obedience therefore now he may take his swinge in sin as Pro. 7.18 the harlot entised the yong man to take his fill of loue But we must know Christ hath not satisfied for vs to liue as we list nor redeemed vs from darknesse to light that we should runne to darknesse againe for a pardon is not giuen to a traitour that he should offend againe neither doth that pardon serue for offences to be committed after but so oft as he offendeth so oft shall he be punished or else he must haue so many pardons so Christ hath satisfied once and that hath taken away the guilt of al that went before but if we 〈◊〉 sume vpon this to sinne againe either we must looke for 〈◊〉 satisfactions which cannot be for there is but one sealed 〈◊〉 blood or else we must suffer so many punishments as wâ—â—â—â—mit sinnes Secondly it will be said since there can be 〈◊〉 satisfaction for sinne therefore we haue now liberty giuen 〈◊〉 sinne It is true indeed that the wrath of God could not â—â—â—ppeased for sinne nor satisfied without the bloud of the Soâ—â—â— of God and this was by him performed that being reconciled to his father we might no more fall at enmity for sin alone makes the separation betweene God and vs but that we might liue according to his will in newnesse of life howbeit there is a satisfaction God requireth at our hands but that is onely obedience in our affections holinesse in our actions humility in our hearts and thankefulnesse in our persons that we may bee as pretions stones in the brest plate of Christ to be represented to his father And therefore let vs abhorre such presumptuous and rechlesse impiety as either to liue as we list or to thinke wee haue time enough to repent before we die for who can tell when the cocke will crow or when death as a thiefe will steale vpon vs nay let vs remember it is said Reuel 22.11 He that is filthy let him be filthy still and in our age wee shall possesse the iniquities of our youth and therefore our life being but a span long the day is short enough by repentance to make our accompts with God euen and easie Thirdly obserue hence that we cannot serue God and riches Christ and Beliall the flesh and the spirit for their walkes and courses are opposite and contrary one to the other as may appeare by the Apostles putting of it negatiuely that we must not walke at all after the flesh Mal. 1.6 for if God be a father he will haue all the honour if a master all the feare neither will he suffer himselfe to be diuided or his worship to bee performed by halfes for this is as Eliah calleth it 1. King 18.21 the halting between two opinions but as before our conuersion the affections of sins doe force vs to bring foorth fruit vnto death so being called the strength of grace must thrust vs forward to bring forth fruits to God and not to our selues and therefore it is said Gal. 6.8 He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting so as though thou doest that which is lawfull yet if thou doest it more vnto men then vnto God thou sowest to the flesh and shalt receiue damnation but if thou seekest in thy whole life to please God more then men yea to please him though thou displeasest men then shalt thou of the spirit reape saluation for the end why God hath created and saued vs is to glorifie him in this life and were it not he respected and receiued glory by thy life what need he suffer thee to stay heere on earth but haue taken thee presently from the wombe to heauen but he suffereth thee to liue partly that by thy fruitfulnesse to God the corruption that is hid within thee may in part be abolished partly to distinguish between thee and the reprobate at the last daie when thou shalt be blessed and that worthily euen in the iudgement and acknowledgment of the damned for the fruites thou hast brought forth to God So as it standeth vs vpon to haue the eies of our thoughts the bent of actions wholy vpon God to hazerd yea to prefer his glory before the glory and comfort of our owne saluation for if we be not rich in God and good works then are we still dead in sinne then is not Sathan at all cast our of vs then are we so far from needing but to wash our feet Iohn 13.9 as we are wholly polluted hands head and all Howbeit because euerie one will say he brings foorth fruit to God and walketh in the spirit being inwardly greiued for his sinnes and resorting vnto publike praier and preaching which are indeed good steppes to trace a Christian by yet we must know this is not sufficient for the inward sorrow is inuisible and the comming to praier and to the word is deceiuable and communicable euen to hypocrites therefore we must bring forth visible fruit to be seene of men in performing towards them the duties of the second table by loue patience compassion and such like else is it as a light â—id vnder a bushell if it be not sensibly felt of men for their comfort and seene of men for their example that they which