mention of them alwaies in his prayers But here he tells the Philippians that alwaies in his prayers he hath them all in memory that alwaies in his praiers he hath them all in perfit memory that alwaies he hath them all in perfit memory in all his prayers that in all his prayers he remembreth them with gladnesse each circumstance more then other importing his most carefull remembrance of them in his praiers vnto God that they might continue in that grace wherein they stood in that fellowship which they had with other Churches in the gospell For therefore thanked he God and was glad on the Philippians behalfe because of the fellowship which they had in the gospell from the first day vntill then and therefore he prayed for them that they might continue in that grace and in that fellowship with other Churches in the gospell The first thing then which here I note is that on whose behalfe the Apostle giues such thanks vnto God and is so glad for them also he prayeth Whence I obserue that whatsoeuer graces be bestowed on vs still praier is needfull for vs both that we pray for our selues and that others pray for vs. For neither is any grace so perfit in any neither are all graces so complete and full in any but that both he hath neede of perseuerance and increase in that grace wherein he standeth and to haue other grace supplied which he wanteth Abraham full of blessings yet wanteth a childe and he must pray that he may not goe childlesse Isaac full of blessings Gen. 15.2 yet his wife is barren 25.21 and he must pray vnto the Lord for his wife to make her wombe fruitfull Iacob full of blessings yet he is in danger of Esau his brother and he must pray vnto the Lord 32.11 I pray thee deliuer me out of the hand of my brother from the hand of Esau Neither is any so enriched with all graces but that his requests are to bee shewed vnto God in praier and supplication for the supply of some And as not any are enriched with all graces so not in any is any grace so perfit but that he hath neede to bend the knees of his soule vnto God in humble praier for perseuerance and increase in that grace wherein he standeth Dauids delight in the law of the Lord in his statutes and in his testimonies was as great as a mans could be as himselfe sheweth saying Lord Psal 119.97 what loue haue I vnto thy law all the day long is my studie in it 54. Thy statutes haue beene my songs in the house of my pilgrimage thy testimonies haue I claimed as mine heritage for euer and why they are the very ioy of my heart 111. And yet his prayer is O teach me thy statutes O cause thou me to make much of thy law incline my heart vnto thy testimonies and not vnto couetousnes and as he hath done hee hath left vs an example so to doe be we neuer so zealous of the law of God The Apostles likewise it is like were as strong in the faith as any man is and yet they praied vnto the Lord Luc. 17.5 Lord increase our faith and therein left an example for all the children of God to follow vntill the day of Iesus Christ be they neuer so stablished in the faith Neuer any so zealous of Gods glory and holy worship but he had neede euen in respect of himselfe to pray hallowed be thy name Neuer any had his conversation so much in heauen but that he had still neede to pray thy kingdome come Neuer any mans will so conformed vnto Gods will but that he had still neede to pray thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Neuer any man so filled with plenteousnesse but that hee had still neede to pray Giue vs this day our daily bread Neuer any mans sinnes so wholy pardoned but that in regard of his continuall slidings he had still neede to pray forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Neuer any man so freed from tentation and from the deuill but that he had still neede to pray Lead vs not into tentation but deliuer vs from euill And therefore our blessed Sauiour hath appointed this forme to be vsed by all the faithfull vnto what degree of perfection soeuer they be come euen to the end So that whatsoeuer graces be bestowed on vs yet still is prayer needfull for vs. Neither only that we pray for our selues but that others also pray for vs. We are not many of vs better then was Timothy that faithfull seruant of Iesus Christ yet for him Paul powred out prayers night and day 2 Tim. 1.3 and no doubt it was needfull for him We are not the best of vs like vnto Paul that elect vessell of Iesus Christ yet he requested the praiers of the faithfull for him that vtterance might be giuen vnto him Eph 6.19 that he might open his mouth boldly to publish the secret of the gospell and that therein he might speake boldly as he ought to speake He was one that feared not the face of man 20. that kept nothing backe but deliuered his message alwaies faithfully and boldly yet for this grace he thought the praiers of the faithfull needful for him therefore craueth them not only of the Ephesians but likewise of the Colossians in his epistle to them Colos 4.3 Farre therefore be it from vs beloued to say as the manner of some is vnto any of Gods children bestow your praiers where you list I neede not your praiers I care not for your praiers pray for your selfe all your praiers will be little enough for your selfe I will pray for my selfe These be the words not of them that abound with grace but of them that are not taught in the word nor know how much the prayer of a righteous man auaileth if it be feruent Farre likewise be it from vs once to dreame of any such perfection in our selues but that we haue still neede to pray to abound more and more in all grace and in all things daily more and more to grow vp into him which is the head that is Christ For be it our predestination our election our adoption our reconciliation our iustification which are as sure vnto all the sonnes of God as that God is true yet euen in respect of these haue we neede alwaies to pray that the assurance of them may be daily more and more sealed vnto our spirits by the pledge of Gods spirit Againe be it our faith our hope our loue our knowledge our iudgment or the like which are the worke of Gods owne finger in all his children yet in respect of these haue we neede alwaies to pray for continuall increase and all godly growth in them Yea be it whatsoeuer grace wherein we are so stablished that we are sure we cannot finally fall from it yet are we still to
speake vnto you suffer yee the words of exhortation and instruction from vs gladly My second obseruation hence is from this that there were now Bishops and Deacons there vnto whom hee might write For hence I obserue the great blessing of the Lord vpon the preaching of the word A litle while before at the first preaching thereof vnto the Philippians it was so vnsauory vnto them that they could not brooke Paul and Silas but cast them into prison but now such a blessing the Lord had giuen vnto the word preached by them that the number of conuerts and beleeuers was very great insomuch that now they had Ministers to attend on teaching and Deacons to attend on distribution and an absolute ecclesiasticall gouernment as it may seeme amongst them This was the Lords his doing 1 Cor. 3.6 for Paul plants and Apollos waters but God giues the increase And this increase he giueth as it pleaseth him sometimes sooner sometimes later Vpon one Sermon of Peter there were added vnto the Church about three thousand soules Act. 2.41 But at other times and in other places the seede of the word which both he and other of the Apostles did sowe lay oftentimes a good while in the ground before it brought forth fruit vnto the Lord. So in this City of Philippi Lydia at the first receiued the word gladly Act. 16.14 but in others it tooke roote downeward and sprung vp afterward howsoeuer sooner or later as in the primitiue Church through the Apostles doctrine the Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saued so doth he alwaies make a blessing to follow vpon the word though vnto vs it seeme oftentimes to perish So he promised long since that hee would Esay 55.10 saying Surely as the raine commeth downe and the snow from heauen returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it to bring forth and bud that it may giue seede to the sower and bread to him that eateth so shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth 11. it shall not returne vnto me voide but it shall accomplish that which I will and it shall prosper in the thing wherevnto I sent it Here then is a great comfort ouer our labors in our ministerie with you that heare vs. Though the word which we bring vnto you be reiected and despised and we reviled and persecuted yet we faint not but are full of comfort because we know that the Lord will giue a blessing vnto his word Which howsoeuer it doe not alwaies appeare vnto vs yet shall it and doth at one time or other breake forth into the fruits of holinesse and a sauing knowledge in as many as are ordeined vnto life And still wee know this that his word alwaies doth his will and prospereth in that wherevnto it is sent so that this blessing alwaies followes vpon it that Gods name is thereby glorified whether it be in them that be saued or in them that perish For as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 2.15 We are vnto God the sweet sauour of Christ in them that are saued and in them that perish 16. To the one we are the sauor of death vnto death and to the other we are the sauor of life vnto life And let this suffice for the inscription Now followeth the salutation wherein the Apostle wisheth the Philippians all good from him which is the author of all goodnes And 1. is set downe the thing which hee wisheth vnto them grace and peace vnderstanding by grace the free fauour of God wherewith hee loueth his children and by peace euery blessing corporall and spirituall flowing from that fountaine of grace 2. Is set downe vnto whom he wisheth this grace and peace viz to all the Saints at Philippi with the Bishops c. 3. Is set downe the author from whom and by whom he wisheth this grace and peace vnto them which is from God our Father as the fountaine and first originall from whom commeth euery good and perfit gift and from the Lord Iesus Christ as the meanes whereby euery grace of the spirit is conveyed and deriued vnto vs. The first thing which here I note is that the Apostle wisheth grace and peace vnto the Philippians The receiued manner of salutation among the Iewes was this Peace be vnto you So Amasia vnto Dauid Peace 1 Chro. 12.18 peace be vnto thee and peace be vnto thine helpers So the Lord vnto Gideon Peace be vnto thee So Christ vnto his Disciples Iud. 6.23 Luk. 24.36.110.5 Peace be vnto you So hee taught his Disciples to say Peace be to this house wherein they wished all prosperity and good to them whom they so saluted But after the full and cleare manifestation of grace in the whole mystery of our redemption still we see the Apostles salutations to be grace and peace be with you Wherein they doe not onely comprehend all blessings absolutely that are to be praied for whether for this life or that that is to come but plainly demonstrate the fountaine whence all other blessings doe flow and which principally is to be praied for bee it in praier for our selues or for others 3. Hence then I obserue what the things are which we must wish and pray for to our brethren if we will wish them all good and they are grace and peace onely two blessings of goodnesse in shew of words but indeede all the blessings of the God of Isaac vnto Iacob and his seed for euer For what is grace It is the loue of the euer-liuing God wherewith he freely loueth and accepteth vs in Christ Iesus And what is peace It is principally a tranquillitie and quietnesse in conscience through the forgiuenesse of our sinnes by the grace and loue of God toward vs but generally whatsoeuer goodnesse floweth from grace Now we see the rich treasures of blessings stored vp in these blessings of grace and peace In the blessing of grace there is giuen that which is the cause both of peace and all good blessings whatsoeuer For whence are our election vnto saluation our vocation vnto the knowledge of the truth our adoption into the sonnes of God our iustification vnto righteousnesse our sanctification vnto holinesse our reconciliation with God our hope of glorification in the heauens Whence is it that wee beleeue in the holy Trinitie that wee are strong in hope that we loue God and our brethren that we haue peace with God and our owne consciences that we reioyce in the holy Ghost that in our thoughts wee thinke in our desires we will in our actions we doe any thing that is good Are not all these things from the blessing of grace Is not the free fauour and loue of God in Christ Iesus the cause of al these things yes surely because God loueth vs in his welbeloued therfore doth he thus enrich vs with spirituall graces in heauenly things and further giueth vs the true possession of all temporall
because they are things not principally intended The Apostle desireth to be loosed and to be with Christ to bee loosed why that he might be with Christ Whence I obserue that the death of Gods Saints is nothing else but a departure of the soule out of the body vnto heauen where Christ sitteth at the right hand of the Throne of God Hee which at the first coupled soule and body together in death parteth them asunder and taketh the soule vnto himselfe to bee where he is till in the resurrection hee couple them againe â—ogether neuer after to be parted asunder Whereof all the godly in Christ Iesus at all times haue beene so thorowly perswaded that alwayes in death they haue done and doe after the example of Christ Iesus commend their soules â—nto the hands of him that gaue them saying as he did Faâ—her into thine hands I commend my spirit Luk. 23.46 So wee reade that that holy Martyr Steuen when hee was stoned called on God and said Lord Iesus receiue my spirit Act. 7.59 And in death it is the very ordinary praier of all Gods Saints Wherein they plainly shew their thorow-perswasion that in death their soules are receiued by the Father of spirits into the heauenly habitations there to be ioyned vnto Christ Iesus Contraâ—riwise the death of the wicked and vngodly of the earth is nothing else but a departure of the soule out of the body vnto hell there to be with the Deuill and his Angels Examples of both we haue in the begger and the rich man Luk. 16.22 whose deaths vnto the one was the departure of his soule out of his body into heauen but vnto the other the departure of his soule out of his body into hell Or if the persons of these proue not strongly enough take for example the death of the two theeues which were hanged with our blessed Sauiour on the Crosse vnto the one of which Iesus said that that day hee should be with him in Paradise Luk. 23.43 but vnto the other that railed on him his death doubtlesse was a downfall into hell Is then the dissolution of Gods Saints a passage of the soule out of the body vnto heauen there to be with Christ Farre be it then from vs to thinke that the condition of the children of men and the condition of beasts is euen as one condition vnto them that when man dieth hee returneth wholly vnto the dust and hath no more fruit of all the trauels that hee hath taken vnder the Sunne Thus indeede sensuall man following onely the iudgement of his weake sense and of his owne blinde reason thinketh and saith As the one dieth so dieth the other man and beast haue all one