perishing things in great vvisedome and loue toward vs as hee seeth may be best for vs. Certainely vve ought so to reioyce in that great gift the Lord Iesus whom the Father hath giuen vs and in vvhom he hath blessed vs vvith all spirituall blessings that vve take no thought for any other thing vvhatsoeuer vvhich hee hath thought expedient to hold from vs. Oh that vve could giue vnto the Lord this glory as to say vvithout grudging O Lord Iesus I can vvant nothing seeing I haue thee to be my portion And further seeing all these things are dispensed and 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 fiâ—hed all night and hee profited nothing till Iesus spake the word Though we rise earely and lye down late and eate the bread of sorrow yet shall we labour in vain 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 vvhom God hath committed vnto vs If any man care not for his household hee is worse than an infidell This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a moderate foreseeing of things which are needefull but there is an vnlawfull care the daughter of distrust whereby men are carryed 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 in 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 which our Sauiour compares it to thornes which are most easily gouerned when they are most lightly touched where as he who gripes them hardly inuolues them and makes them more perplex and hurts himselfe also Our Sauiour correcting Martha for too much care of the worldly part ioynes these two thou art carefull about many things and art troubled telling vs that which we finde in experience that many worldly cares breedes many troubles Let vs walke 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 â—aith 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 vvere they neuer so excellent vvhile as they are strangers from Christ. When God said to Abraham feare not I am thy buckler and thy exceeding great reward not considering vvhat the Lord offered to him he answered in his weaknes O Lord what canst thou giue me seeing I go childlesse Euen he vvho vvas the Father of the faithfull could not conceiue hovv great good God promised to him vvhen he promised himselfe to be his reward And therefore let vs suspecting our vveakenesse that it carry vs not into the like errour vvatch 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 bee our Sauiour than that thou hast subdued all the workes 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 in the last two Verses hauing proclaimed a defiance to all the enimies of a Christian doth now begin to challenge them perticularly triumphing first against sinne Verse 33. 34. thereafter against all sort of afflictions that come vpon vs by whatsoeuer instruments visible or inuisible Wee begun first at his triumph against sinne who saith he shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen hee 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 where the supreame Iudge absolues can any inferior iudge whatsoeuer condemne Where first wee haue to consider who is hee that this manner of way triumphs Is it not Paul who before his conuersion was a persecuter a blasphemer and an oppresser who 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 heauy burthen which 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 his sinne lay vpon his conscience it prest out the very naturall moysture of his body hee 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 sin forgiuen him then hee cryed out O blessed is the man whose wickednesse is forgiuen whose sinne is couered and vnto whom the Lord imputes not his iniquitie As hee that lay sicke sixe and thirty yeeres of the palsie arose with great ioy when Iesus relieved him and hee that was a creple when hee found that his feete which had failed him so long did not 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 which hath made it free Secondly let the Apostle here stand vnto vs as an example of the like mercy of God to be shewed vpon our selues how great sinners soeuer wee 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 â—inners but also confirmes vs by the examples of his manifold mercies shewed to others before vs when wee looke vpon them let our weakenesse be strengthened let vs not think that the Lord
many times when it doth not appeare and these desertions which endure for a while are but meanes to effectuate a neerer communion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. hee turneth away from thee saith Chrysostome for a short while that he may haue thee for euer with himselfe Now it remaines that wee consider of these benefits wee haue by the dwelling of Christs Spirit in vs and of the duties which we owe againe vnto him The benefites are many and great Si enim tanta sit vis animae in massa terrae sustinenda mouendâ— impellenda quanta erit vis Dei in anima quae natura agilis est mouenda for if the soule be of such force to giue life and motion to this body which is but a masse of earth what shall the spirit of God doe vnto our soule which naturally is agill the wonderfull benefits that the body receiues by the dwelling of the soule in it may leade vs some way to consider of those great benefits which are brought vnto the soule by the dwelling of the spirit of God in vs. But of many we will shortly touch these two onely the first is that where this holy spirit comes to dwel he repaires the lodging man by nature being like vnto a ruinous pallace is restored by the grace of Christ. This reparation of man is sometimes called a new creation sometimes regeneration and it extends both to soule and body as to the soule the Lord strikes vp nevv lights in the miâ—do restores life to the heart communicates holinesse to the affections so that where before the soule was a habitation for vncleane spirits lying vnder the curse of Babel the Iim and Zijm dwelling in it the Ostriches lodging the Satires