their workes vnto this one end the good of those who loue him where euer they be in regard of place what euer in regard of persons yea howsoeuer disagreeing among themselues yet are they so ruled by the prouident power of the supreame gouernour our heauenly Father that all of them workes together vnto the good of them that loue him For albeit the Lord rested the seauenth day from the workes of creation so that hee made no new kinde of creature after that day yet did hee not rest from the workes of prouidence or gubernation whereof our Sauiour saith my Father workes hitherto and I worke When man hath finished a vvorke hee resignes it to another to be gouerned as the Wright vvhen he hath builded a ship giues it ouer to the Marriner to rule it neither is man able to preserue the vvorke of his hands neither yet knowes hee what shall be the end thereof It is not so with the Lord as by the worke of creation hee brought them out so by his prouident administration hee preserues them and rules euen the smallest creatures directing them vnto such ends as he hath ordained them for in the counsell of his vvill How euer some Ethnicks haue beene so blinde as to thinke that God did neglect the smaller things vpon earth scilicet is superis labor est and Epicures also whose false conceptions of the diuine prouidence are rehearsed by Eliphaz How should God know how should hee iudge through the darke cloud the cloudes hide him that he cannot see and hee walkes in the circle of heauen yet it is certaine hee rules not a part onely but all hee is not as they thought of him a God onely aboue the Moone No though he dwell on high yet he abases himselfe to behold the things that are on earth hee is not onely a God in the mountaines as the Syrians deemed but a God in the vallies also There is nothing so great nothing so small but it falles vnder his prouidence yea hee numbers our hayres and keepes them not one of them can fall to the ground without his prouidence Si sic custodiuntur superflua tua in quanta securitate est anima tua if hee so keepe thy superfluities how much more will hee keepe thy soule Let it therefore content vs in the most confused estate of things we can see fall out in the world that the Lord hath said All things shall worke for the best vnto vs. Let vs not question with Marie how can this be nor doubt with Sarah how can I conceiue nor with Moses where shall flesh be gotten for all this multitude but let vs sayth Augustine consider the author and such doubts shall cease As he hath manifested his power and wisedome in the tempering of this world making Elements of so contrary qualities agree together in one most pleasant harmonie so doth it appeare much more in gouerning all the contrary courses of men to the good of his own children One notable example whereof wee will set downe for all Iacob sends Ioseph to Dothan to visit his brethren his brethren casts him into the pit Reuben releeues him the Midianites buyes him and sels him to Potiphar his Mistresse accuses him his Maister condemnes him the Butler after long forgetfulnesse recommends him Pharaoh exaltes him O vvhat instruments are here how many hands about this one poore man of God neuer a one of them looking to that end which God had proposed vnto him yet the Lord contrary to their intention makes them all vvorke together for Iosephs aduancement in Aegipt But now to the particulars There is nothing in the world which workes not for our weale all the vvorkes of God all the stratagems of Sathan all the imaginations of men are for the good of Gods children yea out of the most poysonable things such as sinne and death doth the Lord draw wholesome and medicinable preseruatiues vnto them vvho loue him All the wayes of the Lord saith Dauid are mery and truth marke vvhat hee sayth and make not thou an exception vvhere God hath made none All none excepted therefore be thou strengthened in the Faith and giue glory vnto God resoluing with patient Iob albeit the Lord would slay me yet will I trust in him Sometime the Lord seemes to walke in the way of anger against his children which hath moued many of them to poure out the like of these pittifull complaints the arrowes of the almightie are vpon me said Iob the venime whereof doth drincke vp my spirit and the terrours of God fight against me thou settest me vp as a marke against thee and makes me a burthen to my selfe Thy indignation lyes vpon me said Dauid yea from my youth I haue suffered thy terrours doubting of my life For felicitie I haue had bitter griefe said Ezekiah for the Lord like a Lyon brake all my bones so that I did chatter like a Swallow and mourne like a Doue I am troubled on euery side said the Apostle hauing fightings without and terrours within Yet in all this dealing the Lord hath a secret way of mercy in the which he walkes for the comfort of his children it is but to draw vs vnto him that he shewes himselfe to be angry with vs aduersatur tibi deus ad tempus vt te secum habeat in perpetuum the Lord is an aduersarie to thee for a while that hee may for euer reconcile thee to himselfe And this albeâ—t for the present we cannot perceiue and can see no other but that the Lord hath taken vs for his enimies yet in the end we shall be compelled to acknowledge and confesse with Dauid it was good for mee O Lord that euer thou correctedst me for the Lord is mernailous in his saints O the deepenesse of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out His glory is great when he vvorks by meanes his glory appeares greater when hee vvorkes without meanes but then his glory shines most brightly when he workes by contraries It was a great worke that hee opened the eyes of the blinde man but greater that hee did it by application of spittle and clay meanes meeter to put out the eyes of a seeing man than to restore sight to a blinde man So hee wrought in the first creation causing light to shine out of darknesse so also in the worke of redemption for by cursed death he brought happy life by the crosse he conquered the crowne and through shame hee went to glory And this same order the Lord still keepeth in the worke of our second creation which is our regeneration hee casts downe that hee may raise vp hee kils and hee makes aliue hee accuseth his children for sinne that so hee may chase them to seeke remission of sinness hee troubleth their consciences that so hee may pacifie
similitude of ingrafting wherein Christ is compared to the Vine and wee to the branches grafted into him Lastly by the similitude of feeding wherin Christ is compared to the foode and wee to the bodie which is nourished As for the similitude of Marriage the strongest bands of coniunction that euer was betweene two creatures was betweene Adam and Eue for Eue was his Wife his Sister and his Daughter his Wife being ioyned with him in marriage by God she became one flesh with him she was his Sister made immediately by the hand of that same Father who made Adam and that without Adams helpe shee was also his Daughter for of him shee was made bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh All these wayes are we alyed vnto Iesus Christ we are his spouse in respect of that mutuall contract and couenant which is betweene vs he hath marryed vs to himselfe in righteousnesse iudgement mercy and compassion We are his Sonnes and Daughters in respect of regeneration which is our new creation we are also his brethren and sisters in respect of the spirit of adoption by whom we acknowledge God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ to be our father also in him and his sonne Iesus to be our elder brother Yet is our allyance with Christ so neere that all these whereof we haue spoken can not expresse it and therefore ye shall finde that there is not a way by which in nature two things are made one but from it the spirit of God borrowes similitudes to declare how Christ and we are one in him as the branch in the tree we are of him as Eue was of Adam we are of him as the house is built on the foundation wee are one with him and that many manner of wayes one with him as brother with brother as husband and wife as the body and the head as meat and that which is nourished what meruaile theâ— considering all these that the Apostle with boldnes breakes out in this glorious triumph there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ seeing we are in him as branches in the tree it is not possible that we can wither or decay for want of the sap of Grace so long as he doth retaine it and that shall be for euer seeing we are built on him like an house vpon a sure foundation what storme can ouerblow vs let the winde rise and the raine fall wee shall not be ouerthrowne because wee are the building of God standing vpon a sure foundation seeing wee are his spouse who can haue action against vs our debts fall to be payd by our husband he liueth to make answere for vs seeing we are his conquered inheritance who will take vs out of his hand My sheepe can no man take out of my hand saith our blessed Sauiour Most happy then and sure is the estate of all those who are in Christ Iesus But leauing other similitudes let vs consider that this phrase to be in Christ is borrowed from planting or ingrafting Our Sauiour vses this same similitude Iohn 15. And in it we haue these things to consider First who is the stock or root secondly who are the grafts or branches ingrafted thirdly what is the manner of the ingrafting fourthly some comfors and instructions arising hereof The root or stock whereinto this ingrafting is made is Iesus Christ called by himselfe the true Vine by the Apostles the true Oliue by the Prophets the roote of Iesse and the righteous branch this roote that great husbandman the eternall God prepared to be as a stocke of life wherein he ingrafts all of Adams lost posteritie whom he hath concluded to saue to the praise of the glory of his mercie After that in the fulnes of time God hath sent him into the world clad with our nature and he hath done the work for which he came the Lord laid him in the graue and as it were set him in the graue but at once like a liuely roote hee sprang vp and rested not till his branches spred to the vttermost ends of the earth and till his top mounted vp vnto heauen for there now he sits and raignes in life who before was humbled to death The branches or graftes ingrafted in him are of two sorts first all the members of the Church visible who by externall Baptisme are entred to a profession of Christ baptised with water but not with the holy Ghost this kinde of ingrafting will suffer a cutting off if thou continue not in his bountifulnesse thou shalt also be cut off For they haue not the sap of grace ministred to them from the stocke of life but are as dead trees hauing leaues without fruit they haue a shew of Godlinesse but haue denyed the power thereof these are no better then Esau who lay in the same wombe with Iacob borne and brought vp in the same Family of Isaac which was the Church of God marked also with the same sacrament of Circumcision Naâ— sicut ille ex legittima matre natus gratiam superbe spreuit reprobatus est it a qui in vera Ecclesia baptizantur gratiam Dei non amplectuntur cum Esauo reijciuntur For as hee being borne of a lawfull Mother proudely despised Grace and was cast off so they who are baptised in the true Church of God and embrace not the grace of God shall be reiected with Esau neyther shall it auaile them that by an externall kinde of ingrafting they haue beene adioyned to the fellowship of the visible Church The other sort are they who beside the outward ingrafting whereof we haue spoken are also inwardly grafted by the holy Ghost in Iesus Christ in such sort that Christ is in them and they in Christ and can say with the Apostle Now I liue yet not I any more but Christ Iesus liueth in me these haue in them that same minde which was in Iesus the onely sure argument of our spirituall vnion with him for if any man haue not the spirit of Christ the same is not his and they who are quickned and ruled by this spirit are assuredly his As for the manner of the ingrafting it is spiritual wrought by the holy Ghost who creating faith in our heart by hearing of the Gospell makes vs to goe out of our selues tranfire in Christum so to relie vpon him that by his light we are illuminated by his spirit wee are quickned by the continuall furniture of his grace we perseuere and increase in spirituall strength in a word so we liue that in our selues we dye Euery lampe of the golden candlesticke hath his owne pipe through which these two oliues that stand with the ruler of the whole world emptie themselues into the gold that is euery member of the Church of Christ receiues grace from that fulnesse of Grace which is in him through the secret conduits of the spirit whereby he causeth
