would not it is no more I that doe it but the sinne that dwelleth in me and therefore it shall not be laid vnto my charge and 25. for I my selfe in my minde serue the law of God though in my flesh I serue the law of sinne and therefore in the next chapter he breaketh out into this comfortable saying and auoucheth it most confidently that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the flesh Rom. 8.1 but after the Spirit And this communion and fellowship that herein we haue with Christ for the discharging of vs from the guilt of our naturall corruption we know by two infallible tokens the one is the Spirit of sanctification which we haue receiued from him whereby it commeth to passe that we walk not afrer the flesh any more but after the Spirit vers 11. For if the Spirit of him that raised vp Iesus from the dead dwell in vs he that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken our mortall bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in vs 13. and therefore if we mortifie the deedes of the bodie by the Spirit we shall liue for as many as are lead by the Spirit of God they are the sonnes of God and thus this sanctification of ours which is in sinceritie and truth though in much weaknes and great imperfection proceeding from the Spirit of God is a sure token that we are partakers of the righteousnesse of Christ to the perfect iustifying of vs in the sight of God and to the taking away of all the remnants of sinne inhering dwelling in vs continually The second testimonie hereof is the Spirit of adoption which he giueth vs to assure vs of his fauour and to deliuer vs from our feares in measure and to teach vs chearefully and comfortably to pray vnto God as to our most merciful Father for he saith that this spirit of sanctification vers 15. is not the spirit of bondage to feare again which feare is wrought in vs by the sight of our sinnes through the ministery of the law but it is the spirit of adoption whereby we crie Abba Father that is it sealeth vp our adoption in our mindes and so openeth our mouthes in prayer vnto God and therefore he addeth that the same Spirit beareth witnes with our Spirits that wee are the children of God and if wee be children wee are also heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with Christ Thus by the Spirit of adoption which is discerned by this most excellent operation of his that it causeth vs to pray in hope to God as to our father and to call him not once father after a faint manner but twise or thrise yea continually Abba father or father father we know that we haue our part in Christ for whose sake onely he is our father and so are by him deliuered from the guiltines of all the remnants of corruption sinne though they are in our flesh and dwell there continually as the Apostle saith and doe shew themselues both by vnbeleefe and by hindring vs frō doing of that good that we would and causing vs to doe that euill that we would not Another thing whereby our faith is assaulted and often weakened is the consideration of those manifold and grieuous afflictions which may and doe befal vs in this world whereby it might seeme vnto vs that our waies are not so acceptable vnto the Lord that we might haue comfort in them For answer vnto which hee sheweth that of what nature or kind soeuer they be they shall bee so farre from hindering vs from the fauour of God from our saluation as that in them wee haue Christ Iesus who went before vs in all our afflictions further then wee can and yet at the last came vnto glorie and therefore if we patiently abide as we haue not onely the Prophets and Apostles Martyrs and other holy men but euen Christ himselfe to be our fellow in them so we shall be fellowes with him like vnto him in glorie for he saith 16. If so be that we suffer with him we shall also be glorified with him And least that it might seem grieuous vnto vs to goe to so happie an estate through so grieuous painfull a way and so might thinke that the kingdome of heauen though it bee neuer so pretious in it self we should buie it too deerely he telleth vs assuredly that by considering the afflictions of this world on the one side and the felicitie of the kingdome of heauen on the other side and so casting vp the account of the one and the other hee hath found the totall summe of them both to bee so farre differing that all the afflictions of this miserable and wretched world indured by any and from the first houre of their birth vnto their last breath are not to bee compared in greatnesse or continuance vnto that glorie and happinesse that shall there be reuealed and bestowed vpon vs according to the expresse wordes of the text I count vers 18. or all things beeing well considered I gather that the afflictions of this present time are not worthie of the glorie that shall be shewed vnto vs. And as this glorie is thus great so it is most sure and certaine though we doe not presently enioy it and therefore we need not in any wise to doubt of it for all the other creatures of God besides man which are vnreasonable and dumbe haue in their kind a certaine sense and feeling of it for though they bee now subiect and that yet but for a time vnto this vanitie that is corruption and abuse which they are in yet by the instinct of nature they doe most earnestly as it were with their heads lifted vp and neckes