breath and in death there is no excellencie of man aboue the beast all goe to one place all to the earth as all came from the earth But the spirit of God hath otherwise taught vs in his holy word for doth not the Lord say that he is the God of Abraham Matt. 22.32 of Isaac and of Iacob And doth he not say that he is not the God of the dead but of the liuing Abraham Isaac and Iacob then are not dead but liuing Liuing How In their soules with God Dead they are in respect of the separation of their soules from their bodies But forasmuch as the earthly house of their Tabernacle being destroyed they haue a building giuen of God that is an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens 2 Cor. 5.1 as the Apostle witnesseth euen of all the Saints of God therefore they are still liuing in their soules with God in the heauenly habitations Howsoeuer then the bodies of men be mortall and in death goe downe vnto the dust whence first they came yet their soules are immortall and in death returne vnto the Father of spirits whence they came But what needs more to this purpose then that which here our Apostle saith In death the sonnes of men are loosed that is their soules are separated from their bodies Now if the soule were mortall as the body what needed any loosing of the one from the other Surely both should fall together and not the one bee loosed from the other if the condition of both were one Euen this then that the soules in death are loosed from the bodies of men sheweth that the soules are immortall Againe in death the Saints of God are loosed that they may be with Christ After death then they are with Christ not in body for that descendeth vnto the graue there to rest vntill the resurrection In soule then In death then the soules of Gods Saints passe out of the body vnto heauen there to be with Christ And therefore farre be it from vs to thinke that in death as of beast so of man there is vtterly an end and an entire returne vnto the dust And yet so we liue a great many of vs as if we made no other reckning for do we not a great many of vs passe our dwelling here without feare in chambering and wantonnes in gluttony and drunkenesse in striefe and enuying Doe we not euen glut ourselues with sporting and pleasure and sundry delights of the flesh and say let vs be merry and take our fils of pleasure while we are here for when we are gone then all the world is gone with vs. Surely if a man may coniecture by our dissolutenesse of life a great many of vs either thinke that in death there is vtterly an end of vs or too little thinke what remaineth after death Beloued wee are bought with a price let vs therefore glorifie God both in our bodies and in our spirits We may not liue vnto our selues nor giue our members weapons of vnrighteousnes vnto sinne but we must liue vnto him that died for vs and rose againe and giue our members seruants vnto righteousnesse in holinesse Let vs so liue that in our liues wee thinke of death and let vs know that if we die the death of the Saints we shall die to liue for euer with Christ but if otherwise our part shall be in that lake that euer burneth Againe this may serue for the confutation of that foolish dreame of purgatorie The soules of Gods Saints they are loosed in death from the body and being loosed are with Christ The soules of the wicked they likewise in death are loosed from the body and being loosed do as it is said of Iudas Act. 5.25 go to their owne place euen the place of the damned Where then is Purgatorie They that trouble the Church with this fancie tell vs that of them that die some are perfect and iust men and they go streight vnto heauen others are desperately wicked and they goe streight downe into hell and others are neither perfitly good nor thoroughly badde and for these are Purgatorie But I demaund them touching this third sort of men haue they faith or no They grant they haue but a weake
Iesus Eph. 4.1 So that being Saints by calling we are to labour to be Saints in life and conuersation As then is our calling as is our profession so are we to labor to lead a life agreeable to our calling agreeable to our profession and professing the Gospell of Christ Iesus to lead a life agreeable to the Gospell of Christ Iesus And why The reasons are very cleare As 1. that the Gospell of Christ Iesus be not euill spoken of Tit. 2.5 euen as young women are taught to be discreete chaste keeping at home good and subiect to their Husbands that the word of God be not euill spoken of For what readier way to cause the profane and wicked to blaspheme the Gospell of Iesus Christ then when the Professors of the Gospell liue not according to the Gospell Rom. 2.21.22.23.24 Thou that preachest a man should not steale dost thou steale saith our Apostle thou that saist a man should not commit adulterie dost thou commit adulterie thou that abhorrest Idols committest thou sacriledge thou that gloriest in the law through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God for the name of God is blaspheamed among the Gentiles through you And if it may be said vnto vs thou that professest the Gospell of Iesus Christ doest thou lead a life which becommeth not the Gospell of Iesus Christ shall not the Gospell of Iesus Christ be blasphemed and euill spoken of among the profane Atheists and miscreants of this sinfull world through vs yes surely they shall say vnto vs as the Gentiles did to the children of Israell which poluted Gods name among them EZ 36.20 These are the people of the Lord these are the Professors of the Gospell these be the fruits of their holy profession and of the Gospell amongst them 2. They that professe the Gospell of Christ are to labour to liue agreeably thereunto that they may adorne the Gospell of Christ Iesus in all thing and winne others by their holy conuersation vnto righteousnesse and holinesse Tit. 2.10 euen as seruants are taught to shew all good faithfulnesse that they may adorne the doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things and as Peter exhorteth saying 1 Pet. 2.2 haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may by your good workes which they shall see glorifie God in the day of visitation For when they that feare not the Lord shall see our good workes then shall they be brought to glorifie God our father which is in heauen when they shall see that as our profession is holy so our life also is holy then shall they beginne to suspect their owne wayes and to turne vnto the Lord as that place of Peter maketh plaine where he exhorteth the wiues to be subiect to their husbands 1 Pet. 3.1 and why that euen they which obey not the word may without the word be wonne by the conuersation of the wiues Whence it plainely appeareth that by the holy conuersation of them that are religious and godly be they men or women they that haue no good will vnto the word are oftentimes wonne vnto the obedience of the word 3. They that professe the Gospell are to labour to liue as becommeth the Gospel because of the commandement Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen because of the promise as many as walke according to this rule of the Gospell peace shall be vpon them and mercie Gal. 6.16 and vpon the Israel of God because it becommeth citizens of heauen to haue their conuersation in heauen and them that are called to the knowledge of God to walke as the children of God and because it is the lesson which their profession should teach them as the Apostle witnesseth saying T it 2.11.12 the grace of God which bringeth saluation to all men hath appeared and teacheth vs that wee should denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and that we should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope c. In one word so onely the Gospell is the glad tidings of theiâ— saluation vnto the Professors of the Gospell if their conuersation be as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ and therefore they are to labour that their conuersation be such as becommeth their profession This then may serue for a iust reproofe of many carnall Gospellers in our day For many Gospellers there are by profession but not many that lead such a life as becommeth the Gospell of Christ many there are that professe they know God not many that shew forth the fruite thereof in an holy conuersation such as our Apostle speaketh of where he saith they professe that they know God Tit. 1.16 but by workes they denie him and are abominable and disobedient and vnto euery good worke reprobate So that it may be said of Gospellers as one said of Doctours many Doctours few Doctours many in name few in deed so many Gospellers few Gospellers many in name and few in deed many in profession few in practise many in word few in worke many in tale few in life and conuersation For is it not said of many that make a very great profession of the Gospell and of religion that they are hard men vnmercifull men men that grinde the faces of the poore and sell the needie for shoes as the Prophet speaketh Are there not many such that are noted to be Vsurers Oppressors Extortioners and the like Is it not said of many such that they are as ready to portion and to couenant for their dues with their Pastor as any men that they are as ready to turne their Tenants a grasing as any men that they are as ready to ioyne house to house to lay field to field and to enclose all vnto themselues as any men Is it not said that the complaint of the poore and fatherles and widow is taken vp as much against them as against any men I would it were not said in Gath noised in the secrets of Ashkelon I wish the prophane Atheist the superstitious Papist and the couetous worldling could not iustly twite vs with it Alas beloued do we not see and consider that thus we make our God to be blasphemed our profession to bee slandered and the Gospell of Christ Iesus to be euill spoken of for our sakes Doe we not see and consider that Atheist and Papist and euery earthly minded man makes his vantage of these things and thinkes his owne waies well patronaged by our waies Doe wee not see and consider that by such our life and conuersation the froward and obstinate are hardened the weake are offended and the edge and courage of many much cooled and abated If such spots and staines in our life did only touch our selues yet were we to looke vnto them because without holinesse of life no man shall
it is that all creatures are not subiect vnto Christ and worship him seeing God hath giuen him such a â—ame euen such honour and glory aboue all creatures that all â—reatures should bow at his name and be subiect vnto him answer first that all creatures ought to bow at his name and â— be subiect vnto him euen all the powers of darknesse and â—l such their slaues as haue sold themselues to worke wickedâ—esse in this life ought to bow vnto him and to worship him â—or that Law which afterwards was giuen by Moses vnto man â— keepe Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him Deut. 6.13 was â—o doubt in the beginning a Law both to men and Angels â—d still continues to be a Law whereby not men alone but â—en and Angels and infernall spirits are bound to feare and â—rue him to worship and obey him euen with holy worship â—nd therefore is the iudgement and condemnation of all â—em most iust who doe not obey him that they might bee â—ued Secondly vnto the question I answer that all creaâ—res now are subiect vnto him so that vnto whom hee saith â—oe he goeth and vnto whom he saith Come he commeth â—d otherwise they stirre not nor cannot The Deuill himâ—fe toucheth not nor can touch either Iob his substance Iob 1.12.2.6 or â—s children or himselfe till hee giue leaue and then no furâ—er than he giueth leaue Nay he cannot enter into the heard â—swine till he giue leaue Mar. 5.13 Esa 7.18.19 Hee hisseth for the flie that is at the â—ermost parts of the flouds of Aegypt and for the Bee which â—n the land of Ashur as the Prophet speaketh and then they â—me and light in all the desolate valleyes and in the holes the rockes and vpon all thornie places and vpon all bushie â—ces that is He bringeth the Egyptians and the Assyrians â—on the land of Iudah and they come and they lay the land â—ste without an inhabitant And euery enemy that inuadeth â—y land he is but the rodde of the Lord his wrath and the â—ffe of his indignation neither can this rodde strike but â—ere and as he will The famine which drieth the bones and fainteth the soule the pestilence that walketh in the darknesse and destroieth at the noone day the sword that deuoureth one as well as another and all alike these messengers of his wrath are sent by him for our sinnes and they come when he saith vnto them goe they goe and when hee calleth them backe they returne The like may be said euen of since and of death Sinne raigneth not nor cannot but in the children of disobedience Death woundeth not deadly nor cannot but only the vessels of wrath and eternall destruction And of all things in generall this is true that all things are so subiect vnto Christ Apoc. 7.3 that if he say Hurt not the sea nor the eartâ— nor the trees none can hurt the earth or the sea or the trees and if hee say to the seuen Angels 16.1.2 Goe your wayes and poure out the seuen vials of the wrath of God vpon the earth then they powre them out vpon the earth That is if he say touch not my children then nothing can harme them and if hee say let the vngodly of the earth come to an end then they are as dust which the winde scattereth from the face of the earth As he saith so is it done and all things are thus subiect vnto hiâ— subiect I say vnto him not by any voluntary subiection whereby they worship and honour him and submit themselues vnto him but subiect vnto him so that though they would yet they cannot but doe his will howsoeuer they doâ— it not to doe his will but only to worke their owne malice Lastly vnto the question I answer that in the last and greaâ— day when Christ shall descend from heauen with a shouâ—e and with the voice of the Archangell and with the trumpâ— of God when the heauens shall passe away with a noise and the elâ—ments shall melt with heat and the earth with the workes that 〈◊〉 therein shall be burnt vp then shall euery knee bow vnto him then shall all creatures be subiect vnto him The Sea shâ—â—â— giue vp her dead which were in her and death and graue shâ—â— deliuer vp the dead which were in them all nations shall be gathered together and all shall appeare before the iudgement seâ—ter Christ to receiue according to that they haue done whether it be good or euill Then the Kings of the earth which made fleâ—â— their arme then the rich and couetous men of the work which made the wedge of gold their God then the whoremongers murtherers idolaters sorcerers blasphemers and liers then those churlish Nabals and vnmercifull men which haue not fed nor clothed nor visited nor lodged Christ in his poore members then those that rebelliously haue murmured against God for pouertie sicknes or what crosse else soeuer shall say to the hills couer vs and to the rocks fall vpon vs and to the rocks fall vpon vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe But it shall be to no purpose for all shall stand before him and fall downe before him The redeemed of the Lord shall fall downe before him and worship him and willingly subiect themselues vnto him as vnto their Lord and their God The wicked and Sathan himselfe shall fall downe before him and be forced to be subiect vnder his feete and to yeeld to that last sentence as most iust Depart froÌ„ me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Deuill and his Angels And then when all things are put downe vnder his feete he shall deliuer vp the kingdome to God euen the Father that God may be all in all Vnto the question then how it is that all creatures are not subiect vnto Christ seeing God hath giuen him such a name and crowned him with such honor and glory that all creatures should bowe vnto him and be subiect vnto him The answer is 1. that all creatures euen all absolutely ought to bowe at his name and to be subiect vnto him 2. That euen the wicked and vngodly of the earth and all the powers of darknes are now so subiect vnto him that though they would yet they can doe nothing but what his will is 3. That in the last and great day all creatures euen all absolutely shall be subiect vnto him holy men and Angels willingly subiecting themselues vnto him and worshipping him and all the rest though vnwillingly subiecting themselues vnto him and to their finall iudgement as iust in it selfe vnto them and from a most iust God By the first answer we are instructed in a necessarie dutie which is that we ought to be subiect vnto Christ in obedience vnto his heauenly will and to worship him with all holy worship walking in his waies and keeping his commandements
