spare in thee sinne committed by thy selfe no no vvhen hee beginneth to smite thee hee shall neuer lift vp his hand from thee but double his stripes vpon thee and there shall be no end of thy sorrow As the ioyes prepared for the godly so the paines prepared for the wicked are such as the eye neuer saw the tongue cannot vtter nor the heart conceiue That place of the damned is the great deepe the Ocean of all the iudgements of God all his temporall plagues are but like riuers and strands running into it If therefore the beauty of Sion doth not allure vs let How both Sions beauty and Sinaies â—error should moue vs â—o repent the terrour of Sinai afray vs. The Lord proclaimed his Law in a fearefull manner vpon mount Sinai but in a more terrible manner will he execute it if Moses who was so familiar with the Lord trembled when he heard it proclaimed what horrible feare shall ouer-take the wicked when they shall see it executed vpon themselues Let therfore the children of wisedome hearken in time to the ioyfull tydings of peace which are daily proclaymed on mount Sion let vs drinke of the still and peaceable waters of Siloh which flow from it let vs embrace that mercy which Iesus by the merit of his death hath conquered vnto vs that so we may be saued from the wrath which is to come His owne Sonne Iesus Christ is called Gods owne Sonne How Christ is Gods owne Sonne both in respect of his diuine and humane natures for as he is God he was begotten of the Father by so vnspeakable a generation that as Esay saith none are able to declare it Esay 53. 8. and as he is man he is the Sonne of God conceiued by the holy Ghost made man indeed but not after the manner of other men but of this see Verse 3. But gaue him for vs all This is very often alleadged in The price of our redemption tels how much the Lord hath esteemed of vs. 1 Pet. 1. 18. holy Scriptures as an argument of the great loue of God toward vs that he gaue his sonne to death for vs and so it is indeed for it is not by any corruptible thing as Gold and siluer that he hath redeemed vs but by the precious blood of his owne Sonne the Lambe vndefiled and without spot There is no man will giue much for that whereof he esteemes but little wee measure the price of a thing according to the worth of it in our iudgement euen so of the greatnesse of that gift which our God hath giuen for vs we may estimate the greatnesse of his affection toward vs. Precious indeed in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints vvho to redeeme vs from death spared not to giue his dearest sonne vnto the death It was the Lords reasoning to Abraham now I perceiue thou Gen. 22. 12. louest me because for my sake thou hâ—st not spared thine onely sonne and haue we not much more cause to turne ouer the same reasoning to the Lord now Lord we perceiue thou louest vs because for our sake thou hast not spared thine onely one sonne The Lord shed abroad in our hearts more aboundantly the sense of that inestimable loue that we may be carefull to requite the kindnesse of the Lord putting his holy will before all things in our affection and endeauouring in holy loue to serue him who hath saued vs. Shall he not with him giue vs all things also We are to vnderstand All things belong to the godly in regard of right albeit not in regard of possession all things that are needfull for vs And here it is necessary that wee put a difference betweene our right and our possession The children of God haue the right and property of all Gods good creatures for Christ their Lord is the heire of all and hath made them with himselfe fellow heires All things are yours saith the Apostle and yee are Christs 1 Cor. 3. 21. and Christ is Gods But as for the possession of them in this life the Lord giues it or with-holds it according as he sees may be for the good of his children We know our father Abraham had the right of Canaan when he had not the possession of it and are not therefore to thinke it strange that the Lord giues not alwayes possession of that to his children whereof they haue the right But as for the wicked they haue possession without a right and therefore shall be punished as theeues and robbers and violent vsurpers of Gods creatures vvhereunto Iesus Christ who is the heyre of all hath neuer giuen them a right Secondly we marke here that the giuing and dispensation Seeing all things are giuen by God let vs moderate our care and take nothing but out of his fatherly hand of earthly things is from God if we could remember this it would moderate our care and make vs in our callings first to seek the Lords blessing loath any maner of way to take the things of this world vnlesse we see they be giuen vs out of the hand of God For wee are to know that Sathan who is a counterfaiter of GOD doth also arrogate to himselfe though falsly to be the giuer of things hee that durst say to the sonne of God all the kingdomes of the earth are mine Mat. 4. 9. I will giue them to thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me will he stand in awe to speake it vnto sinfull man No indeed it is his daily tentation by vvhich he circumuents many intangling their hearts with the loue of vvorldly gaine that to obtaine it they care not to lye to steale to sweare to oppresse to deceiue one another vvhich in effect is to fall downe before Sathan and worship him Thus Sathan rules in the kingdome of Babell like a spirituall Sathan another Nabuchadnzer and a Balak offers also gifts to men Nabuchadnezar presenting to his subiects his great image of gold accompanied with all sorts of musicall instruments that is vvorldly pleasures vvealth and prosperitie which bewitch the simple and makes them fall downe and vvorship yeelding themselues seruants to Mammon But happy are those children who refuse so to do and can stand vp with their father Abraham lifting vp his hand to heauen and say I will not haue so much as the laâ—chet of a shooe from Gen. 14. 22. the king of Sodome I will haue nothing by any crooked or indirect meanes out of the hand of Sathan or any of his instruments the buds of Balak shall not hire me to doe euill neither the wages of iniquitie nor the reward of Sodome for doing good shall euer cleaue to my hands I will looke for my portion from the Lord. Againe seeing God is the giuer of all things let vs learne Seeing God is giuer of all let vs stand content and not murmure if others get a more portion than we
houre of death wee heare that ioyfull sentence Come to me thou Mat. 25. 21. faithfull seruant c. This night thou shalt be with mee in paradise Marke 23. 43. Math. 25. 34. Come and inherit the kingdome prepared for you Till then our peace is not alway without perturbation our ioy Yet our peace and ioy are not perfect in this life and why not without heauinesse nor our confidence without feare yea in our best estate we liue vnder expectation of a better For the iudgement of conscience suppose it be diuine yet it is not supreme nor absolutely perfect because the light we haue to informe conscience is but in part If thy conscience be euill and accuse thee it cannot accuse thee of all the euill which is in thee for if our conscience condemne vs 1. Iohn 3. 20. God is greater then our conscience and will much more condemne Deus scit in nobis quâ—d ipsi nes 〈…〉 s. God knoweth Aug. in Ioan. tract 42. that in vs which we know not our selues And if thy conscience be good and excuse thee yet can it not beare record of all the good which God by the Spirit of Grace hath wrought in thee And therefore for our comfort may wee turne that sentence if our conscience excuse vs God is greater then our conscience and will much more excuse vs. And hereof it commeth that our conscience can neither haue perfect nor perpetuall rest in this life because as is said it dependeth and looketh alwayes for that supreme and absolutory sentence of the highest Iudicator yet so much assurance haue wee and that vpon most certaine grounds whereof we will speake God willing hereafter as makes vs in our greatest tribulations to reioyce vnder the hope of the glorie of God And herein hath the Lord magnified his meruailous mercyes towards vs in that he hath not onely set vs free A great comfort that the Christian knowes before hand the sentence to be pronounced vpon him from condemnation but hath also forewarned vs before we come to iudgement that we shall not be condemned Yea so tender a regard hath the Lord of vs that in his last and supreame Court sentence of absolution shall first be pronounced vpon his children before that sentence of coÌ„demnation be giuen out against the reprobate that the Godly finding themselues in surety should not be discouraged to heare the fearfull reiection of the wicked Let vs not therefore be afraid when so it shall please the Lord to remoue vs out of this earthly Tabernacle seeing that before euer wee goe we know our sentence Pharaoh his Butler was not afraid Gen. 40 13. to goe before his Iudge because Ioseph foretold him that hee should be restored to his office and may not we with greater boldnesse goe before our King seeing we are fore-warned that he will restore vs vnto a more happy estate then that which we lost in Adam This we haue spoken of the glorious deliuerance which But how glorious this deliuerance â—s wee shall best know when we shall be set on mount Sion the iustified man hath in Iesus Christ our best knowledge is but in a part and we are not able to speake of these mercies of our God according to their excellencie The Lord is able to doe vnto vs aboue all that we can aske or thinke The Christian may looke for much more to be giuen him through Christ then any thing that euer he heard or hath conceiued in his owne minde When Lot was compelled to Gen. 14. goe out of Sodome by the Angels he considered not how mercifull the Lord was vnto him and therefore lingred and prolonged the time but being thrust out of Sodome by the Angell and set vpon the mountaine which the Lord had assigned to him for a place of refuge vnto him then no doubt considering the greatnesse of that iudgement which the Lord had executed vpon Sodome the smoke whereof we may well thinke he saw with Abraham the next morne mounting vp like the smoke of a Furnace then no doubt hee was moued in his heart to magnifie the Lords mercie toward him and if in Zoar where he was still in feare hee acknowledged that his life had beene precious in their eies who were sent to deliuer him much more may wee thinke hee was thankfull at the first on the mountaine when he saw their fearefull confusion and his meruailous preseruation It is euen so with vs wee are yet in Sodome which shortly will be burnt vp with fire the Lord doth daily send his Angels to vs warning vs to escape for our life but alas we prolong the time we delay to turne to the Lord loath we are to goe out of Sodome and all because wee know not with the Apostle the terrour of that day but surely when 2 Cor. 5. Reue. 11. the Lord shall set vs on mount Sion among those thousands which follow the Lambe and we shall see the smoake of the damned ascending continually when we shall stand at the right hand of the Lord Iesus and shall heare that fearefull sentence pronounced on the wicked and see the speedie and terrible execution thereof the earth opening incontinent to swallow them then shall we perfectly know how greatly the Lord hath magnified his mercies towards vs in deliuering vs from so fearefull a condemnation Last of all as this is the happy estate of them who are in How miserable are they who are not in Christ Christ that now there is no condemnation for them so is it the contrary miserable estate of the damned doe what they will euery action of their life makes out the processe of their most iust condemnation for to the vncleane all things are vncleane yea euen their consciences are defiled and Tit. 1. their prayer is abhominable and turned into sin but thanks be to God through Iesus Christ who hath deliuered vs from this most vnhappy condition To them who are in Christ. Albeit the former mentioned Deliuerance by Christ pertains not vnto all men onely to them who are of the houshold of Faith deliuerance from the wrath to come be most comfortable yet this which is subioyned should waken euery man to take heed vnto himselfe when we heare that this deliuerance is limited and restrained onely to them who are in Christ It is true that by the offence of one man the fault came on all to condemnation but by the obedience of one all are not made righteous only they who receiue the abundance Rom. 5. of grace and gift of righteousnesse shall raigne in life through one Iesus Christ As therefore we haue receiued within our selues by nature the sentence of death knowing that we are borne heires of the wrath of God by disobedience so wisedome craues that we neuer rest nor suffer our eyes to sleepe nor our eye-lids to slumber but that wee should recount our former sinnes in the bitternes of our heart and
ordered as was the life of We ought to follow our guide as Israel did the Lord in the wildernes Israel in the wildernesse the Lord vvent before them by day in a cloud by night in a pillar of fire when the cloud remoued they remoued what way so euer it vvent they followed vvhere the cloud stood they camped thus the Lord led them by two and fortie stations fortie yeeres in the wildernesse though Canaan vvas not farre from them yet they entred not into it till the Lord directed them The Lord hath in like manner praysed be his name for it brought vs out of the land of our bondage he might if he had pleased long ere now haue entred vs into our Canaan but it pleaseth him for a time to exercise vs and to haue vs vvalking vp and downe this Wildernesse Let vs possesse our hearts with patience and reuerence the Lords dispensation in the meane time take heed that the Lord goe before vs that his word shine vnto vs as a lanthorne to our feet and that his holy spirit be our guide to lead vs in this righteousnesse then shall we be sure of a happy end of our iourney when we liue not as vve list but vnder the gouernment of the holy Spirit vvhen our rising and lying downe our resting and remouing and all the actions of our liues are gouerned by his direction As many as are led by the spirit If all were led with the All that professe Christ are not led by his spirit spirit of God the Apostle would not vse this distinction so many and no more are the sonnes of God as are led by the spirit of God The name and dignitie of the sonnes of God doth not belong to all men who are the Lords by creation nay not to all those who are his by profession As in the Arke of Noah there was a cursed Cham and a blessed Sem as in the schoole of Christ a traiterous Iudas and a beloued Iohn so are there many in this mixed fellowship of the visible Church who by outward profession pretends the stiles and priuiledges of the sonnes of God but are not of the Israel of God belongs not to the adoption Thinke it not therefore sufficient that yee are gathered to the fellowship of the visible Church but consider what place yee doe possesse in it I wish from my heart that none among vs all vvere in this barne-floore of Christ like vnto chaffe for it will be cast out and burnt with vnquenchable fire but that wee may all be found to be that good Wheat vvhich shall Math. 3. 12. bâ— gathered into the Lords garner it is indeede a great benefit that vvee are brought to the fellowship of the visible church which is so to cal it the outâ—ermost chamber of the house of God but onely blessed are they who are led by the spirit farther in to that secret chamber where God shewes his familiar presence and vnto which none are admitted but they who are of the communion of Saints And as for them who are not led by this spirit of grace What spirit leads the wicked Esay 29. 10. Hos 4. 10. it is certaine they are miscarried by another Spirit Concerning their minde the spirit of slumber couers their eyes that they cannot see and concerning their hart it is misruled by the spirit of fornication which causes them to erre and goe a whooring from God thus are they led not as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brought to the Lord in a peaceable manner whereof I haue spoken but as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 driuen violently and carried away from the Lord ouerhaled with the furie of their affections snared of the Diuell and taken of him at his will Acts 7. 51. Esay 63. Ezech. 13. 3. resisting the holy Ghost yea vexing the holy spirit of the Lord. O miserable and vnhappy condition fearefull is the vvoe that lyes vpon those who follow their owne spirit let vs therefore take heed to our selues our wayes vvill declare vvhat spirit is our gouernour What made Caleb and Ioshua trust in the Lord and rest on his word vvhen all Israel murmured against him prouoked him to anger and compelled him to sweare that they should neuer enter into his rest what made them constant in so great a desertion the Lord declares it himselfe but there was another spirit in Numb 14. 24. my seruant Caleb saith the Lord. Certainely they who are led by the spirit of the Lord will wait vpon him and follow him albeit all the vvorld should forsake him but as for those who wanders from the Lord in the way of iniquitie their deeds makes it manifest they are led by the spirit of errour Last of all we learne here that all the sonnes of God are All the sonnes of God are partakers of his spirit pertakers of his spirit there is but one song among all those thousands triumphant in heauen that followes the Lambe and there is but one spirit in all these militant vpon earth that followes the Lord. Earthly fathers were they neuer so wise and holy doe not alway beget wise and holy children regenerate Adam hath wicked Caine for his eldest sonne faithfull Abraham hath faithlesse Ismael godly Isaac brings out prophane Esau religious Ezekiah begets idolatrous Manasses but the Lord our God whom so euer he begets he communicates vnto them his owne spirit and transformes them into his owne Image and therefore they are conuinced to be shamelesse lyers who in their deedes shew forth the image of Sathan and yet glories in vvord that they are the Children of God they are bastards and not the sonnes of God for it cannot be that the Lord should beget children to any other image but vnto his owne Verse 15. For yee haue not receiued the Spirit of bondage to feare againe but the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father THe Apostle to strengthen this former argument A three-fold operation of the Spirit in the Sons of God sets downe a short description in this and the subsequent verse of a threefold operation which the spirit maketh in them whom he leadeth for first he is vnto them a spirit of bondage working feare secondly hee is a Spirit of Adoption working loue through the sense of Gods mercie for he not onely makes them whom he leades the Sonnes of God but intimates vnto their spirits Gods loue towards them which otherwise was vnknowne vnto them and thirdly hee is a Spirit of intercession making vs to goe with boldnes to the throne of grace and call vpon God as vpon our Father Of the which the first part of his argument is made cleare that they vvho are led by the spirit of GOD are the Sonnes of God yea by the testimonie of the Spirit they themselues know that it is so and therefore in most homely and humble manner acknowledge him for their Father This the Apostle propones in such a manner that he
