once mortified vnto the carcases of men slaine in warre As therefore carcases of men so slaine must be remoued and buried or else they will bee very infectious to them that liue where such dead carcases lye euen so the dead carcases of our sins mortified in vs must be more and more remoued and as it were daily buried that so they may not bee infectious to the vertues that are aliue in vs. And this remoouing or burying of the dead carcases of our sinnes before mortified and slaine by the sword of Gods spirit accompanied with the rest of the spirituall armour is a kind of daily killing sinne more and more Wheras likewise before in the said 8 chapter I compared the remnants of sinne in vs to old rags or patches of an old coate vpon a newe to the disgrace of the said new coate the casting shaking off of such sins remaining that so they may not be disgracefull to the new man which we haue put on in our regeneration is putting off more and more of the old man and therfore also a killing likewise or mortifying of sin more and more in vs. For to put off the old mā or to mortify crucifie sin wherin consisteth the old man do both signify one thing To proceede therefore further in this point as the children of God are commanded thus to put off the old man daily and thus to mortifie and crucifie the same and al earthly members thereof Ephes 4 22. Col. 3. 5. c so the same commandements do imply a promise of a blessing viz. of strength and grace for performance of that which is commanded especially such commandements being not only legal but also euangelicall The legall and the euangelicall commandements teach one Note thing touching the eschewing of euill and doing of good For euen the grace of God that is the gospell which bringeth saluation to all men hauing appeared that is in most bright and glorious maner broken foorth through the clouds of the ceremonies and of the law of ordinances wherewith before it was obscured doth teach vs as it were little children to deny all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue godly and righteously and soberly in this present world Tit. 2. 11. 12. The same things the law also did teach But there is a great difference betwixt the teaching of these things by the law and by the gospell For the law teacheth onely demostratiuely and imperatiuely shewing vs what we should do commanding vs to do it but the gospell teacheth operatiuely and effectiuely giuing grace to perform that which it teacheth and therfore as the law going no further then to shew and command vs what to doe is called the letter that killeth as a man that requires much and giueth not wherewith to do it doth as it were kill the heart of him of whom he requireth such things so the Gospell quickning and enabling a man to do that which it requireth is therefore called a quickning spirit 2. Cor. 36. To returne to the former point the old man being thus daily mortified and crucified in the children of God they haue thereby a further priuilege for their better preseruation from presumptuous and reprochfull sinnes so that either they fall not into them or if they doe it is for some speciall good intended by God permitting them so to fall and in the end they are raised vp againe and made so much the stronger afterward by how much the weaker they shewed themselues in their fall and so much the more circumspect and fearefull of falling againe in like manner by how much the more secure and fearlesse they had been and lastly so much the more zealous of and forward vnto euery good work by how much the more grieuously they had before fallen into euill And this is partly the meaning of the Apostle Iohn when he saith that he that abideth in him that is in Christ sinneth not 1. Ioh. 3. 6. and againe that he that is borne of God sinneth not for his seed remaineth in him neither can be sinne because bee is borne of God vers 9. For these speeches signifie that they that are in Christ and regenerated are not only so freed from sinne that it doth not raigne and beare dominion in them generally as before their regeneration and incorporation into Christ it did but that also they make not a trade of any one sinne but that they so watch ouer themselues and are watched ouer by the Lord that they fall not into such reprochfull and disgracefull sinnes as the naturall and vnregenerate men doe daily commit This is more plentifully taught by the Apostle Paul For it is the chiefe argument of all the first fourteen verses of the sixt Chapter to the Romans It is also further euident by the example of Isaack For though the Lord before the birth of Iacob and Esau had expresly said that the elder should serue the yonger Genes 25. 23. And although Esau had most wickedly and prophanely sold his birthright vnto Iacob verse 33. and Heb. 12. 16. yet Isack had fully purposed to haue bestowed the blessing vpon Esau Had not this been a matter of great reproch For such a patriark so to haue crossed the former word of the Lord touching the blessing of Iacob well notwithstanding the purpose of Isack yet the Lord by the wisedome of Rebecca crossed him kept him from that sinne and directed him to bestow the blessing according to his former word The most of the brethren of Ioseph hauing fully and most vnnaturally and wickedly determined to haue murdered him for his dreames and for his accusing them to their father were notwithstanding by the counsell of Reuben kept from that fearefull sinne and so they sold him by the aduice of Iudah which afterward turned not onely to the great aduancement of Ioseph according to his former dreames but also to the preseruation of themselues and of their father and of all their families in the time of famine and to the accomplishment of the former word of God touching their soiourning in the land of Egypt Genes 37. 