blessed Apostle Paul who hath registred such a dangerous fight in himseâ—fe betweene the flesh and the spirit that it made him cry out O wretched man that I am Rom 7.24 who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death And yet because in his inner man and in his spirit he delighted in the law of God he addeth immediatly in the next words following 25. I thanke my God through Iesus Christ our Lord to shew that in the strife the flesh tooke the foyle he by the power of his Lord Christ did stand The assaults of the flesh made him to cry O wretched man c. and the conquest of the spirit made him to adde I thanke God c. Such a strife fight the blessed Apostle had in himselfe and such a strife fight all the children of God haue within themselues this striuing in them is a witnes vnto them that they are the sonnes of God For to turne a litle aside vnto the sonnes of Belial children of disobedience what strife or fight at all is there in them betwixt the flesh and the spirit what denying of vngodlines and worldly lusts what care to subdue the flesh vnto the spirit what flying of the corruptions which are in the world through lusts what loue of God or good men what desire to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world is in them at all Nay contrariwise they delight in vnrighteousnes sell themselues to worke wickednes they commit sin euen with greedines gladly giue their members seruants to vncleannes and to iniquitie to commit iniquitie they hate to be reformed and cast the word behind their backs they refuse to hearken to instruction and stop their eares at the voice of the charmer charme he neuer so wisely And therefore the Apostles calleth them a naughty and crooked nation because they quite peruert the straight waies of the Lord giuing their members as weapons of vnrighteousnes vnto sin which should be giuen as weapons of righteousnes vnto God So farre they from striuing against sin and from a desire to walke holy without blame Onely they that are the sonnes of God feele this strife and this desire within themselues and this very strife against sin and desire to walke after the spirit without blame in loue shewes plainely that we are the sons of God Thus then yee see what should be our studie in the whole course of our life to wit as that we may be blamelesse that we may be pure so that we may be knowne to be the sonnes of God euen vnto those amongst whom we liue Ye see likewise how this may be known not vnto others only but vnto our selues both vnto our selues others euen by the spirit of sanctification Rom. 8 16. which both witnesseth vnto our spirits that we are the sonnes of God and which by the fruits and effects which it worketh in vs sheweth asmuch vnto others And howsoeuer our sanctification here in this life be vnperfit yet yee see that our very striuing against sinne and our desire to be holy and without rebuke plainely doth and may shew both vnto our selues and vnto others that we are the sonnes of God Comfort then thy selfe ô thou afflicted soule whosoeuer thou art that so gronest vnder the burthen of thy sinnes that thou wantest this sweet comfort of thy soule For tell me doest thou feele in thy selfe a striuing against sinne art thou touched with remorse and compunction of heart for thy sinnes doest thou desire to lead a life according to Gods will and hast thou a longing after this comfort that thou art the childe of God Whatsoeuer be thine infirmities how crimson-died so euer thy sinnes be whatsoeuer doubts else thou callest yet doubt not thou art the sonne of God and vnto thee belongeth the inheritance of the sonnes of God For it is the spirit euen the spirit of sanctification that filleth thy heart with good desires with desire to flie that which is euill Phil. 1.6 and with desire to doe that which is good and be that hath begun this good worke in thee will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ when thou shalt be crowned with glory and immortalitie in the highest heauens As for the wicked and vngodly of the earth which wallow in their wickednesse and make a mocke of piety and religion which haue not God in all their thoughts nor make mention of his name with their lips vnlesse it be to blaspheme and dishonor his holy name they haue no part in this comfort this reioycing in the spirit belongeth not vnto them But for vs beloued let vs labour and striue to haue this comfort sealed vnto our soules that we are the sonnes of God by our striuing against sinne and our carefull endeuour to walke without rebuke Yea let vs so looke vnto our steps and take heede vnto our waies let vs so decline the pleasures of sinne and delight our selues in the law of the Lord that men seeing the mortification of our earthly members and the integritie of our conuersation may haue nothing concerning vs to speake euill of but may say that God is in you indeede and so may glorifie him in the day of visitation Yea but yee will say againe vnto me how can we thus liue Is it not a naughty and crooked nation a froward and wicked people with whom we liue Can a man touch pitch and not be defiled therewith or walke amongst thornes and not be pricked therewith True wee liue amongst wicked men whose hearts are set on mischiefe euen as the Apostle here saith that the Philippians liued in the middest of a naughty and crooked nation Yet the Apostle yee see writeth vnto them to walke so both before God and with their neighbour that they might be blamelesse and pure and the sonnes of God without rebuke in the middest of a naughty and crooked nation Which teacheth vs thus much that howsoeuer the whole wolrd lieth in wickednes as the Apostle speaketh 1 Ioh. 5.19 yet may we liue in the world and amongst the enemies of the light as children of the light and as the sonnes of God shewing our selues to be so euen vnto them by walking with all care to be without rebuke amongst them Otherwise no doubt the Apostle would haue bid them to get out from amongst that naughty and crooked people that so being separated from them they might not be defiled with their vncleane conuersation whereas now he warneth them so to order their steps that they may be knowne to be the sonnes of God by walking with all carefulnes to be without rebuke in the middest of a naught crooked nation There is great danger indeed that we shall be defiled with pitch if we touch it that we shall be pricked with thornes if we walke in the middest of thornes Proofes hereof there are too too many in all places Ioseph being caught in the waies of
meddle not now with those other glorious titles giuen to the word in holy Scriptures as that it is called the word of God the wholesome word of truth the Gospell of saluation c. Euen this that it is called the word of life may teach vs how precious the ministerie and preaching thereof ought to be vnto vs euen more precious than thousands of gold and siluer and as wee desire to be saued in the day of Christ so should wee thirst after these most sweet waters of life But what thirsting is there after them They are brought vnto vs in conduits euen vnto our doores and yet wee will scarce step out of our doores to drinke of them nay wee will sit in our doores and in our houses talking and sleeping rather than wee will come into the house of God and drinke of these waters Euery light excuse and euery small businesse will serue to stay vs from comming to heare the word read and preached I told you euen now of our slacknesse in comming of our negligence in hearing of our carelesnesse to meditate after we haue heard of the holy word of life If I should adde vnto that complaint another of prophaning the Lords day which should be wholly spent in hearing and reading and meditating of the holy word of life of prophaning it I say with dancing and drinking and playing at this or that game or keeping this or that vnprofitable and vnnecessary obseruation and custome should I iustly be reproued Yea but this yee doe in the morning or in the euening not in seruice-time of day Yea but this yee doe on the Lords day which the Lord hath commanded to be kept holy not only in seruice-time of day but Remember saith he that thou keepe holy the Sabboth day Hee doth not limit it to this or that part of the day but keepe the day holy by hearing and reading and meditating in the holy word of life Yea but this is too precise and strait and sauours too much of Puritanisme Well be it as it will thou must either be a Puritan in obseruation of the commandement or else thou bringest vpon thy selfe iudgement O consider this men and brethren what it is that wee call you vnto It is the word of life by which you must be begotten vnto eternall life or else you cannot be saued by the direction and guidance whereof you must enter into rest or else you shall neuer finde rest vnto your soules Dauid when he could not be present in the assemblie of Gods people to praise his God heare his word because of his persecutors he thought the sparrowes and the swallowes happy that might nestle themselues in the house of God Insomuch that he brake out as Psal 42.1.2.84.1.2.3.4 10. Our case is not as Dauids was wee may come We should say therefore with Dauid in another place I was glad c. Yea we should call one vnto another and say as it is in Esay Come and let vs goe vp c. Psal 122.1 Esa 2.3 Col. 3.16 Scrutamini Scripturas c. Ioh. 5.39 Let the word of Christ dwell in you plenteously c. In a famine of bread yee need no exhortation to seeke for bread to refresh and sustaine your bodies Your soules farre more precious than your bodies and your soules hunger-starued and yet what care for your soules The sicknesse is most dangerous when it is least felt LECTVRE XXXVIII PHILIP 2. verse 15 16 17 18. That I may reioyce in the day of Christ that I haue not runne in vaine nor laboured in vaine c. THus farre of the former reason and of the vses thence to bee made by vs heretofore Now followeth the latter reason drawne from the Apostle himselfe in these words that I may reiojce in the day of Christ c. That I may reioyce c. This is the Apostle his latter reason whereby he would enforce his former exhortations and it is as if he had said My beloued I exhort you that you make an end of your owne saluation with feare and trembling and that ye do all things with your neighbours and brethren without murmuring and reasonings and these things I would haue you to doe as for your owne sakes that yee may be blamelesse and pure so for my sake also that I may reioyce c. Yea and if yee marke it euen in these words he would haue them to doe as he hath exhorted them both for his sake and for their sakes also For he would haue them to walke before God in all obedience with feare and trembling and with their neighbour in all loue without murmuring c. why that he may reioyce that 's for his owne sake But wherein doth he desire to reioyce Euen in their saluation that he hath not runne in vaine nor laboured in vaine amongst them but that by his Ministerie and Apostleship they are gained vnto Christ That I may reioyce in the day of Christ c. By the day of Christ the Apostle meaneth that day when God shall iudge the secrets of all men by Iesus Christ that day of Christ his second comming vnto iudgement when it shall be rendred vnto euery man according to that he hath done in his flesh be it good or euill as also in many other places of the new Testament This day is called sometimes the day of Gods wrath sometimes the day of his appearing sometimes the day of iudgement sometimes the great day sometimes that day sometimes the day of the Lord sometimes the day of our Lord Iesus Christ sometimes the day of Christ Now that day of Christ his second comming vnto iudgement is therefore called the day of Christ because in that day God shall giue all iudgement vnto him and he shall descend from heauen with a shoute and with the voice of the Archangell and with the trumpet of God and all shall appeare before his iudgement seate and he shall separate the sheepe from the goates and set the sheepe on his right hand and the goates on the left and shall say to the one Come yee blessed of my Father and to the other Depart from me yee cursed Now the Apostle would haue the Philippians so to walke both before God and men that in this day of Christ when he shall giue to euery man according as his worke shall be he may reioyce wherein that hee hath not runne in vaine c .i. that by his labours he hath gained them vnto Christ The manner of speech which the Apostle vseth seemeth to be borrowed from them that runne in a race wherein though many runne and labour hard toward the marke yet one alone receiueth the price and the rest runne in vaine and labour in vaine because they obtaine not the prâ—ce or the thing which they runne for So the Apostle maketh his account that in respect of them he should be like vnto those that runne in vaine and labour in vaine if hauing laboured to gaine them