dauncing the Dragons crying within her pallaces that is defiled with all sorts of vile and vncleane affections the Lord Iesus hath sanctified it to be a holy habitation vnto himselfe And as to the reparation of our bodies it consists partly in making all the members thereof weapons of righteousnesse in this life and partly in deliuerance of them from mortalitie and corruptibilitie which shall be done in the day of 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 benefit of Prouision where hee comes to dwell hee is not burdenable after the manner of earthly Kings but his reward is vvith him for he hath not chosen vs to be his habitation for any neede hee hath of vs sed vt haberet in quem collocaret sua beneficia but that he might haue some on whom to bestow his benefits non indiget nostro ministerio vt domini seruorum sed sequimur ipsum vt homines lumen sâ—quuntur nihil ipsi praestantes sed beneficium a lumine accâ—pientes he 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 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 angustaberis sed dilataberis thou shalt not be straited but shalt be enlarged sayth Augustine hee knew the comfort hee reaped by this presence of God and therefore could speake the better thereofvnto others quando hic non eras angustias patiebar nunc implesti cellam meam non meam exclusisti sed angustiam meam when thou Lord dwelst not in me much anguish of minde oppressed mee now thou hast filled the cellers of my hart thou hast not excluded mee but excluded that anguish which troubled mee 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 loâ—e him The greater benefits we haue by the dwelling of Christ 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 bee vsed that nothing be done to offend him not without cause are these watch-words giuen vs grieue not the spirit quench not the spirit There are none in a familie but they discerne the voyce of the master thereof and followes it they goe out and in at his commandement 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 inquire what his will is we should doe with a promise to reâ—igne 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 vncircumciâ—ed in hart the Lord will not take a wicked man by the hand noâ— haue fellowship vvith the throne of iniquitie If holy men when they see brothels abhorre them and goes by them how much more shall wee 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 within the selfe alas how can my beloued dwel with me who am so polluted and defiled remember that the more thou art displeased vvith 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 vvater the house of thy hart with the teares of contrition quoniam sine aliquo vulnere esse non possumus medelis spiritualibus vulnera nostra curemuâ— seeing wee cannot be without some wounds of Conscience let vs daily goe to the next remedie that vvith spirituall medicines wee may cure them chastising our selues euery morning and examining our selues vpon our bed in the euening And againe seeing wee are made the Temples of the holy Ghost there should be within vs continuall sacrifices offered vnto God of prayer and praysing together with a daily slaughter of our beastly affections Among the Israelites Princes vvere knowen by the multitude of their sacrifices vvhich they offered vnto God but now they who sacrifice most of their vncleaâ—e affâ—ctions are most approued
vs learne 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 owne house wee 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 earnall 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 men is the countenaunce of God this restrayned Ioseph that in secret hee durst not commit adultry and it was his reason to perswade his brethren I feare God and therefore dare doe you no euill Certainely this is onely true godlines when wee liue so as vnder the eye of God and the reuerence of his inuisible maiestie restraynes 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 holy disposition because how so euer our corrupt Nature cannot hide her crooked wayes from the Lord yet she 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 when hee 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 with figge-tree leaues so hath he transmitted this heritable euill to all his posteritie that when they haue done wickedly they doe what they can to couer it but in vaine for the Lord is such a searcher from whose eyes no man can hide that for which he makes inquisition Laban searched the Tent of Iacob for his idols and could not finde them though they were there but what the Lord searches hee shall finde out If Saul hide himselfe the Lord can tell the people that he lurkes among the stuffe As a light where 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 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 Esas 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 and giuing of almes than the Publican As he that doth paint a fire may paint the colour and the forme of the bowing flame thereof but can no way paint the heate 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 we also most of all should take heede vnto it to keepe it holy Beside this that the Lord hath locked vp the heart of 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 hee 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 bottomlesse fountaine of wickednesse that if it were manifested the world should be infected with 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 fomes out but a small part of that filth which abounds in the heart be so forcible as to corrupt the honest minds and manners of the hearers what 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 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 whether they will or not for hee sits in their hearts but also hath soueraign commandement ouer them so that he can when he wil will when his glory requires eyther take their hearts vtterly from them or turne their owne hearts against themselues as domestick enimies 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 which hee 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 Israell and who reueiled them to Elishaâ— 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 his owne end which is his glory and good of his Church Let our enimies then take counsell and conspire together as they will hee that doth sit in the heauens shall haue them in derision The counsell of the Lord shall stand and what hee hath decreed shall onely come to passe let vs therefore rest in him It were good for men to consider this that albeit man 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 with it what hee will how oft haue we seene that the Lord being angry at man passing by all the members of
