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B13585 The saints hope, and infalliblenes thereof. or Two sermons preached before the English companie at Middelb. about the moneth of October, 1608. Written by Mr. Iohne Forbes, at the earnest request of the hearers, and now published by them for the generall instruction and comfort of all Gods children Forbes, John, 1568?-1634. 1610 (1610) STC 11134; ESTC S115118 69,305 128

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their minde to the Image of God and must finde themselves cast in a new moulde and fashioned to another shape and borne over againe Therefore we should diligently trye our selves and consider if God at any time hath bin effectuall in vs to the alteration of the spirit of our minde renovation of our soules and if his spirit doth possesse and lead vs so that our conversation be after the spirit and not after the flesh And as the Apostle Peter in his second epistle exhorteth vs 2. Pet 1.10 Wee should studie to make our calling and election sure by adding to our faith vertue and so foorth For they can haue no certaintie of their calling that are not sanctified and therefore no assured hope For when God maketh vs his sonnes Gal. 4.6 he sendeth the spirit of his son in our heartes which cryeth Rom. 3.14 Abba Father For if any have not the spirit of Christ he is not his sayeth the Apostle to the Romanes Rom. 8.10 And if the spirit of Christ be in vs sayeth the same Apostle the same body is dead because of sinne the spirit is lyfe because of Righteousnes Therefore we may iustly conclude with the Apostle Pieter in the first chapter aforsaid of his second epistle after hee hath exhorted vs to ioyne vertue to our faith and to vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance 2. Pet. 1.9 and so foorth that whosoever hath not these things hee is blinde and seeth not farr off and hath forgotten that he was washed from his olde sinnes and so consequently that their hope is but a blinde hope their confidence a blinde confidence their boasting a blinde boasting 2 Co. 5.17 For if any man be in Christ Iesus he is a new creature sayeth the Apostle to the Corinthes So to conclude this point it were better to a man never to have bene borne in this worlde then after he is borne not to bee borne over againe by God And woe is the man who before the laying downe of this naturall life hath not obtayned another which is spirituall Now followeth the fourth point Hope followeth Regeneration which is the benefite it selfe vnto the which God of his mercie doth beget vs againe that is a living or lively hope or hope of lyfe This sheweth vs the purpose of God in begetting vs which is to cause vs hope For as we have said before First wee must bee made the children of God before we can hope to enioy his inheritance Therefore our Regeneration is a warning to vs that wee are the heires of God and coheires with Christ and obligeth vs to hope for the glorie of God seeing God hath begotten vs Because as saith the Apostle here he begetteth vs to hope therefore where hope is not there is no new birth for the Lord can not bee frustrate of the ende of his worke for hee that renewes vs vnto hope with renovation gives hope Therefore the sanctified man in Christ may be sure of glorie and lyfe everlasting according as the Apostle sheweth vs Whom he calleth Rom. 8.30 hee iustifienh and whom hee iustifieth him hee glorifieth In this benefite wee have two things to consider First what is the blessing tot wit hope Next what is meant by the propertie of this hope in that it is called a lively hope Concerning the firist the Apostle describing our estate before the Lord doe beget vs and make vs partakers of the adoption doth declare that among the rest of our miseries this was one that we had no hope For whē he hath expoūded to vs the mercy of God in our salvation and regeneration shewing that we are his workmāship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God had ordayned that we should walke in them being iustified by faith he willeth vs to remember what we were before saying Remember that ye beeing in time past Gentiles in the flesh called vncircumcision of them which are called circumcision in the flesh made with handes that yee were I say at that time without Christ were aliaunts from the common wealth of Israel and were strangers from the couenants of promise and had no hope and were without God in the world This is the miserable estate of vs all before wee be called of God to the adoption of his sonnes and be begotten of him againe wee are all without Christ without hope and without God in the world What greater miserie can there be Act. 17.28 then have a being and yet without him in whom wee have our being our lyfe our moving and all things as the Apostle sayeth in the Actes And knowing that we must depart from this life to have no hope of lyfe thereafter Miserable indeed is our estate by nature how much soever we glorie in it so