8 c. Dauid hauing through the reliques of the old man in him both fully intended and also earnestly protested the vtter destruction of the house of Nabal at least of Nabal himselfe and all the males appertaining vnto him by the gracious prouidence notwithstanding of God in sending Abigail to counsell and perswade him to the contrary was kept and restrained from the execution of that cruell and bloudy purpose 1. Sam. 25. 32 c. By all these examples as we see the speciall priuilege of the children of God in being kept from such hainous sinnes so by the two former examples we see also that God turneth such sinnes as wherinto the righteous of infirmity doe fall to their great good The same point viz. the preseruing of the children of God from many great sinnes is also cleere by daily experience of these things that before wee spake
said hope doth purge himselfe Tonching this effect let this be the first obseruation that the Apostle changeth the former word of knowing into an other viz. into hope what teacheth he thereby that the former knowledge is but an vncertaine hope Not so but that this hope is a certaine knowledge and that therefore it far differeth from the hope of worldly men of their worldly commodities as of the merchant of the returne of his stock with gaine of the husbandman of the recouery of his seed with increase c. For all such hope is but vncertaine depending vpon many vncertainties The merchants goods come often hard to the hauens mouth most safely and yet euen there ship and all are cast away The husbandman hath often goodly corne in the blade and yet by haile or by cattell or by some other meanes it is smitten and cleane destroied before it come to earing oftentimes it eareth well and yet at the time of blowing it is blasted that it neuer setteth well oftentimes it setteth well at the first and yet afterward it is smitten with mildew and so pinked that it is little worth Many times also it setteth well at the first thriueth well afterward continueth well till the very haruest and yet then either by fire from heauen or by fire through the malice of men as Absolon fired Iâ—abs corne 2. Sam. 14. 30. or by some other meanes it is altogether spoiled The like may bee said of the hope of other things of this life All is vncertaine and nothing but vncertaine As Salomon saith Vanitie of vanities vanity of vanities and all is vanity Eccles 1. 2. so may I say â—ncertainty of vncertainties vncertainty of vncertainties and all is vncertaintie But this hope of the children of God is ioined with certain knowledge and is the expectation of those things which we know most certainly and for which we haue Gods promise confirmed with an oath and many other assurances But of this we haue spoken so largely before in Chap. 14 that we shal not need to speake any more in this place Let the Papists therfore goe with their vncertainty and let their life still be miserable by vncertainty altogether disquieted and full of feares but let vs hold our certainty and labor daily more and more to increase the same by purging euery man himselfe as it now followeth to be further considered Thus much for our first obseruation vpon these words The second is the vniuersality of this sentence Euery one saith the Apostle that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe He speaketh generally He exempteth and excepteth none neither yong nor old neither poore nor rich neither vnlearned nor learned neither base nor noble neither woman nor man neither him that is in aduersity nor him that is in most prosperity neither subiect nor King Whosoeuer he be that hath this hope purgeth himselfe whosoeuer he be that hath not this hope doth not purge himselfe neither can purge himselfe The grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men saith the Apostle hath appeared and teacheth vs to deny all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts c. and so to looke for the blessed hope c. Tit. 2. 11. 12. 13. Marke here first he saith that the Gospell described to be the grace of God because it commeth from the free grace and fauor of God teacheth the free grace and fauor of God and is the meanes whereby we both know the free grace and fauor of God and are also partaker thereof or be brought thereinto doth bring saluation to all men that is to all sorts of men yong and old masters and seruants c. mentioned in the former part of the Chapter and that then hee saith the said Gospell or free grace of God doth teach vs to deny all vngodlines and worldly lusts c. and so to looke for the blessed hope c. who then are to deny all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to looke for the blessed hope Euen all sorts of men because the Gospell bringeth saluation vnto all men and teacheth as many to deny