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 The consideration that Christs righteousnes is ours stoppeth the mouth of all that impugnes our Faith 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 wee answere the righteousnesse of Christ is ours and ours by as great a right as any other thing that wee possesse is ours to wit by the free gift of God seeing it hath pleased God to giue vs a gaâ—ment 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 Works not of the vnregenerate onely but of the regenerate also excluded from the act of Iustification 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 saith was counted to him for righteousnesse Proued by examples Dauid after hee had beene a regenerate man yet saith Lord enter not into iudgement with thy Seruant for in thy Psal sight shall no flesh be iustified The Apostle Paul protests of himselfe I haue in all good conscience serued God vnto this day neither 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 he did also beare in his bodie the markes of Iesus and was renowned through his manifold sufferings If euer any regenerate man could haue bin iustified by his good works 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 The same proued by reason nature followes our Iustification before GOD cannot be said to iustifie vs in the presence of God but so it is good workes by order of nature followes our iustification before GOD Non praecedunt iustificandum sed sequuntur iustificatum Againe such vvorkes as are not Augustine perfectly agreeable to the rule of Legall iustice cannot iustifie vs but rather fall vnder that curse Cursed is hee who fulfilleth not euery iot 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 Eccles 7. Iob. 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 Ierem. menstruous cloath and our Sauiour hath taught euen regenerate men to pray daily for the remission of their sinnes Quid ergo de peccatis nostris fiet quando ne ipsa quidem pro se Bern. in fest o 〈…〉 uÌ„ sanct serm â— respondere poterit iustiâ—â—a nostra vvhat then shall become of our sinnes when our righteousnesse is not able to answere for it selfe Vae hominum iustitiae quantumuis laudabili si remota 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 vvorkes of regenerate men are the How it is that workes of men regenerate doe not merit seeing they are workes done in vs by the spirit of Christ Heb. 1. 3. workes of Christ for it is he who by his spirit workes them in them therefore they are meritorious and iustifies I answere the works of Christ iustifies it is true if yee vnderstand his personall works done by himselfe in his owne person as the Apostle teacheth vs He hath purged our sinnes by himselfe But as for those works which he works in vs by his spirit of grace he works them not for our iustification that as I haue said he hath done already by himselfe and in his owne person but for our sanctification Secondly the good works of men regenerate are so wrought by Christ in vs that they are also wrought by vs and we haue our working in them and therefore by reason of our imperfection cannot be perfect for as the fountaines of the actions are so must the actions be themselues the fountaines are mixed being partly good and partly euill for our minde is not so illuminated that there is no darknesse in it neither is our heart so sanctified that there is no vncleannesse in it and therefore the actions flowing from thence cannot be perfect works of light and sanctification They insist yet further and obiects if the Apostle say Faith works are not simply opponed to other for they are inseperable but opponed onely in the act of Iustification they in his conclusion we are iustified by Faith without the workes of the Law did vnderstand the workes of Grace then it would follow that he oppones things which are not to be opponed for workes and Grace vvorkes and Faith workes and Christ are not opposite but agrees very wel together as the cause and effect as the tree and the branch To this wee answere that Faith and vvorkes agrees well together but there is nothing in the vvorld vvhich agree so well the one with the other but in some things they may be opponed as for example the tree and the branch agrees very vvell together but if the question be moued whether the tree beares the branch or the branch the tree in this they are opponed that vvhich is affirmed of the one must be denied of the other Againe there is a very sweet harmony betweene a naturall Father and the sonne the one of them cannot be without the other for hee is not a Father who neuer had a sonne neither is he a sonne who neuer had a Father but if this be the question which of them gaue beginning to another here wee must oppone them affirming that of the one which we denie of the other In like manner there is a very sweet harmony and
hath it Hope againe lookes for a future possession of Christ which shall be much more excellent than that which presently we enioy for the possession of Christ which now I haue by Faith is 1 Cor. 13. 9. 10. imperfect and mediate by Faith I know Christ but in part by Faith I apprehend him but in part also and this possession I haue it mediately to wit by the meanes of the Word and Sacraments but my hope directs mee to looke for a more excellent possession of Christ within a short while in whom I shall enioy much more than now by the knowledge of my Faith I can see in him or yet by apprehension of my Faith I can comprehend of him And this is that perfect and immediate possession of Christ which by Hope we looke for Now as for their mutuall relation among themselues Faith and hope compared in their mutuall relation betweene themselues Faith is of things past present and to come Hope is onely of things to come Faith is more largely extended than Hope we hope for nothing vvhich vve beleeue not but something vvee beleeue for vvhich vve hope not vve beleeue that the paines of hell abide the wicked but we hope them not for hope is an expectation of good to come they may fall vnder feare but come not vnder hope Againe Faith is the mother of Hope for of that imperfect knowledge and apprehension of Christ which I haue by Faith there ariseth in mee an hope and expectation of a better Hope againe is not onely the daughter of Faith but the conseruer and nourisher of Faith the piller that vnderprops it when it faints for in this life wee are beset vvith so manifold tentations the worke of God seeming oftentimes contrary to his word and things appearing to fall out otherwise than the Lord hath promised that our Faith thereby is wonderfully daunted and therefore hath need to be supported by Hope vvhich teacheth alwayes with patience to depend vpon Gods truth and to looke for a better As for example the Lord saith Call vpon me in the day of thy trouble Psal 50. 15. I will heare thee and deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me according to this promise the Christian calling vpon God and yet not finding deliuerance his Faith begins to faint but then Hope comes in and succoureth Faith and her counsell is the vision is for an appointed time at last it shall Habak 2. 3. speake and not lye though it tarry waite for it shall surely come and not stay and this Faith being strengthened by Hope continues her prayers to God vntill she obtaine her promised and desired deliuerance And of this it is euident in what sense it is that the Apostle The right place assigned to euery one of these three Faith Hope Loue in the worke of saluation saith wee are saued by Hope to vvit because by it vvee are vpholden in trouble for he is not here disputing of the manner of our Iustification which he hath done before but discoursing of those comforts vvhich we haue to sustaine vs in affliction If ye aske by which of these three Faith Hope and Loue we are iustified that is by which of them we apprehend Christs righteousnes offered to vs in the Gospell the Apostle hath aunswered already wee are iustified by Faith If ye demand which of these three chiefely sustaines vs in affliction the Apostle here telleth you that vvhen Faith is weake Hope saues vs that vve despaire not and if yee demand which of these three declares vs to be men iustified by Faith in Christ the Apostle telleth you vvee must declare our Faith by good workes for Faith vvorketh by Loue these are the right places which these three excellent graces of the Spirit hath in the worke of our saluation and they goe so ioyntly together that they cannot be sundred When we say that a man is iustified by Faith onely vve doe not therefore make the iustified man to be vvithout Hope and Loue. For albeit in the action of the apprehending The doctrine of Iustification by faith onely takes not away Hope Loue. and applying of Christs righteousnesse Faith onely workes for which we say truely wee are iustified by Faith onely yet Hope and Loue haue other actions pertaining to saluation necessarily requisite in the iustified man And this doth cleare vs of that false calumnie wherewith the aduersaries doe charge vs as if we did teach that Faith might Calumnie of the aduersarie concerning this confuted be without Hope or Loue. because we affirme that vve are iustified by Faith onely I say most truely vvhen I say that among all the members of the body the eye onely sees but if any man collect of my speech that the eye is onely in the body without eare or hand he concludes wrong For albeit in the facultie of seeing I say the eye onely sees yet doe I not for that seperate it from the communion of the rest of the members of the body In the Sunne heat and light goe inseparably together of these two it is the heat onely that warmes vs doe I therefore say that the heat is without the light Among all the graces of the Spirit when I say that Faith onely iustifies I doe but point out the proper action of Faith but doe not therefore seperate it from Hope and Loue. So farre iniurious are the aduersaries of the truth vnto vs when they accuse vs for maintaining a Faith which is without Hope and doth not worke by Loue which we neuer affirmed Of this now it is euident that the Hope of a Christian Hope of a Christian is a strong thing depending on sure warrants must be very strong seeing it sustaines him in trouble it is a pillar that sustaines the whole building and a most sure anchor which being fastned vpon the rocke Christ Iesus holds vs so fast that we who are weake vessels tost too and fro vvith restles tribulations cannot be ouercome it leanes vpon most certaine vvarrants vvhereof now we will onely consider a few The first vvarrant of our hope is the vvord of GOD The first warrant of our Hope is the word of God 1 Pet 7. 4. whereof novv onely vve vvill touch these two comfortable places The Apostle saith there is reserued for vs in heauen an immortall inheritance vnto the which wee also are kept by the power of God through faith A word certainely full of all comfort that inheritance which the Lord keepes for me in heauen who can disappoint me of it and seeing I am kept by his power on earth for that same inheritance vvho can take me out of his hand he reserues my portion in heauen for me he keepes me on earth for it what then is there that is able to disappoint me of this hope Againe compare me these two together that the Father speaking from heauen saith of Christ this is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well