are without may be wonne and the rest which are of the same fold with vs may be stirred vp to glorifie God in heauen for the fruitfulnesse of his Saints on earth To which duties we may be the better encouraged because the whole fruit both in the practise of them and in the reward of them shall redound to our selues producing ioy and peace of conscience in this life and the crowne of glory in the life to come Rom. 6.22 Fourthly for thine owne comfort learne to make a difference betweene walking after the flesh and walking through the flesh the one being a following and pursuing of thy sinfull desires with greedinesse and with delight through that rage of corruption which rests within thee the other being a performing of thy duties to God and a walking with him though with weakenesse and infirmity by reason of that remnant of flesh which will be in thee til death so as though the good thou dost be not done so cheerfully so exactly so perfectly as it ought but is mingled with many imperfections that euen in thy own iudgement thou thinkest thine actions euill be not discouraged for albeit thou hast in truth cause to pray to haue not only thy euill actions but euen thy best actions to be forgiuen because they are a little tempered with the flesh yet know that this is the case of all the children of God which are effectually sanctified to haue naturally concupiscence in them which causeth these three things first either it maketh vs alwaies think euill thoughts secondly or else it hindereth vs from good thoughts thirdly or else it maketh
separates for it is the same word of life in it selfe but not to them that eate it not to the elect it is effectually conueied to the reprobate it is truely offered by God but separate by their vnbeleefe Therefore let vs consider the analogy and naturall relation in baptisme the externall thing is water such as is common the thing inward is the very bloud of Christ answered by the signe The application of water to the clensing of the body is answered by the applying of the holy Ghost the effect of water is to purifie from filth so is it of the bloud of Christ to purge from sinne and this two waies by killing and renewing by nortifying and quickning by the dipping in the water is represented the death of Christ and his resurrection signified by pulling out of the water that as we are buried with him in Baptisme so we shall rise with him by his spirit Why but hath Iohn no power but to put on water euery man may doe so and how is it then that 2. Cor. 3.6 Paul saith God hath made vs ministers of the spirit and not of the letter for there he compareth the Law to the Gospell Moses to the Apostles Moses gaue vnto the people the two tables which was onely a commandement externall for he could not change his owne heart nor apply his owne soule to the performance of the law but it was onely as if a man should write to a blind man to bid him reade or to a deafe man to bid him heare And can Paul doe any more to conuert the Corinths No but this is the difference the preaching of the Gospell which is the ministery of the spirit doth not onely require faith but giueth faith to be saued for of it selfe it is as easie to keepe the law as to beleeue Why but Paul saith to Timothy 1. Tim. 4.6 Attend on the worke of preaching to saue thy selfe and others and Paul of himselfe saith I begat you and Mal. 4.6 it was prophesied of this Iohn that he should conuert the hearts of men This is most true when the externall and internall doe ioyne and iumpe together and when they are not compared by opposition but are comprehensiuely taken together then we can bind and loose sinnes and as Leuit 16.16 then the Priest shall make thy soule cleane But as it was said that there was in paradise Genes 3.22 the tree of life not that it had any life in it but that they that should eate of it should liue for euer and so of the tree of knowledge which was so called by the effect it wrought making vs to know what good we lost and what nakednesse we fell into so it is said that we forgiue sinnes Iohn 20.23 because the word of reconciliation is put into our mouthes not that we doe it by any absolute authority but necessarily because our commission extendeth to it by God And so all morall matters vnder the law were but a meere pageant sauing that they sealed to them the inward which was the blood of Christ and where such efficacy was giuen to the sacrifices there the inward thing was attributed to the outward so as we must still hold that all power and sufficiency is of God 2. Cor. 3.5 Further obserue that Iohn of necessitie must giue water or else Christ can giue no bloud and except there be planting and watering nothing can grow So as we must learne to submit our selues to the ministery else can wee not ordinarily expect for any grace at Gods hands for he giues but increase and blessing to his worke-mens labour and though the voice