sweet smell of these oyntments let vs runne after him Alwaies we see that the Apostle doth speake vnto others Preachers not pertakers of that mercy which they of a deliuerance obtayned by Christ as being also pertaker thereof himselfe As he was a Preacher of Christ so he was a follower of Christ he beate downe his body by discipline least that preaching vnto others hee should haue beene a pronounce to others are most miserable reprobate himselfe and therfore he now speaks as one who is sure that hee also hath his portion in Christ Otherwise what comfort can it be either to Preacher or professor to speake of that life and grace which commeth by Christ Iesus they themselues in the meane time being like to that miserable Atheist Simon Magus to whom Peter gaue out that fearefull sentence thou hast neither part nor fellowship in Acts. 8. 21. this businesse or like those Priests in Ierusalem in the dayes of Herod who directed others to Bethleem by the light of the word to worship Christ but went not themselues or those builders of Noahs Arke who helped to build a vessel for preseruation of others but perished in the deluge themselues or like Bilhah and Zilpah who brought
publike exercises of diuine worship prophanly scorned by some sorts of men among vs who are in two extremities we haue some who are become scorners of the grace of God in others neither can they be humbled themselues in the publik assemblies of the Saints nor be content to see others expresse their inward motion by outward humiliation they sit downe in the throne of God and condemnes others for hipocrisie not remembring that the sinne of hipocrisie is to be reserued to the iudgement of God who onely knowes the heart that those same things which they mislike in their brethreÌ„ the Lord hath allowed in others The Apostles precept commaunds vs to lift vp to the Lord pure hands in prayer Dauids practise teaches vs to aduance our eyes to the Lord shal not thy brother lift vp his hands his eyes to the Lord shall he not sigh to God nor mourne in his prayers like a Doue as Ezekiah did but thou incontinent wilt taxe him of hipocrisie We read that Iacob sought a blessing from the Lord with teares and obtained it Esau sought a blessing from his father with teares crying and obtained it not were the teares of Iacob the worse because Esau also shed teares Iudge not least thou be iudged the iudgement of Hypocrisie as I haue said belongs to the Lord. On the other extremitie are they who thinke they haue Superstitiously abused by others done enough when they haue discharged some outward exercises of religion though they take no paine to sanctifie the heart to works of diuine seruice On the Saboth they come to the house of God they bow their heads like a bulrush with the rest they pray and praise the Lord in the externall formes with the rest of the congregation but considers not whether or no they come into the temple by the motion of the Spirit as Simeon did if they pray and praise the Lord with prepared hearts as Dauid did neyther trye they when they goe out whether or no they haue met with the Lord found mercie and returneth home to their houses iustified as the Publican did It is true we are to glorifie God with our bodies because they are his but most of all with our spirits because God is a spirit he loueth truth in the inward affections and delights to be worshipped in spirit and truth We are called by the Apostle the Temples of God Seeing we are the temples of God we should be more beautifull within then without Salomons Temple the further in was the finer in the outward Court stood an Alter of brasse whereupon beastes were sacrificed in the inward Court was an Altar of gold whereupon incense was sacrificed but the Sanctuarie or most holy place did farre exceed them both in it was nothing but fine gold in it the Lord gaue his Oracles from betweene the Cherubins in it stood the Arke of the couenant wherein was the Tables of the Law And so indeed the Christian ought to be holy without his lookes his words his wayes should all declare that God dwelleth in his heart he should haue ingrauen as it were in his forehead Holinesse to the Lord as Aaron had but much more Exod. 28. 36. should hee be holy within betweene the secrets of his Soule should the Lord haue his residence and in his heart the testimony of God which is the word of God should dwell plentifully But as for the wicked they are eyther compared to open But the wicked are compared sometime to open and sometime to painted Sepulchers sepulchers their mouth being like that gate of the Temple called Shallecheth out of which was carryed all the filth of the Temple the abhomination of their heart being made manifest by their mouth or then in their best estate they are compared to painted Sepulchers beautifull without Math. 23. 27. Psal 32. 2. but within full of roâ—tennesse hauing a shew of godlinesse wanting the power thereof but the man is blessed in whose heart Iohn 1. 47. Rom. 2. 29. there is no guile hee is a Nathaniell indeed a true Israelite who is one within whose praise is not of men but of God But if any man haue not the Spirit of Christ the same is not his The comfort being ended now followes the Caution The secondary great question in religion is this who are Christians Euery man saith Salomon boasts of his owne goodnesse but the Lord saith the Apostle knoweth who are his As the first great question in Religion is concerning the Sauiour of the world Art thou he who is to come or shall Math. 11. 3. wee looke for another so the second is concerning them who are to be saued if the iudgement be referred to man now euery man among vs accounts himselfe a Christian If iudgement be sought from the Lord here he giues one answere for all If any man haue not the Spirit of Christ the same is not his Albeit among men there be an allowable difference of A soueraigne rule whereby Christians of all estates must be tryed estates yet concerning Christianitie both King and Subiect rich and poore learned and vnlearned comes all to be tryed by one rule It is a common thing among men to esteeme somewhat more of themselues for the priuiledge of their estate wherein they excell others but the Apostle destroyes the pride of all their glory with one word If any man so he speakes without exception be what thou wilt beside were thou neuer so noble neuer so rich neuer so learned if thou hast not the Spirit of Christ thou art none of his all the priuiledges of men without Iesus are nothing that which is high among men is abhomination to God Man in his best estate is altogether vanitie the glory of flesh is but as the flowre of the field the Spirit of the Lord iudgeth of all the glory of man as the pompe of Agrippa Acts. 25. 