man doth persecute him and seekes by all meanes to oppresse him but at the last hee shall be cast out This metaphor of dwelling doth also yeelde vnto vs exceeding great comfort in all other habitations the lodging is larger than the inhabiter but this is maruailous that the lodging here is so little and the inhabiter so great that infinite maiestie vvhom the heauen of heauens cannot contain vvho hath the heauen for his throne and the earth for his footestoole hath chosen for his dwelling and place of rest the soule of him that is poore contrite and trembles at his word A wonderfull mercy that the highest maiestie should so farre dimâ—t the selfe as that passing by all his other creatures hee should make choyse of man to be his pleasant sanctuary From this it is euident that this dwelling doth designe some speciall presence of God with his own children which he shewes not vnto others it is true hee is present in euerie place bounded within no place he containes all things vncontayned of any where hee dwelleth not as a Father there hee sits as a Iudge and is a terrour which manner of way the damned are continually vexed with his presence but in the Christian hee dwels as a maister in his owne familie as a Father with his children quickning ruling and preseruing them Worldlings may match the Christian in externall gifts but cannot compare with him in this internall glory though without hee be but an earthen vessell yet hath hee within an heauenly treasure for hee is the habitation of God in whom the Lord dwels by his spirit It was Beniamin his glory that the Lord should dwell betweene his shoulders and the glory of Ierusalem that there the Lord dwelt between the Cherubins but most of all the glory of a Christian that the Lord dwelleth betweene the secrets of his soule let worldling reioyce in their outward priuiledges and in their presumptuous minds leap like the mightie mountaines esteeming themselues high as mount Basan yet this is the glory of a Christian that God delights to dwell in him Let vs therfore make much of them who feare the Lord though in regard of their outward estate they were neuer so base we should not be ashamâ—d to doe them honour for his sake who dwelleth in them Dariâ—s preferred Daniell because the spirit was excellent in him and Pharaoh honoured Ioseph because the Spirit of God was in him yea the Angels are content to be Seruants and Ministers to them who feare the Lord they honoured Shepheards for Christs sake with their presence which they did not vnto King Herod for all his glory and shall not wee delight in Gods excellent ones vpon earth surely hee shall dwell in the Tabernacle of God in whose eyes a vile person is contemned but hee honoureth them who feare the Lord. Hereby wee know that wee are translated from death to life because wee loue the brethrâ—n Not onely doth this Metaphor of dwelling import a familiar presence but also a continuance thereof for he soiourns not in vs as a stranger that lodges for some dayes or Moneths in a place but hath setled his residence to dwell in vs for euer howeuer by temporall desertions he humble vs yet shall he neuer depart from that soule which once hee hath sanctified to be his owne habitation and this comfort is confirmed to vs by most sure arguments The first is taken from the nature of God Hee is faithfull saith the Apostle by whom wee are called to the fellowship of his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord hee will confirme vs to the end that we may bee blamelesse in the day of our Lord Iesus And againe saith hee I am perswaded that hee who hath begunne this good work in you will performe it vntill the day of Christ. That word which the Lord spake to Iacob stands sure to all his posteritie I will not forsake thee till I haue performed that which I promised thee The couenant of God is perfect and euerlasting and therefore with Dauid will wee giue this glory vnto God that he will performe his promise toward vs and bring forward his owne worke in vs to perfection The second argument is taken from the nature of that life which Christ communicateth to his members it is no more subiect vnto death We know that Christ being raised from the dead dyes no more this life I say is communicated to vs for it is not we that liues but Christ that liues in vs. And the third is taken from the nature of that seede whereof we are begotten for as the seede is so is the life that comes by it now the seed saith the Apostle is immortall wee are borne of new not of mortall seed but immortall our life therefore is immortall But against this is obiected that the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and that which Dauid prayes take not thine holy Spirit from me To this I answere that the spirit is taken sometime for the common and externall gifts of the spirit such as are bestowed as well vpon the wicked as vpon the godly as the gift of Prophecie gouernement working miracles and such like and these once giuen may bee taken againe in this sense it is said that God tooke the spirit that was vpon Moses and gaue it vnto the seauentie Elders and so also it is said that the spirit of God departed from Saul there it is put for the gift of gouernement sometime againe it is taken for the speciall and internall gift of sanctification this spirit once giuen is neuer taken away for this gift and calling of God is without repentance that is they neuer fall vnder reuocation To the second when Dauid saith take not thine holy spirit from me and restore me againe to the ioy of thy saluation this impoâ—â—s not a full departure of Gods spirit from him otherwise he could not haue prayed but that his sinne had diminished the sense and feeling of that operation of the spirit in him which he was wont to feele before and so is it with others of Gods Children that eyther the neglect of the spirituall worship or the commission of some new sins doth so impayre the sense of mercy in them that to their iudgement the spirit of God hath iustly forsaken them This I confesse is a very heauie estate and more bitter to them that haue felt before the sweetenesse of Gods mercy than death it selfe yet euen in this same estate wherein no comfort is felt let patience sustaine men let them learne to put a difference betweene that which they feele and that which is and remember that this is a false conclusion to say the spirit of grace is not in thee because thou canst not feele him for as there is a substance in the Oake or Elme euen when it hath cast the leaues so is there Grace in the heart
brought vpon them To make this yet more cleare wee are to know that there are three obiects of Sathans malice The first is God and his glory the second is man and his saluation the third is the creature made for Gods glory and mans good The principall obiect of Sathans malice is God and his glory he hates the Lord vvith a deadly and irreconcilable hatred so that if it lay in his power he would vndoe that most high and holy maiestie but because rage as he will he cannot impaire his sacred Maiestie he turnes him to the secondarie obiect which is man and troubles him by all meanes not so much for mans owne cause as for the Lords whose glory he seekes to deface that shines in man And if here also he cannot preuaile by reason that the Lord hath made a hedge round about man he turnes him to the third obiect of his malice which is the creature against which he is so insatiable that if he can be licensed to doe no more yet doth he esteeme it some pleasure to him to get leaue to enter into Swine that he may destroy them and this hee doth not that hee accounts a beast his pray for all the beasts of the earth cannot satisfie this roaring Lyon but that destroying the creature he may driue man to impatience and prouoke him to blaspheme the Lord as by these same meanes he made the Gadarens murmure against Iesus Christ and put him out of their land and this hath beene the course of Sathan euer since the beginning But blessed be the Lord our God who ouer-shootes Sathan and all his intentions that same man whom Sathan wounded hath the Lord restored and shall set his image more glorious in him than it was before and those creatures which Sathan defaced for the hatred he carryeth to Gods glory and mans good the Lord shall restore againe the glory of God encreaseth as it is impugned euery new declaration of Sathans malice shall end in a new declaration of Gods glory neyther is that enimie able to giue a wound to any of Gods children but the Lord shall make it whole and shall at the length confound Sathan by his owne meanes And here because it is commonly demaunded vnto what vse can these creatures serue in that day seeing wee shall haue no neede of the Sunne nor of other naturall meanes whereby now our life is preserued To this I answere that if the Lord will haue these workes of his hands to continue and stand as euerlasting monuments of his goodnesse and witnesses in their kinde of his glory who is it that can contradict it It is enough for vs that wee know they shall be deliuered and transchanged into a more glorious estate but for what vse wee shall best know in that day when we shall see it in the meane time reuerencing the Lords dispensation let vs rather endeauour to be pertakers of that glory than curiously to moue thorny and vnprofitable questions concerning it Now as for the manner of their deliuerance Seeing the Apostle saith that the heauens shall passe away with a noise and the elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the workes therein shall be burnt vp with fire and seeing the Psalmist saith that they shall perish how is it that here the Apostle saith they shall be deliuered This doubt shall easily be loosed if Scripture be made interpreter of Scripture The Psalmist in that same place expones the word of perishing by the word of changing what this changing shall be the Apostle here makes it manifest while he cals it the deliuering of them from one estate into another so that wee are not to thinke that they shall perish as concerning their substance but as concerning those qualities of vanitie seruitude and impotencie whereunto they haue beene subiected by the fall of man As siluer and gold is changed by the fire the drosse perisheth but the substance remayneth so shall these creatures be changed in that day for which cause also they are called new heauens and new earth And out of this wee may perceiue the necessitie of that exhortation giuen vnto vs by the holy Apostle Seeing therfore that all these things must be dissolued what manner of persons ought we to be in holy conuersation and godlinesse seeing the simplest seruant who shall haue any place in that kingdome must be changed and receiue a new liuerie how much more ought wee our selues to be changed who are the sonnes and heyres of that kingdome let vs not deceiue our selues no vncleane thing can enter into that heauenly Ierusalem without sanctification wee cannot see the Lord vnlesse wee be purged from our drosse and puâ—ified and fined by the spirit of the Lord wee shall not dwell in those new heauens wherein dwels righteousnesse Verse 22. For wee know that euery creature groneth with vs also and trauaileth in paine together vnto thâ—s present THe Apostle in this Verse concludes this purpurpose with some amplification thereof for hee ascribes to the creature a groning with vs and a trauailing together in paine whereby he doth yet more expresse the vehemencie of their desire for as he that goeth vnder an heauie burthen grones and longs to be eased thereof or as the woman which trauailes with childe hath a most earnest desire to be deliuered thereof so the creature wearie of this seruitude longs to bee eased This groning of the creature is not to be neglected seeing in holy Scripture wee finde that sometime God complaines to his creatures vpon the sinne of man and somtime the creatures complaines to God miserable is man if hee doe not complaine vpon himselfe In the first of Esay there the Lord complaines to his creatures vpon man Heare O Heauens hearken O Earth I haue nourished and brought vp Children but they haue rebelled against me c. and here againe the creature is brought in groning and complaining to God vpon man The first bloud that euer the earth receiued into her bosome sent vp vnto God a crying voyce for vengeance and the Lord heard it and now the earth meruailes in her kinde that hauing receiued so much bloud of the Saints of God into her bosome the Lord should delay to require it shee wonders againe that the hand of the Lord stablisheth her and makes her beare vp such a number of wicked men as are a burthen to her considering that once he caused her to open and swallow vp Corah Dathan and Abiram and hath many a time since shaken her foundations and destroyed by earth-quake notable cities making the houses of the inhabitants therof their buriall place the burden of sinne being now wonderfully encreased shee meruailes that the Lord causeth her to beare it and for this cause she cryes and grones vnto the Lord and this complaining of the creature wee are not to neglect it as I said for seeing they sigh and grone for the vanitie vnder