stretched out that they might see a great way off looke for the reuealing of the sonnes of God that so they themselues also might then be redeemed from bondage into their glorious libertie and they shall not bee disappointed of their hope Therefore much more we that haue receiued the first fruits of the spirit should with greater patience in trouble abide the will of God a while and with more certaintie and earnestnesse of desire looke for an happy change of all our afflictions in that most glorious day Which the Apostle setteth out in much more patheticall and significant wordes then I haue expressed and therefore I could not passe them ouer for he saith and 19. The feruent desire of the creature that is of the whole frame of this world and of all things in it waiteth whē the sonnes of God shall bee reuealed 20. Because the creature is subiect vnto vanitie not of his owne will or natural inclination but by reason of him which hath subdued it vnder hope For though hee did by his curse vpon all the creatures which he had made for man shew how greatly he was displeased with the fall and
or howe to pray to God as we ought and yet then his Spirit doth stirre vp in vs though not many wel ordered speches or words yet those sighes and groanes which beeing vnspeakable and not felt of them in whom they are are well vnderstood and accepted of God because they proceede from his spirit whose meaning he knoweth granteth because it maketh request for the Saints according to the will of God Wherein we are first of all to cōsider that though wee haue receiued the spirit of God euen the spirit of adoption whereby we crie Abba Father which spirit teacheth vs to pray and by which wee haue many times called vpon God with great assurance and comfort both for and with our selues and others also yet there may be a time that very often wherein wee may be so dishorted by some great affliction and in such a case that beeing as it were astonished and ouercome with the greatnesse and strangenesse of it wee cannot well tel what to pray or what to aske of God And though prayer at such a time especially be our only refuge according to the saying of the Prophet Psal 50.25 Call vpon me in the day of trouble so wil I deliuer thee yet we cannot tell how to begin and what to say And so vnlike shall we bee vnto our Father and to that that wee haue beene in times past as though wee were not the same nay our estate may seeme to bee like vnto the wicked who are at their wits ende and know not how to pray vnto God at all For if we were asked then what we would haue we cannot make a direct answer and though we haue libertie to aske of God according to our neede yet wee cannot vse it for we cannot tell what to pray O what a wonderfull thing is this but yet most true and that which is to be found not in some fewe meane persons onely that are ignorant and haue not accustomed themselues to prayer but in the most excellent seruants of God euen the Apostles thēselues as Paul here bringeth himselfe in with the rest for an example and in this great infirmitie maketh himselfe like vnto the rest saying For we know not what to pray as we ought And though there be many excellēt praiers in the old new Testament by which wee might learne how to pray and especially wee haue a perfect forme of prayer prescribed by our Sauiour Christ to direct vs in all things needfull for vs yet in temptation wee aske those things many times which if we had them would bee hurtfull vnto vs and when wee doe aske that that is profitable and good yet euen then by prescribing vnto the Lord the time when the manner how and the meanes whereby wee would bee deliuered according to our owne minde wee pray with such impatience and distrust that it may be truely said of vs Wee cannot tell what to pray as wee ought This was the estate of that good King Hezekiah when he was sicke vnto death at what time beeing greatly pained in his body and sore troubled in his minde and out of all hope of life he turned his face vnto the wall and praied vnto the Lord but how hee doth expresse it in these words Like a Crane or a Swallow so did I chatter Esa 38.14 I did mourne as a doue that is in the bitternesse of his soule hee did not vse many words yea hee was altogether so confused that his prayer was like the chattering of birdes he knew not almost what to say Such was the perplexitie more then infirmitie of Dauid when as in his great afflictions in stead of praying he roared all the day long as hee saith of himselfe Psal 32.3 When I helde my tongue my bones consumed and vvhen I roared all the day so that sometimes he held his peace beeing betvveen hope and despaire and sometimes he vttered many desires but beeing carried avvay vvith the present feeling of his aduersitie they vvere more like the roarings of a vvilde beast then any vvell ordered prayer And at another time he saith Mine heart trembleth vvithin me Psal 55.4 the horrors of death are fallen vpon me feare and trembling are come vpon me and an horrible feare hath couered me in vvhich vvords hee shevveth in vvhat infirmity vveaknesse he vvas then fallen into for his prayers after vvhat manner they vvere framed hee declareth in these vvordes Vers 2. I mourne in my prayer and make a noise so that there vvas mourning and some kinde of noise and little else And another time hee expresseth his outvvard