23. he came downe saith Saint Luke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is all but fantasie and vanishing shewes nothing commends vs to God but this one to haue the spirit of Christ dwelling in vs. Christ and his Spirit are not sundred Againe we see here that Christ and his Spirit cannot be sundred except men will crucifie againe the Sonne of God Let no man therefore say that he hath Christ vnlesse he haue the Spirit of Christ As he is not a man who hath not a Soule so he is not a Christian who hath not the Spirit of Christ no man counteth that a member of his body which is not quickned by his spirit no more is hee a member of Christ who hath not the Spirit of Christ 1 Iohn 4. 13. hereby we know that we dwell in him and hee in vs because he hath giuen vs of his Spirit And as Christ and his spirit are not sundred so cannot the spirit be sundred from the fruits of the Spirit now the fruites of the Spirit are Loue Ioy
God but what performed he in stead of making man like vnto God he made him like vnto himselfe yet as I said so shamelesse is that lying Spirit that he dare as boldly promise vantage by committing of sinne this day as he did the first day to Adam in Paradise notwithstanding that wee see through miserable experience that death because of sinne is entred into our bodies Is hee not a deceiuer indeed that did first steale from vs our birth-right and now would also take from vs the blessing all those benefites we got by our first creation he hath stollen them from vs with his lying words and now he goes about by lyes also to steale from vs that blessing of restitution by Christ offered and exhibited vnto vs. Iacob iustly complayned of Laban Gen. 31. 7. that he had deceiued him and had changed his wages seauen times but more iustly may we complaine of Sathan who innumerable times hath beguiled vs he hath changed out wages how oft hath he promised vs good things and behold what euill is come vpon vs Happy were we if in all our temptations we did remember A good answer to be giuen Sathan in all his temptations to sinne this and reply to Sathan in this manner The Lord rebuke thee thou shamelesse Lyar from the beginning with what face canst thou speake that vnto me wherein thou hast beene so oft conuinced by so manifold witnesses to be a manifest Lyar Of the fruites of sinnes which we haue seene we are to iudge of the fruits of sinne which are not seene if sinne hath made vs so miserable in this life how miserable shall it make vs in the life to come if we continue in it This is that wisedome which the Apostle recommends to vs in that worthie sentence happy were we if it were sounded continually in the eares of our minde as oft as wee Rom. 6. 21. are tempted vnto sinne What fruit haue yee then in those sins whereof now yee are ashamed He that will search within himselfe Seeing he hath deceiued vs so oft let vs beleeue him no more Iudg. 16. the fruit of his former transgressions shall easily perceiue there is no cause why he should commit sinne vpon hope of any better fruit in time to come It was Sampsons destruction that not withstanding he found himselfe thrise deceiued by Dalilah yet the fourth time he harkned vnto her deceitfull allurements and it shall in like manner be the destruction of many who notwithstanding they haue sound themselues abused by Sathan in time past yet will not learne to resist him but giues place vnto his lying entisements and are carryed headlong by him into the wayes of death hee was a lying Spirit in the mouth of Achabs Prophets to 1. King 22. draw him forward in a battell promising him victory in the which he knew assuredly that he should dye so is hee a lying spirit in the hearts of the wicked promising vnto them gaine glory or pleasure by doing those workes of sin whereof he knowes well inough they shall reape nothing but shame and euerlasting confusion Againe that wee may yet see how foolish they are who How they who liue in sin are murtherers of themselues Psal 34. 21. liue still in their sinnes wee may marke here that they are murtherers of themselues the malice of the wicked shall slay themselues his owne sin which he hath conceiued brought forth and nourished shall be his destruction Euery man iudges Saul miserable that dyed vpon his owne sword but what better are other wicked men are not their sinnes the weapons by which they slay themselues Thus are they twise miserable first because they are subiect to death secondly because they are guiltie of their owne death Oh the pittifull blindnesse of men albeit in their life they feare nothing more then death yet doe they entertaine nothing better than sinne which causes death In bodily diseases men are content to abstaine euen from ordinary food where they are informed by the Phisition that it will nourish their sicknesse and this they doe to eschew death onely herein they are so ignorant that notwithstanding they abhorre death yet they take pleasure in vnrighteousnesse which brings on death And lastly seeing we are taught here that sinne brings Strange death and diseases commeth vpon men through the groth of their sinnes against God death vpon the body what meruaile the Lord strikes the bodies of men by sundry sorts of diseases and sundry kindes of death seeing man by sundry sorts of sinnes prouokes the Lord vnto anger he frameth his iudgement proportionable vnto his sinnes If yee walke stubbornely against me and will not obey mee I will then bring seauen times more plagues Leuit. 26. 25. vpon you according to your sinnes He hath famine to punish intemperance and the abuse of his creatures hee hath the deuouring sword to bring low the pride of man he hath burnings feuers and vncleane consuming goutes to punish the fierie and vncleane lusts and concupiscence of man If now the Lord after that hee hath striken vs vvith famine and pestilence come among vs to visit vs also vvith vnaccustomed diseases what shall we say but the despising of his former fatherly corrections and our stubborne walking against the Lord our God hath procured this vnto our selues Qâ—â—â— miâ—um in poenas generis humani crescere iram dei cum Cypri ad Demet. crescat quotidie quod puniatur what meruaile the wrath of God increase euery day to punish men seeing that increases among men which deserues that God should punish it But there are two impediments which suffers not these Delay of iudgement confirms the wicked in euill and it is the first impediment which stayes them from repenting at Gods threatnings Deu. 29. 