Worldlings yee are cursed with the curse of the Serpent yee creepe as it were vpon your bellyes and yee lick the dust of the earth all the dayes of your life yee haue not an eye to looke vp vnto heauen nor an heart to seeke those things which are aboue Most fearefull is our estate vve warne you of it but it is the Lord who must deliuer you from it This resolute knowledge is the mother of spirituall courage constancy and patience for why shall hee feare in the euill day yea though the earth should be remoued and the mountaines fall into the middest of the sea who sees the Lord sitting on his throne and the glassie sea of the world before him gouerning all the waltrings changes and euents of things therein to the good of them who loue him Oh that wee had profâ—â—ed so much in the schoole of Christ all our dayes that without doubting or making any exception we could beleeue this which here the Apostle layes for a most sure ground of comfort that so we might change all our thoughts and cares into one namely how to grow in the loue of God that in a good conscience we might say to the Lord with Peter Lord thou knowest I loue thee casting the burthen of all the rest of our feares griefes and tentations vpon the Lord who cares for vs and hath giuen vs this promise for praemunire all comes for the best The Souldier with courage enters into the battell vnder hope to obtaine the victory the Marriner with boldnâ—sse commits himselfe to the stormie seas vnder hope of vantage and euery man hazards in his calling yet are they all vncertaine venturers and knowes not the end but the Christian runnes not as vncertaine but as one sure to obtaine the Crowne for hee knowes that the God of peace shall shortly tâ—ead Sathan vnder his feet What then shall not hee with courage enter into the battell wherein hee is made sure of the victory before he fight knowing that all the warriours of Christ shall be more than conquerours through him if we will onely stand still wee shall see the saluation of the Lord. Gideon with his three hundred fought against the great host of Midian without feare because hee was sure of victorie Dauid made hast and ranne to encounter with Goliah because hee was perswaded that God would deliuer him into his hands The Israelits were not afraide to enter into the Riuer of Iordane because they saw the Arke of God before them deuiding the waters And shall onely the Christian stand astonished in his tentations notwithstanding that the word of God goes before him to resolue him that whatsoeuer falles out shall come for the best to him The Lord increase vs and make vs to abound more and more in the loue of our GOD for perfect loue casts out feare the Lord strengthen our faith that through these mistie cloudes of affliction which now compasse vs we may see that comfortable end which God in his word hath discouered vnto vs. And to this effect we must beware of the subtile slights of Sathan who to the end that he may spoile vs of this comfort in trouble endeauours by all meanes either to quench the light of God vtterly in our mindes or at least to darken and obscure it by precipitation of our vnbeleeuing hearts carrying vs headlong to iudge of the workes of God by their beginnings and to measure our selues in trouble by our present estate and condition not suffering vs to tarrie while we see the end whereof it comes to passe that our hearts being tossed too and fro with restlesse perâ—urbations like trees of the forrest shaken with the winde we hasten in our necessities to be our owne prouisors in our dangers we will be our owne deliuerers and euery way vve become the caruers of our owne condition Wee haue so much the more neede to beware of this precipitation because the deerest seruants of God haue fallen through it into fearefull sinnes against the Lord As wee may see in Dauid who being in extreame danger in the Wildernesse of Maon said in his feare that all men were lyers Is not this a great blasphemie to say that the promises which the Lord made to him by Samuel were but lyes and in his other extremities hee is not ashamed to confesse that he thought that God had forgot to be mercifull and had shut vp his tender mercy in displeasure but when he saw the end then he was compelled to accuse himselfe and giue glory vnto God I should haue beene dumbe not opened my mouth because thou didst it and againe I said in my feare all men are lyers for notwithstanding all Samuels promises I looked for nothing but death but now considering the deliuerance I must say pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of all his Saints Seeing this precipitation made Dauid to stumble and fall may vvee not feare least it carry vs to the like inconuenience vnlesse we learne to beware of it in time let vs not therfore iudge of the vvorks of God before they be ended If wee should looke to Lazarus on the doung-hill full of byles and sores hauing no comfort but from the dogs and compare him with the rich Glutton clothed in purple and fairing daintely euery day what can wee iudge but that Lazarus is the most miserable of the two yet if wee tarrie till the Lord haue ended his worke and Lazarus be conuayed to Abrahams bosome and the rich Glutton be gone to his place then shall the truth appeare manifestly All things worke together for the best to them that loue God Let vs therefore learne to measure the euent of things not by their present condition but by the prediction of Gods word let vs cleaue to his promise and waite on the vision which hath his owne time appointed it shall speake at the last and shall not lye though it tarry let vs wait for it it shall surely come and not stay let vs goe into the Sanctuary of God and consider the end there shall we learne that There is no peace to the wicked howsoeuer they flourish for a time that it cannot be but well with them who loue the Lord Marke the vpright man and behold the iust the end of that man is peace but the transgressours shall be destroyed together and the end of the wicked shall be cut off Thus both in the troubles of the Godly and prosperitie of the wicked wee should suspend our iudgement till wee see the end All things worke together Mark the singular priuiledge of the Christian not onely afflictions but all other things whatsoeuer worke for the best vnto him and not onely so but they worke together Many working instruments are there in the world whose couse is not one they communicate not counsels yea their intentions oftentimes are contrary yet the Lord bringeth all
forget them as thou committest them yet the Apostle tels thee that thou hast laid them vp in a treasurie Yea not onely hast thou laid vp in store thy sinnes but with euery sinne hast gathered a portion of wrath proportionable to thy sinne which thou shalt know in that day wherein the Lord shall breake vp thy treasure and open the booke of thy conscience and set thy sinnes in order before thee then shall thine owne wickednesse correct thee and thy turning backe shall reproue thee then shalt thou know and behâ—ld that it is an euill thing and a bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God Thou shalt be astonished to see such a multitude of witnesses standing vp against thee those sins which thou hast cast behind thy backe thou shalt see them set in the light of the countenance of God woe then shall be vnto thee for the Lord then shall turne thine owne wayes vpon thiâ—e head the Lord shall giue thee to drincke of that cuppe which thou hast filled with thine owne hand when thou shalt haue accomplished the measure of thine iniquitie and hee shall double his stripes vpon thee according to the number of thy transgressions But as for the children of God if yee doe aske when they are at the best I answere praysed be God our worst is gone our good is begunne our best is at hand As our Sauiour said to his kinsmen so may wee say to the worldlings your time is alway but my time is not yet come We were at the worst immediately before our conuersion for our whole life till then was a walking with the children of disobedience in the broad way that leads to perdition then we were at the worst when we had proceeded furthest in the way of vnrighteousnesse for then we were furthest from God Our best began in the day of our recalling wherein the Lord by his word and holy spirit called vpon vs and made vs change our course turning our backes vpon Sathan and our faces toward the Lord and so caused vs to part company with the children of disobedience that where they went on in their sinnes to iudgement we came home with the penitent forlorne vnto our fathers familie That was a a happy day of diuision betweene vs and our sinnes in that day with Israell we entred into the borders of Canaan to Gilgall there were we circumsised and the shame of Egipt taken from vs euen our sinne which is our shame indeede and which wee brought vvith vs euen from our mothers wombe The Lord graunt that we may keepe it in thankfull remembrance and that we may count it a double shame to returne againe to the bondage of Egipt to serue any more that Prince of darknesse in bricke and clay that is to haue fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknâ—sse but that like the redeemed of the Lord wee may walke from strength to strength till we appeare before the face of our God in Sion Alway this difference of estates betweene the godly and wicked should learne vs patience let vs not seeke that in the earth which our gratious father in his most wise dispensation hath reserued for vs in heauen Let vs not be like the foolish Iewes who loued the place of their banishment in Babell better than their home Now our life is hid with God in Christ and we know not yet what we shall be but we know when hee shall appeare we shall be like him the Lord shall carrie vs by his mercy and bring vs by his strength into his holy habitation hee shall plant vs in the mountaine of his inheritance euen the place which he hath prepared and sanctuary which he hath established then euerlasting ioy shall be vpon our head and sorrow and mourning shall flye from vs for euer And now till the Lord haue accomplished his worke in vs let vs not faint because the wicked floorish how euer they prosper they are to bee pittied more than enuied let them eate and drinke and be merry sure it is they will neuer see a better life then that which presently they enioy they haue receiued their consolation in this life and haue gotten their portion in this present world Surely no tongue can expresse their miserie and yet as Samuel mourned for Saul when God reiected him and Ieremie wept in secret for the pride of his people that would not repent of their sinnes how