agreement betweene Faith and good vvorkes but if this be the question for which of them it is that God doth iustifie vs there we must oppone them affirming with the Apostle that wee are iustified by Faith and not by works alway the opposition is not simple but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Their second euasion is a distinction of the works of the Workes not of the Ceremoniall Law onely but of the Morall also excluded from Iustification Law Morall and Ceremoniall It is true say they that the vvorks of the law ceremoniall iustifies not but the vvorkes of the Law Morall iustifies But the Apostle in his conclusion excludes from iustification the works of the Law Morall for these reasons hee excludes those vvorkes of which he hath proued both Iewes and Gentiles to be guilty but so it is he hath proued them to be guilty of the transgression of the Law Morall as is euident out of the sinnes wherewith he charges them therefore c. Secondly hee excludes from iustification the vvorks of that Law by vvhich comes the knowledge of sinne but so it is the knowledge of sinne comes by the Law Morall therefore c. I had not knowne saith the Apostle that concupiscence is a sinne except the law had said thou shalt not couet Now it is euident that this is a precept of the Law Morall Their third euasion is by a distinction of the first and The distinction of the first and second Iustification improued second iustification the first vvhereof say they is by Faith but the second is by vvorkes But this twofold iustification is also forged for iustificatio est actus indiuidius simul totus there is no first and last in the act of iustification he that is once condemned iudicially stands so and he that is absolued stands so Againe this distinction confounds two benefits Iustification and Sanctification vvhich Iustification Sanctification distinct benefits to them is the second Iustification That they are distinct benefits the Apostle doth teach vs Christ is made to vs righteousnesse and sanctification but they inconsiderately confound them for if these new qualities infused by Grace into the soule of man and good vvorkes flowing therefrom be the matter they say of mans second Iustification then let them tell vs vvhat is the matter of his Sanctification To conclude this these are two inseperable benefits to Iustification Sanctification inseperably conioyned whomsoeuer the Lord imputes the righteousnesse of Christ and giues them Faith to accept it as their owne like as for it he absolues them from sinne and death and adiudges them vnto life so also incontinent works he in them by his holy spirit an inherent righteousnesse by vvhich they become new creatures so that our Iustification hath inseperably annexed with it Sanctification But this Sanctification of ours is so imperfect that howsoeuer it be accepted of the Father for the righteousnesse of Christ yet is it not so perfect nor sufficient that for the merit thereof wee dare seeke to be absolued from our sinnes and receiued into fauour Them be also glorified Glorification the last lincke of the Glorification our last and highest estate out of which we shall neuer be changed chaine is the last and highest benefit that we haue by Christ by vvhich both our soule and body shall be restored to a greater glory and more happy than euer vvee enioyed in Adam He had his owne most excellent priuiledges hee had this inward glory that he vvas created to the image of God hee had also for outward glory a dominion and Lordship ouer all the creatures of God the heauens were made beautifull for his sake the earth made fruitfull Paradise assigned to him as a speciall garden of pleasure and all the creatures ordained to serue him but by our second creation we are beautified with more excellent priuiledges that same image is restored to vs new heauens and new earth created for our sake and vvith all these vvee shall haue the Crowne of perseuerance vvhich Adam had not for glorification is our last and highest happy estate out of which we shall neuer be transchanged and therefore the Apostle goes not beyond it And herein appeares the Lords wonderfull power and How the glorification of our bodies shewes Gods wonderfull goodnesse and power goodnesse vvho of the fall of man takes occasion to make man better than he was before the fall Our bodies shall not be raised like to Adams body for euen in the state of innocencie he was mortall but they shall be raised vp like to the glorious body of Christ Salomon built a Temple the Chaldeans destroyed it and it was neuer againe restored to the former glory which moued the auncient men to mourne when they saw how the glory of the second Temple was not like the glory of the first but it shall be the great ioy of our auncient Father Adam who saw the glory of the first creation when hee shall see how farre the glory of the second creation shall exceed the glory of the first Of this Glorification the Apostle speakes in the time Three degrees of eternall life past partly to declare the certaintie thereof and partly because it is already begun for there are three degrees of that Glory The first in this life and that is our sanctification called by S. Iohn the first resurrection and by Saint Paul our transformation into the glorious image of God The second is in the houre of death and that is a neerer vnion of our soules with Iesus The third will be in the last day vvherein both soule and body shall be glorified this is the highest step of Salomons throne vnto the which wee must ascend by the former degrees As for the beginning The first degree is in this life hath in it these three 1. Righteousnesse 2. Peace 3. Ioy. of this glory which now we haue it consists in these three Righteousnesse Peace and Ioy there is a ioy which is no presumption flowing from a peace vvhich is not securitie bred of righteousnesse which is not hypocrisie in these three stands the beginning of eternall life here vpon earth and in the perfection of them shall consist the perfection of eternall life afterward in heauen perseuerance in righteousnesse in peace in ioy and glory being adioyned vnto them This ioy which is the highest degree of eternall life vve A three-fold ioy we haue in this life can attaine to here vpon earth hath also these three degrees first there is a Ioy which ariseth of beleeuing wee haue not as yet seene the Lord Iesus yet dâ—e wee beleeue in him 1 Pet. 1. and reioyce in him with Ioy vnspeakeable and glorious Secondly there is a Ioy which ariseâ—h of feeling and tasting taste and consider how gracious the Lord is and this feeling is much more than beleeuing Thirdly there is a ioy which ariseth of sight of spirituall embracing such was the ioy of
and they shall wither the whirle-wind shal take them away like stubble O silly glory of worldlings which dieth to them oftentimes before themselues at least with them their beauties consumes whē Psal 49. 14. they go from the house to the graue their pomp doth not descend after them Onely happy sure is the estate of that man who is in Christ neither life nor death things present nor things to come shal seperate him from the loue of God Now the lessons of instruction are chiefly two first is They who are planted in Christ should be humble the roote beares them not they the roote a lesson of humilitie seeing it so that in Christ wee haue life let vs be humble in our selues forasmuch as that which we haue we haue of another so taught the auncient fathers agreable to holy scripture eleauen hundred yeers before vs which I mark the rather to point out the agreement in one truth between vs and the Fathers of the primitiue Church Ita sunt in vite palmites vt illi nihil conferant sed inde accipiant Consil 2. Arausicanū ex Carranza vnde viuant sic quippe vitis est in palmitibus vt vitale subministret illis non sumat ab ijs ac per hoc manentem in se habere Christum manere in Christo discipulis prodest non Christo the branches are so in the vine that they giue nothing vnto it but receiues from it that sap of grace wherby they liue but the vine is so in the branches that it ministers life vnto them and receiues nothing from them that therefore Christ abideth in vs and we in him is profitable to vs who are his Disciples but not vnto himselfe Thus they learned from our Sauiour who in his speech to his Disciples denyes that man is able to doe any good thing without him as the branch can beare no fruit except it abide in the root no more can ye except ye abide in me for without me ye are able to doe nothing And that which is subioyned doth yet more humble vs praeciso palmite potest de viua radice Ibidem alius pullulare qui autem praecisus est non potest◠sine radice viuere though a branch be cut off from the root another may spring out but the branch which is cut off cannot liue without the root it withereth and is meet for nothing but the fire he that falleth away from Christ shall perish like a withered branch but the Lord Iesus shall not want another who shall grow vp in him we stand by faith let vs not Rom. 11. 16. be high minded but feare The second is a lesson of thankfulnesse we who professe They who are planted in Christ beare fruit so soone as they are planted that we are in Christ should be fruitfull in good works herein saith our Sauiour is my Father glorified that yee beare much fruit There is such a liuely power in this stocke of life that they who are planted in him flourish incontinent Proofe hereof we haue in Lidia and in the Theefe crucified with Christ and conuerted by him Arons rodde was no sooner changed from a withered sticke into a flourishing tree then he is from a barren malefactor into a fruitfull professor for see what a fruit he beares in an instant he confesseth his owne sinnes he rebuketh the sinnes of his companion he giueth a good testimonie vnto Christ and earnestly prayes that Christ would remember him when he comes into his kingdome Alas how may this make vs ashamed who so long haue professed Christ but hath not bene fruitfull in good workes The Psalmist compares a godly man to the Palme tree which as Plinie writeth groweth by the waters side and in moyst places and is in Summer winter both flourishing and bearing fruit But the wicked carnall professors of this age are become worse than that figge-tree which Christ cursed for it had leaues albeit no fruit but they as Ierome complaynes of the shamelesse sinners in his time haue cast away the very leaues also an euident token that they were neuer planted in Christ Iesus they haue done nothing in their liues to glorifie God and may looke as little to be comforted by him in their deaths but of this we shall haue occasion to speake more hereafter Who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Albeit By flesh is meant our naturall corruption and how workes of the flesh are done by spirits the comfort of our deliuerance by Christ be exceeding great yet least it should be vsurped of those to whom it belongs not the Apostle as he hath before restrained it to them who are in Christ so here he giues vs an euident marke whereby we may know them to wit that they are such as walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Where before we enter into the doctrine it is necessary we know what the Apostle meanes by the word flesh Among many significations which it hath in holy Scripture it is here vsed to expresse the whole sinfull corruption of our nature repugnant to the Law of God not onely carnal actions done in the members of the body but also sinfull motions and affections Diabolus enim cum sit spiritus agit tamen opera carnis for Sathan notwithstanding he be a spirit yet doth Aug. de ciui dei lib. 14. he the workes of the flesh and the Apostle reckons out pride enuie and such like among the workes of the flesh Gal. 5. 22. This may serue to beate downe the presumptuous conceits of those who proudly iustifie themselues and think themselues free from sinne because they are cleere of the carnal action as if the word of God did condemne sinne in the branch onely and not in the roote also This corruption of our nature for three causes is exprest For three causes is our sinful corruption exprest by flesh by the name of flesh first because it is propagated from man to man in the seed of flesh secondly because it is executed in our earthly and carnall members thirdly because it is nourished strengthned and augmented by outward fleshly obiects and so by this name our corruption is distinguished from the corrupt nature of apostate Angels which is not propagated nor nourished nor executed as Ephe. 6. 12. ours is and therefore called by the Apostle Spirituall wickednesse By the spirit here againe I vnderstand that new and spirituall By the spirit is meant the new disposition of the whole man wrought by spirit disposition which the Spirit of God workes in our minde will and affections comformable to the law of God Whereof it is euident that all our motions affections and actions before the Spirit of Christ sanctifie and reforme vs are flesh and not Spirit and againe that euen the Christian after his ingrafting into Christ hath remaining in him while he dwelleth in the body some carnall and
