priuiledge of the whole Church Gen. 12. 3. them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee vve may easily thinke belongs also to all his seed euen to that congregation of the first borne The Lord will be a wall of fire round about Ierusalem and the glory in the middest of her he vvill keepe her as the apple of his eye and make Ierusalem a cuppe of poyson to all her enemies and a heauie stone vvhich vvhosoeuer striueth to lift shall be torne therewith though all the people of the earth were gathered together against it the vveapons made against her shall not prosper and euery tongue that shall rise against her in iudgement shall be condemned This is the heritage of the Lords seruants and the portion of them that loue him for the church is that Arke which mounts vp higher as the water increases but cannot be ouerwhelmed the bush which may burnâ— but cannot be consumed the house built on a rocke which may be beaten with vvinde and raine but cannot be ouerthrowne The Lord who changeth times and seasons vvho takes A warning for Kings and such as are in authoritie away Kings and sets vp Kings hath reproued Kings for his Churches sake yea hee gouernes all the kingdomes of the earth in such sort that their fallings risings their changes and mutations are all directed to the good of his Church In one of these two sentences all the Iudges of the vvorld may see themselues and foresee their end for eyther that shall be fulfilled in them which Mordecay said to Este who knowes if for this thou art come to the kingdome that by thee deliuerance may come to Gods people or else that which Moses Hâ—ster 4 14. in Gods name said to Pharaoh the oppressour of the Church in her adolescencie I haue set thee vp to declare my Exod. 7. power because thou exaltest thy selfe against my people May wee not behold here how vnsure their standing is They who rise to authoritie and not to the good of the Church shall assuredly fall and how certaine their fall who when they are highest abuse their power most to hold the people of God lowest what else are they but obiects whom the Lord hath raised vp to declare his power and iustice vpon them If we shall marke the course of the Lords proceeding euer since the beginning of the world we shall finde a blessing following them whom he hath made instruments of good vnto his church and that such againe haue not wanted their owne recompence of wrath who haue continued instruments of her trouble When the Lord concluded to bring his Church from Examples shewing how God hath altered the state of worldly Empires for the good of his Church Canaan to soiourne in Egypt he sent such a famine in Canaan as compelled them to forsake it but made plenty in Egypt by the hand of Ioseph whom the Lord had sent before as a prouisor for his Church and by whom Pharaoh was made fauourable to Iacob but when the time came that the Lord was to translate his Church from Egypt to Canaan when hee altered Pharaohs countenance and raised vp a new King who knew not Ioseph hee turned the Egyptians hearts away from Israel so that they vexed Israell and made them to serue by crueltie Thus when the Lord In Pharaoh king of Egypt will bring them to Egypt hee maketh Pharaoh fauourable which also brings a blessing vpon Tharaoh and his people but vvhen the Lord vvill make them to goe out of Egypt hee maketh another Pharaoh an enemie vnto them whereby both they are made willing to forsake Egypt and Pharaoh prepares the way for a fearefull iudgement on himselfe and his people Againe when the sinnes of Israel came to that ripenesse In the Monarch of Babell and Persia that their time vvas come and their day drew neere the Lord stirred vp the King of Babell as the rod of his wrath and staffe of his indignation Hee sent him to the dissembling Esay nation and gaue him a charge against the people of his wrath to take the spoyle and the pray and to tread them vnder feete like mire in the streets and to this effect that the Lord might be auenged of the sinnes of Israel hee subdued all the kingdomes round about them vnder the King of Babell that no stoppe nor impediment should be in the way to hold back the rodde of Ashur from Israel But yet againe vvhen the Lord had accomplished all his worke vpon Israel and the time of mercy was come and the seauentie yeeres of captiuitie expired then the Lord visited the proud heart of the King of Ashur and for his Churches sake he altered againe the gouernement of the whole earth translating the Empyre to the Medes and Persians that so Cyrus the Lords annointed might performe to his people the promised deliuerance All which should learne vs in the greatest changes and Therefore in our greatest