in the order of nature which our aduersaries doe in opposing mans supposed righteousnes which indeede is not at all and therefore their dealings more absurd in that behalfe against mans sinne the euidence whereof is so notorions that it is most liuely painted out vnto vs by the light of the worde by the stinging testimony of our owne hearts and by that great floud of all manner of wickednesse which as heeretofore so presently ouerfloweth all Wherefore if euer men manifested ignora unce in discerning or else faulted foulie in matter of opposing contraries one of them to an other our aduersaries in this behalfe be most shamefully ouertaken who though they do set life against death and saluation against damnation haue not yet in the working and performance of these things learned to set God against man and his grace and goodnesse against mans peruersenesse and euill whereby also these inconueniences fall out not onelie that men are puffed vppe in pride aboue measure and that in their owne eies before GOD and their brethren but the infinite riches of GODS grace and goodnesse also is as much as they may vtterlie obscured and darkened which doth not in anie nor in all thinges whatsoeuer more plentifully and plainely shewe foorth it selfe than in the forgiuenesse of the sins of his seruants thorow the death and obedience of his sonne Christ the bringing of them to euerlasting life and blessednesse thorowe his powerfull resurrection and glorious ascension notwithstanding that by the meanes of their iniquities they haue deserued the contrarie to wit euerlasting condemnation both of bodie and soule with the diuell and his angelles in that lake of fire brimstone that burneth for euer One thing more there is in their notes vppon this place which I cannot wel let passe bicause it is a branch of their corrupted doctrine sauoreth as much of error and heresie as the former points to wit that they affirme that the value of Christs actions riseth out of the length or greatnesse of them in themselues but of the worthines of the person What if wee yeelde to this as to a trueth What shall you gaine thereby or what will you inferre therevpon Forsooth that so the value of our actions riseth of the grace of our adoption But wee tell you it is a non sequitur as they say in schooles Wil you always plovve vvith an oxe and an asse Deut. 22 10 11 And wil you continually vveare a garment of linsey vvolsey And will you neuer learne for all that hath beene said to compare and resemble either quite contrarie things or right equall and like things togither Why do you not infer for so you shold haue done if you would haue dealt plainely that the price of our works riseth from the worthines of our persons also But this you knew was blasphemous and contrarie to the written word of God which in many places reiecteth both vs our good deeds specially when they are done with an opinion or mind to merit and that before God as hath beene already plainely prooued and therefore you wil smooth it ouer with the grace of adoption To which we tell you in fewe wordes that we our selues do in truth and sinceritie attribute more to the grace of Gods adoption than you that babble so much of it and vnder such colours go about to deceiue the hearts of the simple And yet notwithstanding all this afterwards you blush not to saye that good workes which be meritorious proceede from the childe of God But deale plainely with vs and the worlde we beseech you and tel vs but yet in no darke speeches whether the merite of mans workes proceede from the grace of adoption onely yea or no Or else whether the merit of them floweth frō men alone as they are Gods adopted children Or else whether from God and man togither as working causes of merit For our owne parts wee feare not to affirme that whatsoeuer you will put downe in this case is and must be accounted in the iudgement of truth meerely absurde and erronious For to ascribe it vnto the grace of adoption by it selfe sundred from man and his merits that you dare not bicause it is flatly opposite to the whole doctrine of poperie and to your owne assertions in many places agreeable therewith Besides the grace of adoption is a free gift of God and not a merit for of whome I pray you should God deserue it for our sakes And to cast it vpon men alone without the grace and fauour of God is not onelie presumptuous as in regarde of man Iohn 25.5 vvho vvithout him can do nothing and yet against him wil haue heauen whether he will or no if that be once yeelded vnto but is bla phemous to God whose grace and goodnes must needs be vtterlie euacuated if that assertion be established And if you will say it proceedeth from both togither that also is as vnreasonable and false bicause one and the selfe-same streame alone as for example your matter of merits here which is but one thing can not proceede from two seuerall heads specially so opposite one of them to another as god man are yea and it hath bin hardly heard of that euen in naturall things there should be two principall efficient causes concurring to the constitution of one and the selfe same subiect Of a truth wee can not but tell you in all plainenesse and simplicitie that if you will holde that the merit of mans workes commeth from man as of and from himselfe alone or as coupled with an other that then the whole worde written the certaintie of religion yeelded to in all ages and testimonie of trueth in former time declared wil crie out against you blasphemie and intollerable presumptiō yea al the world that is of sound iudgement cannot but condemne you for matching vnequall thinges togither yea for mingling most cleane and most filthie thinges one of them wyth another For though wee might grant that the grace of adoption as it proceedeth from God being also a perfect worke as nothing comming from him can be vnperfect might as in respect of it selfe if it were not defiled with our corruptions and imperfections merit something before God yet there is no cause at all why we shoulde yeelde to it when our workes be ioined therewith considering how much we taint and deface euen the best graces of God in vs or bestowed vppon vs. To conclude this point of confutation wherein we confesse we haue bin very long but our aduersaries importunitie and tediousnes hath drawen vs thereto with a notable testimonie or two of some one of the docto is of the church in stead of manie though I doe not greatly delight I confesse in the allegation of them bicause the trueth of the worde without them is strong enough as which hath not his credite and authoritie from men but from the Lorde himselfe that so it may appeere how much they haue both
meet novv at the length to offer vnto you in print that vvhich I once vvrote for the best and dearest priuate friend next vnto my naturall parents that euer I had in this vvorld that as GOD hath stirred you vp to succeed him in kindnes tovvards me so I might make you as those vvhom I loue much in Christ partakers of those poore labors and loue that I performed tovvards him In vvhich respect also I am vvillingly content to let it come abroad to behold the light not only desiring you and euery of you to accept it as a small token of my vnfained goodvvill vvhich vvhen it can offer no better presentments that it hath but also praying the Lord to make it povverfull to aduance his ovvne vvorke of saluation in his seruants and of iudgement and confusion in all his and their obstinate enimies The 30. of October 1587. Your poore friend and wel-willer yet assured alwayes in Christ Iesus to his vttermost Th. VV. the Lordes most vnworthie seruant ¶ AN EXPOSITION VPon certaine verses of Roman 8. AMongst many euidences that the LORDE hath giuen vs for the proōfe of the certaintie and credite of hys holy word written against all the Atheists and Papistes in the world who for sundry respectes seeke to debase and deface the same namely the one sort that they might bring in all brutishnesse and sensualitie and the other that they might establishe and make equal wyth the word if not preferre before it mens traditions and vnwritten verities as they cal them those as I thinke are most excellent and substantial that are fetcht from the very worde it selfe and the vntainted testimonies of the same For though it be true that amongst earthly men in worldly matters no mans testimonie is to be allowed or receiued as sufficient proofe or witnes in his owne cause by reason of that partialitie that cleaueth vnto vs alwayes fauoring our selues in our owne affaires yet in heauenly and spirituall things the like course in deede hath no place bicause that the author and giuer of the word is free from all humane affections and therefore the word also proceeding from him must of necessitie be cleare from all parcialitie Neither is there any cause or reason why that if the credite of humane constitutions depending partly vppon the authoritie of the law-makers and partly vppon the goodnes certaintie and necessitie of the lawes themselues hauing not approbation from elsewhere the same may not yea ought not in all equity and truth to be much more forcible as in regard of the commaundements and statutes of almightie God who both in himselfe and in his laws also is altogither voide of those corruptions that sticke fast to earthly lawe-makers and their ciuill constitutions Nowe amongst the manifold testimonies which are taken euen from the worde it selfe this in my mind is not of the least importance that whether it speake of it selfe or others it alwayes proceedeth with an vpright foote free from all parcialitie and all worldly respects whatsoeuer The truth whereof that it might the better appeare euen then when it speaketh of the dearest saints seruants of God it spareth not to lay out and that without mitigation or minsing of their transgressions their seuerall sins committed against God and men both before their calling and after their calling also as Moses his murmuring Aaron his idolatrie Dauid his adultry and murther Peters denial and dissimulation Pauls persecution an infinit number of such like And when it speaketh of it selfe yet euen then also it spareth not to deliuer things touching it self that in the iudgement of flesh and bloud seeme not only to differ one of them from an other but to bee quite and cleane contrary Of this sort is it that in some places the holy scripture affirmeth Gods word to be plaine and easie Psal 19.7 8. Giuing vvisedome to the simple and light to the eies and in other places againe it plainly saith that they be obscure and darke and hard to be vnderstoode as also the Apostle Peter in the last chapter of his second epistle dooth particularly affirme the same of some things 2. Pet. 3.16 In the vvritings of saint Paule These things verily God himselfe the very author of the word affirmeth touching the same But what is his minde