Lord promises a blessing In that day saith the Lord I will heare the heauens and they shall heare the earth and the earth shall heare the corne and the wine and the oyle and they shall heare Israell And that he keepes the same order in bestowing spiritual blessings we are taught by the Apostle vvhen hee saith that before vve be saued we Rom. 10. 13. must call on the name of the Lord before vve call on his name we must beleeue before we beleeue we must heare before we heare there must be preaching whereof it is euident that they who neglect and contemne the ordinary meanes of saluation do giue out a very hard sentence against themselues which is that if they so continue they doe not appertaine vnto election And againe for our further comfort wee haue here to Comfort our election before time cannot be disanulled by any creature made in time marke the certaintie and soliditie of our saluation it is neither to day nor yesterday that the Lord concluded to be mercifull vnto vs our election beganne not with our selues before the mountaines were made before the earth and the world were formed euen from euerlasting to euerlasting the Lord is our God What creature then is able to disanull that which God hath vvilled before that euer a creature was onely let vs labour that as our election is sure in it selfe so we may make it sure in vs by walking in a good conscience before the Lord and then vve shall not care what man or Angell say to the contrarie against it they are but posterior creatures and what intrest can they haue to gainesay that vvhich GOD hath done before that they vvere Happy are they vvho are rooted grounded and builded vpon this rocke no stormy waue of the Sea shall ouerturne them no rage of tentation nor power of the gates of hell shall preuaile against them Lastly vve are taught here by the holy Apostle that all Sauing grace is communicated to few therefore should be the more esteemed men are not foreknowne all are not predestinated to life otherwise there vvere not an election there is onely a certaine and definit number vvhich belong to the election of Grace a fulnesse both of Iewes and Gentiles a number not knowne to vs but knowne to the Lord not one more nor one lesse shall be partakers of saluation Many saith our Sauiour shall come from the East and from the West and shall sit with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of Mat. 8. 11. God hee saith not all the children of the East shall come but many shall come This should vvaken in vs a holy care so long as the calling of God continues among vs to take heed to our selues striuing to thrust in at the doore of the kingdome of heauen for it suffers violence and the violent take it the fewer there be to be receiued into the kingdome the more we should labour to be of that number Wee see So it is in nature that rarest things are most regarded that in nature things that are common were they neuer so excellent are not esteemed the Sunne because common to all is regarded of few though it be a very excellent and profitable creature but parcels of the earth possessed by men in propertie are much more remembred and regarded by those to vvhom they belong riches and honor are in greater account among men because few attaine vnto them and if vvee vvere as wise in spirituall things that grace of Christ vvhich brings saluation would be more precious and deere vnto vs because it is communicated to few The Lord giue vs grace to consider rightly of it in time To be made like to the image of the Sonne The Apostle Predestination is vnto glory by a conformitie with Christ in our present life insists not in the rest of the linckes of the Chaine hauing touched them he leaues them onely he insists in this lincke of Predestination teaching vs that hee vseth not here the vvord of Predestination generally but restraines it to Predestination vnto life as also that vvee cannot step from election to glory but by a conformitie vvith Christ vvhich is most necessarie for vs to marke for albeit there be great comfort in the consideration of Gods immutable purpose ordayning man to life as also in the consideration of that glory vvhereunto we are ordayned yet neither of them can comfort vs vnlesse vvee be sure that our life is proceeding from election to glorification by the right meanes The first and neerest end of election in regard of man Ephes 1. 4. As Christ is the life so is he the way neither can wee come to life but by the way Ioh. 14. 6. is his sanctification for the Lord hath chosen vs that vvee should be holy the second and furthest end is mans glorification The same Lord Iesus who said I am the life said in like manner I am the way and the veritie if thou wouldst be at life lye not stil in thy sinnes but rise and walke in the way and if thou knowest not the way learne it from him who is veritie Let not presumption which slayes the wicked ouertake thee they passe ouer the matter of their saluation with a wanton vvord their hearts are prophane yea they boast with their tongues that they are sure to be saued but this is a vaine reioycing for he that walkes not in the way how is it possible that he can come to the end assuredly he shal neuer come where Christ is to liue with him that vvalkes not after Christ in newnesse of life This conformitie vvith the Lord Iesus vvhereunto wee Conformitie with Christ wherein it stands are predestinated is partly in this life partly in the life to come Our conformitie in the life to come shall stand in liuing and raigning vvith Christ which is our glorification whereof he speakes hereafter Our conformitie in this life stands in liuing and suffering with Christ and of this hee speakes here to liue godly after the rule of Christ to suffer patiently after the similitude of Christ are the two parts of our present conformitie with him The Lord Iesus is giuen vs of the Father both to be a Sauiour and an example vnlesse wee make him an example to follow him in our doing and suffering he shall not be vnto vs a Sauiour Here we are to marke that the workes done by Christ in Workes done by Christ are threefold 1. personall workes of Redemption 2. Miracles 3. workes of a godly life our nature are threefold first his personall workes of Redemption as that he vvas borne of the Virgin that he suffered the cursed death of the Crosse for the expâ—ation of our sinnes that he rose the third day for our iustification that he ascended triumphantly into heauen leading captiuitie captiue Secondly his workes of miracles as that hee fasted forty dayes gaue sight to the blinde life to the dead and such
consider what thou hopest to be after this 2 What we hope to be after this life life dost thou not hope to raigne as a King in the heauens and wilt thou now liue as a slaue to Sathan vpon earth Is any man crowned except he sâ—riue as he ought or doth he receiue the prize who runnes not the race or can hee obtaine the victorie who neuer wrestled why then fightest thou not why runnest thou not why beginnest thou not to raigne in earth as a king ouer thy lusts seeing thou hopest to raigne as a king in heauen in glory Doe not deceiue thy selfe that crowne is for conquerours not for captiues Non sperare potest regnum coelorum cui supra propria membra regnare Ber. de persecutione sustineÌ„da cap. 11. 1. Iohn 3. 2. non donatur hee cannot looke for that heauenly kingdome to whom it is not giuen to raigne ouer his own earthly members Wee know that when Iesus shall appeare we shall be like him for wee shall see him as hee is and hee that hath this hope in himselfe purgeth himselfe euen as hee is pâ—re Certainly if the Lord through Grace prepare thee not for his Heauenly Kingdome thou canst neuer say with a warrant that the Lord hath prepared that kingdome for thee And thirdly the consideration of the present occasion 3 What presently we may be should waken vs to goe out of this house of bondage for now the Sonne of God offers to make vs free a Prince of greater power is content to enter into confederacie with vs hee promiseth to restore vs to all the priuiledges wee lost in Adam yea to giue vs much more than euer we had in him and shall we neglect so faire an occasion When Cyrus king of Persia proclaymed liberty to the Iewes to goe from Babell the place of their captiuitie homeward to Ierusalem it is said that all those went forward whose spirit God had raised vp and now when the Lords annoynted proclaymes liberty to the captiues and the opening of the door to them that are in prison I know that none shall follow his calling but such whose spirit the Lord hath raised vp the rest being miserably blind delight to lye still in captiuitie thinking their bondage liberty The Lord giue vs grace that we may discerne the time of our visitation that with Dauid we may aduance our eyes toward the Lord who hath begunne to plucke our feet out of the nâ—t and that still we may lift vp and stretch out our hands vnto him till hee haue deliuered vs fully from the power of the enemie This being spoken of the bondage we are now to consider Our deliuerance from this bondage is to be ascribed vnto Christ only Heb. 13. 9. Reuel 7. 1â— Isai 42. 8. that our deliuerance from it is here ascribed to Iesus Christ Thy perdition is of thy selfe O Israell But our saluation belongs to the Lord and to the Lambe that sits vpon the throne Let no man therefore be so vnthankfull as to ascribe any part of this glory to another my glory will I not giue to another saith the Lord the glory of a temporall deliuerance God will not giue it vnto man hee would not saue Israell vnder Gideon with thirtie two thousand and why least Israell should vaunt against the Lord and say my right hand hath done it Or euer he entred his people Israell into the land of Canaan he forewarned them that they should not say it was for their righteousnesse and will hee then thinke yee giue the praise of this most notable deliuerance to the Creature No the whole booke of God witnesseth that it is not for our righteousnesse but for the praise of the glory of his rich mercie that we are entred into heauenly Canaan Did Peter Iames and Iohn helpe the Lord Iesus in that agonie which he suffered in the garden no surely be bad them watch with him and pray but when hee was sweating blood they were sleeping when he was buffeted in Caiphas hall did not Peter deny him when he went to the Crosse did not all his disciples forsake him and those who loued him most dearely did they not stand a farre off from him Certainely he alone troad the wine-presse of the wrath of God he alone bare the punishment of our sinnes in his blessed body on the Crosse to him therfore alone pertayneth the glory of our saluation As for the persons to whom this deliuerance pertaines Mercies of god shewed vpon others should confirme vs if we repent to looke for the like to our selues the Apostle names himselfe among them hath freed vs not to exclude but rather to confirme all others who are in Iesus Christ For he confesses of himselfe that he was receiued to mercy for this end that God might shew vpon him an example of long suffering to them who shall in time to come beleeue in him vnto eternall life therefore it is that hee speakes of this deliuerance in his owne person for the confirmation 2. Tim. 1. 16. of others who hauing beene before as hee was notorious sinners are now become such as repents and beleeues And indeed euery example of GODS mercy shewed vnto others should serue to strengthen vs. Audientâ—s Christum non horruisse confitentem latronem c. when we Bernard heare sayth Bernard that the Lord Iesus abhorred not the penitent Theefe on the Crosse that hee despised not the sinfull Cananitish woman when she made supplication nor the woman taken in Adulterie nor him that sat at the receipt of Custome nor the Publicane when hee sought mercie nor the Disciple that denyed him neither yet the persecuter of his Disciples in odore horum vnguentorum â—urramus post cum in the sweet smell of these oyntments let vs runne after him Alwaies we see that the Apostle doth speake vnto others Preachers not pertakers of that mercy which they of a deliuerance obtayned by Christ as being also pertaker thereof himselfe As he was a Preacher of Christ so he was a follower of Christ he beate downe his body by discipline least that preaching vnto others hee should haue beene a pronounce to others are most miserable reprobate himselfe and therfore he now speaks as one who is sure that hee also hath his portion in Christ Otherwise what comfort can it be either to Preacher or professor to speake of that life and grace which commeth by Christ Iesus they themselues in the meane time being like to that miserable Atheist Simon Magus to whom Peter gaue out that fearefull sentence thou hast neither part nor fellowship in Acts. 8. 21. this businesse or like those Priests in Ierusalem in the dayes of Herod who directed others to Bethleem by the light of the word to worship Christ but went not themselues or those builders of Noahs Arke who helped to build a vessel for preseruation of others but perished in the deluge themselues or like Bilhah and Zilpah who brought
publike exercises of diuine worship prophanly scorned by some sorts of men among vs who are in two extremities we haue some who are become scorners of the grace of God in others neither can they be humbled themselues in the publik assemblies of the Saints nor be content to see others expresse their inward motion by outward humiliation they sit downe in the throne of God and condemnes others for hipocrisie not remembring that the sinne of hipocrisie is to be reserued to the iudgement of God who onely knowes the heart that those same things which they mislike in their brethreÌ„ the Lord hath allowed in others The Apostles precept commaunds vs to lift vp to the Lord pure hands in prayer Dauids practise teaches vs to aduance our eyes to the Lord shal not thy brother lift vp his hands his eyes to the Lord shall he not sigh to God nor mourne in his prayers like a Doue as Ezekiah did but thou incontinent wilt taxe him of hipocrisie We read that Iacob sought a blessing from the Lord with teares and obtained it Esau sought a blessing from his father with teares crying and obtained it not were the teares of Iacob the worse because Esau also shed teares Iudge not least thou be iudged the iudgement of Hypocrisie as I haue said belongs to the Lord. On the other extremitie are they who thinke they haue Superstitiously abused by others done enough when they haue discharged some outward exercises of religion though they take no paine to sanctifie the heart to works of diuine seruice On the Saboth they come to the house of God they bow their heads like a bulrush with the rest they pray and praise the Lord in the externall formes with the rest of the congregation but considers not whether or no they come into the temple by the motion of the Spirit as Simeon did if they pray and praise the Lord with prepared hearts as Dauid did neyther trye they when they goe out whether or no they haue met with the Lord found mercie and returneth home to their houses iustified as the Publican did It is true we are to glorifie God with our bodies because they are his but most of all with our spirits because God is a spirit he loueth truth in the inward affections and delights to be worshipped in spirit and truth We are called by the Apostle the Temples of God Seeing we are the temples of God we should be more beautifull within then without Salomons Temple the further in was the finer in the outward Court stood an Alter of brasse whereupon beastes were sacrificed in the inward Court was an Altar of gold whereupon incense was sacrificed but the Sanctuarie or most holy place did farre exceed them both in it was nothing but fine gold in it the Lord gaue his Oracles from betweene the Cherubins in it stood the Arke of the couenant wherein was the Tables of the Law And so indeed the Christian ought to be holy without his lookes his words his wayes should all declare that God dwelleth in his heart he should haue ingrauen as it were in his forehead Holinesse to the Lord as Aaron had but much more Exod. 28. 36. should hee be holy within betweene the secrets of his Soule should the Lord haue his residence and in his heart the testimony of God which is the word of God should dwell plentifully But as for the wicked they are eyther compared to open But the wicked are compared sometime to open and sometime to painted Sepulchers sepulchers their mouth being like that gate of the Temple called Shallecheth out of which was carryed all the filth of the Temple the abhomination of their heart being made manifest by their mouth or then in their best estate they are compared to painted Sepulchers beautifull without Math. 23. 27. Psal 32. 2. but within full of roâ—tennesse hauing a shew of godlinesse wanting the power thereof but the man is blessed in whose heart Iohn 1. 47. Rom. 2. 29. there is no guile hee is a Nathaniell indeed a true Israelite who is one within whose praise is not of men but of God But if any man haue not the Spirit of Christ the same is not his The comfort being ended now followes the Caution The secondary great question in religion is this who are Christians Euery man saith Salomon boasts of his owne goodnesse but the Lord saith the Apostle knoweth who are his As the first great question in Religion is concerning the Sauiour of the world Art thou he who is to come or shall Math. 11. 3. wee looke for another so the second is concerning them who are to be saued if the iudgement be referred to man now euery man among vs accounts himselfe a Christian If iudgement be sought from the Lord here he giues one answere for all If any man haue not the Spirit of Christ the same is not his Albeit among men there be an allowable difference of A soueraigne rule whereby Christians of all estates must be tryed estates yet concerning Christianitie both King and Subiect rich and poore learned and vnlearned comes all to be tryed by one rule It is a common thing among men to esteeme somewhat more of themselues for the priuiledge of their estate wherein they excell others but the Apostle destroyes the pride of all their glory with one word If any man so he speakes without exception be what thou wilt beside were thou neuer so noble neuer so rich neuer so learned if thou hast not the Spirit of Christ thou art none of his all the priuiledges of men without Iesus are nothing that which is high among men is abhomination to God Man in his best estate is altogether vanitie the glory of flesh is but as the flowre of the field the Spirit of the Lord iudgeth of all the glory of man as the pompe of Agrippa Acts. 25. 23. he came downe saith Saint Luke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is all but fantasie and vanishing shewes nothing commends vs to God but this one to haue the spirit of Christ dwelling in vs. Christ and his Spirit are not sundred Againe we see here that Christ and his Spirit cannot be sundred except men will crucifie againe the Sonne of God Let no man therefore say that he hath Christ vnlesse he haue the Spirit of Christ As he is not a man who hath not a Soule so he is not a Christian who hath not the Spirit of Christ no man counteth that a member of his body which is not quickned by his spirit no more is hee a member of Christ who hath not the Spirit of Christ 1 Iohn 4. 13. hereby we know that we dwell in him and hee in vs because he hath giuen vs of his Spirit And as Christ and his spirit are not sundred so cannot the spirit be sundred from the fruits of the Spirit now the fruites of the Spirit are Loue Ioy
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
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
neuer see himselfe I confesse indeed wee may reioyce in all the gifts which God hath giuen vs as in the tokens and testimonies of his loue but wee are alwayes to vse them with this protestation that nothing giuen vs in this life be allowed vnto vs for our portion and inheritance and that no contentment euer come vnto our hearts till vvee get himselfe who gaue them If the loue of the Corinthians made the Apostleâ—â— say I seeke not yours but you how much more should the loue of God compell vs to say vnto him It is not thy gifts O Lord but thy selfe I long for thou art the portion of my soule if thou wouldest giue me all the workes of thine hands yet shall I neuer haue comfort nor contentment except thou dost giue me thy selfe Therefore O thou whom my Cant. 1. 6. Soule loueth shew me where thou feedest where thou lyest at noone and dost rest for why should I be as shee that turneth aside to the flockes of thy companions Blessed is hee that hungers and thirsts for thy righteousnesse for hee shall behold thy face and be filled with thine image for in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand are pleasures for euermore The second tryall of our loue is Obedience and an holy 2 The effect of true loue is obedience and a care to please the Lord. Iohn 21. 15. care in all our callings to serue and honour the Lord. Preachers must be tryed by this rule Peter louest thou mâ— seede my flocke Gouernours and Counsellers must be tryed by this Can yee say in truth with the Godly Gouernour Dauid I loue the Lord then will yee also say with him what shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits how shall I shew my loue toward him and vvhat shall I doe in my time for aduancement of his glory If thou dost loue the Lord then wilt thou be a nourishing Father to his Church a carefull aduancer of his kingdome a wise prouisor to remoue those stumbling blocks which hinder the course of the Gospell If yee loue the Lord then vvill yee stand vp vvith Dauid and say Doâ— not I hate them O Lord that hate thee doe not Psal 139. 21. I earnestly contend with them that rise vp against thee surely I hate them with vnfained hatred aâ— if they were mine vtter enemies If ye honour the Lord as Dauid did the Lord shall blesse What great blessing belongeth to them who in their calling seeke to honour God you as he blessed Dauid Dauid sware vnto the Lord that hee would not rest till hee found out a place for the Lord euen an habitation for the mighty God of Iacob And the Lord sweares againe vnto Dauid that of the fruit of his body he vvould set vp one to raigne after him But if otherwise there be nothing in you but a care to stablish your selues and your houses vvith the neglect of the glory of God then remember that the curse of Shebna and not the blessing of Eliakim shall be vpon you Yee shall not be fastned Esay 22. 23. as a nayle in sure place but shall be rolled and turned away like a ball the Lord shall driue thee from thy station and out of thy dwelling place shall he destroy thee For the wicked shall not haue his desire his thoughts shall not be performed neyther Psa 140. 11. Psal 52. 5. shall hee be established on the earth but euill shall hunt him to destruction The Lord shall take thee and plucke thee out of thy Tabernacle and roote thee out of the Land of the liuing And generally all of you in your callings remember that But this age in word calleth Christ their King but casts off his yoke Iohn 15. 10. the value of your Christian loue must be tryed by the same touchstone not by your words but by your workes If any loue mee saith Iesus let him keepe my commaundements but here also the hypocrisie of this age is discouered as the Iewes called Iesus their King and bowed their knees before him but spat in his face and buffetted him so the bastard Christians of this age call Christ their Lord and bowe their knees before him yet by their sinfull life they crucifie him and tread his bloud of the couenant vnder their feete they kisse and betray him vvith Iudas it is but a Scepter of reed they allow him for they giue him no commaundement ouer their affections vvherefore great is the controuersie vvhich the Lord hath this day vvith the men of this generation The third tryall of loue is Bountifulnesse the Apostle 3 The propertie of loue is bountifulnesse 1 Cor. 13. 4. saith Loue is bountifull experience proues that euery louer bestoweth bountifully on that vvhich hee loueth yee loue your bodies and therefore largely bestow vpon them to feede them and cloath them yea vvith excessiue apparrell yee loue your Children and lets them vvant no needfull thing for them yea yee loue your beasts and spares not to bestow largely vpon them onely you say you loue the Lord but wherein are yee bountifull toward him It is true that in nothing can a man be profitable to the Almightie but are there not workes commaunded vs which should so shine before men that by them our heauenly Father may be glorified though workes can be no merits yet are they your witnesses and what haue yee done to remaine when yee are dead as vvitnesses of your loue toward the Lord Though your goodnesse extend not to the Lord yet where is your delight that should be on his Saints and excellent ones vpon earth where is your compassion and loue toward the brethren are not the men of this age like vnto that fig-tree which had faire leaues but not so much as one figge to giue vnto Iesus in his hunger hauing the shew of godlinesse but haue denied the power thereof yeelding words enough but no fruits to adorne the glorious Gospell of our Lord Iesus Of these and many moe if wee might insist in them it is manifest that all haue not the loue of God in their hearts who this day pretend it The last tryall of Loue which now wee bring is readinesse 4 The last is readines to suffer for his cause to suffer affliction for the cause of God The Apostles being beaten for preaching in the name of Iesus instead of mourning departed reioyeing that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christs sake and all because they loued him For the loue of Rahel seauen yeares of hard seruitude seemed vnto Iacob but a short space For the loue of Dinah Sichem willingly sustayned the circumcision and cutting of his flesh much more to him in vvhose heart abounds the loue of the Lord will bitter things become sweet and hard things easie This Loue hath made the holy Martyres step out of their owne element into the fire with greater ioy and willingnesse then worldlings haue when
they sit downe to their banquetting tables to refresh them or lyes downe in their beds to rest them The Apostle who suffered all sorts of affliction for the Gospell giues this for a reason that the loue of Iesus constrayned him Thus much concerning the effects of holy loue by which wee are to make sure our calling and consequently our election for our euerlasting comfort Euen to them that are called according to his purpose Hitherto the Apostle hath summarily set downe his third principall A confirmatiō of his third and last argument of comfort argument of comfort and now in the end of this verse he shortly breakes vp the confirmation thereof which is this they who loue God are called according to his purpose therfore all things must worke for the best vnto them The necessitie of this reason shall appeare if wee consider that the Lord cannot be frustrated of his end Those whom the Lord in his immutable purpose hath ordayned to glory and whom according to that purpose he hath called in time how can it be but all things must worke vnto their good for the vvorking prouidence of God vvhich is the executer of his purpose doth so ouer-rule all incidents which fall out in the world and doth so gouerne all secondary and inferiour causes that of necessitie they are directed to that end whereunto the supreame cause of all to wit the purpose and vvill of God hath ordayned them This is shortly set downe in these vvords and more largely explaned in the two verses following It is the last reason of comfort and the highest for now the Apostle leades vs out of our selues and sets vs vpon that rocke vvhich is higher than vve hee carries vs by the hand as it vvere out of the earth vp into heauen and lets vs see how our saluation is so grounded in Gods eternall purpose that no accident in the vvorld can change it Wee haue here then three things euery one of them depending Comfort that the ground of our saluation is in God the tokens thereof in our selues vpon another the loue of God flowing from the calling of God and the calling of God comming from the purpose of God vnto vvhich the Apostle here drawes vs that we casting our anchor with the vaile and resting in the Lords immutable purpose may haue comfort in all our present tentations It is most expedient for the godly to marke this that our manifolde changes doe not interrupt our peace let vs consider that the Lord hath in such sort dispensed our saluation that the ground thereof is laid in his owne immutable purpose but the markes and tokens thereof are placed in vs after our calling the markes and tokens are changeable like as wee our selues in vvhom they are are changeable but the ground holdes fast being laid in that vnchangeable God in whom falles no shadow of alteration Esay 46. Ioh. 10. 2 Tim. 2. I am God and am not changed My sheepe none can take out of my hand The counsell of the Lord shall stand and his foundation remaines sure It is true that the tokens of election cannot be sully taken away from any that is effectually called nay not in the greatest desertion yet haue they in vs their owne intention and remission And this should comfort vs against our daily vicissitudes and changes when wee feele that our Faith doth saint our life languishes our hope houers and vvee are like to sincke in the tentation vvith Peter and our feeble hands fall downe with Moses yet let vs not dispaire no change in vs can alter Gods vnchangeable purpose he who hath begun the worke in vs will also perfect it Because I am not changed saith Mal. 3. 6. the Lord therefore is it that yee O sonnes of Iacob are not consumed This purpose of God is called otherwise the will of God Our calling conuersion flowes from Gods purpose therefore all the praise of it belongs to the Lord. and the good pleasure of his Will In that the Apostle saith our calling is according to his purpose it teacheth vs to ascribe the whole praise of our saluation to the good pleasure of his will and not to our owne foreseene merits That poyson of pride vvhich Sathan poured into our first Parents and by vvhich they aspyred to be equall with God doth yet breake forth in their posterity the corrupt heart of man euer ayming at this to seeke vnto himselfe either in part or in whole the power and praise of his owne saluation This is to start vp into the roome of God and to vsurpe that glory which belongs to the Lord and he will not giue to any other than the which no greater sacriledge can be committed against the Lord. O man content thee with that which the Lord offers thee and let that alone vvhich hee reserues vnto himselfe My peace saith the Lord I giue to you my glory I will not giue to any other The first Preachers of the Gospell were Angels they proclaymed glory and peace but glory they gaue to God which is on high and peace they cryed to the children of his good will which are vpon earth It is enough that peace and saluation is giuen to be thine but as for the glory of saluation let it remain to the Lord. Hee is for this called the Father of mercie because mercie For this cause he is called the Father of Mercie and not of Iudgement 2 Tim. 1. 9. bred in his owne bosome Hee hath found many causes vvithout himselfe mouing him to execute iustice but a cause mouing him to shew mercie hee neuer found but the good pleasure of his will therefore the Apostle saith the Lord hath called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his purpose and grace Surely except the Lord had reserued mercy for vs wee had beene like to Sodome and Gomorrha but it pleased him of his owne good will of the same lumpe of clay to make vs vessels of honour vvhereof hee made others vessels of dishonour And who is able sufficiently to ponder so great a benefit and therefore howsoeuer the blinded Pharisee sacrifice to his owne net and make his mouth to kisse his hand as if his owne hand had done it yet let the redeemed of the Lord praise the Lord let them cry out with a louder voyce than Dauid did O Lord what are wee that thou art so mindfull of vs Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but to thy name giue the glory for thy louing kindnesse and thy truth for our saluation comes from God that sits vpon the throne and from the Lambe To thee O Lord be praise and honour and glorie for euer Now as for the calling wee are to know that the calling Our calling is twofold and the inward calling is a declaration of our election of God is twofold outward and inward He speakes not here of the outward calling of which our Sauiour
are happy for here the victory is certaine otherwise they who are among the children of disobedience Miserable are they who are militant vnder the Prince of darknesse militant vnder the Prince of the ayre are most miserable their end is darknesse shame and confusion It is a comfortable Oration which Abaijah King of Iuda hauing in his armie foure hundred thousand made to Ieroboam King of Israell and his armie of eight hundred thousand 2 Chro. 13. 8. with you said â—e is the multitude but with them yee haue the golden calues but with vs God is a Captaine his Priests to sound with the trumpet an Alarum against you therfore O Israel fight not against the Lord God of your fathers for ye shall not prosper but this comfort much more appertaines to the true Israel of God howsoeuer there be many which are against vs the golden calues are with theÌ„ that is strange gods which shall be their destruction As Moses when he was to plead the cause of God stood in the gate of the Campe cryed whosoeuer pertains to the Lord let him come to me so daily by the word of God do we exhort you which are on Gods side to gatheâ— you together into one not that it is possible ye can be seperate from them in this life in regard of personall conuersation for so saith the Apostle ye behoued to goe out of 1 Cor. 5. 10. the world but that by difference of your words and deedes from them ye declare that ye are not of their communion They who are on the side of Iesus are knowne chiefely Why all the followers of Christ are pursued of Sathan with restlesse malice these two manner of wayes First Sathan fights against them Secondly they are also warriours against him the first without the second is nothing for man euen as hee is a naturall man is an obiect of Sathans malice but where the grace of God hath made the man a new creature there Sathan doubles his hatred for he enuies most the glory of Gods mercy vvhereof hee knowes he shall neuer be pertaker As Nabuchadnezars countenance changed and his rage encreased when the three Children refused in his face to worship his image and thereupon commanded to make his Ouen seauen times hotter than it was before so is Sathans malice most entended against those who plainly refuse to fall downe and worship him But that the godly be not discouraged vvith his malice What comfort christians haue of this that they finde Sathan an enemy to them let vs remember that first hee was an enemie vnto God or euer hee was an enemy vnto vs and that wee haue cause to reioyce in that we finde that Apostate spirit an enemy vnto vs whom God from the beginning hath proclaymed to be an enemie vnto himselfe Secondly we are to collect of his inuasion and our resistance that there is in vs some measure of the grace of Iesus Christ for against those doth he multiply his malicious assaults on whom he sees that the Lord hath multiplyed his graces like to a crafty Pirate who passing by the emptie vessell sets vpon that which is loadned Thirdly how euer he being compared with vs hath many vantages as that he is more subtile in nature being of greater experience and more auncient being now almost sixe thousand yeeres old and hath also vantage of place for he is the Prince of the Ayre assisted with armies of spirituall wickednesse who for their number are legions for their strength principalities and powers for their subtiltie serpents for their fiercenesse dragons yet stronger is he who is on our side than they who are against vs the serpents head is bruised some life remaines in him but he haâ—h no power to inflict death on them which are in Christ If so be that they also liue at inimitie with Sathan 2 Chron. 15. 2. But what euer inimitie Sathan exercise against vs it is not sufficient to comfort vs vnlesse we also liue as enemies vnto him It was a notable speech of Azariah the Prophet to Asa the Lord is with you while yee be with him if thou stand with the compleat armour of God pleading the cause of God fighting against the enemy of God than maist thou say in a good conscience God is with thee and thou art with him But alas we see in this generation many wearing Christs liuerie and bearing Sathans armour professing friendship to Christ yet fighting against him these two factions are entred already into the battell pelmell so that in the smallest fellowships some ye shall finde aduancing the kingdome of the one though very few to fight for the glory of the other This comfort taken from carnall men who professe friendship to Christ and are seruants to sathan What a shame is this for vs who say wee are on the Lords side that a wicked man seruing Sathan shall in our audience open his mouth to blaspheme God and wee will not open our mouthes to rebuke him wee see carnall men so shamelesse that they stand vpon no circumstances to dishonour God and we who professe wee loue him for feare wee faile against curtesie and I cannot tell what circumstances dare not open our mouthes to praise him Our coldnes in this point hath need to be admonished that we may be stirred vp not by profession onely but by conuersation also to make it knowne to the vvorld that wee belong wholy to the Lord Iesus Who can be against vs It may seeme strange that the A Christian vvants not enemies Apostle should vse any such interrogatorie what Christian wants enemies inough against him yea saith not the Apostle of himselfe that hee had beasts at Ephesus with whom 1 Cor. 15. 32. he behoued to fight was there not an Angell of Sathan sent to buffet him did not Nero at length behead him 2 Cor. 12. 7. how is it then that hee askes who can be against him But vvee are to know that the Apostles meaning is not that godly men haue no enemies but that no enemie can take But none of them can take from vs that for which we striue from vs that for which we striue it is not for the maintenance of our bodily life that wee fight when our enemies haue taken that from vs they haue done no more than Potiphars wife did to Ioseph when she pulled the garment from him There are three notable things for which wee striue and which the world is neuer able to take from vs the loue of God which he hath borne to vs the grace of God which hee hath communicated to vs in our calling the glory of God and eternall life which hereafter doth abide vs no power of man nor Angell is able to depriue vs of these things An example whereof wee haue in that notable warriour This is declared in the example of Iob. of God Patient Iob whom the Lord set vp as an obiect of all
HEAVEN OPENED VVHEREIN THE COVNSAILE OF GOD CONCERNING mans Saluation is yet more cleerely manifested so that they that haue eyes may come and see the Christian possessed and crowned in his heauenly Kingdome Which is the greatest and last benefit we haue by Christ Iesus our Lord. Come and see First written and now newly amended and enlarged by Mr. William Cowper Minister of Gods word LONDON Printed by Thomas Snodham for Thomas Archer and are to be sould at his shop in Popes-head Pallace 1611. TO THE MOST SACRED CHRISTIAN TRVELY CATHOLIKE AND mightie Prince JAMES King of Great Britaine France and Ireland defender of the Faith c. SIR The Apostle S. Paule that Act. 9. 15. chosen vessell of God and his ambassadour sent forth into the world to bring in the house of Iapheth into the tents of Sem Gen. 9. 27. hauing in his peregrination vndertaken for preaching from Ierusalem vnto Illyricu seene Rom. 15. 19. the most pleasant parts of the world and in an extasie transported from earth into the third heauen seene also 2 Cor. 12. the pleasures of Paradise as one who knew both not by naked speculation but experience giues out his iudgement of both that the most excellent things of this world Philip. 3. 8. were but dung in respect of the Lord Iesus and that whatsoeuer pleasure on earth may delight the eye or eare 1 Cor. â— 9. of man is by infinite degrees inferiour to those which God hath prepared for his children and therefore passing by both the pleasures of life and terrors of death he fixed his eyes stedfastly vpon that prize of the high calling of Philip. 3. 14. God forgetting all other things he became carefull onely of this one so to runne and fulfill his course with ioy that Act. 20. 24. he might obtaine that crowne This as hee had learned 1. Cor. 9. 25. like a good disciple in the schoole of Christ so like a faithfull Doctor doth he here deliuer it vnto others letting vs see that the onely comfort of a Christian on earth consists in this to know that his name is written in heauen in the booke of life which as in this treatise he confirmeth vnto vs by the inseparable commixion of the lincks of the golden chaine of saluation specially of our calling with our election and glorification so he endeuors to draw the hearts of all the children of God toward it as that maine and onely point wherein true peace and ioy is to be found and without which all other comforts in the world yea Luke 20. 20 though it were superioritie ouer all the Angels of darkenesse in hell and all the bodies of men on earth shall be Iob. 16. 2. found in the end but miserable comforters I may truly say what I haue found in experience that this the Apostles most comfortable treatise to such as can Come and see shall not onely be as the top of Pisgah Deut. 34 to Moses out of which hee saw the promised Canaan but that also the man effectually called shall heare in it the testimony of the heauenly oracle speyking to his heart as cleerely as the Angel did vnto Daniel that hee is a Dan. 9. 13. man beloued of God elected an heire of grace and glory And therefore hauing resolued to make common for the vse of others those comfortable meditations which it pleased God out of this excellent treatise to communicate vnto me I was also after long haesitation emboldned to present them to your Maiestie not as of minde to bring by them any good vnto your Highnesse but begging to them from your sacred name fauourable protection For I humbly acknowledge that from so base a minde as mine is nothing can proceede worthy so great a Maiestie as God hath made you not so much in regard of those famous Kingdomes ouer which your Highnesse stretches out your Scepter as of those gifts of gouernment by which ye rule Your Highnesse hauing receiued from God cum Diademate diuinum oleum cum Sceptro oculum Kingly authoritie with Christian wisedome sacred Maiestie with singular meekenesse being so euident in your Highnesse that by them the worst sort of your Maiesties subiects haue been wonderfully conuinced the better sort confirmed to feare you as their King to loue you as their Father A conquest aboue which no greater can be Cum amari coli diligi maius sit imperio And this is it which hath ouercome in me all contrarie feares arising of the conscience of my weaknesse that when yâ—ur Highnesse great wisedome shall perceiue in these labours my great infirmities yet your Maiestie of your rare meeknesse will fauourably censure them Euen the starres which are obscured in presence of the sunne are profitable in his absence to giue light to the earth and howsoeuer any light that is in these discourses shall vnder your Highnesse eye be indeede but darkenesse yet if with your Highnesse fauor they be allowed to giue such glimmering light as they haue vnto others it shal be no small comfort vnto me and my greatest thankefulnesse shal be declared in my dayly prayers vnto the Lord God for your Maiestie that the name of Iacobs God may defend you from all euill and the Lord may send you help out of his Sanctuarie in all your need according as hee hath done Psal 20. 1. O King beloued of God hated of none but for Gods sake Psal 21. 1. keepe still your heart in the loue of God and his truth Reioyce in the strength of your God and feare not Psal 56. 4. what flesh can doe vnto you Is it not the Lord who Psal 18. 43. set your Highnesse on the throne to be a feeder of his people Israel Is it not the Lord who hath deliuered your Maiestie from the contentions of the people and secret snares of your cursed enimies though the Archers Gen. 49. 23. grieued you hated you and shot at you were not the hands of your armes strengthened by the hands of the Gen. 49. 25. mightie God of Iacob Is it not the almightie who hath blessed your Maiesty with heauenly blessings from aboue with blessings of the depth that lyes beneath with blessings Psal 21. 3. of the breast and wombe Sir let his liberall blessings wherewith the Lord your God hath preuented you be so many obligations binding Psal 18. 50 your Highnesse to honour the Lord who hath honoured Gen. 12. 1. you Let his fore past manifold deliuerances be as so many confirmations that if your Maiestie rest in him and Psal 68. 20. not in man he will still be a buckler vnto you Let Abaddon the King of the Locusts that Romish vsurper rage Reuel 9. 11. Vnto the Lord belongs the issues of death Can Balaam curse where God hath blessed yea can Sathan Numb 23. 8. hurt the man who is hedged by the Lord Let the Iob. 1. 10. Ambassadours