Ierusalem except the hand of God first beat from vs our proud lumps by the hammer of affliction As standing waters putrifie and rot so the wicked feares not God because they haue no changes and Moab keepes his sent because he was not powred from vessell to vessell but hath beene at rest euer since his youth And therefore O Lord rather than that we should keepe the sent of our old naturall corruption and liue in a careles securitie without the feare of thine holy name and so become sit fasts in our sinnes no rather O Lord change thou vs from estate to estate waken vs with the touch of thine hand purge vs with thy fire and chastise vs with thy roddes alway Lord with this protestation that thou keepe towards vs that promise made to the sonnes of Dauid I will visit them with my roddes if they sinne against me but my mercy will I neuer take from them So be it O Lord euen So be it The same comfort haue we also against death that now in Iesus Christ it is not a punishment of our sinnes but a full accomplishment of the mortification of our sinne both in soule and body for by it both the fountaine and the fluxe of sinne are dryed vp all the conduits of sinne are stopped and the weapons of vnrighteousnesse broken And though our bodyes seeme to be consumed and turned into nothing yet are they but sowen like graynes of Wheat in the field and husbandry of the Lord which must dye before they be quickned but in the day of Christ shall spring vp againe most glorious And as for our soules they are by death releeued out of this honse of seruitude that they may returne vnto him who gaue them therefore haue I compared death to the red sea wherein Pharaoh and his Aegiptians were drowned and sancke like a stone to the bottome but the Israelits of God went through to their promised Canaan so shall death be vnto you O miserable infidels whose eyes the God of this world hath blinded that no more then blinded Aegiptians can yee see the light of God shining in Goshen which is his Church though yee be in it to you I say your death shall be the very centre of all your miseries a sea of the vengeance of God wherein yee shall be drowned and shall sincke with your sinnes heauier than a milstone about the necke of our soules to presse you downe to the lowest hell But as for you who are the Israelits of God ye shall walk through the valley of death and not neede to be afraid because the Lord is with you his staffe and his rod shall comfort you albeit the guiltinesse of forepassed sinnes yet remayning in the memory the terrour of hell and horrour of the graue stand vp on euery side like mountaines threatning to ouerwhelme you yet shall yee goe safely through to the land of your inheritance where with Moses and Miriam and all the children of God euen the congregation of the first borne yee shall sing prayses ioyfully to the God of your saluation Now in the last roome concerning the imaginations of men against vs wee shall haue cause to say of them in the end as Ioseph said to his brethren yee did it vnto me for euill but the Lord turned it to good The whole history of Gods booke is a cloude of manifold witnesses concurring together to confirme his truth therefore among many wee will be content with one When Dauid was going forward in battell against Israell with Acish King of Gath vnder whom he soiourned a while in the time of his banishment the remanent Princes of the Philistims commanded him to goe backe and this they did for the worst to disgrace him because they distrusted him but the Lord turned it vnto him for the best for if hee had come forward he had been guiltie of the blood of Israell specially of Saul the Lords annointed who was slaine in that battell from this the prouident mercy of God doth in such sort deliuer him that no offence is done by Dauid to Saul or his people because Dauid came not against them neither yet could the Philistims blame him because he went backe by their own commaund So a notable benefit Dauid did receiue by that same deed wherein his enimies thought they had done him a notable shame And where otherwise it pleaseth the Lord to suffer wicked men to lay hand on the bodyes of his children yet all they are able to doe is but like the renting of Iosephs garment from him As he doth sustaine small losse whose garment is cut if his body be preserued so the Christian when his body is wounded vnto the death yet hath he lost nothing which hee striues to keepe for hee knowes it is but a corruptible garment which would decay in it selfe albeit there were no man to rent it Non sunt itaque timenda spiritui quae fiunt in carne quae extra nos est quasi vestamentum let not therefore our soule be afraid for those things which are done to our bodyes for it is without vs as a garment that doth but couer vs. Thus haue wee seene how that their is nothing so euill in â— selfe vvhich by the prouident vvorking of God is not turned to the good of his children Whereof arises yet vnto vs this further comfort that seeing it is the priuiledge of euery one who loues the Lord it must much more be the priuiledge of the whole Church