can wee but take vp a bitter lamentation for many of you whom in this time of grace wee see to be strangers from grace wee wish from our harts ye were not like the kinsemen of Lot they thought hee had but mocked when hee told them of an iminent iudgement and therefore for no request would goe out of Sodome but tarryed till the fire of the Lords indignation did consume them but that rather as Sarah followed Abraham from Caldee to Canaan so yee would take vs by the hand and goe with vs from hell to heauen but alas the lusts of the flesh hold you captiue or then the loue of the world doth bewitch you but all of them in the end shall deceiue you for all the labour vnder the Sunne is but vanitie and vexation of Spirit when you haue finished your taske you shall be lesse content than you were at the beginning you shall be as one wakened out of a dreame who in his sleepe thought hee was possessor of great riches but vvhen hee awaketh behold hee hath nothing or not vnlike that rich man who said in his securitie Now my Soule thou hast much goods for many yeares and euen vpon the next day redacted to such extreame necessitie with that other who dispised Lazarus that he had not so much as a drop of cold vvater to coole his tongue withall then shall you lament and say We haue wearied our selues in the way of iniquitie and it did not profit vs. Alas how shall I learne you to be wise Is not this a pittifull blindnesse the Lord vvhen hee created man made him Lord aboue all his creatures and now vnthankfull man sets euery creature in his heart aboue the Lord. O fearefull ingratitude Doe you so reward the Lord O foolish people and vnwise There is nothing which yee conceit to be good but when yee vvant it you are carefull to seeke it vvhen you haue it you are carefull to keepe it onely you are carelesse of the Lord Iesus though hee be that incomparable iewell vvhich bringeth light in darkenesse life in death comfort in trouble and mercy against all iudgement ye should set him as a signet on your heart as an ornament on your head and put him on as that glorious attire vvhich gets you place to stand before God But vvhat paines doe ye take to seeke him vvhat assurance haue yee that yee are in him or vvhat mourning doe yee make for that yee doe not possesse him can you say in truth that the
this sense the Papists take it in this question but wrongfully Secondly to iustifie is to acknowledge or declare one to be iust so it is said that the Publicans iustified God of force wee must expound it they acknowledged or confessed him to be iust so S. Iames saith that a man is iustified by workes that is declared to be iust by his workes or as S. Iames expounds it himselfe his Iustification is shewed by his works Thirdly the word to Iustifie is a iudiciall terme and it signifieth to absolue in iudgement and is opponed to condemning so Salomon vseth it He that iustifies the wicked and condemnes the iust are both alike abhominatâ—on to the Lord and in this sense the Apostle vseth it here for he oppones it to condemnation This right vnderstanding of the word will lead vs to know what the benefit of Iustification is for what euer condemnation be Iustification must be the contrary they are both iudiciall termes vsed in iudgement holden on matters of life and death Condemnation no man will deny is the sentence of a righteous Iudge adiudging a malefactor to death for some capitall crime whereof hee is found guiltie in iudgement Iustification then is the sentence of God a righteous Iudge absoluing the man that is in Christ from sinne and death and accepting him to life for the righteousnesse of Christ which is his So that it is euident the state of the question in the controuersie of Iustification will be this how is a man iustified before God that is what is it that a man must bring before Gods tribunall for the which hee shall be pronounced innocent absolued from death and adiudged to life whether is it our workes of sanctification inherent in vs or is it the righteousnesse of Christ giuen vnto vs and made ours The question being this way taken vp shall giue great light to the controuersie that is betweene vs and the falsely named Catholikes of our time for we denie not that there is in Gods children an inherent sanctification and that they are changed from vnrighteousnesse to righteousnesse but this inherent righteousnesse say we is not able to purchase to vs an absoluitorie sentence from death To make this yet more cleare let vs know that the righteousnesse by which wee are Iustified receiues foure names first it is called the righteousnesse of Christ secondly the righteousnesse of God thirdly the righteousnesse of Faith fourthly our righteousnesse The righteousnesse of Christ because it is conquered by him and inherent in him as in the proper subiect The righteousnesse of God because he onely in his meruailous wisedome found it out it is called the righteousnesse of Faith because Faith is the instrument by which wee apprehend it and it is called our righteousnesse because it is giuen vnto vs of God to be ours by imputation on Gods part by acceptation of it by Faith vpon our part for these two wayes that acquisite righteousnesse of Christ is made ours This wee haue to marke for our comfort against those obiections which eyther inwardly by Sathan or outwardly by men of a contrary opinion are obiected vnto vs. If they to trouble our peace and weaken our Faith aske how can yee be iustified by a righteousnesse which is not yours we answere the righteousnesse of Christ is ours and ours by as great a right as any other thing that we possesse is ours to wit by the free gift of God seeing it hath pleased God to giue vs a garment who were naked and to giue vs who had none of our owne a righteousnesse answerable to his Iustice vvhat intrest can eyther man or Angell haue to resist it The euasions and obiections whereby the aduersarie impugnes this doctrine are chiefely these First the Apostle say they excludeth the works of nature not the works of Grace the workes of a man vnregenerate they confesse cannot iustifie him but the works of a man regenerate say they doe iustifie him but this is false as is proued first by examples for Abraham whose example the Apostle bringeth in to confirme the doctrine of Iustification was a regenerate man and effectually called yet as witnesseth both Moses and S. Paul his faith was counted to him for righteousnesse Dauid after hee had beene a regenerate man yet saith Lord enter not into iudgement with thy Seruant for in thy sight shall no flesh be iustified The Apostle Paul protests of himselfe I haue in all good conscience serued God vnto this day neyther know I any thing of my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified hee was more abundant in good workes than all the rest of the Apostles hee did also beare in his body the markes of Iesus and was renouned through his manifold sufferings If euer any regenerate man could haue beene iustified by his good workes it was this holy Apostle yet hee tels you himselfe for all that I haue done for all that I haue suffered yet am I not thereby iustified The same is proued by reason that which by order of nature followes our Iustification before God cannot be said to iustifie vs in the presence of God cannot be said to iustifie vs in this sense but so it is good works by order of nature followes our iustification before God Non praecedunt iustificandum sed sequuntur iustificatum Againe such works as are not perfectly agreeable to the rule of Legall iustice cannot iustifie vs but rather fals vnder that curse Cursed is hee who fulfilleth not euery â—ot of the Law but so it is that the workes euen of men regenerate are not able to answere the perfection of the Law There is no man saith Salomon iust in the earth that doth good and sinneth not If I would dispute with God I could not saith Iob make answere vnto one of a thousand All our righteousnesse saith Ieremie is but like a menstruous cloath and our Sauiour hath taught euen regenerate men to pray daily for the remission of their sins Quid ergo de peccatis nostris fiet quando ne ipsa quidem pro se respondere poterit iustitia nostra what then shall become of our sinnes when our righteousnesse is not able to answere for it selfe Vae hominum iustitiae quantumuis laudabili si remotâ— misericordia Dei iudicetur woe to the righteousnesse of man were it neuer so lowable if God setting aside mercy enter to iudge it But they insist the workes of regenerate men are the workes of Christ for it is hee who by his spirit workes them in them therefore they are meritorious and iustifies I answere the workes of Christ iustifies it is true if yee vnderstand his personall workes done by himselfe in his own person as the Apostle teacheth vs He hath purged our sinnes by himselfe But as for those workes which hee workes in vs by his spirit of grace hee workes them not for our iustification that as I haue said he hath done
speakes of a naturall generation Let Paul speake before Agrippa of the heauenly vision and Festus shall count him a foole Let Lot speake to his Sonnes in Law of the iudgement to come vpon Sodome and they shall esteeme him as a mocker thus Naturalists can neyther vnderstand the words of mercy nor iudgement to be allured with the one or terrified with the other for he minds onely earthly things but as for the spiritual man he hath receiued that new mind Whereby he knowes him that is the true one hee is indued with new senses whereby he perceiues things which are excellent habet enim oculos interiores quibus videt iustitiae lumen he hath those naturall eyes whereby he seeth the light of righteousnesse And if from the vnderstanding we proceed to the affections whereupon can the naturall man set his affections but vpon those things which his vnderstanding commends for good for euery man hath his heart enclined to that which accoâ—ding to his knowledge hee thinks best for himselfe The Gadarens wil prefer their Swine before Christ and naturalists make more of their smallest earthly commodities than of those things which are aboue at the right hand of God 〈◊〉 the Christian accounts the testimonies of the Lord sweeter â—nto him then all the treasures of worldlings hee findes â—ore ioy in the lightsome countenance of God then in all abundance of Wheat and Wine the best things of this earth he accounts but doung the pleasures of the world are loathsome vnto him her glory is despised in his eyes habet enim olfactum interius de quo dixit Apostolus Christi bonus odor â—â—mus Deo in omni loco estque verbum illi odor vitae ad vitamâ— for he hath that internall sense of smelling whereof the Apostle speakes wee are vnto God the sweet sauour of Christ in euery place this makes the word of God vnto him either reason which should rule is ouer-ruled by the will or at least the crooked is led by the blinde that is a blinded vnderstanding directs the crooked will and peruerse affections a wrong way and what meruaile then if both fall into the ditch for where the eye which is the light of the body is darknesse how great must be the darknesse of the whole man and seeing the vnderstanding facultie of the soule giues no counsels nor conclusions but such as are deadly what can the will and affections doe but run headlong into the wayes of death This is that encrease of knowledge which we haue gotten by our Apostasie from God this is the fruit wee haue plucked from off the forbidden tree we haue a wisedome which brings out death the most excellent knowledge whereunto the quickest ingines could euer attaine by the light of nature profited them not vnto saluation Lanctantius compared all the learning of Philosophers to a liuelesse body wanting a head in seeing they were blind in hearing they heard not vnderstanding they vnderstood not while they professed themselues to be wise they became fooles As the sences are in the head so all spirituall vnderstanding of the way of life is in Christ Iesus by naturall philosophie they attayned to the knowledge of the creatures but learned not to know the Creator by natural reason they learned to discerne the sophistrie of men but not to resist the sophistrie of Sathan By practise also of Morall philosophie