therein Certainly not to cast any discredit vpon it by some contradiction that seemeth to be in it sith he hath euery where giuen such excellent and large commendations of it neyther yet to discourage men in the darknes of it from drawing nigh therevnto sith he doth so often and so earnestly prouoke all sorts of men to the continual hearing reading and meditation thereof neyther yet againe on the other side in the perspicuitie plainnes of it to let men growe into contempt or carelesnes thereof sith he himselfe in many places telleth vs that we must haue better eies Matt. 16.17 than the eies of flesh and bloud or the light of reason to see into the holie mysteries contained therein nay rather God hath an other purpose therein to wit in the outward shewe of contradiction in the worde to teach vs first to take heede that wee yeelde not therein to the subtill suggestions of Sathan and his seruants who labour thereby to cause vs to cast it vtterly from vs Iohn 15.26 and then sith we know and beleeue that it was written by one spirite who is The spirit of vnitie and veritie that wee shoulde according to the measure of the grace of the spirite receiued stirre vppe our selues to reconcile and make to agree those places that seeme to iarre and yet not staie there but endeuour to conuey that light ouer vnto others also that God hath bestowed vppon vs because that the giftes of the spirite of God shoulde not be smothered or quenched in our selues or others but ought to breake forth rather to the greatest glorie of God the giuer and the greatest comfort and instruction of our selues and others that possibly may be in this life And in the obscuritie and hardnesse of holy scripture the Lorde mindeth euen mightily to meete wythall yea to humble and throwe downe to their amendment if it may be or else to breake in peeces to their vtter confusion a certaine sorte of prowde conceited men who in an ouerweening that they haue of their own wits and graces receiued suppose that they may easily and as we say wyth smal adoe perce into the wonderfull secrets of Gods holy law he meaning also thereby not onely to remoue from men that carelesnesse of heart that clingeth and cleaueth fast vnto them in the handling and hearing therof but withall to stirre them vp that be his with more reuerence attention and heede to heare and speake such things as GOD hath propounded there vnto them least otherwise they loose their labour as in respect of themselues and become vnprofitable to others as in regard of their negligent trauailes and so both the
one and the other to be made vtterly void of excuse before God Againe in the perspicuitie and plainenesse of the scripture the Lorde hath by a strong confutation not only incountred with but ouerthrown those his enimies the enimies also of mans saluation that in the spirit of error and doctrine of diuelles 1. Tim. 4.1 haue ouersaucely forbidden his people to searche into that wherewithall God in the largenesse of hys loue towards them and carefulnes of their saluation would haue them most familiarly acquainted Yea GOD hath thereby mercifully prouided for the good of his owne children who though they be many times either in the sight of their owne weaknes and wants or in the beholding of the incomprehensible mysteries therein contained greatly dismayed and after a sort quite discouraged from drawyng nigh to so high and holie things are yet notwithstanding againe lifted vppe in this that God in many thinges abacing himselfe to their capacities doth as a nurse at the first stut and stammer as a man would say for their instruction and learning they also vpon good grounds and hope perswading themselues of this that in processe of time that which at their first entrance by reason of their owne blindenesse is darke and hard shall when they haue receiued more light from God become very easie and familiar to them All which well considered and deepely weighed indeede should not onely make vs thankefull to almighty GOD who in the riches of his mercie hath beene pleased to stoupe downe to our weaknes and by deliuering his truth in such sort to preuent the poisoning of our soules by no way more subtilly and dangerously attempted of his and our deadly ennimies than by debarring vs the light of his truth but also shoulde drawe vs to a religious acceptation of his graces by his word offered vnto vs Preferring the same before all things Psal 119.72 and to a reuerent and right vse of the same trueth referryng it alwayes to the selfe-same endes and purposes wherevnto hee himselfe hath ordayned it that is to the banishyng of the cloudes and mists of darkenesse and ignoraunce from our vnderstanding and to the stopping of the floudes and course of our owne corruption that swell and roare and ouerflowe all the parts and peeces of our naturall life that so wee might be made before hym a reformed people not onely in the knowledge but much more in the beleefe and obedience of euery good worke and way that hee hymselfe hath prepared for vs to walke in and to that ende hath manifested them in his worde wee neuer vsing our knowledge to vayne iangling or ostentation of mans eloquence and learning making it a stepping stone to promotion and a very firebrand to the stirring vppe and maintainaunce of curious and friuolous questions as many vayne people in the worlde doe nor abusing our holy fayth and stedfast perswasion to licenciousnesse and securitie a vice that the carelesse age wherein wee liue dooth too too much practise neyther yet making that small portion of obedience that GOD maketh vs to yeelde a meane either of merit before hym for what is more blasphemous or of hypocriticall vauntyng before men for what is more beastly and shamelesse but referring all that wee haue receyued how little or howe much soeuer it be to the glory of him that hath giuen vs the same as there is good reason in godlinesse wee shoulde and to the good of those euen his faithfull people I meane as in christian charitie wee are bounde euen for whose sakes also as well as for our owne wee our selues were made and GOD hath vouchsafed to bestowe vppon vs the graces that wee haue which things as they must be watchfully regarded and carefully obserued in all scripture generally so it behoueth vs to haue an especiall eie to the practise and performance of them in those places principally which be of the greatest difficultie bicause in them by reason of our owne blindnesse and ignoraunce we may soonest be deceiued and by Satans malice be most easly driuen and drawen without some singular grace and assistance from GOD into all manner of extremitie either of discouragement to intermeddle wyth them by reason of the deapth and difficultie therein to which if we adde the world not of weakenesse and wants onely but of wickednesse also that we find in our selues it will be much increased in vs or else of pride and presumption wee being carried headlong as it were wyth a violent tempest or whirle-winde by an ouer weening perswasion that we haue of some small graces in our selues in all curious and triflyng sort to deale wyth matters of most waight and greatest importaunce whereby we shall not onely offer dishonour to GOD in the contempt or neglect of those most excellent things that hee mindeth to deliuer to vs but the same shal redound also to our owne hurt and harme both in bodie and soule a matter that woulde be well thought of before hand for feare of after-claps as wee say yea we shall be instruments either by carelesnesse to corrupt or by curiousnesse and pride to peruert others and that vnto their eternall condemnation wythout exceeding great grace from God a fearful point doubtles and a matter that woulde bee well weighed as being most against the holy loue of gods saints amongst all the sinnes that in this life we can commit one of vs against an other All hitherto propounded hath beene deliuered partly to confute our aduersaries blasphemouslie doubtlesse impugning the truth and certainty of the written word and partly also to adde an edge vnto our owne care and reuerence in hearing and handling of the holy scriptureâ— of God Yea particularlie to make vs and that in both respects attentiue and watchfull ouer our sâ—â—â—es in the place that we are nowe to intreatâ—â— which is taken out of the eight chapter of the epistle that the apostle Paule wrote vnto the Romanes beginning at the eighteenth verse of the said chapter and so on forwarde vnto the ende of the three and twentith verse in these words Vers 18. For I count that the afflictions of this present time are not vvorthy of the glory vvhich shal be shevved vnto vs. Vers 19 For the feruent desire of the creature vvaiteth vvhen the sonnes of God shal be reuealed Vers 20 Because the creature is subiect to vanitie not of it ovvne vvill but by reason of him vvhich hath subdued it vnder hope Vers 21 Because the creature also shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God Vers 22 For vvee knovve that euery creature groaneth vvith vs also trauelleth in paine togither vnto this present Vers 23 And not onely the creature but vvee also vvhich haue the first fruits of the spirit euen vve do sigh in our selues vvaiting for the adoption euen the redemption of our bodie As mens minds are diuersly affected brethren so there are concerning this one place diuers iudgements