that promise made to the Father of the faithfull I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee we may easily thinke belongs also to all his seed euen to that congregation of the first borne The Lord will bee a wall of fire round about Ierusalem and the glory in the middest of her he will keepe her as the apple of his eye and make Ierusalem a cuppe of poyson to all her enimies and a heauie stone which whosoeuer striueth to lift shall be torne therewith though all the people of the earth were gathered together against it the weapons 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 burne but cannot be consumed the house built on a rocke which may be beaten with winde and raine but cannot be ouerthrowne The Lord who changeth times and seasons who takes away Kings and sets vp Kings hath reproued Kings for his Churches sake yea hee gouernes all he 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 world may see themselues
but that the workes of God may be made manifest which our Sauiour plainely teacheth vs when being demaunded concerning him that was borne blind whether it was for his owne sinnes or the sinnes of his Parents aunswered it was for neyther of them but that the workes of God might be made manifest in him And these workes of God manifested by affliction are of two sorts for not onely his meruailous power and constant truth in preseruing and deliuering his owne Church in all troubles against the power falshoode and malice of the world are manifested that all men may see it is not by the arme of man but by the power of God that his Church is continued vpon earth but likewise these manifold graces of God wrought secretly by his holy Spirit in the hearts of his children are made manifest to the world such as their constant faith their inuincible loue toward God their patience in the hardest sort of crosses And vnto these kindes of afflictions doe wee referre that which here is spoken These afflictions which are for Gods sake require these two things comprised by the Apostle in these words Faith and a good Conscience that is a good Religion and a good conuersation though thy life be so good that it be vnreproueable in the eyes of man yet if thou be not found in the faith thy suffering is not suffering for Gods cause and albeit the Religion thou professest be good if thy conuersation be euill though thou wouldest giue thy body to be burnt for Religion yet shall not thy suffering be suffering for Chists cause Let none of you suffer as euill doers but if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed Non suppliciuÌ„ facit martyrem sed causa it is not the crosse makes the Martyr but the cause There hath beene no Heresie so grosse but some men haue beene bold to dye for it which is not Christian fortitude but miserable hardnesse of heart As the Lord Iesus hath his Apostles and Martyres so Sathan hath his false Apostles and Martyrs Martires Satanicae virtutis and therefore wee will conclude with Augustine Non est ex passione certa Iustitia it is not suffering that makes sure a cause to be righteous Sed ex Iustitia gloriosa passio but it is righteousnesse which makes suffering glorious For thy sake It is common to all the Godly to suffer with Christ as yee heard before but to suffer for Christ is not a honour communicated to them all the rarer that it is the more heartely should wee welcome it when God sends it The Apostle reioyced in the bonds wherewith hee was bound for Christs cause the golden chaines of earthly ambassadours are nothing so honourable as chaines of yron which are worne for Christs cause The Emperour Constantine honoured all the Fathers of the Counsell of Nice but made most of those who had suffered for the cause of Christ as in perticular hee kissed the hole of Paphnutius eye which had beene put out in time of trouble for Christs sake yet did hee reuerence it as the most honourable and precious part of his body no face so beautifull as that which is deformed no man so rich as hee who hath sustained spoliation of his goods if it be for Christs sake neyther is any death so glorious as that which is sustained for his cause Si enim beati qui moriuntur in Domino multo magis qui pro Domino for if they be blessed which dye in the Lord much more blessed are they wâ—o dye for the Lord. But now because no Christian is persecuted without some cause alleadged against him by his persecuters and that also in euery trouble his owne conscience saith that hee hath most iustly deserued it how can hee haue this comfort that he suffers for Christs sake The first is easily answered if we put a difference betweene the pretended and the true cause for which the wicked doe persecute vs. If Haman beare malice to Mordecay for his sake hee will forge a crime against all the people of the Iewes if Amazia can couer his hatred against Amos by pretending that Amos hath conspired against the King If the Princes of Darius enuy Daniels preferment they can delate him as a rebell to the kings proclamation If Ieremie exhort the Iewes to goe out to the King of Babell hee shall be accused as a confederate with the Chaldean It is a common stratagem of Sathans to staine the glory of Gods Children in their sufferings with false pretended crimes Vt qui conscientiae suae luce clarescunt fâ—lsis rumoribus sordidentur that they who are cleared by the light of their owne conscience may be defiled with false reports Sed bene sibi conscius non debet falsis moueri nec putare plus esse ponderis in alieno conuitio quam in suo testimonio but heeâ— who hath a good conscience ought not to be moued with false things nor to thinke there is more waight in any other mans traducing than is in his owne testimonie Our comfort doth stand sure if wee can say with Dauid They hate me without a cause And againe They are gathered together against mee not for mine offence not for my sinne O Lord. As for the other the accusation