18. warnings of God to enter into the hearts of men The one is albeit they finde within themselues sinnes condemned by the word of God yet the plagues threatneth against those sinnes hath not light vpon them This is that roote of bitternesse whereof Moses warned Israel to beware that they should not blesse themselues in their hearts when God doth curse them thinking they shall escape iudgement notwithstanding they doe those things which God hath forbidden them Salomon marked this to be a great cause of iniquitie because iudgement is not executed speedily vpon the wicked Eccles 8. 11. therefore the heart of the children of men is set within them to doe wickedly But O man doest thou not know that the iudgement of God is according to truth against all that commit such things Why despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnesse Rom. 2. 4. and patience because the Lord holds his tongue and spares thee for a while thinkest thou that he will spare thee for euer Euery iudgement of God executed vpon another malefactor But they who are spared should learne wisdome by iudgements executed vpon others may tell thee that thou shalt not escape
things prouided and reserued for them vvho patiently suffer vvith the Lord Iesus Christ But to insist in the words here vsed by the Apostle let Foure things marked here concerning the life to come vs consider in them these foure things First the excellency of it in the word glory Secondly the eternitie of it vvhich is to be collected of the secret opposition made betweene it and our present sufferings which are now Thirdly the manifestation of it in this that he saith it is yet to be reuealed Fourthly the veritie and soliditie of it in that he saith it is to be reuealed in vs. First then the excellencie of that life is to be considered 1 The excellency of it in the word glory There shall be there no base nor contemptible thing all shall be glorious that is there and our estate then shall be an estate of glory Now we see the Lord but through a vaile and in a mirrour but then wee shall see the Lord face to face and shal in such sort behold his glory that wee shall be transformed into it This change as vvitnesseth the Apostle is begun by the sight of God vvhich we haue in the Gospell for euen now wee behold as in a mirrour the glory of the Lord with open face and are changed from glory to glory by the same image by the spirit of the Lord but in heauen this change shall be perfected and we shall be fully transformed into his holy similitude so that nothing shall be left in vs but that which is his own workmanship O how hath the Lord magnified his mercy toward vs he hath raised our honour from the dust and deliuered our soules for the lower hell and hath made vs to sit with himselfe in the highest places where we shall be filled with the ioyes which are at his right hand wee shall drinke of the riuers of his pleasures in his light we shall see light and be transchanged by the light of his countenance Moses was fortie dayes with GOD vpon Mount Sinai Fortie dayes company with God changed the face of Moses how much more c and his face shined so brightly that when hee came downe the people of Israel might not behold him if fortie dayes remayning with God did so transchange him how shall wee be changed who shall for euer abide with him neuer any more come downe from him Our Sauiour Christ saith that the face of the iust shall shine in that day like the Sunne in the firmament O what glory shall be among them all when the glory of one shall be like the brightnesse of the Sunne et qualis tunc erit splendor animarum quando solis habebit claritatem Aug. ad frat in Erem lux corporum and when the light of that bodie shall be like vnto the light of the Sunne how great thinke yee shall be the shining light of the soule Those three disciples If our bodies shall shine as the Sunne what shall our soules be that were with our Lord vpon Mount Tabor vvere so filled vvith ioy at the glance of his glory vvhich they saw that they vvished they might bide there for euer how then shall vve be rauished when wee shall see that full manifestation of his glorie we shall neuer desire to remoue out of that mountaine of God another heart shall be giuen vs and vve shall become other men then wee are so that as a little drop of water powred into a great vessell full of wine looseth both the taste and colour of vvater and becomes wine or as iron put into the fire takes on after a sort the nature of fire and as the ayre illuminated with the bright shining Sunne seemes not so much to be illuminated as to be light it selfe so our soules and bodies when the glory of God shall shine vpon them shall be so wonderfully transchanged that after a sort we shall become partakers of the diuine nature Beside this the excellency of that glory shall yet better appeare All the companions in that glory are first borne all noble mē of strength and dignity if we consider the companions with whom we shall be glorified there is the congregation of the first borne al of them are men of excellent strength and dignitie not of base linage but noble indeede for by their second birth they are the Sonnes of God and brethren of the Lord Iesus The Citizens of Tyrus are described by Esay to haue been companions to Princes but in that heauenly Ierusalem euerie Citizen is a crowned King and none but Kings are freemen of that citie knit among themselues by the band of one Spirit into so holy a communion that euery one of them accounts the ioy and glory of his brethren an increase of his owne ioy It is not there as here vpon earth where the The glory of one of them augments the glory of another ioy of one is the cause of sorrow to another the light of the Sun darkneth the Moone and the light of the Moone obscureth the light of the Stars if the one halfe of the earth be illuminated the other is left in darknesse but there the light of one augments the light of another the glory of one shall be the glory of all euery one of them reioycing not onely because the lightsome countenance of God shines vpon themselues but also because they see their brethren admitted to the fruition of the same glory But among all those with whom wee shall be glorified Specially the sight of Iesus Lord of that familie shall encrease our ioy there is one companion of our glory vvho aboue all the rest shall breed vs exceeding delectation Iesus Christ the man O with what boldnesse and spirituall reioycing shall wee stand in among the holy Angels vvhen vvee shall see the Lord of the house the Prince of glory clothed with our nature Now we are sure that our Redeemer liueth and wee shall at the last day see him in our flesh wee our selues shall see him our eyes shall behold him and none other for vs and herein is our comfort that albeit as yet vvee haue not seene him vve loue him and reioyce in him vvith ioy vnspeakeable and glorious And of this ariseth vnto vs some resolution of that doubt Whether we shall know one another in heauen or not which commonly is moued whether one of vs shall know another in heauen or no shall wee know the Patriarches the Prophets the Apostles it is true that these naturall delights which now wee haue one of vs in another shall vanish yet as I haue said the ioy that shall arise vnto vs of the glorification of others leadeth vs to thinke that we shall know them Peter Iames and Iohn did they not know Moses and Elias talking vvith the Lord Iesus albeit they had neuer seene them before and did not Adam so soone as hee wakened out of his sleepe know Euah that shee was bone