of the Preacher be but a vanishing voice wanting power to affect the conscience and vertue to illuminate the eies for the voice cannot pierce the soule yet wee must humble our selues to Iohns ministery for by this voice doth the Lord giue life and as hee cannot hope for fruit that neuer sowed nor expect for wine that neuer planted no more can hee looke for life that neuer heard for faith commeth by hearing Rom. 10.17 and without faith there is no saluation So as vnlesse we doe embrace this ordinance of God to follow them whom hee hath made his armes to reach forth vnto vs the bread of life we can neuer beleeue and except we desire to be sealed with the great seale of heauen committed vnto them wee shall neuer be saued for as it is said Gen. 17.14 euery soule contemptuously refusing circumcision shall bee cut off and he that despiseth the bread doth betray and crucifie the Lord Iesus as the Iewes did that bad away with him Iohn must be regarded because he puts on water for who is not glad to receiue his pardon by the person of any and why should their feet bee contemptible that bring vs such newes from the mouth of God And if wee dare not in paine of damnation but thinke reuerently of the seales that is of water and bread in the Sacraments how much more must wee reuâ—â—â—ce the doctrine that is of far greater maiesty for the Sacraments are but blankes without the word Further consider heere in Iohns baptizing to amendment of life that as all Sacraments are couenants and in couenants there is alway something agreed on betweene both parties so in Baptisme God promiseth to receiue Christ to redeeme the holy Ghost to sanctifie and on the other side we promise to beleeue this and to repent vs of our transgressions For as Baptisme sealeth vnto vs remission of sinne so also doth it seale as it were from vs amendment of life and to whom soeuer the Lord sealeth this assurance that he will saue him to him also he sealeth regeneration and newnesse of life And as Paul saith Rom. 2.26 if vncircumcision beleeue well it shall bee saued rather then circumcision that is if the outward signe bee separated from the inward and not accompanied with cleannesse of heart and obedience to the commandement hee that wants the outward seale and yet is circumcised in heart is more to bee accounted of then the other Therefore let vs looke and take heed we performe the vow wee made before God and his Angels in our baptisme namely as to beleeue the promises so to repent and reforme our liues for he that will assure himselfe of the benefite of Baptisme must see what power he hath to subdue his corruptions He will baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire That is by the holy Ghost Christ will seale the pardon of their sinnes who hath the same power that fire hath as first to burne vp all trash and stubble secondly to purifie things that are to be purged thirdly to giue light in darkenesse fourthly to quicken things that are benummed and stiffe with cold So as let vs examine our selues whether wee haue felt these effects of this spirit for if he filthinesse and frâ—â—â—dnesse of our nature be burnt vp and consumed if our harts be swept and cleansed from vile and loose
Neither is this contrary to that God willeth not the death of a sinner for the difference is this God willeth not the confusion simply of any man as a thing wherein he delighteth but he willeth it as it is his iustice and what greater or better iustice can there be then to bee glorified in the condemnation of some that haue deserued it and he must be no more vnwillingly iust then vnwillingly mercifull Further learne that euen in this life the godly are gathered to heauen and so of the wicked that though they liue yet they are in hell So S. Iohn saith he that beleeueth is already passed to life Iohn 5.24 and Heb. 12.22 we are gathered already to the Patriarks and to the soules of iust and perfect men through hope and wee are as sure to haue that we hope for as we are of this we haue already namely the pledge of Gods spirit and Ephes 2. vs he hath gathered to the celesticall places vnder hope speaking as if it were already done though the reall gathering shal be at the latter day On the other side of the wicked it is said by the same spirit He that beleueth not is already damned the words are fearefull but it is so set downe to expresse the certainty of it not but that hee that is not beloued Ose 2.23 may be beloued and he that is not vnder mercy 1. Pet. 2.10 may obtaine mercy But looke in what state a man is in the Church in the same shall hee be after this life for whatsoeuer is bound on earth is bound in heauen and they that bee not bound heere being priuy hypocrites are notwithstanding bound in heauen and shall be so in hell also For the last which is vnquenchable fire thereby is meant the condemnation prepared for the reprobate not that wee must imagine there is any