of our conscience in trouble charging vs with sinnes which no man can lay to our charge if wee will distinguish betweene the quarrell which conscience hath against vs and that wherewith the wicked doe charge vs it shall be manifest that the cause of our persecution is our disagreement with them in an euill course and not any sinne committed by vs against God and so shall our comfort still remaine that vvee are sufferers for Christs sake We are killed How farre forth this killing extends our Sauiour doth teach vs when hee sayes they are able to kill the body and doe no more Qui pro Christo moriuntur aliquid mortis accipiunt ne tot a contingat they may cast downe this earthly tabernacle but cannot hurt the man of God But here it is enquired seeing these godly ones were aliue when they sent vp this complaint vnto God how is it said they were slaine To this I answere that two manner of wayes are the godly pertakers of Christs afflictions euen when they are not troubled in their owne persons first by lympathie with others that are troubled for as the head of the misticall body accounts himselfe persecuted when his members are persecuted so among the liuely members therof the griefe and trouble of one is the griefe and trouble of the rest If we mourne with them that mournes and remember them who are in bonds as if wee were in bonds with them we are pertakers of their sufferings but now the want of this compassion in many who resting in their yâ—orie beds sorrowes not for Iosephs affliction proues them to be but dead
the praise of the bright shining glory of Gods mercie His owne Sonne Iesus Christ is called Gods owne 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 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 bee expressed And in the fulnesse of time hee 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 hee stands in the title of Gods owne sonne after so singular a manner that hee admits no companion The last of these two the Apostle makes the first point 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 mystery indeed to bee adored not to be enquired an article proposed to be belieued not to bee 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 vvaters in the Sea they stumbled and fell being neuer able to comprehend how the son that was begotten should bee coeternall and coessentiall to the Father who begot him therefore the worthy Fathers of the primitiue Church to expresse the presumption of these arrogant spirits drew them down from the dangerous speculation of these high mysteries far aboue their capacitie to consideration of things which are in nature Si in Creatura genitum inueniri potest coaeuum genitori an non aequum est conced as 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 and 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 vvherefore shall vve vse these similitudes as the Creator is aboue the creature so is that mysterie aboue all the secrets of nature no similitude can bee found in nature so much as shadow that most high and supernaturall mysterie yet is the endeuor of these godly fathers commendable vvho haue laboured to bring downe men to the exercising of their wits in things vvhich are below like vnto themselues leauing curious inquisition of higher secrets vvhich as I haue said are to be receiued with faith reuerenced vvith silence not searched out by curiositie O man bee not high minded but feare In the similitude of sinnefull flesh Wee must not so vnderstand these words as if Iesus had onely the similitude of a naturall bodie no hee was very man made of the seed of Dauid he hath taken on 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 Flower of the field that groweth without mans labour or industry The second Adam very man as was the first but not begotten of man So then the word similitude is not to be ioyned vvith 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 worthy to liue as Barrabas ranked vvith 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 wee are to consider so farre as vve may though vve cannot comprehend it that vvonderfull loue vvhich the Lord hath shevved vs in this vvorke of our saluation how deere and precious our life hath beene in his eyes perceiue by the greatnesse of that prise which hee hath giuen for vs for vvho vvill giue much for that vvhereof he esteemes but little it was not vvith gold nor siluer nor any corruptible thing that the Lord hath redeemed vs but vvith the precious bloud of his owne Son Iesus as of a Lambe vnblemished and vnspotted If Dauid considering the goodnesse of God towards man in the vvork of creation fell out into this admiration O Lord what is man that thou art mindfull of him or the Son of man that thou doest visite him how much more haue vve cause so to crye out considering the riches of God his vvonderfull mercies shewed vs in the vvork of redemption It vvas a great kindnesse vvhich Abraham shewed to Lot vvhen 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 kindenesse which our kinsman the Lord Iesus hath shewed vnto vs who hath giuen his life to deliuer vs out of the hand of our enimies The Lord shed abroad in our hearts more and more abundantly the sence of that loue that wee 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 bee a continuall thanksgiuing and worshipping before him who hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud When the children of Israell had passed the red sea suppose they had a wast wildernesse between them and Canaan yet they praised God with a song of thanksgiuing and the Lord appointed an yearely remembrance of that benefit If smaller mercies are to be remembred with thanksgiuing what shall wee think of the greater As for the second which is seruice Zacharie teacheth vs that for this end God hath deliuered vs from all our enimies that all our dayes wee should serue him in righteousnesse and holinesse the reason why the Israelites