estate the inward affection of his mind and the maner of his prayer then after this sort Psal 102.3 My daies are cōsumed like smoak my bones are burnt like an herth mine heart is smitten and withered like grasse because I forgat to eate my bread for the voice of my groaning my bones doe cleaue to my skinne I am like a Pellican of the wildernesse and am like an owle of the desarts I watch and am as a sparrow alone vpon the house top Surely I haue eaten ashes as bread and mingled my drinke with weeping By which kind of speeches he sheweth how greatly his affliction did worke vpon him so that in them he did groane and weepe and cast out many fearefull cries but all things were so out of order in his praier that they were like the chattering of a Pelican and of a sparrow and the skreeks of an owle rather then any thing els if God had considered them in his iustice and so he might haue reiected them Thus wee see that these most excellent seruants of God in their greatest conflicts and agonies were so farre from beeing able to pray vnto God in any tolerable manner that in their own sense and feeling they did but roare crie sob and sigh weepe mourne and complaine and that also very confusedly euen like the Crane the Swallow the Pellican the Sparrow euen the shreeke Owle it selfe so distracted were they in thēselues and full of disorder and fallen into so many great disorders at once Therefore we may not iudge of our selues or of others by any one such accident or few particular cases least we should deceiue our selues saying I haue not the spirit of God for I cannot pray nor call vpon God in mine affliction and if I doe at any time it is not as I ought for this is that which Paul confesseth of himselfe of other the seruants of God and which wee haue seene in these two excellent Kings Hezekiah and Dauid that in affliction oftentimes we cannot tell what to pray as we ought But yet in this great vnfitnesse of ours we must not be like to the wicked who then giue ouer all prayer because they are vnfit for it and we are subiect vnto this temptation to put off praier because we see that we cannot pray as we ought and so wee are
sinne of man yet he would giue them hope to be restored and therefore he addeth 21. For the creature also shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God For we know that euery creature groaneth with vs also and trauaileth in paine together vnto this present as a woman with child not onely with exceeding sorrowe but with hope of a comfortable deliuerance in time And not onely the creatures but we also which haue the first fruits of the Spirit euen we doe sigh in our selues waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of our owne bodies that is our last restoring when as our adoption shall be fully accomplished in soule and bodie Which condition of ours in affliction though grieuous for a time but most happie in the ende that we might not refuse to vndergoe with the rest of the creatures and our brethren sisters he calleth vs to consider the wise order which God hath appointed in sauing of vs which is by hope vers 24. for he saith We are saued by hope but hope that is seene is not hope for how can a man hope for that he seeth but if we hope for that we see not we doe with patience abide for it Therefore we must not imagine so soone to inioy all happinesse as we beleeue it but be content to want all things for a time that hoping for them with patience long-suffering we might come to them at last vnlesse we will goe about to inuert this excellent order which the Lord hath determined and appointed to be in sauing vs which is by trayning vs vp in the hope and expectation of all things promised for a season But now because the hope that is deferred is the fainting of the heart as Salomon saith that is Prou. 13.12 it maketh a man sick at the very heart to be long deferred of that that we desire and hope for therefore we might feare both in respect of our own weaknes and also the greatnes together with the long continuance of affliction that we should not with patience vnder the crosse continue to hold out happily vnto the ende he further addeth for our singular comfort that the Spirit which we haue receiued whereby we are sanctified and wherby we pray to God as to our Father shall performe this office also vnto vs that it shall helpe to beare the burden of our affliction with vs and so though we be neuer so weake yet being supported by the power of it we shall bee able to endure them well enough Rom. 8 2◠for hee saith Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities So that it shall be all one with vs as with a young childe vpon whose shoulder the father laying a heauie burden which of it selfe were able to presse him downe to the ground hee should so put his hand vnder it that hee should beare the whole waight almost and stresse of it himselfe and so he should make him carry it Now if the earthly father wil not of his naturall affection ouerlade the poore childe then wee neede not to feare but that the Lord our spiritual father will so increase our strength according to the measure of our afflictiōs that we shall find this promise to be true by experience That his holy spirit shall helpe our infirmities And thus Dauid commendeth the mercie of God vnto vs Ps 103.13 That as a father hath compassion on his childrē so hath