their desertion which is their spirituall disease are euill Iudges of themselues for they perceiue not that which they possesse there may be an muincible hope of mercie in that soule wherein for the present there is no sense of mercy and this all the Children of God may marke in their owne experience for whereof I pray thee hath it come that thou a weak man hast foughten so long against principalities powers hast endured so many yeares the fearefull assaults of Sathan thou hast beene troubled with doubting but hast not dispaired thou hast beene cast downe and hast not perished thou hast fallen and yet risen againe thy enemie hath thrust sore at thee yet hath hee not preuailed against thee No power no pollicie of Sathan hath euer beene able to quench in thee that spark of life which the Lord hath breathed into thee Out of all doubt thy standing hath beene from this spirit of Adoption who hath wrought in thine heart a deeper sense of mercy then that any contrary power is able to root out yea or thou thy selfe art able to perceiue hereof hath come thy standing both in tentations which are from thine aduersaries and in these desertions whereby the Lord hath exercised thee Thus haue we comfort not onely in the The standing of a Christian in his apparant desertions proues that hee was not deserted indeede glorious effects of Gods mercie wrought in vs when wee feele his presence but also by our standing and perseuerance in desertions wherein it seemes to vs that the Lord hath absented himselfe from vs two excellent comforts for the Christian for thy standing in desertions proues that thou wert not deserted apparent desertions are not desertions indeede surely the Lord will not faile his people nor forsake Psal 94. 14 his inheritance Againe thy standing against so many assaults of the Diuell proues that the least sparke of Christs liuely grace in a Christian is stronger than that the gates of hell are able to preuaile against it Be therefore comforted O thou man of God for if it had beene in Sathans power to haue quenched thy life hee would haue put it out long or now be assured thou shalt preuaile and obtaine the victorie in the strength and might of that mighty Lord the Lord Iesus Christ Verse 17. If wee be Children wee are also Heyres euen the Heyres of God and Heyres annexed with Christ. THe priuiledges of a Christian albeit they be commonly spoken of yet because they are not considered are commonly contemned men not deepely pondering with themselues what a high preferment this is that a vessell of clay should be made the Temple of the liuing God and the Heyre of vvrath should become the Heyre of grace and glory therefore the Apostle in this Chapter describing the excellent state How glorious the priuiledges of a Christian are of a man iustified by faith in Christ Iesus from the time that once he began to make mention of the benefits he hath by Christ can hardly make an end but from one proceeding to another hee ascends by a continuall gradation till at length he come to such an height that hee is compelled to breake off the course of his speech and to conclude with an examination what shall wee then say to those things Hitherto hee hath letten vs see how by Christ wee are deliuered from condemnation how we are made the free-men of God freed from sinne and death how wee are also made the Temples of God wherein hee dwelleth by his Spirit and that yet more also wee are made the Sonnes of GOD. And now hee goes vp a degree further to tell vs that wee are the Heyres of God and Heyres annexed with Christ Iesus What shall wee then say but as the Psalmist saith of the Citie of God Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou Citie Psal 87. 3. of God so will we speake of euery Citizen thereof Glorious Psal 144. 15. things are spoken of thee O thou man of God Blessed are those people whose God is the Lord and are called to this happie fellowship wherein they are made subiect vnto him who is King of Saints Let vs be glad and reioyce in the Lord let our hearts and our mouths be filled with his prayse except the Lord had reserued mercy for vs wee should be made like vnto Sodome oâ— Gomorrha but now the lots are fallen to Isai 1. 9. vs in pleasant places and wee haue a faire heritage Blessed be the GOD of our saluation from henceforth and for euer If wee be Children As for the Apostles order in these The Sonnes of God cannot but lâ—ue because they are the heires of God words wee are to remember that the Apostle here insists in the confirmation of that part of his reason that they who are the Sonnes of God shall liue Now he lets vs see the necessity thereof the S 〈…〉 s of God are the Heyres of God and the heritage whereunto they are borne is eternall life therefore of necessitie they must liue Wee haue here first to consider that high preserment Gods goodnes is shewed to all his creatures â—ut his inheritance is reserued to his Sonnes Gen. 25. whereunto wee are called in Christ not onely to be the Sonnes of God but declared also to be the Heyres of God The heyre in a family hath this prerogatiue that albeit the hand of his Father be not closed from giuing good things vnto others yet the inheritance is reserued for him As Abraham gaue gifts to the Sonnes of Kâ—turah but kept his best things for Isaac so the Lord our God shewes his great bountifulnesse in that hee makes his Sunne to shine and Math. 5. 45. his raine to fall downe vpon the vniust no lesse than the iust yet herein stands the comfort of his children that hee reserues his best and most excellent things for them Neyther is it his creatures that hee giues to them but hee giues himselfe vnto them in a portion as he promised to Abraham so he performes it to all the seed of Abraham I am thy exceeding great reward and therefore doe the godly so craue him that without him nothing can content them O Lord thou art my portion said Dauid My Soule saith to Psal 119. 57. Lam. 3. 24. the Lord thou art my portion said Ieremie But as for them who can content themselues with the gifts of God suppose they neuer enioy himselfe they declare they are but Seruants who are not to bide in the house for euer and not the Sonnes of God Againe wee haue to marke here that albeit the Lord All the Sonnes of God are his heyres and yet the inheritance is not diminished haue innumerable sonnes yet are they all his Heyres No Monarch in the world can beautifie his children with this priuiledge as to make them all his heyres and not diminish his Empire but the Lord herein declares the riches of hiâ— glorious inheritance that all
all the pleasures of the wicked ends in paine At that banquet in Cana the Lord Iesus brought in the finest vvine hindmost Iohn but Sathan doth with his miserable banquetters as the gouerners of that feast speakes he presents his best first and after when they haue well drunken brings in that which is worse in the entry hee presents the deceitfull pleasures of sinne but dolefull and lamentable is their end for what better portion can he giue vnto them than is prepared for himselfe he is reserued to blacknesse of darknesse tribulation and anguish of Spirit terrour and horrible wrath shame and endlesse confusion is prepared for him and all those who are portioners with him Thirdly wee marke here Gods wonderfull dispensation That Gods dearest seruants haue bin hardly entreatâ—dâ—n this life yee may see in the Patriarcks in his working in that he entreates those men most hardly in this life who are most deerely beloued of him euen his sonnes and his excellentones If yee goe vp to Abel yee shal seâ— the first sincere worshipper of God mercilesly murthered by his brother Cain come downe to Abraham named by the Apostle the Father of the Faithfull and yee shal see albeit the Lord blessed him yet he wanted not some to curse him Moses albeit he was faithfull in all the house of God and receiued this praise that such a Prophet rose not before him yet how often was his soule vexed with the vniust murmurings of his people against him If yee looke to the Prophets our Sauiour sets downe a compendious description Prophets of their sufferings in that rebuke of the Iewes whom of the Prophets haue not your fathers killed and againe when he cals Ierusalem a Citie which killeth the Prophets and stoneth them who are sent vnto her And as for the Apostles like as they were the witnesses And in the martirdome of the Apostles of Christ by preaching so also by suffering It is recorded by many that Peter was beheaded by Nero at Rome and that his brother Andrew was crucified with his head downeward by Aâ—geas in Patris where hee hung for the space of three dayes conuerting many to the faith of Iesus Saint Luke testifies that Iames was beheaded by Herode and Iohn was banished by Domitian into the I le Pathmos Phillip borne in Bethsaida is bound to the Crosse and stoned to death in Hierapolis Bartholomew among the Indians hath his skinne pulled off and so martired by Astiages Thomas after long preaching to the Medes Persians and Bactrians is at length thrust through with a speare because he refused to worship the Sunne and so strengthned in the faith dyed for the Lord Iesus whose resurrection he could not beleeue till he put his fingers into the holes of his side which was pierced with the speare for him Simon the Cananite was slaine vnder Traian both because hee was a Preacher of Iesus Christ and accused to be one of the linage of Dauid Matthias that was chosen by lot in the roome of Iudas is stoned to death by the Iewes Matthew the Euangelist beheaded in Egypt and Marke drawne through the streets of Alexandria til he dyed Luke was hanged on the branch of an Oliue tree and Paul beheaded by Nero. Of all these first we learne that we are not to take afflictions Sufferings are no testimonies of Gods anger as testimonies of Gods anger against vs seeing we see that by them the Lord hath exercised his best beloued seruants euer from the beginning wherefore shall wee thinke strange concerning the fiery tryall if the Lord should send 1 Pet. 4. 12. it among vs to proue vs as if some strange thing were come vnto vs seeing affliction now is vita trita a trodden path by all the godly that haue gone before vs and therefore let vs not refuse the chastising of the Almighty Secondly let vs not feare least by affliction the light of Other Kingdomes are weakned with trouble but the kingdome of Christ encreaseth by it the Gospell should be extinguished It is not with the kingdome of Christ as with other kingdomes they are weakned and worne at the length by trouble but it encreaseth and flourisheth by it Where other trees wither in Winter the Palme continueth greene other bushes are burnt with fire but the bush wherein Iehouah appeares is not consumed thereby other barkes are ouerturned by the vehement invndation of waters but the Arke of the Lord thereby is exalted Neyther is the Lord a prodigall vvaster of the liues of his Children but a wise and prouident bestower of them then only when he sees that their death may be more profitable to his glory their comfort and edification of his Church then their life can be Therefore said Tertullian that the bloud of the Martyrs was the seed of the Church and after him Cyprian marked it quo plus sanguinis effusum Cip. de dupli martyr est eo magis fidelium effloruit multitudo that the more Christian bloud was shed the more the multitude of beleeuers flourished so that the Romane Empyre was not so much enlarged in the space of two hundred and forty yeares by the violent shedding of the bloud of others as vvas the Church of Christ by patient suffering the shedding of her owne bloud that fruitfull Vine which hath sprung out from that blessed stock Iesus Christ the more it was cut by the bloudy knife of cruell persecuters the more hath it flourished Againe wee haue here this comfort that the sufferings The wicked haue crosses but not Christs Crosse of the godly are sufferings with Christ There is no man in the world who wants his owne crosse euen they who haue their fattest portions in earth haue it not without many sorrowes by vertue of that curse in the sweat of thy brow Gâ—n 3. 19. Barn apol ad Abbat Gâ—un â—halt thou eate bread till thou returne to the earth and herein they are but miserable vae portantibus Crucem non sequentibus Christum woe is vnto them who beare the crosse and follow not Christ comfortlesse fruitlesse and endlesse will their sufferings be But as for the Godly they are sufferers with Christ they suffer not alone if Ioseph goe to the prison the Lord shall goe with him if the three Children goe to the fire the fourth like the sonne of God shall goe with them God the Father protests that in all the troubles of The three persons of the Trinitie are said to suffer with the Godly his Children he was troubled and that he hath such a tender feeling of their afflictions that he who toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye and the Lord Iesus the sonne of God when his Saints at Damascus were persecuted cryed from heauen to the persecuter Saul Saul why persecutest Acts 9. 4. thou me And as concerning the holy Ghost the Apostle testifies Blessed are yee if yee be ratled vpon for the name of 1