bound 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 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 bloud shall wee againe make our selues the seruants of sinne The Lord neuer shewed a greater mercie on man then this that hee 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 bee his seruants much will be required of him to whom much is giuen those Gentiles to whom the Lord reuealed himselfe in goodnes 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 wilt 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 bloud 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 wee loue vnfainedly those vvhom hee hath recommended vnto vs our goodnesse cannot extend vnto the Lord neither haue vve him vvalking vvith vs vpon earth that vve may minister vnto him may wash his feete and annoynt his blessed bodie vvith precious oyntments therefore should our delight bee vpon these 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 vvhom he hath said what yee doe to one of these little ones for my sake is done to mee and let vs shew kindnesse vnto them for the great loue which the Lord Iesus hath shewed vnto vs. And that for sinne These wordes containe the end of Christs manifestation in the flesh which is that in our nature hee might beare the punishment of our sinnes satisfie the iustice of God and so abolish sinne Saint Iohn makes this cleare when he saith that hee appeared to destroy the workes of the diuell that is sinne for sinne being remoued there is nothing in man but the workmanship of God By this it is euident how highly they offend God who abuseth 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 Christ once suffered the iust for the vniust not that we should still abide vniust but that hee might bring vs to God Thou therefore who continuest vniust maist 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 hee worketh that worke for which hee came namely hee destroyes the worke of the diuell that is hee enfeebles and abolishes at the last the power of sinne Condemned sinne Sinne by a metaphor is said to be condemned for as they vvho are condemned are depriued of all the liberty power and priuiledges they had before and hath no more any place to appeare in iudgement so hath the Lord Iesus disanulled sinne that it hath now no power to command and condemne vs hee hath spoyled principalities and powers and triumphed ouer them in the Crosse and hath nayled vnto it the obligation of ordinances which was against vs and so sustulit illam quasi authoritatem peccati qua homines detinebat in inferno hath taken away that povver and authoritie of sinne whereby it detayned men vnder damnation This hath hee done most lawfully and in iudgement as vve shall heare bearing our sinnes in his blessed body on the Crosse hee hath suffered that punishment vvhich the law required to bee inflicted on man for sinne and that in the flesh that is in the same nature of man vvhich had offended For this word of Condemnation imports a iust and lawful proceeding of a Iudge in iudgement which that vve may the better vnderstand let vs consider that there are two generall and head iustice Courts vvhich the Lord hath set vnto men the one is holden already the other is to bee holden 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 bee iusty condemned In the first by the ordinance of God the Father our sinnes were laid vpon the back of Iesus Christ and a law imposed to him which was neuer giuen to any other neyther Angell or man to wit the law of a Mediator that hee should make vp peace betweene God and man loue God in such sort that hee should by suffering preserue the glory of his Fathers iustice and yet make manifest the glory of his mercy that hee should loue his brethren in such sort that hee should take the burden of their transgressions vpon him which as by the Father it vvas inioyned vnto him so did hee vvillingly vndertake it And therefore hauing our sinnes imputed vnto him hee presented himselfe for vs vpon the Crosse as vpon a pannell before the Iudge to vnderly the law which craued that our sinnes should be punished to the death The decree according to the law is executed death yea an accursed death as the punishment of sinne is laide vpon Christ wherevpon there followes of equitie an absolution of all those for whom the Lord Iesus suffered as Cautioner their sinne is condemned and made of no force to condemne them hereafter The other generall iustice court will bee holden in the last day wherein all flesh must appeare before the Lord as their superiour and in that supreame and last Court of iustice shall bee condemned the persons of all those whose sinnes were not condemned before in Christ
man doth persecute him and seekes by all meanes to oppresse him but at the last hee shall be cast out This metaphor of dwelling doth also yeelde vnto vs exceeding great comfort in all other habitations the lodging is larger than the inhabiter but this is maruailous that the lodging here is so little and the inhabiter so great that infinite maiestie vvhom the heauen of heauens cannot contain vvho hath the heauen for his throne and the earth for his footestoole hath chosen for his dwelling and place of rest the soule of him that is poore contrite and trembles at his word A wonderfull mercy that the highest maiestie should so farre dimâ—t the selfe as that passing by all his other creatures hee should make choyse of man to be his pleasant sanctuary From this it is euident that this dwelling doth designe some speciall presence of God with his own children which he shewes not vnto others it is true hee is present in euerie place bounded within no place he containes all things vncontayned of any where hee dwelleth not as a Father there hee sits as a Iudge and is a terrour which manner of way the damned are continually vexed with his presence but in the Christian hee dwels as a maister in his owne familie as a Father with