couetousnesse 2 Pet. 2.14 3. through couetousnesse making marchandise of mens soules Such a one was Balaam of whom the Apostle Peter saith in the same chapter that he loued the wages of vnrighteousnes Such were those of whom Esay speaketh Esa 56.11 that they were greedie dogges which could neuer haue enough Such were these among the Philippians whose God as the Apostle saith was their bellie Marke then who now at this day they are that through couetousnesse would make marchandise of your soules Who are they now that set on sale the forgiuenesse of your sinnes and the kingdome of heauen for money Who are they now that vnder colour of long praiers deuoure widowes houses that for such or such lands such or such summes of money such or such releefe vnto such or such places will promise you to say so many praiers for so many dayes or yeeres for you or for your friends Who are they now that make gaine godâ—inesse and doe all that they doe in deede and an truth for the maintenance of their state and of their bellies Erasmus when hee was asked by Fredâ—ricke Duke of SAXONIE his iudgement of Luther said that there were two great faults of his one that hee medled with the Popes Crowne another that hee medled with the Monkes bellie Erasmus his meaning was that those two things they were most of all carefull for and therefore could not endure the medling with them Doe not such like dogges serue their bellies and through couetousnesse make marchandise of you Whosoeuer they be that doe so they haue a marke of false teachers Marke them therefore and take heed of them Beware of dogges of barking and greedie dogges My next two notes I gather from that that these false teachers are called euill workers A third note therefore of false teachers it is so to teach the necessitie of workes vnto saluation as to make them ioynt workers with Christ of our saluation as if our saluation were not by Christ alone but by the workes of the Law also True it is that we must walke in those good workes which God hath ordained vs to walke in â—pâ— 2.10 or else wee cannot be saued but yeâ— by grace are wee saued through faith 8.9 not of workes lest any man should boast himselfe To teach therefore that our workes are any part of that righteousnesse whereby we are iustified or saued is a note of false teachers Which thing also our Apostle witnesseth in another place Gal. 5.4 where he saith that such make the grace of God of none effect Such were those that had bewitched the Galatians whose doctrine in his epistle vnto them he doth at large confute and sheweth that wee are iustified onely by grace through faith in Iesus Christ and not by the workes of the Law Such also were those that were crept in amongst these Philippians whom in this chapter he confuteth shewing that Christ alone is our righteousnesse and that wee haue no righteousnesse of our owne at all by any workes of the Law Marke then who now at this day they are that teach mans righteousnesse or saluation to be of his workes Who are they now that tell you that we are made righteous before God not by faith alone in Christ his bloud but by workes also Who are they now that tell you that not by Christ his merits alone but by the merit of our owne workes also wee gaine heauen and that not to our selues alone but to others also Who aâ—e â—hey now that tell you that together with Christ good workes must be ioyned as workers together with him of our iustâ—fication and saluation Whosoeuer they be that doe so they haue a marke of false teachers Marke them therefore and take heed of them Beware of them they are euill workes making those workes which as they are done according to the Law are good workes by this peruerse doctrine euill workes A fourth note of false teachers it is like vnto vnfaithfull workmen in the Lord his vineyard to teach for doctrines mens precepts and traditions of men For this false teachers take of euill and vnfaithfull workers in the Lord his vineyard that either in stead of the word or at least together with the pure seede of the word they sow mens precepts and traditions of men Our Sauiour noteth it in the enuious man that he sowed tares among the wheat Mat. 13.28 Mar 7 7. and it is notable in all his brood Such were those Scribes and Pharises that we reade of in the Gospell of whom it is said that they taught for doctrines the commandements of men Whereupon our Sauiour told them that they worshipped him in vaine Marke then who now at this day doe thus resemble vnfaithfull workmen in the Lord his vineyard Who are they now that teach you to doe a great number of things for the doing whereof there is no rule at all in the Scriptures Who are they now that fill your eares with traditions of the Apostles as they say and traditions of the Church as they say making them euen of equall authoritie with the writings of the Apostles Who are they now that teach you to beleeue otherwise then yee are warranted by the Scriptures the rule of faith Who are they now that mingle with the pure seede of Gods word the chaffe of mans braine and giue equall authoritie to the written word and to vnwritten traditions Doe not such shew themselues to be of the brood of the enuious man Whosoeuer they be that doe so they haue a marke of false teachers Marke them therefore and take heed of them Beware of them they are euill workers working vnfaithfully in the Lord his vineyard Now from this also that these false teachers among the Philippians were called the concision arise two notes whereby to discerne false teachers A fift note therefore of false teachers it is like vnto these of the concision to cause diuision and offences contrary to the doctrine of the Gospell of Iesus Christ and to cut themselues from the vnitie of the Church for this they take of the concision that as they cut themselues from the vnitie of the Church and caused diuision in the Church by vrging the circumcision of the flesh which the Church had done with so commonly false teachers rent the vnitie of the Church and cause diuisions by teaching other doctrine then the spirit of God hath taught the Church to receiue This note of false teachers our Apostle also giues elsewhere where hee saith Marke them diligently which cause diuisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which yee haue learned Rom. 16.17 and auoid them Such were those false Apostles and teachers which troubled the Church of Corinth after Paul had planted it who by their ambition brought in such factions and schismes and dissensions into the Church 1 Cor. 1.11 that the house of Cloe a vertuous and zealous woman aduertised the Apostle thereof Marke then who now at this
and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption that there is no condemnation vnto them that are in Christ Iesus and that by faith in him we are made one with him and he with vs all this and much more touching Christ we know by the glorious light of the Gospell which hath shined in our hearts â— Pet. 1.19 And this is that knowledge which the Apostle here calleth the excellent knowledge of Christ Iesus Excellent indeed aboue all other knowledge and excellent euen as much as our life and saluation is worth And this knowledge of Christ is compared by the Apostle Peter vnto the day starre An excellent knowledge and such as is so much more glorious then the knowledge of Christ by the law as is the light and brightnesse of the day-starre more glorious then the light and brightnesse of a candle The third knowledge of Christ is in heauen when wee shall see him face to face which is the most excellent knowledge of Christ of all the rest For then shall we see him as he is then shall we enioy the continuall fruition of his presence then shall we see the name written vpon his thigh The King of Kings and Lord of Lords then shall that knowledge which is now onely in part be fully perfited And this knowledge of Christ is compared vnto the Sunne in her brightnes and is as much more excellent then the second as the second is then the first Now the knowledge of Christ Iesus of which the Apostle here speaketh is not this last nor the first knowledge of Christ but the second which he calleth excellent both in it selfe and in respect of his first knowledge of Christ For he had before a generall and obscure darke knowledge of Christ by the bookes of Moses and the writings of the Apostles being brought vp at the feete of Gamaliel but that was nothing in respect of this this was the excellent knowledge and for this excellent knowledge sake he counted both his former knowledge and all things else to be but losse and dunge Now how all things are to be iudged losse and dunge for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus that is in the next place to be considered Birth kinred nobilitie wealth learning knowledge holinesse of life righteousnes temperance sobriety and the like euen all outward things and all our workes whatsoeuer are all to be iudged losse and dunge for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus What then Must we renounce birth kinred nobilitie and the like Must we make away our wealth and riches and vow a voluntarie pouertie Must we remit all care of learning and knowledge and in stead thereof imbrace ignorance Must we leaue of to follow after holinesse of life righteousnesse temperance sobriety and the like Must we cease from good workes if we will be partakers of the excellent knowledge of Christ Iesus No such matter Paul needed not to renounce his tribe his kinred his noble parentage neither was he to grow dissolute or negligent in the obseruation of the commandements and ordinances of the law that he might come to the knowledge of Christ His circumcision was commanded his tribe and kinred were worthy prerogatiues and his workes done according to the law were very commendable He was not therefore simply to renounce or clearely to abiure all those things but onely to renounce all confidence in these things if he would be a Christian Right so it is to be said generally Is any man noble and great by birth and parentage So were many godly kinges of Israel and Iudah But therein we may not secure our selues as if therefore we needed to feare no euill Is any man rich and wealthy So was Abraham and Lot but if riches increase let no man set his heart vpon them let no man trust in vncertaine riches Is any man holy righteous which feareth God and aboundeth in euery good worke So were the Saints of God therefore renowned in the holy scriptures and let him that is such be such still He that is holy let him be holy still and he that is righteous let him be righteous still Yea let euery man labour and striue still more and more to increase in all knowledge and vnderstanding in euery good thing and in euery good worke But let no man reioyce or put any confidence of his saluation in these things but as it is written He that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lord. How then are all these outward things to be iudged losse and dunge Certainely not in respect of the substance of the things or of the good workes which are done For the things such as we haue spoken of as honour riches wisdome learning knowledge and the like are the good gifts and blessings of the Lord thankfully to be enioyed and vsed to his glory and likewise good works are commanded and rewarded by God and are well-pleasing in his sight as the Apostle witnesseth where he saith Heb. 13.16 To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifice God is pleased It is not then in respect of the substance of these outward things that they are to be iudged to be losse dunge but they are to be iudged losse and dung in respect of any confidence to be reposed in them for better it is that we wanted them then that we should repose any trust or confidence in them For besides that they are as a staffe of reede on which if a man leane it will breake into shiuers and hurt him confidence in them doth stay vs and hinder vs from comming vnto Christ and reposing that confidence in him which we ought to haue in him Which is plainely proued by that of the Apostle and that of our Sauiour which I mentioned the last day For the Apostle maketh this the reason why the Iewes submitted not themselues vnto the righteousnesse of God because they went about to stablish their owne righteousnesse Rom. 10.3 They saith he being ignorant of the righteousnes of God and going about to stablish their owne righteousnesse submitted not themselues to the righteousnesse of God What was the cause of their blindnesse and ignorance of the righteousnesse of God What was the cause why they submitted not themselues vnto the righteousnesse of God Here it was they went about to stablish their owne righteousnesse they had a great conceit of their owne workes done according to the Law they thought themselues righteous by them and therefore they cared not for comming vnto Christ nor sought not after the righteousnesse of God in him And this was the very cause why our Sauiour told the Pharisies that the Publicans and the harlots should goe before them into the kingdome of God The Pharisies had a proud conceit Mat 21.31 and a very great confidence in their owne righteousnesse insomuch that they iustified themselues aboue all other men And therfore our Sauiour hereby giues them to vnderstand that they are farther from the kingdome
yeares old neither the deadnesse of Sarahs 〈◊〉 neither did he doubt of the promise through vnbeleefe wâ—â—â—â— note by the way how doubting is termed vnbeleefe 20. but 〈◊〉 strengthned in the faith and gaue glory to God being fuâ—y assured that he which had promised 21. was also able to doe it He then being faithfull which hath promised saluation to all them that beleeue in his name we may and ought to be sure of our saluation To conclude therfore this point beware lest at any time 〈◊〉 be deceiued by such as out of this or the like places of scripture would perswade you that ye ought to doubt of your saluation Neither this nor any other place makes for it but the whole course of Scripture makes against it Let vs withoâ—â— Apostle labour if by any meanes we may attaine c. and let 〈◊〉 follow if we may comprehend not doubting of it but running through all difficulties euen with all eagrenesse Let vs 〈◊〉 lawfully and as we ought to doe that we may be crowned and let vs keepe fast the profession of our hope without waâ—ering because he is faithfull that hath promised Now in that he addeth if I may comprehend euen as I 〈◊〉 comprehended of Christ Iesus the Apostle signifieth his earnâ—â—â— desire to come vnto the perfect knowledge of Christ Iesus that he may know fully euen all the riches of wisdome and knowledge and righteousnesse and saluation that are hidâ—â—â— him For he saith that he followeth and earnestly laboureâ—◠〈◊〉 comprehend the knowledge of Christ Iesus euen as he 〈◊〉 comprehended and knowne of Christ Iesus which is moâ—â— perfectly Psal 139.1.2.3.12.14.15 For he knoweth his downe-sitting and vprising he vâ—derstandeth his thoughts a farre of he is about his path and aâ—â—â— his bed and spieth out all his waies there is not a word a 〈◊〉 tongue but he knowes it wholly he hath possessed his reines câ—â—â—red him in his mothers wombe his eyes did see him when he wa◠〈◊〉 without forme and in his booke were all his members written 〈◊〉 day by day were fashioned when as yet there was none of them â—he climbe vp into heauen if he lye downe in hell if he take â—e wings of the morning and remaine in the vttermost parts 〈◊〉 the sea if he say the darknesse shall hide him still he knowâ—â—h him altogether Yea he sanctifieth him throughout in spirit â—â—d soule and bodie and so likewise knowes him throughout â—â—en most perfectly And euen such a perfit knowledge â—ould he haue of Christ Iesus that he might be able to comâ—â—ehend with all Saints what is the bredth and length and depth 〈◊〉 height of him and that he might know the loue of Christ which â—â—asseth knowledge that so he might be filled with all fulnesse of â—od Whence all Christians are lessoned to labour and striue 〈◊〉 the whole course of their life vnto perfection vnto perfeâ—tion in the knowledge of Christ vnto perfection in obediâ—nce vnto Christ vnto the perfection of mortification in â—heir earthly members by the vertue of Christ his death â—nd vnto the perfection of holinesse and righteousnesse by â—he vertue of Christ his resurrection True it is that wee â—annot attaine vnto perfection in any of these things in â—he knowledge of Christ or in obedience vnto his will â—r in dying vnto sinne or in liuing vnto God The Apostle â—ould not and how then should wee being compassed with no fewer infirmities then he was and being strengthâ—ned with no