moderate discipline the stronger waxes the man of God Happy were wee if our care were continuall to strengthen the one by all spirituall exercises that wee might daily weaken the other For the greatest perfection whereunto we can attaine in Our best estate in this life is sighting this life is to fight against these lusts of the Flesh which fight against our soules Our life saith Iob in the earth is a warfare Bellum est non triumphus it is a battaile not a triumph saith Augustine though after many particular victories August de temp ser 45. the Lord put that voyce of triumph many times in our mouthes thanks be to God who alway makes vs to triumph 2. Cor. 2. 14. in Christ Iesus yet let vs remember that incontinent we must fight againe so long as we are in this mortall body wherein the Flesh lusts against the Spirit we cannot be free from carnall and euill desires if thou dissemble not thou shalt alway finde within thy selfe some thing which hath neede to be resisted for our sinfull superfluities saith Bernard Bernard are such putata repullâ—â—ant effugata redeunt reaccenduntur extincta that being cut off they spring out againe chased away they returne againe being quenched they are kindled againe Velis nolis intra sines tuos habitabit Iebusaeus will thou nill thou the Iebusite shall dwell within thy borders Subiugari potest exterminari non potest he may be subdued but cannot be rooted out And this againe doe we mark for the comfort of weake Christs members militant triumphant are not to bee tryed by one rule consciences it is Sathans subtiltie whereby commonly hee disquiets many that because carnall corruption is in them he would therefore beare them in hand that they are none of Christs In this he playes the deceiuer he tries vs by the wrong rule when he tryes vs by the rule of perfect sanctification this is the square which ought to be laid to Christs members triumphant in heauen and not to those who are militant here vpon earth Sinne remayning in me will not proue that therefore I am not in Christ otherwise Christ should haue no members vpon earth but grace working that new disposition which nature could neuer effect proues vndoubtedly that we are in Christ Iesus Let this therefore be our comfort that albeit there be in There is fleshly corruption in the Christian militant but he followes it not vs a fleshly corruption yet thanks be to God we walke not after it that is we follow not willingly the direction commandement thereof It is true and alas we finde it by experience the regenerate man may be led captiue for a time to the law of sinne hee may be pulled persorce out of the way of Gods commandements wherein hee delights to walke and compelled to doe those things which he would not yet euen at that same time hee disclaymes the gouernment of the flesh mourning and lamenting within himselfe that he should be drawne from the obedience of his owne Lord and gouernour the spirit of Iesus And indeede it is worthy to be marked that what euer Any seruice the Christian giues to sinne is throwne out by oppression like that which Israel gaue to Pharaoh seruice the regenerate man giues vnto sinne it is like the seruice that Israel gaue to Pharaoh in Egypt throwne out by oppression and therefore compelled them to sigh and crie vnto God but the seruice which the regenerate man giues to the Lord is voluntarie done as vnto his most lawfull superiour with gladnesse ioy and contentment of minde Happie is that man who can make this reply to his spirituall aduersarie when he is challenged of his sinnes It is true O enemie that I haue done many things by thy entisement yet herein I reioyce that whatsoeuer seruice I haue done to thee it is now through the grace of God the matter of my griefe but the weake seruice I haue giuen vnto God is the matter of my ioy Moreouer in this Metaphor of walking we are taught That our life is called a walking teaches vs foure things that as the walking of the body is a mouing from one place to another so the Christian life is a continuall mouing of the heart from one thing to another that is from sinne to 1 The life of a Christian is a remouing from euill to good Isai 1. 16. 17. Luke 16. 13. 2. Tim. 2. 19. sanctification departing from our selues that we may draw neere vnto God both these are comprised by Esay Cease to doe euill learne to doe good Our progresse in this iourney is not made pedibus sed affectibus by motion of our feete but of our affections but the beginning thereof is a departing from euill No man can serue two Maisters hee who will draw neere to the Lord and call vpon his name must depart from iniquitie Sicut in gradibus c. in the going Basi in Psa 1. vp of a staire saith Basil the first step raiseth a man from the earth then he goes vp by degrees till he come where hee would be so is it in our owne conuersion principium perfectionis ad Deum est discessus a malo the beginning of our iourney to God is a departure from euill This I mark Many bastard Christians haue neuer yet risen from euil farre lesse remoued to good for the wakening of those vpon whom the Lord Iesus hath called but they haue not yet with Lazarus risen out of the graue nor with Mathew forsaken their receit of custome yea haue not so much as with the man sick of the palsie risen out of their bed of securitie far lesse haue begun with Dauid to runne the way of the Lords Commandements they haue not learned to forsake euill much lesse to follow that which is good the Lord hath called vpon them but they haue not gone one foote from their olde sinnes bene ambulant pedibus sed malc moribus their feete are straight but their manners are exceeding crooked they make no progresse forward toward the Lord of Sion they delight to abide still in Babell and Egypt working without rest But dieth in the same state wherein they were borne but their labour is vnprofitable Ambulant in circuitu they walke as in a circle the centre whereof is Sathan the circumference sundry sorts of sinnes beyond which they walk not from one of these the wicked walkes about to another in such sort that incontinent they returne to the same they wearie themselues in the way of iniquity but are still in the same place at their going out of the world wherein they came into it that is as they were borne in sinne so they die in sinne their miserable life not being a walking in the way of Godlinesse but a wallowing in one and the selfe same puddle of sinne But leauing them let vs marke for our instruction in this 2 So long as wee
own son Sonne to distinguish him from all others who are his sonnes by adoption onely Christ is the Sonne of God by nature by that diuine inutterable generation whereof Esay saith Who can expresse it Thus is hee Gods owne sonne that is Esay coeternall and coessentiall begotten of the Father before all time by the full communication of his whole essence vnto him in a manner that cannot be expressed And in the fulnesse of time he became man God being manifested in the flesh and in regard of his humane nature which was conceiued of the holy Ghost and vnited in a personall vnion with his diuine he stands in the title of Gods owne sonne after so singular a manner that he admits no companion The last of these two the Apostle makes the first point Christs diuine generation a great mysterie 1. Tim. 3. 16. of the misterie of Godlinesse God manifested in the flesh wherein he bridles our curiositie for if his manifestation in the flesh that is his incarnation be a mysterie that goes beyond our vnderstanding what shall we say of his diuine generation a mysterie to be indeed adored not to be enquired an article proposed to be belieued not to be disputed The Arrians seeking to search out this vnsearchable mysterie with naturall reason by infinite degrees more foolish then if they had presumed to number the starres of heauen or measure with their fist all the waters in the Sea they stumbled Mans curiosity restrained from searching it and fell being neuer able to comprehend how the son that was begotten should be coeternall and coessentiall to the Father who begot him therefore the worthy Fathers of the primitiue Church to represse the presumption of these arrogant spirits drew them down from the dangerous speculation of these high mysteries farre aboue their capacitie to consideration of things which are in nature Si in Creatura genitum inueniri potest coaeuum genitori an non aequum August est concedas posse ista in creatore coaeterna inueniri if in things created that which is begotten may be found equall in time to that which begat it why should it be denyed that in the Creator the begetter and begotten are equall in eternitie When a candle saith Augustine is first lighted at once there are two things the fire the splendor or light if it be enquired whether the fire come from the light or the light from the fire all men will agree that the splendor or light comes from the fire but if againe it be demanded which of them is first or last in time it cannot be determined But wherefore shall we vse these similitudes as the Creator is aboue the creature so is that mysterie aboue all the secrets of nature no similitude can be found in nature so much as shadow that most high and supernaturall mysterie yet is the endeuor of these godly fathers commendable who haue laboured to bring downe men to the exercising of their wits in things which are below like vnto themselues leauing curious inquisition of higher secrets which as I haue said are to be receiued with faith reuerenced with Rom 11. 20. silence not searched out by curiositie O man be not high minded but feare Christ came like a sinfull man but without sinne In the similitude of sinnefull flesh We must not so vnderstand these words as if Iesus had onely the similitude of a naturall bodie no he was very man made of the seed of Dauid he hath taken our flesh indeed yet was he not a sinfull man but separated from sinners A holy One from the first moment of his conception conceiued of the holy Ghost A stone cut out of the mountaine without hands The Dan. 2. 45. Cant. Flower of the field that groweth without mans labour or industry 1. Cor. 15. The second Adam very man as was the first but not begotten of man So then the word similitude is not to be ioyned with the word Flesh but with the word sinfull He tooke on mans nature without sin yet subiect to those infirmities mortalitie and death which sin brought vpon vs he appeared like a sinfull man being indeed without sinne in the shape of a Seruant content to be made inferiour not onely to Angels but to men of the vilest sort sold for thirtie pieces of siluer not so worthie to liue as Barrabas ranked with Theeues on the Crosse and reputed as a Worme of the earth thus being voyde of all sinne yet was hee handled as a sinner and most wicked malefactor Wherein we are to consider so farre as we may though How deerely the Lord loued vs perceiue by the price he hath giuen for our ransome we cannot comprehend it that wonderfull loue which the Lord hath shewed vs in this worke of our saluation how deere and precious our life hath beene in his eyes perceiue by the greatnesse of that price which he hath giuen for vs for who will giue much for that whereof hee esteemes but little it was not with gold nor siluer nor any corruptible thing that the Lord hath redeemed vs but with the precious blood of his owne Son Iesus as of a Lambe vnblemished and vnspotted If Dauid considering the goodnesse of God towards man in the work of creation fell out into this admiration O Lord what is man that thou art mindfull of him Psalm 8. or the Son of man that thou doest visite him how much more haue we cause so to cry out considering the riches of God his wonderfull mercies shewed vs in the worke of redemption It was a great kindnesse which Abraham shewed to Lot when he hazarded his owne life and the liues of his familie to recouer Lot out of the hands of Chedarlaomer but not comparable to that kindnesse which our kinsman the Lord Iesus hath shewed vnto vs who hath giuen his life to deliuer vs out of the hand of our enemies The Lord shed abroad in our hearts more and more abundantly the sence of that loue that we may endeauour to be thankfull for it by this threefold dutie first of thanksgiuing secondly of seruice thirdly of loue toward those who are beloued of him As for the first our life should be a continuall thanksgiuing Our thankfulnes againe should be testified by this threefold dutie and worshipping before him who hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his blood When the children of Israell had passed the red sea suppose they had a vast wildernesse betweene them and Canaan yet they praised 1 Continuall thanksgiuing God with a song of thanksgiuing and the Lord appointed an yeerely remembrance of that benefit If smaller mercies are to be remembred with thanksgiuing what shall we thinke of the greater As for the second which is seruice Zacharie teacheth 2 Seruice vs that for this end God hath deliuered vs from all our enimies that all our dayes we should serue him in righteousnesse Luke 1. 74.
Abraham There is nothing colder than Ice yet saith Augustine it is melted and made warme by the help of fire A thorny ground saith Cyril being wel manured yet becomes fertile Ciril catec 2 Psal 107. and the Lord saith the Psalmist turneth a barren wildernes into a fruitfull land he rayses the dead he makes the blind to see and the lame to walke he causes the Eagle to renue Psal 103. his youth shall we then close his hands and thinke it impossible for him to make the sinner conceiued and borne in sinne to cast the ould slough of nature and become a new creature And this haue I marked to keepe vs from that presumptuous Iudge not rashly of any mans reprobation iudging as to conclude any mans reprobation because of this present rebellion thou knowest not what is in the councell of God though in regard of his conuersation for the present hee be a stranger from the life of God And againe for our selues that we may magnifie the mercie of the Lord our God who hath done that vnto vs by grace which nature could neuer haue done that is hath made our rebellious hearts subiect to his holy law and wee are sure he will also performe that good worke which he hath begunne in vs. The word which the Apostle vseth here to expresse The rebellion of the wicked against God exempts them not from his dominion mans natural rebellion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noteth such a rebellion of mans corrupt nature as is not subiect according to order we are not to thinke that any rebell were hee neuer so stubborne can exempt himselfe from subiection doe what he can he bides vnder the Lords dominion but a naturall man saith the Apostle giueth not orderly subiection vnto God Ieroboam shooke off the yoke of his lawfull Lord and Rehoboam was notable to controll him But let man repine as he will can he cast off the yoke of the Lord No no if man refuse to declare his subiection by an humble submission of his spirit to the Lords obedience the Lord for all that shall not lose his superioritie but shall declare his power vpon man by controling him he shal bruise him like an earthen pitcher with a scepter of iron that refuseth to bowe his heart vnder the scepter of his word Let the wicked cry in the pride of their nature wee will breake the bonds and cast off the yâ—ake of the Lord yet hath hee Psal 2. them fast bound in chaines goe where they will his hand is stretched ouer them and they shal not be able to eschew it O foolish and most vnhappie condition wherein man How miserable the wicked are who being subiect to God by necessitie refuse voluntary subiection Psal 18. liueth rebelling against the will of his Superiour and it profiteth him not for by no meanes can he exempt himselfe from his power surely all the vantage that the wicked reapes by repining against the Lord is that they multiply moe sorrowes vpon their owne head for with the froward the Lord will shew himselfe froward he wil walke stubbornly against them who walke stubbornly against him and adde seauen times more plagues vpon them As the Bird snared in the grin the more she struggleth to escape the more shee is fastned so the wicked the more they rebell the hardlier are they punished the faster they flie from the hand of Gods mercie the sooner they fall into the hand of his iustice It is further here to be obserued that the Apostle sayth carnall wisedome â—◠〈…〉 ties with God the word he vseth Nature vnregenerate doth not onely sin but multiply sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the plurall number otherwise it could not agree with the Substantiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof we learne how our nature not renewed by grace doth not onely sinne but multiply sinnes and transgressions against the Lord. O how this should humble vs that we haue not onely sinned but also multiplyed sinnes If any one sinne be enough to condemne man in what estate doth he stand who hath gathered against himselfe such a heape of transgressions more in number then the haires of his head If Adam for one transgression Psalm 40. 12. fled away from Gods presence what meruaile if horrible feare and perturbation possesse the sonnes of Adam who haue multiplyed against the Lord so many transgressions If the earth once cursed for Adams sinne was cursed the second time for Caine his sinne how oft is it cursed Gen. Heb. 2. 2. now If iudgement grow like wormewood and euery disobedience and transgression hath it owne iust recompence of reward what a treasure of wrath hath man now stored vp against himselfe who hath multiplyed so many sins against the Lord An arme of the body once broken saith Augustine August de temp ser 58. is not restored without paine and dolour to the patient but if it be after broken it is hardlyer cured a Conscience once wounded is confounded at the light and presence of God what then shall be to them who haue wounded themselues so often to death and stabbed through their soules with innumerable transgressions Let no man therefore flatter himselfe because his sinnes Though our sins were neuer so small this should humble vs that they are many for in any thing many smales make a great are small but let him be humbled and mourne considering that they are many It may be thou art not guiltie of the grosest actuall sinnes shall this diminish thy contrition Is there any thing smaller then a pickle of sand yet many of them collected become a heauier burthen then man is able to beare and drops of water though they be small yet if they be multiplyed becomes great riuers It is not alwaies the great waues of the Sea that ouerturneth the ship but the drop that sipes in at the leake shall sinke her also if it be neglected let vs not then neglect to purge our soules because we are not stained with grosse sinnes considering that the smallest sinnes often multiplyed are waightie enough to presse downe our soules to the lowest hell if we goe not to Christ to be eased of our burden And last we learne here that the cause of inimitie between Cause of inimitie betweene God and man is in man God and man is not in God but in man who will not ranck himselfe in the roome of a subiect giue to the Lord the place of a commaunder there is no question betweene the Lord and man but this onely whose will should be done the Lord craues that man should subiect himselfe to the will of God but man aspires to make his owne will the rule of his actions In this miserable estate liues man not renewed by grace hee hath set vp within himselfe a will contrary to Gods most holy will Woe be to him that striueth Isay 45. 9. with his maker If the will of God be