they attayned to a shew of those vertues which they called cardinall to a shew I say but as for true Prudence Iustice Temperance and Fortitude they attayned not vnto them without faith it is impossible to please God neyther can there be without it any thing which deserueth the name of vertue quid enim illis cum virtutibus qui Dei virtutem Christum ignorant for what haue they to doe with vertue who are ignorant of Christ the vertue and power of God All the light that is in nature is like to the sight of blinded Sampson for as he without a guide could not finde one pillar of the house no more can naturall vnderstanding finde out so much as one of the articles of our faith nascimur vniuersi viae ciuitatis prorsus ignari wee are all borne altogether ignorant of the way that leadeth to the citie of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle cals vs without a minde to know any thing pertayning to our owne saluation Whatsoeuer wisedome man hath without grace may leade him forward to euill but cannot teach him to eschew euill Achitophell was counted wise in his time and his wisedome and counsell as the oracle of God but hee had no wisedome to foresee nor preuent his miserable end he hanged himselfe in his impatiencie yet is the wit of naturalists in our time no better than his they are wise in their owne eyes and glories within themselues that by their subtile wits they haue gone through dangerous courses wherein others haue fallen yet they know not their end neither are sure that the politique deuise wherein they haue placed their confidence shall not at length be a snare to themselues Therefore the spirit of God vouchsafeth not vpon the men of this world the 〈◊〉 of wise men but calles them wise with arestriction they are wise saith Ieremie to doe euill Wiser saith our Sauiour in their owne generation than the children of God Basil properly compares them vnto Howlets which see somthing in the night but nothing in the day such are worldlings they haue some vnderstanding of the works of darknesse but no iudgement how to approue themselues to the light of God wise to compasse things present but carelesse for those which are to come Where if it be demaunded why then doth the Apostle attribute wisedome to them who vvalke after the flesh it is answered Prudentia dicitur cum res stulta sit quia sic ipsis videtur it is called wisedome because so it seemes to them who haue it albeit in very deed it bee foolishnesse The iudgements of the carnall and Christian man are so different that eyther of them esteemes another foolish but the one iudges with a warrant the other not so the spirituall Spirit they haue not As the waues of the Sea are stirred with euery winde so are their mindes perturbed through the tumultuous desire of their variable affections And as for peace of Conscience which ariseth of the sense of Gods mercy towards vs in Christ how can they haue it whose life is a continuance in inimitie with God for righteousnesse and peace doe kisse one another where there is no righteousnesse how can there be peace pax est haereditas ChristianoruÌ„ peace is the heritage of Christians The wicked haue their owne carnall securitie they blesse themselues in their heart when the word of the Lord doth curse them but the false conclusions of peace and safetie which they haue laid in their owne
bastard Christians which stands onely in a fayre Sepulcher prouided before hand for themselues in an honourable buriall commanded expected of them before death and in abundance of worldly things which they leaue to theirs behinde them all which as saith the same Father viuorum sunt solatia non mortuorum are comforts to them that liue behinde but no help to them who are dead I note this that considering the magnanimitie of these Ethnicks in suffering of death notwithstanding the weake and small comforts which they had to sustaine them we may be ashamed of our pâ—sillanimitie who hauing from Christ most excellent comforts against death are afraide at the smallest remembrance thereof An euident argument that albeit many professe him yet few are pertakers of his power life and grace and that many hath him dwelling in their mouths in whose harts he dwelleth not by his spirit The body is dead Hee sayes not the body is subiect to death but by a more significant manner of speach he sayth the body is dead There is a difference betweene a mortall body and a dead body Adams body before the fall was mortall that is subiect to a possibilitie of dying but now after the fall our bodies are so mortall that they are subiect to a necessitie of dying yea if wee will here with the Apostle esteeme of death by the beginning thereof our bodies are dead already The officers and sergeants of death which are dolours infirmities and heauieâ— diseases hath seased already vpon our bodies and marked them as lodgings which shortly must be the habitation of death so that there is no man who is not presently dead in some part or other of his body Not onely is the sentence giuen out against vs thou art dust and to dust thou shalt returne but is begun to bee executed our carkasses are bound with cords by the officers of death and our life is but like that short time which is graunted to a condemned man betweene his doome and his execution all which the Apostle liuely expresses when he sayes the body is dead Whereof there arises vnto vs many profitable instructions and first what great neede wee haue as wee are commaunded to passe the time of our dwelling here in feare working out our owne saluation in feare and trembling seeing our sinnes haue cast vs into the hands of the first death shall we not cry without ceasing that we may be deliuered from the power of the second Alas it is pittifull that man should so farre forget himselfe as to reioyce in the time of his misery to passe ouer the dayes of his mortall life in vanitie and wantonnesse not considering how the first death is already entred into his carkasse nor foreseeing how hee may bee deliuered from the second but liues carelesse like to the Apostates of the old world who in the middest of their sinfull pleasures were sodainly washed away with the waters of the wrath of God and their spirits for disobedience sent vnto the prison where now they are and like those Philistims who banquetting in the platforme of the house of Dagon their God hauing minde of nothing but eating drinking and sporting not knowing that their enimie was within were sodainely otherthrowne and their banquetting house made their buriall place so shall it be with all the wicked who liuing in a dead body cares for nothing but how to please themselues in their sinne the piller of their house shall be pulled downe destruction shall come vpon him like a whirlewinde and in a moment shall sodaine desolation ouertake them And let this same meditation represse in vs that poyson of pride the first sinne that euer sprung forth of our nature next to infidelitie and last in rooting out Wilt thou consider O man that thou art but dead and that thy body be it neuer so strong or beautifull is but a lodging of death and what cause shalt thou haue to waxe proud for any thing that is in the flesh quid â—u superbis terra cinis si superbientibus Angelis non pepercit deus quanto minus tibi putredo vermis what hast thou to doe to be proud O dust and ashes if God spared not the Angels when they waxed proud vvill he spare thee who art but a rotten creature yea Vermis crastino moriturus a worme that must dye to morrow If so was done to an Angell saith Bernard what shall become of me ille intumuit in coelo ego in sterquilinio he vvas puft vp in heauen and therefore was cast downe from the place of his habitation if I waxe proude lying in a douâ—g-hill shall I not bee punished and cast downe into hell So oft therefore as corrupâ— nature stirreth vp the heart of man to pride because of the flowers of beautie strength that grow out of it let this humble thee thy flowres O man cannot but wither for the roote from which they spring is dead already And lastly is the body dead then learne temperance and sobrietie what auaileth it to pamper that carkasse of thine with excessiue feeding which is possessed by death already if men tooke the tenth part of that care to present their spirits holy and without blame vnto the Lord which they take to make their bodyes fat and beautifull in the eyes of men they might in short time make greater progresse in godlinesse then they haue done but herein is their folly Carnem pretiosis rebus impinguant c. they make fat their flesh with delicate things which within few daies the woâ—ms shall deuoure Animam vero non adornant bonis operibiu but beautifies not the Soule with good works which shortly is to bee presented vnto God Let vs refraine from the immoderate pampering of this flesh Meates are ordained for the belly and the belly for meates but God will destroy them both We haue here moreouer discouered vnto vs the shamelesse impudencie of Sathan who daily tempting man to sin promiseth vnto him some good by committing of it as boldly as if hee had neuer falsified his promise before He promised to our Parents in Paradise that if they did eate of the fruite of the forbidden tree they should become like vnto God but what performed he in stead of making man like vnto God hee made him like vnto himselfe yet as I sayde so shamelesse is that lying Spirit that hee dâ—re as boldly promise vantage by committing of sinne this day as he did the first day to Adam in Paradise notwithstanding that wee see through miserable experience that death because of sinne is enâ—â—ed into our bodyes Is hee not a deceiuer indeed that did first steale from vs our birth-right and now would also take from vs the blessing all those benefites wee got by our first creation he hath stollen them from vs with his lying words and now hee goes about by lyes also to steale from vs that
I am who shall deliuer mee from the body of this death matter of ioy wee haue also in our God for vvhich vvee may reioyce with him and say I thanke God through Iesus Christ surely it cannot bee vvithout vnthankfulnesse vnto God so to mourne for our vvants that wee giue not praise to God for the beginnings of grace vve haue And for this same effect let vs yet further consider that this testimonie of the Spirit is not at all times enioyed in a like measure for that were to enioy heauen vpon earth The Lord therefore doth in such sort dispense it that sometimes he lets his children feele it for their consolation and againe with-drawes it from them for their humiliation when they feele it they so abound in ioy that all the terrors and threatnings of Sathan all his promises and allurements are despised of them and trodden vnder their feete they sing within themselues that glorious triumph of the Apostle who shall seperate vs from the loue of God but this ioy proceeding from the fulnesse of faith continues not the voyce of the Spirit of adoption waxing somwhat more silent feares and doubts succeedes in that same heart which before abounded with ioy and this for our humiliation But now in this estate least the Children of God be discouraged by the silence of the testimonie let them first of all haue recourse to the forepast working of God in them let them call to minde with Dauid the dayes of old remember their ioyfull songs by which they haue praised GOD their humble prayers by which many a time they haue gotten accesse to the throne of grace and these heauenly motions which haue replenished their soules with ioy and so of the former footesteps of his grace let them discerne his presence euen then when they cannot perceiue him And next let them consider that the godly in the time of their desertion which is their spirituall disease are euill iudges of themselues for they perceiue not that which they possesse there may bee an invincible hope of mercy in that soule wherein for the present there is no hope of mercy and this all the Children of God may make in their owne experience for whereof I pray thee hath it come that thou a weak man hast foughten so long against principalities powers the Lord had reserued mercy for vs wee should bee made like vnto Sodome or Gomorrha but now the lots are fallen to