were made we can neuer hope that we can rise againe vnto life but looking to Christ our Sauiour ◠Cor. 1.20 in whom all the promises of God are Yea and Amen as saith the Apostle to the Corinth we finde sufficient reason and grounde to beleeve the Resurrection from the dead Seeing he who was made man like to his brethren in all things except sinne albeit walking in the similitude of sinfull fleshe being put to death did loose the sorrowes of death and was declared mightilie to be the sonne of God touching the spirit of sanctification by the resutrection from the dead 2 Cor 4.14 Therefore doe we with the Apostle to the Corinths know That he which hath raised vp the Lorde Iesus shall rayse vs vp also by Iesus for therefore is it that we are baptised for dead as saieth the Apostle to the Corinthes For wee that are baptised into Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 2.15 29. Rom. 6.3 haue bene baptised into his death saieth the Apostle to the Romanes And therefore if we bee dead with him we beleeve also that wee shall live with him For if we be planted with him to the similitude of his death even so shall we be to the similitude of his resurrection saith the same Apostle in the same place For he that is Christes hath the spirit of God dwelling in him as is plaine by the Apostle to the Romanes Rom. 6.5 Rom. 8.8 1 Iohn 3.24 And Iohn in his first Epistle saieth That hereby we know that he abydeth in vs even by that spirit which he hath given vs And if the spirit of him that raised vp Iesus Christ from the dead dwell in vs hee that raised vp Christ from the death shall also quicken our mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in vs. Rom. 8 1◠So doeth the Apostle from the presence of the same spirit prove the like effect in raysing vs frō the death 2 Cor. 4.13 and therfore as he saith to the Corinth because we have the same spirite of faith as it is written I beleeved and therfore I haue spoken wee also beleeve and therefore speake knowing that he which hath raised vp the Lord Iesus shall raise vs vp also by Iesus and set vs with him So it is evident that the Resurrection of Iesus from the death is the ground and foundation of the hope of Resurrection from the dead to all that have the same spirit of life that is in Christ Iesus dwelling in them for the law of that spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus doth free all those in whom he dwelleth from the law both of sinne and death Rom. 8.2 as testifieth the Apostle to the Romanes Hereby are wee taught two profitable lessons the first is Al the promises of God are first fulfilled in Christ himselfe to carefully marke how farre God accomplished his promises in Christ his sonne For so farre may all that beleeve be assured that he shall accomplishe them in them through Christ Therefore have we hope of sanctification from sinne Resurrection from the dead and glorification in the heavens because these promises are fulfilled in Christ whom we see crowned with glorie and honour as sayeth the Apostle to the Hebrewes Heb. 2.9 which was made a little inferior to the Angels through the suffering of death For God hee predestinateth all those whom he hath foreknowen to be made like to the Image of his Sonne Rom. 8.29 that he might be the first born among manie brethrē And therfor the knowledge of Christ should be to vs most pretious since we can know no more nor hope for no more blessing frō God then we first knew to have been bestowed on Iesus Christ our head 1. Cor. 30. who is made to vs of God wisedome sanctification iustification and Redemptiō Phil. 3.8 c Therfore did the Apostle Paul esteeme all things losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Iesus Christ our Lord and did iudge all things but dung that hee might gaine Christ and know him And the vertue of his Resurrection that he also thereby might attaine to the resurrection from the dead The second lesson is to pray to God day and night to send vs that blessed spirit of promise seeing the things which are wrought in Christ shall not bee accomplished in any but those who have the same spirit of lyfe that is in Christ Iesus dwelling in them And therefore they can not hope for renovation to the Image of God and restauration of their dead bodies to the lyfe of God and glorification with the glorie of God wherwith Christ is glorified who have not the spirit of Christ This is the first vse of this poynt whereby wee are taught to discerne true hope from the groūd and foundation whereon only it is builded and that is Iesus Christ alone The second vse is to teach vs A distinct knowledge of Christ requisite not only cōfusedlie to learne Christ but even perticularlie to consider all the degrees and seuerall partes of that great worke of our redemption by him for the more solide and stedfast fixing of our hartes in him For albeit it be most true that he who is pertaker of the death of the Sonne of God is also pertaker of his life of his glory c. yet neither can the faith and hope bee so stable nor the comfort so great as when in Christ our Lord we see a perticular groūd and warrant for every article of our faith Therefore in this place doth the Apostle lead vs to the resurrection of Christ from the dead for establishing our hearts in the hope of our life with God in the heavens For as wee goe forward in consideration of the partes of Christes working and severall actions done by him for our full redēption so doeth our faith increase our hope by degree to degree whē we looke to Christ dying for vs we learne to beleeve remissiō of sinnes in his blood whē we goe on to his refurrectiō we imbrace the hope of lyfe frō the dead when we looke to his ascention we apprehend our ascending to the heavens and in his glorification wee are comforted by the hope of that same glorie Thus doeth it serve much for our comfort to know all the perticularities of Christes humiliation exaltation according as the Lord our God hath revealed them in his word beginning at his Incarnation going on to his birth in great basenes expressing therafter the troubles of his youth laying out next the sorrowes of his life whyle hee caried our infirmities walking in the similitude of sinfull fleshe and subiect to all the infirmities thereof except sinne proceeding to his death and kinde thereof being most accursed Gal. 3.13 as witnesseth the Apostle to the Galathians In all which the spirit of God letteth vs see our infirmities our sinnes and our sorrowes layed vpon him and vs acquitted of them in him Thereafter are we led