resurrection which for the same cause is called by our Sauiour the day of regeneration for then shall hee change our mortall bodies and make them like vnto his owne glorious body thus by his dwelling in vs haue we the reparation both of our soules and bodies The other benefit we enioy by his dwelling in vs is the 2 He prouides all necessaries where hee dwels Iren. cont val lib. 4. cap. 28. benefit of Prouision where he comes to dwell hee is not burdenable after the manner of earthly Kings but his reward is with him for he hath not chosen vs to be his â—aâ—itation for any neede he hath of vs sed vt haberet in quem collocaret â—ua beneficia but that he might haue some on whom to bestow his benefits non indigeâ— nostrâ— ministerio vt domini seruorum sed sequimur ipâ—um vt homines lumen sequuntar nihil ipsi praestantes sed beneficium a lumine accipientes hee hath no need of our seruice as other Lords haue neede of their seruants but we follow him as men follow the light giuing nothing to it but receiuing a benefit from it It falles commonly out that where men of meane estate Not like kings of the earth who oft times are burdenable to them with whom they lodge Aug. de verb. Apost ser 15. receiue to lodge those that are more honourable they disease themselues to ease their guests but if thou receiue this rich spirit of the Lord to lodge non angustabâ—ris sed dilataberis thou shalt not be straited but shalt be enlarged saith Augustine he knew the comfort hee reaped by this presence of GOD and therefore could speake the better thereof vnto others quando hic non eras angustias patiebar nunc implesti cellam meam non me exclusisti sed angustiam meam when thou Lord dwelst not in me much anguish of minde oppressed me now thou hast filled the cellers of my heart thou hast not excluded me but excluded that anguish which troubled me In a word the benefits wee receiue by him doe not onely concerne this life but are stretched out also to eternall life Dauid comprises all in a short summe the Lord is a light and defence hee will giue grace and glory and no good thing shall be withholden from them that Psal 84. 11. loue him The greater benefits we haue by the dwelling of Christ What duties of thankfulnes we owe to our Lord who dwels in vs. in vs the more are we obliged in our dutie to him O how should that house be kept in order wherein the King of glory is resident what daily circumspection ought to be vsed that nothing be done to offend him not without cause are these watch-words giuen vs grieue not the spirit quench Eph. 4. 30. 1. Thes 5. 19. not the spirit There are none in a family but they discerne the voyce of the master thereof and followes it they goe 1 That we discerne the voyce of our Master and obay it Math. 8. 9. out and in at his commandment if he say vnto one Goe he goeth if to another Come he commeth if the Lord be our master let vs heare euery morning his voyce and enquire what his will is we should doe with a promise to resigne the gouernment of our hearts vnto him for it is certaine he will not dwell where he rules not as he will admit no vncleane thing within his holy habitation so will he not dwell with the vncircumcised in heart the Lord will not take a wicked man by the hand nor haue fellowship with the throne of iniquitie If holy men when they see brothels Macar hom 12. abhorre them and goes by them how much more shall we thinke that the most holy Lord will despise and passe by their soules which are polluted rather like to the filthie stewes of Sodome than the holy sanctuary of Sion for the Lord to dwell in And if hereby the weake conscience be cast downe reasoning That euery day we sweepe and water his chamber with the besome teares of repentance Zach. 13. 1. within it selfe alas how can my beloued dwell with me who am so polluted and defiled remember that the more thou art displeased with thy selfe the more thy Lord is pleased with thee for thy daily pollutions hee hath appointed daily washings in that fountaine which he hath opened to the house of Dauid for sin and for vncleannesse Sweepe out thy sinnes euery day by the besome of holy anger and reuenge and water the house of thy heart with the teares of contrition quoniam sine aliquo vulnere esse non possumus medelis Cyprian spiritualibus vulnera nostra curemus seeing wee cannot be without some wounds of Conscience let vs daily goe to the next remedie that with spirituall medicines wee may â—ure them chasting our selues euery morning and examining our selues vpon our bed in the euening And againe seeing we are made the Temples of the That in his Temple there want not morning and euening sacrifice holy Ghost there should be within vs continuall sacrifices offered vnto God of prayer and praising together with a daily slaughter of our beastly affections Among the Israelites Princes were knowne by the multitude of their sacrifices which they offered vnto God but now they who sacrifice most of their vncleane affections are most approued as excellent Israelites of the Lord who can best discerne an Israelite From the time the Lord departed from Ierusalems Temple the daily sacrifice and oblation ceased and where there is not in man neither prayer nor praysing Macar hom 28. of God nor mortification of his beastly lusts but the spirituall Chaldeans hath come in and taken away this daily sacrifice it is an euident argument that the Lord dwelleth not there Last of all let vs marke here that the Apostle sayth Bastard professors lodges this holy spirit in a wrong roome Ephe. 3. 17. this dwelling of the spirit is in vs it is not without vs the kingdome of God is within vs if he dwell he will dwell in our hearts by saith for he himselfe requires the heart As for them who lodge him in their mouths by professing him in their eyes by aduancing them to heauen in their hands by doing some workes of mercy and not in their hearts these are carnall men not spirituall pretend what they will hipocrites who drawes neere the Lord with their lips but their hearts are farre from him accursed deceiuers who hauing a male in their flocke vowes and sacrifices a corrupt thing vnto the Lord which I doe not speake as if I did condemne the outward seruice done in the body to the Lord prouiding it flowe from the heart Ye are bought with a price 1 Cor. 6. 20. therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit for they are Gods And this also is to be marked for the amendment of two Humble gestures of the bodie in
Tertul. de resur carnâ—â— Lord Iesus hath carryed our flesh into heauen as an earnest and pâ—edge of the vvhole summe vvhich afterward is to be brought thither he hath not thought it inough to giue his spirit vnto vs here on earth as the earnest of our inheritance but to put vs out of all doubt he hath carried vp our flesh into heauen and possest it in the kingdome in the name of all his members Who raysed vp Iesus from the dead Then vve see that our Seeing our Lord was among the dead let vs not feare when God cals vs to lye down among them also Lord was once among the dead but now is risen from them let vs not then be afraid vvhen God shall call vs to lye down among the dead also shall the seruant be ashamed of his Masters condition or vvill the patient refuse to drink that potion vvhich the Phisition hath tasted before him No we must follow our Lord through the miseries of this life through the dolours of death through the horrours of the graue if vve looke to follow him in his resurrection in his ascension to be amongst those hundred fortie and foure thousand in mount Sion vvho hauing his fathers name vvritten in their foreheads follow the Lambe whersoeuer he goâ—th Reuel 7 singing that new song vvhich none can sing but they whom he hath bought from the earth When those women came to seeke the Lord Iesus in the What comfort Christs resurrection giues vs against death Sepulchre all the feare they had conceiued concerning Christs death the Angels remoues it by sending them to meditate on the resurrection why seeke yee him that liueth among the dead hee is not here but hee is risen Wee are not Mat. 28. 5. 6 yet laid downe among the dead but or euer we goe to the graue we haue this comfort that the Lord by his power shall raise vs out of it where the head growes through the members will follow Per angustum passionis foramâ—n transiuit Christus vt latum praeberet ingrâ—ssum sequentibus membris Our Lord is gone through the narrow passage of death that hee might make it the wider and easier to all his members who are to follow him We see by experience the body of a man drownes not though it be vnder the water as long as the head is borne aboue many of the members of Christ are here in this valley of death tost too fro in this sea of tribulation with continuall tentations yet our comfort is we cannot perish for our head is aboue and a great part of the body liuing and raigning with him in glory there is life in him to draw forth out of these miseries all his members and hee shall doe it by that same power by which he raised himselfe from the dead For we are taught here that our resurrection is a worke not to be done by man not the power of nature but by Resurrection is a work of God and nâ—â— of man the power of God we are not therefore to hearken to the deceitfull motions of our infidelitie which calles in doubt this article of our Faith we must not consider the imbecillitie and weaknesse of nature neither measure heauenly and supernaturall things with the narrow span of naturall reason but as it is Abrahams praise the father of the faithfull Rom. 4. 19. that when God promised him a sonne in his old age hee was not weake in faith hee considered not his owne body which was dead neither the deadnesse of Saraahs wombe but was strengthned in the faith and gaue glory to God being fully assured that hee who had promised was also able to doe it so should we sanctifie the Lord God in our harts looking to the word and promise of the euerliuing God to Cyr. cate 18. whom those things are possible which are impossible vnto vs for the Lord saith the Prophet hath the whole earth in Isay 40. 12. his fist and it is more easie to him to discerne one pickle of dust from another then it is to any man hauing his hand full of sundry seedes to open his hand and gather euery kind thereof into one by themselues seperate and distinct from the rest When thou hearest sayth Augustine that the dead shall be raised suppose it be a great thing yet count it no incredible thing but consider who it is that takes in hand to doe it ille suscitabit te qui creauit te the Lord who created Aug. ser 64 thee he it is that shall raise thee And for our further confirmation let vs consider how Resurrection confirmed by Scripture by types by practises of God in nature the spirit of God hath taught this article of our resurrection in sundry places of holy scripture hath shadowed it by types and figures hath cleared it by examples and last of all by the practise and working of God in nature As for Scripture both Prophets and Apostles as it were with one 1 Our resurrection is confirmed by Scripture Dan. 12. 13. Hos 13. 14. 15. mouths breathes out this veritie They that sleepe in the dust saith Daniel shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to euerlasting shame and perpetuall contempt I will redeeme thee saith the Lord by Hosea from the power of the graue I wil deliuer thee from death O death I will be thy death O graue I will be thy destrustiom Patient Iob in his greatest extremitie Iob. 19. 25. gaue out this notable confession of his faith I am sure that my redeemer liueth and he shall stand the last on the earth and though after my skinne wormes destroy this body yet shall I see God in my flesh whom I my selfe shall see mine eyes shall behold and none other for mee though my reynes are consumed within me And if we come to the new Testament most cleare is that testimonie of the Lord Iesus The houre shall Iohn 5 28. come in the which all that are in the graue shall heare his voyce 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 The Apostles in like manner beare witnesse to their Master If in this life onely wee had hope in Christ of all men we were most miserable but now is Iesus 1 Cor. 15. 19. 20. 21. 22. risen from the dead and was mâ—â—â— the first fruits of them that slept For since by man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead For as in Adam all lye so in Christ all are made aliue And againe Behold I shew you a secret we shal Ibid. 51. 52. 53. not all sleepe but we shall alâ— be changed In a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet for the trumpet shal blow and the dead shall be raised vp incorruptible and we shal be changed For this corruptible must
Fiue sorts of feare consider that there are fiue sorts of feare mentioned in the booke of God The first is a naturall feare the second a carnall feare the third â— seruile feare the fourth a filiall feare the fist a Dâ—abolicall feare The naturall feare is one of the affections of the soule 1 A natural feare created by God Adam was endewed with it in the state of innocencie and our blessed Sauiour wanted it not of whom it is written that when hee entred into the garden he began to be afraid As for carnall feare the obiect whereof is flesh 2 A carnall feare or at least that which flesh may doe it is a great enemie to godlinesse and therefore our Sauiour forbids it feare not Mat. 10. 28. them who are able to kill the body but feare him who is able to cast both soule and body into hell fire yet are the dearest of Gods children subiect vnto it This feare made Abraham deny that Sarah was his Wife made Peter denie that Christ was his Lord this feare made Iâ—nas refuse to goe to Nâ—niuie and made that worthy Prophet â—amuâ—â— vnwilling to annoint Dauid for he feared least Saul should slay him yet are they so subiect vnto it that the feare of God at length ouercomes in them The third soâ—t is seruile feare the obiect whereof 3 A seruile feare is the iudgements of God onely and this is proper to the wicked they feare the plagues of God but so that they loue their sinnes and hates and abhorres euery one that doth snibbe or restraine them in the course of their sinnes The 4 A filiall feare fourth is filiall so called because it is proper to the sonnes of God they doe not onely feare him for his iudgements but loue him and feare him for his mercy mercy to with thee Psal 130. 4. O Lord that thou mayst be feared As for the Dâ—abolicall feare 5 A Dâ—abolicall feare Saint Iames saâ—th the Diuels know there is a God therefore they feare and tremble thâ—y haue receiued within themselues Iames. 2. 