the Lord compassion on thē that feare him he knoweth whereof we be made he remembreth that we be but dust where hee rendreth this one reason of the merciful dealing of God towards vs euen the knowledge that he hath of our weake and fraile estate which thing as it is most comfortable to consider so we shall finde it to be most true by experience because our Sauiour Iesus Christ hath praied for vs as himselfe witnesseth in the Gospel vnto his heauenly father that he would giue vs a comforter that might abide with vs for euer Iob. 14.16 euen the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receiue And the blessed Apostle confesseth of himselfe that he was partaker of the fruit of this praier for beeing in many afflictions that were able to haue ouercom him yet by the power of Gods spirit he did hold out happily in them 2. Cor. 4.5 saying Wee are afflicted on euery side yet are wee not in distresse we are in doubt but we despaire not we are persecuted but not forsaken we are cast downe but wee perish not Euery where we beare about in our bodie the dying of the lord Iesus that the life of Iesus might also be made manifest in our bodies for we which liue are alwaies deliuered vnto death for Iesus sake that the life also of Iesus might bee made manifest in our bodies Where he compareth the miserable estate and condition that the faithfull and more specially the Ministers are in vnto a continuall dying and the vertues of the spirit of God in them vnto life which oppresseth that death he rendreth this reason why the Lord doth thus often afflict his seruants namly vers 7. That the excellencie of that power might be of God and not of vs that is that all men might perceiue howe they stood not by mans power but by the singular vertue of God in that they die a thousand deaths but neuer perish and so in many daungers as hee defendeth them so in much weakenes he vpholdeth them and his Spirit helpeth their infirmities And this grace of God also vpholding him in great weaknesse against most dangerous temptations he acknowledgeth in an other place for when he felt himselfe so sore troubled with them to his continuall grief as if he had had a pricke thrust into chap. 12.7 his flesh and the messenger of Satan did so molest him as though he had beene most shamefully buffetted on the face for which he besought the Lord thrise that is very often that it might depart from him he receiued this answer from God vers 9. My grace is sufficient for thee for my power is made perfect through weaknes So in this spirituall combate the Spirit of God did vphold him against the temptations of Satan and of his own corruption and so he concludeth that when he was weake then was he strong that is in his greatest weaknesse he felt the power of God vpholding him and so shall wee if wee waite vpon him For the Apostle sheweth that this which hee found by experience in himselfe by the goodnes and mercie of God belongeth to all the rest of the faithfull when he writeth thus to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 10.13 God is faithful which will not suffer you to bee tempted aboue that you be able but will euen giue the issue with the temptation that you may bee able to beare it where he saith The God that would haue vs tempted for our good wil by
his spirit so strengthen vs that wee shall be able to beare them and haue an happie issue out of them And if there were no Scripture to prooue it our owne experience might tell vs the truth of it for if wee haue obserued any thing wee may remember that many times wee haue beene brought very lowe and haue vndergone such hard brunts that wee thought we should neuer haue beene able to haue borne them Neither indeede should we but that there was another thing in vs farre aboue our selues which did helpe vs and caused vs both to indure and to ouercome those things which we thoght wee should haue fainted in the middest of them and so we may boldly say with this holy Apostle Blessed be God 2. Cor. 1.3 euen the father of our Lord Iesus Christ the father of mercies and God of all comforts which comforteth vs in all our tribulations that we may be able to comfort them that be in affliction with the comfort wherwith we our selues are comforted of God For as the sufferings of Christ abound in vs so our consolation aboundeth through Christ Thus the Lord increaseth the comforts of his Spirit in his seruants according to their afflictions so that they doe not onely equall them but also exceede them in time and so beeing supported by the Spirit they are able to beare them And this promise of God that his Spirit shall help vs in our infirmities is so much the more worthie to be considered of vs because it is so generall that it shall helpe vs not in some few onely but in all our infirmities whatsoeuer for he speaketh indefinitly and not limiteth the promise to any one So that there can be no weakenesse in vs so great or infirmities so many vpon vs in which the Spirit shal not streÌ„gthen vs euen to the bearing of the greatest crosse that God shall lay vpon vs as we haue seene it in the Apostle before who said that God did comfort him in all his tribulations and his consolations in Christ did abound euen as his sufferings did abound But in the meane season Paul giueth vs to vnderstand that the afflictions of Gods children are oftentimes so great that they