sinfull corruption which notwithstanding they allow not cherishes not followes not they walke not after it but rather endeauours all that they can to weaken and suppresse it Here then first is reproued that errour of the Papists This place erroneously expounded by Papists who writing on this place expound these words after this manner there is no damnation that is no damnable thing no act that deserueth to be condemned The Apostle saith not here there is no flesh that is no sinfull corruption in them who are in Christ but he saith they who are in Christ walke not after the flesh To maintaine this errour they vphold They maintain that concupiscence without consenting to it is no sinne Aquinas another for Thomas Aquinas writing on this place saith Primus motus concupiscentiae adulterij non est peccatum quia actus est imperfectus sed si accesserit consensus tunc est actus perfectus peccatum The first motion sayes he of the lust of adulterie is not sinne because it is an vnperfect act but if consent be giuen vnto it then it is a perfect act Coster Enchi and is sinne Coster in his little Enchiridion affirmes that concupiscence proceeds from sin and tendeth vnto sin but is not sin which he labors to expresse by this similitude he that hears saith he another man speaking filthie language and consents not vnto it but rather is angry at it and reproues it sinneth not but merits a greater reward euen so when our concupiscence sends out any sinfull motion if we consent not vnto it we sinne not And the Fathers of that counsell of Trent which haue as many curses as Canons haue decreed in this manner this concupiscence which sometime Con. trident the Apostle called sinne the holy Synode declares that the Catholike Church did neuer vnderstand it to be called sinne because it is truely and properly sinne in the regenerate but because it commeth from sinne and inclineth to sinne Now because this is a mother errour which brings forth Their errour disprooued and strenghthens many other errours we will shortly disproue it by Scripture reason and antiquitie In the end of 1 By Scripture the last Chapter the Apostle condemneth the motions of concupiscence for sinne euen when consent is not giuen vnto them for he protests of himselfe that he resisted these motions of sin but was oftentimes sore against his will captiued by them he condemnes them as euill albeit he gaue no consent vnto them for the Law as I haue said doth not onely condemne sinne in the branch but also in the roote there shall not be in thee an euill thought against the Lord thy God And this is also confirmed by reason Consent in it owne 2 By Reason nature is a thing indifferent if that whereunto I consent be good my consent is good but if it be euill my consent is euill if the first motion of sinne be not an euill thing in it selfe as they say then it is not an euill thing to consent vnto it for that which is not euill in it selfe by my consenting cannot become euill It is not then the consent following that makes the preceeding motion to be euill but it is the preceeding euill motion that makes the subsequent consent euill Now as for Coster his similitude it makes plainely against Costers similitude makes against himselfe himselfe for it is true indeed that hee who heareth euill spoken and reproues it is worthy of praise but it is also true that he who spake the euill hath sinned euen so albeit wee doe well when we consent not to the motions of concupiscence in vs yet concupiscence is not the lesse to be condemned because it hath sent out into the eare of our soule that voyce of a filthie desire which is not agreeable to Gods most holy Law And of this same iudgement with vs are also the ancient By ancient Fathers Fathers Cum concupisco quamuis concupiscentiae assensum non praebeam sit tamen in me quod nolo quod etiam non vult Aug. ser 5. Lex When I lust saith Augustine albeit I consent not to my lust yet that is done in me which I will not and which also the law will not And againe desiderium tuam tali debet Aug. ser de Temp. 45. esse ad Deum vt omnino non sit ipsa concupiscentia cui resisterâ— oporteat resistis enim non consentiendo vincis sed melius est hostem non habere quam vincere thy desire should in such sort be vpon God that there should not be in thee at all so much as concupiscence which hath need of resistance for thou resists and by not consenting thou ouercommest but it were better not to haue an enemie then to ouercome him With him agrees also Bernard Genus illud peccati quod toties Bernard nos conturbat reprimi quidem potest debet per gratiam Dei concupiscentias loquor praua desideria vt non regnet in nobis nec demus membra nostra arma iniquitatis peccato sic nulla est damnation his qui sunt in Christo sed non eijcitur nisi in morte That kinde of sinne saith he which so oft troubles vs Concupiscence and euill desires I meane may and should be repressed by the grace of God so that it raigne not in vs that we giue not our members weapons of vnrighteousnesse to sinne and that way there is no damnation to them who are in Christ yet it is not cast out but in death Thus doth Bernard cleerely agree with vs in the exposition of this place Of all which is euident that the motions of concupiscence are euill and sinfull euen when they are repressed and no consent giuen vnto them But now leauing further improbation of this errour wee come to obserue such instructions as are giuen vs in these A holy conuersation is an infallible token of our vnion with Christ Bernard words And first we see that a godly conuersation is recommended vnto vs as an infallible marke of our spirituall ingrafting into Christ Iesus Sicut enim corporis vitam â—x motu dignoscimâ—s ita siâ—â—i vitam â—x bonis operibus for as the life of the body is discerned by mouing so the life of Faith is knowne by good works We esteeme that body dead or at least neere vnto death which is not able to moue nor doe any action pertaining to a naturall life and so may we think that soule dead in sinne which walketh after the flesh hauing no delight nor power to execute any spirituall action It is not then a naked profession of Christianitie which will proue vs to be in Christ profession without the power of Godlinesse will helpe thee no mâ—re then change of garment Profession of Christ in prophane men is like Iosaphats garment on Achab. helped wicked Achab in the companie of good Iosaphat for through it the arrow
of Gods vengeance pearced him among the thousands of Israel all the pretences of men who work iniquity shall not in that last day saue them from that fearful sentence depart from me I know you not Let the carnall professors of this age hearken to their doom before hand which assuredly they shall heare at the last if they goe on still in their sins Let vs not be deceiued fearefull is that sentence No vncleane thing none that workes abhomination Reuel 21. 17. shall enter into that heauenly Citiâ—â— and such haue we ben all but blessed are they who are washed sanctified and iustified 1. Cor. 6. 11. in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of our God The bastard Christians of our time haue learned by the light of the word to put good workes out of the chaire of merit and iustly for Iesus Christ onely should sit in that chaire but haue not yet set them down in their owne place for though they be not meriters of eternall lifeâ— yet must they be thy witnesses to prooue that thou art in Christ by thy workes not by thy words shal thou be iudged in the last day Of this hath our Sauiour â—orewarned vs and therefore doth the Apostle counsell vs Make sure your calling and 2. Pet. 1. 10. Election by well doing If any man be in Iesus let him become a 1. Cor. 5. 17. new creature For if we say that we haue fellowship with God 1. Iohn 1. 6. and walke in darknesse we doe but lye Sathan hath two strong armes whereby he wrestles against Sathans two armes Desperation and Presumption man if with the one which is Desperation hee cannot thrust thee downe vnto hell then shall he prease with the other to mount thee on the chariot of presumption that so he may send thee away posting to damnation puft vp with a false conception of mercy when as in the meane time thou hast no warrant that the mercy of God in Christ doth appertaine to thee This presumption saith Bernard Commonly Sathan tempts with Presumption is infidelis fâ—ducia it seemes vnto them who are swelled therwith a strong Faith if you talke with them they will tell you they are most sure of saluation and that they neuer doubted thereof yet in very deed it is but a faithlesse confidence whereby Sathan doth miserably deceiue them for hee careth not suppose all thy dayes thou hould a generall conceit of mercy so that he finde by thy fruits that thou art not in Christ Let vs beware of this presumption let vs not proclaime peace to our selues when there is no peace neither blesse our selues in that state of life wherein God will curse vs but in feare and trembling worke out our owne saluation making our Faith manifest by good works for the best argument to prooue that we are in Christ is this that we walke not after the flesh And that we may yet more be mooued to flye the lusts They dishonour Christ highly who say they are in Christ and walke after the flesh of the flesh let vs consider how the Apostle oppones these two as contraries which cannot consist together to be in Christ and to walke after the flesh It cannot therefore but be a great dishonouring of Christ when they who professe by word that they are his doe by their wicked deeds deny him for the euill life of a professor in effect giues out this false testimonie against Christ that there is no power in his death no vertue in his resurrection no renuing grace to sanctifie those who are his Turkes and Pagans who plainely deny him do not derogate so much from the glory of Christ as doe profane professors of his name tolerabilius enim lingua quaÌ„ vita mentitur the lye saith Augustine Aug. contra Pelag. lib. 3. cap. 21. which is made by the tongue is more tollerable then that which is made by the life where the tongue professes Christ and the heart is giuen to impiety this is not professio sed abnegatio Christi a profession but a denying of Christ It is a great sinne to beare false witnesse against our neighbour but a greater sinne to beare false witnesse against the Lord. Euery creature in their kinde giues a true testimonie vnto God the heauens declare his glory the earth and all that therein is sets forth his goodnesse yea the little Emmet proclaimes his prouidence he must be a prouident father that hath put so great prouidence in so small Onely apostate Angels men beare false witnesse against God a creature onely apostate Angels and men are false witnesses against the Lord. Sathan lies sometime against his mercy as when he sayes to the penitent and beleeuing man God will not forgiue him sometime against his iustice when he beares the wicked in hand that God will not punish him sometime against his prouidence when hee would perswade the afflicted that God cannot deliuer them And as for the Apostate man he is also a false witnesse against God he calleth himselfe the childe of God and behold he carrieth the image of Sathan as if the Lord begat children to another image and not to his owne Certainely An euill life of a professor saiâ—â— in effect there is no vertue in Christ the sinfull life of one professing Christ is a publicke testimonie falsly proclayming to the world as I haue said that there is no vertue in Christ and that he is such a Sauiour as can neither sanctifie nor saue from sinne such as are his a fearefull blasphemie All Christians are not honoured with the second martirdome A godly life is the first martirdome without suffering for Christ which is the second martirdome is not acceptable to him that is to be Christs witnesses by suffering of death for his truths sake yet all are bound by a godly life to be witnesses of his sauing and renuing power shewing forth his meruailous vertue who hath translated vs from darknesse into his light Tota vita martyrium esse debet hoc est testimonium deo reddere c. the whole life of a Christian should be a martirdome that is a continuall witnessing of Cyp. de duplici martirio the truth of God and this is so necessarie that without it the second martirdome that is the testimonie which thou bearest to the truth of God by shedding of thy blood is worth nothing it auailes not to giue thy body to be burnt in the fire vnlesse that first thou mortifie thy earthly members and by reasonable seruice offer vp thy body a liuely and Col. 3 5. Rom. 12. 1. an acceptable sacrifice to God And hereunto also tendeth that which hee subioynes Efficacius est vitae quam linguae testimonium habent etiam opera suam linguam c. The testimonie of the life is more effectuall than the testimonie of the tongue workes haue also their owne language yea and their owne eloquence