therefore will rest vvith Dauid Psal 65. Blessed is the man whom thou chusest and causest to come vnto thee he shall dwell in thy Courts and be satisfied with the pleasures of thine house This being spoken as concerning the excellency of that 2 The eternitie of it life in that it is called a life of glory the next thing to be considered here is the eternitie thereof for there is here a secret opposition betweene our present sufferings of which the Apostle here saith they are but for now and betweene that Glory which 2 Cor. 4 hee cals eternall but herein vve insist not hauing spoken of it before The third thing concerning this Glory here touched 3 The claritie perspicuitie of it Col. 3. 3. 1 Iohn 3. is the claritie and perspicuitie therof â—t shall bâ— reuealed and not obscured any more as now it is Now our life is hid with Christ in God Now are wee the sonnes of God but it appeares not what wee shall be As our head being the God of glory came into the world in the shape of a seruant so his members liue here in earth in a contemptible estate farre inferiour to their glory therfore Gregorie Nazianzen compares the Mans life on earth a stage play wherein men are disguised seeming to be that which they are not life of man vpon earth to a stage play wherein oftentimes the gentleman appeares in a beggars weede and the beggar comes in with the royall robe and scepter of a King in the time of action they cannot be discerned the honourable person being disguised is euill intreated as if no honour were due vnto him and hee is placed in the seate of honour who is not a man of honour but when the play is done and the disguising garments laid away then euery man is known to be such as indeed he is and returneth to his owne place it is euen so in this present world the sonnes of GOD appeare in most contemptible shapes and on the other part none more honourable than those of vvhom wee may say Psal with the Psalmist when they are exalted it is a shame for the sonnes of men But when the play shall be ended the maskes and vailes shall be taken from the faces of men and euerie one shall appeare that which he is the beggarly garment of Lazarus shall be taken from him he shall be declared to be the sonne of God and gathered vnto Abrahams bosome the purple garment of the rich glutton shall in like manner be laid aside and then hee who seemed honourable in the world shall be sent vnto hell and couered with shame and confusion The last thing to be considered here concerning this 4 The veritie and soliditie of it it is within vs. glory is the veritie and soliditie thereof it shall not onely be reuealed vnto vs but saith the Apostle it shall be reuealed in vs. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where we haue to put a difference betweene the glorie of a Christian and the vaine glory of the worldling Psal the glory of Ierusalem is within the Kings daughter is all glorioâ—s within but the glory of worldlings is without them for they either place their glory in the multitude of their attendants the glory of a King consists in the multitude of Pro. 13. his subiects if they haue no people to honor and obey them their glory goeth to the ground or in the testimonie and commendation of men counting it their glory to be praised of men As the Camelion liues on the ayre so liue they on Silly glory of worldlings is without them either in their followers the breath of other mens mouthes if men commend them they are puft vp if men speake euil of them they are cast downe O silly glorie that is made vp and downe by the breath of another mans mouth surely it can neither be stedfast nor stable For as the Moone stands neuer in one state but changes continually because it hath no light of the owne but borrowes it from the Sunne and therefore shineth more or lesse as it is in aspect with the Sunne so is it vvith them whose glorie depends vpon the testimonie of others their greatnesse is made vp or downe according to the praise or dispraise of men but hee who with Iob knoweth that his witnesse is in heauen wil place all his reioycing in the testimonie of a good Conscience for that which at length will be our glory must be reuealed vnto vs. Others againe are so foolishly vaine glorious that they Or in their gorgeous garments place their glory in their garments This is a begd and vanishing glory from the Wormes man borrowes silkes to decore him from the shel-fish Pearles from the earth siluer and gold from the Sheepe wool to be his garment from the Oxen their skinne to be his shooes from the Foules feathers to dresse him like a foole Thus being clad like Herode on his birth-day he would seeme to be an honourable man foolishly reioycing in that which is the witnesse of his shame and should be the matter of his humiliation thus men hauing lost that glorie which GOD gaue them in the beginning sollicite huc illuc circumeunt aliunde sibi Chri. in Mat. hom 4. gloriam colligentes omni irrisione dignâ—ssimam runnes vp and downe with great care gathering from other things a glorie to themselues most worthy to be scorned Now to conclude as wee haue some way seene the greatnesse Vse of this doctrine is to moue vs to exchange things present with things to come of this glory prepared for vs so are wee to labour to haue our harts inflamed with such a loue and desire thereof that we may despise the best things of this earth as doung and account the greatest glorie of flesh to be as withering grasse in comparison of it may resolue patiently to beare yea and to reioyce in our present afflictions vnder hope of that glory to be reuealed in vs. There is no man we see that will refuse to change for the better he exchanges siluer for gold and giues leade for precious stones though the better hee gets be but in opinion and shall not vve be content like the wise men of God to forgoe the earth and the pleasures thereof that we may enioy heauen As for worldlings What taste worldlings haue of the ioyes to come it is no maruaile to see them take a dunghill of earth in their armes and say vnto it thou art my ioy and my portion for they not being illuminated with the light of the liuing make choyse of that vvhich according to their light they esteeme to be best or if at any time they haue tasted of the powers of the life to come yet are they like those Marchants who hauing tasted wines which pleased them vvell refuse to buy them being scared vvith the greatnesse of the price which must be giuen for them euen