all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts c. and to look for the blessed hope c. as it bringeth saluation vnto And indeed so to deny all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts c. is a part and the first degree of saluation without which it is not possible to haue the other degrees of saluation A man may be master in the arts in the Vniuersity that was neuer bacheler in the arts yea a man may be bacheler in diuinity that neuer had any of the former degrees but no man can haue saluation in the world to come that is not commenced and hath not taken the first degree of saluation in this world for the denying of all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts c. yea no man can look for that blessed hope which hath not first denied all vngodlines No no what is that to deny all godlinesse and worldlie lusts c. but to purge himselfe as here the Apostle speaketh And what is that to looke for the blessed hope c. but to haue that hope in him wherof the Apostle here also speaketh I conclude therfore from the former place the same which here the Apostle setteth down viz. that as all must deny all vngodlines and worldly lust that looke for saluation by the grace of God so all must looke for saluation and for that blessed hope there spoken of that doe deny all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and conuersiuely that all that doe looke for that blessed hope must also deny all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts that is that euery one that hath this hope in him as this Apostle speaketh must purge himselfe This is the second obseruation The third is that he speaketh of that hope that is in a man He saith not Euery one that maketh profession of this hope or that hath this hope in his mouth or in his tongue but he saith Euery one that hath this hope in him that is within him in his heart Many that make profession of this hope and that say they hope and looke to be saued and to be made like vnto Christ at his appearing as well as the best doe notwithstanding liue in their sinnes and not purge themselues yea many doe declare Gods ordinance to other and doe talke of the couenant of God which yet hate to be reformed and cast his words behind them whereby they should be reformed and purged Psal 50 16. 17. The Apostle speaketh not of such but of them that indeed haue this hope in them which is a vertue of the inner man as well as the other two faith and loue wherewith it is ioined 1 Cor. 13. 13. Fourthly let vs obserue the word purgeth and that in a double respect first as touching the signification thereof secondly as touching the tence whereof it is viz. of the present tence Touching the first this word is deriued of a word that most properly signifieth chaste as the Apostle
them in nothing to feare their aduersaries Why so Because saith he this is to them a token of perdition but to you of saluation Philip. 1. 28. So he sheweth by an argument taken from comparison of equals that euen as to be an aduersary to the children of God and to persecute them is a token and manifest testimony to such so long as they continue such that they shall perish so to be hated of them and persecuted by them is a great assurance of saluation Only this is the difference that they that by hatred and persecution of the children of God haue a great signe of perdition may for all that by faith working repentance be saued but they that once by any good testimony be assured of saluation shall neuer perish Sixtly by suffering a little smart of the fruit of sinne heere they doe the better learne both what all is that they haue deserued in the life to come and also what Christ hath suffered for them in bearing the whole punishment of all their sinnes and therefore how they ought to loue him in that behalfe and how thankfull they ought to bee to God for their deliuerance from euerlasting torments in respect whereof these light and momentany afflictions of this life are but as fillips and fleabites and consequently also they learne how they are to pity them that are going towards the place of such torments and how in pity they are to labor their reclaiming and conuerting These are the principall particular points of the lawe of God which the children of God doe learne by the afflictions of this life the least whereof is more worth then all outward prosperity and all which might be much more enlarged but finding this treatise to arise to a far greater volume then at the first I made account of I am thereby forced in many things to write the more briefly By this that I haue thus briefly set downe in that behalfe it may sufficiently appeare that the exchange sometimes of momentany afflictions for temporary blessings is no detriment to the children of God but rather an exceeding gaine and benefit If it be obiected that some of Gods children are subiect also to extraordinary deaths as Eli brake his neck falling backwardâ— 1. Sam. 4. 18. The Prophet that had done contrary to the word of God was killed by a lyon 1. Kings 13. 24. Noble Iosiah died of the wound that he had taken by the sword of the vncircumcised Egyptians 2. King 23. 29. and that for going somewhat obstinately as it seemeth against Pharo Neco 2. Chron. 35. 