naturall fire there for first this fire can not pierce the soules of men nor the spirits of diuels and the paine must extend both to soule and body Secondly it is no more naturall fire then it is a bodily worme spoken of in the Gospell which shall gnaw the hearts and consciences of the damned Mark 9.44 Thirdly in Esay 30.33 it is said there was a great lake prepared for Kings with fire of much wood and it is absurd to thinke there is any wood there and a riuer of brimstone burning by the breath of the Lord which is not to bee intended of materiall brimstone but it is set out by such termes to expresse the vnspeakable torment of it not to be comprehended much lesse to be endured for the torment of fire and brimstone euen to flesh and bloud are strange and terrible therefore these speeches are vsed to conuey to our vnderstanding what we could not before conceiue So it is said in the Gospell that they shall bee bound hand and foot not that there be any bonds or chaines there Mat. 22.13 but the meaning only is that they are the prisoners of the Lord for euer neuer to be released but to be restrained from all libertie wherby they might in any sort be eased Againe hell fire is called Gehenna or Topheth which was a litle place where the Israelites did sacrifice their children in fire to the Diuels this being taken for the torment of the reprobate Now this torment is expressed two waies first in the extremitie of it secondly in the permanencie of it The first two waies First by that they shall feele both in soule and body secondly by that they shall lose both of them expressed 2. Thess 1.9 they shall be separated from the power of his presence and bound in chaines in euerlasting darknesse The greatnesse of this torment is expressed two waies first it shall be vniuersall in all parts and it is most fearfull in this life to be pained in euery part of the body at one time Secondly the particular torment thâ— euery one in hell shall feele as that Princes shall be tormented like Princes euery one according to the sinnes that he wrought in his body Mat. 10.15 as it is said in the Gospell It shall bee easier for Sodome then for them and yet they be in hell already for the damnation of Belzebub shall be the greatest and then of them that sinned against the holy Ghost and none of these shall haue so much as a drop of water to coole their toongues but they shall continually bee blaspheming of God for the which they shall continually be tormented And though this shall be great and grieuous such as they cannot yet they must abide yet shall it be a farre greater hell vnto them to thinke they haue lost heauen seeing Gods children to reioice that their persecutors be now plagued and that God is so auenged of them for their sakes For the second which is the endlesnesse of this torment it is a fire that shall neuer go out nor the flames wherof can neuer beâ—bated If there were but as many yeeres to endure it as there be grasse piles on earth or starres in heauen the conscience might somewhat through hope bee eased because at length it should cease but the end thereof cannot be imagined and this word neuer is fearefull Let this therefore teach vs rightly to embrace the Gospell that we may be wheate in this earthly floore of the Lord to the end we may be gathered into his heauenly garner MATH Chap. 3. vers 13 14 15 16 17. verse 13 Then cam Iesus from Galile to Iordan vnto Iohn to he baptized of him verse 14 But Iohn earnestly put him backe saying I haue neede to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me verse 15 Then Iesus answering said to him Let be now for thus it becommeth vs to fulfill all righteousnesse so hee suffered him verse 16 And Iesus when he was baptized came straite out of the water and lo the heauens were opened vnto him and Iohn saw the Spirit of God descending like a Diue and lighting on him verse 17 And lo a voice came from heauen saying This is my beloloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased NOW the Euangelist proceedeth to shew now Iohn exercised part of his Ministery euen toward the Messias himselfe and setteth downe how after Christ had liued long in Nazareth containing himselfe in Iosephs house till his heauenly father should consecrate him and call him forth to the great worke of the Ministery and of maiestie hee being now of thirty yeeres of age commeth to Iohn and requireth to be baptized in as much as he appearing in the flesh of man was to ioyne himselfe to them that confessed their sinnes Iohn by reuelation perceiuing that he was the Lord for they neuer met before this being in wise dome prouided of the Lord lest it might haue seemed a compact betweene them two to cosen the world refuseth to do it and put him backe earnestly acknowledging Christs excellency and his owne vnworthinesse In this bewraying the error of his