of vertue Ne quis sibi quasi innocens placeat cum Cyprian orat dom innocens nemo sit se extâ—llâ—ndo plus percat instruitur docetur peccare se quotidie dum quotidie pro peccatis iubetur orare that no man saith Cyprian should flatter himselfe as though he wer innocent when as indeed no man is innocent and so by extolling himselfe should perish so much the more he is instructed and taught that he sinnes daylie while as euery day he is commaunded to pray for remission of sinnes but this errour we shall God willing further improue hereafter In the meane time for our comfort let vs consider that Reasons why the Lord suffers sin to remaine in the iustified man Aug. in Ioan. tract 41. albeit the Lord when he iustified vs might haue vtterlie destroyed the life of this sinning sinne in vs yet for waighty causes hath he suffered some life thereof to abide in vs for a time the first is for the exercise of our faith Peccata quorum reatum Soluit Deus ne post hanc vitam obsint manere tamen voluit ad certamen fidei these sinnes saith Augustine 1 For the exercise of our Faith 2. Tim. 2. 5. the guiltinesse whereof God hath loosed that they should not hurt vs in the life to come he will haue to remaine for the exercise of our faith No man is crowned except he striue as he ought and therefore the Lord who hath prepared for vs a Crowne and hath put vpon vs his compleat armour hath also suffered some enemies to remaine against whom we may fight for the tryall of our faith patience and perseuerance euen as the Cananites were left in the Land that the Lord by them might proue the Israelits whether or not they would keepe the way of the Lord to walke in it Secondly some life of sinne is left in vs for our instruction that we may know the better how farre we are oblieged 2 For our instruction that we may know what benefite we haue by Christ to Gods mercy how excellent is that deliuerance which we haue by Iesus Christ Nulla quidem est condemnatio his qui sunt in Christo tamen ad humiliandos nos peccatuÌ„ adhuc patitur viuere in nobis grauiter nos affligere vt Bernard sentiamus quid gratia nobis praestet semper ad illius auxilium recurramus It is true indeed saith Bernard that there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ yet for our humiliation the Lord suffers sinne to liue in vs and oftentimes afflict vs that we may know the benefit wee haue by Grace and make our recourse for helpe vnto it continually And indeed except by experience we felt how powerfull sinne is of it selfe to ouer-rule vs wee could neuer haue knowne that vile bondage and seruitude of sinne vnder which we lay by nature nor that excellent Grace of Christ by which we haue gotten deliuerance And therefore so oft as we are troubled with our inhabitant corruption we are to consider that if the remanents of the old man breed in vs such strong and restlesse tentations how would it tyrannize ouer vs if it were liuing in the full vigour and strength thereof that so wee may praise and magnifie that sauing Grace of the Lord Iesus which hath freed vs from so intollerable a tyrannie Thirdly the Lord hath done this for his owne greater 3 For the greater glory of God and Sathans greater confusion glory like vnto those Victors in battaile who albeit they may yet will not put all their enemies to the edge of the sword some of them they take Captiues and reserues for a while aliue against the day of triumph to be put then to death to their greater shame and the greater honor of their Iosh 10. 23. Conquerors When Ioshua had discomfited those fiue Kings who made warre against Gibeon hee would not slay them in the battaile but enclosed them in a Caue that the battell being ended he might put them to death in sight of all his people and then for their further confirmation he caused his Captaines and chiefe men of warre to tread vpon the necks of those Kings to assure them that after the same manner the Lord should subdue all the rest of their enemies vnder them And so our Captaine and mighty conqueror the Lord Iesus hath by himselfe obtained vnto vs victorie ouer all our enemies those Kings which besieged Gibeon are turned to slight those inordinate affections which held vs Captiues before are now by his power captiued of vs they are closed vp within vs as in a Caue where they remaine with some life but restrained of their former libertie and power and we rest assured that when the battaile shall be finished our Lord Iesus shall altogether spoyle them of their life The God of peace shall shortly tread Sathan vnder Rom. 16. 20. our feete Then Goliah being ouercome his Armie of the Philistines shall flie and no inordinate desire shall be left within vs. Thus we see how the Lord permits his enemie to liue and will not fully torment him before the time it is not because he wants power to subdue him sed vt â—o magis Ciril Catech. 8. confundatur but that so much the more he may confound him When as all the warriours of God as well those who are to come in the last age of the world as those who were in the fore-front of the battaile haue foughten against him and ouercome him then shall the Loâ—d Iesus put all his 1. Cor. 15. 25. enemies vnder his feet Yea euen now in the very time of the conflict is Sathan wonderfully confounded in this that How Sathan is daily confounded in the godly notwithstanding the Serpent keepe his sting yet there is no deadly power in it This vncircumcised Goliah hath that same sword in his hand by which he hath slaine many one the Lord permits him also to strike the Christian man therwith but he sees himselfe it is in vaine O how doth he returne ashamed and confounded when hauing gotten leaue to shoot out his sting and to strike with his accustomed sword of sinne those whom he hateth vnto death he perceiues that for all he can doe there remaines in them a seed of life which cannot be destroyed But that the greatnesse of this benefite which wee haue Christians are not exempted from the condemnatory sentence of men by Iesus Christ may the better appeare let vs see what a condemnation this is from which we are deliuered In the Scriptures there is ascribed to man a iudging by which he absolueth or condemneth there is also ascribed to God a iudging by which hee absolueth or condemneth As for mans condemnation we are not exempted from it Daniel condemned for a Rebell Ioseph condemned for an Adulterer Ioâ— condemned of his friends for an Hypocrit our Sauiour condemned for an Enemie to Câ—sar his
for transgression of her precepts requiring that the wicked may be put to death for their most vnreasonable disobedience her commandements for number being but ten and so not burdenable to the memorie for vnderstanding plaine written in the heart of euery man â—or equity not contradictable for the Law craueth nothing of man but that which by the holinesse of his nature receiued by Creation hee was able to performe neither doth the law command any thing profitable to God who gaue it but vnto man who receiued it And for holinesse euery precept of the law when God proclaimed it on mount Sinai was assisted with a thousand of his Saints as witnesses of the holinesse thereof all these circumstances doe aggrauate the waight of that iudgement which the law shall giue out against the transgressors thereof Then from the Law iudgement shall proceede How they shal be conuicted by the booke of conscience to Conscience and Conscience shall witnesse against them of their transgressions against euery precept of the law wherein they shall be so cleerely conuinced that their particular sinnes with the circumstances thereof time and place though now they haue cast them behind their backs shall then be set in order before them and so iustly euery manner of way shall iudgement goe out against them Eliphaz spoke it faslie to Iob thy owne mouth and not I Iob. 15. 6. condemnes thee but most iustly shall the ruler of the world lay it vpon the wicked out of thy owne mouth I iudge thee Luke 19. 22. O thou euill and vnfaithfull seruant the voyce of thine own conscience and no other shall condemne thee And as this condemnation will be most righteous so This iudgmeÌ„t shall also be most terrible shall it be also most fearefull not onely in regard of the manner of the Lords proceeding in that last iudgement but chiefly in regard of that irreuocable sentence of damnation Exod. 19. 16. which shall be executed without delay The Law Moses trembled for feare at the giuing of the law what will the wicked doe at the execution therof was giuen with Thunders and Lightnings and a thicke cloud vpon the mount with an exceeding loud sound of the Trumpet so that all the people were afraide yea so terrible was the sight that Moses said I feare and quake The lawes of mighty Monarches are executed with greater terror then they are proclaymed what then shall we looke for when the God of glory shall appeare to iudge the world according to his law the Heauens shall passe away with a Reuel 6. 14. noyse the Elements shall melt with heate the Earth with the workes which are therein shall be burnt vp the Archangell shall blow a Trumpet at the voyce whereof the dead shall rise If Moses the seruant of the Lord quaked to heare the first Trumpet how shall the wicked condemned in their owne conscience tremble and quake to heare the second Then shall the Kings of the Earth and the great men and the Reu. 6. 15. rich mâ—n and the chiefe Captaines and the mightie men hide themselues in the Dennes and among the rockes of the Mountaines for what strength is there in man who is but stubble to stand before a consuming fire and or euer their doome be giuen out they shall crie Mountaines and Rockes fall vpon vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the Throne but when they shall heare that fearefull sentence Depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared Mat. 25. 41. for the Diuell and his Angels O how shall the terror thereof confound their spirits and presse them downe to the bottome of hell O fearefull sentence depart from me what shall the creature doe when the Creator in his wrath commands it to depart and by his power banishes it from his presence O man wilt thou consider in time who shall receiue Remembrance of this last iudgment is a preseruatiue against sinne thee when God casts thee out from his face or who shall pittie and be able to comfort thee when God shall persecute thee with his wrath assure thy selfe euery creature shall refuse her comfort to thee if a drop of cold water might be a reliefe vnto thee thou shalt not get it Happie therefore are they who in time resolue themselues with Peter Lord whither away shall we goe from thee thou hast Math. 10. the words of eternall life For they who doe now goe a whoring from the Lord wandring after lying vanities shall in that day receiue this for a recompence of their errour Goe to the Gods whom ye haue serued Your whole life was but a Iud. 10. 14. Math. 25. 41. turning backe from me now therefore depart from me and whither into fire and what fire euerlasting fire and with whom with the Diuell and his Angels thou hast forsaken me thou hast followed them goe thy way with them a companion of their torment O fearefull sentence Quae Augustine cum ita sint bene nobisâ—um agâ—râ—tur si iâ—m nunc sic nos paeniteret super malis nostris qâ—omâ—do tunc sine vllo remedio paenitebit It were good therefore sayes Augustine if now all men could so repent of their sinnes as it is certaine in that day they shall repent without any remedie for then the wicked will shed teares aboundantly but they shall be fruitlesse And if all this cannot waken thee to goe to the Lord The day before the last iudgement Mercie shall be offered but none after it Iesus vpon the feete of faith and repentance that in him thou mayest be deliuered from this fearefull damnation yet remember that seeing this iudgement is supreame and the last from which will be no recalling most foolish art thou if in time thou doe not foresee and prouide how thou mayest stand in it Now if thy conscience condemne thee thou maist get if thou seeke absolution in Christ but in that day if the Lord condemne thee thou shalt neuer be absolued the day before the Trumpet sound mercy shall be preached to the penitent and beleeuers by the Gospell but from the time that once the sentence is giuen out there shall neuer be more offering of mercie the doore shall be closed though the wicked crie for mercie and with Esau seeke the blessing with many teares yet shall they neuer finde it Of all this now it is euident what an excellent benefit By Christ wee haue deliuerance from this threefold condemnation wee haue by Iesus Christ in that wee are deliuered from this three-fold condemnation For first being iustified by faith we haue peace with God in our consciences that holy spirit of adoption testifying vnto vs that our sinnes are forgiuen vs whereof arises in our heart an vnspeakable and glorious ioy which ioy notwithstanding cannot be full nor perfect vntill the former sentence of our absolution be also pronounced in the other two iudgements that in the
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
soules within the vaile vpon that Rocke which is higher then we Iesus Christ To them that are in Christ The Apostle you see changes the manner of his speech when he spake of the power The Apostle excludes not himselfe from that naturall miserie wherevnto others are subiect of sinne remaining in our nature hee spake of it in his owne person but when hee speakes of our deliuerance by Iesus Christ hee speakes of it in the person of others Thus the Apostle by an holy wisedome doth order his speech for the comfort of the children of GOD for least that other weake Christians might be discouraged by reason of their sinnes hee speakes of remanent sinfull corruption in his owne person to declare that none no not the holy Apostles are exempted from it Of deliuerance againe he speaks in the person of others least any should thinke that the Neither excludes hee others from that mercy which hee himselfe hath receiued grace of Christ were restrayned onely to such singular persons as holy Apostles and were not also extended to others Commonly these who are of such a tender Conscience makes exception of themselues as if the comfort of other Christians belonged not to them the Apostle therfore includes within the communion of this benefit all whosoeuer Pastors people learned vnlearned poore rich weake and strong prouiding that they be in Iesus Christ Men who are truely godly in the matter of miserie chiefly condemne themselues therefore the Apostle calles himselfe the chiefe of all sinners but they neuer exclude others 1. Tim. 2. 15. from the same communion of mercie I know sayes the Apostle that there is layd vp for mee a crowne of glory and 2. Tim. 4. 8. not onely for me but for all them who loue the second appearing of the Lord Iesus It is farre otherwise with naturall men blinded with Naturalists blinded with presumption doe far othervvise presumption they extoll their owne righteousnesse aboue others in their conceit with the proud Pharisee condemneth euery other man as a greater sinner than himself they carrie in their bagge two measures by the one they take to themselues making much of the smallest good which is in them by the other they giue setting that by for light which is most excellent in another Our Sauiour properly expresses their corrupt iudgement when hee compares it to the light of the eye which can see any other thing better than it selfe and can espie a moat sooner in another than a beam in it selfe After this manner hipocrites looke out curiosi ad Aug. confes lib. 10. cognoscendum vitam alienam desidiosi ad corrigendum suam curious searchers of the life of others carelesse correcters of their owne Mens peracute perspiciens alienos errores tarda Basil hexam hom 9. est ad proprios cognoscendos defectus the minde that sharply lookes to the faults of others doth but slowly consider her owne defects but let vs learne by the precept of our blessed Sauiour and practise of this holy Apostle rather to looke to our selues searching out our owne sins then neglecting our selues to pâ—attle vainely of the sinnes of other men That are in Christ But now to come to the matter The Our vnion with Christ expressed by fiue similitudes in holy Scripture spirit of God in holy Scripture expresses our vnion with Christ by fiue sundry similitudes first by a marriage wherin Christ is the husband and we the spouse Secondly by a body whereof Christ is the head and wee the members Thirdly by a building or house wherein Christ is the foundation or ground stone and wee the vpper building vpon him Fourthly by the similitude of ingrafting wherein Christ is compared to the Vine and wee to the branches grafted into him Lastly by the similitude of feeding wherein Christ is compared to the foode and wee to the bodie which is nourished As for the similitude of Marriage the strongest bands of As Eue was to Adam his vvife his sister and his daughter so are vve vnto Christ coniunction that euer was betweene two creatures was betweene Adam and Eue for Eue was his Wife his Sister and his Daughter his Wife being ioyned with him in marriage by God she became one flesh with him she was his Sister made immediately by the hand of that same Father who made Adam and that without Adams helpe shee was also his Daughter for of him shee was made bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh All these wayes are wee alyed vnto Iesus Christ wee are his spouse in respect of that mutuall contract and couenant which is betweene vs he hath married vs to himselfe in righteousnesse iudgement mercie and compassion We are his Sonnes and Daughters in respect of regeneration which is our new creation we are also his brethren and sisters in respect of the spirit of adoption by whom we acknowledge God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ to be our father also in him and his sonne Iesus to be our elder brother Yet is our allyance with Christ so neere that all these Yet this expresseth not our allyance with Christ therfore other similitudes are vsed whereof we haue spoken cannot expresse it and therefore ye shall sinde that there is not a way by which in nature two things are made one but from it the spirit of God borrowes similitudes to declare how Christ and we are one in him as the branch in the tree we are of him as Eue was of Adam we are of him as the house is built on the foundation we are one with him and that many manner of wayes one with him as brother with brother as husband and wife as the body and the head as meat and that which is nourished what meruaile then considering all these that the Apostle with boldnes breakes out in this glorious triumph there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ seeing we are in him as branches in the tree it is not possible that we can wither or decay for want of the sap of Grace so long as he doth retaine it and that shall be for euer seeing we are built on him like an house vpon a sure foundation what storme can ouer blow vs let the winde rise and the raine fall we shall not be ouerthrowne because wee are the building of God standing vpon a sure foundation seeing we are his spouse who can haue action against vs our debts fall to be payd by our husband he liueth to make answere for vs seeing we are his conquered inheritance who will take vs out of his hand My sheepe can no man take out of my hand saith our blessed Sauiour Most happy then and Iohn 10. 28. sure is the estate of all those who are in Christ Iesus But leauing other similitudes let vs consider that this In the similitude of ingrafting foure things considered phrase to be in Christ is borrowed from planting or ingrafting Our Sauiour
of Gods vengeance pearced him among the thousands of Israel all the pretences of men who work iniquity shall not in that last day saue them from that fearful sentence depart from me I know you not Let the carnall professors of this age hearken to their doom before hand which assuredly they shall heare at the last if they goe on still in their sins Let vs not be deceiued fearefull is that sentence No vncleane thing none that workes abhomination Reuel 21. 17. shall enter into that heauenly Citiâ—â— and such haue we ben all but blessed are they who are washed sanctified and iustified 1. Cor. 6. 11. in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of our God The bastard Christians of our time haue learned by the light of the word to put good workes out of the chaire of merit and iustly for Iesus Christ onely should sit in that chaire but haue not yet set them down in their owne place for though they be not meriters of eternall lifeâ— yet must they be thy witnesses to prooue that thou art in Christ by thy workes not by thy words shal thou be iudged in the last day Of this hath our Sauiour â—orewarned vs and therefore doth the Apostle counsell vs Make sure your calling and 2. Pet. 1. 10. Election by well doing If any man be in Iesus let him become a 1. Cor. 5. 17. new creature For if we say that we haue fellowship with God 1. Iohn 1. 6. and walke in darknesse we doe but lye Sathan hath two strong armes whereby he wrestles against Sathans two armes Desperation and Presumption man if with the one which is Desperation hee cannot thrust thee downe vnto hell then shall he prease with the other to mount thee on the chariot of presumption that so he may send thee away posting to damnation puft vp with a false conception of mercy when as in the meane time thou hast no warrant that the mercy of God in Christ doth appertaine to thee This presumption saith Bernard Commonly Sathan tempts with Presumption is infidelis fâ—ducia it seemes vnto them who are swelled therwith a strong Faith if you talke with them they will tell you they are most sure of saluation and that they neuer doubted thereof yet in very deed it is but a faithlesse confidence whereby Sathan doth miserably deceiue them for hee careth not suppose all thy dayes thou hould a generall conceit of mercy so that he finde by thy fruits that thou art not in Christ Let vs beware of this presumption let vs not proclaime peace to our selues when there is no peace neither blesse our selues in that state of life wherein God will curse vs but in feare and trembling worke out our owne saluation making our Faith manifest by good works for the best argument to prooue that we are in Christ is this that we walke not after the flesh And that we may yet more be mooued to flye the lusts They dishonour Christ highly who say they are in Christ and walke after the flesh of the flesh let vs consider how the Apostle oppones these two as contraries which cannot consist together to be in Christ and to walke after the flesh It cannot therefore but be a great dishonouring of Christ when they who professe by word that they are his doe by their wicked deeds deny him for the euill life of a professor in effect giues out this false testimonie against Christ that there is no power in his death no vertue in his resurrection no renuing grace to sanctifie those who are his Turkes and Pagans who plainely deny him do not derogate so much from the glory of Christ as doe profane professors of his name tolerabilius enim lingua quaÌ„ vita mentitur the lye saith Augustine Aug. contra Pelag. lib. 3. cap. 21. which is made by the tongue is more tollerable then that which is made by the life where the tongue professes Christ and the heart is giuen to impiety this is not professio sed abnegatio Christi a profession but a denying of Christ It is a great sinne to beare false witnesse against our neighbour but a greater sinne to beare false witnesse against the Lord. Euery creature in their kinde giues a true testimonie vnto God the heauens declare his glory the earth and all that therein is sets forth his goodnesse yea the little Emmet proclaimes his prouidence he must be a prouident father that hath put so great prouidence in so small Onely apostate Angels men beare false witnesse against God a creature onely apostate Angels and men are false witnesses against the Lord. Sathan lies sometime against his mercy as when he sayes to the penitent and beleeuing man God will not forgiue him sometime against his iustice when he beares the wicked in hand that God will not punish him sometime against his prouidence when hee would perswade the afflicted that God cannot deliuer them And as for the Apostate man he is also a false witnesse against God he calleth himselfe the childe of God and behold he carrieth the image of Sathan as if the Lord begat children to another image and not to his owne Certainely An euill life of a professor saiâ—â— in effect there is no vertue in Christ the sinfull life of one professing Christ is a publicke testimonie falsly proclayming to the world as I haue said that there is no vertue in Christ and that he is such a Sauiour as can neither sanctifie nor saue from sinne such as are his a fearefull blasphemie All Christians are not honoured with the second martirdome A godly life is the first martirdome without suffering for Christ which is the second martirdome is not acceptable to him that is to be Christs witnesses by suffering of death for his truths sake yet all are bound by a godly life to be witnesses of his sauing and renuing power shewing forth his meruailous vertue who hath translated vs from darknesse into his light Tota vita martyrium esse debet hoc est testimonium deo reddere c. the whole life of a Christian should be a martirdome that is a continuall witnessing of Cyp. de duplici martirio the truth of God and this is so necessarie that without it the second martirdome that is the testimonie which thou bearest to the truth of God by shedding of thy blood is worth nothing it auailes not to giue thy body to be burnt in the fire vnlesse that first thou mortifie thy earthly members and by reasonable seruice offer vp thy body a liuely and Col. 3 5. Rom. 12. 1. an acceptable sacrifice to God And hereunto also tendeth that which hee subioynes Efficacius est vitae quam linguae testimonium habent etiam opera suam linguam c. The testimonie of the life is more effectuall than the testimonie of the tongue workes haue also their owne language yea and their owne eloquence
forth and nourished free men vnto Iacob but remayned themselues in the state of bond women from this vnhappie condition the Lord deliuer vs and make vs partakers of that mercie and grace whereof hee hath made vs Preachers and professors From the Law of sinne and death Heere the Apostle shewes from what it is that we are deliuered Dauid saith many deliuerances giueth the Lord to his annoynted he spake Psal 18. 51. it of himselfe and it is true of all the Children of God By a great deliuerance he saued Noah in the deluge Lot in the burning of Sodome Israel out of Egypt Ioseph in the prison Daniel in the denne the three Children in the sierie furnace but all these are small if they be compared with this deliuerance from sinne and death Where first we learne how the Apostle conioynes these Sinne death God hath conioyned who shall seperate them two sinne and death if we be deliuered from the first wee shall also be deliuered from the second but if wee abide in the first we shall be sure not to escape the second if therefore Sathan say vnto vs as he did to our first Parents though yâ—u eatâ—â—f this forbidden tree yee shall not dye let vs answere him he hath proued already a shamelesse lyar and we are not any more to credit him that same penaltie lyes vpon euery sinne which was layd vpon the first if ye doe it ye shall die God hath conioyned them and who shal seperate them though the Lord speake not instantly to euery sinner as he did to Abimelech behold thou art but dead because Gen. 20. 3. of this sinne yet is it true of euery sinne when it is finished it brings out death So soone as Ionas entred into the Sea saith Chris hom 5. ad popu Ant. Chrisostome the storme rose to teach vs that Vbi peccatum ibi procella where there is sinne specially committed with rebellion there will not faile to arise a storme of the wrath of God It is true indeed the sinner in committing of sinne doth What a deceiuer Sathan is in tempting to sinne not perceiue this being blinder than Balaam he walkes on in an euill course and sees not the sword of Gods vengeance which is before him but imagines alway to reape some good either of profit or pleasure by committing of sinne for these are Sathans two baites vnder which hee couers his deadly hookes It is therefore a point of singular wisedome to decerne betweene the deceit of sinne present and the fruit of sinne to come betweene that which Sathan promiseth and that which we finde in experience performed He promised to our Parents that they should be made like vnto God but in very deede hee made them miserable like himselfe And if thou wilt also obserue that which thou findest in thy owne experience what fruit hast thou of a Rom. 6. 11. sinne when thou hast committed it doth not darknesse arise in thy minde heauinesse in thy heart terrour feare and accusing cogitations in thy conscience Euery man may finde it who list to marke it by moe then a thousand experiences in himselfe that Sathan is a shamelesse deceiuer yea more deceitfull then Laban who promised to giue to Iacob Gen. 34. beautifull Rahel but in the darke he gaue him bleare-eyed Leah be assured he will change thy wages promise thee one thing and pay thee with another As Hamor spake to his Sichemites so doth Sathan to his blind-folded Citizens he perswaded his people that if they would be circumcised all Iacobs substance and cattell should be theirs but indeed the contrary ensued for the goods of the Sichemites befell to the house of Iacob and they themselues perished by the sword Let vs therefore beware of the inuenomed tongue of the Diuell mentitur vt fallat vitam pollicetur vt perimat Cypr. lib. 1. Epist. 8. he lyes that he may deceiue he promiseth life that he may inflict death say he what he will let vs beleeue the word of the Lord confirmed by dolefull daily experience the wages of sinne is death God hath knit them together and who shall seperate them So oft then as Sathan by the deceit of sinne would beguile Sinne seemes sweet but the fruit thereof is bitter thee remember that though sinne seeme to be sweet the fruit thereof is exceeding bitter if thou feare not sinne feare that end whereunto sinne leades thee dulce peccatum sed amara mors sinne is sweet but death is bitter remember that the wages which Sathan promiseth and man would haue hee shall not get but the wages which God threatneth and man would not haue shall assuredly be payed him for this is the miserie of those who walke in their sinnes illud propter quod peccant hic dimittunt ipsa peccata Aug. hom 42. sâ—cum portant that for which they sinne they leaue it behinde them and carrie their sinnes away out of the world with them So that in the end when they shall gather the profite of all their former sinnes into a summe they shall find no other but that fore-told by the Apostle What profit Rom. 6. 21. haue ye now of all those things whereof ye are ashamed surely there is no fruit but shame and death to be pluckt from the forbidden tree of sinne But heere it may be obiected by the weake conscience Comfort for the godly who are troubled with the tentations of sinne of the godly how can this comfort be ours that wee are freed from sinne who find our selues so continually assaulted yea oftentimes oppressed of sinne For answere let vs marke that the Apostle saith not wee are fully freed from sinne in this life but we are freed from the law of sinne that is both from the commanding and condemning power thereof Sinne doth not now raigne in our mortall bodies as before neither hath it power any more to detaine vs vnder death But as for the temptations of sinne there is no sort of men more troubled with them then they whom God hath begunne to deliuer from the Law of sinne for Sathan being impatient of his losse seekes daily to recouer his former dominion From the time that once the Gibeonites made peace for themselues with Ioshua all the rest of Ioshua 9. the Kings of Canaan made warre against them and so soone as we enter into a couenant with the Lord Iesus Sathan shal not faile the more hereely to assault vs seeking to recouer his old possession yet if as the Gibeonits did we send speedily messengers to our Iehosua to shew him how wee are troubled for his sake hee shall not with-draw his helping hand from vs. Our deliuerance from sinne is begunne now but not Our begun deliuerance from sinne the Lord shall perfect 1. Cor. 1 8. Phil. 1. 6. perfected but we know that our God is faithfull by whom we are called hee shall also confirme vs to the end Euen hee who
hath begunne this good worke in vs will performe it vntill the day of Christ As the Angell who deliuered Peter out of prison appeared to him with a shining light in the darke prison smote him vpon his side and wakened him out of his sleepe made his chaines to fall from him and caused him to arise and follow him went still before him to leade him in the way through all impediments and departed not from him till he had entred him within the Cittie of Ierusalem so the spirit of our Lord Iesus who hath once come downe vpon vs in this prison and hath lightned our darknesse wakened vs out of our dead securitie and loosed the chaines of our sinnes wherewith we were bond shall abide continually with vs gouerning vs with his light and truth till he haue entred vs within the portes of heauenly Ierusalem Blessed be the Lord where before we were the captiues of sinne now the course of the battell is changed sinne is become our captiue through Christ it remaineth in vs not as a commander but as a captiue of the Lord Iesus it is true the boltes of sinne are yet vpon our hands and feet to admonish vs of our former miserable thraldome we draw as yet the chaines of sinne after vs which makes vs indeede goe forward the more slowly but are not able to detaine vs in that bondage wherein we lay before And as concerning our deliuerance from death wee are How we are deliuered from death both first and second to know that death is two-fold the first and second the first is a separation of the soule from the body the second is a separation of them both from the Lord. Mors prima Aug. de ciuit dei li. 21. ca. 3 pellit animam nolentem de corpore mors secunda detinet animam nolentem in corpore The first death expels the soule against the will out of the body the second death compels the soule against the will to abide in the body for vnto the greater augmentation of their paine as they were companions of sinne so shall they be compelled to abide companions of punishment This second death hath three degrees the first is when Second death hath three degrees the soule by sinne is separated from the Lord the second is when the body by the power of that curse due to sinne is turned into dust and the soule is sent to hell the third is when both soule and body being ioyned together againe in the resurrection shall be banished from the presence of the Lord and cast into vtter darknesse And it is called the second death because it is executed vpon the wicked after their first death otherwise the first death that euer came into the world was the first degree of the second death Mors Aug. de verb. Apost ser 33. animae praecessit anima deserente Deum mors corporis sequâ—ta est anima deserente corpus deseruit Deum volens anima coacta est deserere corpus nolens the death of the soule went before the soule departing from God and the death of the body followed the soule departing from the body How Christians are exercised with terrors of conscience which in the owne nature are forerunners of the second death the soule departed from God willingly therefore is compelled vnwillingly to depart out of the body Now from both these deaths wee are deliuered by the Lord Iesus for our soules being freed from sinne are reconciled with God and so exempted from that wrath which is to come For albeit the deere children of God be sometime exercised with inward terrours of conscience which in their owne nature are fore-runners of these paynes prepared for the wicked and are as the smoake of that fire which afterward shall torment them yet vnto the godly their nature is changed they are sent vnto them not to seperate them from the Lord but to draw their hearts neerer vnto him and to worke in them a greater conformity with Christ And as for the first death wee are so deliuered from it The nature of the first death changed to the Christian that albeit in the owne nature it be the Centre of all miseries and a fearefull effect of Gods curse on man for sinne yet to the godly the nature thereof is also changed so that now it is not the death of the man but the death of sinne Amb. de bono mort cap. 4. in the man mors est scpultura vltiorum death saith Ambroâ— is the buriall of all vices As the worme which is bred in the tree saith Chrisostome doth at last consume it so death which is brought out by sin doth at the length consume and destroy sinne in the children of God Finally death is the progresse and accomplishment of the full mortification of all our earthly members wherein that filthie fluxe of sinne is dryed vp at an instant It is a voluntarie sacrificing of the whole man soule and body to the Lord the greatest and highest seruice wee can doe to him in the earth for where in the course of our life we are continually fighting against our inordinate lusts and affections to bring them in subiection to Christ by death as it were with one stroke they are all smitten and slaine and the soule is offered vp to God in a sacrifice of full and perfect obedience Verse 3. For that that was impossible to the Law in as much as it was weake because of the flesh God sending his owne Sonne in the similitude of sinfull â—â—â—sh and that for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh THE Apostle hauing set downe in the first 3 Explication of the confirmation Here followes an explication of the confirmation of his generall proposition Verse a Proposition of Comfort belonging to them who are in Christ and confirmed it in the second he proceedeth now to the explication of the Confirmation declaring how it is that Christ hath freed vs from the law of sinne and first he shewes how Christ hath freed vs from the condemning power of sinne in this verse namely that he taking vpon him our nature and therewithall the burden of our sinnes hath condemned sin 1 He shewes how we are freed from the condemning power of sinne The law could not saue vs. in his blessed body and so disanulled it that it hath no power to condemne vs. And this benefit he amplifies shewing that by no other meanes we could obtaine it for where without Christ there is but one way for men to come to life namely the obseruance of the law he lets vs see it was impossible for the law to saue vs and least it should seeme that he blamed the law he subioynes that this impotencie of the Law to saue vs proceedes from our selues because that wee through fleshly corruption which is in vs cannot fulfill that righteousnesse which the law requires This impotencie of the Law appeareth by these two Impotencie of the
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.