vs in pleasant places and we haue a fayre heritage Blessed bee the God of our saluation from henceforth and for euer If wee bee Children As for the Apostles order in these words wee are to remember that the Apostle here insists in the confirmation of that part of his reason that they who are the Sonnes of God shall liue Now hee lets vs see the necessitie thereof the Sonnes of God are the Heyres of God and the heritage whereunto they are borne is eternall life therefore of necessitie they must liue Wee haue here first to consider that high preferment whereunto wee are called in Christ not onely to bee the Sonnes of God but declared also to be the Heyres of God The heyre in a familie hath this prerogatiue that albeit the hand of his Father bee not closed from giuing good things vnto others yet the inheritance is reserued for him As Abraham gaue gifts to the Sonnes of Keturah but kept his best things for Isaac so the Lord our God shewes his great bountifulnesse in that hee makes his Sunne to shine and his raine to fall downe vpon the vniust no lesse than the iust yet herein stands the comfort of his children that hee reserues his best and most excellent things for them Neyther is it his creatures that hee giues to them in a portion hee giues himselfe vnto them as he promised to Abraham so he perfermes it to all the seed of Abraham I am thy exceeding great reward and therefore doe the godly so craue him that without him nothing can content them O Lord thou art my portion said Dauid My Soule saith to the Lord thou art my portion said Ieremie But as for them who can content themselues with the gifts of God suppose they neuer inioy himselfe they declare they are but Seruants who are not to bide in the house for euer and not the Sonnes of God Againe wee haue to marke here that albeit the Lord haue innumerable sonnes yet are they all his Heyres No Monarch in the world can beautifie his children with this priuiledge as to make them all his heyres and not diminish his Empyre but the Lord herein declares the riches of his glorious inheritance that all his sonnes are his Heyres and yet the inheritance inioyed of many is not the lesse Neyther are wee to thinke this impossible for seeing the Lord hath endued the Sunne in the firmament with this propertie that albeit the light thereof be communicated vnto many yet is it not the lesse in it selfe plurium oculos pascit tamen tanta est quanta erat illi pascuntur illa non minuitur it feedes the eyes of many they are nourished and it is not diminished may wee not much more thinke that the heauenly light communicated to many shall for all that not be impared In earthly inheritances it is so the moe be pertakers of them the lesse they are but it is not so in the heauenly there needes no strife among the brethren for diuision of the inheritance for the rich portion of one shall be no preiudice to another Neyther shall wee that are called to bee the sonnes of God in this last age of the world suffer any preiudice that many hundred years before vs some haue been entred heires of that kingdome God prouiding a better thing for vs that they without vs should not bee perfected Adam the first that euer was made the sonne of God by creation and afterward the first sonne of God also by regeneration together with the rest of those faithfull Patriarches that followed him hath in regard of years long before vs inherited the promises yet shall it not preiudice them who in the last age of the world are called to the fellowship of the faith of Christ yea hee that shall bee the last borne sonne of God in the earth by regeneration shall also bee pertaker of this priuiledge of the inheritance And this should greatly encourage vs to serue our God considering that how euer many of our brethren be entred before vs whose example should confirme vs yet the portion prepared for vs shalt not be the lesser There is also another difference for in the earthly inheritances the father must first die before the son come to the full possession thereof but in the heauenly wee our selues must die that wee may possesse the inheritance For our father is the auncient of dayes the heauens are the workes of his hands they
fed them are smitten and there is nothing belonging to them were it neuer so small but the wrath of God seased vpon it This was but a temporall and perticular iudgement yet doth it make vnto vs some representation of that vniuersall iudgement wherein all the creatures of God shall concurre and lend their helps to torment the wicked when the full cuppe of Gods wrath shall be powred out vpon them Not of the owne will This is as we said before figuratiuely spoken of the creature that it is said to haue a will For the will of the creature is no other thing but the naturall inclination of the creature and the meaning is that the creature of the owne nature is not subiect to this vanitie but that it is subdued vnder it by the superiour power of God for the sinne of man Where if it be asked how stands this with iustice that the creature which sinned not should be subiected to vanitie for the sinne of man The question is easily answered if we consider that the creatures were not made for themselues but for the vse and seruice of man and that whatsoeuer change to the worse is come vpon them is not their punishment but a part of ours If earthly Kings without violation of iustice may punish their rebels not onely in their persons but by demolition of their houses or otherwise in their goods and substance how shall we be bold to reproue the Lords doing who hauing conuinced man of a notorious treason hath not onely punished himselfe but defaced the house wherein he set him to dwell seeing hee hath violated the band of his seruice vnto God what reason is it that Gods creatures should continue in the first course of their seruice to him surely it stands with the righteous iudgement of God that his creatures should become comfortlesse seruants to man seeing man of his owne free will is become an vnprofitable servent to his God yea a wicked rebell against him And againe that the Apostle sayth the change which is made in the creature is against the will of the creature it serues greatly for our humiliation The fall of Apostate Angels was a fall by sinne but with their will and without a Tempter to allure them or without any hope that euer they shall bee restored The fall of man was also a fall by sinne of his owne free-will but not without the tempter neither without hope of recouery and restitution But the fall of the creature was neither a fall of sinne nor of their owne will but a casting of them downe against their will from their originall state yet not without hope to be deliuered Miserable in the highest degree are Apostate Angels who of their owne free-will without an exteriour tempter haue deserted their first habitation and cast themselues into remedilesse condemnation Miserable in the second degree are reprobate men who haue fallen of their owne free-will suppose prouoked by an exteriour tempter and shall neuer be pertaker of the restitution of the sonnes of God But herein hath the Lord magnified his mercy towards vs that where wee fell with Angels and reprobate men yet we are restored without them The consideration of our fall should humble vs for in it wee are worse than the creatures they haue fallen from their glory but not with their owne will we are fallen from ours and we cannot excuse our selues but it was with our will Againe the hope of our restitution should greatly comfort vs considering that the Lord hath vouchsafed that mercy vnto vs which he hath denyed vnto others Further we are taught here so oft as we are crossed by the creature not to murmure against God nor to blame the creature but to complaine vpon our selues If the heauens aboue be as brasse and the earth as iron if the sea rage and the aire waxe turbulent if the stones of the field be â—ffences whereat wee stumble and fall if the beasts wee haue bought or hyred for our vse serue vs not at our pleasure let vs not foolishly murmure against them as Balaam did vpon his Asse what meruaile they keepe no couenant with vs seeing we haue not kept couenant with our God Vnder hope Herein hath the Lord wonderfully magnified his mercy toward vs that hee hath not onely giuen to our selues a liuely hope of full deliuerance but also for our greater comfort hath extended the same toward the creature for our cause The Apostate Angels are not pertakers of this hope as we said before that restitution promised in the Gospell vvas neuer preached vnto them wee read that sometime they haue giuen this confession that Iesus is the sonne of God but they neuer sent out a petition to him for mercy for they haue receiued within themselues an irreuocable sentence of condemnation and they know certainly that mercilesse iudgement abides their wilfull and malitious Apostasie and reprobate men in like manner haue no hope of any good thing abiding them after this life and therefore vve are so much the more to magnifie Gods mercy toward vs vvho by Grace hath put a difference betweene vs and them vvhere there was none by Nature and hath not onely giuen to vs our selues a liuely hope of restitution but also for our sakes hath made the creatures that vvere cursed for our sinne pertakers of the same deliuerance with vs. Verse 21. Because the creature also shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God HEre followes the second reason wherefore the creature feruently desires the day of the reuelation of the sonnes of God and it is taken from that glorious estate into the vvhich the creature shall be translated in that day Where first we haue to see vvhat creature this is vvhich shall be deliuered and secondly vvhat the deliuerance is The vvord creature is a generall name of all the vvorkes of God but here it is put for those creatures vvhich being made by God for man vvere hurt by the fall of man and shall be restored vvith him And so vnder this name vve comprise not reprobate Angels and men neither those excrements of Nature which are bred of doung and corruption neither thornes thistles or such like which are the fruits of Gods curse vpon the creature for our sinne and are in that day to be destroyed not restored but by the creature we vnderstand the heauens and earth with the rest of the elements and workes of God therein contayned made for the glory of God and the vse of man And this is to declare that excellent deliuerance vve haue by Iesus Christ there is no wound which Sathan hath giuen man by sinne but the Lord Iesus by his grace shall cure it he shall not onely purge our soules from all sinne and deliuer our bodies from the power of the graue and corruption but shall deliuer the creatures our seruants from that curse which our sinnes