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
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 â—enemâ—â—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
For which cause the kingdome of heauen is likened to a sower that went foorth to sowe his seed Hither should we resort for God is in the middes of her But let vs remember that it is Ierusalem that is aboue and which is free which is the mother of vs all as sayeth the Apostle For Ismael who was borne of the bound woman Hagar who was the type of earthlie Ierusalem was not the heire but Isaac who was borne of Sara the free woman who was the type of the heauenly Ierusalem the mother of all the children of God He was the heire that is they who are the children of the Law and doe remaine in the bondage thereof are not truely borne of God to the hope of lyfe but they who are begotten by the Gospell in the bosome of the Church set at libertie and walking in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free Gal. 5.1 they are truly begotten of God to this blessed hope because they are after the maner of Isaac children of the promise Gal. 42.3 whereas the other are borne after the flesh The third poynt touching the Lord who begetteth vs to this hope doth teach vs what sort of generation it is that maketh vs to haue this hope to wit a spirituall and no fleshlie birth For as Christ sayeth to Nicodemus in the third of Iohn That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirit is spirit And it is playne by the Apostle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 15. â—0 That flesh and blood can not inherite the kingdome ef God Therefore is it necessary that we be borne as sayeth our Sauiour in the third of Iohn by water and of the spirit that is of the spirit of God who is of the same force and nature spirituall toward the soule touching the spirituall filth of sinne that water is toward the body in bodily filth in washing and purging of it Therefore also is the same spirit in the 4. of Esay called the spirit of burning because as fire to gold so the spirit to vs doeth effectually purge the drosse of sinne For this cause is it also that Iohn the Baptist sayeth Mat. 3.11 That Christ shall baptize vs with the holy spirit and fire for we must be the children of God Rom. 8.17 before we can be his heirs as withnesseth the Apostle both to the Romanes and Galathians Therefore doth the Apostle here giue thanks to God Gal. 4 7. euen for this that he hath begetten vs and so hath made vs his children that we may haue hope to inherite his kingdome The vse hereof is to learne that it is the greatest dignitie and highest prerogatiue that maÌ„ caÌ„ attaine too to be made the children of God Therfore doth Iohn call this a gift of power in the first of his Gospell saying to those that receyved him he gaue theÌ„ this power to be the sonnes of God And in the third Chapter of his first Epistle he esteemeth it the testimony of Gods greatest love to man saying Beholde brethren howe great a love the Father hath given vs that we should bee called the sonnes of God We haue next to consider that this birth must bee after a former birth because it is said that God hath begotten vs againe And Christ to Nicodemus saith plainelie that he that is not borne againe can not see the kingdome of God For our first birth neither maketh vs the children of God neither putteth vs in hope of eternall life Wee may well be the children of Kings of great Lords and Princes and so haue hope of their inheritance by our first birth but though an Emperour haue begotten thee it maketh thee not the sonne of God nor heire of his kingdome And though a begger have begotten thee thou art no farther from the kingdom of God then he that is borne of a king seeing the first birth helpeth nothing to this prerogatiue but it is the second birth that giveth it The estate of man be he what hee will Iewe or Gentile great or small poore or riche noble or ignoble in his first birth which is declared by the Apostle to the Ephesians to wit Ephe. 2.3 that he is the child of wrath by nature therefore can haue no hope but of wrath For as David confesseth of himselfe it is true of all flesh Beholde I was borne in iniquitie Psal 51.5 Rom. 6.23 and in sinne hath my mother conceyved me and the wages of sinne sayeth the Apostle is death this is the inheritance that cometh to vs by our earthly and naturall Parentes of what degree dignity or estate soeuer they be in this world The vse hereof of is twofolde First it serveth to beate downe the pride of al flesh to teach men not to glorie in their bloud nor kinred seeing it is not by bloud nor by the will of man nor by the will of flesh that we are borne the children of God For though a maÌ„ might reckon to Abraham as did the Scribes Pharisees in the 8. of Iohn as to their Father in the flesh yet may hee be still the childe of the Devill as witnesseth Christ of them selves in that same place For as the Apostle sayeth They are not all Israell that are of Israell neyther are they all children that are of the seed of Abraham Yea though a man might reckon his kinred to Adam yet hath he not wherin to glorie seeing as sayeth the Apostle to the Romanes by that one Man sinne entred into the world and by sinne death and not only entted but by his only sinne all are made sinners death went over all men Therfore let vs learne the lesson which Iohn the Baptist teacheth the Pharisees and Sadducees in the Gospell according to Matthew Let vs not thinke to say with our selves Mat. 3.9 We haue Abraham to our Father For God is able of stones to raise vp children to Abraham but rather with the Apostle Paul to the Philippians Phil. 3.3 Let vs glorie in Christ Iesus and put no confidence in the flesh although we had all matter of glorying in the flesh that ever man had Let vs learn with the Apostle in that place To esteeme all fleshly prerogative to bee losse yea to be dunge for Chrisles sake that we may gaine him The second vse hereof is to teach vs that there can be no hope of life in a man who is not Regenerate by God and begotten of him againe seeing this is the meane by which the the Lord bringeth vs to this hope and therefore the boasting of the wicked that they hope to goe to heauen is nothing but vanitie and all the confidence they haue is nothing els but a vaine and deceitfull thought of a blinde foolish braine thinking they shall goe to heaven because Christ dyed for sinners not remembring that all who are partakers of his death must needes be renewed in the spirit of