vnto himselfe but here the more wee pay the richer we are the doing of one good worke of seruice vnto the Lord makes vs both more willing and able to doe an other the talents of spirituall Graces being of that nature that the more they are vsed the more they are encreased and these should work in vs a delight to pay that debt which wee owe vnto the Lord. Last of all we marke vpon this word that the good wee Good works are debts therfore not merits doe is debt and not merit When one of your seruants saith Iesus hath done that which he is commanded will one of you giue him thanks because he hath done that which was Luke 17. 7. 8. 9. 10. commanded him I beleeue not hee applyeth the Parable to his Disciples and in them to vs all so likewise when you haue done all those thingâ— which are commanded you say that yee are vnpâ—â—fitable Seruants Our Sauiour commaunds vs plainely to doe well but as plainely forbids all presumptuous conceit of our merit when wee haue done well To speake against good workes is impiety and to presume of the merits of our best workes is Antichristian pride No man No penman of the holy Ghost did euer vse the word of merit led by the Spirit of Iesus did euer vse this word of merit it is the proud speech of the spirit of Antichrist search the Scripture and ye shall see that none of all those who spake by diuine inspiration did euer vse it yea the Godly Fathers who haue liued in darke and corrupt times haue alway abhorred it If a man could liue saith Macarius from the dayes of The Fathers thought it smelled of presumption Mac. hom 15 Adam to the end of the world and fight neuer so strongly against Sathan yet were hee not able to deserue so great a glory as is prepared for vs how much lesse then are we able to promerit it that is his owne word who so short a space are milâ—tant here vpon earth Praetendat alter meritum sustinere Ber. in Psal qui habitat Ser. 1. se dicat â—stus diei ieiunare bis in Sabbatho mihi adhaerere Deo bonum est let another man saith Bernard pretend merit let him boast that he suffers the heat of the day and that he fasts twise in the Sabboth it is good for me to draw neere the Lord and put my hope in him Meritum enim In Cant. ser 61. meum miseratio Domini non sum plane meriti inops quamdiu ille miserationum non fuerit for my merit is Gods mercy I shall not altogether want merits as long as he wants not compassion And againe suffiâ—it ad mâ—ritam sâ—ire quod non Serm. 66. sufficiant merita this is sufficient merit to know that merits are not sufficient this he makes more cleare in that Sermon of his de quadâ—uplici debito wherein hee declares how man is so many wayes debter to the Lord that hee cannot doe that which hee ought why then shall any man say that hee hath done enough cum nec mâ—llissimâ— imo nec minimae parti debitorum suorum valeat respondere seeing he is not able to De quadrupliâ—â— debito answer the thousand part no not the least part of that debt which hee oweth vnto God To liue Wee haue heard that wee are debters now haue Our life should declare whose Seruants and debters we are Philem. vers 19 wee to see wherein wee are debt-bound Wee owe to the Lord not onely those things which are ours but as sayeth Paul to Philemâ—n we owe him our selues also Euery mans life must declare who it is whom hee acknowledgeth for a Superiour and vnto whom hee submitteth himselfe a debter Shew me saith Saint Iames thy Faith by thy workes Iam. 2. 19. Mal. 1. 6. shew mee saith Malachie thy Father by thy Sonnely reuerence toward him let me know thy master by thy obedience and the attendance thou giuest him As Câ—sar mony is discerned by his image and superscription so the Christian is knowne by his conuersation hee walkes after the Spirit and by his deedes more then by his words hee disclaimeth the gouernement of the flesh But surely as Châ—isâ—stomâ— complained of bastard professors in his time so may wee in our time of many to vvhom wee are ambassadours An accusation of the carelesse Christians of our time in Christs name wee haue more then cause to feare we haue bestowed labour vpon you in vaine for I pray you what part of your liues giues sentence for you and proues that ye are Christians shall wee iudge by the place which ye delight Chrisost in Math. most to frequent are there not many among you oftner in the Tauerne then in the Temple silling your belly intemperately at that same time wherein the Sonnes and Daughters of the liuing God are gathered together into their fathers house to be refreshed with his heuenly Manna Shall we iudge you by your garments doe they not in many of you declare the vanity of your minds if we estimate you according to your companions what shall wee thinke but that ye are such as those are with whom ye delight to resort ye sit in the seat of scorners if thou seest a theefe thou runst Psal 50. with him and art partaker with the adulterers If wee try you by your language yee shal be found vncircumcised Philistims and not holy Israelites for yee haue learned to speak the language of Ashdoâ— ye speake as Micah complayned of Nihe 13. 26. Micah 7. 3. the wicked in his time out of the corruption of your soule making your throat an open sepulchre yee send out the stinking breath of your inward abhominations by your euill and vncleane speeches ye corrupt the minds of the hearers And thus seeing euery part of your life giues sentence against you as a cloud of many witnesses testifying that yee are vncleane what haue yee to speake for you to proue that yee are Christians shall your naked word be sufficient to do it no certainly for against it the Lord Iesus hath made exception before hand Not euery one that saith Lord Lord shal Math. 7. 21. enter into mâ— kingdome your works must be your witnesses and your deeds must declare who it is to whom ye acknowledge your selues seruants and debters Not to the flesh Sometime the flesh signifies the body It is a difficult thing so to nourish the body that we nourish not sinne in the body and in that sense we are debters vnto it for the couenant saith Bernard which the Lord hath bound vp betweene the soule and the body is not to be broke at our will but at the Lords will and in the meane time we are bound to nourish it but the flesh here is put for the sinfull lusts of the flesh and so we are not debters vnto it Take no thought Rom. 13. 14. for the flesh to fulfill
Where for the comfort of the weake Christian vve are The wounded cōscience euen of the godly desires not death to consider whether the godly be alway in this estate that they dare lift vp their heads with ioy and pray for Christs second appearance or not To this I answere that their disposition herein is according to the estate of their conscience as the eye being hurt is content to be couered with a vaile and desireth not to behold the light vvherein otherwise it reioyceth so the conscience of the godly being any way wounded is afraid to stand before the light of the countenance of God till the time that it be cured againe And this made Dauid to craue that the Lord would spare him a Psal 51. 9. Psal 86. 3. little and giue him space to recouer his strength but after mourning and earnest calling for mercie the conscience being pacified then doe the godly say vvith Simeon Now Lord let thy Seruant depart for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation Luke 2. 29. For the Adoption He said before that we haue receiued Adoption is either begun as now or accomplished as we looke for it the spirit of Adoption and now he saith that vve waite for Adoption but vve must vnderstand that there is a begun Adoption vvhereby vve are made the sonnes of God and that vve haue receiued already there is in like manner a consummate Adoption vvhereby we are manifested to be the sonnes of God and entred into the full possession of our fathers inheritance and that we waite for The redemption of our bodies As there is a two-fold adoption There is also a two-fold redemption first of the soule frō sin secondly of the body from death Ephes 1. so also a two-fold redemption the first is defined by the Apostle to be the remission of our sinnes and that we haue receiued already the second is called in that same Chapter the redemption of the possession and here the redemption of our bodies and this wee looke for to come As the soule was first wounded by sinne and then the bodie vvith mortalitie and corruption so the Lord Iesus the restorer who came to repaire the wound which Sathan inflicted on man doth first of all restore life to the soule by the remission of sins which hee hath obtayned by his suffering in the flesh and therefore the Herald of his first comming Ioh. 1. 29. Reu. 20. 5. 