2. Many of the Corinthians are said to haue slept that is to haue died somwhat extraordinarily by an vntimely death for abuse and disorder in the supper of the Lord 1. Cor. 11. 30. If I say this be obiected and so confirmed by these former and other the like examples and vpon those grounds it be further demanded how such things can be for the good of the children of God and for the learning any thing out of the word of God sith the dead praise not God neither is there any remembrance of God in death Psal 6. 5. and 30. 9. To this I answer briefly that although after death there be no learning any thing except only either of torments to the wicked or of ioy and happinesse to the godly and that by sense and feeling as the rich man and Lazarus did Luk. 16. 23. yet in such sicknes vnto death there may be before death and no doubt is repentance in al the children of God of such particular sinnes as whereby they see they haue procured such particular chastisements vpon themselues and so by iudging of themselues for the said sins they haue the better assurance that they shall not be iudged of the Lord. Therefore the Apostle saith in the place before alledged after mention of sicknesse and death when we are iudged we are chastned of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world 1. Cor. 11. 32. which is all one with the generall end of afflictions before mentioned viz. that we may liue Heb. 12. 9. Againe both further to amplifie that answer to the former obiection and also now to shew some other vses of the afflictions of Gods children in respect of other they are so afflicted especially for particular sins that other as well as themselues liuing after their said vntimely death seeing how he whom they call father iudgeth euerie man as well his own children as other according to their worke in this world without respect of persons may afterward passe the time of their dwelling here in the more feare 1. Pet. 1. 17. and make an end of their saluation with the more trembling Philip. 2. 12. Secondly in respect of other they are afflicted and loaden with affliction for the manifestation of their faith patience and other graces to such as did before doubt thereof as thinking all that they did in the worship of God to be in hypocrisie and rather because God had so compassed and walled them about with his mercies then in a simple and a pure loue towards God himselfe Is not this euident by the answer of satan vnto God when God had asked him if he had not considered Iob and all his vprightnesse c. Doth Iob saith satan feare God for nought Hast thou not made an hedge about him and about all that he hath on euery side Thou hast blessed the worke of his hands and his substance is encreased in the land But stretch out now thine hand and touch all that he hath to see if hee will not blaspheme thee to thy face Iob 1. 8. 9. 10. Doth not satan in these words plainly accuse Iob to haue done all that he had done only in hypocrisie c Therefore the Lord gaue him leaue to try Iob to exercise him with many afflictions one after another one in the neck of another for the confutation of that slanderous accusation of Iob by satan for declaration of his integrity to al the world Yea by this occasion to insert here another benefit by afflictions to the children of God concerning themselues as by wrastling a man somtimes knoweth his own strength better then before he did so oftentimes by afflictions a man better knoweth his owne faith and other graces of God in himself for his further comfort then before he did Thirdly in respect of other sometimes the children of God are so afflicted that the workes of God may be shewed on them Our Sauiour being asked by his disciples of the man that was borne blind whether he or his parents had sinned that he was borne blind answered Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents but that the worke of God might be shewed on him Ioh. 9. 2. 3. So it seemeth that Lazarus was therefore sick died of his sicknesse sooner then by the course of nature he should haue died not for any speciall sinne of his owne but for the
serue him 1. Sam. 12 24. or to serue the Lord in feare and to reioyce in trembling Psal 2 11. and to make an end of our salution with feare trembling Phil. 2 12. and lastly in consideration as well of his seuere iustice in rewarding euery man according to his works as of his fatherly goodnesse towards vs to passe the time of our dwelling here in feare 1. Pet. 1. 17. Thus I say the children of God must feare and doe feare If men be without this feare they are secure and without the spirit of adoption that is they are not the children of God as afterward vpon an other occasion we shall heare againe But as for slauish feare such as is forbidden such as ariseth only froÌ„ regard of Gods power iustice without respect to his mercy and goodnesse and such as is repugnant to faith which is the assurance of Gods fauour Heb. 10. 22. this is also contrary to the peace of Gods children and of this it is to be vnderstood that they are deliuered out of the hands of their enemies that they may serue God without feare Luk. 1. 