much the more miserable that wee have neither sense nor sorrow of this our miserie Who is he that can reioyce in any thing while hee abydeth without him in whom are all things And howe can the heart sufficiently praise love and magnifie the Lord when it tasted of this his goodnes in begetting vs againe And so consequently taking from vs all our miseries making vs blessed in giving vs hope and himselfe to bee our God and Father in Christ through whom sayeth the Apostle to the Ephesians we both Ephe. 2.18.19 and 22 that is Iewe and Gentill haue one entrance vnto the Father by one spirit and are no more strāgers forreners but citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God and in whom wee are build together to bee the habitation of God by the spirit It is not without good reason that the Apostle here in this place can not speake of this mercie without blessing him who hath brought vs to this blessed estate of hope And great matter have we of reioycing who have tasted of the like mercie If wee consider that which the Apostle saith to the Romanes That wee are saved by hope Rom. 8.24 For as he saith in another Epistle We walke here by faith 2. Cor. 5.7 and not by sight and therfore taking from vs hope our salvation and lyfe is taken from vs which wee doe possesse by hope for this is the difference of faith and hope that by faith we beleeue the promises of salvation in Christ which hope waiteth for so that faith hath respect to lyfe and salvation as it is embraced by vs here in this world Hope hath relation to them as wee shall possesse them in the world to come so that hope doeth alwayes follow faith hangeth vpon it although they be often times takē in the scripture the one for the other indifferently The one looketh to lyfe apprehendeth it promised in the world the other wayteth for the revelation of it from heaven as it is possessed by Christ at the right hande of the Father This is now the blessing vnto the which the Lord begetteth vs againe so that without Regeneration
even coheires annexed with Christ Iesus who only is the righteous heire of all things as saith the Apostle Paul to the Hebrues because hee is the onely Sonne of God Now wee are made the heires of God Rom. 8.14 by being first made his children as saith the Apostle to the Romanes If saith he we be children we are also heires even the heires of God heires annexed with Christ Gal. 4.5 And againe to the Galathians If thou be a sonne thou art also the heire of God through Christ For it is manifest even among men that the sonne either by nature or by adoption is counted for the heire Now by nature we are not the sonns of God Ephe. 2.3 but as saith the Apostle to the Ephesians by nature we are the children of wrath and by the redemption made by Iesus Christ wee receive the adoption of the sonnes as witnesseth the same Apostle to the Galathians Gol. 4.5 God sending the spirit of his Sonne in our heartes which cryeth Abba Father Thus by Iesus the only sonne of God so consequentlie his only heire by nature we are first made the sonnes of God and so also the heires of this in heritance of God The vse of this point is to instruct vs that we must not think to enioy eternall life as the reward of our service but as the right of heires being made the childrē of God Christ in the eight of Iohn saith that the servaunt abideth not in the house for ever but the sonne abideth for ever Thereby informing vs that hee who thinketh to dwell with God in his house eternallie must needes be his son so doeth the Apostle here teach vs when he sayth that God begetteth vs againe to the hope of lyfe declaring that wee must be borne of God and so made the Sonnes of God before wee can hope to inherite eternall lyfe For whosoever doth remaine in the house of God noe other wayes but as a servaunt he shall at length be cast out and shal be deprived of eternall lyfe which is the inheritance of the sonnes Christ himselfe sheweth that al our service is vnprofitable even when wee have done all that wee can doe if wee respect the merit of it And the Saints themselves confesse that even their righteousnes is polluted Isa 69.6 like a menstruous cloth How wōderfully therfore do they deceive their own soules who build the hope of their life vpon merit of their workes The Lord in Hagar the servant Ismaell his sonne doth livelie represent the lot and portion of all the children of the lawe that is of all who by service think to inherite heauen having no other hope of eternall life then that which is ingendred by the covenant of workes Cast out sayeth the scripture the servaunt with her sonne for the sonne of the seruant shall not be heire with the sonne of the free womā Gal. 4.30 By this doth the Apostle to the Galathians shew that which Christ saith to be true to wit that the servaunt shall not abide in the house for ever Because as the Lord cōmaunded to cast out Hagar the servaunt with her sonne out of the house of Abraham which was the house of God