vvould also put them in possession of the vvhole accordâ—ing to his promise euen so the Lord Iesus who hath gone before vs to our heauenly Canaan not to view it onely but to take possession thereof in our name hath sent downe vnto vs some of the first fruites thereof that wee may taste them such as peace of Conscience and ioy of the Spirit that by proofe of the small beginnings wee may know what excellent comfort is laid vp in store for vs. Wee sigh in our selues Here followes now the two effects Two effects which the Spirit workes in the godly first a sense of their miserie for which they sigh of the Spirit which he workes in them vvho haue receiued it The first is a sense of their present misery which causes them to sigh vnto God for deliuerance and he saith they sigh within themselues to teach vs that it is not an hipocriticall and counterfait but an inward and godly sorrow which the Spirit workes in the children of God Which I doe not so speake as if I did condemne those sighes which breake forth without for sometime the grieâ—e of heart is so aboundant in the godly that not onely it breakes out in sighing and mourning but in strong crying to GOD also but to restraine the hipocrisie of others who make a faire shew of that in the flesh vvhich is not in the Spirit True religion striues rather to be approued of God than seene of men one sigh proceeding from the hart is a louder crying in the eares of the Lord of hosts and more forcible to moue him than the noise of all the shooting Priests of Baal when they are gathered together into one We are therefore more deepely to consider this that the Sighing and mourning goe before comfort Spirit of God first teacheth vs to sigh and mourne for our present misery before he comfort vs with a constant hope of deliuerance If now we mourne not we shall not reioyce hereafter it is onely mourners whom God hath marked in the fore-head to saue from the wrath to come such a continuall Psal 6. 6. mourner vvas Dauid who protests that in the night he watered his couch vvith teares and in the day mingled his cup therewith and Iob in like manner my sighing said he Iob. 3. 24. comes before my eating The Saints of God are not ashamed to professe that of themselues vvhich the mockers of this age esteeme a womanly affection there is nothing to be found among them but eating drinking singing and a contracting of one sin after another with carnall reioycing but woe be vnto them that now laugh for assuredly they Luke 6. 25. Mat. 5. 4. Gen. 27. 38. shall weep the end of their ioy shall be endles mourning and gnashing of teeth they shall shed teares aboundantly with Esau but shall finde no place for mercy Let vs therefore goe to the house of mourning with the Maries teares pleased Christ better than the Pharisies delicates Luke 7. 38. verse 44. godly rather than to the banquetting houses of the wicked reioycing in their sinfull pleasures At one time Simon the Pharisee gaue our Sauiour a dinner and Mary vvho had beene a sinner brought him the sacrifice of a contrite hart and the Lord esteemed more of her teares than of the Pharisies delicates No banquet pleaseth the Lord Iesus so vvell as a banquet of teares poured from a truely penitent heart Psal The Lord is said to gather the teares of his children and keepe them in a bottle thereby to tell vs that they are pretious in his sight for hee is not like fooles who gather into their treasures things which are vaine and needelesse But alas how shall hee gather that vvhich wee haue not scattered vvhere are our teares the vvitnesses of our vnfained humiliation before God The hardnes of heart hath ouergrowne The deplorable hardnes of hâ—rt in this age that cannot mourne Gen. 4. 22. this age that albeit there be more then cause yet there is no mourning The sonnes of Cain learned without a teacher to worke in brasse and iron and the wit of man can make the hardest mettall soft to receiue an impression but cannot get their owne stonie heart made soft yea the children of God finde in experience how hard a thing it is Numb 20. 11. to get a melting heart The rocke rendred water to Moses at the third stroke but alas many strokes vvill our hearts take before they send out the sweet teares of repentance this I marke that knowing our naturall hardnesse vve may learne without intermission to fight against it For herein is our case so much the more pittifull that hauing Seeing we haue so many causes of mourning without vs the troublesome estate of Gods Church Nehe. 1. 4. more than matter enough of mourning yet vve doe not mourne without vs should not the troublesome estate of the Church of God be a matter of our griefe though our priuate estate were neuer so peacâ—able Godly Nehemiah being placed in the honourable seruice of King Artashashte the Monarch of the world was not so much comforted with his owne good estate as grieued at the desolation of Ierusalem Decay of Religion and increase of Idolatrie 1 King 29. 4. made Eliah weary of his life the Arke of God captiued and the glory departed from Israel draue all comfort 1 Sam. 4. 19. Aâ—â— 6. 6. out of the heart of the wife of Phinces these and many moe may â—each vs that the affliction of Ioseph should be matter of our sorrow The causes of mourning within vs are partly our sinnes Causes of mourning within vs our manifold sinnes partly our manifold tentations As our sinnes are contracted with pleasure so are they dissolued with godly sorrow It is the best medicine which is most contrarie to the nature of the disease our sinne is a sicknes wherein there is a carnall delight to doe that which is forbidden and it is best cured by repentance wherein there is a spirituall displeasure and sorrowing for the euil which we haue done this mourning for sinne lasts in the godly so long as they liue in the body Rom 7. 24. yea those same sinnes which God hath forgiuen and put out of their affection are stil in their remembrance for their humiliation so that with godly Ezechia they recount all 2 King 20. 23. their dayes and their former sinnes in the bitternes of their heart so long as sinne remained in their affection it was the matter of their ioy but now being by grace remoued out of the affection it becomes the matter of their sorrow And our manifold tentations The other cause of our mourning is our manifold tentations for this vvorld is no other thing but a stormy Sea wherein so many contrary windes of tribulation blowes vpon vs that we can hardly tell which of them we haue most cause to feare On euery side Sathan besetâ— vs