and that not onely as in regard of seuerall senses of the same but also touching the very words themselues some supposing them to be maruellous easie and plaine othersome taking them to be wonderfull intricat darke and hard Of a truth freely to speake my mind in this behalfe what I thinke there is not to me any place specially in the bookes of the new testament I except alwayes many things in the Reuelation of S. Iohn more darke and difficult and that not so much by reason of it selfe either as in regard of the words wherin it is expressed or the matter therein contained though I denye not but that both those waies it is very hard as partly by those corrupt gloses that some haue made vppon it and partly also by such curious questions as othersome haue moued out of it and lastly by such vnresolute resolute conclusions as many fantasticall men haue laboured to raise and gather out of the same All which or any of which almost if a man should stand either to rehearse answere or confute it woulde be both tedious and vnprofitable also Neyther vtter I this wyth a dispitefull heart to twite men for their corruption and sins or with the iust dispraise of some to purchase an vniust commendation to my selfe or in declaring the hardnes of the word to hunt after worldly praise in the curious handling thereof vices foule faults that are too rife and common in the world nowadayes but rather dutifully to stir vp my selfe and all the faithful of God not only in this but in al such like places whatsoeuer to attaine and that with vnwearied labour and studie to the sound and sincere meaning thereof Wherevnto bicause we are altogither vnfit aswel by reason of the natural blindnes that is in vs before regeneration as of the remainders of our corruption euen after some measure of light and knowledge receiued we know that without some special grace from God we can neuer reach thereto that therfore we should be earnest with the Lord by prayer not onely by the bright beames of his blessed spirit to chase away the darknes and dulnes of our owne vnderstandings but euen to induce vs after a sort as it were with extraordinary iudgment and wisedome of heart and vtterance of mouth and words in as much as the places which we deal with are more than ordinarily or commonly heard The want or neglect of which duty maketh many of vs the Lord be mercifull vnto vs in the forgiuenes of all our sins to haue the worde when it is read and taught vnto vs Isai 29.11 to be as it were the wordes of a booke that is sealed vp and when we come to handle it wee deale with it vnreuerently as in regard of God and vnrightly as in regard of it self and coldly and carelesly as in respect of our selues vnfruitfully altogither and vnprofitably as in consideration of the people so that a man may safly say that without offence either of god or good men I assure you the more is the pity that there is little difference betweene some of our sermons and the bare reading of the ignorant ministers But to the matter it selfe in the diducting laying out wherof we wil keep this course as first propound the Apostle his general drift purpose as it were then afterwards come more particularly to handle the very words in order as they lie deliuering the sense obseruing such doctrines out of the same as it shal please god to make manifest vnto vs. The apostle Rom. 8. doth most fruitfully intreat of many notable points namely amongst the rest of such assured testimonies both outward inward as god hath bin plesed to giue to his faithful people for the certainty of their election that eternal life of theyrs that God hath in Christ laid vp for them with himselfe before the foundations of the worlde were laid The outward witnes therof are the infallible fruits of sanctificatiō that god frameth vs vnto by his word outwardly the powerfull working of his holy spirit inwardly The inward witnes is that same vndeceuable record of the spirit 2. Cor. 1.22 Ephes 4.30 that God hath giuen into our harts by vvhich vve are sealed vp to euerlasting life against the day of our redemption he declaring yet further that through Gods meere grace towardes vs in Christ onelie wee are become Rom. 8. not Gods seruaunts alone but his sonnes and not his sonnes onelie but heires also and not onelie his heires but euen fellovv-heirs togither vvith our sauiour Christ so that we are sure we shall enioye the selfe-same eternall blessednes in heauen Iohn 4.2 3. that he now doth VVhither he is gone before hand to prepare a place for vs and to take possession of it to our vse and behalfe that where he is as the head we might also be as the members Great graces certainly if either wee consider our owne wretchednes on the one side or the person of the giuer on the other side or the excellencie of the things bestowed vpon vs in the third place wee the most miserable and wretched of all his creatures excepting alwayes the diuels and damned spirites not so much as in regard of our creation for that way foorth we are the chefest of all his workes but as in respect of transgression and sinne which hath pulled all manner of iudgement both vppon our selues and the rest of the creatures for our sinnes sake Neither doth this circumstance of our own basenesse and vnworthinesse extoll the excellencie and worthinesse of the gift but his person also that hath bestowed the same vpon vs Psalm 50.1 1. Tim 6.15 who being God of gods and King of kings hauing all power in his own hand with the least blast of his mouth to ouerwhelme vs wyth all manner of iudgements hath beene pleased notwithstanding rather to manifest in vs the riches of his infinite grace in the sauing of our soules than otherwise to declare against vs the testimonies and tokens of his wrath to eternall condemnation Yea the very excellencie of that life it selfe dooth serue to the woonderfull commendation of that his vnspeakable goodnes towards vs it being so farre passing all the things of this life though otherwise neuer so glorious and glittering that they are not in deede and trueth so much as a shadowe of the good things to come Nay which is more man Psalm 8.5 6 the lorde of all though the thoughts of his hart may be extended very far nay I wil say more godly men though in the meditations of their minde they comprise great and excellent thinges yet can they neuer attaine in this life to the exquisitnes and excellencie thereof God hauing reserued that rather for the dayes and times of a better state and condition And all these things before recited are plainely affirmed and prooued also euen from the very beginning of this eight chapter vntill
and the profession of his truth will giue vs as it were hys strength making vs thereby not onely able to continue and hold out but to ouercome be conquerors yea more than earthly conquerors Rom. 8.37 as the apostle himself speaketh in the later end of this eight chapter there being alwayes this one speciall difference betwixt vs and them that though they ouercome to day yet they may through the sudden alteration change and inconstancie of the thinges of this life be subdued to morrow or the next daie as you would say whereas those that are made partakers of the eternall victorie that Christ hath gotten against al his and our enimies both bodilie and spirituall shal neuer be vanquished and ouercome againe And though that our aduersaries in their continuall malice may attempt many matters against vs and perhappes now and then also giue vs some blowes and woundes yet here is the glorie and comfort of christians that euen in the middest of fierie flames and all other greuous trialles whatsoeuer that the wicked according to the vvill of God lay vppon vs 1. Pet. 4.16 wee are still more than conquerors euen then when we seem to be ouercome which no worldly honour can attaine vnto no not then when it is at the top and height as you would say of the prosperitie and flourishing thereof An other reason that the apostle vseth to cōfort the saints seruaunts of God withal in the daies of their distres greuous afflictions is taken fi ō that glory that we suffring with him shall haue perfectly togither with him when hee shall appeare in great power and glory to iudge the quicke and the dead And the force of this argumēt is contained in these words that vve may also be glorified vvith him wherof there is likewise very good reason namely that forasmuch as the crosse and christian profession are companions that seldome or neuer are found asunder in this life amongst the children of God the truth whereof appeareth by the manifolde testimonies of Gods holy vvorde 2. Tim 3.12 Acts 14.22 and the infinite examples of his sons and seruants who in the days of their flesh haue in this behalfe bin made excellent mirrors or looking-glasses for the rest to beholde themselues in and forasmuch also as the cup of afflictions that the Lord maketh his seruants to drink of here is though not alwaies as in regard of it selfe it being many times a iust deserued punishment laide vpon vs in Gods iudgement as a correction for our sinnes yet aswell in respect of God who by his almightie power commaunding the light to shine out of darkenesse 2. Cor. 4.6 hath sanctified the same to that ende as also in respect of the fruits and effects that it bringeth foorth in Gods children as pacience constancie mortification and many such excellent things is as I was about to say a most certaine pledge of a farre better estate in an other life 2. Tim. 2.12 that therefore also wee shoulde euen assure our selues in our sufferings for Christ that vvee shall likevvise be glorified with him for if mightie men of the earth as princes and others forget not to satisfie such as haue beene partakers with them of their trialles and troubles and attended vppon them in their sickenesses griefes and such like but thinke it greate dishonour to their states and dignities if they doe not recompence them according to their trauelles onelie but euen in a franke and liberall mind that they haue many times beyond the same much lesse will or can Christ Iesus our sauiour be either vnmindfull of or leaue vnrewarded those men or those sufferings that they or we haue indured as for his sake and the holy profession of his blessed trueth and the rather bicause he is not as a man or as the sons of men that make yea that are ouertaken with the sin of pride or disdaine towards other when he himselfe is exalted or of forgetfulnesse of penurie in the dayes of peace and plentie or of hardnes of heart when the bowelles of compassion are to be displaied or of a wauering and an vnconstant minde louing now and hating anone but always continueth like vnto himself in euery thing becomming familiar and as you woulde say debasing himselfe vnto his owne hauing them in continuall remembrance for their good manifesting all kindenesse and tendernesse of heart towardes them and that in most bountifull manner in all graces both bodilie and spirituall temporall and eternall Iohn 13.1 louing them also euen vnto the end as the scripture saith And this kinde of argument is vsed not onelie here but in many other places of holy scripture the Apostle affirming elsewhere 1. Cor. 11.32 that vvee are therefore chastned of the Lord that vve should not be condemned vvith the vvorld the selfe-same Apostle telling vs in an other place 2. Tim 2.12 that if vvee suffer vvith him vvee shall also reigne vvith him Wherevnto no doubt our sauiour Christ hymselfe likewise hath a speciall respect in these words of that excellent praier which he maketh in the seuenteenth chapter of the gospel according to Saint Iohn Iohn 17.24 Father I vvill that they vvhich thou hast giuen me be vvith me euen vvhere I am that they may beholde my glorie vvhich thou hast giuen mee And this also is the more vrged euerie where almost not onely for the declaration of the excellencie and certainty of the thing it felfe that so we might be brought to be in continual loue and liking of the same Phillip 3 8. counting all things losse and dung as in regard thereof but also bicause that vvee that are dull of hart and slovve to beleeue Luke 24.25 specially the things that be so farre beyond the reach of our reason and wit and remaine so high and glorious as eternall life and blessednes is might euery day more than other be thereby strengthned in the assured apprehension and application of the same vnto our own soules that so wee might in the middest of all our troubles and trials either outward or inward both spend end the days of the poore pilgrimage that we haue in this life in the peace of a good hart thorow the liuely feeling of the incorruptible crown of euerlasting glorie Oh a thousand yea ten thousand times blessed happy are they on whom god hath bestowed that grace and mercie and infinitly miserably on the other side and wretched are they that are not made partakers of so excellent goodnes I will say but this onelie touching this point men shall neuer indure with christian comfort and true patience indeede any affliction of the flesh or any assaults of the minde much lesse shall they be able to combat and fight wyth hope of a conquest against eyther the one or the other wythout the sweet tasting of this at the least in some measure or except they haue some goodnesse and grace in this behalfe powred foorth