6. cryed before him behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world This is the first Resurrection blessed are they who are partakers of it for vpon such the second death shall haue no power but in his second comming we shal also be partakers of the second redemption hee shall redeeme our bodyes from the power of the graue wherein now they lye captiued and deliuer them from the shame of mortalitie and corruption Let this comfort vs against the present base and contemptible Cōfort against the present base estate of our bodies state of our bodies now they are but filthy sinckes of corruption and vessels so full of vncleanenes that the Lord hath appointed in the body fiue conduits to purge the naturall filth thereof and after this they are to be laid downe in the bed of corruption the wormes spread vnder them and aboue them as it is said of the King of Ashur shall deuoure 2 King 19. and consume their flesh the earth shall eate vp their bones and turne them into dust the braine which was the seat of many proud and vaine imaginations becomes after death oftentimes the seat of the vgly toad the reynes that were the seat of concupiscence engendreth serpents and the bowels vvhich could neuer be gotten satisfied with meate and drinke shall be replenished vvith armies of crawling wormes but against all these vve haue this comfort that as presently we haue obtained remission of our sinnes so are we assured of a glorious redemption of our bodies qui enim Bernard resurgit in anima resurget in corpore ad vitam for he that riseth now in his soule shall hereafter rise in his body to eternall life And of this euery man is admonished that if he loue his He who hath the first redemption shall be sure of the second body he should in time take heed to the estate of his soule see that it be partaker of the first redemption which is the remission of sinnes and be sure thy body shall be partaker of the second redemption It is a pittifull thing to see what preposterous care is taken by men for conseruation of their bodily life there is nothing they leaue vndone vt differant mortem quam auferre non-possunt that they may at the least Bernard prolong and delay death which they cannot cut away but if men take so much paines and suffer so strait a dyet of body and bestow so great expenses that they may liue a short while longer vpon earth what should men doe that they may liue for euer in heauen Verse 24. For wee are saued by hope but hope that is seene is not hope for how can a man hope for that which he seeth IN this verse and the subsequent the Apostle An obiection answered answeres an obiection seeing hee said before that wee haue receiued the Spirit of adoption how hath hee said now that wee are still waiting for adoption He doth therefore teach vs that both these are true we are saued now and we look for a more full saluation hereafter we are adopted now and wee looke for the perfection of our adoption hereafter and that it is so hee proues here by this reason the saluation that now we haue is by hope therefore it is not yet come nor perfected The necessitie of this consequence depends vpon the nature of hope which is of things that are not seene nor as yet come to passe This place is abused by the aduersaries to impugne the This verse abused to impugne Iustification by Faith doctrine of iustification by Faith we are saued say they by hope and therefore not by Faith onely That wee may see the weakenesse of their reason wee will first compare Faith and Hope in that relation which they haue to Christ secondly in that relation which they haue mutually among themselues For we deny not that Faith Hope and Loue each one of them haue a place in the worke of our saluation but the question betweene vs and them is concerning the right placing of them First then it is certaine that both Faith Hope compared in their relation to Christ Faith and Hope looke vnto Christ Iesus Christ and that vvhich hee hath conquered vnto vs is the obiect of them both but diuersly for faith enters vs into a present possession of Christ and his benefits he that beleeueth in me saith Ioh. 3. 36. our Sauiour hath eternall life hee saith not onely hee shall haue it but also that presently hee
the Apostle layes for a most sure ground of comfort that so wee 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 Ioh. 21. 15. burthen of all the rest of our feares grieses and tentations vpon the Lord who cares for vs and hath giuen vs this promise for a praemunire all câ—mes for the best The Souldier with courage enters into the battell vnder Other men hazards vnder hope but the Christian runs as sure to obtaine hope to obtaine the victory the Maâ—â—ner with boldnesse commits himselfe to the stormy seas vnder hope of vantage and euery man hazards in his calling yet are they vncertaine venturers and knowes not the end but the Christian runnes not as vncertaine but as one sure to obtaine the Crowne for he knowes that the God of peace shall shortly tread Rom. 16. 20. Sathan vnder his feet What then shall not he with courage enter into the battell wherein he is made sure of the victory before he sight knowing that all the warriours of Christ shal be more than conquerours through him if wee will onely 2 Chron. 20. 17. stand still we shall see the saluation of the Lord. Gideon with his three hundred fought against the great host of Midian without feare because he was sure of victory Dauid made hast ranne to encounter with Goliah because he was perswaded that God would deliuer him into his hands The Israelites were not afraid 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 shal come for the best to him The Lord encrease 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 One of Sathans slights is to cause vs to iudge of the works of God by their beginnings 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 harts carrying vs headlong to iudge of the works 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 What inconueniences arise from this precipitation tossed too and fro with restlesse perturbations like trees of the forrest shaken with the winde we hasten in our necessities to be our prouisors in our dangers we will be our owne deliuerers and euery way we become the caruers of our owne condition We haue so much the more neede to beware of this precipitation because the dearest seruants of God haue fallen through it into fearefull sinnes against the Lord As we 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 hee thought that God had forgot to be mercifull and had shut vp Psal 39. 9. his tender mercy in displeasure but when he saw the end then hee was compelled to accuse himselfe and giue glory vnto God I should haue beene dumbe and not opened my mouth Psal 116. 10. 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 Psal 116. 13. Saints Seeing this precipitation made Dauid to stumble and Hee that will iudge of Lazarus on the dunghill shall think him more miserable than the rich Glutton fall may we not feare least it carry vs to the like inconuenience vnlesse wee learne to beware of it in time let vs not therefore iudge of the works of God before they be ended If we should look 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 daintily euery day what can we iudge but that Lazarus is the most miserable of the two yet if wee â—arrie till the Lord haue ended his worke and Lazarus be conuayed to Abrahams bosome and the rich Glutton be gone to his place then shal 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 But wee shall best iudge of the workes of God if we â—arrie till they be ended to his promise and waite on the vision which hath his owne time appoinâ—ed 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 Esay 48. 22. howsoeuer they flourish for a time and that it cannot be but well with them who loue the Lord Marke the vpright man Psal 37. 37. 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 prosperity of the wicked we should suspend our iudgement till we see the end All things worke together Marke the singular priuiledge Gods wonderfull wisedom in causing things of so contrarie qualities to agree to doe one worke of the Christian noâ— onely afflictions but all other things whatsoeuer vvorke for the best vnto him and not onely so but they worke together Many working instruments are there in the world vvhose course is not one they communicate not counsels yea their intentions oftentimes are contrary yet the Lord bringeth all their vvorks vnto this one end the good of those who loue him vvhere euer they be in regard of place vvhat 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
they sit downe to their banquetting tables to refresh them or lyes downe in their beds to rest them The Apostle who suffered all sorts of affliction for the Gospell giues this for a reason that the loue of Iesus constrayned him Thus much concerning the effects of holy loue by which wee are to make sure our calling and consequently our election for our euerlasting comfort Euen to them that are called according to his purpose Hitherto the Apostle hath summarily set downe his third principall A confirmatiō of his third and last argument of comfort argument of comfort and now in the end of this verse he shortly breakes vp the confirmation thereof which is this they who loue God are called according to his purpose therfore all things must worke for the best vnto them The necessitie of this reason shall appeare if wee consider that the Lord cannot be frustrated of his end Those whom the Lord in his immutable purpose hath ordayned to glory and whom according to that purpose he hath called in time how can it be but all things must worke vnto their good for the vvorking prouidence of God vvhich is the executer of his purpose doth so ouer-rule all incidents which fall out in the world and doth so gouerne all secondary and inferiour causes that of necessitie they are directed to that end whereunto the supreame cause of all to wit the purpose and vvill of God hath ordayned them This is shortly set downe in these vvords and more largely explaned in the two verses following It is the last reason of comfort and the highest for now the Apostle leades vs out of our selues and sets vs vpon that rocke vvhich is higher than vve hee carries vs by the hand as it vvere out of the earth vp into heauen and lets vs see how our saluation is so grounded in Gods eternall purpose that no accident in the vvorld can change it Wee haue here then three things euery one of them depending Comfort that the ground of our saluation is in God the tokens thereof in our selues vpon another the loue of God flowing from the calling of God and the calling of God comming from the purpose of God vnto vvhich the Apostle here drawes vs that we casting our anchor with the vaile and resting in the Lords immutable purpose may haue comfort in all our present tentations It is most expedient for the godly to marke this that our manifolde changes doe not interrupt our peace let vs consider that the Lord hath in such sort dispensed our saluation that the ground thereof is laid in his owne immutable purpose but the markes and tokens thereof are placed in vs after our calling the markes and tokens are changeable like as wee our selues in vvhom they are are changeable but the ground holdes fast being laid in that vnchangeable God in whom falles no shadow of alteration Esay 46. Ioh. 10. 2 Tim. 2. I am God and am not changed My sheepe none can take out of my hand The counsell of the Lord shall stand and his foundation remaines sure It is true that the tokens of election cannot be sully taken away from any that is effectually called nay not in the greatest desertion yet haue they in vs their owne intention and remission And this should comfort vs against our daily vicissitudes and changes when wee feele that our Faith doth saint our life languishes our hope houers and vvee are like to sincke in the tentation vvith Peter and our feeble hands fall downe with Moses yet let vs not dispaire no change in vs can alter Gods vnchangeable purpose he who hath begun the worke in vs will also perfect it Because I am not changed saith Mal. 3. 6. the Lord therefore is it that yee O sonnes of Iacob are not consumed This purpose of God is called otherwise the will of God Our calling conuersion flowes from Gods purpose therefore all the praise of it belongs to the Lord. and the good pleasure of his Will In that the Apostle saith our calling is according to his purpose it teacheth vs to ascribe the whole praise of our saluation to the good pleasure of his will and not to our owne foreseene merits That poyson of pride vvhich Sathan poured into our first Parents and by vvhich they aspyred to be equall with God doth yet breake forth in their posterity the corrupt heart of man euer ayming at this to seeke vnto himselfe either in part or in whole the power and praise of his owne saluation This is to start vp into the roome of God and to vsurpe that glory which belongs to the Lord and he will not giue to any other than the which no greater sacriledge can be committed against the Lord. O man content thee with that which the Lord offers thee and let that alone vvhich hee reserues vnto himselfe My peace saith the Lord I giue to you my glory I will not giue to any other The first Preachers of the Gospell were Angels they proclaymed glory and peace but glory they gaue to God which is on high and peace they cryed to the children of his good will which are vpon earth It is enough that peace and saluation is giuen to be thine but as for the glory of saluation let it remain to the Lord. Hee is for this called the Father of mercie because mercie For this cause he is called the Father of Mercie and not of Iudgement 2 Tim. 1. 9. bred in his owne bosome Hee hath found many causes vvithout himselfe mouing him to execute iustice but a cause mouing him to shew mercie hee neuer found but the good pleasure of his will therefore the Apostle saith the Lord hath called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his purpose and grace Surely except the Lord had reserued mercy for vs wee had beene like to Sodome and Gomorrha but it pleased him of his owne good will of the same lumpe of clay to make vs vessels of honour vvhereof hee made others vessels of dishonour And who is able sufficiently to ponder so great a benefit and therefore howsoeuer the blinded Pharisee sacrifice to his owne net and make his mouth to kisse his hand as if his owne hand had done it yet let the redeemed of the Lord praise the Lord let them cry out with a louder voyce than Dauid did O Lord what are wee that thou art so mindfull of vs Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but to thy name giue the glory for thy louing kindnesse and thy truth for our saluation comes from God that sits vpon the throne and from the Lambe To thee O Lord be praise and honour and glorie for euer Now as for the calling wee are to know that the calling Our calling is twofold and the inward calling is a declaration of our election of God is twofold outward and inward He speakes not here of the outward calling of which our Sauiour