more powerfull assistance of the spirit then he was But yet we are to labour that our vnderstandings may bee perfectly instructed in all wisdome and spirituall â—nderstanding that our wills may be perfectly conformed vnto Gods will that our affections and the lusts of our flesh may be perfectly subdued vnto the spirit and that we may be perfectly renued in the spirit of our mindes So we are exhorted when it is said Mat. 5.48 Bee yee perfit as your Father which is in heauen is perfit and againe when it is said Bee yee holy for I am holy 1 Pet. 1.15 bee yee holy euen in all manner of conuersation And to the same purpose it is said That euery man that hath hope in IESVS CHRIST purgeth himselfe euen as hee is pure 1 Ioh. 3.3 In all which places the Holy Ghost doth not shew vnto vs what perfection or holinesse or puritie is in vs euen the best of vs but that we should labour and striue vnto this that we may 〈◊〉 perfit as God is perfit holy as God is holy pure as God iâ— pure The reason is because God hath chosen vs in Chrâ—â—â— Iesus that we should be holy and without blame before him iâ— loâ—â— We must not therefore stand at a stay Eph. 1.4 or thinke it enough that we are before many of our brethren in knowledge 〈◊〉 righteousnesse or holinesse but as it is said of Christ Iesus 〈◊〉 he increased in wisdome and stature and in fauour with God 〈◊〉 men so we must increase and grow daily from knowledge 〈◊〉 knowledge from strength vnto strength from grace vnto grâ—â—â— vntill we become perfit men in Christ Iesus But is it not with vs as it was with the stiffe-necked Iewes Moses and the Prophets ceased not to teach them out of the law what they should doe but they would not hearken 〈◊〉 obey now the Ministers of Christ Iesus and dispensers of holy mysteries teach vs out of the Law and Prophets out of the holy word of life what we should doe but who doâ—â— heare or obey If we should seeke one by one to finde the count should we finde one man of a thousand that followeâ—â— after perfection in the knowledge of Christ and obedience to his will or that hungreth in his soule to grow from grace to grace till he be fulfilled with knowledge of his will is all wisdome and spirituall vnderstanding We grow indeedâ— and we grow to perfection but thus we grow from bad to worse and we come to perfection in sinne and wickednesse Men neuer more skilfull to deceiue to oppresse to circumuent one another and vnder the hypocriticall shew of holinesse to practise all kinde of wickednesse He that was vniust is vniust still and he that was filthy is filthy still he that stole stealeth more he that gaue his money vpon vsurie giueth more Yea he that went vp with vs vnto the house of God he will goe vp no more he that feared an oath will now sweare lustily and he that seemed to make some conscience of his wayes is now quite turned out of the way So that our growing is from bad to worse and which is worse from better to worse Insomuch that the Lord may seeme to haue dealt with vs as he dealt with those of whom the Apostle writeth to the Romanes Rom. 1.28 as we haue not regarded to know God so he hath deliuered vs vp vnto a reprobate minde We haue despised the riches 〈◊〉
of the Lord yet haue I often turned out of the way of his commandements though I haue affected the things which are aboue yet haue mine affections beene too much diuided betweene the things which are aboue and the things which are on earth Well let not thy soule be troubled nor feare Doest thou see and know and acknowledge thus much Dauid saith that he confessed his sinne vnto the Lord Psal 32.5 and so he forgaue the punishment of his sinne Feare not then but that he who hath opened thine eyes to see and thy heart to acknowledge thy weaknesse and imperfection will pardon this weaknesse and imperfection whatsoeuer it is Againe feelest thou some seedes some beginnings of these things in thee Who is it that hath sowen and begun these things in thee Euen that God that hath said I will not faile thee nor forsake thee and therefore will performe that good worke which hee hath begun in thee vntill the day of Iesus Christ and will cause those holy seedes to bring forth their fruit in due season Yea comfort thy selfe herein if it be with thee as thou sayest that thy conuersation hath beene in heauen For art thou sorrie that thou hast more minded earthly things then thou shouldest that tentations haue so nighly surprised thee that thou hast so often turned aside from the law of thy God that â—hine heart and affections of thy soule haue beene more diuided twixt heauen and earth then they should And doest thou deâ—iâ—e in thy soule daily more and more to be weyned from â—â—â—nding earthly things to be strengthned against tentations â—o be conformed in thy will vnto Gods will and to walke with â—hy God with a perfect heart This also is a sure token that â—hy conuersation is in heauen for where the perfection of that which should be is wanting there an holy desire and affection vnto that which should be is accepted If therefore in searching out thy heart and thy reines for the triall of these points thou finde it to be with thee as thou sayest thou hast great cause of comfort and ioy in the spirit But if in triall it appeare that as thou hast liued in the flesh so thou hast walked after the flesh neglecting the Law of God yeelding thy selfe captiue vnto the law of sinne setting thine affections on the things which are on earth and neuer minding the things which are aboue then surely thou art a stranger from the life of God and the way that thou walkest leadeth vnto hell Looke therefore well vnto it and let euery man haue that care of his wayes that howsoeuer hee liue here in the body yet in minde and affection he may haue his conuersation in heauen And to this end weyne your selues daily more and more from the loue care of these earthly things He that weepeth through aduersitie 1 Cor. 7.30 let him be as though hee wept not he that reioyceth through prosperitie let him be as though hee reioyced not hee that buyeth as though he possessed not hee that vseth this world as though he vsed it not 31. for the fashion of this world goeth away and all things in the earth are but meere vanitie Take vnto your selues the whole armour of God wrestle harder and harder daily against all tentations and assaults of the Deuill fight a good fight stand fast quit your selues like men resist the Deuill and hee will flie from you Conforme your wils daily more and more vnto Gods will yeeld your selues daily more and more to bee gouerned by his lawes order your steps so heere in his waies as hauing right into that City whereof also ye shall haue possession And though yee liue heere in the flesh yet ascend in heart in minde and in soule into heauen let your thoughts and desires and affectâ—ons bee setled there your faith your hope and your louâ— let them bee rooted and grounded there And then amongâ—â— other benefits this shall not be the least that death shall noâ— come hastily vpon you yea yee shall chearefully thinke vpoâ— death death shall be vnto you an aduantage and when thâ— will of God is yee shall desire to bee loosed and to bee witâ— Christ to remoue out of the body and to dwell with thâ— Lord. For what is the cause why wee so feare death why weâ— are so loth to die Here it is because in the dayes of our flesh we haue not had our conuersation in heauen Our mindeâ— were set vpon earthly things and therefore we are loth to parâ— with them We neuer fought against any tentation nay thâ— strong man possessed vs in such peace that wee neuer knew what tentation meant and therefore wee know not where to liue better then here We regarded not to submit our selues to the lawes of God to be gouerned by them and therefore wee shrinke at death for feare of a iudgement We neuer ascended into heauen in our hearts or soules wee neuer raised our thoughts our desires or our affections so high wee neuer tasted in our selues any sparkle of those ioyes which are prepared to be shewed in the last time and therefore wee long not after heauen but we rather loue to liue here on earth These are the things I say that make vs shrinke at death and loth to die Let vs then hearken vnto these words of exhortation and let vs haue our conuersation in heauen If we shall then shall death be welcome vnto vs and wee shall accept it as the end of our pilgrimage and as the way to our abiding Citie Ierusalem which is aboue and vnto Christ which is our life For the more we ascend while we are in the body in our soules and spirits in our meditations and desires in faith and hope into heauen the more will wee desire to remoue out of the body that we may for euer dwell with the Lord and therefore we will the more cheerefully open vnto death when hee knockes at our doores I heare that the example of this our sister may be a good prouocation to stirre you vp vnto these things for they that were with her giue her this testimonie that in this time when the Lord had laid his hand vpon her she quickly set apart all minde of earthly things patiently â—â—bmitted her selfe vnto the will of the Lord willingly set her â—ections on the things which are aboue and desired nothing more then to heare and thinke of her Lord and God her Saâ—iour and Redeemer I beseech almightie God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that both her exampâ—e and the words â—hich ye haue heard this day with your outward eares may so preuaâ—le with you that in this life ye may walke as citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem hauing your conuersation in heaâ—en weyning your selues from the world and the things that â—â—e in the worâ—d manfully fighting against all tentations and assaâ—lts of the deuil conforming your selues in all obedience vnto the lawes of his kingdome and while ye
liue here in the body climing vp into heauen that when death comes and ye must remoue out of the body ye may dwell for euer with the Lord and be receiued into the full possession of that inheriâ—ance immortall and vndefiled which is reserued in heauen for you LECTVRE LXXII PHILIP 3 Verse 20.21 From whence also wee looke for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ who shall change our vile body c. FRom whence This is the second Christian profession which the Apostle maketh in behalfe of himselfe and such others as walked as he did and it is of their expectation of Christ his second comming to saue them Which also yeeldeâ—h a reason why they haue their conuersation in heaâ—en Our conuersation saith the Apostle is in heauen And why so From heauen we certainly looke and wait for the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ when hee shall come as a swiâ—â— Iudge against all them that haue made their bellie their Goâ— but as our Sauiour to giue vnto vs an inheritance among theâ— that are saued therefore our soule-conuersation is in heaueâ— where now Christ is and whence he shall come in that day tâ— saue vs. In that the Apostle saith from whence hee noteth thâ— place whence Christ his second comming shall be and consequently the place where now he is according to his humanitieâ— for there now he is whence at that day hee shall come sittinâ— now in glory at the right hand of the throne of God in heauen whence hee shall also come in glory to iudge both thâ— quicke and the dead Againe in that he saith from whence alsâ— wee looke for the Sauiour he signifieth their patient expectation and waiting for the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ when he shall appeare the second time without sinne vnto saluation 〈◊〉 for Christ being then already descended from the bosome oâ— his Father and hauing offered vp himselfe without spot vnto God to take away the sinnes of such his chosen children aâ— through faith in his bloud haue their consciences purged from dead workes to serue the liuing God now they waited and looked for the promise of his second comming when he should come in the clouds to be glorified in his Saints but to render vengeance vnto them that know not God nor obey the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ Againe in that he saith from whence also wee looke for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ he noteth the person of him whose second comming from heauen in the clouds they waited and looked for which is the Lord Iesus Christ the Sauiour The Lord who is to be feared hauing all soueraigne power giuen vnto him in heauen and in earth The Lord Iesus who is to be feared and loued hauing laid downe his life for vs to saue vs from our sinnes and to free vs from condemnation the due desert of our sinne The Lord Iesus Christ who is to be feared loued and reuerenced hauing as our Priest reconciled vs vnto God and as our Prophet instructed vs in the will of God Vnto all which the Apostle addeth this that further he calleth him the Sâ—uiour for that then in his second comming he should not only saue them and free them from sinne and condemnation which he did at his first comming in his humilitie but shouâ—d â—â—ue them and free them from death and corruption and â—ring them into the full possession of that inheritance purâ—hased in heauen for them So that yee see the generall point â—ere spoken of is Christ his second comming in glory the â—articular points are the place whence the second comming â—hall be the patient expectation and waiting of the faithfull â—or the second comming and the person of him that shall â—ome in this second comming which the faithfull so looke â—or Now let vs see what notes and obseruations wee may gaâ—her hence whereof to make some further vse and instruction â—or our selues The first thing which I note is the Apostles Christian proâ—ession which he maketh in the behalfe of himselfe and such others as walked so as he did touching the place whence they waited for the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ They looâ—ed for the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ from heauen â—here they had set their affections where they had their soule-conuersation Hence then I obserue a ground of that point of an article of our faith wherein we beleeue that Christ shall come from heauen with glory to iudge both the quicke and the dead Whereunto also the Scriptures giue witnesse often elsewhere as where the Angels told the Apostles saying Act. 1.11 This Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shall so come as yee haue seene him goe into heauen and againe where the Apostle saith that the Lord shall descend from heauen with a shout 1 The. 4.16 and with the voice of the Archangell and with the trumpet of God and againe where our Sauiour himselfe tels his disciples Mat. 24.30 that the sonne of man shall come in the clouds of heauen with power and great glory But what needeth further proofe of this point It is a thing which wee all beleeue and confesse that Christ being ascended into heauen where he sitteth at the right hand of the throne of God shall come againe from heauen in his appointed time with power and great glory so that euery eye shall see him yea euen they which pierced him thorow and shall render vnto euery man according to that he hath done whether it be good or euill The vses which we are to make hereof are these First to beware of such false teachers as tell vs that the body of Christ is not only in heauen but in earth also in euery Kingdome in euery City in euery parish in euery loafe iâ— euery peece of bread and cup of wine where the sacrament iâ— receiued For doe wee looke that he shall come from heauen the second time with power and great glorie And shall weâ— not thinke that now he is there whence then hee shall come True it is that Christ as hee is God is not in heauen alone oâ— limited vnto any place but filleth all places being infinite and incomprehensible But as he is man so is he there alone whence hee shall appeare the second time vnto saluation for so it is written Act. 3.21 that the heauens must containe him vntill the time that all things bee restored And wat else is it but to destroy the nature of a true body to say that it may bee in diuers places at one time Let this for this time suffice vs Wee looke for Christ as he is man from heauen therefore as hee is man he is in heauen the heauen must containe him till all things be restored therefore he is alone in heauen hee hath a true body therefore hee cannot be in diuers places at once Beware therefore of such deceiuers that yee giue no place vnto their errour and trust perfectly that Christ sitteth at