For proofe of this we may see the self-same argument touching the great and incomprehensible ioy of the kingdome of heauen alleaged and handled by the selfe-same apostle in an other place but yet to the same end that hee dooth here to wit for comfort in trouble affirming that our light affliction vvhich is but for a moment 1. Cor. 4.17 causeth vnto vs a farre most excellent and eternall vvaight of glorie Yea the like shall we finde in many other places of holy scripture all tending to teach vs that that excellent estate of euerlasting life is described vnto vs in the word in such sort as we may comprehend somewhat of it though in trueth as in respect of it selfe it doth far exceede al earthly yea spiritual resemblances whatsoeuer aswel to comfort vs ouer our heauinesses a matter that wee stand much in neede of specially if we be once truely and indeed humbled as also to make vs with earnestnesse and feruencie to hunger and thirst after the same specially considering howe much euery one of vs is tied and as a man would say glewed to the pleasures and profits of this present euill worlde By al which also we may see that they are too too iniurious to the children of God that restraine the comfortable feeling of the ioies of heauen onely to the world that is to come True it is that both the excellent perfection reall possession of the same is reserued for that life but yet that hindereth not but that by faith and hope wee may haue euen in this life some effectuall taste therof And whosoeuer thinketh otherwise is not onely as much as in hym lieth discomfortable to others for what better argument haue we of ioy than that but hurtful and iniurious to himselfe also while he depriueth himselfe of that which of al other things is most deliteful and pleasant yea he after a sort condemneth the sufferings of the saints and seruants of God in time heretofore either of folly or senslesnes who though they haue bin somewhat in couraged by the goodnes of the causes that they sealed with their bloud in faith and pacience to vndergo the same yet haue they no doubt bin greatly furthered also in their afflictions by the true taste and feeling of those vnspeakable ioies which haue made them in the middest of fierie flames and the most cruell torments that the aduersaries could deuise to be much more pacient and ioyful than euer they were in the days of their greatest health and prosperitie And yet bicause euery delay of a thing specially if the thing it selfe be of it selfe excellent and in regard thereof much desired to is tedious and greuous to the flesh as the apostle no doubt did by acquaintance that he had of the common corruption of our nature the particular experience that he had in himself well felt in himselfe he doth therfore in these verses following namely 19 20 21 22 23. adde another argument for comforte in afflictions taken frō the example of all euen the very vnreasonable insensible creatures of whom in these verses hee affirmeth two speciall things first that they trauel in paine and groane after a fort vnder the burthen of their miseries as men do the other is that they do with a singular pacience as a man would say wait for a time of ioyfull deliuerance By which the apostle certainly would haue vs to know and learne not only that in respect of our miseries we haue a common lot portion with the rest of the creatures but also that euen by their example we should paciently tarry the time that God hath set with himselfe and is not in our owne power for our full deliuerance out of those anguishes troubles Which yet that we may the better vnderstand it shall not be amisse in my minde in a few wordes to lay out the apostles reason who as I'take it argueth thus All the creatures do very wel perceiue that they are subiect to vanitie and corruption and yet notwithstandiug hope as it were that in good time and conuenient season they shall be receiued and restored therefore we also though wee feele our selues greatly beaten downe with diuerse calamities yea and as it were oppressed and ouerwhelmed with the same ought notwithstanding stedfastly to beleeue that thorow Gods godnesse towardes vs in Christ we shall not miscarrie in this life the Apostle bearing recorde vnto vs 2. Cor 4.8 9 That though vvee are afflicted on euerie side yet vvee are not in distresse and though vvee be cast dovvne yet vve perish not but that we shal haue and inioy at the length when the wearisome days of our pilgrimage shall be finished most excellent glorie and blessednesse for euermore And no doubt but of this the Apostles reason there is very great good reason also yea euen declared by the Apostle himselfe in his owne wordes for if the creatures subiect to this corruption not by their owne accord but by Gods appointment as a punishment vppon them for the sinne of mankind do yet notwithstanding that they be void of reason in their kinde and after their maner as you woulde saye both patiently beare that burthen and earnestly expect a deliueraunce from the same when God will how much more shoulde the faithfull doe both the one and the other the Lorde hauing indued them not onely with reason a common gift bestowed vppon all men but filled them after a sort with faith also Phil. 1.29 2. Thes 3.2 a proper and peculiar grace vnto his elected ones onely from which as from a cleare and pure fountaine they must of necessitie flowe in some measure both christian pacience and many other good vertues likewise whereof also there is euen this reason amongst many other that looke vpon whomsoeuer GOD hath bestowed store of anie of his graces either bodilie or spirituall that euen at their handes hee looketh for a more liberal and plentiful yeeld than of those with whome he hath not dealt in so great a larges of his mercie the varietie of graces also that God hath bestowed vpon men specially good men crauing the same at their handes For to what end else hath God giuen the same but that in the lawful and liberall vse of them the giuer principallie might receiue more glorie and the vser more comfort and profite and others also reape great good by them not onelie in this life but in the life to come Hitherto as you see wee haue beene occupied principally and I hope not vprofitably also in propounding the Apostles generall drift out of which thogh we may indeed in some measure vnderstand the true and naturall sense of these wordes and so perhaps may thinke that we neede not any further trauell yet to the end wee may more cleerely perceiue his mind and meaning herein and so receiue more spirituall sweetnes from him I will not spare particularly to examine the very verses and words as they lie braying as
it were and beating againe and that al to peeces the sweete perfumes that so we may haue all our senses seized and wholie taken vp not only with the wholesome but with the most pleasant and delightfull smell thereof I meane spiritually that is to say that so wee may come at the length to the full meaning thereof and to the fitte obseruation of such profitable doctrines as do arise and may rightly be gathered out of the same Vers 18 For I count c. The very word wherewith the apostle beginneth this verse being a particle causall as wee vse to say doth sufficiently proue that it is a reason of the premisses or things before going of which bicause we haue spoken sufficient already wee shall not nowe neede to stand much vpon it here And when the Apostle saith I hee meaneth it not of himselfe onely for it is the common iudgement and beleefe of all the faithfull and the whole church of God also who being inlightned by the same spirite either be of that minde togither wyth him or should so be bicause in this point he speaketh not by his own light but according to the truth and power of the spirit Neither yet doth he speake it of himselfe as of a natural man for the thing that he vttreth is far beyond nature yea altogither contrary to the same for what worldly wise naturall minded man can either see in afflictions the glory that the sons and seruants of God behold and fal in the same or else can oppose the incomprehensible ioys of eternall life against those exceeding hardnesses and great distresses They rather suppose all thinges to be directed by secondarie causes or to speake as they themselues say by the course of nature or direction of fortune who indeede are so far off from perceiuing these heauenly ioys and comforts that they are carried away with conceits eyther to vse vnlawfull meanes to free them from afflictions or else fearfully fall into all muttering and repining against God or to all impaciencie before men the reason is bicause they are not acquainted with the comforts of Gods children nor haue no feeling of the ioys of the life that is to come Alas alas they knowe not indeede what either the one or the other meaneth 1. Cor. 2.14 for these things are spirituall but they themselues are carnall sold vnder sin and therefore vnmeete to discerne of the same Rom. 7.14 bicause they must be spiritually iudged Out of all which laide togither wee may learne sundry good lessons as first that howsoeuer we do either for the expressing of our own feelings or the better fructifieng of the word in the hearts of those to whom it is directed speake particularlie of our selues or as it might seeme in our owne names yet that we neuer swarue from that trueth of doctrine that is commended vnro vs in the word written is sealed vp in our harts by the pledge of the spirit and is approoued by the common consent of the church of God The neglect of this specially whilest men go about to magnifie their owne persons and opinions hath beene the meane heretofore of many heresies sects and errors in the church of God and may bring foorth the same bitter fruits hereafter except it pleased God to giue men better grace to looke vnto themselues Secondly it teacheth vs that so soone as God beginneth to lay vpon vs his rods and crosses of trial that then we should learne not only in