ex meritis nostris quod principium bonorum operum est ex nobis consummatio ex Deo To affirme that any merit vpon our part must be presupposed the prescience whereof was the cause of predestination is no other thing but to affirme that grace were giuen of our merits and that the beginning of good workes were of our selues and the consummation thereof were of God therefore saith hee the words are to be read this way more conueniently whom he fore-knew them he also predestinated to be made like vnto the image of his Sonne vt ista conformitas non sit ratio praedestinationis sed effectus that so this conformitie be not a cause of predestination but an effect But beside these this errour is conuinced by manifold Sanctification is an effect of predestination and therefore not a cause of it Ephes 1. 4. proofes of holy Scripture the Apostle saith hee hath chosen vs in Christ therefore not in our selues he saith againe that wee should be holy and without blam hee saith not he chose vs because he foresaw that wee would be holy so hee sets downe sanctification as an effect of Predestination Now it is certaine that one effect of Predestination may well be the cause of an other posterior effect as the preaching of the word is a cause of faith and faith is a certaine cause of iustification but no effect of Predestination can be cause of it Againe he saith The Lord hath saued vs and called vs with 2 Tim. 1. 9. an holy calling not according to our workes here yee see that in our calling our workes and Gods purpose are manifestly opponed so that the putting of the one is the remouing of the other thus neyther in our Election before time nor in our calling in time hath the Lord regarded our workes or foreseene rectitude of our will but the good pleasure of his owne will And I pray you what other thing could the Lord foresee The calling of God finds euery man in an euill estate Esay 48. 8. in vs than that vvhich hee foresaw in the Israelites I knew that thou art obstinate and thy neck an iron sinew and thy browe brasse I knew that thou wouldest grieuously transgresse therefore I called thee a transgressor from the wombe yet for my Names sake will I deferre my wrath and for my praise will I refraine it from thee that I cut thee not off yea in so many places of holy Scripture doth the Lord plead the cause of his owne glory that it cannot be but a most fearefull sacriledge against so cleare a light for a man eyther in part or in whole to make his own merits a cause of saluation When the Lord called Abraham hee found him an Idolater when hee called Paul hee found him a persecuter when he called Matthew hee found him a Publican when hee called Mary he found her possessed with Diuels all that euer receiued grace stand vp as so many witnesses of his glory Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but to thy name be Psal 115. 1. the praise And to these obiections which the braine of man hath Obiections of men against Gods predestination answered brought out against this truth of God to cleare themselues and charge the Lord with vnrighteousnes they are all sufficiently answered by the Apostle that the Lord by reason of his absolute authoritie ouer all his creatures hath power of the same lumpe to make one vessell of honour for to Rom. 9. 10. shew the glory of his mercy and an other vessell of dishonour to shew the glory of his iustice seeing this power is not denyed to the potter ouer his clay how dare man speak against it in the Lord ouer his creature O man who art thou that pleadect with God Woe be to him that striueth with his Maker If I dispute with thee O Lord thou art righteous how euer I iudge of thy counsell and of the manner of thy working thou art asway righteous Si non vis errare if thou Aug. in Ioan. tract 26. wilt not erre saith Augustine iudge not the Lord why one is saued the Apostle tels you I haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy Misericordia eius misericordiae causa why another Aug. Epist 59. ad Paulin is reiected Causa potest esse occulta iniusta esse non potest the cause may be secret but cannot be vniust qui infactis Dei rationem non videt infirmitatem suam considerans cur Gregor in Iob cap. 9. non videt rationem videat hee that seeth not a reason of the Lords doing let him looke to his own infirmitie and he shall see a reason why hee seeth it not The Lord hath hid euen from most wicked men the purpose of their owne reprobation till it come to the execution and then shall they receiue an answere from their owne consciences to stop their mouthes which now they will not receiue from man Euery one of the damned shall be compelled to acknowledge that the iudgement executed vpon them is righteous But now to returne to the doctrine wee haue first to obserue Predestination takes not away the second causes and meanes of saluation out of the signification of the vvord which I marked before that the Lords determinate counsell and predestination takes not away the nature properties nor necessities of secondarie causes and meanes of saluation but rather establishes them for those whom God hath appointed to saluation he hath also appointed to those meanes which may bring them vnto it It is therefore a blasphemie which is frequent in the mouthes of carnall professors if I be elected howsoeuer I liue I shall be saued and if otherwise I be a reprobate liue as I will I cannot mend it this is no other thing but Sathans diuinitie if thou be the Sonne of God Sathans diuinitie teacheth Atheists to despise the means of saluation cast thy selfe downe from the Temple thou shalt not dash thy foote against a stone as if the sonnes of God were licensed to despise the second and ordinarie meanes and not rather bound to vse them but in very deed as it is against the nature of fire to be cold so is it impossible that the elect man effectually called can reason after this manner yea the more he heares of election the more hee endeauours to make it sure by vvell doing knowing that no man can attaine to the end of our Faith which is the saluation of our soule but by the lawfull and ordinarie meanes Both temporall and spirituall blessings the Lord wil haue God giues his blessing by meanes therefore they shuld not neglect the meanes who seeke the blessing Hos 2. 21. vs to seeke them by the lawfull and ordinarie meanes the Cornes cannot serue Israel except the earth beare them the earth cannot beare them except the heauens giue raine the heauens can giue no raine except the Lord command them Therefore vvhen the
Lord promises a blessing In that day saith the Lord I will heare the heauens and they shall heare the earth and the earth shall heare the corne and the wine and the oyle and they shall heare Israell And that he keepes the same order in bestowing spiritual blessings we are taught by the Apostle vvhen hee saith that before vve be saued we Rom. 10. 13. must call on the name of the Lord before vve call on his name we must beleeue before we beleeue we must heare before we heare there must be preaching whereof it is euident that they who neglect and contemne the ordinary meanes of saluation do giue out a very hard sentence against themselues which is that if they so continue they doe not appertaine vnto election And againe for our further comfort wee haue here to Comfort our election before time cannot be disanulled by any creature made in time marke the certaintie and soliditie of our saluation it is neither to day nor yesterday that the Lord concluded to be mercifull vnto vs our election beganne not with our selues before the mountaines were made before the earth 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 vvilled 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 in vs by walking in a good conscience before the Lord and then vve shall not care what man or Angell say to the contrarie against it they are but posterior creatures and what intrest can they haue to gainesay that vvhich GOD hath done before that they vvere Happy are they vvho 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 vve are taught here by the holy Apostle that all Sauing grace is communicated to few therefore should be the more esteemed men are not foreknowne all are not predestinated to life otherwise there vvere not an election there is onely a certaine and definit number vvhich 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 partakers of saluation Many saith our Sauiour shall come from the East and from the West and shall sit with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of Mat. 8. 11. God hee saith not all the children of the East shall come but many shall come This should vvaken 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 the kingdome the more we should labour to be of that number Wee see So it is in nature that rarest things are most regarded 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 vvhom they belong riches and honor are in greater account among men because few attaine vnto them and if vvee vvere as wise in spirituall things that grace of Christ vvhich brings saluation would be more precious 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 the Sonne The Apostle Predestination is vnto glory by a conformitie with Christ in our present life 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 hee vseth not here the vvord of Predestination generally but restraines it to Predestination vnto life as also that vvee cannot step from election to glory but by a conformitie vvith Christ vvhich is most necessarie 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 vvhereunto we are ordayned yet neither of them can comfort vs vnlesse vvee be sure that our life is proceeding from election to glorification by the right meanes The first and neerest end of election in regard of man Ephes 1. 4. As Christ is the life so is he the way neither can wee come to life but by the way Ioh. 14. 