Simeon when he saw that promised saluation and embraced the Lord Iesus in hâ—s armes Hereof ariseth to vs first a lesson of comfort if the beginnings By the ioyfull first fruits of eternall life we may iudge of the fulnesse thereof Bern. in cap. ieiun Ser. 2. of this glorie be so great that as S. Peter saith they bring vs to ioy vnspeakeable and glorious what shal the fulnesse thereof be let this waken in vs a loathing of these vaine perishing pleasures and a longing for that better and more enduring substance Certe non sunt tibi nota futura gaudâ—â— si non renuit consâ—lari anima tua donec veniant thou knowest not those ioyes which are to come if thy soule doe not refuse all comfort till they come vnto thee Certe si sempiterna Basil ser in Gord. Mart. essent haec terrena tamen prae coelestibus essent commntanda Certainely albeit these earthly things were eternall yet were they to be exchanged with those that are heauenly And therefore let the little tast of that ioy which wee haue now worke in vs a greater hunger and thirst after the fulnes thereof And againe we are here to be remembred that as pearles This ioy is not found but in the depth of a contrite heart are found in the bottome of the water and gold is not gotten in the superfice but bosome of the earth so this ioy is not to be found but in the inward parts of a broken contrite spirit many speake of this ioy who neuer felt it Righteousnesse is the mother of Peace and Peace the mother of Ioy they who haue not learned to doe well and cannot mourne for the euill which they haue done how shall they taste of the ioyes of God we must pierce by the hammer of contrition into the very inward of our hearts or euer wee can finde the refreshing springs of Gods sweet consolations arising vnto vs. It deceiues many that they think eternall life is not begunne but after death but assuredly except now thou get the beginnings thou shalt neuer hereafter attaine to the perfections thereof and therefore looke to it in time As for the second degree of this glory which is a neerer Of the second and third degree of eternal Life vnion of our soules vvith Iesus Christ after our dissolution by death it is not my purpose now to insist in it As for the third degree which consists in the glorification both of our soules and bodies wee haue spoken of it before specially in the 18. verse Now the Tabernacle of God is vvith men but then shall our securitie be without feare and our glory consummated when we shall dwell in the Tabernacle of God vnto the which the Lord bring vs all for Iesus Christs sake Amen TO THE MOST EXCELLENT VERTVOVS AND GRACIOVS PRINCE HENRY by the Grace of God Prince of Wales and Heyre Apparent vnto the most famous Kingdomes of England Scotland France and Ireland All happinesse in this life and eternall Glory in the life to come THat which the Apostle hath seuerally deliuered in the two former Discourses dedicated to your most Royall Parents hee now in this last Treatise collects and conioynes in one which therfore of right can appertaine to none more then to you Sir who being by them both the happy fruit of heauenly prouidence and deerest pledge of their mutuall loue and ioy may iustly challenge interest in the smallest good ouer which their names are named Sir here is the way to that Crowne of Triumph which the more you know the more I hope shall you place your glory in it Crownes of earthly Kingdomes are indeede the gifts of God but such as bring not so much Honour as they breed vnquietnesse O nobilem magis quam foelicem pannum said Antigonus If the cares which dwell in the Diadem were knowne no man would stoope to the ground to take it vp said Seleucus And albeit it be not giuen to all to know this in their entrie to Honour yet are they all compelled to acknowledge it in the end Seuerus Monarch of the world found his Crownes but comfortlesse to him in death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue said he beene all things and it profiteth me nothing Not onely the teares of Xerxes but the laments of Salomon may witnesse to all the world that the end of the worme-eaten pleasures of this life is heauie displeasure yea the golden head of Babell had at length worms spread ouer him worms to couer him Esa 14. For all flesh is grasse and the glory thereof as the flowre of the field Onely the word of the Lord endures for euer By which that same God who hath called you to be an apparant Heyre of the most famous Kingdomes on earth doth also call your Grace to a more certaine inheritance of a better Kingdome in heauen which cannot be shaken whereby aboue other Princes and Rulers of the earth yee are blessed if so be yee answere your Calling endeauouring to be no lesse than you are named Principem te agnosce ne seruias affectibus It is vnseemely in any but most of all in a Prince to become a seruant eyther to the corrupt humours of men without him who creeping in into the Courts of Kings like wormes into the bosome of excellent trees doe nothing but consume them whom godly Constantine properly called Tineas Sorices palatij subtile peruerters of the good inclination of Princes in manners and Religion where they can preuaile or yet to the disordered affections of his owne heart which if they be not restrained doe quickly turne the glory of a man into shame What did it profit Cham that hee was the Sonne of Noah the Monarch of the world and Patriarch of the Church in his time or that hee was the Heyre of the third part Chrysost of the world vitia siquidem voluntatis vicerunt priuilegia naturae his owne vndantoned will bursting out in contempt of his Father brought vpon him that curse and shamefull name A seruant of Seruants which was neuer taken from him Seeing God as saith the Apostle is the glory of man what honour can make that man glorious who carries not the image of God consisting in righteousnesse and true holinesse but especially a King whom the very Ethnicks called Animata Dei imago in terris should carefully keep that Image which keepes his glory Naturally facilius alijs quam nobis imperamus but in very deede he shall neuer be a skilfull Ruler of others who is not first taught of God to rule himselfe decet eum qui alijs praefectus est interiora sua decenter Basil adornare The best remedy against both these euils is to embrace that wholesome counsell giuen by God to the Gouernors of his people Let not the booke of the Law depart from thee but meditate in it day and night that thou maist do according to all that is written therein turne not