mutations our hart should not be moued from confidence in God Psal alterations that fall out in the world to rest assured that the Lord will vvorke for the good of his Church though the earth should be moued and the mountaines fall into the middest of the Sea yea though the vvaters thereof rage and be troubled yet there is a riuer whose streames shall make glad the Cittie of our GOD in the middest of it yea if they vvho should be the nourishing Fathers of the Church forsake her and become her enemies they shall assuredly perish but comfort and deliuerance shall Esth appeare vnto Gods people out of another place The Lord for a vvhile may put the brydle of bondage in the Philistims hand to humble Israell for their sinnes but it shall be taken from them at length his Church shall with ioy draw vvater out of the Well of saluation and praise the Lord saying though thou wert angry with mee thy wrath is turned away and thou comfortest mee yea Sion shall cry out and shout for ioy for great is the holy One of Israel in the middect of her And therefore in our lowest humiliations let vs answere our enemies Reioyce not against mee O mine enemie though I fall I shall rise when I shall sit in darknesse the Lord is a light vnto me I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I haue sinned against him vntill he plead my cause and execute iudgement for mee he will bring me forth to the light and I shall see his righteousnesse then he that is mine enemie shall looke vpon it and shame shall couer him who said to me where is the Lord thy God now shall hee be troden vnder as the mire in the streets yea so let all thine enemies perish O Lord. For the best This good or best is no other thing but What is a christians best that precious saluation prepared to be shewed in the last time reserued in the heauens for vs and whereunto wee are
HEAVEN OPENED VVHEREIN THE COVNSAILE OF GOD CONCERNING mans Saluation is yet more cleerely manifested so that they that haue eyes may come and see the Christian possessed and crowned in his heauenly Kingdome Which is the greatest and last benefit we haue by Christ Iesus our Lord. Come and see First written and now newly amended and enlarged by Mr. William Cowper Minister of Gods word LONDON Printed by Thomas Snodham for Thomas Archer and are to be sould at his shop in Popes-head Pallace 1611. TO THE MOST SACRED CHRISTIAN TRVELY CATHOLIKE AND mightie Prince JAMES King of Great Britaine France and Ireland defender of the Faith c. SIR The Apostle S. Paule that Act. 9. 15. chosen vessell of God and his ambassadour sent forth into the world to bring in the house of Iapheth into the tents of Sem Gen. 9. 27. hauing in his peregrination vndertaken for preaching from Ierusalem vnto Illyricu seene Rom. 15. 19. the most pleasant parts of the world and in an extasie transported from earth into the third heauen seene also 2 Cor. 12. the pleasures of Paradise as one who knew both not by naked speculation but experience giues out his iudgement of both that the most excellent things of this world Philip. 3. 8. were but dung in respect of the Lord Iesus and that whatsoeuer pleasure on earth may delight the eye or eare 1 Cor. â— 9. of man is by infinite degrees inferiour to those which God hath prepared for his children and therefore passing by both the pleasures of life and terrors of death he fixed his eyes stedfastly vpon that prize of the high calling of Philip. 3. 14. God forgetting all other things he became carefull onely of this one so to runne and fulfill his course with ioy that Act. 20. 24. he might obtaine that crowne This as hee had learned 1. Cor. 9. 25. like a good disciple in the schoole of Christ so like a faithfull Doctor doth he here deliuer it vnto others letting vs see that the onely comfort of a Christian on earth consists in this to know that his name is written in heauen in the booke of life which as in this treatise he confirmeth vnto vs by the inseparable commixion of the lincks of the golden chaine of saluation specially of our calling with our election and glorification so he endeuors to draw the hearts of all the children of God toward it as that maine and onely point wherein true peace and ioy is to be found and without which all other comforts in the world yea Luke 20. 20 though it were superioritie ouer all the Angels of darkenesse in hell and all the bodies of men on earth shall be Iob. 16. 2. found in the end but miserable comforters I may truly say what I haue found in experience that this the Apostles most comfortable treatise to such as can Come and see shall not onely be as the top of Pisgah Deut. 34 to Moses out of which hee saw the promised Canaan but that also the man effectually called shall heare in it the testimony of the heauenly oracle speyking to his heart as cleerely as the Angel did vnto Daniel that hee is a Dan. 9. 