to the aduersary as to thinke I haue no faith because it is weake or I haue no loue because it is little or no sanctification because it is but in a beginning No but I will so hunger and thirst for more grace that I will still giue thankes for the grace I haue receiued for here vve haue no fulnesse our greatest measure is as the first fruits in respect of that which is to come On the other side because euery comfort vvhich is giuen to the godly is turned by prophane contemners and mockers into an occasion and nourishment of sinne they are to know this comfort belongs not vnto them It is a common thing to them to excuse the want of all Grace O it is but a small grace vvhich in this life is communicated to the best and they thinke their sinnes are well inough couered by this that all men are sinners as if there were no difference betweene sinne tyrannizing in the wicked and captiued in the the godly or as if beginnings of Grace in the regenerate did not seperate them in regard of conuersation from the vnregenerate who are void of all Grace Let them therefore know that the Spirit of God vvhom the godly receiue is not onely called the first fruits the earnest and the witnesse of God but also the seale and signet of the liuing God As a seale leaues in the waxe that similitude and impression of the forme which is in it selfe so the Spirit of God communicates his owne image to all those whom he seales against the day of redemption hee makes them nevv and holy creatures And this conuinces carnall professors of a lye vvho say they haue receiued the first fruites of the Spirit notwithstanding that their vvorks be wicked and vncleane they may rather if they would tell the truth say as those who being demaunded vvhether they had receiued the holy Ghost or no answered we know not vvhether there be an holy Ghost or no so may they instead of bragging of the first fruits of the Spirit say in truth we knovv not vvhat yee call the first fruits of the Spirit And thirdly out of this description vve may gather that albeit we haue no more but the first fruits of the Spirit yet are they sufficient to assure vs that hereafter vve shall enioy the whole Masse In two respects it is customable to men to giue an earnest penny in buying and selling either when the summe is greater than they are able to pay for the present or when the thing bought is of that nature that it cannot presently be deliuered but betweene the Lord and vs there is no buying nor selling he giues freely vnto vs both the earnest and the principall but first the one and then the other not that the Lord is vnable to pay presently all that he hath promised but because the principall is of that nature that it cannot be receiued till we be prepared for it As the husbandman must sow and tarâ—y with patience till the haruest come wherein he may sheare as the warriour must fight before he obtaine the victory and the wrestler receiues not his crowne till hee haue ouercome neither doth he that runnes in a race obtaine the prise till he haue finished it so must the Christian in all these be exercised before that the Lord possesse him in the promised kingdome of his sonne Christ Iesus And though payment of the principall for a time be delayed yet for our comfort the earnest and first fruits are presently deliuered vnto vs the Lord so dealing with vs as he delt with Israell in the Wildernesse when he caused the twelue spies to bring with them from the riuer of Eschol a branch of the Vine tree so full of the clusters of grapes that it was borne betweene two vpon a tree together with the figges and pomegranats and other fruits of that land for no other end but that Israell tasting of the first fruits of Canaan might be prouoked to a more earnest desire thereof as also to assure them that the Lord who had giuen them the beginnings would also put them in possession of the whole according to his promise euen so the Lord Iesus who hath gone before vs to our heauenly Canaan not to view it onely but to take possession thereof in our name hath sent downe vnto vs some of the first fruites thereof that we may taste them such as peace of Conscience and ioy of the Spirit that by proofe of the small beginnings we may knovv vvhat excellent comfort is laid vp in store for vs. We sigh in our selues Here followes now the two effects of the Spirit which he vvorkes in them vvho haue receiued it The first is a sense of their present misery which causes them to sigh vnto God for deliuerance and hee sayth they sigh within themselues to teach vs that it is not an hipocriticall and counterfait but an inward and godly sorrow vvhich the Spirit workes in the children of God Which I doe not so speake as if I did condemne those sighes which breake forth without for sometime the griefe of hart is so aboundant in the godly that not onely it breakes out in sighing and mourning but in strong crying to God also but to restraine the hipocrisie of others who make a faire shew of that in the flesh which is not in the Spirit True religion striues rather to be approued of God than seene of men one sigh proceeding from the heart is a louder crying in the eares of the Lord of hosts and more forcible to moue him than the noise of all the shooting Priests of Baal when they are gathered together into one We are therefore more deepely to consider this that the Spirit of God first teacheth vs to figh and mourne for our present misery before he comfort vs with a constant hope of deliuerance If now we mourne not wee shall not reioyce hereafter it is onely mourners whom God hath marked in the fore-head to saue from the wrath to come such a continuall mourner was Dauid who protests that in the night he watered his couch with teares and in the day mingled his cuppe therewith Iob in like manner my sighing said he comes before my eating The Saints of God are not ashamed to professe that of themselues which the mockers of this age esteeme a womanly affection there is nothing to be found among them but eating drinking singing and a contracting of one sin after another with carnall reioycing but woe be vnto them that now laugh for assuredly they shall weep the end of their ioy shall be endles mourning and gnashing of teeth they shall shed teares abundantly with Esau but shall finde no place for mercy Let vs therefore goe to the house of mourning with the Godly rather than to the banquetting houses of the wicked reioycing in their sinfull pleasures At one time Simon the Pharise gaue our Sauiour a dinner
and foresee their end for eyther that shall be fulfilled in them which Mâ—rdecay said to Ester who knowes if for this thou art come to the kingdome that by thee deliuerance may come to Gods people or else that which Moses in Gods name said to Pharaoh the oppressour of the Church in her adolescencie I haue set thee vp to declare my power because thou exaltest thy selfe against my people May wee not behold here how vnsure their standing is and how certaine their fall who when they are highest abuse their power most to hold the people of God lowest what else are they but obiects whom the Lord hath raised vp to declare his power and iustice vpon them If wee shall mark the course of the Lords proceeding euer since the beginning of the world wee shall finde a blessing following them whom he hath made instruments of good vnto his Church and that such againe haue not wanted their owne recompense of wrath who haue continued instruments of her trouble When the Lord concluded to bring his Church from Canaan to soiourne in Egypt hee sent such a famine in Canaan as compelled them to forsake it but made plentie in Egypt by the hand of Ioseph whom the Lord had sent before as a prouisor for his Church and by whom Pharaoh was made fauourable to Iacob but when the time came that the Lord was to translate his Church from Egypt to Canaan then hee altered Pharaohs countenance and raised vp a new King who knew not Ioseph hee turned the Egyptians hearts away from Israell so that they vexed Israell and made them to serue by crueltie Thus when the Lord will bring them to Egypt hee maketh Pharaoh fauourable which also brings a blessing vpon Pharaoh and his people but when the Lord vvill haue them to goe out of Egipt hee maketh another Pharaoh an enimie vnto them whereby both they are made willing to forsake Egypt and Pharaoh prepares the way for a fearefull iudgement on himselfe and his people Againe when the sinnes of Israell came to that ripenes that their time was come and their day drew neere the Lord stirred vp the King of Babell as the rod of his wrath and staffe of his indignation He sent him to the dissembling nation and gaue him a charge against the people of his wrath to take the spayle and the pray and to tread them vnder feete like mire in the streets and to this effect that the Lord might be auenged of the sinnes of Israell he subdued all the kingdomes round about them vnder the King of Babell that no stoppe nor impediment should be in the way to hold back the rodde of Ashur from Israell But yet againe when the Lord had accomplished all his worke vpon Israell and the time of mercy was come and the seauentie yeares of captiuitie expired then the Lord visited the proud heart of the King of Ashur and for his Churches sake he altered againe the gouernement of the whole earth translating the Empyre to the Medes and Persians that so Cyrus the Lords annoynted might performe to his people the promised deliuerance All which should learne vs in the greatest changes and alterations that fall out in the world to rest assured that the Lord will worke for the good of his Church though the earth should be moued and the mountaines fall into the middest of the sea yea though the waters thereof rage and be troubled yet there is a riuer whose streames shall make glad the cittie of our God in the middest of it yea if they who should be the nourishng Fathers of the Church forsake her and become her enimies they shall assuredly perish but comfort and deliuerance shall appeare vnto Gods people out of another place The Lord for a while may put the brydle of bondage in the Philistims hand to humble Israell for their sinnes but it shall be taken from them at length his Church shall with ioy draw water out of the Well of saluation and prayse the Lord saying though thou wert angry with mee thy wrath is turned away and thou comfortest mee yea Sion shall cry out and shout for ioy for great is the holy One of Israell in the middest of her And therefore in our lowest humiliations let vs answere our enimies Reioyce not against me O mine enimie though I fall I shall rise when I shall sit in darkenesse the Lord is a light vnto mee I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I haue sinned against him vntill hee plead my cause and execute iudgement for me he will bring me forth to the light and I shall see his righteousnesse then hee that is mine enimie shall looke vpon it and shame shall couer him who said to mee where is the Lord thy God now shall hee be trodden vnder as the mire in the streets yea so let all thine enimies perish O Lord. For the best This good or best is no other thing but that precious saluation prepared to be shewed in the last time reserued in the heauens for vs and whereunto wee are reserued by the power of God through Faith Of this it is euident that our best is not yet wrought it is onely in the vvorking and therefore vvee are not to looke for it in this life There is a great difference in this betweene the Godly and the wicked the one enioyes their best in this life the other not so but looketh for it If if should be demaunded when a wicked man is at his best I would answere his best is euill enough but then is bee at his best when hee comes first into the world for then his sinnes are fewest his iudgement easiest it had beene good for him that the knees had not preuented him but that hee had dyed in the birth For as a riuer which is smallest at the beginning increases as it proceedes by the accession of other waters vnto it so the wicked the longer he liueth waxeth worse and worse deceiuing and being deceiued proceeding from euill to worse till at length hee be swallowed vp in that lake that burnes with fire and brimstone And this the Apostle expresseth most significantly when hee compaâ—es the wicked man vnto one gathering a treasure wherein hee heapeth vp wrath vnto himselfe against the day of wrath for euen as the worldling who euery day casteth a piece of money into his treasure in few yeares multiplyes such a summe that hee himselfe is not able to keepe in minde the particulars thereof but when hee breaketh vp his boxe hee finds in it sundry sorts of coyne which were quite out of his remembrance Euen so it is and worse with thee O impenitent man who not onely euery day but euery houre and moment of the day doest multiply thy transgressions and defile thy conscience by hoording vp into it some dead worke or other to what a reckoning thinkest thou shall thy sinnes amount in the end though thou doest