and holinesse the reason why the Israelites bound 2. Sam. 19. 9. themselues to giue subiection and obedience to Dauid was that he had deliuered them from the hand of the Philistins the same reason Ezra vsed to the Iewes returned from captiuitie to make them obedient to the Lord Seeing thou O Ezra 9. 13. Lord hath giuen vs such deliuerances shall we returne any more to breake thy Commaundements but much more should it binde vs to doe seruice to our Lord Iesus seeing hee hath made vs free by his blood shall we againe make our selues the seruants of sinne The Lord neuer shewed a greater Professors conuinced that serue him not mercie on man then this that he gaue his sonne Iesus Christ vnto the death for vs and there can be no higher contempt done to God by man then if after so great a loue shewed vs wee shall still refuse to be his seruants much will be required of him to whom much is giuen those Gentiles to whom the Lord reuealed himselfe in goodnesse onely as their Creator because they did not glorifie him the Apostle saith that the wrath of God was reuealed from heauen vpon them and what wrath then maist thou looke for to whom the Lord hath manifested himselfe in mercy also as thy Redeemer in Christ and yet thou will not glorifie him thou receiuest not him whom thy Father hath sent vnto thee neyther wilt thou liue vnto him that gaue himselfe to dye for thee but by thy wicked life thou crucifiest againe the Sonne of God and treadest vnder thy feet the blood of the new couenant certainely Sodome and Gomorrha shall be in an easier estate in the day of iudgement then the wicked of this generation For in this last age the Lord hath spoken to vs by his Son he hath none greater to send after him those labourers of the vineyard that slew the Seruants of the great King were not for that instantly punished but when the Sonne came and they had murthered him also then was their iudgement no longer delayed It was not written for the Iewes onely in whom it was first accomplished but for vs also to whom the Father in this last age hath sent his owne Sonne and by whom hee hath spoken vnto vs from himselfe if we despise him there remaines no more but a violent looking for of iudgement The third dutie is that for Christs sake we loue vnfainedly Loue to those whom he hath bidden loue for his sake those whom hee hath recommended vnto vs our goodnesse cannot extend vnto the Lord neither haue wee him walking with vs vpon earth that we may minister vnto him may wash his feete and annoint his blessed bodie with precious oyntments therefore should our delight be vpon those his excellent ones that are vpon earth When Ionathan was dead Dauid for Ionathans sake shewed kindnesse to Mephibosheth our Ionathan is not dead hee liues and raignes in heauen yet can we not declare our kindnesse to himselfe let vs seeke some Mephibosheth some of Christs little weake and impotent children of whom he hath said what ye doe to one of these little ones for my sake is done to me and let vs shew kindnesse vnto them for the great loue which the Lord Iesus hath shewed vnto vs. And that for sinne These words containe the end of Christ came to destroy sin cursed are they who nourish it Christs manifestation in the flesh which is that in our nature he might beare the punishment of our sinnes satisfie the iustice of God and so abolish sinne Sanit Iohn makes this cleare when he saith that he appeared to destroy the workes of the diuell that is sinne for sinne being remooued there is nothing in man but the workmanship of God By this it is euident how highly they offend God who abuse the death of Christ to nourish themselues in their sinne being the bolder to commit sinne because Christ dyed for them surely this is to turne the grace of God into wantonnesse The Lord came to abolish sinne not to nourish it 1. Pet. 3. 18. Christ once suffered the iust for the vniust not that we should still abide vniust but that he might bring vs to God Thou therefore who continuest vniust mayst say as thou hast heard that there is a Sauiour come into the world but can not say in truth that there is a Sauiour come to thee For where Christ comes he worketh that worke for which hee came namely he destroyes the worke of the diuell that is he enfeebles and abolishes at the last the power of sinne Condemned sinne Sin by a metaphor is said to be condemned How Christ hath condemned sinne for as thy who are condemned are depriued of all the liberty power and priuiledges they had before and haue no more any place to appeare in iudgement so hath the Lord Iesus disanulled sinne that it hath now no power to commaund and condemne vs hee hath spoyled principalities and powers and triumphed ouer them in the Crosse Colos 2. 24. and hath nayled vnto it the obligation of ordinances which was against vs and so sustulit illam quasi authoritatem peccati Ambrose in hunc locum qua homines detinebat in inferno hath taken away that power and authoritie of sinne whereby it detained men vnder damnation This hath he done most lawfully and in iudgement as we shall heare bearing our sinnes in his blessed bodie on the Crosse he hath suffered that punishment which the law required to be inflicted on man for sinne and that in the flesh that is in the same nature of man which had offended For this word of Condemnation imports a iust and lawful Two head or chiefe iustice Courts holden by God proceeding of a Iudge in iudgement which that we may the better vnderstand let vs consider that there are two generall and head iustice Courts which the Lord hath set vnto men the one is holden already the other is to be holden 1 In the first the sinnes of all Gods elect are condemned in the first the sinnes of all the elect are lawfully condemned that themselues may be absolued in the second the persons of all the reprobate shall be iustly condemned In the first by the ordinance of God the Father our sinnes were laid vpon the backe of Iesus Christ and a law imposed to him which was neuer giuen to any other neither Angell or man to wit the law of a Mediator that he should make vp peace betweene God and man loue God in such sort that he should by suffering preserue the glory of his Fathers iustice and yet make manifest the glory of his mercy that he should loue his brethren in such sort that hee should take the burden of their transgressions vpon him which as by the Father it was enioyned vnto him so did he willingly vndertake it And therefore hauing our sinnes imputed vnto him he presented himselfe for vs vpon the Crosse as vpon a
notes on this The Iesuites collect here that the Law is fulfilled in this life Verse collects a note which the word here rendreth not vnto them We see say they that the Law which is Gods commandements may be kept that the keeping thereof is iustice and that in Christian men that is fulfilled by Christs grace which by the force of the Law could neuer be fulfilled that the law may be fulfilled and also shall be fulfilled by the grace of Christ who hath deliuered vs from the Law of sin is euident This place proueth no such thing out of the Apostles words we confesse it and are comforted in it this is an end which Christ hath proposed vnto himselfe that he may make vs perfectly answerable to that holinesse which the Law requireth and in his owne good time he shall bring it to passe but that the Law is fulfilled of men in this life cannot be proued neither out of this place nor any other place of holy Scripture Damnatum est peccatum non extinctum Sinne is condemned saith Caietane Caietane one of their owne but not extinguished And hereunto beside infinite testimonies of holy Scripture That the law is not fulfilled in vs nor by vs in this life is proued Amb. de paeniten lib. 1. cap. 6. agreeth also the suffrages of pure antiquitie Non dicit familia tua sana sum medicum non requiro sed sana me Domine sanabor It is not saith Ambrose the voyce of thy family I am whole and needes not a Phisition but heale me O Lord and I shall be healed Tu audes Nouatiane mundum te dicere qui etsi operibus mundus esses hoc solo verbo iâ—mundus fieres Ambrose spake it to the Nouatian Heretiques of his time and it may be sitly turned ouer to the Iesuites of our time Darest thou O Iesuit call thy selfe Ierem. 17. cleane and holy Albeit thou wert cleane in regard of thy works this one word were enough to make thee vncleane With him also agrees Augustine Sunt quidam inflati vtres Aug. de verb. Apost ser 29. spiritu elationis pleni non magnitudine ingentes sed superbiae morbo tumentes vt audeant dicere inueniri homines absque pâ—ccato There are some saith hee like vnto vessels blowne vp with winde filled with a hautie spirit not solidly great but swelled with the sicknesse of pride who dare be bolde to say that men are found in earth without sinne Of such as these hee demaunds in that same place Interrogo te O Ibidem homo sancte iuste sine macula oratio ista dimitte nobis debita nostra fidelium est an catechumenorum certe regeneratorum est immo filiorum nam si non est filiorum qua fronte dicitur Pater noster quies in coelis vbi ergo estis O iusti sancti in quibus peccata non sunt I demand of thee O man thou who A question for Papistâ— art iust and holy this prayer Forgiue vs our sinnes whether is it a prayer to be said by Catechists onely or to be said also of such as are beleeuers and conuerted Christians surely it is the prayer of men regenerated yea it is the prayer of the Sonnes of God for they call God their Father in heauen where then are ye O ye iust and holy ones in whom are no sinnes If the regenerate and sonnes of God haue need to craue remission of sinnes what are ye who say ye haue no sinne If we say we haue no sinne we lie and the truth is not 1. Ioh. 1. 9. in vs and our blessed Sauiour to let vs see how farre we are from doing that which we should doe saith When yee haue Luke 17. 10. done all that yee can doe yet say yee are vnprofitable Seruants Where because they haue a silly subterfuge that albeit wee were neuer so righteous yet for humilities sake we should say we are vnprofitable I answere them as Augustine answered the same obiection in his time propter humilitatem Aug. de verb. Apost ser 29. ergo mentiris then for humilities sake thou lyest but it is certaine Christ neuer taught man to lye for humility this is but a forged falshood of their owne And to ioyne the third witnesse with the former two Bernard who liued in a very corrupt time yet retained this truth Quis melior Propheta de quo dixit Deus inueni virum Ber. in annuÌ„ Mariae secundum cor meum tamen ipse necesse habuit dicere Deo Ne intres in iudicium cum seruo tuo who is better then the Prophet Dauid of whom the Lord said I haue found a man after mine owne heart yet had he neede to say Lord enter not into iudgement with thy Seruant And againe Sufficit Ber. in Cant. Serm. 23. mihi ad omnem iustitiam solum habere propitium cui soli peccaui non peccare Dei iustitia est hominis iustitia indulgentia Dei It sufficeth me for all righteousnes to haue him onely mercifull to me whom I haue only offended to be without sinne is the righteousnesse of God mans righteousnesse is Gods indulgence pardoning his sinne we conclude therefore with him Vaegenerationi huic miserae cui sufficere videtur Ber. ser cont vitiuÌ„ ingrati sua insufficientia immo inopia tanta quis enim ad perfectionem illam quam Scripturae tradunt vel aspirare videtur woe to this miserable generation to whom their owne insufficiencie seems sufficient for who is it that hath so much as aspired to that perfection which the holy Scripture commaunds vs But to maintaine their errour they enforce these places Places of scripture wherein godly men are called Saints and righteous makes not for their errour of perfect obseruance of the Law of holy Scripture wherein mention is made of innocencie iustice and perfection in the Godly whereupon they simply inferre that the Law is fulfilled Their paralogismes shall easily be discouered if we keepe Augustines rule when the perfection of any man is mentioned we must consider wherein for a man may be righteous in comparison of others so Noah was a righteous man in comparison of that generation wherein hee liued yet was hee not without sinne A man may be also so called in comparison of himselfe the Lord iudging a man according to that where vnto the greater part of his disposition is inclined for the Lord doth repute and account his Children not after the remanents of the old man but according to the new workmanship of his grace in them whereof it commeth to passe that albeit in a great part they be sinfull yet the Lord giueth vnto them the names of Saints and righteous men Againe in handling of the Apostles words Philippians 3. In what sense Godly men are called perfect in holy Scripture let vs as many as are perfect be thus minded hee moues the question seeing the Apostle
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
whose then shall Sinne causes the Lord to deny his owne creatures hee be certainely hee is the vassall of Sathan the Lord shall deny him the Lord shall disclaime him as not belonging to him depart from mee yee workers of iniquitie I know not whence you are O the bitter fruit of sinne which Luke 13. 27. causes the Lord to deny that creature to be his which once he made to his owne image Let vs therefore hate our sinne vnto death let vs in time make hast to depart from iniquitie which shall at the last draw on that sentence vpon the wicked depart from me The Lord deliuer vs from it through Iesus Christ Verse 10. And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne but the Spirit is lifâ— for righteousnesse sake HItherto hath the Apostle comforted the Christian 2 Consolation against the fruit of sin specially against death whereunto we are subiect against the remanents of sinne now he comforts him against the fruites and effects of sinne which he findeth in himselfe The godly might haue obiected ye haue said before the fruit of carnall wisedome is death are wee not subiect vnto death and so of the fruites and effects of sinne what can we iudge but that we are carnall To this he answeres first by a confession it is true that the body is dead because of sinne but if Christ be in you the spirit through his righteousnesse is endued with life yee are not therfore so much to conclude that yee are carnall because death through sinne is entred into your bodies as to confirme your selues in this that life through the righteousnesse of Christ is communicated to your soule and so the summe of his comfort will be this the death whereunto you are subiect is neither totall The death whereunto we are subiect is neither totall nor perpetuall nor perpetuall that it is not totall he declares in this verse for it strikes not vpon the whole man but vpon the weakest part of man which is his body as for his most excellent part which is his soule it is partaker of a life that is not subiect vnto death That it is not perpetuall he declares in the next verse our bodies shall not bide for euer vnder the bands of death the spirit of Christ that now dwels in them shall at the last raise them vp from death and cloath them with immortality and incorruptibility If Christ be in you Before the Apostle bring in his comfort The Comforts of God are not common to all men indifferently Mat. 10. 12. 13. he permits a condition to teach vs that the comforts of God belong not indifferently vnto all men he who is a stranger from Christ hath nothing to doe with these comforts When our Sauiour commaunded his Disciples to proclaime peace vnto euery house they came to he foretold them it should abide onely with the sonnes of peace he forbad them in like manner to giue those things which were holy vnto dogs or to cast pearles before Swine This Math. 7. 6. stands a perpetuall Law to all Preachers that they presume not to proclaime peace to the impenitent and vnbeleeuing but as Iehu spake to Iehorams horseman What hast thou to doe with peace so are we to tell the wicked who walke still 2. Kin. 9. 18. on in their sinnes that they haue nothing to doe with that peace preached by the Gospell Secondly if we compare the former verse with this t we Christ dwelling in vs is by his spirit no carnall presence required to make our vnion with him shall see that the manner of Christs dwelling in his children is by his Spirit To make vp our vnion with Christ it is not needfull that his humane nature should be drawne down from heauen or that his body should be euery where as the Vbiquitaries affirme or that in the Sacrament the bread should be transubstantiate into his body as the Papists imagine his dwelling in vs is by his spirit and our vnion with him is spirituall neyther yet by so saying doe we diuide his two natures for they are inseparably vnited in one personall vnion which vnion doth not for all that import that his humane nature is extended ouer all as his diuine nature is The heauens must containe him till he come againe Noli dubitare ibi esse hominem Christum vnde venturus est Act. 3. 21. Aug. epist 57 ad Dardan Put it out of doubt that the man Christ Iesus is in that place from whence he shall come Keepe faithfully that Christian confession He is risen from the death ascended vnto Heauen and sits at the right hand of the Father and that he shall come from no other place but from Heauen to iudge the quicke and the dead and he addeth that which the Angell said to his Disciples this Iesus who is taken vp from you Act. 1. 11. into heauen shall so come as ye haue seene him goe into heauen that is saith Augustine in eadem carnis forma atque substantia cui profecto immortalitatem dedit naturam non abstulit that is in that same forme substance of flesh to the which he hath giuen immortalitie but hath not taken away the nature thereof Secundum hanc non est putandum quod vbique est diffusus vbique per id quod Deus in coelo autem per id quod homo according to his nature we are not to thinke that he is in euery place it is true that as God hee is euery where but as man he is in the heauens and this for the condition Now to the comfort we haue by Iesus Christ a threefold The comfort of Ethnikes ahainst death not comparable to ours and our courage inferior to theirs comfort against death whereof two onely here are touched The first that the death whereunto we are subiect is not totall The second that the nature and qualitie of our bodilie death is changed The third that it is not perpetuall the body shall not for euer lye vnder death The Ethnicks had also their owne silly comforts but nothing comparable to ours Nazianzen records that Cleopatra Queene of Aegypt demaunding of certaine learned men what kinde of death was without the bitter sense of paine receiued this answere there is no death without dolour but that death was most gentle which was brought on by the Serpent Aspis and namely that kinde thereof which is called Hypnale be cause they whose flesh is enuenomed with the poyson therof doe incontinently sleepe vnto death for which cause also shee made choyse of it And Seneca being by Nero to be executed to death got it left to his owne pleasure as great fauour shewed vnto him to make choyse of any death he pleased he chose to bleed to death in hote water Others among them that offered themselues to most fearefull deaths such as Curtius Regulus and others had no comfort to sustaine them but a
silly hope of immortall fame of their affection to their country It was saith Augustine the silly comfort of the Gentiles against the want of buriall Coelo tegitur qui non habet vrnam and as comfortlesse is the comfort of many bastard Christians which stands onely in a fayre Sepulcher prouided before hand for themselues in an honourable buriall commanded expected of them before death and in abundance of worldly things which they leaue to theirs behinde them all which as saith the same Father viuorum sunt solatia non mortuorum are comforts to them that liue behinde but no help to them who are dead I note this that considering the magnanimitie of these Ethnicks in suffering of death notwithstanding the weake and small comforts which they had to sustaine them we may be ashamed of our pusillanimitie who hauing from Christ most excellent comforts against death are afraide at the smallest remembrance thereof An euident argument that albeit Tit. 1. 16. many proâ—â—sse him yet few are pertakers of his power life and grace that many hath him dwelling in their mouths in whose hearts he dwelleth not by his spirit The body is dead Hee sayes not the body is subiect to Our bodies are not onely mortall but deâ—d death but by a more significant manner of speech he saith the body is dead There is a difference betweene a mortall body and a dead body Adams body before the fall was mortall that is subiect to a possibility of dying but now after the fall our bodies are so mortall that they are subiect to a necessity of dying yea if wee will here with the Apostle esteeme of death by the beginning thereof our bodies are dead already The Officers and Sergeants of death which are dolours infirmities and heauie diseases hath câ—ased already The Officers of death hath bound vs already vpon our bodies marked them as lodgings which shortly must be the habitation of death so that there is no man who is not presently dead in some part or other of his body Not onely is the sentence giuen out against vs thou â—rt dust and to dust thou shalt returne but is begun to be Gen. 3. 19. executed our carkasses are bound with cords by the Officers of death and our life is but like that short time which is graunted to a condemned man betweene his doome and his execution all which the Apostle liuely expresses when he sayes the body is dâ—ad 1 Thereâ—ore should we liue in the body vnder feare 1. Pet. 1. 12. Phil. 2. 12. Whereof there arises vnto vs many profitable instructions and first what great neede wee haue as wee are commaunded to passe the time of our dwelling here in feare working out our owne saluation in feare and trembling seeing our sinnes haue cast vs into the hands of the first death shall we not cry without ceasing that we may be deliuered from the power of the second Alas it is pittifull that man should so farre forget himselfe as to reioyce in the time of his miserie to passe ouer the dayes of his mortall life in vanity and wantonnesse considering how the first death is already entred into his carkasse nor foreseeing how hee may be The pittifull securitie of carnall professâ—rs deliuered from the second but liues carelesse like to the Apostates of the old world who in the middest of their sinfull pleasures were sodainly washed away with the waters of the wrath of God and their spirits for disobedience sent vnto the prison where now they are and like those Philistims who banquetting in the platforme of their house of Dagon their God hauing minde of nothing but eating drinking and sporting not knowing that their enemie was within were sodainely ouerthrowne and their banquetting house made their buriall place so shall it be with all the wicked who liuing in a dead body cares for nothing but how to please themselues in their sinne the pillar of their Psal 58. 9. Psal 73. 19. house shall be pulled downe destruction shall come vpon him like a whirlewind and in a moment shall sodaine desolation ouertake them 2 Death entred into the body should represse our naturall pride And let this same meditation represse in vs that poyson of pride the first sinne that euer sprung forth of our nature next to infidelitie and last in rooting out Wilt thou consider O man that thou art but dead and that thy body be it neuer so strong or beautifull is but a lodging of death and what cause shalt thou haue to waxe proud for any thing Bernard that is in the flesh quid tu superbis terra cinis si superbientibus Angelis non pepercit deus quanto minus tibi putredo vermis what hast thou to doe to be proud O dust and ashes if God spared not the Angels when they waxed proud will he spare thee who art but a rotten creature yea Vermis crastino moriturus a worme that must dye to morrow Au. ser 21. If so was done to an Angell saith Bernard what shall become of me ille intumuit in coelo ego in sterquilinio he was pust vp in heauen and therefore was cast downe from the place of his abhomination if I waxe proud lying in a dung-hill shall I not be punished and cast downe into hell So oft therefore as corrupt nature stirreth vp the heart of man to pride because of the flowers of beautie and strength that grow out of it let this humble thee thy flowers O man cannot but wither for the roote from which they spring is dead already And lastly is the body dead then learne temperance and 3 Should learne vs temperance and sobrietie sobrietie what auaileth it to pamper that carkasse of thine with excessiue seeding which is possessed by death already if men tooke the tenth part of that care to present their spirits holy and without blame vnto the Lord which they take to make their bodies fat and beautifull in the eyes of men they might in short time make greater progresse in godlinesse then they haue done but herein is their folly Carnem preciosis rebus impinguant c. they make fat their Bernard flesh with delicate things which within few dayes the worms shall deuoure Animam vero non adornant bonis operibus but beautifies not the Soule with good works which shortly is to be presented vnto God Let vs refraine from the immoderate pampering of this flesh Meates are ordained for the belly and the belly for meates but God will destroy them 1 Cor. 6. 13. both We haue here moreouer discouered vnto vs the shamelesse Sathans shamelesse impudencie discouered impudencie of Sathan who daily tempting man to sin promiseth vnto him some good by committing of it as boldly as if he had neuer falsified his promise before He promised to our Parents in Paradise that if they did eate of the fruit of the forbidden tree they should become like vnto
for the fourth it shall be the estate of the Saints of God in heauen Let not therefore the children of God be discouraged by Comfort our estate in this life is neither our last nor best estate looking either â—pon the remanents of sinne in their soule or the beginning of death in their body for why this estate wherein now we are is neither our last nor our best estate out of this we shall be transchanged into the blessed estate of glorious immortality our soules without all spot or wrinckle shall dwell in the body freed from mortality and corruption made like vnto Christs owne glorious body which the Lord our God who hath translated vs out of our second miserable estate into this third shall not faile to accomplish in his time Againe it comes to be considered here seeing by Iesus Christ life is restored to the soule presently why is it not also restored to the body vvhy is the body lâ—st vnder the Our soules being quickned yet our bodies are left vnder death for foure causes power of death to be turned into dust and ashes vvas it not as easie to the Lord to haue done the one as the other To this I answere that at any time life should be restored to our bodies is a mercy greater then wee are able to consider if wee will looke to our desâ—ruing that for a while hee will haue them subiected to the power of death the Lord in his wise dispensation hath thought it good for many causes First for performance of his truth 〈◊〉 but dust Gen. 3. 21. and to dust thou shalt returne If man had dyed no manner of way how should the truth of GOD appeare and if that death due to man had not beene inflicted vpon him how 1 Fâ—r reconciliation of Gods mercy truth Ber. in annuÌ„ Mar. ser 1. should his mercy beene manifested this controuersie God in his meruailous wisedome hath setled Fâ—at mors bona habet vtraque quâ—d petit let death become good and so both his mercy and his truth hath that which they craue for in the changing of the cursed nature of death and making that temporall which was eternall doth his mercy appeare and in the dissolution of mans body into dust for a time doth his truth appeare Secondly the Lord hath done it for manifestation of his 2 For the cleerer declaration of Gods power owne power accounting it a greater glory to destroy sinne by death then by any other meanes Death is the fruit of sinne and the weapon whereby Sathan intended to destroy mankinde and so deface the glory of the Creator but the Lord cutteth off the head of this Gâ—liah vvith his owne sword hee turneth his vveapon against himselfe by death he destroyes that same sinne in his children which brought Chrisost in Mat. hom 2. forth death A meruailous conquest that Sathan is not onely ouercome but ouercome by the same meanes by vvhich before hee tyrannized ouer men And thirdly the Lord 3 For our instruction that wee may know what great mercy God hath shewed vpon vs. suffers our bodies to taste of death that we may the better consider that excellent benefite vvhich vve haue by Iesus Christ for if the death of the body notwithstanding that the nature thereof is changed be so fearefull as vve see in experience how miserable should vvee haue beene if the Lord had inflicted deserued death both of soule and body 4 For our conformitie with Christ vpon vs And last that we might be conformed to him who is the first borne among many brethren it behoueth vs by death also to enter into his kingdome For righteousnesse sake This righteousnesse that bringeth The life our soule hath flowes from Christs righteousnesse Rom. 5. 21 Hos 13. 9 Reu. 7. 10. life is the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to vs by Grace as iâ— euident out of that As sinne had raigned vnto death so might grace also raygne by righteousnesse vnto eternall life Sinne which causeth death is our owne but that righteousnesse which bringeth life is of Grace Our perdition is of our selues but our saluation commeth from the Lord and from the L 〈…〉 be that sitteth vpon the Throne No preseruatiue then against death but this righteousnesse it presently giues life vnto our soule and afterward shall restore our dodyes from the power of the graue such therefore as are the children of wisedome will be carefull in time to be partakers This righteousnesse is known by sanctificatioÌ„ of this Iewell This righteousnesse hath inseperably annexed with it Sanctification by thy sanctification try thy selfe and see whether or no thou hast gotten life through the righteousnesse of Christ deceiue not thine owne hart in the matter of saluation assure thy selfe so far forth thou doest liue as thou art sanctified As health is to the body so is holines to the Soule a body without health fals out of one paine into another till it dye and a Soule without holines is polluted with one lust after another till it dye As the Moone hath lightlesse or more according as it is in aspect with the Sunne so the Soule of man enioyes life lesse or more according as it is turned or auerted to or from the Lord thus let euery man iudge by his sanctification whether if or not hee be partaker of that righteousnesse of Iesus which bringeth life vnto the soule Miserable are those wicked ones who want it they are twise dead saith Saint Iude that is Iude. ver 12. both in soule and body not so much as a heauenly breath or motion is in them but wee ought to giue thankes vnto God who hath giuen a beginning of eternall life vnto vs. Last of all there is here a notable comfort for all the Comfort wee haue a life which no death can extinguish children of God that there is begun in vs a life which no death shall euer be able to extinguish albeit death inuade the naturall vitall powers of our bodies and suppresse them one after one yea though at the length he breake in vpon this lodging of clay and demolish it to the ground yet the man of God who dwels in the body shall escape with his life the Tabernacle is cast downe that is the most our enimie can doe but he who dwelt in it remoues vnto a better as the Bird escapes out of the snare of the Fowler so the The prison of the body being broken the soule that was prisoner doth escape soule in death slighters out and flies away with ioy to her maker yea dissoluing of the bodie to the man of God it is but the vnfolding of the net and breaking open the prison wherein hee hath beene detayned that he himselfe may be deliuered The Apostle knew this well and therefore Phil. 1. 21. desired to be dissolued that he might be with Christ As in the battell betweene our Sauiour and Sathan Sathans head
he casts not off the care of the body but preserneth the very dust and ashes thereof till the day of the resurrection vvherein he shall quicken it againe restore it to the owne soule and glorifie both which is the third and last degree of eternall life Surely there was neuer a house hyre so wel payd in the world thou who sets thy soule body There was neuer a house hire so well paid as lodging for a short vvhile here on earth that he may dwell in it O vvhat recompence hast thou to looke for he dwels vvith the on earth and thou shalt dwell vvith him in heauen thou didst lend him a lodging for a few yeers and he shall receiue thee into his euerlasting habitations and thou shalt be for euer with the Lord. Neyther shall he shew his mercy vpon thy soule onely The holy spirit shall keepe the body wherein he dwelt euen when it is laid in the graue but as I haue said vpon thy body also it vvould seeme that the Lord hath deserted it as a â—ontemptible thing vvhen it is laid downe in the graue but be assured that hee who dwelt in it vvill not leaue it nor cast off â—he care thereof no not when it is turned into dust and ashes Comfortable is that vvhich the Lord promised to Iacob vvhen he bad him goe downe to Egypt Feare not to goe for I will go downe with thee and I will bring thee vp againe He forewarned him that he should dye in Egypt and that Ioseph should close Gen. 46. 4. his eyes but he promiseth to bring vp againe his dead body vnto Canaan O what a kindnesse is it that the Lord will honour the dead bodyes of his Children The praise of the O what a kindnes conuoy of Iacobs corps the Lord will neither giue it to Ioseph nor to Pharaohs Seruants with their Chariots who in great number accompanied him the Lord takes it vnto himselfe I will bring thee vp againe saith the Lord the like kindnesse and truth doth the Lord keepe for all the remanent of his seruants Is thy body consecrated is it a vessell of honour a house and temple wherein God is daily serued he shall honour it againe he shall not leaue it in the graue neither cast off the care thereof but shall vvatch ouer the dust thereof though it tast of corruption it shall not perish in corruption The holy Spirit who dwelt in the body shall be vnto it He is a holy balme wherby the body shall be preserued immortall as a balme to preserue thee to immortalitie this same flesh and no other for it though it shall be dissolued into innumerable pickles of dust shall be raised againe and quicned by the omnipotent power of this Spirit It is a pittie to see by what silly meanes naturall men seeke the immortall conseruation of their bodyes and cannot obtaine it there is no helpe nature may yeeld to prolong the death of the body but they vse it and because they see that deat cannot be eschewed their next care is how to keepe it in the graue longest from rottennesse and corruption and how vvhen themselues are gone to preserue their names in immortall remembrance with the posteritie thus by the very instinct of nature are men carried away with a desire of eternitie Worldings seeke immortalitie the wrong way Esay 55. 2. but herein are they foolish that they seeke it the wrong way they lay out their siluer but not for bread they spend their labour and are not satisfied immortalitie and life is to be sought there where the word of the Lord directs vs let the Spirit of Christ dwell in thee and thou shalt liue otherwise though thou wert the greatest Monarch of the word though all thy meate were soueraigne medicines though thy body were laid in graue with as great externall pompe as worldly glory can afford to any creature and thy flesh were embalmed with the costliest oyntments these are but miserable comforts perishing preseruatiues thou shalt lye downe in dishonour and shalt be raised in greater dishonour to euerlasting shame and endlesse confusion Now as we haue these three degrees of eternall life by Life is first restored to the soule and then to the body the Spirit dwelling in vs so are we to marke the order by vvhich he proceedes in communicating them vnto vs first he restores life to the soule and secondly he shall restore life vnto the body saith the Apostle where the one is done be assured the other shall be done the one is the proper end of his first comming therefore his Heraulds cryed before him Behâ—ld the Lambe of God who taketh away the sins Iohn 1. 29. of the world In his second comming shall be the redemption Phil. 2. 21. of our bodyes when he shall appeare hee shall change our vile bodyes and make them like to his owne glorious body Let this reforme the prosperous care of man art thou desirous that thy body should liue be first carefull that life be communicated to the soule for surely the redemption of thy body shall not follow vnlesse the restitution of thy soule goe before O porteâ— cor nostrum conformari humilitati cordis Bern. de aduen dom serm 4. Christi priusquam corpus conformetur glorioso corpori eius our heart must first be conformed to the humilitie of Christs heart before that our body be configurated to his glorious body this is the first resurrection blessed are they that are partakers of it for vpon such the second death shall haue no power But it is out of doubt qui non resurgit in animaâ— resurget in corpore ad poenam he that riseth not now in his soule from his sinnes shall rise hereafter in his body to iudgement But now leauing the condition to come to the comfort he that raysed vp Christ from the dead saith the Apostle shall also quicken your mortall bodies What necessity is there here What necessity is here that hee who raysed Christ shall also raise vs that he vvho raysed Christ shall raise vs yes indeede the necessitie is great the head and the members of the misticall body cannot be sundred seeing the head is raysed from the dead no member can be left vnder death the Lord vvorkes in euery member according to that same mightie Ephe. 1. 29. power by vvhich he wrought in the head his resurrection necessarily imports ours seeing he arose not as a priuate man but as the head of all his members full of power to draw the body after him and to communicate that same life to euery member which he hath declared in himselfe Christ is risen from the dead and is made the first fruits of them that 1 Cor. 15. 20 sleepe the first fruit is risen the after fruit shall in like manner follow Vixit in coelum carnem nostram tanquam arhabonem pignus tâ—tuâ—s summae illuc quandoqueâ—redigendae the
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
put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortality 2 Resurrection confirmed by types figures such as The same is in like manner shadowed in holy Scripture by sundry types and figures among which in Tertulian his iudgement the restitution of Ionas out of the Whales belly is one albeit the belly of the Whale was more able to haue altered and changed the body of Ionas by reason of the Ionas body great heat that is therein then the belly of the earth could haue beene by reason of her colde yet is hee restored the third day as liuely as he was receiued The same he thinkes of that vision of dry bones shewed to Ezechiel which at Ezekiels bones Chap. 38. once â—t the word of the Lord was knit together with sinews and couered vvith flesh and skinne this was not onely a prediction of the deliuerance of Israell out of Babell but also a typical confirmation of the resurrection of our bodies Non enim figura de ossiâ—us potuisset componi nisi id ipsum essibuâ— Tertull. de resur carnis 〈…〉 rum essâ—t for that figure of the bones could not haue beene made if the truth figured thereby were not also to be accomplished vpon such bones Parabola de nullo non conuenit vvhat parable or similitude can be brought from a thing which is not We shall not reade in all the booke of God that any parable hath beene borrowed from that thing which neuer was nor neuer will be Of this sort also is the flourishing of Aarons rodde in the iudgement of Cyril Aarons rodde Numb 17. which being before a dry and withered sticke incontinent by the word of the Lord flourished hee that restored to Aarons rodde that kinde of vegitatiue life which it had before will much more raise Aaron himselfe from the dead Of these figures shadowing the resurrection many more are to be found in holy Scripture As for examples in euery age of the world the Lord Examples of the Resurrection Gen. 5. hath raised some from the dead to be witnesses of the resurrection of the rest Before the floud hee carried vp Henoch aliue intâ— heauen and hee saw no death vnder the law Elias was transported in a fierie chariot and in the last age 2 Kings 2. of the world not onely hath our Lord blessed for euer risen from the dead and ascended into heauen as the first fruits of them which rise from the dead but also by his power hee raised Lazarus out of the graue euen after that stinking rottennesse had entred into his flesh and vpon the Crosse when hee seemed to be most weake hee shewed himselfe most strong hee caused by his power many that were dead to come out of their graues and to enter into the Citie Yea his seruant Peter by the power of the Lord Iesus raised the damsell Dorcas from death and in the name of the Lord Iesus Act. 9. 40. Acts. 3. made him that was lame of his feete to arise and walke when we see such power in the seruant of Christ working in his name shall we not reserue the praise of a greater power to himselfe And lastly as for the practises of God in nature wee are 3 Gods working both in our selues and the creature confirmes the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. not to neglect them for the Apostle himselfe brings arguments from them to confirme the resurrection He first propones the question of the Atheist how are the dead raised vp and with what body come they forth and then subioynes the answere O foole that which thou sowest is not quickned except it die it is sowen in the earth bare corne and God raiseth it with another body at his pleasure seeing thou beholdest this daily working of God in nature why wilt not thou beleeue that the Lord is able to doe the like vnto thy selfe Qui illa reparat quae tibi sunt necessaria quanto mâ—gâ—s te reparabit propter Ang. de verb. Apost ser 34. quem illa reparare dignatus est Seeing the Lord for thy sake repaires those things which are necessary to maintaine thy life will he not much more restore thy selfe and raise thee vp from death vnto eternall life And to insist in these same confirmations which we may A two-fold meditation to coÌ„firme the resurrection haue from the working of God in nature both in our selues and in other creatures if eyther with Iustin Martyr wee consider of how small a beginning or then with Cyril how of nothing God hath made vp man we shall see how iustly the Apostle calleth them fooles who deny the resurrection of our bodyes The Lord saith Iustin Maâ—tyr of a little drop of mans seede which as Iob saith is powred out like 1 How of a litle drop god made vs that which now wee are water buildeth vp daily this excellent workmanship of mans body who would beleeue that of so small a beginning and without forme so well a proportionate body in all the members thereof could be brought forth nisi aspectus sidem faceret were it not that daily sight and experience confirmeth Iust Mart. apol 2. ad Senat. Rom. it why then shall it be thought a thing impossible to the Lord to reedifie the same body after that by death it hath beene dissolued into dust and ashes And againe if with 2 How God hath made vs of nothing to be that which now wee are Cyrill wee will s 〈…〉 out our beginning and consider what wee were this day hundred yeare wee shall finde that wee were not seeing the Lord of nothing hath brought out so pleasant and beautifull a creature as thou art this day shalt thou thinke it impossible to him an hundred yeares after this oâ— longer or shorter as it pleaseth him to restore thee againe and raise thee from the dead qui potuit id quod non Ciril cate 4 erat producere vt aliquid esse id quod iam est cum â—eciderit restituere non poterit he that could bring out that which was not and make it to be something shall we thinke that he cannot raise vp againe that which now is after that it hath fallen Which of these two I pray thee is the greatest and most It is easier to restore one that hath been then to make one that neuer was difficult worke in thy iudgement for vnto the Lord euery thing that hee will is alike easie whether to make one who neuer was or to restore againe one who hath beene Doubtlesse to make a man in our iudgement is a greater thing then to raise him In the worke of creation the Lord made that to bee which was not in the worke of resurrection the Lord shall make that to be which was before the one thou beleeuest because thou seest it dayly done the other thou doubtest of because it is to be done but cease to doubt any more and of that which God hath