19. the sentence of damnation they know it shall neuer be recalled they seeke no mercy nor shall they obtaine it and the seruile feare of the wicked shall at the last end in this desperate feare of the damned finding themselues condemned without all further hope of mercy they shall tremble and feare continually Of this it is euident that the feare whereof here he speaks From what sort of feare we are exempted is the first part of filiall feare namely a feare of that punishment which is due to sinne and to the godly is an introduction to worke in them feare of God for his mercies conioyned with loue so then his meaning is cleare albeit in the time of your first conuersion you were striken with a feare of that wrath which is the recompense of sinne yet now the spirit of adoption hath not onely released you of that feare of damnation which you conceiued at the first through the knowledge of your sinnes but hath also made you certaine of saluation and assured that God is become your Father in Christ Iesus In the wicked the feare of Gods vvrath once begunne encreases daily till it proceede as I spake to that desperate feare of the damned but in the godly the feare of Gods In the godly feare prepareâ— a place for the perfect loue of God and then departs it selfe iudgements is but a preparation to the loue of GOD feare shall not alwayes abide in their hearts for when God shall crowne them with his mercies and his loue in them shall be perfect then perfect loue casts out feare therefore Augustine compares the feare of Gods iudgements in the godly to a Needle that goes through the â—eame and prepares in it a place for the thread which is to remaâ—â—e so doth the feare of Gods iudgements goe through the secret seames of the heart and prepares a place for the loue of God which shall abide and continue for euer in the godly when feare shall be away The Lord at the first deales hardly vvith Mat. 15. his children as our Sauiour delt with the woman of Câ—naan whom he comforted at the last and as Ioseph entreated his brethren roughly whom at the last for tender compassion hee embraced with many teares but all these terrours and feares wherewith GOD humbles his owne are but preparatiues to his consolations at the length hee shall make it knowne to them that he is their louing father as for the wicked though they haue not suffered from their youth the terrours of God it is because they are reserued for them Neither are they euen now exempted from their owne But in the wicked feare of wrath once begun encreases till it proceede to desperate feare feares for albeit there were none to reproue them their owne consciences sends out accusing thoughts to terrifie them and if at any time they shall heare the word of God faithfully and with power deliuered vnto them then doe they much more tremble feare for the word strengthens the conscience to accuse and terrifie them but feare is both the first and last effect it workes in them and therefore is it that being so oft disquieted with hearing of the word as Foelix was with the preaching of Paul they are no more desirous to heare it but rather hates it and abhors it because it testifies no good vnto them more then Micaiah did to Achab and so they neuer attaine to this other operation of the spirit they are not transchanged by hearing into the similitude of the sonnes of GOD neither receiues that comfort which comes by feeling the loue of God in Iesus Christ The spirit of Adâ—ption Adoption is eyther naturall or Adoption is eyther naturall or spirituall spirituall the spirituall Adoption is eyther of a whole Nation and so the Apostle saith that the Adoption pertained to the Israelites because the Lord chose them to be a peculiar people to â—iâ—selfe or then it is of particular men and so it is a benefit belonging to the children of GOD onely What naturall Adoption is and of it speakes the Apostle in this place Naturall Adoption the Lawyers define it to be â—ctum legâ—â—imum â—â—itantem naturam repertum ad corum sâ—latium qui liberos non habent A lawfull act imitating nature sound out for the comfort of them who haue no children of their owne but spirituall adoption differs farre from it for it is a lawful act not How the spirituall Adoption excels aboue the naturall imitating but transcending nature found out by the Lord our God not for the comfort of a Father that wants children but for the comfort of children that wants a Father We being by nature miserable orphanes hauing no Father to prouide for vs it pleased the Lord our God to become our Father in Christ and to make vs by Adoption his sons and daughters not for any
not at the first as in the very time of Prayer Daniel receiued his answere yea at the beginning of his supplication Dau. 9. 22. 23. as the Angell Gabriel informed him the commandement came forth to answere him yet shall not the Lord faile in his owne good time to fulfill the desires of them who feare him Manifold examples of holy Scripture lets vs see that Efficacie of Prayer euery petition returns with profit Gen. 18. Prayer this way powred out vnto God is most effectuall At fiue sundry petitions did not Abraham bring the Lord from fiftie to ten euery petition returnes to Abraham some vantage faine would Abraham had Sodome preserued for Lots cause at his first request hee got this answere that the Lord would spare it for fiftie righteous mens sake if they might be found in it but at the last from fiftie hee brings him to ten as long as Abraham prayed the Lord answered and for euery petition hee yeelded something to Abraham and most comfortable it is that the Lord ceases not from answering till Abraham ceased from asking any more Acts 10. When Peter prayed vpon the house top he fel into a trance and saw a heauenly vision when Iesus prayed vpon Mount Mat. 17. Tabor he was transfigured and if at any time the children of GOD be transformed from an earthly disposition to a heauenly they finde in their owne experience that it is in the time of prayer Sathan for this cause is a most troublesome enemy to the Sathan an enemie to the Word and Prayer exercises of the word and of prayer because the one is the mother the other is the nurse of all the graces of God in vs eyther he makes them lightly to esteeme the exercise of prayer or then doth what hee can to interrupt them in it as that Pithonisse interrupted Paul while hee was going to Acts 16. 16. pray so hath that aduersarie a thousand wiles whereby eyther before prayer he seekes to diuert them to some other businesse or in the action to trouble them and diuide the powers of the soule by vncomely and prophane motions If Iehoshua stand before the Lord Sathan shall stand at his Zach. 3. 1. Gen. 15. right hand to resist him Vnlesse therefore with Abraham we driue away the rauening birds from our sacrifice vnles with the Israelites wee stand on Ierusalems wall with a weapon ready in our hand to repell the aduersarie as oft as he comes to stay the worke of God it is impossible that our hearts can continue in feruent prayer to God Yet the restlesse opposition of the aduersarie should not make vs to breake off this exercise of prayer but the more we finde Sathan angry at our prayers the more should wee be prouoked to pray if he felt not himselfe hurt and his kingdome weakened by our prayers he would not so busily trouble vs in prayer yee see hee troubles vs not in such exercises as troubles not him speake as long as you will of vvorldly affaires refresh the body with eating and drinking exercise the body in playing in these and such like hee interrupts vs not because they offend him not but if vvee goe by prayer to vvound the head of the serpent then vvill he doe vvhat he can to sting vs. And herewithall let vs remember that any other practise Other exercises of religion may at a time be omitted with an excuse but the neglect of Prayer is vnexcusable of religion men may omit it and be excusable but the neglect of prayer cannot be excused It may be at a time thou hast not giuen almes to the needy because thou hadst it not it may be thou hast not come to heare the vvord because thou hast beene diseased but as for the neglect of prayer wherewith wilt thou excuse it labouring with thy hands in thy vocation needs not to hinder the lifting vp of thy hart vnto God if thine heart be good euery time euery place is conuenient for prayer with Ieremy thou maist pray in the Ieremiâ— 36. Daniel 6. Gen. 24. Luke 6. 14. prison with Daniel in the denne vvith Ionas in the Whales belly vvith Dauid in the bed vvith Isaac in the fields with Iesus on the mountaine for thou thy selfe art the temple of the liuing God the sanctuarie vvherein hee will be worshipped and shouldst alway carry about vvith thee and within thee that golden Alter whereupon incense should be euery morning and euening sacrificed vnto the Lord thy God so that if thou doe not pray it is because thou vvilt not Abba Father c. But vvhat is this that the spirit teacheth It is a strong Prayer if by the Spirit thou canst call God thy father vs to cry the Apostle saith that he teacheth vs to cry vpon God as vpon our Father Is this inough in prayer to call vpon GOD thy Father yea if thou canst so call him from this spirit of Adoption for all Gods children are not indued with a like grace of prayer it is effectuall inough to draw downe vpon thee all those blessings vvhich the Lord communicates to his sonnes his name shall be sanctified in thee his kingdome shall be aduanced in thee he shal teach thee to doe his vvill thou shalt not want thy daily bread he shall forgiue thee thy sinnes and preserue thee that thou fall not into tentations all comfort rests vnder this name of a father if thou canst so call him in saith the riches of his mercies are thine As the heauens are aboue the earth so are his thoughts What comfort we haue in this that we may call God our father aboue ours if then earthly fathers carrie so kindely an affection toward their children vvhat louing affection may vvee thinke is there in our heauenly Father toward vs Shall I cause others to beare saith the Lord and remaine barren my selfe shall the Lord communicate to men the name and heart of a Father and fill them with compassion toward their children and shall hee himselfe to vvhom the name of a Father most properly belongs vvant the heart and compassion of a Father toward his children let it be farre from vs so to thinke Seeing the Lord will haue such tender mercy in vs that are mortal creatures that not onely seauen times but seauentie times seauen times vvee forgiue our brother in the day vvhat readinesse to forgiue the sins of his children must there be in himselfe and seeing our Sauiour in the Gospell points out so great a commiseration Luke 15. in that earthly Father toward his prodigall Sonne that when he saw him a farre off comming homeward hee ranne and met him and sell vpon his face and kissed him vvhat louing kindnes may vve looke for at the hands of our heauenly father if we doe repent of our wandrings and resolue wâ—th our selues to returne vnto him Againe wee see here that the holy Spirit teacheth vs to Prayer to creatures
to confirme them that the sight of the other should not confound them Somtime againe the Lord in the middest of trouble giues his children such comfort as deuoures all their present sorrowes to Peter in the prison there appeared an Angel and a light shining round about him and Iacob banished from his Fathers house sees a more comfortable vision at Bethel than any that euer hee had seene at home but albeit the Lord deales not alway with all his children as hee did with these yet are they all sure of this comfort glory shall be the end of their sufferings To be reuealed The Apostle calleth it a glory to be reuealed Our glory is prepared but not reuealed hee telleth vs in another place that it is prepared already yea it was prepared before the foundation of the world but it is not yet reuealed beatitudo illa comparari hic Aug. de Sanctâ—s ser 46. potest possideri non potest that felicitie may be obtayned here but cannot be possessed here Ne itaque quaeras in via quod tibi seruator in patria seeke not therefore that in the vvay which is kept for thee till thou come to thy countrey let vs possesse our Soules in patience waiting for that which in this life is neyther reuealed nor can be possessed Moses besought the Lord to shew him his glory and he receiued Exod 33. 18. this answere No man can see it and liue and vvhen that glory filled the Tabernacle it is said that Moses could Exod. 40. 38. Moriamur vt viuamus not enter into it Seeing it is so that our wretched nature can not abide that glory and we cannot liue and see the Lord let vs prepare our selues with ioy and contentment to dye that we may see him And in the meane time by that glory which God hath Yet by the glory reuealed we may iudge of that glory which is not reuealed Aug. de temp ser 9. 9. reuealed in his workes let vs iudge of that which is not reuealed if these workes of God vvhich wee see be so beautifull what shall wee thinke of those we see not out of all doubt among all the workes of God those which are inuisible are most excellent as the body of man is a beautifull vvork manship but not comparable to the soule This glory I count it the highest degree of eternall life the first is Righteousnesse the second Peace the third Ioy the fourth is Glory Righteousnesse breeds Peace and Peace breedes Ioy and our Ioy shall be crowned with glorie if the doing of the workes of righteousnesse bring such comfort to the minde as the godly finde in experience how shall our comfort abound when we receiue the reward of righteousnesse Ber. in Cant. Ser. 47. God is good to them who seek him much more vnto theÌ„ who finde him which is Glory Si sic bonus es quaerentibus te qualis es assequentibus if thou Lord be so good to them who seeke thee vvhat shalt thou be to them vvho finde thee vve may be assured that these first fruits of the Spirit and the earnest of our heauenly inheritance wherin now stands our greatest comfort shall appeare as nothing vvhen that masse of glory shall be taken vp and communicated vnto vs. As the light of the Sunne when it ariseth obscures the light of the Moone and Starres so that glorie when it shall be reuealed shall obscure those our ioyes which now we esteeme to be greatest Adeo enim pulchra est facies illa vt illa visa Aug. de temp ser 49. nihil aliud possit delectare for so pleasant is that face of God that they vvho once see it can be delighted vvith no other thing The Queene of the South heard very much of Salomâ—ns wisedome and of the glorie of his Kingdome but as she confesseth herselfe the halfe of his glory vvas not told We shall see much more in heauen than we can heare of it her and so shal we one day not onely say with the Psalmist As we haue heard so haue we seene in the Cittie of our God but shall be compelled to acknowledge that the glory prepared for vs by innumerable degrees excels all that euer we heard of it Semper enim maiora tribuit Deus quam promittit Basil hexam for the Lord our God giues alwayes greater things than he promiseth And yet albeit we cannot speake of it as wee should let Meditation of the Glory to come recommended to vs. vs meditate vpon it as vvee may where the Apostle is silent vvho can speake when hee was rauished to the third heauens hee heard such vvords as hee could not vtter and againe the eye neuer saw the eare neuer heard those things which God hath prepared for them who loue him facilâ—â—s inuenimus quid ibi non sit quam quid sit it is more easie to Aug. de verb. dom ser 64. tell what that life is not than to tell what it is yet certainly the Lord would neuer vse it as an argument to comfort vs in trouble were it not that it is his will that wee exercise our mindes in the consideration thereof When the Lord first promised to giue Abraham the land of Canaan for inheritance hee commanded him to rise and walke through the land to view the length and the breadth thereof albeit he was not to put him in a present possession thereof yet the Lord vvill haue him to view it that the sight of that which GOD had promised might sustaine and comfort him till the day of possession came so vvee though vve be not presently to be entered into possession of our heauenly Canaan yet seeing the Lord hath so commanded vs let vs now and then goe with Moses to the toppe of Pisgah and view it that is let vs separate our soules from the earth and ascend by prayer and spirituall meditation and delight our selues with some sight of that land as it shall please the Lord to giue it vnto vs. There are foure principall names by vvhich the holy Our estate in heauen expressed vnder foure most comfortable names Spirit in Scripture expresses that felicitie of the Saints of God in heauen first it is called a life and such a life as is eternall secondly it is called a glory and such a glory as is a crowne of glory and that of infinite vvaight thirdly it is called a kingdome and such a kingdome as cannot be shaken Heb. 12. 28. fourthly it is called an inheritance and such an inheritance as is immortall vndefiled and that fades not away Tell O man what is it thine heart vvould haue Is there any thing thou louest better than life is there any better life then a life of glory is there any greater glory than a kingdome of glory is there any surer kingdome than that which is thine by the right of an immortall and permanent inheritance and yet these are the excellent