the right hand of the throne of the maiestie in heauen hauing no corporall presence elsewhere and that from thence hee shall come to render vengeance vnto the wicked and to be glorified in his Saints Secondly this should teach vs to beware of such mockers as walke after their lusts and say Where is the promise of his comming The holy Ghost hath said it that he shall come from heauen the second time with power and great glory And hath hee said it Act. 1.7 and shall it not come to passe It is not for vs to know the times and the seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power Mat. 24.36 Nay Christ himselfe saith Of that day and houre when he shall come know th no man no not the Angels in heauen but God only Nay Christ himselfe as he is man knoweth it not Wee know perfectly 1 Thes 5 2. which is enough for vs to know that the day of the Lord shall come euen as a theefe in the night Now if the good man of the house knew at what watch the theefe would come Matth. 24 43. he would surely watch for that time but would be very secure for other times It is enough therefore for vs to know that he shall come And this that we know that he shall come but know not the time when should exercise our faith and patience bridle our curiositie and containe vs in the feare of God in godlinesse and in all watchfulnesse at all times lest hee come vpon vs at vnwares and finde vs without oile in our lampes either beating our fellow-seruants or eating and drinking with the drunken or running after noisome lusts and the foolish cares of this life The Lord is not slacke concerning his promise as some men count slacknesse but is patient towards vs 2 Pet. 3 9. Heb. 10.37 and would haue all men to come to repentance Yet a very little while saith the Apostle and he that shall come will come and will not tarrie Beware therefore of such mockers as in scorne and derision say Where is the promise of his comming Watch yee and pray continually that yee may be counted worthy to escape all the things that shall come to passe vpon such mockers and that ye may stand before the sonne of man The third vse which we are to make hereof and whereat our Apostle especially aimeth is that hence we should learne to haue our conuersation in heauen For doe wee looke that the Sauiour shall come the second time from heauen Great reason then that wee should haue our conuersation in heauen that in heart minde and soule wee should ascend thither that our faith hope and loue should be rooted there that our thoughts desires and affections should be settled there Had Daniel reason to open his windowes towards Ierusalem Dan. 6.10 and to pray towards it three times a day because of Gods promise vnto his people when they should pray toward that Temple And is there not farre greater reason for vs that wee should alwayes lift vp our hearts vnto the Lord and haue our soule-conuersation in heauen from whence wee doe looke for our blessed Sauiour The children of light herein may learne a lesson of the children of this world and of the children of darknesse for where is the merchants minde but where his goods are and where he hopes for commoditie where is the husbandmans heart but on his haruest and where hee lookes for the fruit of his labours Where are the affections of the voluptuous or ambitious man set but where the things are which their soule most desireth Where else then should the Christian mans conuersation be but in heauen from whencâ— we looke for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ Let vâ— not then with Ruben and Gad and halfe the Tribe of Manasseh desire to tarie on this side Iordan without the Land of promise but let vs go into the heauenly Canaan and dweâ—l there and walke as Citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem If we count that we haue our treasure in heauen let vs also haue our hearts in heauen Otherwise wee shew plainly that wee haue not our treasure in heauen Mat. 6 21. For as our Sauiour tells vs where our treasure is there will our hearts be also There Christ is thence we looke for the Sauiour therefore euen while wee are at home in the body let vs haue our soule-conuersation there in heauen where he dwelleth and whence wee looke for him The second thing which I note is in the person of the Apostle and others like vnto himselfe For here ye see that the Apostle in behalfe of himselfe and such others as walked so as he did professeth that they looked for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ which their expectation plainly argued the feruent desire and earnest longing which they had for the appearing of Christ the second time vnto saluation Whence I obserue the gladsome expectation of the faithfull children of God for the second comming of Christ when hee shall come in the cloudes of heauen to iudge both the quicke and the dead They looke and waite for it their soules long after it Rom. 8.19 and with lift vp hearts and voices they crie and say How long Lord holy and true come Lord Iesus come quickly It is said in the Epistle to the Romanes that the feruent desire of the creature waiteth when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed The word signifieth an earnest waiting of the creature such as is the waiting of them that are set in a watch-tower to descrie when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed i. when it shall be manifestly knowne not onely vnto themselues by faith but vnto men and Angels that they are the sonnes of God 1 Ioh. 3.2 For as Iohn speaketh Now we are the sonnes of God but yet it doth not appeare what we shall be and we know that when hee shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is And as our Apostle speaketh Colos 3.3 when Christ which is our life appeareth then shall we also appeare with him in glory For then shall hee change our vile body that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body So that the time for which the creature waiteth is the second comming of Christ Doth then the creature euen the heauen and the earth which God created in the beginning waite with such a feruent desire that they sit as it were in a watch-tower continually beholding when Christ shall appeare the second time vnto saluation How great then and gladsome may we imagine the expectation of the faithfull children of God to be for the second comming of Christ when they shall not onely be renued as the creature but haue a full complement of euerlasting blessednesse And therefore the Apostle addeth and not onely the creature but we also Rom. 8.23 yea we much more which haue receiued the first fruits of the
Heb. 9.28 as saith the Apostle the second time vnto saluation Is the message then of Christ his second comming gladsome vnto you Is the remembrance of it ioyfull vnto you It is a sure token vnto you that ye belong vnto Christ Iesus and it is a notable fruite and effect of your faith and hope in Christ Iesus It may be that some of you looking more vpon your selues and your owne sinnes then vpon Christ and the bowels of his mercies and being more sharpe and seuere toward your selues then quick-sighted to looke toward Christ Iesus may feele some appalling in your selues or at least not that cheerefulnesse in expectation that should be But let not your harts be troubled nor feare Ye looke not only vpon your sinnes or so on Christ as only a seuere iudge and so despaire in your selues and vtterly abhorre his comming but yee looke for him though not without hope yet without that cheerefulnes which ye ought In this weaknesse the Lord will perfit his praise and vnto these beginnings hee will giue a good issue Only let my counsell be acceptable vnto you turne away your eies from your selues and cast them vpon Christ Iesus He shall be your iudge that is your Sauiour He hath bidde you looke vp and lift vp your heads for your redemption draweth neere Joh. 5.24 And he hath said it that hee that belieueth in him hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death vnto life Tit. 2.13 Waite therefore patiently and cheerefully for the Lord for the grace of God which bringeth saluation to all c. The third and last thing which heere I note is in the person of him whom the Apostle saith that they looke for from heauen which is the Lord Iesus Christ the Sauiour Wherein I obserue a reason both why wee should walke in this like as citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem hauing our conuersation in heauen and why wee should looke and long for the second comming vnto iudgement For why should it seeme strange vnto any man that liuing here in the body wee should haue our soule-conuersation in heauen Is not our Lord and King mightie in power to saue and defend vs and to reuenge vs of our enemies in heauen Is not our Iesus who not by the workes of righteousnesse which we had done but according to his mercie hath saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renuing of the holy Ghost in heauen Is not our Christ the Mediator of the new Testament that hath reconciled vs vnto God maketh continuall intercession for vs and teacheth vs outwardly by his word and inwardly by his spirit in heauen Is not our Sauiour who in that day shall make vp the full complement of our saluation in heauen where then should our conuersation be but in heauen where should the body be but where the head is where should the spouse be but where the bridegroome is not one of vs all but we are stung with fierie Serpents cursed sinnes and noysome lusts which fight against the soule If wee will be healed and liue we must looke vp vnto the brasen Serpent lift vp for that purpose In heauen is our brasen Serpent euen the Lord Iesus Christ We must therefore while we are in the body lift vp our eies vnto him and haue our soule-conuersation in heauen if now we will be healed of our infirmities and if when we remoue out of the body we will dwell with the Lord. And as this should bee a sufficient reason to moue vs to haue our whole conuersation in heauen so should it also moue vs to looke and long for the second comming vnto iudgement For shall our Lord and King come which shall tread downe â—he Deuill and all enemies vnder his feete and leading captiuitie captiue shall make vs to triumph in the heauenly places Shall our Iesus come then to be our iudge that first came to saue his people from their sinnes Shall our Christ come that offered himselfe vpon the crosse for vs and opened his fathers will vnto vs Shall our Sauiour come to saue vs from death and corruption by glory which first saued vs from sinne and condemnation by grace What cause then haue wee to hearken vnto the counsell of Iames Iam. 5.7 exhorting to bee patient vnto the comming of the Lord yea what cause to crie with the soules vnder the Altar Apoc. 6.10.22.20 How long Lord holy and true dost thou not iudge and auenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth Yea to crie with Iohn Come Lord Iesus come quickely Vnto this which hath beene taught the example of our brother lying here before vs may as I heare be a good prouocation My selfe knew him not and therefore I can say the lesse of him But by the report of them that knew him hee was very studious and for his time had profited well in the knowledge of such Arts as he applied himselfe vnto He was also as I heare religiously affected and godly minded hauing in good measure while hee was in the body his conuersation in heauen And in the time of his sicknesse willingly submitted himselfe vnto the will of his God as one that looked for the blessed hope and appearing of the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ in whom his soule reioyced and in the merits of whose death and passion his heart was comforted The Lord grant that wee may all liue in his feare and die in his fauour LECTVRE LXXIII PHILIP 3. Vers 2â— Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body according to the working c. IT remaineth now that wee proceede vnto the third and last branch where the Apostle in the behalfe of himselfe and such others as walked as he did maketh Christian profession of their certaine hope of the glorification of their vile bodies by the powerfull working of Christ Iesus set downe in these words who shall change c. They had their conuersation in heauen looking for the Sauiour from heauen euen the Lord Iesus Christ and from heauen they looked for the Lord Iesus Christ knowing that then hee should change their vile bodies and make them like vnto his glorious body c. The generall point then here spoken is the glorification of our vile bodies in the day of Christ by the power of Christ The particular circumstances which here the Apostle noteth are these 1. who shall glorifie vs namely the Lord Iesus Christ who shall change c. 2. What he shall glorifie in vs namely our bodies whose soule-conuersation hath beene in heauen 3. the condition of our bodies what now they are namely bodies of vilenesse basenesse and abiectnesse i. Vile base and abiect bodies subiect to corruption sinne and all kinde of vanitie 4. The time when he shall glorifie our vile bodies namely in that day when he shall come in the cloudes of heauen to iudge both the quick and