wrought in thee already that thou maist see it perceiue that which is to be wrought in thee suppose it be not apparant ex his quae in Cyril te sunt persâ—ice ea quae non apparent of â—ore-past works iudge of that which is to come that thou maist learne to giue glory to God and trust in him who giues life to them that are dead And if from our selues we proceed to other creatures how Practises of God on creatures without vs though they cannot beget faith yet may they confirme it many proofes in nature shall we finde to confirme the resurrection the Trees that dye in Winter and loose both their leaues and fruit are they not restored againe in the Spring The day which is slaine by the night and buried in darknes as it were in a graue is it not restored againe in the morning The auncient Fathers send vs to learne â—e same from the Phoenix Many other works of God in 〈…〉 re though they cannot beget this faith in vs yet are they profitâ—ble to helpe it where it is begun and are strong witnesses in their kinde to reproue the infidelity of Atheists But we haue aboue all to take heed to that most sure word of the Prophets and Apostles whereat we began and so to rest in it that when it shall please God the day of our change shall come we may after the example of our blessed Sauiour commend our soules into the hands of the Lord and be content that our bodies like pickles of liuely seed be sowen in the field of God and set into the earth as it were with Gods owne finger that in his owne good time they may spring vp againe to glory and immortality I know whom I haue beleeued and am perswaded that hee is able to keepe vnto the last day that which I haue 2 Tim. 2. 12. committed to him And this for confirmation of our resurrection These same bodies which now we haue shall be restored vnto vs the same in substance We haue further this comfort in that the Apostle saith the Spirit of God shall raise vp your mortall bodies that our bodies wherewith now wee are cloathed shall be raised vp and none other for them Away therefore with that vaine opinion that new bodies shall be created and giuen to Gods Children in the resurrection The glory both of his iustice The iustice of God craues that so it shold be mercy and truth craues that these same bodies and no other for them should be restored for euery one must receiue according to that which they haue done in the body whether good or euill Absurdam est Deo indignum vt haec quidem Tertul. caro lanietur illa vero coronetur◠〈…〉 nds not with the iustice and truth of God that one bod◠〈…〉 uld be torne in suffering and another should receiue the crowne Shall the body of Paul be scourged and an other for it be glorified shall Paul beare in his body the mark of Christs sufferings and not beare in that same body the crowne of his glory shall the wicked in their body worke the works of vnrighteousnesse and shall an other body receiue the wages of their iniquity It cannot be And that the glory of his mercy craues that the same The mercy of God craues also that so it should be body should be raised is also euident for why shall Sathan giue that wound to man which the Sauiour of men is not able to cure shall the malice of the Diuell bring in that euill which the mercy of God cannot remoue shall the first Adam slay the body by sinne and shall not the second Adam giue life vnto it by his righteousnesse Can this stand with the glory of God dimidium tantum modo hominem restituere Tertul. to restore onely the one halfe of man As these same soules of ours which were dead and none other for them are quickned in the first resurrection so these same bodies of ours and none other for them shall be raised from the dead in the second resurrection restituet Deus corpora pristina in Iren. cont Valent. lib 5. resurrectione non creabit noua As those blinde men saith Irenaeus whom as we read in the Gospell Christ cured receiued no new eyes but onely sight to the eyes they had before and as that sonne of the widdow and Lazarus rose in those same bodies wherein they did die so shall the Lord in the resurrection restore to vs our olde bodies and not create new bodies to vs And this vvarneth vs that vvith great attention wee are to vse our bodies in most holy and honourable manner in this life seeing they are to be raysed vp as vessels of honour and glory in the life to come Againe when the Apostle saith that the Lord shall raise Our bodyes shall be raised with new qualities vp our mortal bodies we are to know that so he calleth them in respect of that which they are now not in respect of that which they shall be then For in the resurrection the Apostle teacheth vs in anothe◠〈…〉 ce that our bodies shall be raised immortall honourabl◠〈…〉 rious spirituall and impassionable First I say the body shall be raised immortall not subiect any more to death nor diseases nor standing in need of these ordinary helps of meat drink and sleepe by which our naturall life is preserued Secondly our body shall be raised honourable now it is 2 They shall be honourable layd downe in dishonour for there is no flesh were it neuer so beautifull or beloued of man but after death it becommeth loathsome to the beholder so that euen Abraham shall desire that the dead body of his beloued Sarah may be buried out of his sight but in the resurrection they shall be raised more honourable then euer they were they shall be redeemed from all their infirmities euery blemish in the body that now makes it vnpleasant shall be made beautifull in the resurrection and euery defectiue member thereof shall be restored Members lame shal be restored to integrity Membri detruncatio vel obtusio nonne mors membri est si vniuersalis mors resurrectione rescinditur Tertul. de resur carnis quanto magis portionalis for the perishing of the member is no other thing but the death of the member if the benefit of resurrection cut off the vniuersall death of the body shall it not also take away the portionall death of a member in the body if the whole man shall be changed to glory shall he not much more be restored to health Out of all doubt the bodies of Gods Children shall be raised perfect comely and euery way honourable hoc est enim credere resurrectionem integram credere Thirdly the body shall be raised a glorious body When 3 They shall be glorious Phil. 3. 21. he shall appeare he shall change our vile bodies and make them like
therefore is it that in the summe of our faith the Article of our Resurrection is put betweene the Article of the remission Resurrection is a benefit when remission of sin goes before it and eternal life followes after it of sinnes and that other Article of eternall life to teach vs that then onely the Resurrection of the body is a benefit when remission of sinnes goes before it and eternall life followes after it whereof the Lord of his great mercy make vs partakers through Iesus Christ Verse 1â— Therefore Brethren â—ee are debters not to the Exhortation flesh to liue after the flesh AS it is true concerning vs that a necessitie lyeth What fruit wee should gather of the Apostles former doctrine vpon vs to preach and woe will be to vs if wee preach not so it is true concerning you that a necessitie lyeth vpon you to heare and woe wil be to you if you heare not It is commaunded to vs that when we speake wee should speake as the Oracles of God and it is also required of you that ye receiue this word not as the word of man but as it is indeede the word of God therefore take heede how yee heare for as Moses said to the Israelites so say wee vnto you It is no vaine word concerning you it is your life Ye haue heard that maine proposition of Comfort there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ yee haue heard it confirmed explaned and applyed the miserable estate of them who walke after thâ— flesh hath beene shewed vnto you as likewise the happy estate of them who walke after the Spirit and what comforts the godly haue both against the remanents as also against the fruits of sinnes hath beene declared vnto you Examine your selues see how far forth these comforts belong vnto you If yee be such as thinke with those scornefull men in Ierusalem that yee haue made a couenant with death and it shall not come neere you then goe on in your security and doe that which is good in your owne eyes but if yee finde by experience that death is already entred into your mortall body be vvise in time see that thou haue this onely soueraigne comfort against death the spirit of Christ dwelling in you otherwise flatter your selues in your security as you will miserable shall your end be Now the Consolation being ended the Apostle subioynes Consolation exhortation both necessary for vs. the Exhortation both these two consolation and exhortation are needfull for vs in the course of this life the one to keepe vs that we faint not through the remanents of sinne left in vs and beginnings of death which already haue seased vpon vs exhortation againe to stir vs vp when wee linger in the way of godlinesse For it fareth with vs as it did with Lot in Sodome the Angels warned him of the imminent iudgement and exhorted him to escape for his life yet hee delayed and lingred hee could not be gotten out of Sodome till they as it were violently thrust him out And albeit the Lord admonish vs early and late by his messengers of that wrath which is to come vpon the children of disobedience and warne vs in time to flye to the mountaine of his saluation yet alas so loath are we to forsake our olde sinnes that the Lord is forced to double his exhortation vnto vs all which yet shall not auaile vs if the Lord â—ay not the hands of his grace vpon vs and by his holy Spirit make vs obedient to the heauenly vocation Let vs therefore take heede to the exhortations made vs by the Lord and that so much the more because it is most certaine that the sweetnesse of Gods consolation shall not be felt of them who are not moued with his exhortation Contemplationis enim gustus non debetur nisi obedientiae mandatorum Ber. ser 46. in Cant. the tast of Gods mercy by contemplation is onely due to them who make conscience of the obedience of his commandements Therefore This particle is relatiue to the words preceding Euery benefit of God is a new obligation binding vs to serue him seeing it is so that by the Spirit of Christ dwelling in vs wee haue such excellent benefits we are debt-bound not to liue after the flesh but after the Spirit Of this wee haue first to learne that euery benefit wee receiued from God is an Obligation binding vs debters of seruice to God for much shall be required of him to whom much is giuen there is no reason vvhy the abundance of Gods gifts eyther Gods benefits shold not make vs proud for he who hath receiued most hath the more debt lying vpon him temporall or spirituall should encrease thy pride and carelesnesse but rather should make thee more humble and carefull how to please him considering that the more thou hast receiued the more thou owest VVhen Dauiâ— forgetting that hee was the Lords debter began to liue as his lust commaunded him the Lord brought out against him his former benefits as so many obligations to conuince him I aâ—â—oynted thee saith the Lord King ouer 2 Sam. 12. 7. 8. 9. Israell I deliuered thee out of the hand of Saul I gaue thee thy Lords house and â—iâ—es into thy bosome I gaue thee in like manner the house of Israell and Iudah anâ— would moreouer if that had beene too little haue giuen thee such and such things Wherefore thâ—n hast thou despâ—sed my commandement and done euill in my sight forgetting that thou was bound and obliged to me This processe of Dauids conuiction stands for an example This is cleared in the processe of Dauids conuiction to vs all to warne vs that vnlesse wee make the benefits of God obligations binding vs to serue him the Lord shall vse them as arguments to proue that iudgement is due vnto vs and the greater benefits the greater iudgements for vnto them that walke not worthy of the honor of good things they haue receiued from God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrisost in Mat. hom 4. the greatnesse of honour shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the augmentation of their punishment And as this is tâ—ue in temporall benefits so much more in spirituall graces as they are more excellent then the other so doe they more binde vs then the other both Israelites and Ethiopians are debters to God but the Israelite more debt bound than the Ethiopian for the Lord hath not dealt vvith euery Nation as with Israell Heare this word that the Lord prâ—nounceth Amos. 3 1. O ye Children of Israell you onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth therefore I will visite you for all youâ— iniquities May yee not see heere that the Lord most straitly doth punish the sinnes of those to vvhom hee hath beene most beneficiall vvhen they become vnthankefull The Gentiles who receiued no more but the light of nature are conuinced because they glorified not
God what then shall become of the bastard Christian who hath also receiued the light of the Gospel and yet doth not glorifie God shall he not much more be condemned doubtlesâ—e Sodome shall be in a better state in the day of iudgement than he Let vs therefore remember how the multitude of Gods mercies toward vs hath made vs many wayes debters of seruice vnto him that we may endeauour in feare and trembling to performe it Brethren we are debters The Apostle you see inuolues Preachers should practise that which they preach to others himselfe in the same obligation acknowledging that hee is debter of that same seruice which hee requires of others Our blessed Sauiour pronounces a fearefull woe vpon the Phaâ—ises because they â—aid heauie burthens vpon the people and they themselues did not so much as touch them with the singer the same woe abides those Preachers who require those dueties of the people vvhereof they are not practisers themselues A Preacher may in a good conscience require that thing of others whereunto first of all hee hath bound himselfe as it is said of the Prince of Pastors Acts. 1. 1. that first he began to doe and then to preach It becomes him saith Tertulâ—ian that commends a thing to others to Tertull. de patientia purchase authority to his commendation by practise of the same thing himselfe ne dicta factis dâ—fiâ—iâ—ntibus erubescant least otherwise words without deedes be not able to holde vp their face but forced to blush for shame therefore also said Bernard then shalt thou make thy voyce powerfull vnto others if thou make it knowne that thou hast perswaded thy selfe of that whereof thou wouldst perswade others Validâ—â—r Ber. in Cant. serm 59. enim vox operis quam oris for the voyce of the worke is stronger than the voyce of the word Hee that is not a seruent Disciple of Iâ—sus Christ shal neuer be a faithfull Doctor of the Church of Christ and this for a warning for Preachers Caluin Debters Of this it is euident that the doctrine of grace Christ hath freed vs from all other seruice that we might be bound to his owne proclaimes not liberty to men to liue as they will but rather bindes them to liue godly there can be no higher contempt done to the Lord than to turne his grace into wantonnesse Certainly the iniquities of Pagans doth not halfe so much offend him as the licentiousnesse of bastard Christians who wil sinne the more freely because Christ hath suffâ—red for sinne they heare that a man is not iustified by good workes and Rom. 3. 28. therefore being deceiued by Sathans Sophistrie they cease to doe well not considering that good works must proue we are sanctified and sanctification must proue that we are iustified In the second verse the Apostle said that Christ hath freed vs from the Law of sinne and here he saith that he hath made vs debters to righteousnesse these are not contrary they agree very well together he hath loosed vs from the seruice of all other Masters that he might bind vs the more straightly to serue himselfe And indeede if Christ commaund vs as hee ought no He is a seruant of seruants who is not the seruant of Christ Iesus Ambrose other thing shall commaund vs beside him otherwise if we be not seruants to him we shall be slaues to euery thing beside him O quam multos dâ—minos habet qui vnum non habet O how many Lords hath that man vvho hath not Christ to be his Lord assuredly there is no thing which will not vsurpe superiority ouer thee who liues not as a bound seruant to Iesus Christ either thy belly shall become thy God and for a mease of pottage with Esau thou shalt sell thy birth-right and blessing or a wedge of gold shall become thy confidence and thâ—u shalt not care for gaine to loose a good conscience or then some other vncouth Lord who hath no title to thee shall tyrannize ouer thee Thus wee see that the Christian liberty wee haue by Christ makes vs free from the seruitude of sinne as the Apostle teacheth vs and not free to commit sinne as the carnall Atheist conceiues it But seeing wee are debters let vs see with what bondes wee are bound surely the obligations are many by which we are bound debters to the Lord but specially now wee We are bound to do God seruice by two great bands especially will shortly consider these two Creation and Redemption It is a principle receiued among all men that the fruit and vantage of a mans owne workmanship should redound to himselfe who planteth a vineyâ—rd and eates not of the fruit 1 Creation 1 Cor. 9. 7 thereof or who feedeth a flocke and eates not of the milke of the flâ—ckâ— No man begets sonnes and daughters but he will be honoured of them he that hyreth seruants requires seruice of them yea Balaam wil be offended if his beast serue It is a shame that man craues that of his inferiours which he giues not to his superiour him not according to his pleasure this is the measure wherwith men mete vnto themselues what reason then is ther we should refuse to doe that dutie vn to the Lord our Superiour which wee craue to our selues from our Inferirours The Lord hath made vs wee made not our selues his hand hath formed and shaped vs the life we haue we holde it of him we can not abide a moment longer in this house of our earthly tabernacle than the Lord thinkes expedient his will makes the last day yea as we said before all our necessarie maintenance for this mortall life is furnished out of his hand seeing wee our selues craue seruice of those to whom we giue the smallest things shall we not much more giue seruice vnto GOD from whom wee receiue the greatest 2 Redemption here consider first that we are bought seruants The other is the bond of Redemption Wherein we are to consider these three things first that vve are bought secondly that we are sworne thirdly that we haue receiued wages before hand all for this end that wee should serue him Ye are bought saith the Apostle with a price therefore 1 Cor. 9. 20. glorifie God in your bodies and in your spirits for they are Gods And againe wee are redeemed not with corruptâ—ble things as gould and siluer from our vaine conuersation but with the pretious 1 Pet. 1. 1. 8. bloud of Christ as of a Lambe vnspotted and vndefiled we should not therefore liue as seruants of men farre lesse That which cost Christ full deare men sels good cheape as seruants of Sathan and sinne but as seruants of that Lord who hath redeemed vs. Of all fooles those are the greatest who sels their life for the silly shadowes of sinfull pleasures which Iesus Christ hath bought with the greatest price that euer was payed Not onely are we bought to be
Christs seruants but also Secondly Sworn seruants we are sworne for baptisme as on the part of God it is a seale of the couenant of grace to confirme that promise of remission of sinnes which God hath made to vs in the blood of Iesus Christ so on our part it is a solemne resignation of our selues and our seruice to the Lord wherein we giue vp our names to be enrolled among his souldiers seruants swearing binding and oblieging our selues to renounce the seruice of the Diuell the World and the Flesh and this oath of resignation we haue renued so oft as wee haue communicated at his holy Table Whereof it is euident that they who haue giuen their names to Christ and yet liue licentiously walking after the flesh are for-sworne Apostates guiltie of persidie and of foule apostafie and desertion from Iesus Christ And thirdly not onely are wee bought and sworne but Thirdly wee haue receiued wages before hand for seruice to be done we haue receiued wages and payment in hand which should make vs ashamed if we haue so much as common honestie to refuse seruice to the Lord whose wages we haue receiued already It may be saide to euery one of vs which Malachie in the name of the Lord spake to the Leuites of his time who among you shuts the dore of the temple or kindles a fire vpon Mal. 1. 10. my altar in vaine who among vs can stand vp and say that hee hath done seruice to the Lord for nought Consider it when ye will for euery peece of seruice ye haue done to the Lord ye haue receiued wages more then ten times who hath called aright on his name hath not been heard who hath giuen thankes for benefits receiued hath not found Gods benefits doubled vpon him who hath giuen almes in the name of the Lord and not found increase I speake not now of rewards which God hath promised vs I speake onely of that we haue receiued already the least of Gods mercies shewed vpon vs already doth farre exceede all that seruice that we poore wretches haue done vnto him as therfore we are content to receiue the Lords pay let vs neuer refuse to giue the seruice of our bodies and spirits vnto him But alas is not this the common sinne of this generation But many receiue that from the true God which they returne not to him but sacrifice to Idols Hos 2. 8. to receiue good things out of the hand of God and with them to sacrifice vnto other Gods to vvhom they owe no seruice at all A horrible sacriledge a vile idolatry for this the Lord complaines of the Iewes they haue receiued my gold and my siluer and made vp Baal to themselues and the same complaint stands against the prophane men of this age The couetous man as riches encrease doth hee not set his heart vpon them though with his tongue hee denie it doth hee not say within himselfe that which Iob protested hee would neuer say to the wedge of Gold thou art my confidence The glutton when he hath receiued from God abundance of Wheat Oyle and Wine though he know the commandement be not filled with wine wherein is excesse but be Eph. 5. 18. filled with the Spirit yet how oft takes hee in superfluous drinke and spares not for loue of it to grieue the Spirit sacrificing to his belly as vnto God those things which bindes him to doe seruice vnto the Lord thus neither are the benefits of God returned to doe honour vnto him from whom they come but sacriligiously also abused to the making vp of Baal or some other Idoll abhominable to God for which it is most certaine that the moe wages these Atheists haue receiued for doing seruice to God which they neuer did the more fearefull plagues and stripes from God shall be doubled vpon them Againe we marke here that there is a double debt lying A double debt lying vpon vs the one the debt of sinne which we must seeke to be forgiuen the other the debt of obedience which we must seeke to performe vpon vs the debt of sinne and the debt of obedience vvee are freed of the one by a humble seeking and crauing of the remission thereof through Iesus Christ for the debt of sinne the Lord Iesus hath taught vs daily to seeke Gods discharge Lord forgiue vs our debts and indeede as euery day we contract some debt so it is great vvisedome by daily repentance to sue the discharge of it for they who neglect to do it their debt multiplies vpō them it stands vncancelled in the register of God written as it were with a pen of iron and the poynt of a Diamond and they shall at length be cast into that prison for non-payment wherein will be weeping and gnashing of teeth for euer But as for the debt of obedience whereof the Apostle here speakes wee cannot with a good conscience desire the Lord to discharge it nor exempt vs from it but we must in all humility craue Grace of God that we being enriched by him who of our selues are poore may be able in some measure to pay and performe it Where if the weake Children of GOD obiect and say A three-fold comfort for the godly for the debt of obedience how then can vve but drowne in this debt seeing no day of our life wee can pay to the Lord that debt of obedience which we owe vnto him To this there is giuen a three-fold comfort first the Lord dealeth with vs as a louing liberall 1 The Lord to whom we owe it giues vs wherewith to pay it man dealeth with his debter who knowing that he hath nothing of his owne wherewith to pay him and not willing to put him to shame stops priuately into his hand that which publikely againe he may giue vnto him so the Lord conuaies secret grace into the hearts of his children whereby they are in some measure able to serue him but as Dauid protested so may we all whatsoeuer wee giue vnto the 1 Chron. 29. 14. Lord wee haue it of his owne hand Secondly the Lord 2 He accepts for a time part of payment our God is so gracious that hee is content to accept part of payment at our hand till wee be able to doe better if our faith be but like the graine of Mustard-seede yet if it be true the Lord will not despise it though our repentance be not perfect and absolute though our prayers be vveake though wee cannot doe the good that wee would yet the good that wee doe is accepted at his hands through Iesus Christ And thirdly wee haue this comfort that the more 3 The more wee pay of this debt the more wee are able to pay wee pay of this debt of obedience the more wee are able to pay In other debts it is not so for if the more be payed out by him that is indebted the lesse remaines behinde
spirit of God vseth threatnings is an argument of our rebellious nature taken from honestie and dutie vvere sufficient to moue vs but in that the spirit of God doth also threaten vs with death is an euident argument of the froward rebellion of our nature The word of GOD is compared not onely to milke but also to salt we haue neede of the one because of our infancy that being nourished therewith wee may grow and because of our corruption wee haue neede to be The vvord should be vsed as milk to some as salt to others seasoned with the other to both these ends should Preachers vse the vvord of GOD to some as milke for their nourishment to others as salt for their amendment But these are the times foretold by the Apostle wherein But now men cannot abide the rebuke of Gods word 2 Tim. 4. 3. Amos. 5. 10. 1 King 22. 8. the itching eares of men cannot abide wholesome doctrine they hate him that rebukes in the gaâ—e as Achab hated Micaiah to the death because hee prophecyed no good vnto him that is hee spake not according to his phantasie but warned him faithfully of the iudgement which afterward came vpon him so the hearers of our time can abide no teachers but such as are after their owne lusts but alas they are foolish for are not my words good to him that walkes vprightly Micah 2 7. Aug. ser 1. sayth the Lord. Aduersarius est nobis quamdiu sumus ipsi nobis quamdiu tu tibi inimicus es inimicum habebis sermonem Deâ— the word of God is an aduersary to none but such as are aduersaries to themselues neither doth it condemne any but such as assuredly shall be condemned of the Lord vnlesse they repent Stop thine eare as thou wilt Zach. 7. 11. from hearing of the threatnings of the word yet shalt thou not stop that iudgement which the word hath threatned against thee There is a cry that will come at midnight and will waken the dead but blessed are they who in time are wakened out of the sleepe of their sinnes by the cryes of the watch-men of God for vndoubtedly a fearefull and painfull consumption shall torment them for euer who now cannot suffer that the salt of the Word should bite their sores to cure them The opposition made here by the Apostle warnes vs Either we must slay sin or sin shall slay vs. that a necessitie lyeth vpon vs to mortifie our sinfull lusts it stands vpon our liues vnlesse wee slay sinne sinne shall not faile to slay vs. It is like a Serpent in our bosome which cannot liue but by sucking out that bloud whereby we liue here is a wholesome preseruatiue against sinne if at euery occasion wee would carry it in our minde wee would make no doubt to put sinne to the death that our selues might liue For alas what pittifull folly is this wee hate them that pursues our bodily life wee eschew them by all bodily Aug. detemp serm 29. meanes wee hate the oppressours that spoile vs of worldly goods onely wee cannot hate Sathan to the death who seekes by sinne to spoyle vs of eternall life That same Commandement which was giuen to Adam Euery sin is to vs the forbidden Tree and Euah if yee eate of the forbiâ—den Tree yee shall dye is in effect here giuen to vs all if ye liue after the flesh ye shall die let vs not make an exception where God hath made none euery sinne to vs is as that forbidden Tree to Adam if wee meddle with it we shall finde no better fruit then that which Men seeke on it that fruit which they shall not finde and finde on it that fruit which they would not haue Adam found on it before vs there is a fruit vvhich man seekes vpon the Tree of sinne and hee shall not finde it to wit profit or pleasure and there is another fruit which God hath threatned and Sathan saith it growes not on the Tree of sinne but man assuredly shal finde it Bitter death groweâ— vpon the pleasant Tree of sinne for the wages of sinne is death albeit there came no word from the Lord to teach this former experience may confirme it for what fruit haue we this day of all our former sinnes but a guilty conscience which breeds vs much terror accusing thoughts and anguish of Spirit It is therefore a point of great wisedome to discerne betweene Great wisdome to discerne betweene the deceit of sin and fruit of sinne the deceit of sinne and fruit of sin before the action Sinne is Inâ—micus blandienâ— a slattering and laughing enemie in the action it is dulcâ— venenum sweet poyson but after the action it is Scorpâ—opungens a pricking and biting Serpent Hee that would rightly discerne the face of sinne when it stands before him to tempt him let him looke backe to the taile of a sinne which hee hath committed alreadie and of the sting vvhich that sinne hath left behind it let him learne to beware of the smiling countenance of the other which will no lesse wound him the second time vnto death if so be he embrace it Most properly may the pleasures of sinne be Sinfull lusts compared to the streame of Iordan compared to the streames of the riuer Iordan which carryeth away the fish swimming and playing in it delighted with such pleasures as are agreeable to their kind euen till it deuolue them into the salt sea where incontinent they die euen so in the vvicked inordinate concupiscenâ—â— is as a forcible streame which carryeth away vvith it impenitent men playing and delighting themselues in their lusts till at length they fall into that lake vvhich burneth vvith fire and brimstone out of the which there is no redemption for them The perishing pleasures of sinne are payd home with And to the lâ—custs with womans haire Lions teeth Scorpions taile Basil in verb. Mos attende tibi euerlasting perdition it is done in a moment but when it is finished it bringeth out death and breedes the Worme that will neuer dye paruum ad horam peccatum longaeua autem est ex â—o aeterna verecundia it is the deuouring Locust of the bottomlesse pit which hath haire like a woman teeth like a Lyon and a tayle like a Scorpion miserable are they who are blinded with it they may sleepe in their sinne but their Cirill catech 2. damnation sleepes not though their heads be laid downe like the Kine of Bashan to drinke in iniquity like water yet 2 Pet. 2. 3. their iudgement is not farre off and they are but like vnto Oxen fed for the slaughter Wee perceiue here further that euery mans state and condition in this life is a prediction of that state and condition which abides him when this life is gone Hee that soweth Gal. 6. 8. to the flesh of the flesh shall reape corruption but hee that soweth to the Spirit shall reape immortality
and life As no This life is a thorow-way or middle passage eyther to heauen or hell man commeth eyther to a Pallace or a Prison but by the entry thereof so no man goeth eyther to heauen or hell but by the way thereof A wicked life is as a thorow-way to that prison and place of darknesse he who goes on in it without returning shall out of all doubt vvhen hee hath passed the path-way enter into the prison and a godly life is the very way to heauen hee that walkes in it persâ—uering to the end shall enter at last into that Pallace of Glory which is the Paradise of God Salomon saith that where the Eccles 11. 3. tree fals there it lyes and experience teacheth vs that it fals to that side on vvhich the branches thereof grow thickest if the greatest growth of our affections and actions spring out after the Spirit out of doubt wee shall fall to the right hand and shall be blessed but if otherwise thy affections grow downward and thou walke after the flesh then assuredly thou shalt fall to the left hand and die in sin vnder the curse of God But seeing they who walke after the flesh are dead already They who liue in sin are dead and yet a worse death abides them in hell how saith the Apostle they shall dye To this I answere both are true presently they are dead and yet a more fearefull death abides them That they who liue in their sinnes are dead already wee shewde before for sinne is that vnto the soule of man vvhich fire and vvater are to the body that is to say an vnkindely Element in the which it cannot liue but certainely a more fearefull death abides them which the spirit of God calleth the second death vvherein they shall not onely liue depriued of life wanting all sense yea and all hope of the mercy of God but shal also feele the full measure of his wrath due to their sinnes powred out vpon them Now albeit they be dead in sinne and depriued of the fauour of the Creator yet the vaine comforts of the creatures doth so betwitch and blinde them that they know not how wretched and miserable they are but when the last sentence of damnation shall be pronounced vpon them they shall not onely be banished from the presence of God into euerlasting perdition where the fire of the Lords indignation shall perpetually torment them but also the comfort of all Gods creatures which now they haue shall foâ—sake them The least degree of their punishment shall be a fearefull The least degree of their punishment shall be a fearefull famine of all worldly comforts Ioel. 1. 12. Reu. 18. 14. famine of worldly comforts The Pomegranat Tree the Palme Tree the Apple Tree shall wither The Apples after which now their soule lusteth shall depart from them they shall finde none of them yea if a cup full of colde vvater might comfort them it shall not be giuen vnto them thus you see how they are dead and yet a more fearefull death abideth them Therefore the spirit of God to expresse the fearefulnesse Why that second death is called a wrath and a wrath to come of that second death he calleth it a wrath and giues it these two titles first hee calleth it a vvrath prepared by God Salomon saith the wrath of a King is the messenger of death what then shall we say of the wrath of God Secondly he cals it a wrath to come to teach vs that it farre exceedes all that wrath that we haue heard or seene The drowning of the originall world the burning of Sodome a great wrath but nothing comparable to the wrath which is to come Beside this both the place the vniuersality and the eternity The place of the damned shewes the greatnesse of their iudgement Reu. 21. 8. Esa 30. 33. of their punishment serues to let vs see if wee looke to them how horrible this death is which here is threatned against them who liue after the flesh As for the place it is called the wineprâ—ssâ— of the wrath of God the lake that bâ—rnes with â—ire and brimstone Tophet prepared of old deepe and large the breath of the Lord like a riuer of brimstone â—oth kindle it It is that great deepe which the damned spirits themselues abhor they know it to be the place appointed for their torment all that they craue was onely that the Lord would not send them thether to be tormented before the time It is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a place wherein is no light to see therefore Iude called it blacknesse of darknesse and our Sauiour called it vtter darknesse Iude verse 6. Mark 9. 48. 1 Pet. 3. 19. Math. 5. 22. there is in it a burning fire but without light a gnawing worme without rest Saint Peter cals it a prison and our Sauiour cals it Gehenna for the horrible scrieches of them who are burnt in it and the vile and stinking filthinesse wherwith it is replenished And as for the vâ—â—uersality of their paine It is certaine The vnâ—â—uersality of it Nothing in man shall be without paine all Gods plagues shall concor to punish him that as euery thing in them sinned so euery thing in them shall be punished No power of their soule no member of their body shall be free from that wrath Surely it should astonish man to consider this for if now any one of Gods ordinary plagues inflicted vpon any one member of the body be so insufferable how intollerable vvill that paine be he who now is payned with the tooth-ach takes some comfort when he sees another tormented with the collicke and he also if he see another burnt vp with Anthonies fire beares his owne crosse the more patiently because he sees a greater laid vpon another No man in this life suffereth all things one cryeth with the Shunamites sonne for excessiue dolour alas my head my head another with Antiochus my belly the third with Asa my feete my feete but what are all these comparable to that paine vvherein head and belly and feet yea the whole man shall be racked vpon the torments of Gods wrath and that not with one plague onely but with manifold for as all the waters of the earth runne into the great Ocean so all the plagues of God shall concurre and meete together in hell for the punishment of the damned But yet the eternity of that paine doth still increase the The eternitie of it horrour thereof there shall be no end of their punishment their fire shall neuer be quenched their worme shall neuer dye they shall seeke death as a benefite and shall not finde it The fire of Sodome was ended in a day the deluge of water that drowned the originall world lasted but a yeare the famine that plagued Aegypt lasted but seauen yeares the captiuity of Israell was ended in seauenty yeares but this wrath of GOD vpon the damned shall endure for
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
improued pray to none but to our Father whom shall wee follow as Schoole-maisters in prayer If wee vvill be instructed of Psal 50. 15. the Lord. Call vpon â—ee in the day of thy trouble and I shall deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie mee If wee vvill be taught by Iesus Christ after this manner saith hee shall yee pray Mat. 6. 9. Our Father which art in Heauen If yee would know how the Spirit teacheth vs to pray the Apostle here telleth you hee teacheth vs to cry Abba Father these three are one and deliuers vnto vs one truth what better Schoole-maisters to teach vs a true forme of acceptable Prayer vnto God can wee haue then these and therefore that doctrine which teacheth to pray to Angels or Saints departed must proceed from the spirit of errour for wee are here otherwise taught of God we cannot saith the Apostle call vpon him in whom we beleeue not As for the Angels wee beleeue that they are which the Saduces did not but we beleeue not in them and therefore will not pray vnto them In all the old testament we read no prayer made to Abraham albeit In all the scripture no prayer to Abraham Moses c. nor to Cherubin nor Seraphin hee was the father of the saithfull none to Isaac or Iacob or Moses or any other of the Fathers departed In a hundreth and fiftie Psalmes no prayer is made to Cherube or Seraphin though they in their Psalter of the Virgin haue turned ouer all the prayses and petitions made to the Lord into petitions to our Lady as if where Dauid saith O Lord Psal 6. 1. rebuke mee not in thine anger wee were all to say O Ladie rebuke me not in thine anger and O Lord thou art my righteousnesse Psal 4. 1. O Lady thou art my righteousnesse and so forth in the rest but wee may boldly say with Bernard libenter Bernard certè gloriosa virgo tali honore carebit the glorious Virgin is willingly content to want such honour The Angell would not suffer Iohn to prostrate before him doe it not saith hee I am but thy fellow seruant this one of those blessed spirits Reu. 19. 10. witnesses to vs in the name of all the rest that it is the will of the Saints of God in heauen that wee who are vpon earth should reserue to the Lord his owne worship and giue no part thereof to creatures yea they are offended when that honour is offered to them which is due to the Lord. Where if that common obiection be brought which Ambrose It is not in the court of heauen as in the courts of earthly kings Ambros in epist ad Rom. did obuiate in his time posse nos per istos ire ad Deum sicut comites peruenitur ad regem that men by such mediators may goe to God as they goe to Kings by those who are honorable in their courts to them we answere with him hoc est misera vâ—i excusatione this is to pretend a miserable excuse for men goe to kings by courtiers because the king is but a man ad Deum autem quem nihil latet promirendum suffragatore non opus est sed mente deuota but as for the Lord from whom nothing is hid there needs no such procutor to make him fauourable vnto vs onely there is required a deuout minde for in whatsoeuer place hee who is truely godly speakes vnto God the Lord shall answere him And lastly that the Apostle here ioyneth two words of Euery tongue and language is sanctified for prayer if we vnderstand it sundry languages Abba Father it is to teach vs that euery tongue is sanctified to the vse of Gods children and that it is lawfull for vs to pray in any language if so be wee vnderstand it but to binde people to pray in a language they vnderstand not or for him that should be the mouth of God in the exercise of diuine worship to speake to the people in a strange language which they vnderstand not is a sacrilegious tyranâ—ie That which God powred out as a curse on They are builders of Babell who speake to the people in a language they vnderstand not the first Babell that one of them vnderstood not what another said and the people knew not what the builderâ—â—raued in the second Babel is receiued as a blessing The Caldeans a fierce and cruell nation were sent against the Iewes speaking to them in a language which they vnderstood not to punish in them the contempt of the voice of God which they would not learne nor vnderstand and now the messengers of Antichrist a cruell and mercilesse people are come out speaking to the world in an vncouth language for punishment of them that receiued not the loue of the truth A faithfull seruant of the Lord had he neuer so many languages had rather speake in the Church fiue words with vnderstanding that others might be instructed than ten thousand otherwaies he is but an hireling and a false Apostle that purposely speakes to a people in a language they vnderstand not We giue thankes to God who hath deliuered vs from this most fearefull captiuitie and confusion of Babell Verse 16. The same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God ALbeit this operation of the Spirit whereby he witnesses vnto vs that wee are the Children of God be set downe in the last place yet in order of working it goes before the other for certainely vnlesse his holy spirit testifie vnto vs that God is become our father and hath made vs his children we dare not go neere him to craue good things from him The beginning of our acquaintance with GOD flowes from him herein is loue not that wee loued him first but that bee loued 1 Ioh. 4. 10. Rom. 11. 35. vâ— Who hath first giuen vnto him and he shall be recompensed We must first receiue from God some secret information of his loue and fatherly affection or euer we be able to returne vnto him the desires the words and the deedes of his louing children Here first appeareth the fatherly indulgence of the Lord The great loue of our father which hee hath shewed by sending his spirit into our harts our God towards vs we are here in a vally of death in heauines through continuall afflictions the time is not yet come wherein the Lord will communicate to vs his glorious presence to fill vs with that fulnesse of ioy which is in his face the time is not yet come wherein wee must ascend to our Father yet to keepe vs in the meane time that wee faint not the Lord hath sent downe his holy Spirit into our harts to comfort vs. O fatherly care O wonderfull loue when Israel was yet in the wildernesse the Lord sent them some of the fruits of Canaan to comfort them by the hand of Ioshua and Caleb but what was that if it be compared
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