the spirit of patience comfort to submit our selues vnder his mighty hand but with alferuency of praier to craue the clearing of our vnderstanding Iames 1.5 and all holy vvisdome also as S. Iames calleth it that we may both see his ways in his works learne to espie out and feel the consolations and comforts that he hath prouided for vs that so wee sincke not downe vnder the burthen of our calamities but be raised vp rather to al feeling hope A point that we had neede to striue vnto by al holy meanes possible aswell by reason of the blindnes blockishnes of our own nature and the diffidence and distrust of our own hearts as also bicause of Satans continuall malice who laboureth at all times but specially in the days of our greatest heauinesse our most fearefull destruction And whereas the apostle saith I count he meaneth that he commeth with an vpright iudgement in an euen pair of balance scales as it wer hauing rightly religiosly examined resons on both sides and gathering all into a iust summe to weigh the troubles of this worlde and the ioies of heauen togither not dealing therein as either the worldlie man doth who regardeth nothing but his miseries and afflictions by meanes whereof he becommeth not onely impacient and waiward but past all hope of admitting comfort and consolation nor playing the part of the prophane and insensible Stoiks who againe on the other side by reason of their beastlie blockishnes that they get vnto themselues hauing both their soules and bodies benummed as it were are no whit at all touched with the sense of the same nor yet being so rapt and rauished with these eternall ioyes that they vtterly forget or feele not at all the miseries and afflictions of this life a matter that the contemplatiue persons in their traunces dreames and reuelations make the height and top of all perfection in this world but as wise physitions yea as good christians intermingling sweet things and sowre things togither and comparing one of them so with an other that as they see in their afflictions an euident patterne of the miserie mortalitie of their own liues and a plaine proofe of the iustice and iudgement of God against sinne so they make the same a profitable meane to themselues not onely in a christian and comfortable death but in an holy life also so long as GOD will haue them to liue vppon the face of the earth to meete wyth the Lorde and to glorify his most blessed name And this doth teach vs vprightly to weigh and to examine as all things generally so specially and particularly spirituall points Which indeede by reason that they be more excellent than bodilie matters and in that respect also in their owne nature more remooued from our comprehension than the rest had therefore neede most deepelie to be looked into for though by the line and light of our reason we may be somewhat holpen to wade into worldly things yet in matters of faith and religion we cannot not only not perse any thing at all by the light sight of our owne vnderstanding but shall be much hurt and hindered thereby from the same if wee yeelde to followe it yea many times euen in the things of this life wee are so blockish deuoide of iudgement that what by reason of colours cast vppon worldlie thinges and what by the blindnesse and ignorance of our owne heart on the one side and the parcialitie that
these two wee say that it floweth from following of a wrong translation in this place I meane that that they call their olde vulgar Latin text which rendreth the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being a simple worde by the compound Latine word condignae worthie togither as you woulde say which whether it be not contrary to the fidelitie and vpright dealing of a good translator let euen all the worlde iudge that haue attained to a crumme either of sounde learning or godlie wisedome And if this course may be kept that compounde wordes may be vsed for sinople wordes wee shall quickly turne vpside downe all certaintie of the written worde all trueth of religion and all honest and faithful dealing amongst men All the Greeke copies that euer I coulde see reade it in the simple and so doeth Saint Ignatius himselfe alleage it in his epistle to Marie and it is the first epistle in his booke of epistles yea and their owne Arrius Montanus a man of lesse corruption I had almost said more vprightnes in translating the worde than they all though otherwise popish conuicted by the euidence and trueth of this point rendreth it rightly in his interlineall text howsoeuer for fashion sake he set the vulgar reading in the margine Saint Augustine in his booke of eightie and three quekions quest 67. readeth not condignae as these men doe but indignae that is vnworthie And in his fift booke of the citie of God chap. 18. where he doth of purpose shewe how farre off christians ought to be from boasting if they had doone any thing for loue of the eternall countrie hee alleadgeth euen this very text of the Apostle thus Ind gnae sunt passiones huius temporis c. The sufferings of this time are vnworthie the glorie which shall be reuealed in vs. And so doth some other of the ancient fathers translate it as if I delited in multitude of allegations I could easly shew By whith we may not onely see the true and naturall meaning of the Apostle in this text that is to debase our sinterings and to magnifie eternal life but also that that vulgar translation is not either so olde as they pretende or else was not in those dayes of sitche credite as they woulde haue it nowe in as much as we see the auncient fathers either vsing some other or swaruing greatly from that And no doubt but as the spring is puddlelie and corrupted from whence this poisonfull doctrine proceedeth so the second thing aboue mentioned to wit the fruits that flowe from it be much more euil and dangerous whether wee respect the eternall God himselfe or Christ Iesus his sonne our sauiour or our selues and other men whatsoeuer For as for God his mercie is greatly obscured if not vtterly euacuated and disanulled by this in as much as mans supposed merits and deserts which indeede are nothing but death and damnation are not onely matched wyth the same to the great disgrace and discontinuance thereof there being as great oddes betweene them as betweene the most glorious thing of the worlde and the filthiest durt or dung that can be but after a sort preferred before it and that not only in the eies of men a matter that should make vs all to blush and hang down our heads for shame but if it might be accepted for currant coine and lawfull paiment tendred at the exchequor of the most high king yea brought foorth into the verie sight and presence and pleaded and alleadged at no woorse barre than at the very throne and iudgement seat of almightie God himselfe And concerning Christ our Sauiour his merites generallie and particularly those of his death resurrection and ascension are quite and cleane dedefaced yea vtterlie abolished when â—â—â—â—…es workes are magnified and our deedes are exalted who hath not appeared vnto anie other ende than to destroie the vvorkes of Sathan 1. Iohn 3 2 nor giuen vppe hymselfe to the death yea euen to the death of the crosse for anie other purpose Phillip 2.8 than to satisfie for all our sinnes whatsoeuer neither is risen from the dead and ascended vp into heauen for any other effect than to bring life and mortalitie to light to communicate vnto vs his owne righteousnesse and fullie and wholie to reconcile vs vnto God which things he hath not exactly performed if we by any or al of our works haue in part or in whole promerited Gods fauour bicause either all the glorie of that most excellent worke must be attributed vnto him alone or else no peece of it for Christ mindeth not to part stakes with vs as we say Lastly if wee would consider either our selues or others of whome this is affirmed and to whome this doctrine is propounded and deliuered we shall well perceiue that by meanes hereof we haue not onely our grosse humors fed and our itching eares tickled we delighting alwayes to haue some thing wherein to glorie both before men and God also whereas in trueth wee shoulde couer our faces for shame in the sight both of the one and of the other but also that we are puffed vppe thereby in al maner of intollerable pride disdaine and emulation amongst men euerie man thinking better of himselfe and his owne workes than of all mans els and set vppon the pinacle of most daungerous presumption before GOD we clayming at his handes not with christian boldnes but with whorish impudencie all good thinges both of this life and of that that is to come not of free fauour and mercie thorow Christs obedience onely but of due debt as a man would say being readie if God should denie vs the same as generally for all our sinnes and especially for this he hath good occasion offered him to reuile him to his face and to accuse him of iniustice and wrong But to come more particularly to the points themselues indeede And concerning the first it shall not be amisse to knowe both their distinction of meritum congrui condigni and also what they meane by the seuerall braunches therof that so we may put downe a more plaine and certaine confutation By meritum congrui or desert of congruence as you would say they vnderstand such workes as doe not of their owne nature truly and indeed deserue saluation otherwise than as it hath pleased God of some certaine goodnes in himselfe to promise the same thereto and of this sort they will haue all morall actions to be specially such as are done before regeneration and iustification And by meritum condigni that is desert of woorthines they meane such works as to which there is wholy and altogither a reward due not so much by reason of the gracious promises of god as in respect of the acts or deedes doone and of this sort they make the workes of the godly after regeneration But for answere both to the tearmes and matter we say that neither the wordes of this distinction nor the distinction it selfe nor the