his children quickning ruling and preseruing them Worldlings may match the Christian in externall gifts but cannot compare with him in this internall glory though without hee be but an earthen vessell yet hath hee within an heauenly treasure for hee is the habitation of God in whom the Lord dwels by his spirit It was Beniamin his glory that the Lord should dwell betweene his shoulders and the glory of Ierusalem that there the Lord dwelt between the Cherubins but most of all the glory of a Christian that the Lord dwelleth betweene the secrets of his soule let worldling reioyce in their outward priuiledges and in their presumptuous minds leap like the mightie mountaines esteeming themselues high as mount Basan yet this is the glory of a Christian that God delights to dwell in him Let vs therfore make much of them who feare the Lord though in regard of their outward estate they were neuer so base we should not be ashamâ—d to doe them honour for his sake who dwelleth in them Dariâ—s preferred Daniell because the spirit was excellent in him and Pharaoh honoured Ioseph because the Spirit of God was in him yea the Angels are content to be Seruants and Ministers to them who feare the Lord they honoured Shepheards for Christs sake with their presence which they did not vnto King Herod for all his glory and shall not wee delight in Gods excellent ones vpon earth surely hee shall dwell in the Tabernacle of God in whose eyes a vile person is contemned but hee honoureth them who feare the Lord. Hereby wee know that wee are translated from death to life because wee loue the brethrâ—n Not onely doth this Metaphor of dwelling import a familiar presence but also a continuance thereof for he soiourns not in vs as a stranger that lodges for some dayes or Moneths in a place but hath setled his residence to dwell in vs for euer howeuer by temporall desertions he humble vs yet shall he neuer depart from that soule which once hee hath sanctified to be his owne habitation and this comfort is confirmed to vs by most sure arguments The first is taken from the nature of God Hee is faithfull saith the Apostle by whom wee are called to the fellowship of his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord hee will confirme vs to the end that we may bee blamelesse in the day of our Lord Iesus And againe saith hee I am perswaded that hee who hath begunne this good work in you will performe it vntill the day of Christ. That word which the Lord spake to Iacob stands sure to all his posteritie I will not forsake thee till I haue performed that which I promised thee The couenant of God is perfect and euerlasting and therefore with Dauid will wee giue this glory vnto God that he will performe his promise toward vs and bring forward his owne worke in vs to perfection The second argument is taken from the nature of that life which Christ communicateth to his members it is no more subiect vnto death We know that Christ being raised from the dead dyes no more this life I say is communicated to vs for it is not we that liues but Christ that liues in vs. And the third is taken from the nature of that seede whereof we are begotten for as the seede is so is the life that comes by it now the seed saith the Apostle is immortall wee are borne of new not of mortall seed but immortall our life therefore is immortall But against this is obiected that the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and that which Dauid prayes take not thine holy Spirit from me To this I answere that the spirit is taken sometime for the common and externall gifts of the spirit such as are bestowed as well vpon the wicked as vpon the godly as the gift of Prophecie gouernement working miracles and such like and these once giuen may bee taken againe in this sense it is said that God tooke the spirit that was vpon Moses and gaue it vnto the seauentie Elders and so also it is said that the spirit of God departed from Saul there it is put for the gift of gouernement sometime againe it is taken for the speciall and internall gift of sanctification this spirit once giuen is neuer taken away for this gift and calling of God is without repentance that is they neuer fall vnder reuocation To the second when Dauid saith take not thine holy spirit from me and restore me againe to the ioy of thy saluation this impoâ—â—s not a full departure of Gods spirit from him otherwise he could not haue prayed but that his sinne had diminished the sense and feeling of that operation of the spirit in him which he was wont to feele before and so is it with others of Gods Children that eyther the neglect of the spirituall worship or the commission of some new sins doth so impayre the sense of mercy in them that to their iudgement the spirit of God hath iustly forsaken them This I confesse is a very heauie estate and more bitter to them that haue felt before the sweetenesse of Gods mercy than death it selfe yet euen in this same estate wherein no comfort is felt let patience sustaine men let them learne to put a difference betweene that which they feele and that which is and remember that this is a false conclusion to say the spirit of grace is not in thee because thou canst not feele him for as there is a substance in the Oake or Elme euen when it hath cast the leaues so is there Grace in the heart