which we no sooner feele but being warned by this spirit we gather our feete the more close together to stand fast Since then this spirit of God hath set vp his rest in our soules let vs as liuely stones in this spirituall building cleanse polish our selues from all corruptions that it may take delight to continue with vs for if he come to suruey thy heart to see what roome thou hast for him and he finde euery chamber there full of some sinne and seeth that as fast as he emptieth it with one hand thou fillest it vp with another reâ—sting the power of him as if he came to torment thee he will take his flight from thee and thy sinnes shall breake out as the plague-sore vpon thee to thy vtter confusion but if thou submit thy selfe to his worke suffering him to mine and vndermine euery veine in thy body and to cleanse euery corner in thy soule and being emptied of thy corruption wilt labour in sanctification to keepe thy selfe cleane so beating downe thy fleshly thoughts and carnall desires as they shall not so much as sleepe with thee and if they chance to creepe into thy bed thou wilt spurne them out as a chaste louer wil a harlot then shal the spirit take vp thy body as his house and thou entertaining him he will keepe out all thine enemies that may disturbe thy peace with Christ Lastly where he saith But he that hath not the spirit of Christ is not his obserue that by an argument drawne from a naturall man he prooueth that as many as haue the spirit of Christ are sure of their saluation for as a naturall man who hath not the spirit is not Christs so long as hee remaineth a naturall man so consequentlie it followeth that they that haue the spirit are Christs and being his it were an absurd thing if they should not be saued for the conscience being pacified that God will accept vs in Christ we are not now perplexiuely to doubt of our saluation or how to auoid damnation for if we should doubt of our ROM chap. 8. vers 10. Vers 10 And if Christ be in you the bodie is dead because of sinne but the spirit is life for righteousnesse sake IN this verse the Apostle maketh the preuenâ—â—â—â— of a doubt which might haue risen out of the former doctrine for hee hauing before prooued that the spirit of God the spirit of Christ and Christ himselfe are in vs that are elect wee might make question of the trueth of this seeing we haue a large remnant of sinne and of the corruption of nature abiding in vs To this the Apostle answereth in this verse and those that follow First granting that so long as wee carrie about vs this bodie so long shall we carrie about vs sinne in our bodie part whereof is alreadie mortified in this life the rest can not be but by mortalitie But then in the second place that wee might not be too much deiected with this clogge of sinne we draw after vs he would haue vs with this occasion we haue to humble vs to ioyne withall the consideration of the spirit of Christ which is in vs to raise vs vp againe assuring vs that if our faith by her visible fruites can appeare in our liues that though we haue a portion of sinne which can not die but by death yet we haue the spirit of God the spirit of Christ and Christ himselfe-dwelling in vs the fruite whereof is euerlasting life in glorie obtained by the righteousnesse of Christ for vs applying himselfe in the latter part of the verse to comfort the weakenesse and to cheere vp the faint hearts of the faithfull labouring to relieue them with some spirituall consolation that notwithstanding they cannot shake off the sluggishnesse of the flesh but are taken as it were with a palsey halfe dead on the one side being compassed about with many infirmities in this life and hauing many grudgings and resistances of this earthly lumpe which is the bodie against the worke of our sanctification yet for all this the faithfull and elect may know and be assured that they are not trained foorth to fight and haue the foile nor that they are called to any doubtfull combate but to such a field where our hands shall be held vp if wee faint Exod. 17.12 as were the hands of Moses and where wee shall preuaile not onely against the Amalekites as did Ioshua which are enemies without vs but euen against the hidden enemies of our heart the rebellion of the flesh and the corrupâ—â—â—â— of nature which is contained in these words But the spirit is life so as the verse standeth on two parts First hee granteth part of the obiection namely that sinne cannot fully be shaken off Secondly to the full satisfaction of our consciences he answereth the other part of the obiection namely that notwithstanding this remainder of sinne in vs we need not be perplexed or doubt of our saluation Heere first wee are to consider of the three speciall kindes and phrases of speech the Apostle vseth in the former verses and in this concerning the spirit of God which is in vs the spirit of Christ which is in vs and Christ himselfe which is in vs. Whereby we are taught to beleeue that