and the world were formed euen from euerlasting to euerlasting the Lord is our God What creature then is able to disanull that which God hath willed before that euer a creature was onely let vs labour that as our election is sure in it selfe so we may make it sure vnto vs by walking in a good conscience before the Lord and then we shall not care what man or Angell say to the contrary against it they are but posterior creatures and what intrest can they haue to gaine say that which God hath done before that they were Happy are they who are rooted grounded and builded vpon this rocke no stormy waue of the sea shall ouerturne them no rage of tentation nor power of the gates of hell shall preuaile against them Lastly we are taught here by the holy Apostle that all men are not foreknowne all are not predestinated to life otherwise there were not an election there is onely a certaine and definit number which belong to the election of Grace a fulnesse both of Iewes and Gentiles a number not knowne to vs but knowne to the Lord not one more nor one lesse shall be pertakers of saluation Many saith out Sauiour shall come from the East and from the West and shall sit with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of God he saith not all the children of the East shall come but many shall come This should waken in vs a holy care so long as the calling of God continues among vs to take heed to our selues striuing to thrust in at the doore of the kingdome of heauen for it suffers violence and the violent take it the fewer there be to be receiued into that kingdome the more we should about to be of that number We see that in nature things that are common were they neuer so excellent are not esteemed the Sunne because common to all is regarded of few though it be a very excellent and profitable creature but parcels of the earth possessed by men in propertie are much more remembred and regarded by those to whom they belong riches and honour are in greater account among men because few attaine vnto them and if we were as wise in spirituall things that grace of Christ which brings saluation would be more pretious and deere vnto vs because it is communicated to few The Lord giue vs grace to consider rightly of it in time To be made like to the image of his Sonne The Apostle insists not in the rest of the linckes of the Chaine hauing touched them he leaues them onely he insists in this lincke of Predestination teaching vs that he vseth not here the word of Predestination generally but restraines it to Predestination vnto life as also that we cannot step from election to glory but by a conformitie with Christ which is most necessary for vs to marke for albeit there be great comfort in the consideration of Gods immutable purpose ordayning man to life as also in the consideration of that glory whereunto we are ordayned yet neither of them can comfort vs vnlesse we be sure that our life is a proceeding from election to glorification by the right meanes The first and neerest end of election in regard of man is his sanctification for the Lord hath chosen vs that wee should be holy the second and furthest end is mans glorification The same Lord Iesus who said I am the life said in like manner I am the way and the veritie if thou wouldst be at life lye not still in thy sinnes but rise and walke in the way and if thou knowest not the way learne it from him who is veritie Let not presumption which slayes the wicked ouertake thee they passe ouer the matter of their saluation with a wanton word their hearts are prophane yet they boast with their tongues that they are sure to be saued but this is a vaine reioycing for he that walkes not in the way how is it possible that he can come to the end assuredly he shall neuer come where Christ is to liue with him that walkes not after Christ in newnesse of life This conformitie with the Lord Iesus whereunto wee are predestinated is partly in this life partly in the life to come Our conformitie in the life to come shall stand in liuing and raigning with Christ which is our glorification whereof he speakes hereafter Our conformitie in this life stands in liuing and suffering with Christ and of this hee speakes here to liue godly after the rule of Christ to suffer patiently after the similitude of Christ are the two parts of our present conformitie with him The Lord Iesus is giuen vs of the Father both to be a Sauiour and an example vnlesse we make him an example to follow him in our doing and suffering he shall not be vnto vs a Sauiour Here we are to marke that the workes done by Christ in our nature are threefold first his personall workes of Redemption as that he was borne of the Virgin that he suffered the cursed death of the Crosse for the expiation of our sinnes that hee rose the third day for our iustification that hee ascended triumphantly into Heauen leading captiuitie captiue Secondly his workes of miracles as that hee fasted forty dayes gaue sight to the blinde life to the dead and such like Thirdly his workes of godlinesse and sanctification as that he was subiect to his parents louing to his brethren painefull in his calling perseuering in prayer To practise to follow him in his personall workes of Redemption is blasphemie or in his workes of Miracles is impossibilitie but to follow him in the workes of a godly life is true pietie In the first Papists are blasphemous that on good Fryday makes a play to the people by counterfaiting the sufferings of Christ. In the second Papists are ridiculous that practise to counterfaite him in his fortie dayes fasting as if that might ordinarily be done of men which once Iesus did for a Miracle In the third let all those who are truely religious striue to follow him as Children looking to their coppy learne to mend their letters so let vs by looking daily to our example learne to amend our liues Imitation in the first two Iesus did neuer require onely hee craues that wee should follow him in the third there is his voyce Learne of me that I am lowly and meeke he did not bid thee saith Augustine learne at him how to make the world or how to raise the dead but how to be lowly and meeke for this cause did our blessed Sauiour wash his Disciples feete that hee might giue vs an example how one of vs should serue another as I haue loued you saide Iesus so loue yee one another yea in that vpon the Crosse hee prayed for his enimies hee hath also taught vs how to practise that precept Pray for them who persecute you In patience likewise hee is proposed
God by their beginnings What inconueniences arise from this precipitation Psal. 39. 9. Psa. 116. 10 Psa. 116. 13. He that will iudge of Lazarus on the dunghill shall think him more miserable than the rich Glutton But wee shall best iudge of the works of God if we tarry till they be ended Esay 48. 22. Psal. 37. 37. Gods wonderfull wisdome in causing things of so contrary qualities to agree to do one worke God hath rested from the worke of creation not of gubernation Ioh. 5. 17. His prouidence extends to the smallest things Iob. 22. 13. 14. Psal. 113. 1 King 20. Augustine In greatest confusion of things let vs keepe our comfort the end of them shal be our good Gen. 37. c. The end of all the wayes of God is our good Psal. 25. 10. Iob. 13. 15. Yea euen when he seemes to be most angry with his children he is working their good Iob. 6. 4. Isa. 38. 17. 13. 14 2 Cor. 7. 5. Chrisost. in Mat. hom 14 Rom. 11. 13 For the working of God with his children is by contraries Sathans stratagems are directed to the good of the godly Ambr. lib. 1. de paeni ca. 13 Sathans accusations for sinnes past are vnto the godly preseruatiues against sin to come And his tentations to sinne chases them to the throne of grace 2 Chron. 20. 13 Ambr. ibid. As the Philistims vnderstood not Samsons riddle how sweete came out of the sowre so cannot worldlings that comfort is in the crosse Iudg. 14. 14. Rom. 5. 3. 2 Cor. 4. 13. Heb. 12. 11. Afflictions profitable to the children of God Lam. 3. 27. Psal. 119. 71 Ioh. 15. 2. The wicked putrifie and rots in their prosperitie Iere. 48. 11. 2 Sam. 7. 14. 15. Death workes also the good of Gods children Death compared to the red Sea Egiptians drowne in it But the Israelits of God shall goe through it How the enimies of Gods childreÌ„ against their will procures their good Gen. 50. 20. 1 Sam. 29. Death of the body to a Christian is but as the renting of Iosephs garment from him Chrisostome Since to euery Christian all things work for the best much more are we to think that this is the priuiledge of the whole Church Gen. 12. 3. A warning for Kings such as are in authoritie Hester 4. 14. Exod. 7. They who rise to authoritie not to the good of the Church shall assuredly fall Examples â—â—ewing how God hath altered the state of worldly Empires for the good of his Church In Pharaoh king of Egypt In the Monarch of Babell and Persia. Therefore in our greatest mutations our hart should not be moued from confidence in God Iob. 19. What is a christians best A wicked man is at his best when he is first borne for the longer he liues the moe sins he multiplyes Ierem. 9. 3 A man continuing in sinne compared to one gathering a treasure With euery new sinne he gathers a new portion of wrath A Christians best beginnes in the day of his conuersion Ioh. 6. 3. The day of our conuersion was a day of diuâ—siâ— betweene vs our old sinnes which wee should not forget Seeing our best is not in this life let vs possesse our â—oules in patience How they are to be pittied who reioyce in things present as in their best things Luke 12. 19. Wisd. 5. 7. Miserable worldlings who take more paines to get keep any thing than Iesus Christ. Psal. 50. 22. How all things worke for the worst to the wicked The persons to whom the former comfort belongs are described to be such as loue God and are called by him Three things inseperably knit 1. Gods purpose concerning vs 2. his calling of vs 3. our loue toward him None can loue God but such as he hath chosen and called It is thought a common thing to loue God but none can loue him who are not beloued of him 1 Ioh. 4. 10. He that would know Gods purpose toward him let him go downe to his own heart and not vp to Gods counsell Ioh. 21. 15. Loue the first affection that Sathan peruerted And the first which in our regeneration is rectified by the spirit of grace The first obiect of reformed loue is God August de temp ser 223 The second obiect of reformed loue is our selus He cannot loue his brother who loues noâ— himselfe Augustine Man hath need to learne how to loue himself rightly Aug. ad frat in Eremo ser. 30. Amb. lib. 2. offi cap. 12. Loue to our selues and our neighbor â—â—uld be measured but our loue to God should be without measure Bern. in Cant ser. 20. Three conditions requisite in the loue of God Mat. 19. 27. Iohn 14. 21. Mat. 16. 22. 23 In this life wee are farre from that measure of the loue of God which should be in vs. Foure meditations helpful to encrease in vs the loue of God We should loue him because he himselfe is the supreame good Because he hath first loued vs. Bernard He hath declared his loue by innumerable gifts already giuen vs. Hee hath yet greater things which he hath prepared for vs to giue vs. Aug. de ciuit dei l. 10. c. 18 Our loue to God must be tryed by the effects thereof Property of Loue it longs to obtaine thaâ— which is beloued We loue not God if we vse not the exercises of the word and prayer seeing by them onely we haue familiaritie with God vpon earth Psal. 119. 97 Psal. 26. 8. Psal. 27. 2. We loue not God if we long not to be with him in heauen wher he shews his most familiar presence Psal. 42. 1. Psal. 143. Phillip 1. Reuel 22. How by this tryal it is found that many are void of the loue of God Cant. 1. 6. The effect of true loue is obedience and a care to please the Lord. Iohn 21. 15. Psal. 139. 21 What great blessing belongeth to them who in their calling seeke to honour God Esay 22. 23. Psa. 140. 11 Psal. 52. 5. But this age in word calleth Christ their King but casts off his yoke Iohn 15. 10. The propertie of loue is bountifulnesse 1 Cor. 13. 4. The last is readines to suffer for his cause A confirmatioÌ„ of his third and last argument of comfort Comfort that the ground of our saluation is in God the tokens thereof in our selues Esay 46. Ioh. 10. 2 Tim. 2. Mal. 3. 6. Our calling conuersion flowes from Gods purpose therefore all the praise of it belongs to the Lord. For this cause he is called the Father of Mercy and not of Iudgement 2 Tim. 1. 9. Our calling is twofold and the inward calling is a declaration of our election All mankinde are considered standing in three circles they onely are blessed who are within the third Zach. 13. 9. Mat. 7. 21. Where euer the Gospell is preached to cal men there God hath toward some a purpose of loue Acts. 16. Acts. 18. 10. If this were coÌ„sidered it wold work a