the dead which I note out of this that he saith who shall change to wit in that day when he shall come from whence they looke for him 5. The manner how he shall then glorifie our vile bodies namely not by changing the substance of our bodies in the forme or feature or lineaments or members of them but by changing our vile bodies .i. our bodieâ— which were created of God holy and good but are now deâ—â—led with our vilenesse by changing these vile bodies and fashioning them in qualitie like vnto his owne glorious body so that of mortall they become immotall of corruptible incorruptible of naturall spirituall of weake glorious 6. And lastly the meanes whereby he shall thus glorifie our vile bodies namely by that diuine power and effectuall working whereby he raised his owne body from the graue and whereby he is able to doe what he will euen to subdue all things vnto himselfe These be the particular circumstances of this third branch of the Apostles reason Which noting of them in this sort that we haue done may serue also for the explication and opening of the meaning of these words Let vs now therefore see what profitable notes we may gather hence for our farther vse and instruction The first thing which I note is who it is that shall change our vile bodies that they may be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie which is the Lord Iesus Christ The obseruation then hence is that after we haue slept in the dust Christ Iesus shall raise vs againe by his power and make our vile bodies like to his glorious body He it is that being one God with the Father from before all beginnings in the beginning of time created vs formed vs and made vs and breathed into vs the breath of life and made vs liuing soules All things saith Iohn was made by it Ioh. 1.3 namely by the incarnate word of God by the euerlasting Sonne of the Father and without it was made nothing that was made And the Apostle saith that by the Sonne of God were all things created which are in heauen and in earth Col. 1.16 things visible and invisible by him I say not onely as an instrument but as an efficient cause For as the Apostle saith of him Ro. 11.36 and through him and for him are all things He likewise it is that in the fulnesse of time came into the world to redeeme them which were vnder the law and to saue his people from their sinnes When the fullnesse of time was come saith the Apostle God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman Gal. 4.4.5 and made vnder the law that he might redeeme them which were vnder the law And againe This is a true saying 1 Tim. 1.15 and by all meanes worthy to be receiued that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners And therefore was his name called Iesus Mat. 1.21 because he should saue his people from their sinnes He also it is that in the end of times shall raise our bodies out of the dust and make them like vnto his glorious body Joh. 5.28.29 For the houre shall come saith Iohn in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voice and they shall come forth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation And in the chapter following 6.54 Whosoeuer eateth my flesh saith Christ and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day And our Apostle in this place from heauen we looke for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ who shall change our vile body c. So that he that in the beginning of time created vs and made vs and in the fullnesse of time redeemed and saued vs shall also in the end of time raise vs vp out of the dust of death and glorifie vs with himselfe Whereof also he gaue vs a sure testimonie when he raised vp himselfe from the dead no more to returne vnto the graue And therefore the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 4.14 He which hath raised vp the Lord Iesus shall raise vs vp also by Iesus and set vs with the Saints Let this then serue to confirme and strengthen vs in the point of our resurrection and glorification Christ Iesus hath taken it vpon him that he will raise vs vp at the last day and glorifie vs with himselfe Let vs then lie downe in peace and commit that to him and he shall bring it to passe For is the glory and strength of Israel as a man that he should lie Hath he said it and shall it not be done Let the Sadduces denie the resurrection Act. 17.18 let the Philosophers and disputers of Athens mocke at Paul when they heare him preach the resurrection let the profane Atheist scoffe and iest at the resurrection of the dead and their glorification with the Saints yet let vs with Martha know that our brethren and we shall rise at the last day Mat. 9.25 He that raised the Rulers daughter from death to life in the house he that raised the widowes sonne from death vnto life as they were carying him out to be buried Luc. 7.15 he that raised vp Lazarus from death vnto life Ioh. 11.44 hauing laid foure daies in the graue shall also raise vs vp and shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body Let vs therefore hold fast this hope vnto the end without wauering and let vs lay this vpon Christ Iesus who will surely doe it and will not faile The second thing which I note is the time when Christ shall change our vile bodies and make them like vnto his glorious body The time is in that day when the faithfull looke that he shall come in the clouds of heauen to iudge both the quicke and the dead Which I gather from this that he faith who shall change c ioyned with that he had said before from whence also we looke c. For the meaning is that from heauen they looke for the second comming of Christ who then in his second comming shall change c. The obseruation then hence is that in the last day when Christ shall come in the clouds of heauen to iudge the quicke and the dead then shall he raise vp the bodies of them that haue slept in the dust and glorifie them with his owne selfe Which point of the time of our second resurrection and glorification of our bodies the Holy Ghost often precisely noteth as where it is said The houre shall come in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voice c Ioh. 5.28.6.54 and againe where Christ saith I will raise him vp at the last day 1 Co. 15.23.51.52 and againe where the Apostle saith that they that are of Christ at his comming shall rise againe and againe where he saith
we shall not all sleepe but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet All which places plainely shew the time of the resurrection and of the glorification of our bodies to be in the last day at the second comming of Christ vnto iudgment In the meane time they shall sleepe in the dust and make their beds in the graue Iob 17.14 they shall say to corruption thou art my father and to the worme thou art my mother and my sister This should teach vs patiently with the faithfull children of God to waite and looke for the second comming of Christ Iesus yea euen to long and reach after it because then these crackt and fraile vessels shall be in better case then now they be Now they are vile and rotten and naught but then shall they be changed made like vnto Christ his glorious body and then shall they be vnited to the soules to receiue that blessed inheritance which God the Father of old hath prepared God the Sonne of late hath purchased and God the Holy Ghost doth daily seale in the hearts of Gods children That is the time for our full deliuerance our full redemption when al things shall be subdued vnder him And till that time after that death once destroy these bodies the graue shall be our house and we shall make our bed in the darke The third thing which here I note is what it is that Christ in that day shall raise vp againe and glorifie namely our vile body Whence my first obseruation is that since sinne entred into the world and death by sinne such is the condition of our bodies here that they be vile subiect to all infirmities miseries mortalitie corruption and all kinde of vanity The experience whereof is so common and so well knowne vnto vs all that it shall not be needfull to proue it vnto any of vs How many aches infirmities diseases are we troubled withall in our bodies What wounds and swellings and sores full of all manner of corruption are our bodies subiect vnto What labours what perils what watchings fastings cold nakednesse imprisonments how many kinds of death are they subiect vnto How soone are they cut downe like grasse How soone doe they wither as the greene herbe How soone doe they returne vnto the dust whence they first came Or what priuiledge here haue the bodies of them that come of noble houses of honourable parents of the bloud royall None at all but their bodies are as vile as here the Apostle meaneth as subiect to diseases as needing all helps for health is vnable to endure labour heat cold hunger thirst as vnable to want sleepe rest foode apparell as soone cut downe by the hand of death as soone deuoured by the wormes as soone turned vnto the dust as the bodies of other men And therefore our bodies without exception in the holy scriptures are called and likened vnto grasse the flower of the field to earthen vessels to earthly houses to tabernacles to dust and â—athe c. All flesh is as grasse 1 Pet. 1.24 and all the glory of man is as the flower of grasse the grasse withereth and the flower falleth away Yea looke what Iobs bodie was that all our bodies are if the Lord shall lay his hands vpon them Yea this shall be the state of our bodies to be thus vile as the Apostle speaketh till they bee changed and made like vnto his glorious body This should teach vs to plucke downe our sailes and to abate the great daintinesse of our bodies whereunto we are growne Such silks and veluets such ruffes and lawnes such frizling and painting such chaines bracelets and rings as now commonly we vse what else is it but to cloth and adorne proud rottennesse Such choice of meats daintinesse of fare variety of dishes as in this heauy time of dearth and famine is some where vsed what else is it but to feede the neuer satisfied belly Nay are not some growne so nice that they may not suffer the winde to blow vpon them nor the sunne to shine vpon them Is it not for some so hot in summer and againe so cold in winter that they can finde no time to come to heare euen the holy word of God And what else is it that we doe thus cherish but a vile body subiect to all kinde of vanity The beginning whereof what is it but earth the being whereof what is it but as from the earth the end whereof what is it but to the earth And yet what curiositie in clothing and what daintinesse in feeding this vile body An allowance there is and meete there should be that according to each mans degree there be both costlinesse in clothing and daintinesse in feeding But in each degree there is such excesse of decencie as that it may be thought that no degree considereth what a vile body it is that they cherish How much better were it that we should consider our selues and that we should moderate our selues in these things each man according to his degree Let vs therefore whether we eat or drinke or cloth our selues remember that the bodies which we cherish are but vile bodies dust and ashes euen very rottennesse and subiect to all kinde of vanity My second obseruation hence is that Christ in the last day shall change our bodies not our soules and raise vp our bodies not our soules For our soules in their very deliuerance from the contagion of our bodies are purged and cleansed from euery spot of sinne and immediatly translated into heauen and there abide till the last iudgement They die not nor sleepe nor wander vp and downe as some doe foolishly imagine but being spirituall substances they liue and abide for euer aswell out of the body as in the body Which appeare as by the soules of the rich man and Lazarus Luc. 16.23 the one of which had immediatly ioy in Abrahams bosome the other suffered woe and torments in hell immediatly so doth it also appeare by that vision of Iohn Apoc. 6.9 where he saw the soules vnder the Altar c for there the present state wherein they are after their departure out of their bodies vntill the last iudgment is described namely that they are vnder the Altar .i. that they remaine continually vnder the hand of our Lord Iesus and that they be in ioyfull rest vnder his custody and protection Our soules then are not changed or raised vp in the last day but our bodies euen as we make confession in our Creede when we beleeue the resurrection of the body For therein we confesse that we beleeue that in that day when the Lord shall descend from heauen with a shoute and with the voice of the Archangell and with the trumpet of God he shall raise againe these selfe-same bodies out of the dust of death and vnite them vnto our soules that in soule and body wee may liue for euer with
him in heauen in the perfect state of blessednesse Yea but doth not the Preacher say Eccl. 3.19 that the condition of the children of men and the condition of beasts are euen as one condition vnto them If then there be no resurrection of the bodies of beasts after this life how doe we say that there is any resurrection of the bodies of men The meaning of the Preacher is that man is not able by reason and iudgment to put a difference betweene the dying of man and beast as by his eye to iudge otherwise of a man being dead then of a beast being dead But neither he there speakes of mans estate after death neither what we know by the word of God touching the condition of man and of beast For thence we know that the spirit of man ascendeth vpward when it leaueth the body and that the spirit of the beast descendeth downeward to the earth and that the body of the beast sleepeth for euer in the dust but the body of man shall be raised vp at the last day vnto life euerlasting in the heauens How then doth the Apostle say 1 Co. 15.10 that flesh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdome of God There the meaning of the Apostle is that the naturall body as it is now subiect to sinne and corruption cannot inherit the kingdome of God vntill it be glorified forasmuch as none vncleane thing entreth into it This therefore is it that we teach Christ shall raise vp our vile bodies in the last day and make them like vnto his glorious body and so possesse vs in soule and body of that kingdome prepared for vs from before all beginnings Here then is a notable comfort for all Gods children that not onely our soules after this life ended shall goe vnto God that gaue them but our bodies likewise in the last day shall be raised vp againe and be made like vnto Christ his glorious body that our soules and bodies being vnited together wee may liue for euer with him in his kingdome of glory For hereupon thus we may resolue with our selues What though I be afflicted and tormented What though my miseries be as many and grieuous as Iobs were What though I bee racked torne in peeces with wilde horses my body cast to the birds of the aire to the beast of the land or to the fishes in the sea I know that after this life ended there will follow a ioyfull resurrection Thus Iob comforted himselfe amidst all his extremities Iob. 19.25.26.27 saying I know that my Redeemer liueth and that he shall stand the last on the earth and though after my skin wormes destroy this body yet shall I see God in my flesh whom I my selfe shall see and mine eyes shall behold and none other for me though my reines be consumed within me And so we read that the Saints of God mentioned to the Hebrues comforted themselus Heb. 11.35 For when they were racked and tormented they would not be deliuered and why because they looked for a better resurrection Whatsoeuer therefore trouble affliction aduersitie misery death doe befall vs or our friends let vs comfort our selues in this that there shall be an end of all troubles when all teares shall be wiped from our eyes and that there shall be a ioyfull resurrection in the last day and glorification of our mortall bodies My third obseruation hence is that the resurrection of bodies vnto glorification is only of them whose soule-conuersation in this life is in heauen For albeit in the resurrection not only the sheepe but the goats not only they that haue done good but they that haue done euill shall rise againe with their bodies yet the one only vnto euerlasting ioy and glory the other vnto euerlasting woe and miserie So saith Iohn Ioh. 5.29 They shall come forth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life and they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation The same also is most plaine by that separation of the sheepe from the goats in the last day where it is said Matt. 25. that the one shall stand at his right hand the other at his left that the portion of the one shall be with the