one wherfore he is not ashamed to call them brethren O wonderfull comfort the Father cryes from heauen this is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him the Sonne againe speaking to vs on earth saith I goe vp to your Father and my Father Iob. 20. 17. hee that is my Father is also your Father therefore goe yee vnto him and call vpon him as your Father O qualis ille dominus qui omnes sâ—ruos suos facit amicos suos quod multo maius est fratres suos O what a sweet Lord is he who makes all his seruants his friends and which is much more his brethren Surely the yoake of Christ is easie and Math. 11. 30. his burthen is light we are called to be annexed partakers with him of all the good that is in him The Lord therefore more and more confirme vs that despising all the subtill offers of Sathan whereby hee would steale vs away from the loue of Christ and delighting in that high dignity whereunto we are called our hearts may cleaue to the Lord for euer without seperation HEAVEN OPENED WHEREIN THE COVNSAILE OF GOD CONCERNING MANS SALVATION IS FVRTHER MANIfested so that the Christian effectually called may heare himselfe after the Crosse ordayned to the Crowne and read his owne Name written in the booke of Life Being the second benefit we haue by our Lord Iesus Christ Come and see Written by Mr. William Cowper Minister of Gods word at Perth LONDON Printed by Thomas Snodham for Iohn Budge and are to be sould at the great South dore of Paules 1611. TO THE MOST Gracious Excellent and mightie Princesse Anne Queene of great Britaine France and Ireland c. MADAME As God in the first creation of one made two so in the first institution of marriage did he againe vnite those same two into one that the woman ioyned in marriage with her husband might not onely reuerence him as the rocke from whence she was taken but much more loue and honour him as her head vnder whom she liues If they had not agreed in one to diuide themselues from God no diuision had euer fallen out among themselues But that which God made very good Sathan working vpon the mutability of their will turned into euill so that the woman in stead of an helper became a tempter of the man to sinne and the man in stead of a defender became a dilater of the woman to God for sinne But the Lord Iesus who came into the world to destroy the workes of the Diuell as he hath reconciled man and woman with God so hath he reunited them among themselues adding this to all the former bands of their vnion that now they should liue together as heires of the grace of life In this most happy vnion of both your Maiesties with God and among your selues consists your mutuall strength and comfort the welfare of your Highnesse royall children the terrour of your enemies and common benefit of all your Maiesties well affected subiects A good so much the more carefully to be kept because Sathan out of all doubt spitefully doth enuie it as being the very fountaine out of which doth flow that great and common good both of your royall posterity and loyall people the aspect of your Highnesse fauourable countenances looking in loue one of you to another and both of your maiesties in coniunct compassion to your people sweeter than the influence of the vndiuided Pleiades bringing to Church common-wealth vnder your happy raigne a flourishing spring of innumerable blessings We doe therefore blesse the Lord who hath confirmed your royall hearts and set it in the for most of your godly cares how to keepe and encrease this holy and happy band of loue which keepeth you both For the continuance whereof as after my weake measure I stand vp a daily supplicant vnto the Lord among others your Highnesse loyall subiects so doe I humbly craue that your Highnesse impute it not to me for presumption that I haue conioyned your maiesties in the participation of this small propine of the first fruits of my labours whom I doe wish for euer to be conioyned in the communion of all good present and to come but that rather according to your Highnesse wonted fauour and clemencie toward me your maiestie would graciously accept it as a testimonie of my earnest and vnsained affection toward your Highnesse name and honour in this life and euerlasting welfare in the life to come Your Maiesties most humble Subiect and daily Oratour WILLIAM COVVPER Minister at Perth HEAVEN OPENED THE SECOND PART OF THE CHAPTER CONTAYNING Comforts against the CROSSE Verse 17. If so be wee suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him THE mortification of a Christian The mortification of a Christian consists in two things whereunto the spirit of GOD so frequently exhorts vs consists in these two first in a subduing by a holy Discipline our inordinate lustes vvhich naturally rebell against the law of God secondly in a patient bearing of the Crosse of Iesus In the first part of the Chapter the Apostle hath exhorted vs vnto the one and now in the second by many arguments hee strengthens vs against the other vnlesse wee make some profit in the first point of mortification it is certaine we shall neuer proceed to the second For the life of one affection is farre lesse than the life of the whole man if for Christs sake we will not Hee will not quit his life that will not quit his affection for Iesus Christ Ezech. 22. 14. put out the life of one sinfull affection what hope is there that for his sake we will lay downe our owne life beside that a dissolute life weakneth the strength of the soule makes it â—eeble in the day of affliction so that the heart cannot endure nor the hands be strong in that day wherein the Lord shall haue to doe with thee It is a customable policie of Sathan first to corrupt men and make them dissolute in prosperity that afterward hee may the more easily breake them by aduersity When Iustin Martyr behâ—ld the patient suffering of the Christians notwithstanding that hee was not as yet conuerted himselfe he gathered thereof that they could not be men giuen to pleasures for it is most certaine that men ouer-ruled by their affections are either in trouble feeble and effeminate or wickedly delperate hauing in them no spirituall strength to sustaine it And for the connexion of these words with the former The connexion of these words with the former the Apostle slides in here cunningly from the first part of his Treatise into the second and that by way of answering an obiection for it might haue beene said vnto him ye haue called vs the Sonnes of God and the heires of God but how can that be our present estate and condition being so hard and our life so full of troubles To this he answeres it is very
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
of his bone and flesh of his flesh albeit he had neuer seene her before and shall we thinke that the second Adam restoreth lesse knowledge to his redeemed than they lost in the first Adam The consideration of the place shewes the greatnesse of that glory Last of all the consideration of the place vvherein wee shall be glorified will leade vs to consider the excellency of that glorie As for the place our Sauiour sometime calleth it Paradise there being no meeter place in the earth to shadow it then was that Garden of Eden the habitation of man in the state of innocencie sometime he calleth it his fathers house wherein are many mansions sometime the euerlasting habitations The Apostle calleth it the third heauens a house not made vvith hands but eternall in the heauens Wee see in this composition of the world that finest things are situate in highest places the earth as grosest is put in the lowest roome the water aboue the earth the ayre aboue the water the fire aboue the ayre the spheres of heauen purer then any of them aboue the rest but the place of our glorie is aboue them all in the heauen of heauens which doth not onely note the excellent purity therof but shewes also what excellent puritie is required in all them who are to inhabite it There are three places saith one wherein the sonnes Three places of our residence the first is our mothers wombe the second is the earth the third is the heauens of God at three sundry times makes residence according to Gods good pleasure The first is in our mothers wombe the second is this Earth the third is that pallace of glorie which is aboue from the first the Lord hath brought vs to the second and from the second wee rest in hope that the Lord â—n his owne good time vvill bring vs to the third If vvee compare these three together in time in bounds and in beautie vvee shall finde the second doth not so farre excell the first as the third excels the second The ordinarie time of our remayning in our mothers wombe is nine Compared together in time months the time of our soiourning in our second house is farre longer threescore and tenne times twelue months but in our third house neyther dayes months nor yeeres shall be reckoned vnto vs for it is the place of our euerlasting habitation If againe we compare them in bounds and largenesse of Compared in bounds place vvee shall finde that as the belly of a vvoman is but of narrow bounds in regard of this ample vniuerse so this is nothing in comparison of that high pallace wherein are innumerable mansions prepared for many thousands of elect men and Angels For if one starre be more than the vvhole earth vvhat is the firmament vvhich containes so many starres and if the firmament be so large vvhat shall we thinke of the heauen of heauens which hath no limites vvithin which it is bounded And last if wee compare them in beautie and pleasure Compared in beautie and pleasure O then what a difference shall arise when thou wast in thy mothers belly though thy body vvas indued with those same organes of senses yet what sawest thou or heardest thou there euery sense wanting the owne naturall obiect could breed thee no delight but this thy second house thou seest it replenished with varietie of all necessarie and pleasant things no sense wanting innumerable obiects that may delight thee and yet all the beautie and pleasure of this earth is as farre inferiour to that which is aboue as it is superiour to that which the infant had in the mothers belly The firmament which is the seeling of our second house The seeling of our second house is but the pauement of our third house beautified vvith the Sunne Moone and Starres set in it by the hand of God and shining more gloriously than all the precious stones in the world shal be no other thing but the neather side of the pauement of our Palace Iohn the Baptist sprung for ioy in the belly of his mother Elizabeth when Luke 1. 14. the Lord Iesus came into the house in the wombe of his mother Mary but afterward when hee saw the Lord Iesus more clearely face to face and pointed him out with the finger behold the Lambe of God when hee stood by him as Iohn 1. 36. a friend and heard the voyce of the Bridegroome he reioyced in another manner so in very truth all the reioycing that wee haue in the house of our pilgrimage is but like the springing of Iohn Baptist in the mothers vvombe in comparison of those infinite ioyes wherewith vve shall be replenished when we shall meete vvith our bridegroome in our Fathers house wherein wee shall see him face to face and abide vvith him for euer It is vvritten of Ahashuerus that he made a great banquet Ahashuerus banquet not comparable to our marriage banquet to his Princes and Nobles which lasted for the space of an hundred and fourescore dayes and when he had done with that hee made another banquet to his Commons for the space of seauen dayes the place was the outmost court of the Kings Palace the Tapestry vvas of all sorts of colours Esth 1. white greene and blew fastned with cords of fine linnen and purple through rings and pillars of siluer and marble the beds were of gold and siluer the pauement of porphire marble alablaster and blew colour the vessels wherein they dranke vvere all of Gold all this hee did that he might shew the glorie of his kingdome and the honor of his maiestie If a worm of the earth hath done so much for declaring his begged glory as rauished men into admiration thereof how I pray you shall the Lord our God the great King declare his glorie when he shall make his banquet couer his Table and gather his Princes that is his Sonnes thereunto not for a few dayes but for euer not in the outmost Court but in the inner Court of his Palace Surely no tongue can expresse it for seeing hee hath decked this If the outward court of Gods palace be so furnished as we see what is the inner vvorld vvherein vve soiourne and which I haue called the outmost Court of this Palace in so rich and glorious manner that hee hath ordained lights both by day and night to shine in it and hath prepared a store-house of Fowles in the ayre another of Beasts in the earth and the third of Fishes in the Sea for our necessitie beside innumerable pleasures for delectation what glory and varietie of pleasures may vvee looke for when hee shall separate vs fully from the children of vvrath and assemble vs all into the inner Court of his owne Palace into the chamber of his presence vvee may vvell thinke vvith the Apostle that the heart of man is not able to vnderstand those things which God hath prepared for vs and
fought against them the Fire flashed out terrible flames into their faces the soft Water gushed out of the bowels of the clouds and was turned into hard stones to strike them who in the hardnesse of their hearts rebelled against God the Ayre became pestilentious to them and corrupted their bodies with Biles and Botches the vvaters beneath vvere turned into bloud the earth was poysoned with venemous flyes which made it rot abhominable Frogs made their land stinck for the lothsomnesse of their sinnes their sensitiue creatures which serued them were horribly plagued their Flockes by land consumed with murraine their Fish in the Sea rots and dyes their vigetatiue creatures are also destroyed their Vines and Fig-trees are blasted the flaxe that should haue clothed them the Barly that should haue fed them are smitten and there is nothing belonging to them were it neuer so small but the wrath of God seased vpon it This was but a temporall and particular iudgement yet doth it make vnto vs some representation of that vniuersall iudgement wherein all the creatures of God shall concurre and lend their helps to torment the wicked when the full cup of Gods wrath shall be powred out vpon them Not of the owne will This is as wee said before figuratiuely How a will is ascribed to the creature spoken of the creature that it is said to haue a will For the will of the creature is no other thing but the naturall inclination of the creature and the meaning is that the creature of the owne nature is not subiect to this vanitie but that it is subdued vnder it by the superiour power of God for the sinne of man Where if it be asked how stands this How stands it with iustice that the creature is punished for mans sinne with iustice that the creature which sinned not should be subiected to vanitie for the sinne of man The question is easily answered if wee consider that the creatures were not made for themselues but for the vse and seruice of man and that whatsoeuer change to the worse is come vpon them is not their punishment but a part of ours If earthly Kings without violation of iustice may punish their rebels not onely in their persons but by demolition of their houses or otherwise in their goods and substance how shall we be bold to reproue the Lords doing who hauing conuinced man of a notorious treason hath not onely punished himselfe but defaced the house wherein he set him to dwell seeing hee hath violated the band of his seruice vnto God what reason is it that Gods creatures should continue in the first course of their seruice to him surely it stands vvith the righteous iudgement of God that his creatures should become comfortlesse seruants to man seeing man of his owne free will is become an vnprofitable seruant to his God yea a wicked rebell against him And againe that the Apostle sayth the change which is The fall of Angels of man of the creature compared made in the creature is against the will of the creature it serues greatly for our humiliation The fall of Apostate Angels was a fall by sinne but with their will and without a Tempter to allure them and now is without any hope that euer they shall be restored The fall of man was also a fall by sinne of his owne free-will but not without the Temptâ—r and now not without hope of recouerie and restitution But the fall of the creature was neither a fall of sinne nor of their owne will but a casting of them downe against their will from their originall state yet not without hope to be deliuered Miserable in the highest degree are Apostate Angels who of their owne free-will without an exteriour Tempter haue deserted their first habitation and cast themselues into remedilesse condemnation Miserable in the second degree are reprobate men who haue fallen of their owne free-will suppose prouoked by an exteriour Tempter and shall neuer be partaker of the restitution of the sonnes of God But herein hath the Lord magnified his mercy towards vs that where we fell with Angels and reprobate men yet we are restored without them The consideration of our fall should humble vs for in it we are worse than the creatures they haue fallen from their glory but not with their owne will we are fallen from ours and we cannot excuse our selues but it was with our will Againe the hope of our restitution should greatly comfort vs considering that the Lord hath vouchsafed that mercy vnto vs which hee hath denyed vnto others Further we are taught here so oft as wee are crossed by Wee should blame our selues when we are crossed by the creature the creature not to murmure against God nor to blame the creature but to complaine vpon our selues If the heauens aboue be as brasse and the earth as iron if the sea rage and the ayre waxe turbulent if the stones of the field be offences whereat wee stumble and fall if the beasts wee haue bought or hyred for our vse serue vs not at our pleasure let vs not foolishly murmure against them as Balaam did vpon his Asse what meruaile they keepe no couenant with vs seeing we haue not kept couenant with our God Vnder hope Herein hath the Lord wonderfully magnified Man and the creature for mans sake are restored to hope which neither Apostate Angels nor reprobate men haue his mercy toward vs that hee hath not onely giuen to our selues a liuely hope of full deliuerance but also for our greater comfort hath extended the same toward the creature for our cause The Apostate Angels are not partakers of this hope as we said before that restitution promised in the Gospell was neuer preached vnto them we read that sometime they haue giuen this confession that Iesus is the sonne of God but they neuer sent out a petition to him for mercy for they haue receiued within themselues an irreuocable sentence of condemnation and they know certainly that mercilesse iudgement abides their wilfull malicious Apostasie and reprobate men in like manner haue no hope of any good thing abiding them after this life and therefore we are so much the more to magnifie Gods mercy toward vs who by Grace hath put a difference betweene vs and them where there was none by Nature and hath not onely giuen to vs our selues a liuely hope of restitution but also for our sakes hath made the creatures that were cursed for our sinne partakers of the same deliuerance with vs. Verse 21. Because the creature also shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God HEre followes the second reason wherefore the The second reason of the feruent desire of the creature taken from their better estate which is to come creature feruently desires the day of the reuelation of the sonnes of God and it is taken from that glorious estate into the which the creature
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
heart thus the good for which yee looke to come in your owne experience you finde it deceiues you Call not therefore any more vpon vs to follow you and to drinke with you of your perishing pleasures we haue had a proofe of yours found them to be vanitie but if yee will come and take a proofe of ours will you taste of those delicates whereunto GOD hath called vs will you eate of the fruit that growes vpon the tree of life discouered by the Gospell vnder the shadow whereof wee delight to sit righteousnesse shall breed you peace and peace shall breed you ioy in the holy Ghost and these shall in such sort delight you that in regard of them your soule shall loath all your former vaine pleasures wherein you delighted before Of this we may see further that as Faith procreates hope Impatience in trouble proceeds from the want of Hope so hope procreates Patience so that the want of Patience in trouble bewrayes the want of Hope What made Saul who in his first beginning draue Witches out of the land in his latter end to make his refuge to them surely because all hope had failed him that the Lord would answere him any more When Samaria was besieged and straited with Famine as long as Iehoram had any hope hee waited with patience vpon the vvord of Elisha that there should be great plenty shortly in Samaria but when by the womans complaint hee vnderstood that the Famine was encreast to that height that his subiects were forced to eate their children his hope failed him and he concludes to attend no longer vpon the Lord but vowes in his impatience to cut off the head of Elisha Thus the cause of all impatience in trouble that driues men to seeke deliuerance by wicked and vnlawfull meanes is onely the want of hope Againe if yee looke to those vvho in prosperitie layes Licentiousnes in prosperitie proceeds from the want of hope downe the raynes of their affections with all licentiousnesse to goe after their desired pleasures yee shall finde the onely cause thereof is the want of hope hee that hath saith Saint Iohn this hope in himselfe that he shall see God purges himselfe euen as God is pure And this our Sauiour teacheth vs more clearely in the Parable of that seruant vvho because hee thought within himselfe that his Maister would not come began to beat his fellowes instead of feeding them So that the ground of all the Atheisme of our time is pointed out to be the vvant of hope there is no sinne committed but through impatience all proceedes of this that mans vnregenerate and proud nature cannot contayne the selfe within the limits prescribed vnto it by the Lord he that is gouerned with patience is easily kept both in peace and vvarre from etremitie of affection If any man prophane like Esau sell his birth-right for a messe of pottage that is forgoe eternall life for the perishing pleasures of this life it is because he hath no hope and therefore no meruaile if with patience hee abide not for a better but rather in impatience breake after his affections to embrace those things which are present Among all the graces of the Spirit this praise may be Without patience no grace can be preserued giuen to Patience that it is the keeper of the rest if our patience be not first broken wee cannot be induced to the committing of any sinne Sinfull concupiscence proceedes from the impatience of continencie couetousnesse from this that wee are impatient of our sober estate Therefore did Tertullian call Patience such a gouernour of the affaires that concerne God vt nullum oput Deo complacitum perpetrare extraneus a Patientia possit that it is not possible for him who is a stranger from patience to doe any worke acceptable vnto God for impatience is so great an euill that by it optima quaeque suffâ—cantur the best things which are in man are choked where impatience hath place the grace of Prayer is silent A man in the perturbation of his affectâ—on can neyther heare any wholesome admonit on nor doe any duetie of loue to them vnto whom he oweth it therefore saith the Apostle ye haue neede of Patience that after yee haue done the good will of God yee may receiue the promise The patience of a Christian consists eyther in a suffâ—ring Best medicine of our present euils is patience of our present euils or in a patient expecting of our good that is to come Our present euils are crosses and afflictions euils of their owne nature being fruits of sinne yet changed vnto vs by the suffering of Christ These crosses are eyther such as come immediately from God or mediately from men when they come immediately from God we should receiue them with thanksgiuing as a cup suppose bitter yet wholesome giuen vnto vs out of the hand of our heauenly Phisition where otherwise they are sent vnto vs by the hand of men wee are there also not to suffer our affections to be disquieted by consideration of him who brings it but glorifying God who sent it to receiue it with patience so Dauid not looking vnto Shimei the bringer receiued the cup of his curses as sent from God As the Israelites wanted not Cananites to be pricks and The Christian be where hee will shall not want cursed Cananites to crosse him thornes in their sides so the godly in this life liue where they will shall not want wicked men to crosse them which are vnto them as thornes in their sides to stabbe them and waken them to call vpon God The Popple growes in the field of God with the good wheat neyther is any man able in this life to sunder the one from the other it being the Lords dispensation that both should grow till the day of haruest and then the good wheat shall be gathered into the barne but the Tares shall be bound in sheaues and cast into the fire In the meane time let the Godly remember that euery wicked man among whom we liue is a tryall of our patience As a skilfull Artificer vseth Lead to melt Gold so the Lord vseth the drosse of the earth which are the wicked as meanes to purifie and perfect his owne children They are rods whereby he corrects vs they are thornes They are left for our tryall and our Sauiour by his example teaches vs how to suffer them whereby he wakeneth vs therefore haue we neede to be armed with patience and to walke circumspectly the Lord will not haue them now to be weeded out of his field he will haue them to remaine in the face of his visible Church to the end of the world Patienter itaque ferendum quod non est festmantur â—uferendum we must therefore beare that patiently which we may not sodainly take away And of this patient suffering our Sauiour hath giuen vs a notable example he knew that Iudas was a theefe and a traytor
yet he offered vnto him his blessed mouth euen then when hee came to betray him he knew that a fearefull woe did abide him yet did he beare with him patiently till his time came for euery wicked man hath a particular day of iudgement assigned vnto him wherein he shall be rooted out as a noysome weed by the hand of God beside that generall destruction which abides them all But here least vnder pretence of that which I haue said What Christian Patience is men foster that Patience which is meeter to be destroyed let vs consider what this true Patience is which here is recommended wee may this manner of way define it out of Augustine Patience is a grace of the Spirit flowing from Grace and Hope qua aequo animo mala toleramus ne â—niquo bona illa deseramus per quae ad meliora peruentamus whereby we so suffer things that are euill that wee forsake not those things which are good by which we may attaine vnto those that are better this excludes foure sorts of men from the praise of Christian Patience First it excludes Ethnicks euen those chiefe Philosophers renowned for Patience it is true their ordinate behauiour may conuince the vnbridled affections of many Ethnicke Philosophers excluded from the praise of true Patience professed Christians In vvhich sence Basile commended Socrates yet cannot their patience deserue the praise of true vertue for neither did their suffering proceed from the Spirit sanctifying their hearts by Faith without which it is impossible to please God nor was the end thereof directed to his glory albeit as saith the Apostle after a sort they knew him yet did they not glorifie him and though they seemed omni virtutum genere praeclari to excell in euery kinde of vertue yet herein are they conuinced to be vniust quod dona Dei non retulerunt ad suum authorem that they returned not the gifts of GOD to the Author thereof but rather abused them to their owne vaine-glory and so fayling both in the beginning as also in that end whereunto they should haue beene directed they cannot haue the praise of acceptable vertues to GOD but are rather to be accounted shadowes of vertues than vertue indeed Quid enim illis cum virtutibus qui Dei virtutem Christum ignorant what haue they to doe with vertue who are ignorant of Christ the true vertue of God Certe verus Philosophus est amator Dei but the most excellent thing that euer they did flowed rather from a loue of themselues and their owne glory than from any loue of God The second sort of persons excluded from the praise of Worldlings sustayning great distresse for gaine are also excluded from the praise of true Patience true patience are worldlings who howsoeuer they endure very much and sustaine great distresse in their bodies and restlesse cares in their mindes yet haue not this end proposed to them that by the good which presently they seeke they may attaine vnto better Our Sauiour hath recommended to vs that patience whereby we possesse our soules hee counts not of those sufferings which men endure that they may possesse things which are without them for what is that possession worth whereby men possesse those things which are without them they themselues being possessed within of worse than themselues They are called Lords and are the seruants of seruants haue Villages Cities and multitudes of men vnder their commandement and they themselues are captiued slaues vnder the seruitude of Sathan but that Patience is praise worthy whereby we possesse our soules in patience euen then when we sustayne greatest losse of things that are without vs yet certainely all those cares of worldlings which causes them to endure the necessities of hunger and thirst the heat of the day and cold of the night seemes to be but licitae quodammodo insaniae that is lawfull and tollerable suries if they be compared with others This definition doth also exclude from the praise of this Atheists who pine themselues to commit euill excluded from the praise of true Patience excellent vertue those miserable Atheists who sustaine great streâ—â—e and painefull labours that they may commit euill These are they of whom Salomon saith they cannot rest vnlesse they haue done wickedly And of this sort were those Iewes who vowed they would neither eate nor drinke till they had the Apostles life and those pharasaicall spirits of whom our Sauiour saith they compasse both sea and land to make one of their owne religion and vvhen they haue done makes him ten times more than himselfe the childe of Sathan this is wicked Patience Vera enim patientia est amica bonâ— conscientiae non inimica innocentiae as in like manner that losse of goods vvant of rest and enduring of shame which men suffer to obtaine the sinfull pleasure of their lusts For Patience is not famula concupiscentiae the handmaid of inordinate concupiscence but comes sapientiae the companion of godly wisedome And last of all here is secluded that Patience by which men in the hardnesse of heart endure most stubbornly the punishment inflicted vpon them for their sinnes which is miseranda potius durities quam miranda aut laudanda patientiae rather miserable hardnesse to be pitied than patience worthy to be praised for then is patience good when the cause for which we suffer is good It is not poena sed causa quae facit Martyrem euery strong suffering of torment makes not a man a Martyr but the good cause for which hee suffers therefore are wee commanded not to suffer as murtherers theeues or euill doers but as Christians And last of all are excluded from this praise of Patience Carnall professours patient when God is dishonoured excluded from the praise of true Patience those professors who being neyther hot nor cold can suffer with patience to see the Lord dishonoured and not be grieued thereat fierie in their owne particulars when they are crossed but more than colde and remisse in the cause of God this is not Patience but effeminate feeblenesse It is the praise of the Angell of the Church of Ephesus that he could not suffer nor forbeare them that are euill and it is the dispraise of Eli that when he knew his sonnes did wickedly he stayed them not The Lord Iesus the most rare example of patience that euer liued in the world was greatly commoued when hee saw the house of God prophaned with marchandise though we be but priuate men yet the rebukes of those who rebuke the Lord should fall vpon vs if wee loue the Lord we cannot but be commoued when we see him offended for no man can suffer that to be contemned which he loueth deerely if we can doe no more at least our eyes should gush out riuers of water when we see how the wicked will not keepe his Law But as for those whom God hath placed in publike authoritie The holy spirit hath appeared
the crafty enemie can very well change his tentations vpon thee if he be repulsed at any one part whereat he was wont to enter hee vvill goe about and seeke vantage at another and therefore seeing our enemie is restlesse and the matter he vvorkes vpon is our manifold infirmities let vs walke circumspectly and pray continually standing with the whole compleat armour of God vpon vs that we may resist him Where for our encouragement let vs marke that albeit Comfort our standing in tentations past prooues wee haue been supported by a stronger than hee is that impugnes vs. our infirmities be many and our enemie strong yet in all our conflicts we are not alone but haue an helper who sustaynes vs. And this thou mayest finde in thine owne experience if thou wilt consider with me whereof comes this that so many yeares thou hast endured the battaile against principalities and powers Is it not of the Lord whose secret help hath sustayned thee how oft hast thou beene compassed with fearefull tentations standing like Israell in the red sea with mountaines of waters about thee threatning to ouerwhelme thee how many times hast thou receiued within thy selfe the sentence of death and beene so farre cast downe that thou hast thought with Dauid there hath been nothing for thee but death and reiection from the fauour of God how oft hast thou looked to be swallowed vp of thy enemie and giuen vnto him as a pray and yet hath the Lord beyond thy expectation deliuered thee from so manifold deaths Mayst thou not feele that the powers of hell are not able to quench that sparke of light and life which God hath created in thee No no assuredly if it had beene in the power of Sathan to haue put it out it should haue beene done long or now but blessed be the Lord it is hee who keepes our soules in life and whose secret grace continually sustaines vs. The greatnesse of this comfort shall yet appeare the better How the holy Spirit beares with vs and ouer-against vs euery burthen laid vpon vs. if we consider the word here vsed by the Apostle which signifies that hee lifts with vs and before vs in the burthen We see by daily custome that the burthen which is too heauie for one is made easie by the help of an other two ioyning hand in hand lift vp that which one is not able to doe and the burthen of Affliction which to our Nature is intollerable by the help of the Spirit becomes portable and easie for he lifts not onely ouer-against vs but least our part of the burthen should ouer-match vs hee lifts also with vs which the double composition of the word imports herein then is our comfort that the Lord our God is not like vnto other Lords and Maisters of the world if he send vs forth to doe any worke in his name he goes with vs himselfe to assist vs what good he commands vs to doe he helps vs to doe it and whatsoeuer crosse he layes vpon vs he strengthens vs to beare it being as I said euer present with vs not as a spectator onely but as an actor For we know not The Apostle this way hauing generally Our infirmities proceed from the want of Prayer set downe his second principall argument of comfort proceedes to a particular explication thereof wherein first he lets vs see that our infirmities proceed of the want of a spirituall disposition to prayer and secondly that the way by which the Spirit helpeth our infirmities is by the grace of prayer Prayer then is here recommended vnto vs as a soueraigne remedie against all our infirmities In our heauiest tentations vvee get comfort as soone as vvee get grace to pray Ascendit precatio discendit Dei miseratio vvhen Augustine Prayer goes vp the mercy of God commeth downe deijcitur Ambrose de fuga saeculi cap. 7. Wee recouer our strength by Prayer Satan cum tu ascenderis Sathan is cast downe when thou dost ascend by Prayer At the Lords Command the blinde sees the paralitique walkes the dumbe speakes the deafe heares shee that was sicke of the Feuer riseth and ministers then comes these commaundements out when thy Prayer preuailes with the Lord light comes to resolue our doubts comfort to mitigate our trouble strength to sustaine our weaknesse blessed is the man to whom the Lord keepeth open this doore of refuge that hee may say in his greatest distresse with Iehoshaphat O Lord wee know not what to doe 2 Chron. 20. 12. neyther is there strength in vs against this people but our eyes are towards thee for hee may be sure of comfort in time of neede Againe wee learne here that it is not so easie a thing to It is not an â—asie thing to pray pray as commonly men professe it is thought of many that it is an easie thing to pray therefore they begin it and goe through it as if it were a worke of no difficultie but alas if wee knew our owne naturall inabilitie and how rare a grace the grace of Prayer is we should not so vainely professe in our words that wee can pray as earnestly beseech him with the Disciples that he would teach vs to pray As that Eunuch professed that hee could not vnderstand without Acts. 8. 31. a guide so may we that we cannot pray without a guide it is easie to speake of God but not so easie to speake vnto God hee that will speake to God saith Ambrose must speake to him in his owne language that is in the language of his Spirit Prayer is not a communing of the tongue with God but Prayer is a communing of the soule with God of the soule with God and of such a soule onely as is taught by the holy Spirit how to pray it is true the Lord vnderstands the thoughts of euery mans heart but the language acceptable to God are those motions of the heart which are raised by his owne Spirit and he that wants this Spirit can not speake vnto God in Gods language Let this serue to reforme the corrupt iudgement of many who thinking themselues able enough to pray passe ouer their dayes without the grace of Prayer a fearefull punishment of carnall presumption This naturall inabilitie to pray consists in these sometime Our natural inabilitie to pray is eyther in our corrupt vnderstanding by which we seek things vnlawfull the fault is in our vnderstanding fallimur putantes prodesse quae poscimus cum non prosint wee are deceiued thinking those things to be profitable for vs which are not so the Iewes not content to be fed with Manna according to the Lords dispensation will haue flesh which the Lord giues them but in his anger and their posterity not content with the Lords gouernement will haue a King like other nations which the Lord gaue them but in his wrath Of this sort are they who send out in stead of lawfull prayers
vnlawfull imprecations against their brethren crying for the plagues of God vpon their neighbours for euery small offence in stead of the blessings of God these are like the Disciples that prayed for fire from heauen to burne vp Samaria not being led by a right spirit or rather like vnto Corah Dathan and Abiram vvho sent vp to the Lord Numb 16. strange fire vvhich at length brought downe a strange iudgement vpon themselues Sometime againe wee seeke that which lawfully may Or in our corrupt affection by which we seeke things lawfull for the wrong end Iames 4. 3. Mat. 6. 33. be sought the fault is not in the vnderstanding but in the affection as when men seeke lawfull things for the wrong end or in the wrong place Of the first saith Saint Iames yee seeke and receiue not because yee aske amisse that ye may consume it vpon your lusts Of the second saith our Sauiour seeke first the kingdome of God and other things shall be cast vnto you the Lord is greatly dishonoured when wee seeke any thing before himselfe for remedie let vs remember these rules First that the thing we seeke be good Secondly that vve seeke the greatest good in the first roome And thirdly that the secondary gifts we seeke them to the right end namely that they may be seruants to vs in our seruing of God onely and that vve abuse them not as occasions of sinning against our God And further we may learne here how little cause eyther What good can we doe by Nature seeing we cannot doe so much as pray for our selues the Pelagian had of olde or the semipelagian Papists haue now to magnifie so farre the arme of flesh as to affirme that man vnregenerate hath power of his owne free-will to make choise in things spirituall of that which is good for seeing vve cannot know what is good for vs till the Spirit teach vs vvhat power haue we of our selues to make choise of it It is true that men by the quicknesse of their naturall wit haue found out many artes and trades profitable for this naturall life so Iubal vvas the first Father of them who play on Harpes and Organes and Tubal-Cain the first inuenter Gen. 4. 22. of cunning working in brasse and yron but as for spiritual things which concerne the life to come man is not able by any power of Nature to help himselfe therein for vvhat can he do seeing he doth not vnderstand those things that are of God But the spirit it selfe makes request The Apostle to the How the Spirit requests for vs. Galathians hath a commentarie for these vvords vvhen he saith that God hath sent downe his Spirit into our harts by vvhich vve cry Abba father the requesting then of the Spirit is no other thing but his framing of such desires in vs by which vve request God And hereupon depends the efficacie of the prayers of Gods children no maruaile they be effectuall to moue the Lord seeing they are the birth of his owne Spirit the effect of his owne operation they come from him and it is not possible that he can mislike them when they returne vnto him If wee shall take a view of example of holy Scripture and Ecclesiastique story vve shal finde that the prayer of the godly hath done many vvonderfull things yea vvhat is it that feruent prayer hath not done Abrahams prayer opened the barraine vvombes of Examples in holy scripture prouing the efficacie of Prayer Abimilechs houshold and closed vp the hands of the Angels vvho vvent to destroy Sodome they could bring downe no fire vpon it till Lot vvas remoued out of it The prayer of Moses parted the red sea and was more forcible to ouerthrow the armie of Amalecke than all the weapons of Israel The prayer of Iosua made the Sunne stand still in the firmament and Samuels prayer brought loude thunder flashing fire and heauy haile-stones vpon the Philistims Eliah by prayer closed the heauens for the space of three yeeres and sixe months and opened them againe And this example Saint Iames applyes to euery godly man that vve should not thinke they did these things by the priuiledge of their persons rather then the efficacie of their prayer hee shewes that Eliah was a man subiect to the same infirmities whereunto wee are subiect and that the prayer of any righteous man auailes much if it be feruent no lesse than his though vve worke not by prayer such externall miracles as hee did yet doe wee by it draw downe inward grace bringing light to the blind life to the dead and makes a vvonderâ—ull change by repentance a vvorke full of miracles indeed in them vvho obtaine it In like manner it is vvritten that Aurelius Antonius in Examples in Ecclesiastique historie his expedition against the Germanes had in his armie a legion of Christians who by their earnest prayer vnto God obtained raine for refreshment of his armie when it vvas like to perish vvith thirst as likewise fearefull thundrings against their enimies for vvhich he then called that legion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fulminatrix the thundring band Thus in all ages hath prayer beene so forcible that it hath sometimes altred the very course of Nature vvithout and at all times hath changed the course of corrupt nature vvithin in such as had it Where if the children of God vvho are of tender conscience Comfort for the godly when they pray and are not instantly answered obiect vnto me that the more I speake of the efficacie of prayer the lesse is their comfort considering that of a long time they haue called vpon the Lord and can find no reliefe of their trouble let them remember that in this tentation they are not vvithout companions godly men haue beene exercised vvith the like before them Dauid a man after Gods owne heart complaines ofttimes to the Lord that he was hoarse with crying and that albeit he continued his prayer day and night yet the Lord vvas to him as one that is deafe and vvould no more be mercifull vnto him but at length he is alway compelled to burst out into glorious thanksgiuing praising the Lord that hath heard his voyce and not onely so but hee hath left this vvhich he found in his experience to be true as a bulwarke of our faith vnto all posteritie Surely the Lord will not faile his people 1 Sam. 12. 20. 21. nor forsake his inheritance He endureth but a while in his anger but in his fauour is life Hee is the most high God that performes his promises toward me Howsoeuer in our trouble vve thinke many times that he hath forsaken vs yet vvil he returne and reuiue his worke in vs and not faile to fulfill the desires of them who feare him Thus looking vnto Dauid let them not thinke euil to be tryed with the same tentation by which Dauid a man beloued of God was tryed before them and consider that there is a