the whole Godhead and Trinitie dwelleth in euery Christian Howbeit concerning the spirit of God wee must know we cannot attaine vnto it but by the spirit of Christ for as the waters that boile in the earth cannot be conueied vnto vs but by wels and pipes by which we receiue of the fountaine it selfe so the spirit of God is the fountaine of life but a Well too deepe and the place too high for vs to reach to hee dwelling in a place vnaccessible and not to be approched vnto and for this cause the spirit of Christ is the well-spring and pipe which passeth this life to vs and by this we are made partakers of that life in glory so that in this respect the spirit of God is said to bee in vs and also the spirit of Christ which spirit could not be conueied vnto to vs but by the flesh of Christ God and man to reconcile vs to his Father and yet all this is but one God and one spirit as 1. Ioh. 5.7 which prooueth these two things first that Christ is God secondly that the holie Ghost proceedeth both from God and Christ because they both are but one and the selfe-same spirit is but one And in that Christ is also said to be in vs it is but the same in effect that the spirit of Christ is in vs yet are wee verily to beleeue that verie Christ is really in vs indeed yet inuisiblie and this must bee vnderstood supernaturally and therefore they that hold they are onely partakers of the graces and benefits of Christ but not of Christ himselfe cannot beleeue that Christ shall saue them for Christs benefits are so inseparablie vnited to his person as
proportion betweene the head and the members for wee shall bee carried vp into the highest heauens and wee shall stand before the throne viewing the glorious face of God and hauing the fruition of his blessed presence The greatnesse of this glorie howbeâ—â— it needeth rather meditation then explication yet something shall bee spoken of it that the vaile may bee taken from our eies that wee may sound and faddome in some sort the bottome of Christ his â—ole in his glorie which of our selues we cannot doe no more then the Iewes could into the ministery of Moses This place fitteth with that 2. Cor. 4.17 Our light affliction which is but for a moment bringeth vnto vs an euerlasting excellent weight of glory Where consider two things first that betweene these afflictions and that glory there is no comparison in the greatnesse it shall be a weight excellently excellent as the word signifieth whereas afflictions are but for a an houre Secondly the glory shall be more durable in respect of eternity whereas the other are but in this life onely For the first consider it in two degrees first the particular ioy euery child and man of God shall haue in his death and dissolution secondly the exceeding glory he shall be filled with when all things shall be perfect and God shall be all in all The first of these hath two parts first it containeth an absolute immunity and freedome from all infirmities of body and soule according as it is said All teares shall be wiped away for the body shall be free from labour care and such like and the soule shall be free from the suggestions of Sathan by couetousnesse and other corruptions wherewith the best and choisest of Gods seruants in this life are wonderfully assaulted Secondly the bodie sleeping in the earth the soule shall be absolutly sanctified from sinne and liue in the fauour of God so as there shall be added vnto vs a present entrance into the Lords ioy which none can comprehend but they that feele it Luk. 23.43 This in the Scripture is called the entrance into the Paradise of the Lord and Paul 2. Cor. 5.8 desireth to remoue out of the body that in his soule he might be with the Lord Iesus who resteth in such a place as hath in it whatsoeuer may moue either admiration or may giue contentation and is described Reuel 21.4 to be destitute of sorrow crying and paine and to haue the foundation of the wals thereof garnished with all manner of precious stones and to be lightned onely with the glory of God needing neither Sunne nor Moone It is also called Abrahams bosome Luk. 16.22 Ioh. 14.2 Reuel 19.9 the presence with the Lambe the gathering of vs into the companie of innumerable Angels and the mansion house of our Father The second degree of this glory is at the restitution of all things which the Apostle heere speaking of verf. 21. calleth the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God This standeth in two parts first in the resurrection of our bodies when they shall be made incorruptible and glorions and shall neede no naturall prouision nor maintenance for they shall shine as the Sunne and the Sunne shall then be seauentimes brighter then it is The second is that God shall be all in all that is the whole God-head shall immediatly raigne and the humanity of Christ shall more manifestly be subiected which is to the greater glory of it that his god head