6. is his sanctification for the Lord hath chosen vs that vvee 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 stil 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 vvord their hearts are prophane yea 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 shal neuer come where Christ is to liue with him that vvalkes not after Christ in newnesse of life This conformitie vvith the Lord Iesus vvhereunto wee Conformitie with Christ wherein it stands 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 vvith 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 wee 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 Workes done by Christ are threefold 1. personall workes of Redemption 2. Miracles 3. workes of a godly life our nature are threefold first his personall workes of Redemption as that he vvas borne of the Virgin that he suffered the cursed death of the Crosse for the expâ—ation of our sinnes that he rose the third day for our iustification that he 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 prease to follow him in his personall vvorkes of Redemption is blasphemie or in his workes of Miracles is impâ—ssibilitie but to follow him in the workes of a godly life is true pietie In the first papists are blasphemous that on good-Friday makes a play to the people by counterfaiting In the first and second Papists are apish imitators 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 vvho are truely religious strâ—ue to follow him as Children looking to their coppy learne to mend their letters so let vs by looking dayly to our example learne to amend our liues Imitation in the first two Iesus did neuer require onely In the third onely should we follow the Lord Iesus Ioh. 13. 12. hee craues that vve should follow him in the third there is his voyce Learne of me that I am loâ—ly and meeks 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 he might giue vs an example how one of vs should serue another as I haue loued you said Iesus so loue ye Iohn 15. 12. one another yea in that vpon the Crosse he prayed for his enemies hee hath also taught vs how to practise that precept Pray for them who persecute you In patience likewise he Mat. 5. 44. is proposed vnto vs for an example for so are we exhorted Heb. 12. 2. Let vs runne with patience the race that is set before vs looking vnto Iesus the author and finisher of our Faith these and such like are the workes wherein wee are commanded to conforme our selues vnto him We must also follow the Lord Iesus in suffering The other point wherein stands our conformitie vvith him is in patient suffering with him for righteousnes which vve shall not be able to doe except wee liue first after the similitude of his life what like suffering to the suffering of Christ than the suffering of that reprobate theâ—fe vvho dyed with Iesus at the same time the same kinde of death yet because his life was neuer like the life of Christ his sufferings shall neuer be accounted the sufferings of Christ Similis in â—oena dissimilis â—â—causa But as for the other whom Augustine the Lord Iesus conuerted vpon the Crosse to declare to all the world that euen in death hee retayned the power of a Sauiour able to giue life to them who are dead he brought out in the last houre of his life the first fruits of amendment of life he liued long a wicked malefactor but a short vvhile a conuerted Christian yet in that same space hee abounded in the fruits of Godlinesse confessing his sinnes giuing glory to the iustice of God rebuking the blasphemies of the other and pleading the cause of his innocent Sauiour thus being turned from his sinne hee began euen on the Crosse to liue with Iesus and therefore heard that ioyfull sentence This night thou shalt be with me in Paradise Luke 23. 43. Reasons mouing vs to a conformitie with Christ Now that we may be moued to embrace this conformitie with Iesus let vs remember that the image of God by which wee were created conforme vnto him is the most auncient glory to which wee can make claime and therefore 1 The Image of God is our most ancient glory stollen from vs by Sathan which we should seek to recouer if there be in vs any peece of manhood and spirituall wisedome we ought to endeauour to recouer it which our enemie craftily and maliciously hath stollen from vs. O what a pittie is it to see that man cannot doe that in the matter of saluation which hee can doe in the smallest things pertayning to this life There is no man among vs who knoweth that any tenement of land or portion of earth possessed now vniustly of another did of olde pertaine to his Fathers but if he can hee will seeke to recouer it seeking by iustice to bring that home to himselfe which oppressors vniustly had taken from him Is it not then most lamentable that where the Lord Iesus the King of righteousnesse and Prince of peace offers to restore vs to our most auncient glory which is his owne image that vvee vvill not call the oppressours of our soule before him nor seeke to be restored to that glory vvhich most deceitfully our aduersarie hath stollen from vs but this commeth also vpon man by the subtilty of Sathan that hauing once spoyled vs of the image of God he doth vvhat hee can so to blinde vs that vve should neuer seeke it againe nor doe so much as receiue it vvhen it is offered vnto vs. Iacob complained of Laban that hee had deceiued him Sathan a double deceiuer and changed his wages ten times and Esau complained of Iacoh â—s of a supplanter vvho first had stollen from him his birth-right and then the blessing also but more cause haue vve to turne these complaints vpon Sathan who hath not onely stollen from vs the Image of God but daily stealeth away the blessing whereby it is restored vnto vs. Oh that we had wise and vnderstanding hearts that wee might be stirred vp to an holy anger against the enemie of our saluation seeking in despite of him to be restored to that right vvhich by creation belonged to our fore-fathers But alas vvhat a beastly stupiditie is this that man vvill not doe so much for recouerie and maintenance of the image of God as hee vvill doe for preseruation of his owne portraiture drawne on a peece of timber if any man pollute it incontinent he is offended and stomacks at it as an iniurie done to himselfe but as for man who is the image of God he lyes downe like a beast content that Sathan should tread vpon him pollute defile him with all kind of abhomination all which proceeds from a pittifull ignorance of his own glory The second reason which should moue vs to conforme 2 Iesus Christ hath first conformed himselfe vnto vs. our selues to Iesus is that hee hath first of all conformed himselfe vnto vs hee was not ashamed to take vpon him the shape of a seruant and to become man like vnto vs in all things sinne accepted and shall we refuse to conforme our selues vnto him let it be farre from vs but rather putting from vs that foolish emulation by vvhich wee striue to conforme our selues vnto this vvorld let vs consider whereunto wee are called euen to be partakers of the diuine nature and may thinke it most greatest
beganne at the Churches of the East they had their owne day although but a short Winters day compared vvith that of the Iewes From them in the East the light is now come praised be GOD to vs in the West now is our day how long it is to continue vvith vs who can tell While therefore the light is with you walke in the light Ioh. 32. 35. Rom. 13. 11. least darknesse come vpon you Let vs consider the season for if once the day of grace goe by vs wee shall neuer finde it againe For suppose this day of saluation vvere to shine vpon No Grace will be offered to vs after this life this land still on to the vvorlds end yet vvhat is it to thee seeing the day of grace endeth to thee in the day of thy death after that the Lord shall neuer any more offer mercie vnto thee in that the Apostle wils vs to doe good while we haue time he tels vs that after this there is no time let vs not thinke quod apud inferos ad faciendos fideles atque liberandos Aug. Euodio Epist. 99. euangelium praedicatum sit vel adhuc etiam praedicetur quasi ibi sit Ecclesia constituta that the Gospell euer hath beene or yet is preached in hell to vvorke Faith in men therefor their deliuerance as if there also vvere a constitute Church in it Here by preaching grace is offered to thee that if thou wilt beleeue thou mayst be saued but if now thou dispise it there remaines nothing but a fearefull looking for of iudgement And no lesse deceitfull is that opinion that by suffering hereafter thou mayst redeeme that life which here thou hast not obtayned Vita hic aut amittitur aut tenetur cum istine excessum fuerit nullus paenitentiae locus nullus satisfactionis Cyprian effectus Now life is eyther kept or lost for when we goe out of the body there is no place of repentance no effect of satisfaction It is a principall pollicie of Sathan to steale away from Sathans principall pollicie is to steale away from men the time of grace man the time of Grace he will not simply say to any man yee neede not to repent at all hee knoweth the most prophane man will abhorre that he seekes onely a delay thou needest not saith hee to repent as yet and so stealeth away one day after another till the day of Grace be gone When Pharaoh was stricken with Frogges and Moses offered to him that when hee would bid him hee would pray to God that he might be deliuered from them it was but an vnwise answere he gaue him Pray for me to morrow it had been better Exod. 8. 10. for him to haue said Pray for me presently but more miserably blinded are they to whom the Lord presently offers saluation they delay not till to-morrow onely but till the next yeare yea for many yeares they are called vpon in their youth but they refuse to repent till they be olde seeking first leaue to kisse their Father that is to follow their owne pleasures before they will resolue to follow the Lord Iesus and so lets their dayes one after another be stollen away from them till at length they be taken away in their sinnes and the day of Grace be closed vpon them And whom hee Called them also hee Iustified Hauing Iustification posterior to Calling in order not in time spoken of our Calling wee come now to speake of our Iustification This is a new benefit different from the former benefit of our Calling posterior to it in order of working but not in time for in the same moment wherein the Lord by effectuall Calling giues vs faith to beleeue hee doth also iustifie vs. That wee may vnderstand what a benefit this is wee are The word of Iustifying three wayes taken to know that the word of Iustifying hath three principall significations First to iustifie is all one with this to sanctifie or to infuse by grace new qualities into the soule of man and so Iustification is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu motus ad Iustitiam as Dan. 12 They who iustifie many shall shine as Starres for euer in 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 Luke 7. 29. force we 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 Hee that iustifies the wicked Pro. and condemnes the iust are both alike abhomination to the Lord and in this sense the Apostle vseth it here for he oppones it to condemnation This right vnderstanding of the vvord vvill lead vs to Iustification is opponed to coÌ„demnation 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 denie is the sentence of a righteous Iudge adiudging a malefactor to death for some capitall crime whereof he is found guilty 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 How the state of the controuersie of Iustification stands betweene vs and the Papists 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 he shall be pronounced innocent absolued from death and adiudged to life whether is it ouâ— works 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 shal giue great light to the c 〈…〉 ouersie that is betweene vs and the falsly named Catho 〈…〉 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 absoluâ—torie sentence from death To make this yet more cleare let vs know that the righteousnesse Foure names giuen to that righteousnesse by which wee are iustified by which we 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