so shall he cast out of his house and deprive of the inheritaunce of eternal life all those who are not his sonnes but craue eternall life as debt for reward of their workes Now we come to the properties of this inheritance The blessed estate of the Saints glorified which are three It is called immortal vndefiled which withereth not These are the speciall things which make a life happie and blessed and the three contraries do make it miserable and cursed The three which make it happie are eternitie purirte and vnchangeablenes The three contraries which make it miserable are mortalitie or death sinne or vneleannes and chaungeablenes or instabilstie The spirit of God therefore by attributing those three properties to our inheritance life which we hope for doeth shew vs the excellencie blessednes of our life wherevnto the Lord doth begett vs againe thereby to teach vs that we lose nothing albeit wee loose all things if so be we gaine this life and inheritance Let vs therefore consider those properties severallie The first is immortalitie vnto an inheritance immortall that is The blessed estate of the Saintes in heaven immortall an inheritance or life which is no wayes subiect to corruption but which indureth for ever and therefore in the scriptures it is called eternall life to distinguish it not only frō the life of beastes and other creatures but even from the life of man himself which he hath by nature in this world We shall the more clearlie perceive the comfort of this poynt if we consider two things which the scriptures lay before our eyes The first is concerning that which is in greatest price with man for which hee laboureth chieflie as the principall end of all his travels The second is the vanitie of his labor as touching that end vnprofitablenes of al his paines so cōsequently the vnspeakeable grief and sorrow wherewith his soule is pearched whē he findeth himself frustrat of his end As for the first The thing in the worlde most deare to a man is his life which gladly he would preserve with the losse of al that ever he hath Sathan did know this whē to provoke the Lord against Iob he vseth this argument skinne for skinne and all that ever a man hath Iob. 2.4 will he giue for his life And Christ our Saviour knowing that the love of this life doeth most of all sway our actions perceyving this foolish solicitude in Peter even towards him he sheweth his Apost that who soever will saue his life shall lose it Mat. 16.25 How glad the worldly man would be if he could live in this world eternally this in deed is the foolishnes of men they thinke their houses and habitations shall continue for ever so rooted is the vanitie in mans heart that albeit the Fathers that have thought so doe die like the beastes yet their posteritie is not made the wiser but goe on in the foolish way of their fathers and delight in their talke as saith the spirit of God in the 49. Psal 49.6.7 Psalme mortall mā stryving vainlie to eternise him selfe in this perishing world Which vanitie the Lord expresseth when he sheweth first that albeit a man by his labours obtaineth aboudance of all things Luc 12.15 yet his life standeth not in his riches Which he cleareth by that parable of the rich man who said to his soule soule thou hast much goods laied vp for manie yeares live at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime but God saide vnto him O foole this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided The second argument of mans vanitie is that as his life stādeth not in
by creation c. according to the diuersitie of their groundes so is the dispensation of God to men diuers The first is the ground of his dispensation to the reprobates yea to all his other creatures The second is the ground of his dispensation to his elect And because the first ground concerneth this life therefore is it that God bestoweth on the reprobates aboundance of earthly things as riches honour kingdomes and Empires and yet al in his wrath because they receyue them not in Christ the only cause of his loue to man so it shall come to passe that many who haue most of this wordly wealth ritches and pleasures from God shall neuertheles be cast by him in hell fire therefore we must not iudge of Gods favour to men by the outward blessings of this life whereof all are partakers for God maketh his sunne to arise on the evill and the good and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust Math. 5.45 The second ground of Gods dispensation concerneth speciallie the life to come albeit the children of God haue the promise both of this life and the life to come therfore is it that the Lord bestoweth his love his mercie his grace and all his spirituall blessings to none but such as are liuely members of Iesus Christ his Sonne who doe worship him in Christ his Sonne made man who do come to him by Christ who doe call vpon him in the name of Christ who doe acknowledge Christ to be their wisedome their righteousnes 1. Cor. 