Saints of God in heauen the portion of the other with the deuill and his Angels in hell that the one shall goe into life eternall the other into euerlasting paine Whereof we are to make this vse that if we will haue our part in the second resurrection after this life vnto glory wee must also haue our part in the first resurrection in this life vnto grace In this life wee must rise from the death of sinne vnto the life of God in righteousnesse and true holinesse if in that day wee will rise from the power of the graue vnto life euerlasting and blessednesse in the heauens Apoc. 20.6 For blessed and holy is he yea only blessed and holy is he that hath his part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power Let vs therefore follow the counsell of Peter let vs amend our liues Act. 3.19 and turne vnto the Lord that our sinnes may be done away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Let vs in this life grow vp in grace that in that day we may rise vp in glory Thus much of the third point viz. what Christ in that day shall raise and glorifie The fourth thing which I note is touching the manner how Christ shall in that day glorifie our vile bodies namely by changing not the substance of our bodies but by changing our vile bodies and fashioning them in qualitie like vnto Christ his glorious body Whence I obserue what shall be the glorified bodies of the Saints of God wherein at the hearing of his voice and the sound of the trumpet they shall rise in that day And this it is Our corruptible bodies shall be raised vp in incorruption our mortall bodies shall be raised vp in immortalitie our bodies which were vile carcases shall be raised vp in glory our bodies which were weake shall be raised vp in power our bodies which were naturall needing foode raiment rest sleepe physicke and the like shall be raised vp spirituall needing none of these things but being as the Angels of God exempt from all wants and infirmities of this life Our bodies in substance in figure in lineaments and in members shall be the selfe-same that they were in this life inasmuch as in these there was no change by the sinne of our first parents but in such vile qualities as by sinne they were poisoned and infected with they shall so be changed as hath beene said And this is the glorification of our bodies in that day He that shall come to be glorified in his Saints shall thus change the vilenesse of our bodies and fashion them like vnto his owne glorious body Of this glorification Daniel speaketh where he saith
be better taught yet we thinke him not neare if he do not alwayes heare and helpe when we wish and call And therefore euery small thing and least trifle almost moues vs and disquiets vs and puts vs out of all patience Whatsoeuer therefore contumelies or disgraces are offred vnto vs whatsoeuer losses or wrongs we sustaine whatsoeuer troubles or tentations do assault vs whatsoeuer malice or wickednes be practised against vs let vs know that the Lord his prouidence watcheth ouer vs to saue defend vs to take our matter into his owne hand and to be auenged of our enemies And therefore let vs not he discouraged or disquieted let vs not fret or fume or busie our heads with thinking of reuenge but let vs in our patience possesse our soules and let our patient mind be knowne to all men If we cannot by our moderation and mildnes by our gentlenes and patience winne them vnto vs that in word or deed wrong vs but that they like vnto wicked Iulians the more abuse vs and wrong vs yet the Lord is at hand to behold our sufferings wrongs and to take our matter into his owne hand To bridle then our impatience let vs thinke with our selues Are we euill entreated through tyrants doth our owne familiar friend lie â—n waite against vs do some imagine mischiefe for vs others whet their tongues against vs and shoote out their arrowes euen bitter words and do others practise what they can against vs Well the Lord is at hand he seeth and knoweth all things he deliuereth vs and auengeth vs of all that rise vp against vs when and as it seemes good vnto him He that keepeth vs slumbereth not nor sleepeth and therefore in our patience will we possesse our soules reposing our selues vnder the couert of his wings Thus if we shall lift vp our eies vnto the Lord and perswade our selues of his being alwaies neare at hand vnto vs by his watchfull prouidence ouer vs we shall not only not be troubled with these sharp fits of this hote ague of impatience vpon euery accident or crosse but as men truly humbled in our selues mortified vnto the world and looking onely vnto the Lord we shall in all mildnesse and moderation make our patient minde knowne vnto all men And let this be spoken of this obseruation from this meaning of these words Secondly admitting this to be the meaning of the Apostle in this place that the Lord is at hand by his second comming in the flesh vnto iudgement to requite our hard measures into their bosome that haue ill meated vnto vs and to wipe all teares from our eyes and giue vs rest with himselfe I note that the Apostles reason to moue the Philippians vnto a patient mildnesse and gentle moderation towards all men is because the Lord is at hand to breake the clouds and to come vnto iudgement to wipe all teares from their eyes and to recompence tribulation to all that haue troubled them And hence I obserue another speciall motiue which may ought to perswade vs to possesse our soules in patience whensoeuer we are abused oppessed or afflicted namely the approching of Christ his second coming into iudgement when he shall recompence tribulation to them that trouble vs and to vs which are troubled rest with him This motiue also vnto patience the Apostle Iames vseth Iames 5.7.8 where he saith Be ye patient vnto the coming of the Lord Be ye patient and settle your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth neare And certainly if we could and would remember this that the coming of the Lord draweth neare we would be lesse prouoked vpon euery occasion vnto intemperate heates and whatsoeuer might haply seeme enough to disquiet vs we would passe it ouer with greater patience For thus we should say with our selues Hath God giuen all iudgement vnto his Son and is he readie to come vnto iudgement Is the time at hand when he shall descend from heauen with a shoute and with the voice of the Archangell and with the trumpet of God when he shal shew himselfe in flaming fire rendring vengeance vnto them that know not God nor obey the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be maruellous in all them that beleeue Shall I then when I am abused or wronged be grieued and disquieted or seek to be auenged Nay the time is at hand when all wrongs shall be redressed by him that iudgeth righteously in the meane time I will beare with patience what man doth or saith against me Thus by remembrance of the approching of Christ his second coming vnto iudgment should our patient mind be knowne vnto all men O but will foolish man say this hath bene said these fifteene hundred yeares that the Lord is at hand and that his coming draweth neare and yet all things continue alike how should this then still be a motiue vnto patience When this second coming shall be I cannot say Act. 1.7 It is a thing which the Father hath kept in his owne power and so peculiarly reserued vnto himselfe as that of that day and houre knoweth no man Mat. 24.36 no not the Angels in heauen but God onely nay not Christ Iesus himselfe as he is man knoweth it And therefore they who labour in that point to designe that time are therein more curious then wise But hath it bene said these fifteene hundred yeares that the Lord is at hand and that his coming draweth neare And did the holy Ghost who cannot lie say then that it was neare and is it now very neare euen at our doores 2. Pet. 3.9 The Lord is patient toward vs and would haue no man to perish but would all men to come to repentance and therefore hath hitherto deferred his coming But yet a very litle while Heb. 10.37 and he that shall come will come and will not tarrie If fifteene hundred yeares be past the rest of the time appointed must needs be shorter and so the day and houre approach nearer And what one signe foretold to go before his second coming is not already past except it be that one of the calling of the Iewes Let the exhortation then of our Apostle preuaile with vs that our patient mind be knowne to all men Let vs be meeke and gentle kind and curteous one to another yeelding one vnto another and bearing one with another for the Lord is at hand his comming draweth neare when he shall giue vs rest with him and auenge all our wrongs LECTVRE LXXXII PHILIP 4. Verse 6. Be nothing carefull but in all things let your requests be shewed vnto God in prayer and supplication with giuing of thankes WE haue heard diuers exhortations of the Apostle vnto the Philippians His last exhortation vnto them in the former verse was that their moderate and gentle and patient mind might be knowne vnto all men The reason because the Lord is at hand
Onely this I say that it ought not to be preiudiciall vnto any man if at any time he say my God and my Lord. He may sometimes vse them and yet ought nor therefore either to be noted of singularitie or to be scorned or reprooued Let them consider what I say that are so readie vpon such occasions to brand men with names that they know not what they meane let vs in no sort follow their example Let vs ioyne with thē that say Our God and our Lord but let vs not scorne or reproch them that say My God or my Lord. Nay let vs know that nor we nor any can haue any greater stay or comfort then in this that the Lord is his God and his Lord. Thus much of this note by the way The second thing which here I note is what recompence of reward the Apostle promiseth vnto the Philippians for their liberalitie towards him The promise is this that as he was filled by them and all his necessities supplied by their liberalitie so God should fulfill all their necessities through his riches with glorie Whence I obserue this lesson for vs that looke what good we do vnto Gods Saints here on earth God shall recompence the same into our bosomes both with blessings in this life and likewise in that that is to come Deliuer we the poore and needie in the needeful time of trouble the recompence is Psal 41.1 Blessed is he that considereth the poore and needie the Lord shall deliuer him in the time of trouble Are we mercifull vnto the poore and do we sell them come good cheape The recompence is He that is mercifull Pro. 11.17.26 rewardeth his owne soule and blessing shall be vpon the head of him that selleth corne Do we feed the hungrie clothe the naked visite the sicke lodge the stranger go to him that is in prison The recompence is Come ye blessed of my Father Mat. 25.34 inherite ye the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world for I was an hungred c. In a word are we ready to do good to distribute and to communicate according to our abilitie The recompence is we lay vp in store for our selues a good foundation against the time to come to obtaine eternall life 1 Tim. 6.19 Mat. 10.42 Not a cup of cold water giuen vnto any in the name of a disciple shal lose his reward So mercifull and gracious and bountifull and liberall is the Lord our God as that he doth repay one good turne vnto our brethren with an hundreth blessings from himselfe and gifts of no value with an eternall weight of glorie A great mercy of our gracious God to promise or to pay such recompence of reward vnto our workes and a notable inducement to stirre vs vp vnto all workes of charitie The same motiue the Preacher also vseth where he saith Cast thy bread vpon the waters Eccl. 11.1 for after many dayes thou shalt finde it Cast thy bread vpon the waters that is breake thy bread vnto the hungrie be mercifull and liberall vnto the poore though thy almes may seeme to be cast vpon the waters though it may seeme that thou shalt neuer haue thankes or ought else for that good thou doest for so too many thinke that what they giue vnto the poore they commit vnto a dead hand that it perisheth that afterwards there is no remembrance of it yet saith he Cast thy bread vpon the waters And why he addeth a promise of mercie that shall follow vpon it for after many dayes thou shalt finde it that is thy gift shall not perish but thy God shall recompence it thee into thy bosome Thou shalt finde it in thy basket and in thy dough and in the fruite of thy body and the fruite of thy ground in the fruite of thy cattell in the increase of thy kine and in the flockes of thy sheepe or if not in these temporall blessings yet in spirituall graces or if not now for a season yet after many dayes as the husbandman receiueth the increase of his corne which when it was first sowne might seeme to haue perished or if not in this life yet certainely in the heauens when the Lord shall wipe all teares from thine eyes and crowne thee with glorie and immortalitie Here is then another kinde of reasoning then thy carnall sence and reason teacheth thee to make Thou thinkest that the way to be rich is to be sparing to hold fast Ioh. 12.25 to giue away nothing that thou canst saue But as our Sauiour saith He that loueth his life shall lose it So I say he that thus loueth his riches shall not be rich but the way to keepe and to increase riches is to bestow them on the poore Where they seeme to be lost there they shal be found where they seeme to be cast vpon the waters there they shal be laid vp in heauen where neither rust nor moath corrupt and where theeues do not breake through nor steale Why is it then that the bowells of our compassion are shut vp against the poore for in many places the poore crie and none helpeth them they faint in the streets and none succoureth them they mourne in their soules and none comforteth them they perish for want of foode and none relieueth them I perswade my selfe that it is not altogether thus amongst vs but in many places it is thus And what is the reason Verily our diffidence and distrust is the cause of all this We see not how we shall haue sufficiencie for our selues if we be bountifull vnto others we see not but we shall want our selues if thus we do supplie the wants of others and though it may be we dare not openly speake vnto the point of Gods promise of a recompence of reward vnto whatsoeuer we do vnto his poore Saints here on earth yet do we thinke with our selues that if we should relie much vpon this we might quickly bring our selues vnto the beggers staffe and then who would pitie vs Thus though the promise be made vnto vs of fulfilling all our necessities yet such is our blindnesse that we cannot see and such our distrustfulnesse that wee doubt how our necessities shall be fulfilled and therefore we hold backe and do not stretch out our hands vnto the poore and needie Our Apostle therefore to meete with this doubtfulnesse telleth vs that God that maketh this promise vnto vs is rich and he will fulfill all our necessities through his riches If a poore man make a large promise of great bountifulnesse we may well doubt how he will be able to make good his promise But if a rich man make such a promise especially being a good man and one that is wont to keepe promise who will make any doubt of the performance of his promise Now our God that vnto our workes of charitie hath made this promise to fulfill all our necessities is rich Psal 50.10.12 For all