with tentations on the right hand and on the left vt quatuor angulis Gregor Moral pulsata domus aliqua ex parte ruinam saciat that the house being shaken at all the soure corners may fall downe in one part or other no rest nor quietnes for vs in this habitation terrours within fightings without Propter quod vno conâ—ilio Act. 20. 19. migrandum est Christianis for the which it is best for vs vvith one aduice to conclude that wee vvill remoue and in the meane time send vp our complaint to our Father in heauen as the Gibionites did to Ioshua shewing him how vve Ioshua 10. 6. are besieged and enuironed for his sake and praying him to come with hast and help vs. Waiting for the Adoption Now followeth the other effect The other effect the spirit works in vs iâ— a waiting for deliuerance of the Spirit for hee not onely causeth vs as we haue heard to sigh and mourne for our present miseries but also comforts vs with the hope and expectation of deliuerance though in this life vve haue trouble yet haue we no trouble vvithout comfort Blessed be God who comforts vs in all our 2 Cor. 1. 3. 4. tribulations and beside that vvhich vve presently haue it is yet much more vvhich vvee looke for The men of this vvorld haue no ioy vvithout sorrow euen in laughter their Proâ— 24. 13. heart is sorrowfull pretend what they will in their countenance there is a heauinesse in their conscience arising of the vveight of sinne but it is far otherwise vvith the godly for euen in mourning they doe reioyce and vnder greatest heauinesse they carry a liuely hope of ioyfull deliuerance Againe wee are to marke that the godly are described The day of death and day of resurrection earnestly waited for by the godly in holy Scripture to be such as doe not liue content with their present estate but waites and longs for a better and specially there are two dayes for which the Children of GOD are said to waite the first the day of death wherein they goe to the Lord the second the day of appearing wherein the Lord shall come vnto them they soiourne in the body more weary of it then Dauid was of his dwelling in the tents of Kedar they wait with patient Iob till the day of their change come and doe desire with the Apostle to be Iob. 14. 14. dissolued that they may be with Christ they pray for it so oft as they vse that petition Let thy kingdome come seeking Mat. 6. 10. Luke 11. 3. death so farre as it is a meanes to abolish sinne vtterly that Christ their King may alone raigne in them but as for the wicked the remembrance of death is terrible vnto them and in their thought they put it far from them and when it comes it comes vpon them vnlooked for As Iehu furiously Death comes on the wicked as Iehu came on Iehoram came vpon Iehoram and hee made vvith all his speed to his chariot thinking to flye away but in vaine for the arrow of Iehu ouertooke him so death comes vpon the wicked 2 King 9. 23. 24 in a day and place wherein they looked not for it and they being terrified with it runnes with all the speede they can to their chariots that is to their refuges of vanity but the dart of death surely ouer-takes them Miserable are they vvhose comfort standeth rather in an vncertaine delay of death than in any certaintie vvhich they haue of eternall life But let vs be prepared for it as the good Israelites of We should not soiourne in the body like Ionas in the sides of the sâ—â—p but like Abraham in the doore of the tabernacle Exod. 12. 11. Gen. 18. 1. 1 King 19. 9. God with our loynes girded vp and our staues in our hands ready to take our iourney from Egypt to Canaan vvhensoeuer the Lord our God shall command vs. As fowles desirous to flye stretch ouâ— their vvings so should man desirous to be with the Lord stretch out his affections toward the heauens Abraham sat in the doore of his Tabernacle when the Angell appeared vnto him Elias came out to the mouth of his Caue when the Lord appeared to him and we must also reioyce to come out of the caue and tabernacle of this vvretched body if vve would meet vvith the Lord yea euen while as wee dwell in the body if in our affection vve come not out and stand as it were in the doore of our tabernacle but like Ionas sleeping in the sides of the ship Ionas 1. 5. we lye downe in the hollow of our heart sleeping in carelesse securitie it is not possible that the Lord can be familiar with vs. The other day for which the godly are said to wait is the The day of Christs second comming longed for 1 Cor. 1. 7. Phil. 3. day of Christs second comming The Apostle giues this as a token of the rich grace of God bestowed on the Corinthians that they waited for the appearance of Christ and to the Philippians he saith our coÌ„uersation is in heauen from whence we looke for our Sauiour the Lord Iesus yea he giues it out as a marke of all those who are to be glorified when hee saith 2 Tim. 4. 8. there is laid vp for mee a crowne of righteousnes and not for me onely but for all them who loue Christs second appearing And Heb. 9. 28. againe Christ was once offered to take away the sinnes of many and vnto them that looke for him shall he appeare the second time without sinne vnto saluation These and many moe places proues that there is great As the Iewes waited for the yeere of Iubilie so should we for the day of Christ but alas few doe so Reu. 22. 20. scarcitie of Faith and spirituall grace in this generation there being so few that vnfainedly longs for the day of his appearance suppose euery man in word mumble vp that petition let thy kingdome come yet are they few who when Iesus testifieth surely I come quickly can in truth answer with the godly Amen euen so come Lord Iesus and all because we are neithe wearier of our present miserie nor certaine of that glorious deliuerance to come otherwise we would long for it and reioyce at the smallest appearance thereof The woman with child reckons her time as neere as shee can and albeit others haue no minde of it yet is it alway in her remembrance because that then she hopes for deliuerance Among the Iewes as the day of their Iubilie drawes neere Leuit. 25. 10. so the ioy of them that were in prison encreased being assured that then they were to be releeued and should not wee much more reioyce the neerer that the day of our eternall Iubilie draweth vnto vs wherein all teares shall be wiped away from our eyes and sorrow and mourning shall flye away for euer
the worke of our second creation vvhich is our regeneration hee casts downe that hee may raise vp hee kils and hee makes aliue he accuseth his children for sinne that so hee may chase them to seeke remission of sinnes hee troubleth their consciences that so hee may pacifie them And in a word the meanes vvhich hee vseth are contrary to the vvorke it selfe vvhich he intends to performe in his Children Hee sent a fearefull darknesse on Abraham euen then vvhen hee vvas to communicate vnto him most ioyfull light he vvrestled vvith Iacob and shooke him too and fro euen then when he came to blesse him hee strooke the Apostle Paul with blindnesse at that same time vvhen hee came to open his eyes hee frownes for a while vpon his beloued as Ioseph did vpon his brethren but in the end with louing affection shall hee embrace them he may seeme angry at thy prayers as he put backe the petitions of that vvoman of Canaan but at length he will graunt a fauourable answere vnto them Let vs not therfore murmure against the Lord by whatsoeuer meanes it please him to vvorke It is enough we know that all the wayes of God euen when he deales most hardly vvith his children are mercie and tends to the good of those who loue him And as for Sathans stratagems it is also out of doubt that Sathans stratagems are directed to the good of the godly they worke for the best to them vvho loue the Lord not according to his purpose indeede but by the Lords operation who directeth all Sathans assaults to another end then hee intended and trappeth him continually in his owne snare If vnder the Serpents shape hee deceiued Adam vnder the Serpents name shall the Lord curse him and all those vveapons whereby hee seeketh to destroy the worke of Gods grace in vs doth the Lord turne to destroy the workmanship of Sathan in vs I meane that whole bastard generation of peruerse affections what Sathan hath begotten vpon our mutable nature by a most vnhappie and Ambr. lib. 1. de poeni ca. 13 vnlawfull copulation De veneno eius fit spirituale antidotum of this poyson the Lord maketh a spirituall preseruatiue Sathans accusations for sinnes past are vnto the godly presâ—ruatiues against sinne to come The experience of all the Saints of God proues this that Sathan by his restlesse tentations doth destroy himselfe which is most euident both in his tentations for sinne committed tending to desperation as also in his tentations vnto sinne tending to presumption Euery accusation of the conscience for sinne past is vnto the Godly man a preseruatiue to keepe him from sinne in time to come he reasoning with himselfe after this manner If mine enemie doe so disquiet my minde with inward terrour for those sinnes which foolishly I did by his entisement why shall I hearken to him any more and so encrease the matter of my trouble for what fruit haue I of all those sinnes which I did by his instigation but terrour and shame and shall I looke that this forbidden tree can render vnto me any better fruit hereafter O what a faithlesse traytor is Sathan hee entiseth man vnto sinne and when he hath done it hee is the first accuser and troubler of man for sinne When hee comes first vnto vs he is a tempter when we haue finished his worke which is sinne he is an accuser of vs vnto the Iudge and when hee returneth he returneth a troubler and tormenter of vs for those same sinnes which he counselled vs to doe Stop thine care therefore O my soule from the voyce of this deceitfull enchanter His tentations againe vnto sinne are vnto the Godly And his tentations to sinne chases them to the throne of grace man prouocations that spurre him forward vnto the throne of grace for while as wee finde his restlesse malice pursuing in vs that little sparke of spirituall life vvhereby the Lord hath quickned vs and our owne weakenesse and iâ— abilitie to resist him then are we forced with Israell in Egypt to sigh for the thraldome and to cry vvith Ieâ—oshaplâ—â— O Chron. 20. 13. Lord our God we know not wâ—at to doe but our â—â—es are toward thee And who feeleth not this that the grace of feruent prayer wherein otherwise wee saint our heart being more ready to fall downe than the hands of Mâ—ses vnlesse they be supported is greaâ—ly intended in the Children of God by the buffets of Sathan as is manifest in the holy Apostle Magna certe potestas quae imperat Diabolo vt se ipse destruat Ambr. ibid. a great power of God this is certainly which commandeth Sathan to destroy himselfe Se enim destruit cum hominem quem tentando supplantare studet ex infirmo fortiorem efficit for then doth hee destroy himselfe when the man whom hee seeketh to ouerthrow by his tentation of a weake man is made stronger by those same mâ—â—nes Thus the Lord our God ouershootes Sathan in his owne bow and cuts off the head of Goliah with his owne sword his holy name be praised therefore Now as concerning outward afflictions it is true that as As the Philistims vnderstood not Sampsons riddle how sweet came out of the sowre so cannot worldlings that comfort is in the crosse Iudg. 14. 14. Rom. 5. 3. 2 Cor. 4. 13. Heb. 12. 11. the Philistims could not vnderstand Sampsons riddle how sweet came out of the sowre and meat out of the eater so cannot Worldlings vnderstand that tribulation bringeth out patience and that our light and momentanie afflictions cause vnto vs a farre more excellent and eternall waight of glory but the Children of God haue learned by experience that albeit no visitation be sweet for the present yet afterward it brings the quiet fruit of righteousnesse vnto them who are thereby exercised and that there is more solide ioy in suffering rebuke with Christ than in all the pleasures of sinne which endure but a season As Moses the typycall Mediator of the olde Testament made by his prayer the bitter vvaters of Marah become sweet so Iesus the true Mediator by his passion hath mittigated to his children the bitternesse of the crosse yea hath made it profitable vnto them The prodigall sonne concluded not to returne home to Afflictions profitable to the children of God his Father till he was brought low by affliction Hagar was proud in the house of Abraham but humble in the vvildernesse Ionas sleepeth in the ship but watcheth and prayeth in the Whales belly Manasses liued in Ierusalem as a Libertine but bound in chaines in Babell hee turneth his heart vnto the Lord his God Corporall diseases forced manie in the Gospell to come to Christ where others enioying bodily health would not acknowledge him The earth vvhich is not tilled and broken vp beares nothing but thornes and bryers the Vines waxe wilde in time vnlesse they be pruned and cut so would our wilde hearts ouergrow with the
priuiledge of the whole Church Gen. 12. 3. them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee vve may easily thinke belongs also to all his seed euen to that congregation of the first borne The Lord will be a wall of fire round about Ierusalem and the glory in the middest of her he vvill keepe her as the apple of his eye and make Ierusalem a cuppe of poyson to all her enemies and a heauie stone vvhich vvhosoeuer striueth to lift shall be torne therewith though all the people of the earth were gathered together against it the vveapons made against her shall not prosper and euery tongue that shall rise against her in iudgement shall be condemned This is the heritage of the Lords seruants and the portion of them that loue him for the church is that Arke which mounts vp higher as the water increases but cannot be ouerwhelmed the bush which may burnâ— but cannot be consumed the house built on a rocke which may be beaten with vvinde and raine but cannot be ouerthrowne The Lord who changeth times and seasons vvho takes A warning for Kings and such as are in authoritie away Kings and sets vp Kings hath reproued Kings for his Churches sake yea hee gouernes all the kingdomes of the earth in such sort that their fallings risings their changes and mutations are all directed to the good of his Church In one of these two sentences all the Iudges of the vvorld may see themselues and foresee their end for eyther that shall be fulfilled in them which Mordecay said to Este who knowes if for this thou art come to the kingdome that by thee deliuerance may come to Gods people or else that which Moses Hâ—ster 4 14. in Gods name said to Pharaoh the oppressour of the Church in her adolescencie I haue set thee vp to declare my Exod. 7. power because thou exaltest thy selfe against my people May wee not behold here how vnsure their standing is They who rise to authoritie and not to the good of the Church shall assuredly fall and how certaine their fall who when they are highest abuse their power most to hold the people of God lowest what else are they but obiects whom the Lord hath raised vp to declare his power and iustice vpon them If we shall marke the course of the Lords proceeding euer since the beginning of the world we shall finde a blessing following them whom he hath made instruments of good vnto his church and that such againe haue not wanted their owne recompence of wrath who haue continued instruments of her trouble When the Lord concluded to bring his Church from Examples shewing how God hath altered the state of worldly Empires for the good of his Church Canaan to soiourne in Egypt he sent such a famine in Canaan as compelled them to forsake it but made plenty in Egypt by the hand of Ioseph whom the Lord had sent before as a prouisor for his Church and by whom Pharaoh was made fauourable to Iacob but when the time came that the Lord was to translate his Church from Egypt to Canaan when hee altered Pharaohs countenance and raised vp a new King who knew not Ioseph hee turned the Egyptians hearts away from Israel so that they vexed Israell and made them to serue by crueltie Thus when the Lord In Pharaoh king of Egypt will bring them to Egypt hee maketh Pharaoh fauourable which also brings a blessing vpon Tharaoh and his people but vvhen the Lord vvill make them to goe out of Egypt hee maketh another Pharaoh an enemie vnto them whereby both they are made willing to forsake Egypt and Pharaoh prepares the way for a fearefull iudgement on himselfe and his people Againe when the sinnes of Israel came to that ripenesse In the Monarch of Babell and Persia that their time vvas come and their day drew neere the Lord stirred vp the King of Babell as the rod of his wrath and staffe of his indignation Hee sent him to the dissembling Esay nation and gaue him a charge against the people of his wrath to take the spoyle and the pray and to tread them vnder feete like mire in the streets and to this effect that the Lord might be auenged of the sinnes of Israel hee subdued all the kingdomes round about them vnder the King of Babell that no stoppe nor impediment should be in the way to hold back the rodde of Ashur from Israel But yet againe vvhen the Lord had accomplished all his worke vpon Israel and the time of mercy was come and the seauentie yeeres of captiuitie expired then the Lord visited the proud heart of the King of Ashur and for his Churches sake he altered againe the gouernement of the whole earth translating the Empyre to the Medes and Persians that so Cyrus the Lords annointed might performe to his people the promised deliuerance All which should learne vs in the greatest changes and Therefore in our greatest mutations our hart should not be moued from confidence in God Psal alterations that fall out in the world to rest assured that the Lord will vvorke for the good of his Church though the earth should be moued and the mountaines fall into the middest of the Sea yea though the vvaters thereof rage and be troubled yet there is a riuer whose streames shall make glad the Cittie of our GOD in the middest of it yea if they vvho should be the nourishing Fathers of the Church forsake her and become her enemies they shall assuredly perish but comfort and deliuerance shall Esth appeare vnto Gods people out of another place The Lord for a vvhile may put the brydle of bondage in the Philistims hand to humble Israell for their sinnes but it shall be taken from them at length his Church shall with ioy draw vvater out of the Well of saluation and praise the Lord saying though thou wert angry with mee thy wrath is turned away and thou comfortest mee yea Sion shall cry out and shout for ioy for great is the holy One of Israel in the middect of her And therefore in our lowest humiliations let vs answere our enemies Reioyce not against mee O mine enemie though I fall I shall rise when I shall sit in darknesse the Lord is a light vnto me I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I haue sinned against him vntill he plead my cause and execute iudgement for mee he will bring me forth to the light and I shall see his righteousnesse then he that is mine enemie shall looke vpon it and shame shall couer him who said to me where is the Lord thy God now shall hee be troden vnder as the mire in the streets yea so let all thine enemies perish O Lord. For the best This good or best is no other thing but What is a christians best that precious saluation prepared to be shewed in the last time reserued in the heauens for vs and whereunto wee are