difference betweene delaying and denying the Lord for a time delayes that which hee vvill not deny non vt neget sed vt commendet sua dona Augustine and againe tardius dando quod petimus â—â—stantiam nobis orationis Chris in Mat. hom 10. indicit the Lord vvhen he is slow to giue that vvhich vve aske doth it onely that he may commend his gifts vnto vs and make vs more instant and earnest in prayer For the better vnderstanding of this let vs distinguish If the Lord refuse that which we will it is because it is not for our weale our petitions sometime wee seeke those things vvhich are not so expedient for our selues to be granted as refused vnto vs and in these non audit nos ad voluntatem vt exaudiat ad salutem the Lord regardeth not thy will but thy weale The Apostle buffeted by an Angell of Sathan besought the Lord to remoue that tentation from him but obtained not his will the Lord saw it was not for his weale and not onely doe we read that men beloued of God haue beene refused in mercy but others haue had their petitions graunted in anger which we may see not onely in the Israelites who obtained flesh vvhen they sought but in his anger but also in those damned Spirits vvho sought licence of the Lord Iesus to enter into Swine and obtained it but to the greater augmentation of their vvrath If therefore thy petition vnto GOD be for a thing absolutely And the refusal of any thing to his owne is not without the grant of a better necessarie to thy saluation be assured that howeuer the Lord delay it he shall not simply refuse it and if otherwise thou craue a thing not absolutely necessary for thee if the Lord refuse to satisfie thy vvill therin it is that he may doe according to thy weale When the Disciple asked Iesus of the resurrection Lord wilt thou at this time restore the Acts 1. 6. kingdome of Israel he satisfied them not in that which they craued It is not for you saith hee to know the times or seasons which the Father hath put into his owne hand but another thing meeter for them and lesse craued of them hee promised vnto them But ye shall receiue power of the holy Ghost when he shall come vpon you and ye shall be witnesses vnto me A comfortable answer indeed an exchange most profitable for vs and wee rest content with it So be it euen so be it O Lord giue vs thine holy Spirit and deny vs any other thing thou wilt And of this againe we learne that we liue onely by mercy Prayer which obtaines all other gifts is also a gift of God therefore the praise of all is due to the Lord 1 Cor. 4. 7. for not onely those things which we obtaine by prayer are begged by vs and giuen by God For what hast thou O man that thou hast not receiued but we see here that prayer it selfe whereby we get all things is also a gift of God if we wanted not of our owne we would not seeke of another by prayer and if we could also pray of our selues we needed not another to teach vs. Etiam ipsa Oratio inter gratiae munera reperitur it is the Lord vvho commands and vvorketh in vs both the vvill and the deed vnto him therfore belongs the praise of all Wee haue here also to consider a great comfort for the Comfort for the godly wheÌ„ no man will speake for them they want not Intercessours godly vvho are ofttimes redacted to that estate that there is none among men to speake for them Ieremie cannot finde out Ebed-melech neyther haue the Prophets of the Lord one Obadiah to hide them Daniel had none to speak for him al stands vp that had credit to procure that he may be cast into the denne those that should be friends oftentimes become foes to the seruants of God but euen at this time their comfort is that not onely they haue Iesus the Iust an Aduocate for them at the right hand of his Father but haue also the Spirit the Comforter within them an Intercessor for them Miserable therfore must they be who bend their tongues Miserable are those who bend their tongues against them for whom the holy Spirit maketh request 2 Chron. 18. to speake against those for whom the holy Ghost maketh request vnto God that rebuke which the Prophet gaue to Iehosaphat vvhen he vvent out to help wicked king Achab wilt thou help them that hate the Lord we may turne to those in our time that are enemies to the Children of God Will ye hurt them whom the Lord helpeth The children of God in all their infirmities haue the holy Spirit for their helper vvhat euer man speakes against them hee maketh request vnto GOD for them It cannot then otherwise be but in the end comfort must be to them and confusion vnto their enemies That oracle which Zeresh gaue to Hamans Esth husband shall assuredly prooue true vpon all the enimies of God in word or deede If Mordecai be of the seede of the Iewes thou shalt not faile to fall before him If Eliah be the man of God though not a fire from heauen yet doubtles a wrath from heauen shal ouertake his enemies Only let those who are troubled by the malice of wicked men make sure vnto themselues that they haue the Spirit of grace and of glory resting in them partaker with them of their afflictions Pet. and then let them be assured that eyther their enemies shall become their friends or then the righteous Lord shall render vengeance vnto those that trouble them With sighes Last of all wee learne here that the godly No malice of men can cut off the intelligence of a Christian with the Lord. haue an intelligence with the Lord their God which no power of man is able to cut away For howeuer they may be separated from the company of men and locked vp in vnaccessible places yet can no man hinder their accesse vnto God and speaking with him yea suppose they should cut their tongues out of their heads for it is not by words but by sighes they make request vnto God and their sighes may well be increased by trouble but cannot be destroyed And herewith also let the children of GOD comfort themselues when they are brought vnto that extremitie that neither eye hand nor tongue can serue them in prayer let them looke vnto good king Ezekiah who being so vveakened with bodily diseases that hee could not speake distinctly vnto God yet his mourning like a Doue and chattering like a swallow entred into the Lords eare and brought back a comfortable answere to him Verse 27. But hee that searches the hearts knoweth what is the meaning of the Spirit for he makes request for the Saints according to the will of God LEast any man should thinke the sighes of the It is a
stile only competent to God that he is the searcher of hearts godly of little auaile because the Apostle hath said they cannot be exprest the Apostle here obuiats the doubt shewing that albeit we cannot expresse them yet the Lord to whom they are made he vnderstands them for he knowes the meaning of the Spirit Wherein first occurs to be marked this description of God he is called the searcher of hearts Many glorious stiles are giuen to the Lord in holy Scripture and among the rest this one importing his great soueraigntie ouer all his creatures many of his properties after a sort are communicable to the creature but this is no way communicable none but the Lord tries the raynes and searches the heart And in this the Lord is brought in reioycing Am I a God neere hand and not a God farre off Can any hide himselfe Ier. 23. 23. in secret places that I shall not see him doe not I fill heanen and earth As for man he is oftentimes so blind that he seeth not those things which are neere him no more then Hagar did the Well that was before her and how then shall he see things which are farre from him he seeth not things which are plaine and reueiled farre lesse can he vnderstand those that are couered Old Isaac when his eyes waxed dim was so deceiued that he tooke Iacob for Esau but the ancient of dayes who heares without eares and sees without eyes cannot be so deceiued Samuel may looke vpon Eliah and thinke hee should be King because of his likely personage but the Lord can tell him this is not the man for man beholds the countenance but the Lord regards the heart Of this we haue first to learne a lesson of true godlinesse that seeing the Lord searcheth the heart it becommeth vs in all our waies principally to looke vnto it It is in the most part of men an argument of their Atheisme that they look curiously to the decking of the body which falleth vnder the eye of man but regard not the hid man of the heart Let not man therefore sinne vnder hope of secrecie which falleth vnder the eye of God And againe we learne here that it cannot be vvithout great contempt to God to sin against him vnder the hope of secrecie it is with thy sin to ioyne a mocking of God for in effect thou sayest vvith the Atheist The Lord seeth not A most high sinne against his Maiestie vvhereby thou dost all thou canst to pull out the eyes of the Lord that hee should not see or at least thinks so of him in the false conclusion of thy darkned mind No meruaile therefore that against such as thou art the Prophet threaten that fearefull curse Woe be to them that Esay 29. 15. seeke in deepe to hide their counsell from the Lord their workes are in darknesse and they say who seeth vs or who knoweth vs your turning of deuices shall it not be esteemed as the potters clay for shall the worke say to him that made it he made me not or the thing formed say of him that fashioned it hee had none vnderstanding Vnderstand yee vnwise among the people and yee fooles when will yee be wise Hee that planted Psal 94. 8. 9. 10. 11. the eare shall bee not heare or he that formed the eye shall he not see hee that teacheth man knowledge shall he not know Certainely the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the heart of man that they be but vanitie Let vs therefore sanctifie the Lord God of hostes in our But let the eye of the Lord be an awband euen in secret to keep vs from sinne heart let vs neuer seeke to hide our wayes from him for that it is impossible let vs learn of Henoch to make our liues a walking with God and with Dauid let vs alwayes set the Lord before our eyes so in the middest of our own house vve shall walke in the innocencie of our heart where there is no eye of man to make vs ashamed the reuerence of God shall keepe vs from sinne The feare of carnall men is the countenance of men what restrayned Abner and made him vnwilling to slay Asahel If I doe it said he how shall I hold vp my face to thy brother Ioab but the awe of spirituall 2 Sam. 2. 22. men is the countenance of GOD this restrayned Ioseph Gen. 44. 18. that in secret hee durst not commit adulterie and it was his reason to perswade his brethren I feare God and therefore dare doe you no euill Certainely this is onely true godlinesse vvhen vve liue so as vnder the eye of GOD and the reuerence of his inuisible maiestie restraines vs from doing those sinnes which otherwise we might doe vnknowne or at least vncontrouled of men And so much the more let vs endeauour to attaine to this The sonnes of Adam seeke to hide themselues from the Lord. holy disposition because howsoeuer our corrupt Nature cannot hide her crooked wayes from the Lord yet shee desires and preases to doe it and if her deeds and thoughts be brought vnto the light it is sore against her will but the children of God renued by grace willingly presents their hearts to God that he should looke vpon them And this the Apostle points out here vvhen he saith that not onely God knowes the heart but that hee searches the heart Searching is the inquisition of a thing which is hid and couered and imports the contrary corruption of our Nature vvhich seekes to hide and obscure it selfe from the Lord. As Adam presently after his fall sought to couer his nakednesse vvith figge-tree leaues so hath he transmitted this heritable euill to all his posterity that when they haue done vvickedly they doe what they can to couer it but in vaine But in vaine for the Lord is such a searcher from vvhose eyes no man can hide that for which hee makes inquisition Laban searched the Tent of Iacob for his Idols could not find them though they vvere there but vvhat the Lord searches hee shall finde out If Saul hide himselfe the Lord can tell the people that hee lurkes among the stuffe As a light vvhere it comes makes things to be seene which were hid in darknesse so the Lord when he searches saith he will search with lights to tell thee that were thy deedes neuer so secret hee will make them manifest Let vs not therefore like the prophane Atheists seeke to hide our secrets from the searcher but let vs liue as in the sight of God Neyther is it without great cause that the Lord passing The heart only makes the difference between the true Christian and counterfaite by other things looketh onely to the heart the heart being the essentiall difference that distinguisheth a true Christian from a counterfaite for outward exercises of godlinesse the hypocrite in appearance may match the holy one Ye shall see Cain sacrificing no lesse then Abel yee
shall see Esau seeking the blessing with greater crying and moe teares than Iacob and Saul shall confesse his sinne no lesse than Dauid and Ahab shall humble himselfe in dust and ashes more penitent like than Ezechiah the Pharisee shall be more abundant in fasting giuing of almes than the Publican As he that doth paint a faire fire may paint the colour and the forme of the bowing flame thereof but can no way paint the heat thereof so an Hypocrite can looke like a Christian speake like a Christian and in outward actions counterfait the Christian but can neuer attaine to the Christians heart therefore is it that the Lord most of all delights in the heart and vvee also most of all should take heed vnto it to keepe it holy Beside this that the Lord hath locked vp the heart of It is in great wisedome that God hath locked vp the hart of one man from another one man from another and hath reserued the knowledge of the heart to himselfe onely the Lord hath done it in great wisedome for seeing that man diuided himselfe by sinne from God their hearts by nature are so discordant among themselues that if their hearts were as manifest to others as their faces there could not be a fellowship nor societie entertained among men Looke how many men are in the world there are as many sundry iudgements and wils euery man hauing a kingdome in his breast and so carryed away with a desire of his owne super-excellencie that he seeketh the aduancement of his owne will with the ouerthrow of all others whose will is not agreeable to his if hee might attaine vnto it Againe the heart of man is such a bottomles fountaine of wickednesse that if it vvere manifested the vvorld should be infected vvith viler abhominations than any that yet are knowne in it for if the tongue which is but a little member of the body when it somes out but a small part of that filth vvhich abounds in the heart be so forcible as to corrupt the honest minds and manners of the hearers vvhat should be done if the heart it selfe were laid open which is by nature but a stincking puddle and filthy store-house of all iniquitie And further for the comfort of the whole Church of God The soueraignty of God ouer man appeares in this that he is vpon the secrets of their hearts and euery member thereof let vs marke the soueraigntie of our God ouer all his creatures in these two that not onely hee is vpon their secrets vvhether they vvill or not for he sits in their hearts but also hath soueraign commandement ouer them so that he can when he will will when his glory requires eyther take their hearts vtterly from them or turn their owne hearts against themselues as domestick enemies to torment them And as for the first it is manifest out of this place that the Lord sitteth vpon the secret counsell of the wicked for hee searcheth the heart It was a great discouragement to Benhadad King of Aram that the secret conclusion vvhich he laid with his captaines in his cabinet counsel concerning the ordering of his battels against Israel were discouered as they were concluded by Elisha the Prophet vnto the King of Israel and vvho reueiled them to Elisha but the Lord our God who sits as moderator in the counsell of the wicked whether they will or not to ouerrule their determinations direct them to their own end which is the glory and good of his church Let our enemies then take counsell and conspire together as they will hee that doth sit in the heauens shal haue them in derision The counsell of the Lord shall stand and what he hath decreed shall onely come to passe let vs therefore rest in him It vvere good for men to consider this that albeit man Man hath but his hart to hold him vp and God can take it from him when he will be sustained and vpholden by his owne heart so that no other thing can help him if it faile him yet it is in the Lords power to doe vvith it what he vvill how oft haue we seene that the Lord being angry at man passing by all the members of his body and leauing them whole and sound hath stricken the heart with such terrours that most valiant men hauing eyes could not see hauing a tongue could not speak hauing hands could not strike to defend themselues and hauing feete could not doe so much as runne away their heart being taken from them by God they are left in a strait and comfortlesse estate But farre more miserable are they when the Lord turnes their own hearts against themselues and makes them a terrour to themselues A fearefull example whereof vvee haue in Belshazzar who seeing nothing Dan. 4. 6. vvithout him but the figure of a hand which stirred him not vvas so stricken and pursued with his owne heart within him that his flesh trembled his countenance waxed pale his knees smote one against another If man considered this he would be loath to prouoke the Lord vnto anger seeing he can neither sustaine the wrath of God nor eschew it Moreouer vvee are taught here seeing our Prayer is a We haue neede of great reuerence in praier seeing we speak to him who searcheth the heart conference with him who searcheth the hart that we should alway pray with our heart for otherwise if wee draw neere him with our lips our heart being farre from him he vvill curse vs as deceiuers that hauing a male in our flock doe sacrifice a lame thing vnto the Lord that is in stead of the seruice of our hearts doe offer vnto him the seruice of our lips The Lord hath no delight in the sacrifice of fooles who are rash with their mouth to vtter a thing before him not considering that hee is in heauen and they are vpon earth the mouth may reach to men vvho are beside vs the heart onely may reach to God who is aboue It was a very godly Psal 139. 23. protestation that Dauid made Try me O Lord and proue my thoughts in the night and see if at any time I haue spoken that to thee with my mouth which I haue not thought with my heart and albeit vve haue not as yet attayned vnto it yet it is that holy sinceritie vvhereat vve should ayme in all our Prayers so to speake vnto GOD that our conscience may beare vs record that vve lye not and that vve haue spoken nothing vvith our mouth vvhich vve haue not thought vvith our heart We are therefore for the right ordering of our prayers Three things to be obserued in Prayer to take heed to these three things First preparation before prayer Secondly attention in prayer Thirdly reuerent 1 That preparation go before it thanksgiuing after prayer As for the first as Moses and Iosua put off their shooes before they came neere the Lord so are we to remoue out
of our hearts vncleane cogitations and affections whereby we haue trode in the filth of sinne before we pray for those are neuer lawfull but most vnlawfull in the time of prayer As for worldly cogitations they are sometimes lawfull but neuer in the time of prayer As Abraham vsed his Asses to serue him for his iourney but when he came to Mount Moriah the place of the vvorship he left them at the foote of the hill so the thoughts of the vvorld are sometime tollerable if we vse them as seruants to carry vs through in our iourney from the earth to heauen but we must not take them with vs into the holy place wherein the Lord is to be worshipped To help vs to the preparation before prayer let vs consider Motiues to preparation first that he to whom we speake is the Father of light and we are by nature but the children of darknes call therfore vpon him in the sinceritie and vprightnesse of thine heart for he loues truth in the inward affections Secondly he is the Father of glory come therefore before him with feare and reuerence for thou art but dust and ashes Thirdly hee is the Father of mercy repent thee therefore of thy sinnes and then draw neere vvith a true heart in assurance of Faith The second thing requisit is attention in Prayer the Lord 2 That there be attention in Prayer to whom we speake is the searcher of the heart and therefore we should beware that wee speake nothing to him with our mouth which our heart hath not conceiued For it is a great mockerie to the Lord to desire him to consider those petitions vvhich wee haue not considered our selues we scarcely heare what we say our selues and how then shall we craue the Lord may heare vs We finde by experience that it is not an easie thing to gather together in one and keepe vnited the powers of our soule in prayer vnto God Sathan knowes that the gathering of our forces is the weakening of his kingdome and that then we are strongest when vve are most feruent in prayer and therefore doth hee labour all that hee can to slacke the earnestnesse of our affection and so to make vs more remisse in prayer by stealing into our hearts if not a prophane at least an impertinent cogitation so that vnlesse wee fight without ceasing against the incursion of our enemie like Abraham driuing away the rauening birds from his sacrifice vnlesse vve expell them speedily as oft as they come vpon vs it is not possible that wee can entertaine conference with God by prayer And thirdly after thy prayer thou shouldst come away with reuerent thanksgiuing It is the fault of many carelesse 3 That after prayer there be thanksgiuing to God vvorshippers they goe vnto God as men goe to a Well to refresh them when they are thirstie they go to it and their face toward it but being refreshed they returne with their backe vpon it euen so doe they sit downe to their prayers without preparation powre them out without attention and deuotion and when they haue done goes away without reuerent thanksgiuing whereas indeed euery accesse to God by prayer should kindle in our hearts a new affection toward him if we consider that when vve pray and gets any accesse so oft are we confirmed in this that he vvho hath the keyes of the house of Dauid and opens and no man shuts hath opened to vs an entrance to the throne of grace vvhich shall neuer be closed againe vpon vs whereof there should arise in our hearts a dayly encrease of ioy vvhich should make vs to abound in thanksgiuing Makes request for the Saints Wee haue further to learne The curse of Moab is vpon prophane men they pray and preuailes not that none are partakers of the grace of Prayer but men sanctified in Christ Iesus the Spirit requests for Saints not for prophane and impenitent men howsoeuer sometime they babble for themselues yet are their prayers turned into sinne The curse of Moab is vpon them they pray and preuailes not As without sanctification we cannot see God so vvithout sanctification vve cannot pray to God euery one that calles on the name of the Lord should depart from iniquitie Doe we not feele it by experience that the further we goe from our sinnes the neerer accesse we get vnto the Lord and on the contrarie doth not the Lord protest against his people the Iewes albeit yee make many prayers yet Esay 1. 15. Ierem. 7. 9. I will not heare you for your hands are full of bloud Will you steale murther and commit adulterie and come and stand before mee in this house where my name is called vpon before your eyes behold euen I see it and will for this cause cast you out of my sight But here seeing it is for Saints onely that the Spirit requests Seeing the spirit requests for Saints onely how shall we know that he requests for vs who are sinners 1 Ioh. 1. 8. vvhat shall then become of mee may the vveake Christian say who am the chiefe of all sinners To this I answere that in vs vvho are militant here vpon earth both of these are true vve are sinners and vve are Saints but in sundry respects If we say wee haue no sinne wee lye and the truth of God is not in vs. And if our aduersarie say that there is nothing in vs but sinne hee is also a lyer That therefore we may know how these are to be reconciled let vs consider that the Euangelist Saint Iohn saith hee that is borne of 1 Ioh. 5. 18. God sinneth not and in the same Epistle speaking also of men that are regenerate and borne of God he saith if wee say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues The Apostle Saint Paul speaking of himselfe in one and the selfe same place affirmes that he did the euill which he would not and yet incontinent Rom. 7. 15. 17. hee protests that it was not hee but sinne dwelling in him The resolution of this doubt vvill arise by considering In the christian man are two men the new and the old that in the Christian man are two men the new man and the old the one the workmanship of God the other the workmanship of Sathan the one but young little weake in respect of the other like little Dauid compared to the Gyant Goliah Yet the new man vvho is weakest hath this vantage that he is daily growing whereas the other is dayly decaying the life of the new man vvaxeth stronger and stronger the life of the olde man vveaker and weaker the one tending to perfection the other vvearing to a finall destruction Now the Lord in iudging of the Christian lookes not God iudges of the Christian by the new man and not by the old to the remanents of sinne in him which are dayly decaying but to the new workmanship of his owne grace in him vvhich is daily
growing according to it he esteemes iudges and speakes of the Christian from it hee giues vs these names as to call vs Saints righteous c. not counting with vs vvhat haue vve beene neyther yet weighing vs by the corruption of sinnefull nature which remaines in vs but according to the new grace vvhich in our regeneration hee hath created in vs Hee sees no iniquitie in Israel and it is his Numb 23. 21. praise to passe by the transgressions of his heritage But the Christian by the contrarie in iudging of himselfe he lookes most commonly â—o that vvhereunto the Lord lookes least his sinnes are euer before him the old man is continually in his sight as a strong and mighty Gyant vvhose force hee feares vvhose tyrannie makes him to tremble and by whom hee findes himselfe detayned vnder miserable thraldome farre against his will and therefore all his care is how to subdue his tyrannie how to quench his life and shake off his dominion in this vvarfare he sighes complaines and cryes vnto GOD with the holy Apostle O miserable Rom. 7. 24. man who shall deliuer me from this body of sinne But because so long as this old man hath a life hee neuer rests to send out sinnefull motions and actions which doe greatly grieue the child of God therefore is it that hee esteemes himselfe a miserable creature yea and the chiefe of all sinners Thus yee see how it is that God accounts his children Saints and they account themselues Sinners Where againe Saint Iohn saith that he who is borne of God How it is to be vnderstood that he who is borne of God sinneth not sinnes not and yet that hee who saith hee hath no sinne is a lyer both of these is true He that is borne of God that is the new man sinneth not for sure it is that all the sins which are committed by man are either done without the knowledge of the new man his vnderstanding being as yet so vveake that he doth not know euery sinne to be sinne or then if he knowes them to be sinnes they are done without his consent or approbation yea they are done sore against his will so that the new man in the sinnes which are done in the body is a patient not an agent So that as an honest man captiued by violence and against The new man liues in the body like Lot in Sodome his will compelled to behold wicked and abhomiâ—able deedes which he would not so much as looke to if hee were free so is the new man detayned in the body as a captiue and compelled to looke vnto that which he loues not that is to the sinfull motions vnruly lusts and affections of his corrupt nature whereunto he consents not but protests against them and for their sake becomes wearie of soiourning in the body so that Ioseph was not more wearie of his prison nor Ieremie of his dungeon nor Daniel of the company of Lyons nor Dauid more wearie of his dwelling in Psal 120. 5. the tents of Kedar than is the new man wearie of his abiding in the body He is like Lot in Sodome whose righteous soule was vext day by day by hearing and seeing the vncleane conuersation of the Sodomites he is like Israel in Aegipt kept in most vile slauerie by the tyrannie of Pharaoh sighing and crying hee is like the godly Iewes holden in captiuitie in Babell many things they saw there done to the dishonour of God which they no way approued and many things they would haue done that they had no liberty to do So this new man perceiues many sinfull motions actions brought in vpon him by a superiour power which are a griefe vnto him and vexation of his spirit And this is the greatest comfort of the new man that Reioycing when â—e doth good grieued when he doth euill Rom. 7. 15. whatsoeuer good he doth hee doth it with ioy and on the contrary euill that is done in the body it is a griefe to him to see it yea he protests against it O Lord this is not I but sin that dwels in me thou knowst I like it not I allow it not I wish from my heart there were not done in me any thing that might offend thee Onely happy and thrice happy is the man who with the holy Apostle is able to say so Thus yee see in what sense the Godly are said by the Euangelist in one place not to sinne and in another not to be without sin The Lord worke this holy disposition in vs that the life of sinne may daily be weakned in vs. According to God Wee haue last of all to marke here We should not present petitions to God which are not according to his will that those petitions which flow from the Spirit are according to Gods will and therefore as concerning temporall things because wee know not absolutely what is the will of God whether health or sicknesse riches or pouertie be most expedient for vs we are to pray with a condition if it be his will but as for those things which are directly against his will it is a great mockery if it be done with knowledge or otherwise a grosse impietie to seeke them from him It is written of Vitellius that one of his friends asking from him a certaine thing which hee refused and being impatient of the refusall did say to him What auaileth thy friendship to me if I cannot obtaine that which I craue returned backe to his friend this answere And what auaileth to mee thy friendship if for thy sake I must doe that which becomes me not If such equitie be in a mortall man that he will not graunt an vnlawfull thing euen to his tender friend how much more are we to thinke that it is in the Lord our God Away therefore with these cursed and abhominable sacrifices as to present vnto the Lord petitions which are not agreeable vnto his holy will And last to conclude this that wee may be encouraged A Christian hath accesse to the priuie chamber of the great king euer when he pleaseth to prayer let vs consider what excellent priuiledge this is that the Christian as oft as hee pleaseth hath libertie to speake vnto the Lord his God The Persians thought it a piece of their silly glory not to graunt accesse easily vnto their subiects yea not to those of most noble ranck therefore yee see how afraid Hester the Queene was to goe in vnto the King vnsent for But the Lord our God King of Kings proclaimes vnto vs free accesse as oft as we are disposed to call vpon him ready at all times to extend the Scepter of his peace toward those who seeke him in spirit and truth Yea though with Dauid thou preuent the morning and rise at midnight to call vpon him thou shalt finde him euen then waiting vpon thee Inuenire potes praeuenire non potes come when thou wilt thou maist finde him but canst
the Apostle layes for a most sure ground of comfort that so wee might change all our thoughts and cares into one namely how to grow in the loue of God that in a good conscience we might say to the Lord with Peter Lord thou knowest I loue thee casting the Ioh. 21. 15. burthen of all the rest of our feares grieses and tentations vpon the Lord who cares for vs and hath giuen vs this promise for a praemunire all câ—mes for the best The Souldier with courage enters into the battell vnder Other men hazards vnder hope but the Christian runs as sure to obtaine hope to obtaine the victory the Maâ—â—ner with boldnesse commits himselfe to the stormy seas vnder hope of vantage and euery man hazards in his calling yet are they vncertaine venturers and knowes not the end but the Christian runnes not as vncertaine but as one sure to obtaine the Crowne for he knowes that the God of peace shall shortly tread Rom. 16. 20. Sathan vnder his feet What then shall not he with courage enter into the battell wherein he is made sure of the victory before he sight knowing that all the warriours of Christ shal be more than conquerours through him if wee will onely 2 Chron. 20. 17. stand still we shall see the saluation of the Lord. Gideon with his three hundred fought against the great host of Midian without feare because he was sure of victory Dauid made hast ranne to encounter with Goliah because he was perswaded that God would deliuer him into his hands The Israelites were not afraid to enter into the Riuer of Iordane because they saw the Arke of God before them deuiding the waters And shall onely the Christian stand astonished in his tentations notwithstanding that the word of God goes before him to resolue him that whatsoeuer falles out shal come for the best to him The Lord encrease vs and make vs to abound more and more in the loue of our God for perfect loue casts out feare the Lord strengthen our faith that through these mistie cloudes of affliction which now compasse vs we may see that comfortable end which God in his word hath discouered vnto vs. And to this effect we must beware of the subtile slights One of Sathans slights is to cause vs to iudge of the works of God by their beginnings of Sathan who to the end that he may spoile vs of this comfort in trouble endeauours by all meanes either to quench the light of God vtterly in our mindes or at least to darken and obscure it by precipitation of our vnbeleeuing harts carrying vs headlong to iudge of the works of God by their beginnings and to measure our selues in trouble by our present estate and condition not suffering vs to tarrie while we see the end whereof it comes to passe that our hearts being What inconueniences arise from this precipitation tossed too and fro with restlesse perturbations like trees of the forrest shaken with the winde we hasten in our necessities to be our prouisors in our dangers we will be our owne deliuerers and euery way we become the caruers of our owne condition We haue so much the more neede to beware of this precipitation because the dearest seruants of God haue fallen through it into fearefull sinnes against the Lord As we may see in Dauid who being in extreame danger in the Wildernesse of Maon said in his feare that all men were lyers Is not this a great blasphemie to say that the promises which the Lord made to him by Samuel were but lyes and in his other extremities hee is not ashamed to confesse that hee thought that God had forgot to be mercifull and had shut vp Psal 39. 9. his tender mercy in displeasure but when he saw the end then hee was compelled to accuse himselfe and giue glory vnto God I should haue beene dumbe and not opened my mouth Psal 116. 10. because thou didst it and againe I said in my feare all men are lyers for notwithstanding all Samuels promises I looked for nothing but death but now considering the deliuerance I must say pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of all his Psal 116. 13. Saints Seeing this precipitation made Dauid to stumble and Hee that will iudge of Lazarus on the dunghill shall think him more miserable than the rich Glutton fall may we not feare least it carry vs to the like inconuenience vnlesse wee learne to beware of it in time let vs not therefore iudge of the works of God before they be ended If we should look to Lazarus on the doung-hill full of byles and sores hauing no comfort but from the dogs and compare him with the rich Glutton clothed in purple and fairing daintily euery day what can we iudge but that Lazarus is the most miserable of the two yet if wee â—arrie till the Lord haue ended his worke and Lazarus be conuayed to Abrahams bosome and the rich Glutton be gone to his place then shal the truth appeare manifestly All things worke together for the best to them that loue God Let vs therefore learne to measure the euent of things not by their present condition but by the prediction of Gods word let vs cleaue But wee shall best iudge of the workes of God if we â—arrie till they be ended to his promise and waite on the vision which hath his owne time appoinâ—ed it shall speake at the last and shall not lye though it tarry let vs wait for it it shall surely come and not stay let vs goe into the Sanctuary of God and consider the end there shall we learne that there is no peace to the wicked Esay 48. 22. howsoeuer they flourish for a time and that it cannot be but well with them who loue the Lord Marke the vpright man Psal 37. 37. and behold the iust the end of that man is peace but the transgressours shall be destroyed together and the end of the wicked shall be cut off Thus both in the troubles of the Godly and prosperity of the wicked we should suspend our iudgement till we see the end All things worke together Marke the singular priuiledge Gods wonderfull wisedom in causing things of so contrarie qualities to agree to doe one worke of the Christian noâ— onely afflictions but all other things whatsoeuer vvorke for the best vnto him and not onely so but they worke together Many working instruments are there in the world vvhose course is not one they communicate not counsels yea their intentions oftentimes are contrary yet the Lord bringeth all their vvorks vnto this one end the good of those who loue him vvhere euer they be in regard of place vvhat euer in regard of persons yea howsoeuer disagreeing among themselues yet are they so ruled by the prouident power of the supreame gouernour our heauenly Father that all of them workes together vnto the good of them that loue
him For albeit the Lord rested God hath rested from the worke of creation not of gubernation Ioh. 5. 17. the seauenth day from the workes of creation so that hee made no new kinde of creature after that day yet did hee not rest from the vvorkes of prouidence or gubernation whereof our Sauiour saith my Father workes hitherto and I worke When man hath finished a vvorke hee resignes it to another to be gouerned as the Wright vvhen he hath builded a ship giues it ouer to the Marriner to rule it neyther is man able to preserue the vvorke of his hands neyther yet knowes hee vvhat shall be the end thereof It is not so with the Lord as by the vvorke of creation hee brought them out so by his prouident administration he preserues them and rules euen the smallest creatures directing them vnto such ends as he hath ordained them for in the counsell of his will How euer some Ethnicks haue beene so blinde as to His prouidence extends to the smallest things thinke that God did neglect the smaller things vpon earth scilicet is superis labor est and Epicures also vvhose false conceptions of the diuine prouidence are rehearsed by Eâ—iphaz How should God know how should hee iuâ—ge through Iob. 22. 13. 14. the darke clâ—ude the cloudes hide him that hee cannot see and hee walkes in the circle of heauen yet it is certaine hee rules Psal 113. not a part onely but all hee is not as they thought of him a God onely aboue the Mâ—one No though he dwell on high yet he abases himselfe to behold the things that are on earth he is not onely a God in the mountaines as the Syrians deemed 1 King 20. but a God in the vallies also There is nothing so great nothing so small but it falles vnder his prouidence yea hee numbers our hayres and keepes them not one of them can fall to the ground without his prouidence Si sic custodumtur Augustine super flâ—a tua in quanta securitate est anima tua if hee so keepe thy superfluities how much more will he keepe thy soule Let it therefore content vs in the most confused estate In greatest confusion of things let vs keepe our comfort the end of them shal be our good of things we can see fall out in the world that the Lord hath said All things shall worke for the best vnto vs. Let vs not question with Marie how can this be nor doubt with Sarah how can I conceiue nor with Moses where shall flesh be gotten for all this multitude but let vs sayth Augustine consider the Author and such doubts shall cease As he hath manifested his power and vvisedome in the tempering of this world making Elements of so contrary qualities agree together in one most pleasant harmonie so doth it appeare much more in gouerning all the contrary courses of men to the good of his owne children One notable example wherof wee will set downe for all Iacob sends Ioseph to Dothan Gen. 37. c. to visit his brethren his brethren casts him into the pit Reuben releeues him the Midianites buyes him and sels him to Potiphar his Mistresse accuses him his Maister condemnes him the Butler after long forgetfulnesse recommends him Pharaoh exalts him O what instruments are here how many hands about this one pooreman of God neuer a one of them looking to that end which God had proposed vnto him yet the Lord contrary to their intention makes them all worke together for Iosephs aduancement in Aegipt But now to the particulars There is nothing in the world The end of all the wayes of God is our good which works not for our weale all the works of God all the stratagems of Sathan all the imaginations of men are for the good of Gods children yea out of the most poysonable things such as sinne and death doth the Lord draw wholesome and medicinable preseruatiues vnto them who loue him All the wayes of the Lord saith Dauid are mercy Psal 25. 10. and truth marke what he saith and make not thou an exception where God hath made none All none excepted therefore be thou strengthened in the Faith and giue glory vnto God resoluing with patient Iob albeit the Lord would Iob. 13. 15. slay me yet will I trust in him Sometime the Lord seemes to walke in the way of anger against his children which hath moued many of them to Yea euen when he seemes to be most angry with his children hee is working their good Iob. 6. 4. poure out the like of these pittifull complaints the arrowes of the almightie are vpon me said Iob the venome whereof doth drinke vp my spirit and the terrours of God fight against me thou settest me vp as a marke against thee and makes me a burthen to my selfe Thy indignation lyes vpon me said Dauid yea from my youth I haue suffered thy terrours doubting of my life For felicitie I haue had bitter griefe said Ezekiah for Isa 38. 17. 13. 14. the Lord like a Lyon brake all my bones so that I did chatter like a Swallow and mourne like a Doue I am troubled on euery side said the Apostle hauing sightings without and terrours 2 Cor. 7. 5. within Yet in all this dealing the Lord hath a secret way of mercy in the which he walkes for the comfort of his children it is but to draw vs vnto him that he shewes himselfe to be angry with vs aduersatur tibi Deus ad tempus vt te secum Chrisost in Mat. hom 14 habeat in perpetuum the Lord is an aduersarie to thee for a while that he may for euer reconcile thee to himselfe And this albeit for the present we cannot perceiue and can see no other but that the Lord hath taken vs for his enemies yet in the end wee shall be compelled to acknowledge and confesse with Dauid it was good for me O Lord that euer thou Rom. 11. 13. correctedst me for the Lord is meruailous in his Saints O the deepenesse of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out His glory is great when he workes by meanes his glory appeares greater when he works without meanes but then his glory shines most brightly when he works by contraries It was a great vvorke that hee opened the eyes of the For the working of God with his children is by contraries blinde man but greater that hee did it by application of spettle and clay meanes meeter to put out the eyes of a seeing man than to restore sight to a blind man So he wrought in the first creation causing light to shine out of darknesse so also in the worke of redemption for by cursed death he brought happy life by the crosse he conquered the crowne and through shame he went to glory And this same order the Lord still keepeth in
can wee but take vp a bitter lamentation for many of you whom in this time of grace wee see to be strangers from grace wee wish from our harts ye were not like the kinsmen of Lot they thought hee had but mocked when hee told them of an iminent iudgement and therefore for no request would goe out of Sodome but tarryed till the fire of the Lords indignation did consume them but that rather as Sarah followed Abraham from Caldee to Canaan so yee vvould take vs by the hand and goe with vs from hell to heauen but alas the lusts of the flesh hold you captiue or then the loue of the world doth bewitch you but all of them in the end shall deceiue you for all the labour vnder the Sunne is but vanitie and vexation of the Spirit vvhen you haue finished your taske you shall be lesse content than you were at the beginning you shall be as one vvakened out of a dreame who in his sleepe thought hee was a possessor of great riches but when hee awaketh behold he hath nothing or not vnlike that rich man who said in his securitie Now my Soule thou Luke 12. 19. hast much good for many yeares and euen vpon the next day redacted to such extreame necessitie vvith that other who despised Lazarus that he had not so much as a drop of cold water to coole his tongue vvithall then shall you lament Wisd 5. 7. and say We haue wearied our selues in the way of iniquitie and it did not profit vs. Miserable worldlings who take more paines to get and keepe any thing than Iesus Christ Alas how shall I learne you to be wise Is not this a pittifull blindnesse the Lord when hee created man made him Lord aboue all his creatures and now vnthankefull man sets euery creature in his heart aboue the Lord. O fearefull ingratitude Doe you so reward the Lord O ye foolish people and vnwise There is nothing which ye conceit to be good but when yee want it you are carefull to seeke it when you haue it you are carefull to keepe it onely you are carelesse of the Lord Iesus though hee be that incomparable iewell which bringeth light in darknesse life in death comfort in trouble and mercy against all iudgement ye should set him as a signet on your heart as an ornament on your head and put him on as that glorious attire which gets you place to stand before God But what paines doe ye take to seeke him what assurance haue yee that yee are in him or what mourning doe yee make for that yee do not possesse him can you say in truth that the tenth part of your thoughts or words haue been bestowed vpon him No no it is the shame of many that they haue taken more paynes to keepe a signet on their hand than euer they did to keepe Iesus in their heart they wander after vanitie and follow lyes they forsake the fountaine of liuing waters Oh Psal 50. 22. consider this yee that forget God least he teare you in peeces and there be none to deliuer you The last lesson wee obserue in this part of the Verse is How all things worke for the worst to the wicked this as all things workes for the best to them who loue the Lord so all things workes for the worst vnto the wicked there is nothing so cleane which they defile not nothing so excellent which they abuse not Make Saul a King and Balaam a Prophet and Iudas an Apostle their preferment shall be their destruction if they be in prosperitie they contemne God and their prosperitie becomes their ruine if they be in aduersitie they blaspheme him and like raging waues of the sea cast out their owne dirt to their shame yea what speake I of these things euen their table shal be a snare vnto them Iesus Christ is a rocke of offence vnto them the Gospell the sauour of death vnto them and their prayer is turned into sinne and vvhat more excellent things then these As a foule stomacke turnes most healthfull food into corruption so their polluted conscience turnes iudgement into gall and the fruit of righteousnesse into wormewood And all this should prouoke vs to an holy care to become good our selues or else there is nothing were it neuer so good can be profitable to vs. To them that loue God We haue heard the Apostles last The persons to whom the former comfort belongs are described to be such as loue God and are called by him argument of comfort vvhich is that the Lord so ruleth all things by his prouidence that those things which seemes to be against his children are made to worke together for the aduancement of their good Deus enim adeo bonus est vt nihil mali esse sineret nisi eâ—â—am adeo esset potens vt ex quolibet malo possit elicere bonum for God is so good that he vvould suffer no euill to be were it not hee is also so powerfull that of euery euill he is able to draw out good Now vvee proceede to the persons to vvhom this comfort belongs who are first described to be such as loue God secondly as are Three things inseperably knit 1. Gods purpose concerning vs 2. his calling to vs 3. our loue toward him called according to his purpose Here are three things conioyned together euery one depending on another First the purpose of God which is no other thing but his eternall and immutable decree concerning our saluation Secondly our calling flowing from this purpose Thirdly a loue of God wrought in our hearts by this effectuall calling These three are so inseperably conioyned together that from the lowest of these we may goe vp to the highest of that vnfained loue of God which is in thee thou mayest know that he loued thee and in his vnchangeable purpose hath ordained thee to life This is the greatest comfort that can be giuen to men vpon earth to let them see that or euer the Lord laid the foundations of the earth he first laid the foundation of thy saluation in his owne immutable purpose which being secret in it selfe and obscured from vs is most manifested vnto vs by our effectuall calling But of this we vvill speake more God willing hereafter The loue of God then is set downe here as a principall None can loue God but such as he hath chosen and called effect and token of our calling As the Lord calles none effectually but those vvhom hee hath elected so none can loue him but those who are effectually called by him yea thou thy selfe vvho now loues the Lord before thy calling louedst him not thy heart went a whooring from God and thou preferedst euery creature before him and for the smallâ—st pleasure of sinne thou caredst not to offend him It is thought among the multitude a common thing and an It is thought a common thing to loue God but noâ—e can loue him who