part is euill spoken of but on your part is glorified Thus wee see quam magnos habeamus commilitones how great and strong fellow-warriours wee haue to assist the Lord being so present with vs non vt seruos suos spectet tantum sed vt ipse luctetur in nobis that hee doth not onely behold his seruants in their conflicts but hee himselfe also doth wrestle in them Where for our further comfort if any man be desirous to know whether if his sufferings be sufferings with Christ or not let him consider these three things first how Iesus receiued the Crosse as a cuppe giuen to him out of his Fathers hand neither looking to Iudas that betrayed him nor to the Iewes that pursued him Secondly hee receiued it not grudgingly nor impatiently but with an humble submission of his will to the will of his Father Thirdly hee suffered for this end that he might abolish sinne and destroy him who had the power of death If these three concurre in thy sufferings thou mayest be sure they are suffrings with Christ first if passing by the instrument of thy trouble thou looke to the hand of God tempering and giuing it vnto thee secondly if thou receiue it with a humble submission of thy spirit to him who is the Father of Spirits and thirdly if it worke in thee a mortification of thy sinfull lusts and affections And of this we haue to make our vse in all our afflictions inward or outward and first concerning inward afflictions if at any time it please the Lord to exercise vs with fearefull agonies of Conscience let vs looke vnto GOD who killes and makes aliue who casts downe and raises vp let vs for a while beare his indignation he abides but a moment in his anger if we finde that by them wee are more humbled wakened out of securitie and stirred vp more feruently to pray and that the life of sinne is weakened in vs let vs be out of all doubt that these inward troubles are sufferings with Christ whose soule for our sinnes was heauie vnto the death and his body did sweat blood through the vehement anguish of his spirit And as for outward sufferings they are either such as concernes our Name our goods or our persons As for those which concerne our name it is a singular pollicy of Sathan to beare downe the children of God in the estimation of others vt qui conscientiae suae luce clarescunt alienis rumoribus sordidentur that they who are glorious in the light of their owne conscience may be made filthie by the false reports of others and so made vnprofitable to doe others the good that they would but let vs in such tentations learne from Dauid to looke vnto God and not to Shimei vsing the vndesâ—rued contumeliâ—s of men as profitable meanes to worke in vs that inward humiliation which our manâ—fold sinnes though not against man yet against God requireth of vs so shall we suffer with him who being the innocent Lambe of God sustayned neuerthelesse great contradiction of sinners reproched to be one possessed with a Diuell notwithstanding that hee was the very sonne of God filled in his manhood with the holy Ghost And as concerning the losse of worldly goods who euer bee the instrument learne thou to take it as a cup out of the hand of thy heauenly Father after the example of Iob who passing by the Sabeans and the Caldeans looked to the hand of God the Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken saith hee blessed be the name of the Lord. It is not for lacke of loue that the mother withdrawes from the Childe the vse of the pappe but that shee may acquaint him with stronger meat and if the Lord take from vs these transitorie things it is not because we are not beloued of him but that we may set our harts vpon those things which are more waightie and permanent which if wee doe then are our sufferings sufferings with him who being rich became poore that in all things we might be made rich in him And the same are we to doe in those troubles which we sustayne in our bodyes for if as the Apostles sayth wee haue had fathers of our bodies who haue corrected vs and we haue giuen them reuerence should we not much rather be in subiection to the father of Spirits that we might liue and if we can yeeld our bodies to phisitions to be cut or burnt at their pleasure how much more should wee submit them to the Lord in all humble contentment to be chastised as he will seeing hee protests himselfe hee doth it not but for our singular profit that wee might be pertakers of his holines We shall raigne with Christ. Worldlings wrestles for their corruptible crowne as vncertaine whether they shall obtaine it or no but it is not so with the Christian we runne not as vncertaine we are sure that if we suffer with Christ we shall also raigne with him though for the present no trouble bee sweet yet is the end thereof most comfortable and we are by the eyes of faith to looke vnto it least our present manifold tentations driue vs vnto impatience for as he that going through a strong running riuer is in danger to fall drowne by reason of the dissinesse of his braine vnlesse he fixe his eyes vpon the bancke so shall we be ready to faint in affliction vnlesse we looke to the comfortable end thereof If we shall looke to Lazarus vpon the dunghill and Ioseph in the prison what can wee iudge them to be but miserable men but if we consider their end we shall see the one in Abrahams bosome and the other raigning in great glory vnder Pharoah in Egipt then shall wee say verely there is fruit for the righteous and we shall find it true which here the Apostle saith that if we suffer with Christ we shall also raigne with him Verse 18. For I count that the afflictions of this present time are not worthie of the glory to be reuealed THe Apostle here subioynes an amplification of his first argument wee shall not onely saith hee raigne with Christ but raigne in such a glory as doth so farre surmount all our present sufferings that if they be weighed together in a balance the one shall bee found but light in regard of the other For I count The word the Apostle vseth here imports thus much after reasoning I conclude or after iust reckoning this is the summe which I collect and gather here then are two circumstances which greatâ—y amplifies his purpose one that hee sets not downe this as an vncertaine opinion but as a most sure conclusion gathered out of good reason And againe that it is the conclusion of such a one as by experience knew both what experience the Apostle had of our present suffering hee telleth vs 2. Cor. 11. what experience he had of the glory to be