did it bicause workes of such excellencie had a time also wherein they were performed Secondly let them declare whether in his whole person or in either of his natures distinctly and by it selfe he purchased that which they say he merited for if we know not that we can not tell what to beleeue bicause that whatsoeuer Christ hath done either for himselfe or for vs hee hath performed it either in his whole person or in one of his natures Thirdly let them certainly shew vs what it was that he merited for it is not meete that a worke of so great excellencie to him and of such singular profit to vs as these men would beare the world in hande this point bringeth with it shoulde be buried vnder some generall knowledge of the same Touching the first wee say that the men that so much vrge this point haue not yet among themselues certainly concluded what time Christ merited for as for them that tie this to the time of his passion onely or to the very act and deed of his sufferings of which minde our Rhemists seeme to be both in their annotations vpon this place in sundry other of their notes vpon the new Testament wee say that they are not well aduised what they speake not only bicause they contradict and gaine-say their owne master of the sentences Peter Lombard I meane who lib. 3. Dist. 18. affirmeth in plaine and euident termes that Christ euen from the very time of his conception did by his conception deserue that which he did by his passion but thwart also their angelicall doctor Thomas Aquinas who lib. quest de gratia Christi act 8. in conclus though he recite two opinions concerning this point some holding that he did not deserue in the first instant of his conception but anone after and othersome that he did deserue in the very first moment therof so wel do Papists agree in the materiall pointes of their religion doth yet notwithstanding approoue of the latter as more reasonable Yea they crosse the very truth and reason it selfe bicause our Sauiour did many notable things besides his sufferings before his death which also might as his death iustly merit before God both for himselfe and others euen as his death did for example his earnest and continuall praiers his dayly and paineful preachings his maruellous and infinit miracles and many other good deedes whereof also this is a verie good strong reason that if the good workes of men do after regeneration ex condigno as they say merit both for themselues others thē much more Christs good deedes must haue that power in as much as in all innocencie holinesse and perfection his workes did and doe farre exceede not onely the good deedes of some good men but all the good deedes of all the good men that haue bin are or shall be And as for those that maintaine that in his conception and by the same hee merited as much at the first as he did afterwardes by induring martirdome of which minde is the maister of the sentences in the place aboue alleadged and some others we affirme that besides that they agree not with those that tie or binde his sufferings to the time of his passion onelie of whome you haue heard before they swarue also euen as the former from truth of religion and humane reason for first merit presupposeth a good action or holie affection that hath in it selfe power and abilitie to deserue alreadie past for I suppose they will not holde that without either the one or the other or both there can be any desert But we feare not to affirme that our Sauiour had not and yet wee speake without anie preiudice at all to his blessed person or natures any such thing in the very moment of his conception no nor long time after for anie thing wee can perceiue If he had let them shewe vs what it was and then they shall heare our minds further in that behalfe And as it is more absurd by much to ascribe his meriting to the action of his conception bicause that that was not his proper and peculiar deed but the worke partlie of the holie ghost and partly of the virgine Marye these two onely being imployed in the conception incarnation and birth of our Sauiour and not Christ himselfe being the thing conceiued incarnate and borne vnles they will say either that one person of the godhead can purchase grace fauour for another and so make God like vnto man as they do by their doltish distinction before confuted which is most horrible blasphemie bicause of the three seuerall and distinct persons of the godhead none is better more great or worthie than an other or else that earthlie mothers may merit for their sonnes and that in the act of generation and conception which besides that it is too grosse and carnall standeth vp against the mercie of God which must be in all respects free or else it is no mercie at all and is directly against the scripture and namely Ezech. 18.4 10 Ezech. 18. where it is affirmed that a good fathers holines or iustice shall no manner of way stand his vngracious childe in stead Touching the second we say that they dare not aduouch that his whole person merited bicause there is no such thing warranted by the authoritie of Gods word nor by the iudgement of right beleeuing fathers Nay their owne doctors are against that as for example Peter Lombard in the place before alleadged where he affirmeth out of Augustine vpon the second chapter of Paules epistles to the Philippians that all this was done in the forme of a seruant and Thomas of Aquine also Quest. part 2. quest de gratia Christi art 7. in conclus is of the very same minde saying that Christ merited not but in respect that he was man though in that respect he was more worthie than other men If they will maintaine that in his godhead hee merited then one of these two absurdities must of necessitie insue vpon the dangerous assertiō namely either that the godhead hath merited more than it had which is to make it subiect to imperfections and defects and by consequent God himselfe likewise to become subiect to more and lesse and so to alteration and change than the which nothing is or can be more blasphemous wee knowing and beleeuing that God is most perfect and remaineth alwayes like vnto himselfe or else that the godhead is passible for the question is here now of meriting by suffering which is also as false and hereticall as possibly can be we hauing learned both by the warrant of the word and the whole trueth of christian religion that the godhead is altogither impassible and can suffer nothing bicause it hath bin alwaies of it selfe is and shall be for euer and euer a spiritual and eternall substance vtterly freed from al such affections and passions If they holde that in his other nature to wit
in sense and doctrine peruerted this place and swarued from the godlie iudgement of former times Ierome I meane and Augustine whose wordes are most plaine and pithie Ierome euen vpon this place that wee haue nowe in hand saieth thus Hic vult futuram gloriam commendare vt praesentes pressuras facilius tolleremus Et reuera nihil possit homo condignum pati gloria coelesti etiamsi talis esset illa qualis modo est vita Quicquid enim passiâ—s fuerit a morte plus non est quam etiam peccatis suis antea moerebatur Nunc autem peccata donantur tunc vita aeterna praestabitur consortium angelorum splendor solis c. quae sanctis legimus repromissa that is to saie The apostle mindeth in this place to commend the glory that is to come that so wee might the more easily beare the present troubles and afflictions And certainely man is able to suffer nothing that is worthie of or in worthines answerable to the heuenlie glorie yea though that that were but such as this life nowe is for whatsoeuer hee shall suffer by death or at deaths hand it is no more than that which hee had euen before deserued thorowe his sinnes But nowe both our sinnes are forgiuen vs then eternal life shal be bestowed vpon vs the company of the Angels the brightnes of the sunne c. which wee read are againe promised to the saints And Augustine De verbis Apostoli sermo 15. Pro nihilo inquit saluos facies illos c. For nothing saith one thou shalt saue them what is meant by these words for nothing thou shalt saue them This is the meaning thou findest nothing in them wherefore thou shouldest saue them and yet thou sauest them Thou giuest freelie thou sauest freelie yea thou giuest altogither freely and sauest freely euen thou I say dost this which findest nothing wherfore thou shouldest saue men but findest much wherefore thou shouldest condemne them And thus farre for this point now it followeth in the Apostle vvhich shall be shevved vnto vs. Euery word here carrieth with it force to perswade the trueth propounded to wit the excellencie of the ioyes of that life that is laid vp for the sonnes and seruants of God and serueth also to teach all the faithfull in all manner of holie patience to attende and looke for that that shall in good time bee made manifest vnto them yea the full fruition and possession whereof they themselues shall haue That worde shal be instructeth all of vs with faith and patience to expect the manifestation thereof not doubting but stedfastly beleeuing that though there be some delay of the accomplishment of this yea and though our present afflictions be neuer so many great and greeuous that yet notwithstanding a time will come when they shall be vtterly remooued and taken away from vs and we our selues put into actuall and reall possession of eternall ioyes promised the faithfull performaunce whereof we did and yet do in some measure of a sound hope looke after Neither doubt I but euen in this behalfe namely touching the delay of the things promised there do and wil arise by meanes of their natural corruption many temptations in the mindes of Gods children and those also increased not onely by Satans malice who laboureth to make vs beleeue that either GOD can not or will not be as good as his word but fostred and fed by texts of scripture also not wel vnderstoode or rightly applied as when the holy ghost shal say Prou. 13.12 The hope that is deferred is the fainting of the hart c. But against these we must learne in al blessed wisdome of the spirit and mightie power of the word to set such comforts as it shal please God out of the holie scriptures to manifest vnto vs. Amongst which these folowing are in my poore iudgement though not of the greatest force as some may perhaps thinke yet of some good effect doubtles to represse such assaults of diffidence In worldly matters when men deale with men yet are they not dismaied with delayes but rather raise vp their hope herein that the deferring of the things promised is not a taking away of the same or else persuade themselues that the length of time shall be recompenced either with the excellencie fulnes of the things themselues or with som one consideration or other an other waie How much more should we be coÌ„forted not only in this that we deal not with man who is euen as the wind and weather wauering vncertaine but with God who alwayes continueth like vnto himselfe and haue from him the assured promises as of al benefits generally so of such blessings in the life to come particularly as with the least wherof al the delights and pleasures of this worlde whatsoeuer no though they were al laid togither bestowed vpon one man were anie maner of way matchable specially sith that GOD knowing our harts and state better than we do our selues doth therfore many times put off the performaunce of such excellent things that so hee might make vs the more reuerently to esteeme of them when we receiue them and the more earnestly to desire them when we want them that are so exceedingly coÌ„fortable profitable for euerie one of vs. Neither doth god dally with vs herein as men do who wil either giue fair words do no good deeds or else many times shew vs good things a farre off that so they might seeme more faire and beautifull and by that meanes as a man woulde saye set our teeth on edge vppon them and yet notwithstanding not bestowe them vpon vs neither when they haue done or giue vs any other good thing in stead thereof that so in some testimonies of fauour we might haue our hope vpheld in obtaining of matters of greater importance in time to come but dealeth farre otherwise with vs not onely giuing vs a sight but a sensible feeling sometimes as of many outward benefits and blessings pertaining to this life so of sundrie and singular spirituall graces but specially of those incomprehensible ioyes that in heauen are hidden for vs in Christ before the foundations of the worlde were laid Whereof that we might be the better persuaded yea euen then when he letteth vs for a little while want our former comforts hee doth yet vouchsafe vs innumerable tokens and pledges of his most constant loue and that not onelie in bodily benefits as health wealth libertie c. but as was said before in spirituall blessings also as in his worde sacraments praier and a great number suche like effectuall meanes to bring vs in good time to that quiet hauen of heauen and eternall rest that wee in the midst of the manifolde tossings and turmoils of this wretched life haue often and earnestlie wished for And yet this faith may be fostered and fedde in vs by an other worde in the text namely when he saith that it shall