are not beloued of him 1 Ioh. 4. 10. easie to loue the Lord and euery man abhorres in word to be counted such a monster as hath not the loue of God but they are farre deceiued for man till hee be called by grace cannot loue the Lord herein is loue not that wee loued God but that hee loued vs. If now wee doe know him and know him so that we loue him it is because wee were first knowne of him and so knowne that wee were beloued of him not that there is any equalitie betweene these loues or that vve are able to match the Lord in affection non enim pari vbertâ—te sluunt hi duo amâ—res for these two loues flowes not in a like plenty as the running of a little strand is nothing in comparison of the great Ocean so is our loue to God as nothing if it be compared with his incomprehensible loue toward vs yet it is most certaine amor Dei amorâ—m animae parit it is Gods loue to vs vvhich begets in the soule a loue to God Nemo itaque se amari dissidat qui iam amat let no man therefore who loues God distrust that hee is beloued It is very comfortable that among all the pen-men of the holy Ghost none doe speake more of loue than Iohn euen he vvho vvas Christs beloued Disciple vvhom he loued aboue the rest for it doth teach vs that whosoeuer is greatly beloued of God shall also become a carefull practiser of loue toward others That therefore wee may know the heart of God toward He that would know Gods purpose toward him let him go downe to his own heart and not vp to Gods counsell vs it shall not be needfull that wee enter into secret counsell but let vs goe and enter into our owne hearts and there wee shall finde resolution albeit the Lord send not now to you that are men an Angell to vvitnesse as hee did to Daniel that he was a man greatly beloued of God or to testfie to you that are women that which hee did to Mary that shee vvas freely beloued of the Lord yet so many of you as vpon knowledge in sinceritie can say vvith Peter Lord Ioh. 21. 15. thou knowest that I loue thee haue here a testimonie no lesse certaine to wit his owne Oracle in his word to make you sure that ye are beloued of him And that the comfort may be the more sure vnto vs Loue the first affection that Sathan peruerted seeing loue is the principall token of our calling wee will speake a little of Loue that so we may know whether wee be endued with this most excellent grace of the spirit or no. Naturally the affection of Loue in man is so inordinate that not vnproperly Nazianzen called it dulcem tyrannum a sweet tyrannie that by deceitfull allurements compels the whole man to follow it and it is not only in it selfe distemperated but altogether set vpon wrong obiects our loue being so set vpon the creature that we neglect the Creator a feareful ingratitude that where in the beginning the Lord set vp man as Prince and ruler ouer all his creatures putting all the workes of his hands in subiection vnder him that man should meet the Lord with such vnthankefulnesse as to set in his affection euery creature before the Lord Doe yee Deut. so requite the Lord O ye foolish people and vnwise But as this was the first affection which Sathan through And the first which in our regeneration is rectified by the spirit of grace infidelitie peruerted turning it from the Lord and setting it vpon the forbidden tree so it is the first affection which in the regeneration is rectified by Faith and by which faith workes in the sanctification of the rest turning it from the creature and setting it vpon God Where we are to consider of the lawfull obiects of our loue and of the due measure of loue we owe vnto euery one of them The obiects of our loue are three the first is God the second is our selfe the third is our neighbour The first and principall obiect of our loue is the Lord The first obiect of reformed loue is God our God whom wee ought so to loue that wee loue him aboue all things and that for no other thing more than for himselfe in loue the Lord will not suffer a companion neither Father nor Mother Wife nor Children nay not thy owne life should be so deere to thee as that for any of these thou shouldst offend thy God otherwise hee tels thee himselfe that thou art not worthy of him and he wil not reckon thee among those that loue him Non amat Christum qui August de temp ser 223 aliquid plus quam Christum amat he loues not Christ who loues any thing more than Christ and then doe vve loue something more than him if from him we seeke any thing more than himselfe This is a mercinarie loue when man loueth God for his gifts It was obiected by Sathan vnto Iob but falsely for euen then when he was spoiled of all the earthly comforts which God had giuen him yet the loue of God continued in him from which he blessed the Lord. As the vvoman which loueth her husband because hee is rich is rather to be called a louer of his riches than of himselfe so the Worldling who with the carnall Israelite doth vvorship GOD for his wine and his oyle and the rest of those good things which God giues men is but an hyreling and not a sincere worshipper nor a chast louer of the Lord his God The second obiect of our loue is our selues for in that The second obiect of reformed loue in our selues He cannot loue his brother who loues not himselfe the Lord requireth that I loue my neighbour as my selfe it is manifest that first of all I ought to loue my selfe Hee that loueth not God cannot loue himselfe and he vvho loueth not himselfe cannot rightly loue his neighbour without the loue of God all the selfe-loue which is in man is but selfe-hatred As the franticke man who in his furie vvounds his owne body is pittied of all men as one that hath no pittie of himselfe so the prophane man who by multiplying transgressions slayeth his owne soule is more iustly to be accounted an hater of himselfe it is the holy loue of God that first teacheth thee to take heed vnto thy selfe to preserue both soule and body from the wrath to come and that worketh in thee an holy care to conforme thy selfe to the Lord whom thou louest and vvith vvhom thou desirest to remaine for euer Thus being taught to loue our selues we shall also learne to loue our neighbour the ordered loue of our selues being as I said that patterne according to which wee should loue our neighbour Prius itaque vide si nosti diligere Augustine teipsum tunc committam tibi proximum quem diligas sicut
teipsum Learne therefore first of all to loue thy selfe and then will I commit thy neighbour to thee that thou maist loue him as thy selfe Si autem nondum nosti diligere te tâ—meo ne decipias proximum sicut te but if otherwise thou hast not learned to loue thy selfe I feare that as thou deceiuest thy selfe thou vvilt also deceiue thy neighbour louing him so that thou draw him into the snare of sin with thy selfe to both your destructions this is not loue but hatred for hee vvho loueth any thing truely hateth euery thing that would destroy it as he that loueth a garment hateth the moth that consumeth it and hee that loueth a tree hateth the worme that eateth it vp so he that loueth a man will also hate the sinne that slayes the man otherwise if thou cherish that which destroyeth him thou hatest him indeed and louest him not It is commonly thought a needles lesson to teach a man Man hath need to learne how to loue himselfe rightly Aug. ad frat in Eremo ser 30. Aug. lib. 2. offi cap. 12. how to loue himselfe but in very deed it is most needfull it being a common discase among men amare res suas magis quam seipsos to loue any thing which is theirs better than themselues quis vtilem indicet vitaealienae quem videt mutilem vitae suae and who can iudge that he can be profitable vnto other men whom he seeth vnprofitable yea hurtfull vnto himselfe Though it be principally said to Preachers yee are the light of the world and salt of the earth yet doth it also saith Chrysostome appertaine to euery Christian but he that hath not so much light as to shine to himselfe how shall he shine vnto others how shall hee guide them except it be as the blinde leades the blinde and both of them at length fals into the ditch and he that hath no salt to pouder his owne speeches nor to eate vp the corruption of his owne heart how can he effect the reformation of others Thus you see how the spirit of grace reforming Loue to our selues and our neighbour should be measured but our loue to God should be without measure our affection of loue sets it vpon God our selues and our neighbour Now as for the measure of our loue toward these vvee are to know that the loue of our selues and our neighbour is bounded and limited but the due measure of the loue of God is to loue him without measure Three conditions are required in our loue to God to wit that we loue him vvith all our heart vvith all our minde and with all our strength vve must loue him earnestly that other loue draw vs not from him but his loue may be strong in our heart as to banish out of it all other vnlawfull loue vincat dulcedo Bern. in Cant. ser 20. dulcedinem quomadmodum clauus clauum that so the sweetnesse of Christ may ouercome in vs all sweetnesse of the creature as one nayle driues out another The Apostles loued Iesus with an heartie affection wee Three conditions requisite in the loue of God Mat. 19. 27. haue said they forsaken all things to follow thee yet had they not learned to loue him with all their minde that is wisely with knowledge and vnderstanding for they loued him so that they liked not his sufferings and had no will that hee should dye the speeches giuen out before hand by our Sauiour of his death they could neither conceiue them nor approue them therefore did our Sauiour rebuke them If Iohn 14. 21. yee loued moe yee would certainely reioyce that I goe vp to my Father out of doubt their affection was toward him but they did not yet vnderstand how good it was for the glorie of God and mans saluation that Iesus should dye and therfore could not reioyce in it And the Apostle Peter when hee heard that Iesus behoued to suffer because hee loued Mat. 16. 22. 23. him said to him Maister pittie thy selfe but receiued this answere Goe behinde mee Sathan for thou vnderstandest not the things that are of God Culpans in vtroque non affectum seâ— consilium blaming in them both not their affection but their vnderstanding yet afterward when Peter vvas better informed that Iesus behoued to dye and rise the third day hee disswaded him no more but rather promised that hee would dye with him he had now learned to loue Iesus not onely with his heart but also with his minde not earnestly onely but also wisely yet vvhen it came to the point he denyed his Maister at the voice of a Dainsell because hee had not learned to loue him with strength as hee did afterward when he had receiued the holy Spirit in greater measure hee loued Iesus euen to the very death with so strong an affection that before the Counsell hee choosed rather to dye for Christ than to deny him Licet vitam tunc minime posuit deposuit tamen in so much that albeit he lost not his life yet he freely laid it downe for Iesus These are the three whereunto wee are to aspyre in all In this life wee are farre from that measure of the loue of God which should be in vs. our life to loue the Lord heartily to loue him wisely for inconsiderate zeale and temerarious precipitation doth not please him and to loue him with so strong an affection that vve chose rather to suffer death than to forsake him But alas how farre are vve from this holy disposition who can say hee hath attained to that measure of holy Loue which the law of God requireth in him and therefore should we endeuour to grow daily in loue earnestly praying the Lord that he would breath by his Spirit vpon that little sparke of heauenly life which he hath created in our hearts that it be not extinguished with the ashes of our corruption but may increase and become a great flame to burne vp our affections with such a loue of God as may carry vp all the powers of our soule toward him To this effect let vs meditate frequently vpon these foure Foure meditations helpful to encrease in vs the loue of God causes for vvhich wee should loue the Lord first for that which hee is in himselfe to vvit the fountaine of all goodnesse the greatest and supreame good if it be good that man vvould haue let him loue the Lord to vvhom there is 1 We should loue him because he himselfe is the supreame good none like in goodnes inuenito si potes aliquid pretiosius Deo dabitur tibi finde out if thou canst any thing more pretious than God and it shall be giuen thee The Platonists by the light of nature saw that all the pulchritude and beauty vvhich shineth in the creature vvas but splendor quidam summi illius boni which should transport vs in our affection toward him from whom it came Pulchrum coelum
saith many are called and few are chosen but he speakes of the inward calling which is the first intimation and declaration of our election For the decree of our election is alwaies hid and secret vnto vs till the Lord by calling reueale it and make it knowne vnto vs that we are of the number of those whom hee hath appointed to life As in his secret counsell hee made a distinction of the elect and reprobate so by his calling hee beginnes the execution of this decree seperating the one from the other in this life in manners and conditions who are to be seperated in the life to come for euer in estate and place He that will take a right view of all mankinde shall finde All mankinde are considered standing in three circles they onely are blessed who are within the third them standing as it were in three circles they onely being happy who are within the third In the outmost circle are all those on whom the Lord hath not vouchsafed so much as an outward calling by his Gospell and here standeth the greatest part of the world In the middle circle vvhich is much narrower stand they vvho are partakers of an outward calling by the Word and Sacraments In the third circle which yet is of smaller compasse than the other two stand they vvho are inwardly and effectually called these are Christs little flocke the communion of Saints the few chosen the Lords third part so to speake vvith Zacharie Zach. 13. 9. the other two parts shall be cut off and dye but the third will the Lord fine as siluer and gold the Lord will say of them this is my people and they shall say the Lord is our God It is a great step indeed that wee are brought from the first circle into the second but it is not sufficient to saluation yea rather they who stand in the second circle hearing the voyce of God calling them to repentance and yet harden their hearts and vvill not follow him may looke for a more fearefull condemnation then they vvho are in the outmost rancke of all Double stripes are for him who knoweth his Maisters will and doth it not Sodome and Gomorrha shall be in an easier estate than they Content not therefore your selues that yee are brought within the compasse of the visible Church that yee haue beene baptised in the name of Iesus and haue communicated at his holy Table Not euery one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into Math. 7. 21. his kingdome except yee finde also his inward and effectuall calling that the arme of his grace hath drawne you within the compasse of the third circle and hath set you downe among those whom he hath chosen to be his owne peculiar people And againe that the calling of God is according to his purpose yeelds vnto vs this comfort that seeing his calling is extended toward vs we may be sure that from euerlasting hee hath had toward vs a purpose of loue Certainely Where euer the Gospel is preached to call men there God hath toward some a purpose of loue hee had not sent his Gospell among vs were it not that he hath here a number belonging to the election of his grace hee hath lighted a candle among vs and set it in an eminent candlesticke to assure vs that hee is seeking here some peeces of money which were lost and hee will not rest till hee finde them When the Apostle Paul should haue gone by Bythinia the Lord commaunded him to goe to Macedonia what the purpose of God was the euent declared namely that it was to conuert Lidia and the Iaylour Who Acts 16. may not see here Gods meruailous mercie towards his owne that for the conuersion of a few will haue his Gospell to be preached to a whole kingdome which doth yet more clearely appeare in that when hee commaunded his Apostle Paul to tarry at Corinthus hee gaue this reason because saith hee I haue much people here shewing vnto Acts 18. 10. vs that the greater haruest hee hath the longer doth he continue his Labourers among a people This is the very worke of God which hee is working in the middest of you and for which hee continueth among you the preaching of his glorious Gospell it is because toward many of you hee hath a purpose of loue some hath he called already whom he will haue confirmed others yet inwardly called hee will conuert by the Gospell before he remoue it Let euery man looke to himselfe vvhether he haue part in that grace which comes by the Gospell or no for woe will be to him that shall be found in darknes after that the light hath shined vnto him Good vvere it yet for vs all if vve could more deepely If this were considered it would worke a greater â—â—uerence of the Gospell consider this that the Gospell of the Lord Iesus is come among vs not by accident nor by the meanes of men but by the purpose of God that in these dayes vve heare that voyce which many of our Fathers heard not that in some places of the vvorld this Gospell is preached and not in others that it is continued vvith vs notwithstanding the manifold machinations of the Children of darknesse to subuert it yea that by such and such persons the Gospell hath beene preached vnto vs if we did consider that all these fall out according to Gods determinate purpose it would waken in vs a more reuerent hearing of the word of Grace and a greater care to take heed to the smallest occasion of grace when it is offered but all the contempt thereof which now is among men floweth from this that they doe not looke vnto the hand of God sending out such a message to them by such persons at such a time in such a place as hee in his eternall purpose hath concluded with himselfe But as Samuell before he knew the Lord thought the voyce of God to be but the voyce of Elâ— and therefore went againe to his rest so the great multitude of them who heare it not as the word of God but as the word of men esteeming that it commeth by the meanes of men and not according to the determinate purpose of God it is no meruaile if still they returne to their olde sinnes and remaine disobedient to the heauenly vocation And further out of the ground laid already that the calling A fearefull token of Gods departure wheÌ„ hee ceaseth to call a people any more of God is according to his purpose we are taught that the least intermission of Gods calling should be vnto vs a great matter of humiliation seeing the Lord calleth men to be Preachers and hath them in his hand as starres holding them out sometime to one part of the world and sometime to another that hee may communicate light to them who are sitting in darknesse the remouing of them from a people is a feareâ—ull token of the Lords departure and
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
which runneth into it so he that vvould proceed from Election to Glorification let him follow this Calling vvhich is so to call it a riuer flowing out of the brasen mountaines of Gods eternall Election running perpetually vpward till it enter into the heauen of heauens vvhich doe altogether ouerflow vvith that great and vnbounded Ocean of diuine Glory but vvee are still to remember that vvee speake now of the inward Calling for the lincke◠of this Chaine are so comely framed by that most skilfull Artificer that they are all of a like compasse none of them larger nor narrower than another so that this Calling doth extend to no more nor fewer than those vvhom God hath chosen This inward calling is the donation of Faith by the What the inward calling is preaching of the Gospell or communication of the sauing grace of Iesus by vvhich vvee are moued to answere the Lord and follow the heauenly vocation for as the Lord by the preaching of the Gospell offers vnto all that are in the Church visible righteousnesse and life by Christ if they vvill repent and beleeue vvherein consists the outward Calling so by his holy Spirit hee giueth to his Elect children iustifying Faith by vvhich he openeth their hearts as hee did the heart of Lidia to receiue the grace offered by the Gospell and herein consists the inward Calling The vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhereby the Apostle expresseth it In this Calling there is a taking of some leauing of others signifieth to euocate and choose out some from among others this shall make the greatnesse of Gods mercy toward vs appeare the more clearely if wee doe consider that vve and the reprobate were alike by nature borne blinderebels and transgressors from the wombe and did vvalke on vvith them in the same course of disobedience vvhich leadeth to damnation but it pleased God to call vs out of their fellowship and enter vs in a better course that vve might be saued A notable example whereof vve haue in the calling of Lot out of Sodome the Lord hauing concluded to consume Sodome with fire for her abhominable filthinesse he first of all sent two Angels to call Lot out of it but Lot not knowing the danger lingred and delayed to follow their calling till at the length they put hands vnto him and forced him to goe out but when he was set vpon the mountaine and knew the fearefull destruction of Sodome then no doubt he acknowledged the wonderfull mercy which God had shewed vpon him it is euen so with vs we are here soiourning in a Sodome God hath taken vs out from amōg the children of wrath as he tooke Lot out of Sodome vvhich God will destroy and wee haue our conuersation among those vvhose portion shall be in the lake that burnes with fire and brimstone from which the Lord being purposed to saue vs hath sent his Angels to vs not two but manie Ministers of the Gospell of Grace exhorting vs to flye from the wrath which is to come but alas because we know not the danger we flye slowly and delay to follow the heauenly vocation but in that day wherein we shall be set vpon the mountaine of Gods saluation and shall stand at the right hand of Iesus and heare that fearefull condemnation of the wicked Depart from me c. when we shal see the earth open and swallow them then shall we reioyce and prayse the mercie of our God O happy time vvherein the Lord sent his messengers among vs to call vs from the fellowship of the damned There is no difference by nature betweene the Elect and No difference by nature betweene elect men reprobate till our calling make it reprobate neyther in inward nor outward disposition till God make it by grace Paul as bloudy a persecuter as euer vvas Domitian or Iulian. Zacheus as vnconscionable and couetous a Worldling as was that rich Glutton damned to hell The elect and reprobate men before Grace make a difference are like two men vvalking in one iourney vvith one minde and one heart like Eliah and Elisha walking and talking together when a chariot of fire did incontinent seperate them and Eliah is taken vp into heauen Elisha left vpon the earth not vnlike is it when the vnlooked for calling of God commeth and seperateth those two who before were walking together yea running in the same excesse of ryot the one changing the course of his life returneth back again to the Lord from whom he had fallen whereas the other not touched with the same Calling meruailes that his former companion hath forsaken him and walketh stil on stubbornly in the former course of his sinnes to his condemnation Apply this vnto your selues and see whether this effectuall Calling hath seperated you in your conuersation from the wicked or not an euident argument that ye shall be seperated from them in their condemnation Blessed is he that Psal 1. walketh not in the counsell of the wicked nor stands in the way of sinners nor sits in the seat of the scornefull And if wee finde after tryall that the Lord hath called The time of our calling is to vs as the deliuerance from Egipt or the yeare of Iubily to Israel vs then should vvee alway shew forth his prayses vvho hath translated vs from darknesse into his meruailous light The Lord shewed a great mercie to Israell vvhen hee deliuered them out of the house of bondage he set the remembrance of that benefit in the forefront of his law as a bond euer oblieging them vnto thankfulnesse but their bondage was not so horrible as ours Pharaoh oppressed their bodies and compelled them to worke in bricke and clay yet their spirits were free to sigh and crie to GOD for the bondage but here so long as wee were the slaues of Sathan hee compelled vs to vvorke the abhominable vvorkes of darknesse and vncleannesse and therewithall did so captiue our spirits that wee could not so much as cry and sigh vnto God for the bondage and therefore our deliuerance should neuer goe out of our remembrance and our hearts and mouthes should euer be filled with the prayses of our Redeemer when we think of this yeare of Iubilie wherin he hath opened the doore of the prison and set vs at libertie as the freemen of God who were the captiued and bond-slaues of Sathan The Author of this calling is the Lord euen hee who Calling being a new creation is onely wrought by God calles things which are not and makes them to be Calling is a new creation and the first resurrection The Lord that commanded light to shine out of darknesse is he who hath giuen to our mindes the light of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Iesus Christ It is he who creates in vs a new heart and puts in our bowels a new spirit that we may walke in his statutes As man when hee was not could not helpe to create himselfe
and Lazarus when hee was dead helped not to raise himselfe so a stranger from Grace helpes not to call himselfe to the fellowship of Grace the Lord who makes the barraine vvombe a mother of many children makes also the barraine heart to be fruitfull The praise of our calling belongs to the Lord onely Nemo dicat ideo me August de verb. Apost vocaâ—it quia colui Deum quomodo coluisses si vocatus non fuisses let no man say therefore hath God called me because I worshipped him for thou couldst not haue worshipped him vnlesse he had called thee The calling of God findes euery man eyther vainely or Man hath not so much as minde of it when it comes to him wickedly exercised When God called Paul to be a Preacher he found him a persecuter when he called Matthew he found him sitting at the receipt of custome when hee called Peter and Andrew they were mending their nets no such minde had they as to be fishers of men As Saul was seeking his Fathers Asses when Samuel came to call him to the kingdome and as Rebecca had no errand to the Well but to water her Fathers goods when Eliezer came to seeke her in marriage vnto Isaac so if wee doe enquire at our owne consciences how wee were exercised when God called vs we shall finde our hearts were set vpon the trifling things of this world and that we had no minde of his kingdome let the praise therefore of our calling be reserued to the Lord onely As this worke of calling is the Lords onely so hee extends it to none but vnto those who are chosen it makes a particular seperation of a few from the remanant and doth None are called by this calling but they who are elect so distinguish between man and man in all rancks estates that of two brethren as Iacob and Esau of two Prophets as Moses and Balaam of two Kings as Dauid and Saul of two Apostles as Peter and Iudas of two theeues the one is taken the other is reiected The first distinction betweene man and man was in Gods eternall counsell and this is secret the last distinction will be in that last day wherein the one shall stand at the right hand of Iesus the other at the left and that shall be manifest the middle distinction is presently made by this calling of God his Gospell is the arme of his Grace being extended sometime to one corner of the world sometime to another according to his owne dispensation to seuer out his owne from among the remanent of the world Whereof it comes to passe that this sauing grace of the What a wonderfull distinction this calling makes among men Gospell enters into a land but not into euery Citie it enters into a Citie and not into euery family it enters into a family but comes not on euerie person of the family Of Husband and Wife of Maisters and Seruants of Parents and Children of Brethren and Sisters the one is taken the other reiected It came to Iericho and chose out Zacheus it came to Philippi and chose out Lydia and the Iaylour it Act. 16 14. Rom. 16. entred at Rome into the Court of Nero but lighted not vpon Nero it entred into the Family of Narcissus but not into the heart of Narcissus As the Lord so gouernes the cloudes that he makes them raine vpon one Citie and not vpon another so doth hee dispense the dew of his grace that he makes it drop vpon one heart not vpon another The Gospell is preached to many but the blessing that comes by the Gospell abides onely vpon the children of peace Let euery one among you see to himselfe this preaching of the Gospell among you assures vs that the Lord hath a haruest here that is a number that belongs to the election of Grace but who they are that are his the Lord knoweth but as for vs we may lament as Augustine did of the hearers of his time In apâ—rto est vnde doleam c. the matter of our griefe is manifest for wee see many of you who hitherto haue receiued the word of grace in vaine but the matter of our comfort is not so apparant yet doe wee not doubt but that among this chaffe the Lord hath some good Wheat whom he will perfect by our Ministrie and gather into his garner to his glory and our comfort when wee shall see that fruit of our labour which now wee cannot see Alwayes of this which wee haue spoken wee exhort you Miserable are they whom this calling hath not seperated who as yet stands strangers from grace to consider how miserable your estate is It should peirce thy very heart for griefe to consider that the grace of God hath conuerted so many in the Citie yea perhaps in the family wherein thou dwellest and hath not lighted vpon thee but left thee in thy olde sinnes If the Lord should so doe to you as he did to Israell in the dayes of Achab cause it to raine for three 1 King 17. yeares and a halfe vpon all the land about you and not vpon your land vvould you not take it as a token of Gods anger against you O hipocrite that can discerne the face of the skie and can marke the tokens of his anger in the creature canst thou not discerne the state of thy own soule nor consider this sensible curse of God that these thirty or forty yeares the showtes of his sauing grace hath discended vpon others round about thee but neuer vpon thy selfe thou possessest still a hard a barraine and fruitlesse heart What shall I say vnto thee to cut thee off from hope of mercy and to send thee to dispaire I haue not that in commission there is euer some hope of a better as long as God calles vpon thee but of this one thing I can certifie thee that for the present thy estate is lamentable and if this grace goe by thee in time to come as it hath done for the time forepassed it had beene better for thee that thou hadst neuer beene borne The time of our calling is but short and limited let it not goe by vs without grace but let vs striue to redeeme it It is called sometimes an acceptable yeare and sometimes The time of our calling is called a yeare a day to tell vs it is but short a day of saluation some dayes are longer and some are shorter but they haue all an end The Iewes had a faire long Sommer day of Saluation sixteene hundred yeares did the Lord offer grace to the house of Sem but now the bright shining Sunne of righteousnesse hath gone downe vpon Amos 8. 9. them and darknesse is vnto them instead of diuination and other sixteene hundred yeares hath the Lord been offering grace to the house of Iapheth perswading them by the Gospell to come and dwel in the tents of Sem and that by their seuerall families hee
Simeon when he saw that promised saluation and embraced the Lord Iesus in hâ—s armes Hereof ariseth to vs first a lesson of comfort if the beginnings By the ioyfull first fruits of eternall life we may iudge of the fulnesse thereof Bern. in cap. ieiun Ser. 2. of this glorie be so great that as S. Peter saith they bring vs to ioy vnspeakeable and glorious what shal the fulnesse thereof be let this waken in vs a loathing of these vaine perishing pleasures and a longing for that better and more enduring substance Certe non sunt tibi nota futura gaudâ—â— si non renuit consâ—lari anima tua donec veniant thou knowest not those ioyes which are to come if thy soule doe not refuse all comfort till they come vnto thee Certe si sempiterna Basil ser in Gord. Mart. essent haec terrena tamen prae coelestibus essent commntanda Certainely albeit these earthly things were eternall yet were they to be exchanged with those that are heauenly And therefore let the little tast of that ioy which wee haue now worke in vs a greater hunger and thirst after the fulnes thereof And againe we are here to be remembred that as pearles This ioy is not found but in the depth of a contrite heart are found in the bottome of the water and gold is not gotten in the superfice but bosome of the earth so this ioy is not to be found but in the inward parts of a broken contrite spirit many speake of this ioy who neuer felt it Righteousnesse is the mother of Peace and Peace the mother of Ioy they who haue not learned to doe well and cannot mourne for the euill which they haue done how shall they taste of the ioyes of God we must pierce by the hammer of contrition into the very inward of our hearts or euer wee can finde the refreshing springs of Gods sweet consolations arising vnto vs. It deceiues many that they think eternall life is not begunne but after death but assuredly except now thou get the beginnings thou shalt neuer hereafter attaine to the perfections thereof and therefore looke to it in time As for the second degree of this glory which is a neerer Of the second and third degree of eternal Life vnion of our soules vvith Iesus Christ after our dissolution by death it is not my purpose now to insist in it As for the third degree which consists in the glorification both of our soules and bodies wee haue spoken of it before specially in the 18. verse Now the Tabernacle of God is vvith men but then shall our securitie be without feare and our glory consummated when we shall dwell in the Tabernacle of God vnto the which the Lord bring vs all for Iesus Christs sake Amen TO THE MOST EXCELLENT VERTVOVS AND GRACIOVS PRINCE HENRY by the Grace of God Prince of Wales and Heyre Apparent vnto the most famous Kingdomes of England Scotland France and Ireland All happinesse in this life and eternall Glory in the life to come THat which the Apostle hath seuerally deliuered in the two former Discourses dedicated to your most Royall Parents hee now in this last Treatise collects and conioynes in one which therfore of right can appertaine to none more then to you Sir who being by them both the happy fruit of heauenly prouidence and deerest pledge of their mutuall loue and ioy may iustly challenge interest in the smallest good ouer which their names are named Sir here is the way to that Crowne of Triumph which the more you know the more I hope shall you place your glory in it Crownes of earthly Kingdomes are indeede the gifts of God but such as bring not so much Honour as they breed vnquietnesse O nobilem magis quam foelicem pannum said Antigonus If the cares which dwell in the Diadem were knowne no man would stoope to the ground to take it vp said Seleucus And albeit it be not giuen to all to know this in their entrie to Honour yet are they all compelled to acknowledge it in the end Seuerus Monarch of the world found his Crownes but comfortlesse to him in death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue said he beene all things and it profiteth me nothing Not onely the teares of Xerxes but the laments of Salomon may witnesse to all the world that the end of the worme-eaten pleasures of this life is heauie displeasure yea the golden head of Babell had at length worms spread ouer him worms to couer him Esa 14. For all flesh is grasse and the glory thereof as the flowre of the field Onely the word of the Lord endures for euer By which that same God who hath called you to be an apparant Heyre of the most famous Kingdomes on earth doth also call your Grace to a more certaine inheritance of a better Kingdome in heauen which cannot be shaken whereby aboue other Princes and Rulers of the earth yee are blessed if so be yee answere your Calling endeauouring to be no lesse than you are named Principem te agnosce ne seruias affectibus It is vnseemely in any but most of all in a Prince to become a seruant eyther to the corrupt humours of men without him who creeping in into the Courts of Kings like wormes into the bosome of excellent trees doe nothing but consume them whom godly Constantine properly called Tineas Sorices palatij subtile peruerters of the good inclination of Princes in manners and Religion where they can preuaile or yet to the disordered affections of his owne heart which if they be not restrained doe quickly turne the glory of a man into shame What did it profit Cham that hee was the Sonne of Noah the Monarch of the world and Patriarch of the Church in his time or that hee was the Heyre of the third part Chrysost of the world vitia siquidem voluntatis vicerunt priuilegia naturae his owne vndantoned will bursting out in contempt of his Father brought vpon him that curse and shamefull name A seruant of Seruants which was neuer taken from him Seeing God as saith the Apostle is the glory of man what honour can make that man glorious who carries not the image of God consisting in righteousnesse and true holinesse but especially a King whom the very Ethnicks called Animata Dei imago in terris should carefully keep that Image which keepes his glory Naturally facilius alijs quam nobis imperamus but in very deede he shall neuer be a skilfull Ruler of others who is not first taught of God to rule himselfe decet eum qui alijs praefectus est interiora sua decenter Basil adornare The best remedy against both these euils is to embrace that wholesome counsell giuen by God to the Gouernors of his people Let not the booke of the Law depart from thee but meditate in it day and night that thou maist do according to all that is written therein turne not
away from it to the right hand nor to the left so shalt thou make thy way prosperous and shalt haue good successe Beware of those Lucifugae haters of the light because it discouers the darknesse of their errours Qui cum a Scripturis redarguuntur in accusationem Tertull. Scripturarum se conuertunt As the wise men following the Starre were at length led by it to Christ so if according to Peters counsell ye take heede to the light that shineth in darknesse not onely shall the day-starre arise in your heart but that cleare shining Sunne of Righteousnesse so named by Malachie euer rising and neuer going downe shall illuminate you with his brightnesse And herewithal take to you the domestique example of your Royall Father who stands before you as a paterne of pietie viuum omnis virtutis examplar it shall be no small proofe of your progresse in vertue and greatest praise among your godly Subiects that yee be a follower of him And so praying Almighty God that your happy deedes may exceed all that great hope which is conceiued of you I humbly take my leaue Your Maiesties most humble Subiect and dayly Oratour William Cowper Minister at Perth HEAVEN OPENED HERE FOLLOVVES BY VVAY OF conclusion the third part of the Chapter contayning the Christians triumph against all sorts of enemies Verse 31. What shall wee then say to these things If God be on our side who can be against vs NOw followes the conclusion The conclusion of the whole Chapter consisting first of a generall secondly of a particular triumph of the whole Chapter wherein the Apostle breaking off the course of his former speech gathers vp all that he hath spoken into a short summe he began at the first and lowest benefit vvhich GOD in Christ hath bestowed vpon vs to wit deliuerance from condemnation this is indeede the least of his mercies yet so great that if we had receiued no more we are neuer able to yeeld vnto the Lord that praise which is due for it Yet as I said it is but little in respect of that which God hath done vnto vs and therefore the Apostle beginning at it ascends continually till he comes to the last and highest which is our estate of glorification and so hauing runne so high in the enumeration of gods mercies towards vs that he can go no higher he bursts out into an exclamation as if he did say more cannot be spoken further comfort cannot be giuen but content◠himselfe to make a briefe recapitulation of all that he had said wherein first he triumphs generally ver 31. 32. thereafter particularly and that first against sinne Who sh 〈…〉 accuse who shall condemne verse 33. 34. Secondly against affliction who shall seperate vs from the loue of God outward visible enemies cannot doe it by no sort of trouble verse 35. 36. 37. Inward and inuisible enemies are not able to doe it verse 38 39. Thus like a valiant man stablished on Christ in his owne name and in the name of the rest of Gods children hee proclaimes a defiance to all his enemies visible and inuisible whatsoeuer The generall triumph contained in these two verses consists The first part of his generall triumph nothing can be against the Christian to hurt him in these two In the first he glories that nothing can be against the Christian to hurt him the reason is because God is with him In the second he glories that the Christian can want nothing that is needfull for him the reason is seeing the Lord hath giuen vnto vs his owne Sonne which is the greatest gift that can be giuen he will not let vs vvant any of his inferiour gifts If God be on our side His meaning is if God be with vs Worldlings euill iudges of Gods presence who measure it by externall prosperitie electing calling and iustifying vs that he may glorifie vs as hath beene said then we may be sure that nothing can be against vs. This I marke because worldlings iudge of Gods presence with men by the wrong rules to wit as Abimilech and Phicol iudged of Abraham we see say they that God is with thee because thou prosperest in all that thou doest That Gen. 21. 22. which they iudged was true for GOD was present vvith Abraham indeed but the rule by which they so iudged was not sure for if this rule were sure how often might the wicked be iudged to be blessed who prosper in all they put their hand vnto the rich glutton might be thought more Not by inward Grace happy than poore Lazarus but the presence whereof the Apostle speakes is to be tryed by grace which grace flowing from the effectuall calling is a surer argument to proue that God is with thee then if he should giue thee as he did Esau the fatnesse of the earth for thy portion and multiply vpon thee in neuer so great aboundance the things of this world And that we should not be deceiued to iudge otherwise The presence of God exempts not his children from trouble both inward and outward our blessed Sauiour hath forewarned vs both by his word and example how that great troubles outward and inward are to follow them which follow him In the world saith he yee shall haue trouble in mee yee shall haue peace So soone as our Sauiour was borne Herod raged against him seeking his life to warne vs saith Chrysostome that so soone as wee are borne Christians wee should looke for trouble Iacob gat no sooner the blessing but incontinent Esau persecutes him Sosthenes before he was a Christian was a ruler of a Synagogue but after that he embraced the Faith of Christ they depriued him of his office and scourged him Paul a persecuter is in great worldly honour commissioner of the high Priest and Elders of Ierusalem but when he becomes a Preacher his former friends becomes his enemies The same is also true in inward tentations vvhen our Sauiour began to discharge the publicke office of the Messiah Sathan began to tempt him of his two most excellent Apostles the one was winnowed by Sathan the other buffeted by the Angell of Sathan and all to tell vs that notwithstanding the Lord be present with vs yet wee may be tempted as our Sauiour was winnowed as Peter was buffeted as Paul was and therefore let vs despise the iudgement of worldlings and lying conclusions of Sathan who vvould make vs to esteeme our inward and outward tentations to be tokens and arguments of Gods departure from vs. The whole world consists of two contrary factions Againe perceiue here how in the world are two contrarie factions the one alway militant against the other This inimitie was proclaimed by God in Paradise and hath continued since like as it shall for euer without reconciliation onely let vs take heed vpon what side we stand if we stand vpon that wherein God is Captaine and all the Saints of Christ are Souldiers we