456. How worthy to be honoured 108 Christian hath accesse to the chamber of the great King when he will 318. none but he knowes the misteries of the Gospel 320. he is sure of victorie 322. what is his best 337. when comes hee to it 338. 339. his vnion with Christ maruellous 24. Christian exempted from the threefold condemnation of the wicked 15. yet condemned by wicked men 9. sinne is in him but hee goes not after it See Sinne. Hee wants neuer enemies but they cannot hurt him 404. he is compared to a rock in the sea 448. hee wants not Canaanites to curse him 290. hee is subiect to perils 437 Christian his ingrafting in Christ see Ingrafting See Vnion Christian freed from wickednes not from weakenesse 296. why weakenes is left in him 299. A soueraigne rule whereby to try him 110. In the Christian are two men 315. God estimates him by the new man 316. the new man liues in the bodie like Lot in Sodome 317 Christian is not a single man standing by himselfe but a man incorporate in Christ 448 Church how deare to God 335 Creature how it waites sighes and groanes 250. threefold vse thereof to man ward 251. how punished for mans sinne 258. subiect to a two-fold vanity 255. three wayes abused 257. wee should blame our selues when wee are crossed by the creature 259. they shall concurre to plague the wicked 257. what creatures shall be restored 261. to what vse shal the creature serue in the last day 262. how will the creature be deliuered seeing the Psalmist sayes they shall perish 263. the creature complaines to God God complaines to the creature vpon man woe to man if hee complaine not on himselfe 264 Crosse how comfortable Worldlings can not know 330. small crosses are of Gods indulgence 430 Crosses which are not Christs are accursed 224 Crosses should not be sought by vs. 436 Courts of iustice holden by God on man are two in the first the sinnes of the elect was condemned in the second the persons of the wicked shall be condemned 72. 73 Couenant of grace the godly had it euen vnder the Law 190 Curse encreases as sin encreases 256. Christ hath a two-fold right to his fathers kingdom 21. 214. this deliuerance pertaines not to all and how miserable they are who are not in him 18. the prayse of our deliuerance belongs to him onely 55. how hee is Gods owne sonne 66. 408. his diuine generation a great mysterie 67. hee came like a sinfull man but not sinfull 68. he did his greatest workes when he was weakest 73. he is a powerfull Sauiour and our comfort therein 74 Christ is the first borne in three respects 376. miserable they who acknowledge not his prerogatiue 377. Christ and his Spirit are not sundred 117. his kingdome encreases by trouble whereby others are weakned 223. how the wicked giue him stil a scepter of reedâ— 353. Christ is the life and the way to the life 371. hee is the chiefe gift of God all other gifts are but pendicles 422. his exaltation 423. his sitting at the right hand of his Father 424. his intercession 425. how hee restores vs to a better estate then we lost in Adam 453. his loue to vs 379. onely Mediatour of intercession 425. his mediation should suffice vs 427. his resurrection most comfortable 422 D Day of death how it should be expected and waited for 274 Day of iudgement should be waited for as the yeare of Iubilie 275 Death first and second 61. Nature of the first death chaunged 62. to the Christian it is neither totall nor perpetuall 121. Second death hath three degrees 61 Death not presently destroyed for foure causes 136. Ethnickes comfort in death not like ours but their courage better 123. We are not only mortall but dead 124. bound already by the officers of death 124. yet haue wee in vs a life which is not subiect to death 138 Death not to be feared 144. It doth but breake the prison and let out the prisoner 138 Dead body of the Christian honoured by God 141. they haue a balme which preserues them to immortalitie 142 Death second why called a wrath to come 147. the place of it vniuersalitie and eternitie of it 175. Death to sinne restores life which death in sinne tooke away 179 Death comes to the wicked as Iehu to Iehoram 274. how it works good to the godly 331. compared to the red sea 332. 333. can not hurt the man of God 444 remembrance of it profitable 452. how in it we are conquerors 448. comfort in death 453 Death in the body should abate pride 125. Necessarie obseruations concerning it 363 Death of the wicked how miserable 138 Debt double lying vpon vs the one wee must pay the other we must seeke forgiuen 163. What helpes wee haue to pay the debt of obedience 164 Deliuerance from sinne begunne shall be perfected 60 Desertions spirituall no comfort in them 209. 210. Distinction of mankinde three fold 19. 20. Diseases and vncouth deaths come by vncouth sinnes 128 Dwelling of Gods Spirit in the christian 106. What it imports 108. how maruellous it is 107. the christian should be honoured for it 108. What benefits wee get by Claists dwelling in vs. 110. 111. 141. how carnall professors lodge him in a wrong place 114. E Election so sure that no creature can disannull it 370 Epistle to the Romanes why first placed 2. Enemies of the godly how they doe them good 332 F Faith and workes not simply opposit but in the act of iustification 339. See iustification Faith and hope compared 279 Faith compared by Christ to the fish 286. the right place of faith hope and loue in the worke of saluation 281. the fortresse of faith 391 Famine one of God his ordinarie plagues 433. miserable caterpillers are they who make gaine of famine 433. of a cursed rodde changed into a blessed crosse 434. how in famine God prouides for his children 434 First fruits of the Spirit tels what the fulnesse will be 397. 320. 270. First borne his priuiledges 376 Feare of fiue sorts 191. from what feares are the godly exempted 192. feare in the godly prepares a way to loue then it ceases but in the wicked it â—oes on to despayre 193. how wee should feare so long as we are in the body 124 Flesh vsed to expresse sinfull corruption for three causes 32. 33. Mâ—â—rable end thereof 46. 100. what it is to be in the flesh 101. falsely expounded by Syricius of the marryed 101 Foode should so be giuen to the body that sinne be not nourished in the body 168 G God how he is the father of mercie 66. not of iudgement 357. God both by word and deed declares that he craues not our death 169. What comfort haue we in that hee is our Father 203 God his goodnesse is extended to all his inheritance reserued onely to his children 212. His workes are not to be iudged by their beginnings but their ends 324.
how lamentable it is 125 Seruant of seruants is hee who is not Christs seruant 160. by what bands wee are bound to be Christs seruants 161. how wee are both swoâ—ne and hired and haue receiued wages in hand 162 Seruants should we be to Christ 169. how other Lords would haue vs seruants to them 168. it is a shame for man to seeke seruice from his inferior and refuse it to his superiour 161 Seeke God what comfort they haue who doe so 237 Sinne suffered to remaine in the godly and why 7. sinne is in the christian but he walkes not after it 43. any seruice he giues to sinne is by compulsion 43 Sin hath a two-fold power 1. to command 2. to condemne 49. A Law how ascribed to sinne 51. it seemes sweet but it is bitter 59. sinne and death are inseparable 57. how sinne is condemned by Christ 71. cursed are they who nourish it seeing Christ came to destroy it Sinne multiplyed how it should humble vs 98. 99. how it causes the Lord disauow his owne creature 120. a sinner impenitent murthers himselfe 128. if wee slay not sinne it will slâ—y vs. 171 Sinne is the forbidden tree 171. men seeke fruits on it which they shall not finde and findes on it that which they would not haue 172. how the fruit and the deceit of sin are to be distinguished 172. sinne vnder secrecie 308. is great folly 309 Sinnes multiplyed how they grow into a treasure 337. Sinne for giuen breeds great ioy 414. Sinne euil in the affection but good in the memory 420 Sions beauty and Sinaies terrour how they should moue vs. 408 Soule immortall 132. two-fold life of the soule 133. compared to Abrahams house 107. life of it flowes from Christ his righteousnesse 137. it is Gods Temple how it should be dayly swept and kept cleane 113. it should neuer want morning and euening sacrifices in it 13. the soule is first restored and then the bodie 143. See Temple Sonnes of God are not now reuealed 252. no man should iudge of them by their present estate 253 Sonnes of God how all of them are his heyres 213. and hath his Spirit 187 Sheepe how the godly are compared to sheepe both by God and by wicked men 446. 447. Spirit how hee is said to depart from the godly 109. his two-fold operations 117. his threefold notable operation in the godly 118. how he is Gods seale his witnesse and his earnest 119 Spirit his operations vniuersall 181. speciall of sundry sorts 182. how hee leades his children monendo monendo 182. 183. his threefold operation in the godly 188 Spirit is giuen and receiued by the word 190. how in his first operation hee is a Spirit of bondage to feare 189. wee haue in this life but the first fruits of the Spirit 268. why the Lord giues vs not the principall here 269. what comfort haue we through the earnest of the Spirit 270 Spirit why he appeared in the likenesse of a Doue and similitude of sire 294. how hee â—eares the burthen with vs 298. how hâ—e requests for vs. 301 Sufferings are no testimonies of Gods anger 223. all the godly are subiect to them 222. three things required to make our sufferings sufferings with Christ 224. the three persons of the blessed Trinitie suffer with the godly 224. all the sufferings of Christians are not for Christ 442 the causes of suffering 443. Euery suffering renders not glorie 231. time of our suffering is short 231. a necessarie obseruation in suffering 443. Simpathy in suffering with Christ See afflictions T Temperance 126 Temple of God should be more beautifull within then without 115. See soule Tentations to sinne are of the deceiuer 58. comfort in them 59. a good answere to Sathan in his tentations to sinne thou hast deceiued mee so oft why shall I beleeue thee any more 127. See Sathan Tentations by Sathan vnto sinne should chace vs to grace See Sathan Standing in tentations what comfort it renders 298 Thankefulnesse to God should be declared in a three-fold duety 69. 112. 267 Threatnings vsed by the Lord argues our rebellion 170 Tongue of the wicked is a sire furnace wherein the godly are tryed 416. tongues bended against the godly are accursed 305 W Walking from euill to good is the life of a Christian 44. What neede in this walking weâ— haue of a guide 184. how wee should follow our guide 185. how oâ—r way should be considered 45 Wicked men how they walke in a circular motion 44. How miserable they are 98. their rebellion exempts them not from subiection 97 Wicked men compared to open sepulchers 116. they dye miserably and why 138 139. With what Spirit are they led 186. 187. The wicked are left for tryall of the good 291. A wicked man is at his best when he is first borne 337. all workes for the worst vnto them 341. all creatures shall accuse them 421 Will accepted for a deede 444 Will contrarie to Gods will most miserable 100. all the strife betweene God and man is about this whose will should be done 99 Vbiquitaries improued 424 Vnion of a christian with Christ how strait it is 23. 24. Worldlings wrong estimation of a Christian 446. they loue immortalitie but seeke it the wrong way 142. No worldlings shall continue in the state wherin he stands now 456 Worldlings comfort is seene not so the Christians 285. his fectlesse obiection to the Christian 286. their rebuke 287. they are cursed with the Serpent 321. they speake of Gods word like Birds counter fetting mans voice 321. the paines they take on trifles should shame vs that take no paines vpon better things 340 World consists of two contrarie factions 401 Word should be applyed 103. by the word we receiue the Spirit 190. it is as milk to some as salt to others 170. rebukes thereof how not suffered 171 Workes wrought by God called our workes 177. our workes no supplyments of Christs merits 235. how workes of men regenerate doe not merit 393. workes both of the law morall and ceremoniall excluded from iustification 394 Worshippers of God in whatsoeuer part are all of one communion 438 Wrath to come will eate vp all present pleasure 235 FINIS