more they also shal be deliuered in as much as God careth much more for them and much more tenderlye loueth them by how much he hath giuen vnto them more infinyte and euident testimonies of his fauour and more excellent promises for the life present and that that is to come Verse 21. Because the creature also Here is the second cause why the creatures doe earnestlie waite for the time of the reueiling of the sons of God namely because they haue hope that then and not till then they shal be fullie freed from all that corruption that lieth vpon them by meanes of mans sin and transgression thorowe the appointment of God The word creature is vsed here in the same sense that it is in the other two verses before going shal be deliuered that is freed quite clean discharged to wit also in that great daie of the Lord and not before for till then it is the lords ordinance apointment vvho maketh his sun to shine Mat. 5.45 his rain to raine vpon the iust and vniust that both good bad shal be pertakers of his rich mercie though it bee true that the one sort shall haue it to comfort and consolation both of bodie and soule in this world in the worlde to come and the other to terror and iudgement both outward and inward both here there also And the woorde of deliuering that the Apostle vseth would be marked as by which he noteth the free estate that they shal be brought vnto which also the greek word it self doth very elegantly import containing in it selfe expressing in the vse of it this much that they shal be deliuered from the wretched estate of bond-slaues or bond-men into the glorious and comfortable condition of free seruants as you woulde say being excepted from that vniust tyrannie or gouernement that the wicked exercised ouer them and freed also from that fearefull estate to which they were constrainedly subiect from the bondage of corruption that is from that same corruptible flitting and vanishing estate wherevnto they are nowe subiect and which lieth vpon them as a most heauie burthen or yoke of bondage which they are still constrained dailie to drawe in and beare as bondslaues do their state till it shall please GOD to giue them a better and more free condition Into the glorious libertie of the sons of God Hee meaneth not that they shall be partakers of the same eternall glorie with Gods children for if that were true then what difference shoulde there be betwixt Gods faithfull seruants bruit beasts Besides wee all knowe and beleeue that without faith there is as no purifieng of hearts so no entrance into heauen and that gift of beleefe vnreasonable creatures shall neuer attaine vnto neither yet all men bicause as the Apostle saith Faith is not of all men 2. Thess 3.2 it being a peculiar grace bestowed onlie vpon Gods elect and chosen children If any would say that this might serue mightilie for the manifestation of Gods mercie I answe are first that God knoweth best when where and vpon whom also to disclose his goodnes without light or instruction from vs next that they shoulde more plainely appeare in sauing reasonable creatures euen the very reprobate and wicked than in sauing these dumbe and insensible things And if Gods mercie were to be reuealed that way why not in sauing that that was furthest from saluation I meane the diuell and damned spirits who both by reason of their sinne and in that they are past hope of a better condition are further sundred from eternall life than the senslesse and brutish creatures that I may say nothing of the excellencie of their nature as it was by creation being farre more fit in that respect for eternall life than the carnall and grose nature and constitution of beasts and other things But that is impossible both as in regarde of God who hath reuealed the contrarie in his worde and also as in respect of vs to whome we knowe and beleeue that all things are impossible that God hath declared by his truth shall not be done and therefore also the other but a fond conceit of mens idle heads This rather as I take it he meaneth that in their kind and manner they shal be made pertakers of a far better estate then they had while the world indured because that God shall fullie and wholye restore the world being fallen into corruption thorow the transgression and sinne of mankinde which yet as seemeth to me maie more plainely appeare in that amplifieng by the contraries hee opposeth subsequent libertie against former bondage which that hee might the more inlarge hee calleth it not simplie freedome or libertie but libertie of glorie as it is in the greeke text meaning thereby according to the phrase and proprietie of the Hebrue toong glorious libertie or liberty that bringeth glory with it vnder which terme of glorie he compriseth the excellent estate that they shal be in after their deliuery frō their former basenes seruitude As for the words following namly of the sonnes of God to which wee must referre glorious libertie before mentioned they must bee vnderstoode as it were by a certaine proportion or similitude thus that as in that great daie and not before gods children shal be graciously freed from all dangers and distresses of this life whatsoeuer either in bodie or soule and on the other side made perfect pertakers of eternall blessednes so the creatures then and not before shal be deliuered from the vanitie of man their owne corruption and restored to a far better estate then presently they inioy which also maye appeare by the words that the Apostle vseth setting glorious libertie deliuerance and freedome against seruile bondage and slauerie Verse 22. For vve knovve If anie man would demaund how this could bee prooued Paule and the faithful together with him runne to the holie testimonie of their owne conscience the assured persuasion that they haue there of the matter speaking as if it were thus Our own hearts tell vs that we sigh and groane they tell vs also that for asmuch as the creatures by meanes of sin suffer as we suffer that therefore vnder that burthen they do in their kinde sigh and groane togither with vs. I say in their kinde bicause that all these things are attributed vnto them by that figure or kinde of speeche whiche is before rehearsed Neither dooth the Apostle meane hereby to giue any warrantize or strength to the od speculations dreames dotages reuelations of fanatical spirits as of the Montanists Euthrusiasts Mahometists others heretofore or of the Anabaptists familie of loue and Papists and amongst them their monkes in these our daies For first and formost he declareth nothing here but that which he had receiued as truth in the certaintie of the spirit and that also grounded and setled vppon the vnmoueable rocke of the worde and vpon that same particular feeling
experience that in the holie vse of the creatures hee himselfe and other faithfull together with him had religiously obserued and so commended the same vnto all ages of the worlde in writing by authority of the holy spirite of God to serue for their instruction and comfort as all other scripture doth vpon vvhome the endes of the vvorlde shoulde come And what serueth this then for the vpholding or establishing of such doctrines as neither haue the seale of the spirite nor the warrant of the worde into the triall of truth Nay which is more besides that they are without anie suche ground or foundation as before wee shall finde them as directlye contrarie to the wholsome doctrine of the spirite and woorde as darkenesse is to light and hell is to heauen of whiche sorte indeede are those thinges whiche the heretikes abouenamed and particularlie the Papistes woulde vnder the pretext of traditions and vnwritten verities thrust vpon the vnthankefull and ignorant world Againe wee say that for as much as wee beleeue that there is most absolute perfection both for the duties of pietie to God-ward and of charitie also towards men as well for knowledge as beleefe and obedience contained in that blessed book that we call the Bible or holie scriptures of Gods and that Christ our Sauiour himselfe hath therfore appeered and come into the worlde as for manie other causes so particularly for this that he might actually performe that that God had after a sorte and in shadowes signified and set out by the lawe and the prophets and fully opened his fathers will vnto the worlde putting an ende nowe vnto al reuelations and visions whatsoeuer as the Apostle plainelie prooueth in the first chapter to the Hebrews and sith that Paule also in the holie spirit of truth telleth vs Gall. 1.8 that though he or his fellovv-ministers or an angell from heauen shoulde preach othervvise or any other doctrine vnto the church than that vvhich they had preached alreadie that they might then safely holde all such accursed that therefore we are sure it was neuer the Apostles meaning or purpose either to propound or to establish any thing that might at any hand no not in the least shew seeme to vphold the dotages of mens idle heads and hearts He addeth that euery creature I take the word to be as large as of it selfe it seemeth to import to wit that it shoulde comprehend beasts fishes foules trees plants hearbes and all other thinges which the Lord hath made for mans vse excepting and that for the reasons before alleadged in the explication of vers 19. those thinges which are there