shall be so great for then there shall be no more office of Christ Iesus to procure any more good to his children but the benefit of the former shall continue for euer for then his enemies shall be all put downe and then the Sonne she ll resigne vp his kingdome to his Father that is all enemies being vanquished and that one enemy Death being abolished he shall raigne no more not that God raigneth not now for he raigneth in the person of his Sonne as Mediator but then his office shall end and he shall raigne onely as God For these are but the daies that the Lord Iesus doth woo vs and maketh loue to vs Reu. 19.7 but then shall the marriage be solemnized and for the better setting foorth of this with all magnificence and greatest state all creatures shal be restored that they may serue and attend at the celebrating of this feast Now for the second part that is the comparison of the glorie and afflictions in respect of continuance we see that no affliction lasteth but for the present but this glory is eternall Gods loue toward vs eternall before the world to predestinate vs eternall after the world to glorifie vs that as the first had no beginning so the last shall haue no end So as wee may consider of two eternities though to speake properly there is but one the first before the creation thesecond after the worlds dissolution Now betweene these two there is a certaine time for the world and a thousand yeeres in respect of eternity is but as one day nay as Moses saith Psal 90.4 A thousand yeeres are but as yesterday that is past 2. Pet. 3.8 So as counting the world fiue thousand yeeres it is but as the length of fiue daies past and of these fiue thousand yeeres what are fourescore which is a great age for any man to liue to and a farre greater time then euer any man was afflicted in It is not much more then a moment no way an hower and therefore these afflictions are no way comparable to the eternity of that glory wee shall haue heereafter not so much as a drop of water to the whole Sea or one graine to all the sand And yet we speake now as if a man should neuer but be afflicted euen from his cradle to his death liuing the full age of a man which neuer befell any In Esay 54.8 is shewed what seuenty yeeres be and by the accompt of the spirit of God himselfe they be but as the least minute for the Lord there saith For a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee but with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee and this moment was seuenty yeeres for so long were the Iewes in captiuity Iâ—â— 25.12 So as affliction by this reckoning during the whole yeeres and life of man is but a moment and a great part of this moment is past before we can be said to suffer affliction for it is but a confused kind of paine that children sustaine and againe there was neuer any affliction so great but there was some either intermission or remission either the tormenter was wearied or the whip was wasted or they that were tormented died Now if the glory after our induring of these afflictions should last but so many millions of yeeres as there be starres in the heauens there might yet be some more and easier and equall comparison betweene them because at the last this glory should haue an end but it farre
those that are ordained in the eternall purpose of God to be saued after this sort those that are sure to be conformable to the glorious image of the Sonne of God to them all things doe worke for the best but they that are called in the Lords eternall purpose are ordained to bee conformable and made like to the glorious image of his Sonne therefore to these all things worke for the best Quos praenouit whom he knew before that is Quos vt suos cognouit whom hee knew and approued to bee his owne such should resemble his Sonne in glory that is should partake and taste of the same glory though not in the same measure according to the speech of S. Iohn in his Epistle We shall be like him he doth not say equall to him for Christ must haue the preheminence of an elder brother Hence obserue the indifferencey of the loue of God that he vseth but one and the selfe same course of discipline in his house for all his children for as he trained vp his first and eldest and best beloued sonne so will he traine and bring vs vp And how Christ was vsed here on earth the Scripture is plentifull and his owne mouth testifieth that he was worse then the beasts of the earth for he had not wherein to hide his head And therefore vnlesse wee doe despise the sufferings of Christ or thinke that God loueth vs better then he did Christ and hath prouided an easier way for vs to walke in let vs know that it is our portion to abide the indignities of the world and to bee hated of men nay if whole seas of troubles fall vpon vs wee need not bee dismaled for reuilings are made vnto vs as precious balme the whip is become but as soft silke the pangs of