74. But are the children of God indeed alwaies without this kind of feare so that they neuer haue any brunts thereof I answer that the children of God are not only spirit but flesh there is none of the children of God so regenerate but that his regeneration or rather his sanctification which is as I said the slature of a man regenerate is here imperfect although therefore so far forth as they are sanctified or regenerate for I will not striue about words nor be too curious or precise for phrases they be freed from feare as hauing receiued the spirit of adoption which is contrary to the spirit of bondage and of feare and whereby they may be bold to call God their Father and assure themselues of his fatherly loue towards them â—et so far forth as they haue some reliques still of the old man so far they cannot but sometime feare euen so feare as feare is forbidden Yea so much the more doe they often feare otherwise then they should both Gods iustice and also the rage and cruelty of their enemies because the vnsanctified part doth so oppresse and sometime and for a time ouerwhel me the sanctified part and the spirit of adoption in them that they thinke themselues not to be regenerate at all neither euer to haue receiued the spirit of adoption but to be meer naturall men and as wicked as any other But although they doe thus feare looking only to Gods iustice and not to his mercy and respecting only the corruption of nature remaining in them not the beginnings of grace wherby they are assured of an inheritance reserued in heauen for them as also of their own preseruation here by the power of God yet euen then haue they cause not to feare but to be of good cheare in respect of those arguments against feare before handled As the wicked do sometimes taste the powers of the world to come Heb. 6. 5. that is of the ioies of heauen so the Lord will haue his children to haue a little marke of the feares that are proper only to the wicked that they may pray the more earnestly for recouery of their former peace of conscience as Dauid did Psal 51. 8. and 12. and the 〈◊〉 to esteem of it when they find it againe as also that after the recouery of their former peace of conscience they may be more carefull to keep it themselues and the more diligent in teaching other to keep it likewise for euery benefit is the sweeter by tast of the contrary Againe the Lord will haue such feare of his children to be as a glasse to the wicked wherein they may the better see their own fearfull state and condition in not being the children of God as gathering by such feares of the godly that they themselues are in much more fearfull condition and haue much more cause to feare Moreouer such feare in the children of God doth often arise from the mistaking of things and from their imagination of that that is not So we did see before that the dâ—sciples of Christ feared vpon imagination that they had seen a spirit when they saw him So many of the children of God haue in all ages feared and now doe often feare because they iudge not aright of the graces of God in themselues but thinke they haue no faith at all no loue at all c. and therefore no assurance at all of Gods fauor and of their owne saluation because their faith loue and other graces of God are weake and come short of that they ought to be because they are able to distinguish between a nullity and an imperfection of Gods gifts accompanying saluation in them therefore they thinke that to be a nullity that is only an imperfection It is also with the godly in this case as sometime with a company of rebellious subiects where notwithstanding the king hath pardoned and sent his pardon vnto them signed with his owne hand and sealed with his own seale For as such hauing no skill to read their pardons doe therefore doubt of them and feare the kings displeasure so many of Gods children being pardoned of all their sins and hauing their pardon written in their hearts by Gods own finger and sealed with the spirit of adoption do notwithstanding doubt and feare because they cannot well read the said pardon But why can they not read it either because it is written in small letters which their sight being but in part cannot see or because they haue not gone long enough to schoole for the learning to read Gods hand perfectly and readily or because they themselues haue forgotten that which they had learned in that behalfe or because they haue kept their pardon so rechlesly and carelesly that the same being blotted and obscured with many sinnes through their negligence and carelesnesse committed cannot well be read by themselues or any others for a time viz. so long as they liue so carelesly and till they haue purged themselues of such sinnes as whereby not only the writing of their pardon is blurred and made vnlegible but also their own sight is dimmed so as they neither can read their pardons nor see any thing els touching their salution as they ought So had Dauid blotted and obscured the pardon of all his sins and dimmed his own sight by his sinne with Bethsheba and against Vriah that he was troubled with many feares which made him to complaine of his state as if it had been as bad as any mans and that he praieth the Lord to create in him a new heart as if he had neuer been regenerate before Psal 51. 10. The afflictions also of this life befalling the children of God being especially compared with the prosperity of the wicked do so blind their eies that they cannot behold the goodnesse of God to the peace of their consciences as