to our comfort Iesus is already risen therefore we are not in our sinnes As for his exaltation the Apostle saith hee sits at the Of Christs exaltation at the right hand of God right hand of God to speake properly the Lord who is a Spirit hath neyther right hand nor left but by these borrowed speeches the Lord who dwelleth in light inaccessible to whom wee cannot ascend by our selues that wee should know him descends vnto vs and speakes of his vnspeakeable Maiestie vnto vs in such manner as wee are best able to conceiue it so that when eyes and eares and hands are ascribed to the Lord wee are to thinke these hee hath per Papists blasphemous who set out the maiestie of God in the similitude of a corruptible man Deut. 4. 15. effectum non per naturam And this may rebuke that bould blasphemie of the Papists who presume to paint the incomprehensible Maiestie of God vnder the similitude of an aged and worne creature expresly contrary to Gods commandement In that day saith the Lord that I spake vnto thee out of the mountaine thou heardest a voyce but saw no Image beware therefore thou make none and in many places is the same presumption condemned by the Prophets Where if they excuse themselues that they paint the Lord Their fact not warranted by any appairtion of the diuine maiestie in the shape of man in such a similitude as hee appeared vnto Daniel and no other-way I answere first this is false for sometime which is horrible to speake they paint him in the shape of an humane body hauing three heads but albeit it were true which they say yet doth it not excuse them for the Lords extraordinary facts are not to be vsed as vvarrants to breake his ordinary and eternall Commaundements neyther doth it any more excuse them than that deed of the Lord whereby hee caused the Israelites to take from the Egyptians their siluer gold and Iewels which they neuer rendred can excuse them that doe borrow steale and robbe from others but neuer restore But howeuer they excuse themselues as long as the word They are conuinced by the Apostle of Idolatry Heb. 1. 11. of the Apostle stands true they shall not rubb off them the blot of idolatry they turne the glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude of a corruptible man The Maiestie of God is eternall the heauens waxe olde but hee remaines the same why then do they paint him vnder the similitude of a worne creature weakened by the length of dayes The Iesuites of Rhemes conuinced of darknesse are ashamed of the light that shines in this place of Scripture and passe by it without an answer they excuse the making of the Image of Christ and of his Saints but speake not one word to defend the grosse Idolatry wherby they turne the glory of the inuisible God into the image of a corruptible man It had beene good for them they had beene as dumbe in the defence of the rest of their abhominations as they are in this This speech therefore to sit at the right hand of God The sitting of Christ at Gods right hand imports his high honour and dignity 1 King 2. 19. is a borrowed speech the Metaphor being taken from Kings who vse to set on their right hand those whom they honour most as Salomon did his mother Bathsheba and so the phrase vvill import that high honour and dignitie whereunto Christ Iesus as man is exalted being crowned with glory both aboue Angels and man This right hand of God whereat Christ sits is expounded Errour of Vbiquitaries improued by other places of Scripture to be the high and heauenly places which serueth to improue that paralogisme of the Vbiquitaries who will haue Christs naturall bodie to be in euery place because the right hand of GOD is in euery place It is true indeed Christ sits at thâ— right hand of Heb 1. 3. Ephes 1. 20. God but so that he sits in the high and heauenly places The right hand of GOD that is the power and glorie of GOD stretches throughout the whole world but wee are plainly taught that the place of the residence of Christ Iesus the man is in the heauenly places and not in earthly places in the high places to which he is ascended and not in the low places in which wee soiourne for the heauens most contayne Acts 3. 21. him vntill the day of refreshment come And makes request also for vs. Christ our Lord hath entred Christ makes request for vs in heauen into heauen not to enioy for himselfe a blessed life only but to appeare in the presence of God for vs. As the high Priest when he entred into the most holy place had grauen in stones vpon his breast the names of the twelue tribes of Israel so the Lord Iesus presents to his father the names of all his elect that by the merit of his death he may procure mercy vnto them Here againe wee are taught that Iesus Christ is described No Mediator of intercession but Iesus Christ to vs in holy Scripture as our mediator of intercession and that there is no other beside him recommended vnto vs. In al the old testament no prayer is made to Henoch Moses nor Eliah who ended their dayes not after the common course of men no prayer to Abraham albeit hee was the Father of the faithfull yea no prayer to Cherubin nor Seraphin though now the Apostate Church of Rome haue made as many aduocates for vs in heauen as there are Saints departed and hath framed particular prayers vnto them and which is more ridiculous hath parted among them the patrocinie of sundry sorts of sicknesse and diseases It is true indeed that the Saints which are departed haue Saints departed haue their owne desires which they craue to be fulfilled but knowes not our necessities not as yet all their desires fulfilled and shall not be perfected without vs wherefore also it is that they long for the full gathering together of the Saints and for the restitution of their bodies and for the last day of iudgement but that they know the particular troubles of Gods children our greatest troubles being inward tentations and wrestlings of conscience neither knowne to man nor Angell but only to God who is the searcher of the heart or that we can in faith vse them as mediators vnto God for vs wee iustly deny it Where if they take them vnto their common refuge that ther is but one mediator of redemption but many mediators of intercession to this wee answere that in the same place wherin the Apostle saith there is one mediatour betweene God 1 Tim. 2. 5. and man the subiect whereof he entreats is Prayer so that euen in prayer he will haue vs to acknowledge no mediator of intercession but Iesus Christ And beside this Augustine doth so desine a mediator of A Mediator of intercession as he