alreadie excepted not that they are not creatures for if they were not creatures they should be God bicause there is no meane thing betwixt these two a creator and a creature the name creator appertaining properly and onelie to God and creature to all other things beside whatsoeuer how excellent soeuer they are or may seem to be but bicause they are iustly and vpon very good reason excepted as may well appeare by those thinges which are aboue specified It followeth groaneth vvith vs also that is to say that as wee sighe and groane vnder the burthen of our miseries and woulde gladly be deliuered from them so doe they vnder theirs which what it is hath bin declared before as in the verse following shall be shewed God willing what the sighes and groanes of the faythfull are and trauaile in paine togither to wit with vs or as well as we He vseth a metaphore taken as it should seeme from women with childe written by S. Luke is verie plaine and pregnant Act 3.21 whē the day of iudgment is called the time vvherin all things shal be restored Which little could not truly be attributed vnto it vnles that there should be a restauration of them To the same purpose also appertayneth that which in the third chapter of the 2. Epistle of S. Peter and in other passages mo 2. Pet. 3.13 Reue. 21.1 is mentioned touching the renevving of the heauens the earth Prouided alwayes that we be wise according to sobrietie and in the sobernes of our mindes staye our selues onely vpon the trueth of the word and the euidence thereof standing onely generally vpon the renouation and restauration of the world and entringe not either curiouslie to searche what parts of the world shal be restored what place shall containe them what actions they shall haue what proprieties they shall be iudued with and such like The neglect whereof hath in time past and at this present also because men haue not bene soberlie minded cast them into beastlie errors and made men fowlie to ouershoote themselues as in manie vncertaine and dangerous points so principallie in two respectes first that they dare affirme that after this great restitution the creatures shal be durable and remaine as it were immortall The other is that at that time also there shal be vse of them Neither were the olde heretickes I meane Cerinthus and the Chiliastae ouertaken onelie which these beastlie dotages and conceits but euen some of the fathers of greatest antiquity yea other of late daies though otherwise in manie pointes of verie sound iudgement haue inclined to much that way though not in iumping altogither with them Concerning which points in truth I could say nothing had they with the length of time and continuance of ages worne awaie and perished to rottennesse as one that thinketh it better not to stire such filthe least the stincke of it might not onelye breede trouble but infect and defile manie also sauing that euen in this last age of the worlde Sathan hath stirred vp manie lewd instruments afreshe to set abroach these corruptions and amongst the rest one R. E. I spare to put downe his name wholie as yet for it maye bee that God at some one time or other maye pull him out of that great puddle of corruption into which thorow manie errors if not heresies he is deepely suncke and bring him againe into the waie of trueth and saluation from which hee hath straied But leauing the persons let vs come to the pointes Concerning the first to witte that the creatures after their restitution and reuocation at the generall resurrection shall continue and remayne for euer mee thincketh this reason should carrie some force and waight with it againste the same namelie that for as much as all men some few onlye excepted doe confidenthe and groundedlie affirme that after the generall resurrection there shal be no vse of the creatures that therefore also there should bee no eternall durablenesse or continuaunce of them For if in the first creation when GOD in his almightie and euerlasting knowledge fore-sawe that confusion thorowe sinne should enter into the worlde hee did yet notwithstanding create nothing but verie good and that to excellent vse and purpose it should seeme not onelye probable but certaine that sith nowe as then hee doth in his eternall wisedome
in reason or an error in religion must of necessitie haue an other sense than the wordes seeme to import or else we should make god the author of al wisdome yea the only vvise God and wisdome it selfe 1. Tim. 1. the father of follie the word which is a most pure fountaine of all truth and sinceritie a filthie puddle of error corruption and lies And if for the saluing vp of mens slippes and sliddes in the words of their lips and mouthes we wil admit so many goodly gloses as they themselues or others for them can deuise or bring and yet perhappes fewe or none of them to purpose or effect if they might be well scanned and weighed why may wee not naie whie shoulde wee not take those assured groundes of christian religion that God hath reuealed in his worde against which no exception can anie manner of way be put and vse them as meanes not to free God from forgerie or deceit for he is always iust and holy though we be corrupt nor to cleare his worde from error which indeede in it selfe is al plainenesse and truth but as very good helpers and aiders to cause vs in an vnderstanding heart to beholde conceiue and beleeue such thinges as to the sound knowledge wherof otherwise we could no manner of way attaine or reach I say then that for as muche as the place in the bare wordes of it crosseth the principles of christian faith and that for as much also as the doctrine of the worde teacheth vs that such celestiall substances and altogither spirituall creatures as Angelles can doe no such earthlie dutie as is heere mentioned nor performe the actions of a naturall bodie that therfore the meaning of this place must of necessitie be this that for our weaknes sake that is attributed to them or spoken of them which in deede and truth and as in respect of their owne excellent natures cannot be verified in them For the strengthning whereof also me thinketh this may somewhat serue namely that as they seemed for the time to haue the shape of men and to take vppon them the proportion of their bodies and yet were not men indeede but alwayes verye Angelles and heauenlie spirites so they did sometimes seeme to vse the actions of humane life and yet vsed them not at all Indeede I both knowe and confesse that not only Scotus and the popish schoole-men are against me in this point but Augustine Peter Martyr and other men also of singular iudgement both newe and olde Howbeit I rest perswaded that euen they themselues if they were liuing and the godlie reader whosoeuer he be will beare with me dissenting from them vppon good reason yea euen vppon their owne reason For if they may say and that vppon iuste cause that Angelles tooke vppon them the shape of mens bodies for a time not by any power in themselues for that worke but by Gods appointment thereto and yet were not men but Angelles continually I hope that other men may say and that vppon as good groundes that they might seeme sometimes to performe the actions of men and yet not doe them indeed Wherevnto also I doe the more willingly incline bicause I am sure of this that nothing here is to be feared as erroneous or doubted as daungerous vnlesse some light-headed fellowe shoulde obiect and say that this faining to do a thing and not dooing of it were euill To whome for answere I say this much that I hartily desire all of that mind to beware and take heed what they speake in that behalfe bicause thereby they shall not onlie accuse those creatures of sinne whom the Lord hath freed from that corruption and the taint thereof I meane the holie blessed and elect Angelles but euen Iesus Christ the sonne of God himselfe of whome wee reade in the gospell after Luke that trauelling after his resurrection toward Emaus with two of his disciples he made as though hee vvoulde haue gone further Luke 24.28 and yet offended not therein bicause hee neuer committed sinne 1. Pet. 2.22 neither vvas there euer guile found in his mouth In a worde to deliuer what I thinke for anie man to conclude that euery fiction either in worde or deede were euill should be not onelie very hard and peremptorie but vtterly false and vntrue The parables that the prophets of God haue vsed and particularly that of Nathan in the first of Samu. twelfe chap. vers 1 2 3 c. and of Hos 1. vers 2 3 c. and of others should so be prooued falshoode and lying which we cannot rightly or safly affirme for as much as they vsed them by authoritie and warrant from the Lorde And yet I minde not to tollerate much lesse to allowe of that wicked license and diuellish libertie that the praters and ianglers of our dayes take vnto themselues in this behalfe both by worde and writing For I haue learned to put a difference betweene suche as Angelles and holy men haue by authoritie from GOD with some glorie vnto his name and good of his people and voide of ostentation or of affection as in respect of themselues vsed and those that prophane persons doe printe and coine sometimes for to manifest their wittes and sometimes for to obtaine credite thereby but alwayes with dishonour vnto GOD and hurte vnto themselues and hinderaunces vnto others as in some particulars and that by rearefull effectes I could well shewe were I so disposed But to the point indeede Let this stande as a resolued truth that for as much as Angels eate not bodilie or earthlie foode and we after the resurrection shal in that many other such like respects bee as the Angelles of GOD that therefore wee shall haue no vse of the restored creatures as for meate and sustenaunce and that therefore againe they fight directlie against the worde of GOD that dare bolt out such bolde and beastlie conclusions besides also that they doe vtterlie euert and destroie the nature and condition of a glorified bodie for if this be right 1. Cor. 15.44 53 that our naturall bodies shall become spirituall bodies not that the bodie shall be altered in respect of substaunce but as in regarde of earthlie qualities onclie And that vvhich is mortall must putte on immortalitie and this bee true also and sound Phil. 3 21. that our base and vile bodies shall be fashioned like vnto the glorious bodie of our Sauiour Christ it must of necessitie followe that if they haue foode to vse or to feede vppon it must be other foode than earthlie or corruptible meate such as our Sauiour himselfe speaketh of saying My meate is that I may doe the vvill of him that sent mee and finish his vvorke Iohn 4.32 for which also hee exhorteth vs to traueil saying Iohn 6.27 Labour not for the meate vvhich perisheth but for the meate that indureth to euerlasting life or else they must confesse that our Sauiour CHRIST since