reserued by the power of God through Faith Of this it is euident that our best is not yet vvrought it is onely in the vvorking and therefore vvee are not to looke for it in this life There is a great difference in this betweene the godly A wicked man is at his best when he is first borne for the longer he liues the more sins he multiplyes and the wicked the one inioyes their best in this life the other not so but looketh for it If it should be demaunded vvhen a wicked man is at his best I would answere his best is euill enough but then is he at his best vvhen he comes first into the world for then his sinnes are fewest his iudgement easiest it had beene good for him that the knees had not preuented him but that hee had dyed in the birth For as a riuer vvhich is smallest at the beginning increases as it proceedes by the accession of other waters vnto it so the wicked the longer he liueth waxeth worse and worse deceiuing Ierem. 9. 3. and being deceiued proceeding from euill to worse till at length he be swallowed vp in that lake that burnes vvith fire and brimstone And this the Apostle expresseth most significantly when A man continuing in sinne compared to one gathering a treasure Rom. 2. hee compares the vvicked man vnto one gathering a treasure wherein hee heapeth vp wrath vnto himselfe against the day of wrath for euen as the worldling who euery day casteth a piece of money into his treasure in few yeares multiplyes such a summe that hee himselfe is not able to keepe in minde the particulars thereof but when hee breaketh vp his boxe he findes in it sundry sorts of coyne which vvere quite out of his remembrance euen so it is and worse vvith thee O impenitent man who not onely euery day but euery houre and moment of the day doest multiply thy transgressions and defile thy conscience by hoording vp into it some dead worke or other to what a reckoning thinkest thou shall thy sinnes amount in the end though thou doest forget them as thou committest them yet the Apostle tels thee that thou hast laid them vp in a treasurie Yea not onely hast thou laid vp in store thy sinnes but With euery new sinne he gathers a new portion of wrath vvith euery sinne hast gathered a portion of vvrath proportionable to thy sinne vvhich thou shalt know in that day vvherein the Lord shall breake vp thy treasure and open the booke of thy conscience and set thy sinnes in order before thee then shall thine owne wickednesse correct Ierem. 2. thee and thy turning backe shall reproue thee then shalt thou know and behold that it is an euill thing and a bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God Thou shalt be astonished to see such a multitude of vvitnesses standing vp against thee those sinnes vvhich thou hast cast behind thy backe thou shalt see them set in the light of the countenance of God woe then shall be vnto thee for the Lord then shall turne thine owne wayes vpon thine head the Lord shall giue thee to drincke of that cuppe vvhich thou hast filled vvith thine owne hand when thou shalt haue accomplished the measure of thine iniquitie and he shall double his stripes vpon thee according to the number of thy transgressions But as for the children of God if yee doe aske vvhen A Christians best begins in the day of his conuersion they are at the best I answere praised be God our vvorst is gone our good is begunne our best is at hand As our Sauiour said to his kinsmen so may vve say to the vvorldlings your time is alway but my time is not yet come We were Ioh. 6. 3. at the vvorst immediately before our conuersion for our vvhole life till then vvas a walking with the children of disobedience in the broad way that leads to perdition then we were at the worst when we had proceeded furthest in the way of vnrighteousnesse for then wee were furthest from God Our best began in the day of our recalling wherin the Lord by his vvord and holy Spirit called vpon vs and made vs change our course turning our backes vpon Sathan and our faces toward the Lord and so caused vs to part company vvith the children of disobedience that vvhere they â—ent on in their sinnes to iudgement vve came home with the penitent forlorne vnto our Fathers familie That was a happy day of diuision betweene vs and our sinnes in that The day of our conuersion was a day of diuision betweene vs and our olde sinnes which we should not forget day with Israel wee entred into the borders of Canaan to Gilgall there were we circumcised and the shame of Egipt taken from vs euen our sinne which is our shame indeed and which wee brought vvith vs euen from our mothers wombe The Lord grant that we may keepe it in thankefull remembrance and that we may count it a double shame to returne againe to the bondage of Egypt to serue any more that Prince of darknesse in bricke and clay that is to haue fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse but that like the redeemed of the Lord wee may walke from strength to strength till we appeare before the face of our God in Sion Alway this difference of estates betweene the godly and Seeing our best is not in this life let vs possesse our soules in patience wicked should learne vs patience let vs not seeke that in the earth which our gracious Father in his most wise dispensation hath reserued for vs in heauen Let vs not be like the foolish Iewes who loued the place of their banishment in Babell better than their home Now our life is hid with God in Christ and wee know not yet what we shall be but we know when hee shall appeare wee shall be like him the Lord shall carry vs by his mercie and bring vs by his strength into the holy habitation he shall plant vs in the mountaine of his inheritance euen the place which he hath prepared and sanctuarie which hee hath established then euerlasting ioy shall be vpon our head and sorrow and mourning shall flye from vs for euer And now till the Lord haue accomplished his worke in vs let vs not faint because the wicked floruish how euer they prosper they are to be pittied more than enuied let them eate and drinke and be merry sure it is they will neuer see a better life then that which presently they enioy they haue receiued their consolation in this life and haue gotten their portion in this present world Surely no tongue can expresse their miserie and yet â—s How they are to be pittied who reioyce in things present as in their best things Samuel mourned for Saul when God reiected him and Ieremie wept in secret for the pride of his people that would not repent of their sinnes how
ex meritis nostris quod principium bonorum operum est ex nobis consummatio ex Deo To affirme that any merit vpon our part must be presupposed the prescience whereof was the cause of predestination is no other thing but to affirme that grace were giuen of our merits and that the beginning of good workes were of our selues and the consummation thereof were of God therefore saith hee the words are to be read this way more conueniently whom he fore-knew them he also predestinated to be made like vnto the image of his Sonne vt ista conformitas non sit ratio praedestinationis sed effectus that so this conformitie be not a cause of predestination but an effect But beside these this errour is conuinced by manifold Sanctification is an effect of predestination and therefore not a cause of it Ephes 1. 4. proofes of holy Scripture the Apostle saith hee hath chosen vs in Christ therefore not in our selues he saith againe that wee should be holy and without blam hee saith not he chose vs because he foresaw that wee would be holy so hee sets downe sanctification as an effect of Predestination Now it is certaine that one effect of Predestination may well be the cause of an other posterior effect as the preaching of the word is a cause of faith and faith is a certaine cause of iustification but no effect of Predestination can be cause of it Againe he saith The Lord hath saued vs and called vs with 2 Tim. 1. 9. an holy calling not according to our workes here yee see that in our calling our workes and Gods purpose are manifestly opponed so that the putting of the one is the remouing of the other thus neyther in our Election before time nor in our calling in time hath the Lord regarded our workes or foreseene rectitude of our will but the good pleasure of his owne will And I pray you what other thing could the Lord foresee The calling of God finds euery man in an euill estate Esay 48. 8. in vs than that vvhich hee foresaw in the Israelites I knew that thou art obstinate and thy neck an iron sinew and thy browe brasse I knew that thou wouldest grieuously transgresse therefore I called thee a transgressor from the wombe yet for my Names sake will I deferre my wrath and for my praise will I refraine it from thee that I cut thee not off yea in so many places of holy Scripture doth the Lord plead the cause of his owne glory that it cannot be but a most fearefull sacriledge against so cleare a light for a man eyther in part or in whole to make his own merits a cause of saluation When the Lord called Abraham hee found him an Idolater when hee called Paul hee found him a persecuter when he called Matthew hee found him a Publican when hee called Mary he found her possessed with Diuels all that euer receiued grace stand vp as so many witnesses of his glory Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but to thy name be Psal 115. 1. the praise And to these obiections which the braine of man hath Obiections of men against Gods predestination answered brought out against this truth of God to cleare themselues and charge the Lord with vnrighteousnes they are all sufficiently answered by the Apostle that the Lord by reason of his absolute authoritie ouer all his creatures hath power of the same lumpe to make one vessell of honour for to Rom. 9. 10. shew the glory of his mercy and an other vessell of dishonour to shew the glory of his iustice seeing this power is not denyed to the potter ouer his clay how dare man speak against it in the Lord ouer his creature O man who art thou that pleadect with God Woe be to him that striueth with his Maker If I dispute with thee O Lord thou art righteous how euer I iudge of thy counsell and of the manner of thy working thou art asway righteous Si non vis errare if thou Aug. in Ioan. tract 26. wilt not erre saith Augustine iudge not the Lord why one is saued the Apostle tels you I haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy Misericordia eius misericordiae causa why another Aug. Epist 59. ad Paulin is reiected Causa potest esse occulta iniusta esse non potest the cause may be secret but cannot be vniust qui infactis Dei rationem non videt infirmitatem suam considerans cur Gregor in Iob cap. 9. non videt rationem videat hee that seeth not a reason of the Lords doing let him looke to his own infirmitie and he shall see a reason why hee seeth it not The Lord hath hid euen from most wicked men the purpose of their owne reprobation till it come to the execution and then shall they receiue an answere from their owne consciences to stop their mouthes which now they will not receiue from man Euery one of the damned shall be compelled to acknowledge that the iudgement executed vpon them is righteous But now to returne to the doctrine wee haue first to obserue Predestination takes not away the second causes and meanes of saluation out of the signification of the vvord which I marked before that the Lords determinate counsell and predestination takes not away the nature properties nor necessities of secondarie causes and meanes of saluation but rather establishes them for those whom God hath appointed to saluation he hath also appointed to those meanes which may bring them vnto it It is therefore a blasphemie which is frequent in the mouthes of carnall professors if I be elected howsoeuer I liue I shall be saued and if otherwise I be a reprobate liue as I will I cannot mend it this is no other thing but Sathans diuinitie if thou be the Sonne of God Sathans diuinitie teacheth Atheists to despise the means of saluation cast thy selfe downe from the Temple thou shalt not dash thy foote against a stone as if the sonnes of God were licensed to despise the second and ordinarie meanes and not rather bound to vse them but in very deed as it is against the nature of fire to be cold so is it impossible that the elect man effectually called can reason after this manner yea the more he heares of election the more hee endeauours to make it sure by vvell doing knowing that no man can attaine to the end of our Faith which is the saluation of our soule but by the lawfull and ordinarie meanes Both temporall and spirituall blessings the Lord wil haue God giues his blessing by meanes therefore they shuld not neglect the meanes who seeke the blessing Hos 2. 21. vs to seeke them by the lawfull and ordinarie meanes the Cornes cannot serue Israel except the earth beare them the earth cannot beare them except the heauens giue raine the heauens can giue no raine except the Lord command them Therefore vvhen the
the word In the carnall brotherhoode though the parents be one yet the inheritance is not one though the seede of the flesh be one yet the soule that quickneth the body in both is not one but in the spirituall brotherhood the parents are one the inheritance one the seede vvhereof they are begotten is one and the spirit which quickeneth them all is one It is not then Baptisme nor externall profession which proueth a man to be the kinsman and brother of Christ it is the spirit of Iesus which whosoeuer hath not the same is not his and whosoeuer hath him it is certaine they become new creatures Great is that dignitie certainely whereunto we are called The greatnes of Christs loue toward vs in making vs his brethren and matchlesse is that loue which the Lord Iesus hath carried toward vs who not content to make vs his seruants hath made vs his brethren If he had shewed vs no more kindnesse then Abraham did Lot his kinsman yet euen for that had hee beene worthy to be loued for euer but behold what a greater loue our Lord hath shewed vnto vs we forsooke him more vnkindly than Lot did Abraham yet did hee still retayne his kindly affection toward vs when we were carried away captiue by spirituall Chedarlaomer he did not onely hazard but laid downe his life for our Redemption Moses is greatly praised for that vvhen hee was honourable in Aegypt he left the Court of Pharaoh to visit his brethren esteeming the rebuke of Christ in his people greater riches than all the treasures of Aegypt and Ioseph is also commended that being second person vnder Pharaoh in the kingdome of Aegypt yet hee was not ashamed of his Father and brethren albeit they for their trade being sheepekeepers were abhomination to the Aegyptians But all these are not comparable to that loue which the Lord Iesus hath borne toward vs in that notwithstanding our base estate hee hath not beene ashamed to call vs his brethren The Lord make vs thankefull and shed abroad in our hearts the sense of that loue vvhich hee hath borne toward vs that wee neuer be ashamed of him for no Crosse that for his sake can be laid vpon vs. Verse 30. Moreouer whom he predestinated them also he called and whom he called them also he iustified and whom he iustified them also he glorified THere is no part of holy Scripture vvhich is What a cleare sight of saluation is here discouered to the Christian not stored with the words of eternall life but as that part of earth which is rich of minerals of gold and siluer is more esteemed than other land vvere it neuer so fruitfull so ought this place of holy Scripture to be accounted of vs all as containing in it a most rich minerall not of gold siluer or precious stones but of a more precious saluation wherein the deeper thou art able to digge the stronger clearer and greater sight of saluation ariseth vnto thee there is not in all the booke of God a place of holy Scripture vvhich presents to the childe of God so cleare and certaine a sight of his election and glorification as this place doth wherein now we are trauailing for the holy Apostle in this golden chaine of Saluation doth in such sort knit our effectuall Calling with our Election and Glorification that the Christian vpon earth may euidently see what God in the heauens hath decreed toward him we haue spoken of the first two lincks of the Chaine Prescience and Predestination now we proceed to speake of the third to wit our Calling Where first of all for our greater comfort let vs stand The prerogatiues of a Christian are farre more honourable than any that worldlings can claime and consider how great and glorious are the benefits which God hath bestowed on the Christian before time the Lord hath chosen him after time the Lord will glorifie him in time the Lord doth can and iustifie him Worldlings also haue their owne prerogatiues wherin they place their glory those among them that haue most ample and ancient inheritances are counted most honourable but thou vvho art named a Christian if thou be so indeede looke to thine owne priuiledges and thou shalt see that the glorie of a Christian doth far exceed the glorie of the most honorable Worldling as the Psalmist spake of Ierusalem so may wee of the Christian Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou man Psal 87. 