farre passe any strength that is in vs to beare theÌ„ and that we are not able to doe it of our selues yea that we are very weak of our selues and subiect to many infirmities though we haue receiued the Spirit of sanctification and of adoption for the same Spirit doth not cleane ridde vs of them whiles wee are in this world but doth onely help vs in them according to the expresse words of the Apostle Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities In so much that he confesseth not onely of other the faithfull but also of the Apostles and of himselfe in whose name he speaketh and ioyneth himselfe with them that they were not able to haue vndergone so many and great things as they did being fraile men like vnto vs but that they had the Spirit helping them in their infirmities for hee doth not say that the Spirit helpeth your weaknes but vs that are the strongest and helpeth vs in our infirmities then no man must thinke to be free from them it is and must be sufficient for vs that the Spirit doth helpe vs in them The truth of which may likewise appeare in the great complaint of Dauid Iob and the rest of Gods seruants who though they did patiently beare many great things yet not without the bewraying of many great infirmities in themselues for Iob though he be commended vnto vs as a most tried patterne of all patience yet how many and great infirmities appeared in him it is euident when he thus cried out against himselfe Let the day perish Iob 3.3 wherein I was borne and the night when it was said there is a man child conceiued let that day be darknesse let not God regard it from aboue neither let the light shine vpon it and why died I not in the birth or why died I not when I came out of the womb why did the knees preuent me and why did I sucke the breasts and many more such bitter wordes proceeding from great weaknesse he vttered against himselfe And Dauid though he was a man after Gods own heart 1. Sam. 13.13 and did beare many afflictions vnder Saul with great patience 1. Sam. 13.13 yet in many Psalmes he bewraieth great infirmities Psal 31.22 I said in mine hast I am cast out of thy sight he acknowledgeth his infidelitie to be such that he did rashly say that God had cleane forsaken him and in an other place he speaketh thus of himselfe I saide in my feare 116.11 All men are lyars that is he said in his temptation that Samuel the Prophet when he told him that hee should bee King of Israel did not speake it from God by the spirit of prophesie but of his owne head and so did but lie and dissemble with him Therefore we are not to imagine of such a portion of Gods Spirit that might swallow vp all our infirmities and cleane ridde vs of them for then we should be no men but it must be sufficient that we are aided with the strength of it so that we finally fall not downe and lie stil vnder the heauie burden of affliction yeilding to our infirmities and so ouercome of them so that there is a â—â—xt thing as it were in vs namely our owne infirmities to humble vs and the strength of Gods Spirit to inable vs to beare our afflictions So that hauing so strong and so able an helper to beare with vs the burden we may be comforted with hope of induring the greatest thing that may befall vs in this world though continuing vpon vs neuer so long Not indeed alwaies in that manner that we ought and doe desire but so as it may be acceptable vnto God and so farre forth as his holy Spirit shall helpe vs in our infirmities for though there be nothing in vs but infirmities yet there is helpe for vs from the Spirit of God And that we might euen in our infirmities by the helpe of the Spirit of God beare all afflictions as we ought the Apostle further addeth that the same Spirit shall likewise stirre vs vp in all necessities of ours to pray vnto God for helpe and for his grace and to make our moane vnto him as to our father and we shall be heard of him therin Rom. 8.26 saying For we know not what to pray as wee ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed but he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the meaning of the Spirit for he maketh request for the Saints according to the will of God Where we see both what great infirmities we be subiect vnto and also how the Spirit of God helpeth vs in the same For sometimes through the greatnesse of our miserie we know not what to say
farre aboue any father or mother insomuch as the Lord saith Can a woman forget her childe Esa 49.15 and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe though they should forget yet will not I forget thee though hee delighteth to heare vs pray to him as Christ himselfe witnesseth to his Church saying My doue shew me thy sight let me heare thy voice Cant. 2.14 for thy voice is sweete and thy sight comely yet when by the extremities of our miseries wee are so oppressed or distracted that wee cannot in any orderly manner pray vnto him as we ought yet he alloweth of the sighes sobs that we offer vp vnto him and granteth not so much our wordes which sometimes none or very fewe as the meaning of his spirit which is large and plentifull in vs. And hereupon it commeth to passe that the Lord in his iust mercie imputeth not vnto his seruants the manifold rebellions of their flesh or great complaints in their praier as hee did not vnto Iob nor to Dauid who were full of them as wee