them from sinne whereunto hee seeth of their vveaknesse they are ready to fall if they be not preuented and so hee sent an Angell of Sathan to buffet Paul not for any sinne hee had done but for a sinne that he might doe least he should haue beene exalted out of measure And sometime the Lord layeth on affliction neyther to But euery affliction is not laid on the godly for sinne correct sinnes past nor to preuent sinnes to come but that the workes of God may be made manifest vvhich our Sauiour plainely teacheth vs vvhen being demaunded concerning him that vvas more blinde vvhether it vvas for his owne sinnes or the sinnes of the Parents aunswered it was for neither of them but that the workes of God might be made Iohn 9. 3. manifest in him And these vvorkes of God manifested by affliction are of two sorts for not onely his meruailous power and constant truth in preseruing and deliuering his owne Church in all troubles against the power falshood and malice of the world are manifested that all men may see it is not by the arme of man but by the power of God that his Church is continued vpon earth but likewise these manifold graces of God vvrought secretly by his holy Spirit in the hearts of his children are made manifest to the world such as their constant faith their inuincible loue toward God their patience in the hardest sort of crosses And vnto these kindes of afflictions doe wee referre that which here is spoken These afflictions which are for Gods sake require these two things comprised by the Apostle in these words Faith and a good Conscience that is a good Religion and a good 1 Tim. 1. 19. Two things required in those afflictions which are suffered for Gods sake conuersation though thy life be so good that it be vnreproueable in the eyes of man yet if thou be not found in the faith thy suffering is not suffering for Gods cause and albeit the Religion thou professest be good if thy conuersation be euill though thou wouldest giue thy body to be burnt for Religion yet shall not thy suffering be suffering for Christs cause Let none of you suffer as euill doers but if 1 Pet. 4. 15. Cyprian de duplici mart any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed Non supplicium facit martyrem sed causa it is not the crosse makes the Martyr but the cause There hath beene no Heresie so grosse but some men That Gods Martirs may be knowne from Sathans Martyrs haue beene bold to dye for it which is not Christian fortitude but miserable hardnesse of heart As the Lord Iesus hath his Apostles and Martyres so Sathan hath his false Apostles and Martyrs Martires Satanicae virtutis and therefore wee will conclude with Augustine Non est ex passione Aug. l. 1. con Parmen Epi. cap. 8. 9. certa Iustitia it is not suffering that makes sure a cause to be righteous Sed ex Iustitia gloriosa passio but it is righteousnesse which makes suffering glorious For thy sake It is common to all the Godly to suffer with It is common to all Christians to suffer with Christ not so to suffer for him Christ as yee heard before but to suffer for Christ is not a honour communicated to them all the rarer that it is the more heartily should wee welcome it when God sends it The Apostle reioyced in the bonds wherewith hee vvas bound for Christs cause the golden chaines of earthly Ambassadours are nothing so honourable as chaines of yron which are worne for Christs cause The Emperour Constantine honoured all the Fathers of the Counsell of Nice but made most of those vvho had suffered for the cause of Christ as in particular hee kissed the hole of Paphnutius eye which had beene put out in time of trouble for Christs sake yet did hee reuerence it as the most honourable and precious part of his body no face so beautifull as that which is deformed no man so rich as hee who hath sustained spoliation of his goods if it be for Christs sake neyther is any Heb. 10. 34. death so glorious as that which is sustained for his cause Si enim beati qui mâ—riuntur in Domino multo magis qui pro Domino for if they be blessed which dye in the Lord much more blessed are they who dye for the Lord. But now because no Christian is persecuted without some How causes falsly pretended by the wicked takes not from the Christian this comfort that he suffers for Gods sake cause alleadged against him by his persecuters and that also in euery trouble his owne conscience saith that hee hath most iustly deserued it how can he haue this comfort that he suffers for Christs sake The first is easily answered if we put a difference betweene the pretended and the true cause for vvhich the vvicked doe persecute vs. If Haman beare malice to Mordecay for his sake hee will forge a crime against all the people of the Iewes if Amazia can couer his hatred against Amos by pretending that Amos hath conspired against the King If the Princes of Darius enuie Daniels preferment they can delate him as a rebell to the Kings proclamation If Ieremie exhort the Iewes to goe out to the King of Babell hee shall be accused as a confederate with the Chaldeans It is a common stratagem of Sathans to staine the glory of Gods Children in their sufferings with false pretended crimes Vt qui conscientiae suae luce clarescunt falsis rumoribus sordidentur that they who are cleared by the light of their owne conscience may be defiled with false reports Sed bene sibi conscius non debet falsis moueri nec putare plus esse ponderis in alieno conuitio quam in suo testimonio but he who hath a good conscience ought not to be moued with false things nor to think there is more waight in any other mans traducing than is in his owne testimonie Our comfort doth stand sure if we can say with Dauid They Psal 96. 4. Psal 59. 3. In suffering we must distinguish between that which men and that which our own coÌ„science laies to our charge hate me without a cause And againe They are gathered togethered against mee not for mine offence not for my sinne O Lord. As for the other the accusation of our conscience in trouble charging vs with sins which no man can lay to our charge if wee will distinguish betweene the quarrell which conscience hath against vs and that wherewith the wicked doe charge vs it shall be manifest that the cause of our persecution is our disagreement vvith them in an euill course and not any sinne committed by vs against God and so shall our comfort still remaine that wee are sufferers for Christs sake We are killed How farre forth this killing extends our Death cannot hurt the man of God Mat. 10. 28. Aug. de