3. of God Election is the first and most auncient charter of the The most sure and auncient Charters of a Christian to his inheritance right of Gods Children to their Fathers inheritance Calling is the second by it we are knowne to be the Sonnes of God and our Election secret in it selfe is manifested to vs and others Iustification is the third by it wee are infest in Iesus Christ and made partakers of all that is his Glorification is the last by it wee are entred heyres to our Father and fully possessed in his inheritance No King vpon earth can produce so auncient a right to his Crowne though vvith the Egyptian thou shouldest reckon thy beginning so many yeares before the creation of the world yet canst thou not match the Christian hee hath the most auncient charter of the most ample inheritance neither can any man vpon earth be knowne his Fathers heyre vpon such sufficient warrand as the Christian for in the regeneration the Father communicateth to him his Image his Nature his Spirit whereby he beginneth from feeling to call God his Father and in life and manners to resemble him No freeholder so surely infest in his lands nor hath receiued so many confirmations thereupon as the Christian iustified who vpon his gift of righteousnesse and life hath also receiued the earnest the pledge the scale and the witnesse of the great King And last of all the Christian shall be entred to the full possession of his Fathers inheritance vvith such ioy and triumph in the glorious assembly of the Saints as the like was neuer seene in the world no not in Ierusalem that day wherein Salomon entred heyre to his Father Dauid then the earth rang for ioy but nothing comparable to that ioy wherewith the heauens shall ring when all the Sonnes of God shall be caught from the earth into the ayre to meet the Lord Iesus and to be inuested in the Kingdome of their Father But now wee are to speake of this Calling wherein consists all our comfort for it is the middle lincke of this indiuisible Calling is the first manifestation of our Election and forerunner of our Glorification Chaine he that hath it is sure of both the ends Our Calling is the first manifestation of our secret Election and it is a sure forerunner of our Glorification being in effect the voyce of GOD fore-telling vs that he will glorifie vs. As the best way in a maine land to finde the sea is to walke by a riuer
the proper subiect The righteousnesse of God because he onely in his meruailous wisedome found it out it is called the righteousnesse of Faith because Faith is the instrument by which wee apprehend it and it is called our righteousnesse because it is giuen vnto vs of God to be ours by imputation on Gods part by acceptation of it by Faith vpon our part for these two wayes that acquisite righteousnesse of Christ is made ours This wee haue to marke for our comfort against those The consideration that Christs righteousnes is ours stoppeth the mouth of all that impugnes our Faith obiections which eyther inwardly by Sathan or outwardly by men of a contrary opinion are obiected vnto vs. If they to trouble our peace and weaken our Faith aske how can yee be iustified by a righteousnesse which is not yours wee answere the righteousnesse of Christ is ours and ours by as great a right as any other thing that wee possesse is ours to wit by the free gift of God seeing it hath pleased God to giue vs a gaâ—ment who were naked and to giue vs who had none of our owne a righteousnesse answerable to his Iustice vvhat intrest can eyther man or Angell haue to resist it The euasions and obiections whereby the aduersarie Works not of the vnregenerate onely but of the regenerate also excluded from the act of Iustification impugnes this doctrine are chiefely these First the Apostle say they excludeth the works of nature not the works of Grace the workes of a man vnregenerate they confesse cannot iustifie him but the works of a man regenerate say they doe iustifie him but this is false as is proued first by examples for Abraham whose example the Apostle bringeth in to confirme the doctrine of Iustification was a regenerate man and effectually called yet as witnesseth both Moses and S. Paul his saith was counted to him for righteousnesse Proued by examples Dauid after hee had beene a regenerate man yet saith Lord enter not into iudgement with thy Seruant for in thy Psal sight shall no flesh be iustified The Apostle Paul protests of himselfe I haue in all good conscience serued God vnto this day neither know I any thing of my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified hee was more abundant in good workes than all the rest of the Apostles he did also beare in his bodie the markes of Iesus and was renowned through his manifold sufferings If euer any regenerate man could haue bin iustified by his good works it was this holy Apostle yet hee tels you himselfe for all that I haue done for all that I haue suffered yet am I not thereby iustified The same is proued by reason that which by order of The same proued by reason nature followes our Iustification before GOD cannot be said to iustifie vs in the presence of God but so it is good workes by order of nature followes our iustification before GOD Non praecedunt iustificandum sed sequuntur iustificatum Againe such vvorkes as are not Augustine perfectly agreeable to the rule of Legall iustice cannot iustifie vs but rather fall vnder that curse Cursed is hee who fulfilleth not euery iot of the Law but so it is that the workes euen of men regenerate are not able to answere the perfection of the Law There is no man saith Salomon iust Eccles 7. Iob. in the earth that doth good and sinneth not If I would dispute with God I could not saith Iob make answere vnto one of a thousand All our righteousnesse saith Ieremie is but like a Ierem. menstruous cloath and our Sauiour hath taught euen regenerate men to pray daily for the remission of their sinnes Quid ergo de peccatis nostris fiet quando ne ipsa quidem pro se Bern. in fest o 〈…〉 uÌ„ sanct serm â— respondere poterit iustiâ—â—a nostra vvhat then shall become of our sinnes when our righteousnesse is not able to answere for it selfe Vae hominum iustitiae quantumuis laudabili si remota misericordia Dei iudicetur woe to the righteousnesse of man were it neuer so lowable if God setting aside mercy enter to iudge it But they insist the vvorkes of regenerate men are the How it is that workes of men regenerate doe not merit seeing they are workes done in vs by the spirit of Christ Heb. 1. 3. workes of Christ for it is he who by his spirit workes them in them therefore they are meritorious and iustifies I answere the works of Christ iustifies it is true if yee vnderstand his personall works done by himselfe in his owne person as the Apostle teacheth vs He hath purged our sinnes by himselfe But as for those works which he works in vs by his spirit of grace he works them not for our iustification that as I haue said he hath done already by himselfe and in his owne person but for our sanctification Secondly the good works of men regenerate are so wrought by Christ in vs that they are also wrought by vs and we haue our working in them and therefore by reason of our imperfection cannot be perfect for as the fountaines of the actions are so must the actions be themselues the fountaines are mixed being partly good and partly euill for our minde is not so illuminated that there is no darknesse in it neither is our heart so sanctified that there is no vncleannesse in it and therefore the actions flowing from thence cannot be perfect works of light and sanctification They insist yet further and obiects if the Apostle say Faith works are not simply opponed to other for they are inseperable but opponed onely in the act of Iustification they in his conclusion we are iustified by Faith without the workes of the Law did vnderstand the workes of Grace then it would follow that he oppones things which are not to be opponed for workes and Grace vvorkes and Faith workes and Christ are not opposite but agrees very wel together as the cause and effect as the tree and the branch To this wee answere that Faith and vvorkes agrees well together but there is nothing in the vvorld vvhich agree so well the one with the other but in some things they may be opponed as for example the tree and the branch agrees very vvell together but if the question be moued whether the tree beares the branch or the branch the tree in this they are opponed that vvhich is affirmed of the one must be denied of the other Againe there is a very sweet harmony betweene a naturall Father and the sonne the one of them cannot be without the other for hee is not a Father who neuer had a sonne neither is he a sonne who neuer had a Father but if this be the question which of them gaue beginning to another here wee must oppone them affirming that of the one which we denie of the other In like manner there is a very sweet harmony and
with the Apostle in whatsoeuer state we are to be content remembring that euery mans portion of vvorldly things is measured vnto him from the Lord. We see that a steward in a family ministers not alike vnto all that are in it the aged and the young the seruant and the Lord receiues not a like portion yet no man gainsayes it and shall we not reuerence the Lords dispensation who is the greatest steward of his family in heauen and earth shall we murmure against him if he giue Beniamin a double portion and bestow vpon some of his children these worldly things in greater aboundance than he doth vpon others farre be it from vs for he dispenses these perishing things in great wisedome and loue toward vs as he seeth may be best for vs. Certainely we ought so to Hee hath no cause to complaine to whoÌ„ the father hath giuen his Son for an irreuocable gift reioyce in that great gift the Lord Iesus whom the Father hath giuen vs and in whom he hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings that we take no thought for any other thing whatsoeuer which he hath thought expedient to hold from vs. Oh that wee could giue vnto the Lord this glory as to say without grudging O Lord Iesus I can want nothing seeing I haue thee to be my portion And further seeing all these things are dispensed and Our care and labour is but vaine without his blessing giuen by GOD let vs as I said in our callings aboue all things seeke his blessing Adam may make himselfe a garment but it shall not couer his nakednesse Ionas may build himselfe a booth but it shall not defend him from the heat of the Sunne Peter fished all night and hee profited nothing till Iesus spake the word Though we rise early and lye Psal 127. 2. downe late and eate the bread of sorrow yet shall wee labour in vaine vnlesse the Lord giue the blessing Let vs therefore so vse the meanes that with them we ioyne prayer moderating our care let vs commit the successe to the Lord. It is true that Religion allowes not carelesnesse yea by the contrary it commaunds vs to be carefull for those whom God hath committed vnto vs If any man care not for his houshold he is 1 Tim. 5. 8. worse than an infidell This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a moderate foreseeing of things which are needfull but there is an vnlawfull care Two sorts of cares the daughter of distrust whereby men are carried either beyond lawfull meanes or else if the meanes be lawfull beyond the measure of a temperate affection as though a man had not a Father â— heauen to care for him or were able to compasse things by his owne wit This care is not vnprofitable onely but full of many perturbations for vvhich our Sauiour compares it to thornes which are most easily gouerned when they are most lightly touched whereas hee vvho gripes them hardly inuolues them and makes them more perplex and hurts himselfe also Our Sauiour correcting Martha for too much care of the vvorldly part Luke 10. 41. ioynes these two thou art carefull about many things and arâ— troubled telling vs that which we finde in experience that many worldly cares breeds many troubles Let vs walk therefore in the right way vsing the meanes in sobernesse let vs cast our care on the Lord. Last of all it is to be marked here that the Apostle saith Christ is the chiefe gift all other gifts are but pendicles giuen with him that God with Christ giues all things vnto vs so then Iesus Christ is the maine and great gift and all other things are but pendicles annexed vnto it Other gifts without Christ haue a shew of comfort but renders no solide comfort in the end they shall be deceiued at length who glories in other things were they neuer so excellent while as they are strangers from Christ When God said to Abraham feare not I am thy buckler and thy exceeding great reward not considering Geâ— 15. 1. what the Lord offered to him hee answered in his weakenesse O Lord what canst thou giue me seeing I goe childlesse Verse 2. Euen he who was the Father of the faithfull could not conceiue how great good God promised to him when hee promised himselfe to be his reward And therefore let vs suspecting our weakenesse that it carry vs not into the like errour watch ouer our owne hearts that they be not set vpon Gods secondary gifts more than vpon himselfe Albeit the Lord should giue vs pleasant Canaan for an inheritance and multiply our posteritie as the starres of heauen yet will we say O Lord all these shall not content vs vnlesse thou dost giue vs thy selfe It doth more reioyce vs that thou hast giuen vs thy Sonne Iesus to be our Sauiour than that thou hast subdued all the vvorks of thine hands vnder vs. Verse 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is God that iustifies THe Apostle in his generall triumph contained The Apostles particular triumph first against sinne secondly against the crosse in the last two Verses hauing proclaimed a defiance to all the enemies of a Christian doth now begin to challenge them particularly triumphing first against sinne Verse 33. 34. thereafter against all sort of afflictions that come vpon vs by vvhatsoeuer instruments visible or inuisible Wee â—egun first at his triumph against sinne who saith he shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen he excepts no person neyther is any eyther in heauen in earth or in hell able to doe it hee reserues no sort of sinne seeke what they will there is nothing to be found in the Christian to accuse him and condemne him his interrogation is plaine his answere is supprest his reason is subioyned It is God that iustifies vvhere the supreame Iudge absolues can any inferiour Iudge whatsoeuer condemne Where first vve haue to consider vvho is hee that this A man relieued of the burden of sinne is filled with ioy 1 Tim. 1. 15. 1 Cor. 15. 9. manner of vvay triumphs Is it not Paul vvho before his conuersion vvas a persecuter a blasphemer and an oppresser vvho confesseth himselfe to be the chiefe of all sinners and the least of all Saints yea indeed the same is hee but marke such a one hee was indeed but hath gotten mercy and therefore now like a man relieued of a heauie burthen vvhich before oppressed him hee reioyces and triumphes Certainely no greater comfort can come to man than to feele his sins forgiuen him this onely causeth true reioycing See this in Dauid as long as the burden of sinne lay vpon his conscience it prest out the very naturall moysture of his body he had no rest night nor day but from the time that once Nathan proclaimed to him remission and that in his owne conscience he felt his sinne forgiuen him then he cryed â—ut O blessed is