haue seene before because he hath respect vnto the meaning of his spirit in thē As the mother is not so much grieued or offended with the murmurings impatiencie and froward outcries of her poore sicke childe as she by the least token guesseth at the meaning of him and taketh that in good part and giueth to him accordingly What shall we say to these things Is it true indeede that the Lord will vouchsafe to looke vpon the low degree of his seruants and haue respect vnto poore sinnefull creatures who when they are fallen into the bottom of their iust deserued miserie and euen then can not pray vnto him one word aright and when they begin to speake vnto him euen then their tongue cleaueth to the roofe of their mouth that he will yet heare their sighs and their cries yea vndoubtedly he that of his great mercie will beare with such great weaknesse in men Matt. 12.20 that he will not breake a bruised reede nor quench the smoking flaxe he will of the like mercie heare not onely the well ordered prayers of his Church but euen the very cryings roarings of his seruants though they be like the Pellicans and the owles yea their mournings though they be like to the doues yea when they say nothing neither indeed can their very sobs and sighs which come frō the abundance of a troubled spirit and can not be expressed for he alloweth of the meaning of his Spirit which worketh these things in them and if they could thereby they are willing to performe better seruice vnto him and are sorie that they can not doe it What can be more comfortable vnto vs then this Therefore in all our necessities let vs goe vnto the Lord in Christ with great boldnesse and come vnto the throne of grace and though we can not vtter many wordes yet let vs speake vnto him for surely the acceptation of our praiers consisteth not in the multitude or well placing of our words but in the request and desire of our hearts and therefore if we can pray but two or three words say with the poore Publican Lord Luk. 18 1◠be merciful vnto me a sinner or with the Apostles Lord increase our faith 17.5 or with the man in the Gospel Lord I beleeue Lord help mine vnbeleef Mar. 9.24 or with the blind man Matt. 9.29 O son of Dauid haue mercy vpon me or with the theefe vpon the crosse Luk. 23 4◠Lord remember me in thy kingdome c. this short prayer proceeding from the Spirit of God in vs and offered vp in the mediation of Christ Iesus and in the vertue of his prayers shall be as well receiued of him when we can doe no better as if we had spent an whole houre in prayer Yea if we do but lift vp our minds vnto God and pray in our spirite though we vtter not one word as that godly woman Hannah the mother of Samuel did 2. Sam. 1.10 who beeing troubled in her minde praied vnto the Lord and wept sore but how did shee pray shee spake in her heart her lips did mooue onely but her voice was not heard The Lord will heare vs as he did her and giue her according to her desire as shee afterward confessed to Heli the Priest I praied for this child and the Lord hath giuen me my desire which I asked of him And so did Nehemiah pray vnto God for he waiting vpon the King of Babylon as hee sate at table and beeing sad in his presence more then he had wont to be the King demanded of him the cause he told him then hauing leaue of the King to ask what he would for the accomplishing of his desire it is saide that hee praied to the God of heauen that is Nehe. 2.4 he lifted vp his mind vnto God and desired him to blesse him in that enterprise of his and so he did So we if either we can not pray in words or waite opportunity of time and place and doe but sigh vnto him after an vnspeakeable manner the Lord will not refuse that because it proceedeth from his Spirit And as this may be no small comfort vnto vs in our affliction so the Apostle Paul in the next verse following doth for our further comfort shew what is the ende of all the afflictions of the children of God namely their benefit and good whē he saith Rom. 8 2◠Also we know that al things worke together for the best to them that loue God euen to them that are called of his purpose In which words he ministreth this soueraigne medicine against the contagion poison of all affliction telling vs that they come to the beleeuers not for their hurt but for their singular good especially seeing they befall them not by fortune or chance but by the speciall prouidence of God and that for the same ende who as he hath chosen them from euerlasting so in the same counsell of his he ordained that they should in their crosses bee like vnto his sonne Vers 29. For those whom hee knew before hee also predestinate to be made like to the image of his son that he might bee the first borne of many brethren and therefore hee calleth them in time iustifieth them by faith and by the crosse bringeth them to eternall glorie as he did his owne naturall sonne as it is said in the next words 30. Moreouer whom he predestinated them also he called whome he called them also he iustified and whome he iustified them also he glorified Whereupon he boldly concludeth that no affliction shall be able to hurt them seeing that the Lord is with them in the same meaning thereby to doe them good for he speaketh after a most confident maner What shall we then say to these things 31. If God be on our side who can be against vs as if he had