Sathans buffets and against whom hee vvas permitted to vse all the stratagems of the spirituall warfare that possibly he could hee crossed him not onely in his goods in his children and in his owne bodie but also in his minde by his wife he tempted him to blasphemie by his friends to diffidence yet by none of these could he ouercom him In his outward troubles his resolution was the Lord hath Iob 1. 21. giuen the Lord hath taken blessed be the name of the Lord for euer in his inward terrours his resolution was Albeit Ioh 13. 15. the Lord would slay mee yet would I trust in him so impossible it is for Sathan by any tentation whatsoeuer to separate from the loue of God his Children chosen called and iustified The Lord is present with present with his children to keepe them sometime from trouble sometime introuble To cleare this let vs yet know that God is many manner of wayes present vvith his children in trouble first hee is with them by preuenting the danger so that hee will not suffer the intended euill of the enemie to come neere them so he brought Senacherib to see Ierusalem without but suffered him not to shoot so much as a dart against it within Somtime againe the Lord enters his children into the trouble as Daniel into the Den Ioseph into the prison the three children into the fire but deliuers them in such sort that both his glory and their comfort is greater than if they had not beene in trouble at all Sometime he suffers his children to ende their mortall liues in trouble and yet is with them strengthning them by his glorious might to all patience and long suffering filling them with such a sense of his loue that in death they rest vnder the assurance of life This also is declared by example The practise of this see in the examples of Eliah and Paul when Iezabel vowed to haue the life of Eliah yee shall see that the Lord is with him sometime to hide him that albeit Achab and Iezabel seeke him they cannot finde him sometime God lets Achabs captaines see where hee is but consumes with fire them that came proudly to take him Sometime he presents him to Achab and Iezabel but bridleth the tyrants that they haue no power to stirre him The Apostle Paul in like manner being sent prisoner to Rome the Lord assisted him in such sort that hee deliuered 2 Tlm. 4. 17. him out of the mouth of the Lyon Vero and yet the second time suffered him to fall by the sword of the same tyrant shall wee thinke that the Lord was not with the Apostle to assist him the second time as well as the first let it be farre from vs. The Lord was with him indeed to make his death a seale and confirmation of that Gospel which he had preached in his life The comfort then remaines that howeuer GOD worke with his children in trouble no aduersarie is able to take from vs that for which we striue to wit grace and glory they may be vnto vs as sharpe rasers of God to cut away our superfluities but shall neuer be able to bereaue vs of the end of our Faith which is the euerlasting saluation of our soules Verse 32. Who spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all vnto death how shall he not with him giue vnto vs all things also NOw followeth the second part of the Apostles generall triumph wherein hee gloryeth The second part of his generall triumph the Christian can want nothing that is needfull for him that the Christian can vvant nothing needfull for him for seeing the Lord hath giuen vnto him the greatest and most excellent gift to wit his owne Sonne is it possible that hee will deny him any secondarie or inferior gifts needfull for him Sathan who is a lyer from the beginning accused the Lord of two things first of an vntruth albeit the Lord hath said it yet yee shall nâ—t dye secondly of Enuy. In the first Sathan is proued false and the Lord is found true for are they not dead to whom the Lord said yee shall dye In the second Sathan is found a calumniator for what good tree will the Lord refuse to his owne who hath giuen vnto them this excellent tree of life which brings with it vnto them all things needfull for them To amplifie this great loue of God the Apostle saith The great loue which GOD hath shewed in giuing his Son for vs. not simply that hee gaue his Sonne for vs but that he spared not to giue him O vvonderfull loue â— the Naturall and onely Sonne of God is not spared that the adoptiue sonnes may be spared for our sinnes being imputed to him by the ordinance of God his Father and voluntarily accepted by himselfe so the punishment of our sinnes and chastisement Esa 53. 5. of our peace was laid vpon him that by his stripes wee might be healed The bitter cuppe due to vs was propined to him for the which albeit hee prayed to his Father that if it were his will this cuppe might passe by him yet the Father Mat. 26. 39. spared him not but held it to his head till hee dranke out the vttermost dregs thereof So straite is the Iustice of God that sinne being imputed to the Sonne of God vvho had no sinne of his owne is pursued to the vttermost The greatest example of Iustice that euer the Lord declared in the world the drowning of the originall world the burning of Sodome the plaguing of Egypt were terrible proofes of the straitnesse of diuine Iustice but nothing comparable to this Which I marke partly for a comfort to the Godly and Comfort for the Godly that the iustice of God shall not â—ay cannot strike vpon them partly for a warning to the wicked it is our great comfort that the saluation which Iesus hath purchased vnto vs hee hath obtayned it vvith a full satisfaction of his Fathers Iustice so that now vve that are in him are not any more to feare it The great Iudge of all the vvorld will not doe vnrighteously to require that againe from vs vvhich our Christ vvhom he himselfe hath giuen vnto vs hath payed for vs. Miserable are the wicked who in their owne persons beare the punishment of their sinnes And as for the vvicked vvho are not in Christ how miserable will their state and condition be for they must beare the punishment of their owne sinnes in their owne persons If the burden of that vvrath due to our sinnes caused Iesus to sweat bloud and to say that his soule was heauie vnto Mat. 26. 38. the very death O how shall the burden of this wrath presse downe the vvicked it is euen a horrour to thinke of it their faces shall be confused vvithout and spirits oppressed vvithin vvith tribulation and anguish hee that spared not in his owne Sonne sinne imputed vnto him vvill hee
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
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
the man whose wickednesse is forgiuen Psal 32. 1. whose sinne is couered and vnto whom the Lord impuâ—es not his iniquitie As hee that lay sicke sixe and thirty yeares of Luke 5. 25. the palsie arose with great ioy when Iâ—sus relieued him and he that was a creeple when he found that his feete which Acts 3. 8. had failed him so long did now serue him leaped for ioy and followed the Apostles into the Temple to praise God so that soule which findes it selfe freed from the guiltinesse and seruitude of sinne of all burthens that euer lay vpon man the heauiest to beare will with much more abundant ioy exult and triumph in that mercy of God vvhich hath made it free Secondly let the Apostle here stand vnto vs as an example Both by promises and examples doth the Lord confirme poore penitent sinners of the like mercy of God to be shewed vpon our selues how great sinners soeuer we haue beene if wee follow him in the like faith and repentance The Lord our God is not content by his word to promise mercy vnto penitent sinners but also confirmes vs by the examples of his manifold mercies shewed to others before vs when we looke vpon them let our weakenesse be strengthened let vs not thinke that the Lord will close that doore of mercy vpon vs if we knock aright which hee hath opened to so many before vs hee who hath beene found of them who sought him not vvill he hide himselfe from vs if forsaking our sinnes wee seeke him in spirit and truth Let his mercies shewed to others be vnto vs as cordes of Loue to draw vs among the rest and Hos 11. 4. like oyntments powred out the sweet smell whereof may delight vs to runne after him for that meekenesse which is in thee O Lord Iesus we will follow thee we haue heard that thou despisedst not the poore sinner thou abhorredst not the penitent theefe nor the sinfull woman that powred out teares before thee nor the Cananitish woman that made supplication to thee nor the woman deprehended in adultrie nor him that sate at the receipt of custome thou abhorredst not the Disciple that denied thee yea the persecuter of thy Disciples thou receiuedst to mercy In odore horum Cant. 1. 3. vnguentorum curremus post te In the smell of these thy sweet oyntments we will runne after thee O Lord. But vvee are to marke that before the Apostle came to The Apostle fought long before he came to triumph 1 Cor. 2. 3. this triumphing hee vvas long exercised vvith fighting he confesseth to the Corinthians that his preaching vvas among them in great feare and trembling that in his personall conuersation he was beaten and buffeted with an Angell of Sathan that hee had terrours vvithin and fightings without and what terrours are wee to thinke did trouble him out of doubt the sight of his sinnes the greatnesse of the iudgement to come did terrifie him whereof we are warned how wee must fight before wee triumph and mourne How can they triumph that haue not fought nor resisted so much as to shedding of teares farre lesse to the shedding of bloud 1 Sam. 30. 16. before the Lord comfort vs if wee cannot triumph with the Apostle it is because wee haue not foughten with the Apostle for let be that vvee haue not yet resisted vnto the bloud how many among vs can say that they haue resisted vnto the teares that is who striues with God as Iacob did with prayers and teares to obtaine a blessing Carelesse securitie hath farre ouer-gone vs and we are become like those Amalekits who returning from the spoyle of Ziglag and supposing they were past all danger cast their armour from them and spread themselues abroad in the fields to eate and drinke and to sport themselues when in the meane time the deuouring sword vnlooked for came vpon them It fareth euen so with the multitude of this generation they are become so carelesse in the spirituall warfare that as if there vvere no more battels to be â—oughten they walke vvithout the armour of God and spread themselues abroad in the fields of fleshly pleasures and not so onely makes themselues a pray to their deuouring enemie but defrauds their soules of that inward ioy arising of spirituall victory vvhich they who continue in fighting findes at the end of euery battell Now to enter into the vvords The Apostle conioynes The tongue of the wicked is a fornace of fire wherein the godly are tried these two interrogations together very conueniently Who will accuse who will condemne because howeuer there be many forward enough to accuse vs there is none who haue power to condemne vs. It is not the Apostles meaning that vve shall vvant accusations for the world Sathan and our owne conscience shall not cease to accuse vs Laban searched narrowly Iacobs stuffe to see if he could get any thing wherewith For sometime they accuse them publikely and in iudgement to charge him but more narrowly doe vvorldlings search the words and deeds of the Christian seeking whereupon to accuse them and where they can finde none yet vpon shadowes of euill they are bold to publish false reports or at least by priuate surmisings seekes to disgrace them Moses a man approued of God yet accused as an vsurper Ieremie the Prophet albeit he so loued his Country people that in secret his soule mourned for their desolation yet did they accuse him of treason alleadging that he had made defection to the King of Babell Daniel a man beloued of God accused and condemned of Darius his counsellers as a rebell to the King the Israelites who returned from captiuitie accused by Tobie and Sanballat of sedition the Christians of the primitiue Church oppressed with horrible slanders The first weapon wherewith Sathan fights against the Godly is the tongues of the vvicked for hee looseth their tongues to speake euill before he loose their hands to doe euill to them therefore said Augustine Lingua impiorum Aug. confes lib. 10. est quotidiana fornax the tongue of the wicked is a daily fornace vvherein the Godly are tryed let no man thinke to serue God in a good conscience but hee must be purged in this Ouen ye are not of the world said our Sauiour therefore it is that the world doth hate you and speake euill of you Ioh. 15. 19. As for their priuate surmisings they are of two sorts sometime they charge Gods children with euill which they haue done indeede but whereof they haue repented them and herein they are malitious that the sinnes vvhich God Sometime they speake euill of them priuately and that either maliciously charging them with sins they haue done but haue repented hath forgiuen they will not forget but this should not prouoke vs to impatience seeing they blame vs for nothing for which wee blame not our selues why shall wee be commoued let vs not thinke shame to say
with the Apostle it is true I was such a one but now I am receiued to mercy I will not so loue my selfe that I will hate him who reproues mee for that which I haue reproued in my selfe of vvhatsoeuer minde he doe it sed quantum ille accusat vitium meum tantum Aug. cont lit Petili lib. 3. cap. 10. ego laudabo medicum meum but looke how farre hee accuses my fault so farre vvill I praise my Phisition vvho healed me Sometime againe their surmisings are most false they Or then falsely charging them with sinnes which they neuer did charge vs with things which wee neuer did but these backbitings should be disdayned of vs like the barking of beasts he who knowes with Iob that his witnesse is in heauen and can say vvith the Apostle that he hath a good conscience vvithin him what needes hee to care for the iudgement of men without him Notitia nostri certior intus est the surest Aug. epist. 6. lial viduae Amb. lib. 1. offic cap. 6. knowledge of our selues is within vs. Neither are wee to be so base minded as to think that there is plus ponderis in alieno conuilio quam in nostro testimonio that there is more waight in another mans calumnie than in the testimonie of our owne conscience Augustine being misreported of by Petilian gaue a notable answere for my selfe saith he I am not that which he hath called me if yee thinke that he knowes me better than I know my selfe choose you which of vs you will beleeue Let not therefore the detracting speeches of men interrupt No speach of man can make vs any other thing then that which we are our peace remembring their tongues can make vs no other thing than we are it is not Ventilabrum areae dominicae the fanne of the floore of the Lord that can seperate the chaffe from the Corne. Secondly their euill speaking commends vs to GOD blessed are yee when men reuile you and Mat. 5. 11. speake all manner euill of you for my sake be glad and reioyce for great is your reward in heauen Qui volens detrahit famae Augustine meae nolens addit mercedi meae he that with his will impaires my name against his will augments my reward I haue spoken the more of this purpose partly because it is a common craft of Sathan to oppresse good men with misreports vt qui conscientiae suae luce clarescunt alienis râ—moribus sordidentur Ambrose and partly because our weakenesse is easily ouercome with this tentation Seeing the Lord will haue vs to sustaine the strife of tongues let vs strengthen our selues let vs so vvalke through good report that wee be not puft vp and through euill report that we be not cast downe but that by weapons of righteousnesse on the right hand and on the left we may ouercome Now as for Sathan he is stiled the accuser of the Saints Sathan â—tiled a calumniator or accuser why Reue. 12. 10. Hee accuseth God vnto man of God night and day and sometime hee accuses God to man sometime man to God and sometime man to himselfe In Paradise he began and accused God charging him with enuie and in the same trade of lying doth he still continue For sometime he lyes against the iustice of God when he saith to the licentious liuer albeit yee sinne yee shall not dye that so hee may puffe him vp to presumption sometime he lyes against the mercy of God as when hee saith to the weake in faith your sinne is greater than that God can forgiue it that so hee may driue him to desperation sometime hee lyes against Gods prouidence as when hee saith to them that are in necessitie the Lord hath cast you off and will no more prouide for you that so he may prouoke them to put out their hand to wickednesse Secondly he is a restlesse accuser of man vnto God as Hee accuseth man vnto God yee may see in the example of Iob he heard the Lord commending him yet he spared not to traduce him vvhen he could not gaine-say his actions he gaine-said his intention and affection hee charged him to be a hireling and not a sonne a mercenarie vvorshipper who serued God for his gifts and not for himselfe albeit after tryall he was found a lyer And herein we are to consider how faithlesse a traytour Sathan is for those same sinnes vvhich man doth by Sathans instigation he is the first accuser of man for them vnto God Oh that man could remember that Sathan is A discouery of Sathans trayterous dealing euer doing one of these three against him first hee is a Tempter of man to sinne secondly vvhen sinne is committed hee is an accuser of man vnto GOD for those same sinnes vvhich he tempted him to doe and thirdly hee is a tormenter of man for them vnlesse they be remoued by repentance But Iesus Christ our Lord is of a plaine contrarie disposition first he disswades vs from sinne warning vs of the danger and then if of weakenesse wee sinne hee offers himselfe an aduocate for vs if vvee repent These things my 1 Ioh. 2. 1. babes I write to you that yee sinne not but if any man sinne wee haue an aduocate with the Father euen Iesus the iust These two compared lets vs see what a great difference there is betweene them that knowing the deceitfull malice of the diuell vve may learne to abhorre him and the heartie vnfayned affection of Iesus Christ toward vs vvee may loue and follow him Thirdly Sathan accuses man vnto himselfe hee deceiues Hee accuseth man vnto himselfe the vvicked and beares them in hand that they are the sonnes of God and labours to perswade the godly that they are reprobates denying that they haue Faith or Repentance or any spirituall grace There is nothing so true but Sathan dare denie it hee that durst call it in doubt to Christ himselfe vvhether hee vvere the sonne of GOD or no vvill that shamelesse lyar spare to doe it vnto others But let vs worke out our saluation in feare and trembling and Philip. 2. 12. make sure our calling by vvell doing that vvee may haue within vs the infallible tokens of our election and as for the rest let vs keepe this ground seeing the worke of our saluation is done by God in despite of Sathan Sathanâ— testimonie in it is not to be regarded though he vvould call vs as he did Paul and Sylas the seruants of the liuing of God yet are we not the better neither the worse albeit hee pronounce vs to be such as are abiect and cast away from the fauour of God And last the children of God are accused of their owne Conscience accuseth eyther vpon right or wrong information consciences these are eyther such as proceede from sufficient light or from wrong information If conscience accuse vpon light vvhich shee hath receiued out of the
art our God Likewise we are taught here that the ende which Sathan The end of all Sathans tentations is to seperate vs from the loue of God proposeth to himselfe in all tentations is to seperate vs from the loue of God which notwithstanding he shall neuer effectuate There is a couenant knit vp betweene God and man the band whereof is Iesus Christ this Couenant Sathan doth what he can to dissolue it by alluring vs to sinne and accusing vs to God on Gods part he cannot preuaile on our part he assaults continually but in vaine also because the Lord who hath made a couenant with vs keeps vs also with him so that though wee be tempted vvee cannot be ouercome This is euident in Iobs tentations it was neyther the affliction of his body the losse of his children nor goods which Sathan craued so much as to empty his heart of the loue of God and make him to blaspheme If wee remembred this it would make vs endeauour to If we remembred this it would make vs strong in all tentations possesse our soules in patience in all our troubles for so oft as those things which wee loue are seperate from vs Sathans end is to seperate vs from our God whom wee should loue aboue al things And in very deed this is a proper mark of the children of God that howeuer their outward estate change their heart is neuer changed from the loue of God they are godly in prosperitie but more godly in aduersitie the more they are troubled the neerer they draw vnto the Lord as fire is not quenched with wind but made greater so the loue of God waxeth stronger in the hearts of Gods children by tribulation whereas the wicked not rooted in Iesus Christ are like vnto chaffe and the dust of the earth Psal 1. 4. carryed away vvith euery winde there is no pleasure so small nor profit so vaine which they preferre not before God Now before the Apostle subioynes the answere hee maketh Christians are subiect to many crosses an enumeration of some particular crosses and demaunds if they will doe it these crosses do eyther concerne our bodies our goods our dwellings or our mindes for we are not to thinke here that the Apostle beates the ayre triumphing against such enemies as we haue not No we haue Our dwelling on earth is not the place of our rest as the Iews thought farre lesse the place of our glory as Nabuchadnezar thought Micah 2. 10. 1 Cor. 7. 31. 2 Tim. 3. 4. both crosses of body and of minde which wee must prepare our selues to suffer so vsing all the helpes of this our mortall life as being content for the loue of God to want them for this is the tryall of true religion we must not look to our houses as Nabuchadnezzar did to his palace of Babel as a place of his glory but remember that which Micah said to the Iewes This is not the place of your rest and whatsoeuer thing else vvee vse for maintenance of this mortall life let vs so vse them as if wee vsed them not that we be not found when it comes to the tryall louers of them more then louers of God Blessed is the man who loues nothing otherwise but in God Nam solus is nihil charum amittit cui omnia chara sunt in eo qui non amittitur Gods indulgence toward vs appeares in that he hath not laid on vs the greatest crosses Againe perceiue here in this enumeration a gradation of seauen steppes by which the Apostle ascends It is a great thing to be in trouble but to be troubled and in anguish also is yet greater and for him that is in anguish to be banished in banishment to sustaine hunger and nakednesse and with these to be in continuall perill and last of all to dye by the sword euery one of these last is greater then the former yet all of them saith the Apostle are not able to seperate vs from the loue of Christ Our warning is here that when we see vnto how many crosses Christians are subiect and how few of them God hath laid vpon vs vvee should acknowledge the Lords fatherly indulgence toward vs who regarding our weakenes hath hitherto dealt tenderly vvith vs. And againe it should prepare vs for greater afflictions so long as vvee haue not resisted to the bloud nor laide Heb. 12. 4. downe our liues for Iesus vve should remember that greater battels than any which as yet vve haue foughten are before vs vvherein we must sight if it please the Lord to enter vs into them Shall tribulation Now he commeth to the particular enumeration The first is tribulation the vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostle vseth signifieth a pressing out from the The afflictions of the godly and wicked differ in nature For the one in suffering communicates with the curse of Adam the other with the crosse of Christ effect vvhich it vvorketh in the godly to vvit that it presseth out and maketh manifest that grace of God vvhich before vvas latent in them like as in the wicked it presseth out their vile and filthy corruption vvhich before vvas secret for the afflictions of the godly and of the vvicked differs in nature and in effects the vvicked in suffering communicateth vvith the curse of Adam cursed is the earth for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou eate of it all the dayes of thy life but the godly in their suffering communicates vvith the Crosse of Christ They differ also in effects for the godly man being pressed They differ also in effects for trouble makes the one to blesse the other to blaspheme Greg. Moral in Iob. lib. 2. by trouble brings out the fruit of praise and thanksgiuing vvith patience Sicut aromata odorâ—m non nâ—si cum accenduntur expandunt As sweet spices spreads not abroad their smell till they be burnt or beaten or as a graine of mustard seede not stamped seemes to be soft vvhere otherwise being brayed it renders out a strong sauour so the children of God who otherwise seeme to be weake and void of spirituall strength vvhen they are beaten by affliction sends out a sweet smelling sauour of rich and manifold Affliction is Gods wine-presse graces And therefore I call affliction the wine-presse of God the great Husband-man by vvhich hee so presses the berryes of the fruitfull trees of his owne vine-yard that out of their iuice hee may glorifie himselfe and comfort others but the wicked are like vnto a vile stinking puddle which the more it is stirred the worse it smelleth for when they are troubled they send out blasphemie rayling murmuring and in their impatiencie foome out their owne shame The second is Anguish The word he vseth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 The Godly are not onely troubled but oft-times straited in trouble which properly signifieth straitnesse of place wherein a man is so pinched that he is not
mention of fortie Martyrs who being striped naked were put foorth in the night to be pined with cold and afterward burnt with fire in the day Of these it is euident that nakednesse is one of those tentations whereby Sathan seekes to trouble our faith and patience but he who hath put on the Lord Iesus for a garment neither shame nor losse of naturall life procured by nakednesse can seperate him from the Loue of God Where wee may perceiue how different the dispositions The begged glory of world lings is in their apparell of the Châ—istian and the Worldlings are The men of this vvorld esteemes nakednesse their shame and places a great part of their glory in gorgeous garments and no maruell quia de proprio non habent decorem necesse est vt aliunde mendicent Bern. in cant serm 41. for hauing no glory of their owne they must borrow glory from others From the beasts of the earth they borrow skins and wool from the Fowles of heauen they borrow feathers from the Wormes they borrow silk from the Earth siluer and gold from the Waters pearles and of these doth man make vp his begged glory vvhose glorie in the beginning vvas to be clad in the image of God but what is it decor qui cum veste induitur vt cum veste deponitur Ber. ad Soph. Virg. epi. 113 vestis est non vestiti that beauty which is put on and put off with the garment is not the beauty of the person but of the garment Yet are these but licitae quodammodo insaniae if they be Vnder pretence of hiding their nakednes they shew forth their Nakednesse Cypri trac 2. de habi virg compared vvith the madnesse of others vvho alter by artifice the shape and colour of the countenance vvhich God hath giuen them Manus deo inferunt cum illud quod formauit reformare conantur for they put hands as it were into God while they prease to reforme that which GOD hath formed Nâ—scientes quia opus dei est â—mne quod nascitur diaboli quod mutatur I know they excuse their fact with the couerings of comelinesse and necessitie but praetexâ—u tâ—gâ—ndae turpitudinis Cyril catch 4. in matâ—rem turpitudinem incidunt for worldlings are neuer so naked as when they are best apparelled As for men truely godly they vvill thinke shame of wickednes but not of nakednesse imprâ—bum vocari te pudeat non pauperem Nazian sent aut ignobilem blind Egyptians may account sheepekeepers abhomination but true Israelits will thinke shame to be prophane but no man to be poore those godly ones in the wildernesse clad with sheepes skins and goates skins Hâ—b 11. 37. Acts 12. 21. were more honourable in the eyes of God than Herod in his royall robe of shining siluer glancing the more brightly by the shining of the Sun vpon it if wee will credit Iosâ—phus But what of all this our vnwillingnesse to want superfluitie of apparell argues that we are euill prepared to endure nakednesse for Christs sake Crosses should not be assumed by our selues but patiently borne when God layes them on Againe wee learne here that seeing nakednesse is one of those crosses whereby the Lord tryes the faith and patience of his children and that then it is time for vs to endure a crosse when God layes it vpon vs it cannot be good religion to impone it to our selues where God layes it not vpon vs. It is a hard thing to keepe mediocritie not to be either too remisse in religion or too superstitious Wil-worship what euer shew of godlinesse it hath in the eyes of men is but abhominable idolatry in the eyes of God and we are not to place true religion in those things which he hath not False Prophets weares rough garments to deceiue so they did of old and so they doe stil required the false Prophets ware a rough garment but it vvas to deceiue the Priests of Baal spared not to lance their owne flesh but it is reiected by God as blinde zeale to walke bare-footed or weare a garment of haire without linnen or vvool next the skinne to carry on our head a Franciscanes hood and at last to be buried in it If these things haue in them such holinesse as they pretend is it not a maruell their holy Father the Pope is not careful to make himselfe more holy by changing his triple Crowne vvith a Franciscanes hood or that his Cardinals are so inconsiderate as to redeeme by so excessiue prices a Cardinals hat the haire garment being better cheape and much more meritorious of eternall life Perils The life of a Christian is full of perils euery place 6 The Christian in euery place subiect to perils 2 Cor. 11. 16. vnto him is a palaestra in the sea in the land in the citie in the wildernes goe where he will he shall encounter with perils These are so many probations of our Faith and Patience of Gods truth and prouidence Our preseruation depends on our protector euen the Watch-man of Israel who neither slumbers nor sleepes As a Father hath compassion Comfort for the Christian in all perils on his children so hath the Lord on them who feare him and wee know that a naturall Father doth neuer looke more pittifully vpon his Child than when he sees him in greatest danger and shall we expect lesse kindnesse from our heauenly Father The men of this world when they send out their seruants in commission goes not with them themselues knowes not their danger and are not able to preserue them but the Lord our God when he sends out his seruants fore-sees the perill and goes with them to preserue them Feare not for when thou passest through the water I will be Esay 43. 2. with thee through the flouds that they doe not ouer flow thee The more perils we fall into the more experience haue we of Gods louing preseruing vs for the which wee may say perils may well make vs grow in the sense of the loue of God but cannot seperate vs from him Sword This is the last and by it the Apostle expresses 7 The Christian subiect also to violent death any kinde of violent death for vnto these also the seruants of God and his best beloued Children haue beene subiect euer from the beginning The Apostle glories that no kind of death can seperate vs from Christ yea as hee saith in another place it conioynes vs more neerely vnto him as Nebuchadnezzars Dan. 3. 25. fire loosed the bonds of the three children but hurt not their bodyes so death inflicted by man may loose our bodily bonds but cannot hurt our soules Non sunt â—mâ—nda spiritâ—i quae fiunt in carne quae extra nos est quasi vestimentum let not our spirit feare those things which are done in the flesh which is as a garment without vs. Thus we see how no kinde of crosse can seperate vs
vexation of his soule to heare and â—â—e the vnrighteous deedes of the wicked which were wont to be vnto him the matter of his sport and laughter Therefore doth he wish and so should we that we might Death to sinne takes not life away but restores it alwayes die this kinde of death foelix mâ—rs quae alienum facit hominem ab hoc saeculâ— certainly it is a happy death which alienates and turnes away the heart of man from the loue of this world Bona mors quippe vitam non aufert sed transfert in melius for it is a good kinde of death which doth not take life away but changes it into a better But alas how farre are we from this spirituall disposition doth not the angry countenance of one in worldly authority terrifie vs the disdainfull words of men doe they not put vs out of the state of patience if the world flatter vs are we not puft vp if shee frowne vpon vs are wee not cast downe and this our great vveaknesse proceedes onely from the strength of sinne in vs this lets vs see vvhat cause we haue to be humbled considering that hauing liued long in this time of grace yet haue we profited little in the mortification of our sinfull lusts and affections Againe out of this same vvord of Mortification vvee learne that the vvorke of our Sanctification is a vvorke of difficultie not accomplished without labour paine and dolour Sanctification is a worke of difficulty for it is a birth a death a circumcision c. for it receiues these three names as to be called Mortification Regeneration and Circumcision As no birth no death no cutting off the flesh can be without dolour and sorrow so the conuersion of a sinner is not wrought without inward paine and sorrow The Infant that hath laid but nine Moneths in the wombe of the mother is not deliuered without great paine suppose she conceiued it with pleasure and shalt thou thinke to part with sinne which in thee was conceiued with thee and which since so often thou hast nourished with pleasure and not to proue the dolours of the New-birth No assuredly In the worke of mans conuersion there is the contrite spirit the humbled heart the mourning weede the melting eye the pale countenance the voyce of lamentation let not such as feele them if they finde therewith a sundring of their affections from their old sinnes be troubled for these are but the dolours of their new birth and for others who know not these inward humiliations and wrestlings of the Children of God they haue iust cause to suspect themselues that they haue not so much as the beginnings of Mortification Regeneration and spirituall Circumcision By the Spirit Nature will not destroy our sinfull lusts The knife by which beastly lusts are slaine to be sacrificed they are mortified by the Spirit of Christ and therefore wee are to nourish entertaine this Spirit by the meanes before prescribed As those Beasts which were sacrificed to God vnder the Law were first slaine by the knife of the Leuite and then offered to God vpon the Altar so the Lord Iesus must mortifie our affections by the power of his word and Spirit before they can be presented acceptable sacrifices to Mac. hom 1. the Lord our God Yee shall liue As I spake of death which is threatned so Temporall life is not the recompense of righteousnesse and why 1 Cor. 15. 19. speake I of life here promised this temporall life cannot be the recompense of righteousnesse for it is common both to the Godly and the wicked If in this life onely we had hope of all men wee were the most miserable but the life here promised is eternall life the beginning vvhereof presently we enioy by the Spirit of our Lord who hath quickned vs so that vvee may say now I liue yet not I but Christ Iesus Gal. 2. 20. liueth in mee the accomplishment thereof vve looke for hereafter Thus hath the Apostle set before vs both life and death he hath shewed vs the way how we may eschew the one and attaine to the other the Lord graunt that according to his counsell vvee may make choyse of the best Verse 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sonnes of God IN this Verse the Apostle subioynes a confirmation He proues the lâ—st part of his preceding argument of his preceding argument in the last part thereof hee hath said If yee mortifie the deedes of the body by the Spirit yee shall liue now hee proues it They who mortifie the deedes of the body by the Spirit or they who are led by the Spirit of God for these phrases are equiualent are the Sonnes of God therefore they must liue the necessitie of the consequence is euident of that which followeth the Sonnes of God are the Heyres of God heyres annexed with Iesus Christ and the heritage whereunto they are borne is eternall life therefore of necessitie they must liue Here first wee haue to consider what action and operation The operation of the Spirit is eyther vniuersall extending to all his creatures of the spirit this is which distinguisheth the Sonnes of God from other men The operations of the Spirit are diuers hee hath an vniuersall operation by which he workes in all his creatures conseruing leading and directing them to his owne determined ends for in him euery thing that is hath the being liuing and mouing as euery creature is made by God so is it ruled and led by the Spirit according to his appointment Hee hath againe a more speciall operation in man and this is also diuers for first all skilfull and cunning working Or speciall and this is manifold of Artificers is a certaine operation of the Spirit therefore is it that Bezaâ—eel is said to be filled with the Spirit of God Exod. 31. and these cunning men to vvhom the Lord directs Moses Cunning working of Artificers is of him Exod. 28. 2. Gifts of gouernment are of him for the making of Aarons holy garments glorious and beautifull are said there to be filled of the Lord by the Spirit of wisedome but this is not his operation vvhereby the sonnes of God are discerned Secondly all gifts of gouernement are of the operation of this Spirit in this sense it is said that the Spirit of the Lord came vpon Saul vvhen of a common man God made him a kingly man meete for gouernment and so also God tooke off the Spirit vvhich was vpon Moses and communicated it to the seauentie Elders Thirdly prophecying and preaching is an operation Prophecying and preaching are also of him Numb 24. 1. 1 Cor. 12. of the Spirit therefore saith Moses of Balaam when he prophecyed that the Spirit of God came vpon him and the Apostle teacheth vs that there are diuersities of gifts but one and the same Lord diuersitie of administrations but the same Spirit diuersitie of
operations but God is the same who workes all in all for to one is giuen by the Spirit the word of wisedome to another the word of knowledge to another the gift of healing to an other the operation of great workes but none of these are the operations whereby the Sonnes of God are to be discerned seeing all these hee vvorkes also in the wicked We are therefore more particularly to consider how is And these former are coÌ„mon to the wicked but he hath a singular operation in the godly whom he leads it that this Spirit leades the Sonnes of God the auncient Fathers expresses it in two words hee leades vs mâ—nendo monendo that is by informing our minde with his admonitions and inclining our harts with his motions for the holy spirit leades vs not like vnto blinde men vvho are led by their guide a way vvhich they know not themselues but he opens our eyes and lets vs see a farre off our heauenly 1 Monendo by informing their mindes Canaan and Ierusalem vvhich is aboue for he that neuer saw the Lord how can hee follow him or how can he forsake the doung of the earth who hath no eyes to discerne those excellent things which are aboue This illumination of our minde is the first beginning of our saluation therefore the Apostle praying for the Ephesians craues that the Ephes 1. 18. Lord would lighten the eyes of their vnderstanding that they might know the hope of their calling and the riches of that glorious inheritance prepared for the Saints He prayeth also for the Philippians that they may abound more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement whereby they may discerne things that are excellent And for the Collossians that they may be filled with the knowledge of the will of God and of spirituall vnderstanding teaching vs also to remember it in all our prayers as a most necessarie petition And after that the spirit of God hath opened the eyes of 2 Mouendo by alluring their hearts his children and carried them vp with Moses to the top of Pisgah that is by heauenly contemplation giuen them some sight of Canaan then he also moueth their hearts making them cheerefull willing and resolute to walke toward it for hee drawes vs not against our wils but makes vs willing to follow him It is true he giues also to the wicked some taste of the ioyes of the life to come but he changeth not their hearts they haue some new sights of it but retayne their old affections they like it also but will not redeeme it so deere as they thinke as with the losse of their carnall pleasures in this life but to the godly with the new minde he giues them also a new heart hee inflames them with so feruent a loue of those things which hee had letten them see that they are content to renounce the world and accounteth her best things to be but doung so they may obtayne the Lord Iesus and be made partakers of the high prise of the calling of the Saints of God And beside this he doth in such sort conduct vs that hee 3 By remouing al impediments out of the way which may hinder vs to follow him remoues euery impediment out of the way which may hinder vs when hee carryed his people Israel by his strength to his holy habitation O what impediments was in the way I the red Sea the waste Wildernesse the riuer Iordan Pharaohs horsemen and chariots pursues them behinde to draw them backe againe seauen mighty nations of the Canaanits are gathered before them to resist them and hold them out of Canaan but the shepheard and leader of Israel steps ouer all these impediments as if they had not been in the way and places his people in the mountaine of his inheritance and afterward when he concluded to bring his people from Babell homeward to Canaan hee prepared a way for them in the Wildernesse hee commanded the mountaines to be made low and the vallies to be exalted he commanded the crooked to be straight and the rough places to become plaine and it was done This is for our comfort the Lord Comfort who hath taken vs by the hand to lead vs into his holy habitation shall remoue all impediments that are before vs though Sathan like a Lyon spoyled of his pray snatch after vs though hee double his tentations vpon vs and with manifold afflictions compasse vs though terrible death and the horrible graue stand before vs threatning to swallow vs by the way yet shall wee see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the liuing and ouer all our enemies shall be more than conquerors through him that loued vs and hath taken vs into his owne hand to leade vs to that inheritance which he hath prepared for vs. For it is manifest that both the beginning progresse and The beginning progresse and perfection of our saluation is from him perfection of our saluation is ascribed to the spirit of God in holy scriptures when we were dead in sinne he quickned vs when he had quickned vs he gouernes and leades vs and worketh continually in vs till he perfect vs. Thus is hee the Heb. 12. 2. author and the finisher of our faith and all the glorie of our saluation is his as wee cannot begin to doe well without him so we cannot continue in well doing without him if he lead vs not wee wander from him and weary our selues in In that we can not walk without a guide we are warned that we are but babes Acts 8. 30. 31. the way of iniquitie It should serue to humble vs that wee are pointed out here to be but babes and children such as cannot goe by our selues vnlesse we be led by another As that Eunuch answered Philip when he asked vnderstandest thou what thou readest how can I saith he vnderstand without a guide so may we answere the Lord when hee commands vs to walke in his way how can wee O Lord that are but children and It is good religion to turne Gods precepts into prayers Psal 43. 3. Psal 143. 10. new borne babes walke in thy way without a guide It is a point of good religion to turne the Lords precepts into prayers Send out Lord thy light and thy truth let them lead mee let them bring mee into thine holy mountaine and to thy tabernacles Let thy good spirit lead mee vnto the land of righteousnesse When the Lord threatned that hee vvould no more goe before the Children of Israel to lead them as hee had done Moses tooke it so deepely to heart that he protested hee would not goe one foote further except the Lord went with him and certainely if wee knew the manifold inconueniences whereinto we shall fall if the Lord forsake vs wee would neuer enter our feete into that way wherein we saw not the Lord going before vs in mercy to leade vs. Our life on earth should be