death but as messengers of a sweet sleepe and through Christ the graue is vnto vs as a perfumed bed Secondly obserue hence the power and vertue of Gods loue towards vs who will still haue vs beare about vs some notable marke of excellencie and of immortalitie for as at the first wee were created like to the image of God himselfe so in our second birth and restitution wee are made to resemble the image of the Sonne of God and our resemblance of Christ standeth in two things which formerly haue beene touched first in walking through the sierie afflictions of this life which we may the better doe remembring that being the sonnes of Iacob there is a ladder that reacheth from heauen to earth whereon the Angels are alwaies ascending and descending Gen. 28.12 readie to minister to the necessities of the Saints Secondly in climing vp to the seate of glorie after the Dragon hath spent his malice in sending foorth of his mouth whole flouds of waters to drowne vs Reu. 12.25 which did nothing else but onely wash away our filthinesse lest otherwise wee had beene like to that old Serpent alwaies groueling vpon the ground For certaine it is we must either resemble the Sonne in obedience or the Serpent in malice and if we thinke the inheritance of a sonne inferior and of lesse value and consequent then the curse of the Serpent then let vs runne on with Pharaoh in the heardnesse of our hearts that the Lord may shew his power in vs and after hee hath forborne vs a while in patience Roâ— 9.17 cast vs to the destruction prepared for vs. Vers 30. Moreouer whom hee predestinate them also hee called and whom hee called them also hee iustified and whom hee iustified them also he glorified Here the Apostle proueth his former speech and assertion by setting downe and declaring those subordinate and second meanes or degrees whereby the Lord doth accomplish this his purpose and decree The degrees be foure whom he foreknew first them he predestinated secondly after he called thirdly then iustified fourthly and lastly them he glorified After this sort speaketh S. Iohn He that beleeueth is alreadie translated from death to life so as the whole force of the Apostles argument is this They that shall certainly be glorified to them all things worke for the best otherwise the Lords purpose should be frustrate which cannot be by reason of the degrees of executing this his purpose which neuer faile Here consider generally two parts first his fore or daining vs to glorie secondly the inferiour degrees whereby he doeth execute this his purpose to glorifie vs. In the first consider three things first what this foreknowledge of the Lord is secondly what is meant by this to be like the image of his Sonne thirdly what is meant by the first borne among brethren For this which is the first namely the foreknowledge of God it is the very same which the Apostle called before his purpose whereby the Lord meant to know vs for his owne in his euerlasting loue which is the very highest cause of our saluation For that there is no other first cause may be vnderstood in this that we are not to seeke the first cause in Christ nor the first ordaining vs to life in the mediation of Christ for the Lord had a purpose to saue some before euer Christ had a purpose to be a Mediator though not in time yet in order and that nothing but his foreknowledge made the Lord to know vs in loue and to account vs for his owne wee may see it in our paterne Christ What could induce God that mans nature should be vnited to the very nature eternall Was it possible that the humane nature of Christ could deserue it No but it onely was the Lords purpose that it should be so which being true in constituting and ordaining the head is also to be considered in the members that euen so and in the like maner the simple and onely purpose of God should shew it selfe in fore ordaining vs. Now the worthinesse of man was no cause of this for Paul saith Rom. 9.11 the Lord loued Iacob and hated Esau before they had done either good or euil and saith it is therefore a mystery to be adored rather then to be scanned by reason If wee will search after the generall cause of mans saluation or damnation it is the manifestation of the Lords iustice on some and the declaration of his mercy on others for if all should haue bin saued then had there bin no iustice with the Lord and againe if all had bin condemned then had there beene no mercy Howbeit if we descend to particulars as why the Lord ordained such a one to be saued or to be damned no reason can be giuen heereof but his eternall purpose which is onely hidden in his owne breast For we must not expostulate with the Potter why he made this vessell to honor and that to dishonor much lesse must we contend and plead with the Lord about it This learne thou the Lord hardneth the reprobate either by the substraction and drawing away of his mercy or by giuing it so and in