1.30 their sanctification and redemption Therfore we should studie to haue part in Christ if wee desire to receiue from God eternall life but more of this in the next point to wit that it behoueth Christ to be our Lord before we receyue the blessings from God which now followeth In this point wee have to consider First how many wayes Christ is the Lord of Mankinde and next in what sense hee is called our Lord by the Apostles As for the first we finde him in the scriptures three maner of wayes Lord. First How many wayes Christ is Lord. as wee haue God the Creatour of all things in which respect he is also Lord of all things seeing all things receyued their being from him and are sustayned by the power of his worde Concerning the first in Psalme 102. Heb. 1.3 Hee is called Lord Thou O Lord from the beginning laydest the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the workes of thy handes Further it is said concerning his authoritie Thy Throne O God is from euerlasting to euerlasting And touching the same and the second also in the first to the Hebrues it is said that by him God made the world therafter that he sustaines all things by the mightie power of his worde Secondly he is called Lord as he is the sonne of man Mat. 28.18 for euen as he is man he hath receiued all power both in heauen and in earth Colos 2.10 and is made the head of all principality power Psal 8. and is crowned with glory and honour and is sett aboue all the workes of Gods handes Heb. 2.7.8 and hath all things put in subiection vnder his feete Phil. 2.4 and 10.11 and hath a name giuen him aboue all names that at the name of Iesus Ephe. 1.21 should every knee bowe both of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth Iohn 17.2 And that every tongue should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord vnto the glorie of God the Father And this dominion is generall ouer all flesh and aboue all principalitie and power and might and domination and every name that is named So that hereby he is Lord of the very Diuels and of the reprobates no lesse then of the godly and elect Iohn 17.1 But the end wherefore hee receiued this power is not one to both for to the elect it is that he may giue to them eternal life but to the other it is that he may crush them with a scepter of yron Psal 2.9 Reuel 2.27 and breake them in pieces like a potters vessell Which is a great consolation to all that are his members 2. Thes 7.8 9.10 knowing that all their ●enem●●ts both bodily and spirituall are ruled by their Lord and Saviour and that the heauens are his and all that therein is and the earth is his and that therein is So that nothing can be wanting to them that feare him Lastly he is Lord speciallie and only of his Saints and Church of God Ephe. 5.25.26.27 which he hath purchased to him selfe by his own blood 1. Pet. 2.24 Colos 1.14 Luc 1.71.72 and 73 74.75 Psal 2.6 Luc. 1.32 Ephes 1.22 Ioh. 10.19 Iohn 17.2 and 6 and 9.11.24 1. Pet. 2.4 Heb. 2.5 And therefore besyde this generall Dominion which is giuen him ouer all creatures he is speciallie anoynted and set king vpon Sion the Lordes holy Mountaine and hath receiued the throne of his father Dauid to raigne ouer the house of Iacob for ever and is made aboue all things the head of the Church in which respect the elect are said only to be giuen to him of the Father whereas in respect of his general Dominion all things are given him of the Father This Dominion and Lordship consisteth in the Right that Christ hath to vs by his owne purchase in the spirituall gouernement of his Saints by his spirit and word Ruling thereby in their hearts not suffering any more Sathan nor sin to beare rule in their mindes but making them as a chosen generation a Royall Priesthood an holy Nation a people set at libertie to shewe foorth the vertues of him that hath called them out of darknes into his marvelous light And this is the kingdome of Christ which is not of this world but is called the kingdome of the world to come because it concerneth not the things of the world belonging to this earthlie and corruptible life but the things that belong to the spirituall life of God in vs in creating vs over againe to his Image 1. Cor. 7.31 and making vs partakers of all the spirituall blessings that are in the heauenlie places in Christ Iesus him selfe And secondly it is so called because it shall not be perfyted in this world but in the world to come when the shape and forme of this world shall be abolished and passed away These are the three wayes that Christ is to be considered Lord in the scriptures In the first respect he is Lord with the Father and with the Spirit and he is the very life of the world in whom al things haue their naturall being and moouing and so are bound for this very life to serue him In the seconde respect hee is made Lord by the Father who hath giuen him the preeminence in all things aboue all creatures Iohn 5.2.7 that hee should rule the world and execute