13. man beloued of God elected an heire of grace and glory And therefore hauing resolued to make common for the vse of others those comfortable meditations which it pleased God out of this excellent treatise to communicate vnto me I was also after long haesitation emboldned to present them to your Maiestie not as of minde to bring by them any good vnto your Highnesse but begging to them from your sacred name fauourable protection For I humbly acknowledge that from so base a minde as mine is nothing can proceede worthy so great a Maiestie as God hath made you not so much in regard of those famous Kingdomes ouer which your Highnesse stretches out your Scepter as of those gifts of gouernment by which ye rule Your Highnesse hauing receiued from God cum Diademate diuinum oleum cum Sceptro oculum Kingly authoritie with Christian wisedome sacred Maiestie with singular meekenesse being so euident in your Highnesse that by them the worst sort of your Maiesties subiects haue been wonderfully conuinced the better sort confirmed to feare you as their King to loue you as their Father A conquest aboue which no greater can be Cum amari coli diligi maius sit imperio And this is it which hath ouercome in me all contrarie feares arising of the conscience of my weaknesse that when yâ—ur Highnesse great wisedome shall perceiue in these labours my great infirmities yet your Maiestie of your rare meeknesse will fauourably censure them Euen the starres which are obscured in presence of the sunne are profitable in his absence to giue light to the earth and howsoeuer any light that is in these discourses shall vnder your Highnesse eye be indeede but darkenesse yet if with your Highnesse fauor they be allowed to giue such glimmering light as they haue vnto others it shal be no small comfort vnto me and my greatest thankefulnesse shal be declared in my dayly prayers vnto the Lord God for your Maiestie that the name of Iacobs God may defend you from all euill and the Lord may send you help out of his Sanctuarie in all your need according as hee hath done Psal 20. 1. O King beloued of God hated of none but for Gods sake Psal 21. 1. keepe still your heart in the loue of God and his truth Reioyce in the strength of your God and feare not Psal 56. 4. what flesh can doe vnto you Is it not the Lord who Psal 18. 43. set your Highnesse on the throne to be a feeder of his people Israel Is it not the Lord who hath deliuered your Maiestie from the contentions of the people and secret snares of your cursed enimies though the Archers Gen. 49. 23. grieued you hated you and shot at you were not the hands of your armes strengthened by the hands of the Gen. 49. 25. mightie God of Iacob Is it not the almightie who hath blessed your Maiesty with heauenly blessings from aboue with blessings of the depth that lyes beneath with blessings Psal 21. 3. of the breast and wombe Sir let his liberall blessings wherewith the Lord your God hath preuented you be so many obligations binding Psal 18. 50 your Highnesse to honour the Lord who hath honoured Gen. 12. 1. you Let his fore past manifold deliuerances be as so many confirmations that if your Maiestie rest in him and Psal 68. 20. not in man he will still be a buckler vnto you Let Abaddon the King of the Locusts that Romish vsurper rage Reuel 9. 11. Vnto the Lord belongs the issues of death Can Balaam curse where God hath blessed yea can Sathan Numb 23. 8. hurt the man who is hedged by the Lord Let the Iob. 1. 10. Ambassadours
though the tongue be silent therefore our blessed Sauiour in the Gospell sayeth the workes which the Father hath giuen me to doe the same workes Iohn 5. 36. that I doe beare witnesse of mee Like as Cyprian sayeth good workes professes that there is a God so euill workes say in their owne kinde that there is no God nor knowledge of the most high Thus it is a most fearefull sinne for them to walke after the flesh who professes that they are in Iesus Christ For no sinne can be committed of them without horrible Sinnes of men professing Christ are not committed without sacriledge sacriledge euery worke of the flesh though done by a Pagan is a transgression of Gods law which shall be punished vnto death but the same committed by Christians are not onely sinnes but sacrilegious sinnes and that of the highest degree then came the sinnes of Belshazar to the Dan. 51. hight when to all his former sinnes hee ioyned the abuse of those vessels which were holy to haue drunke intemperatly for the honour of his Idol in any vessell was a fearefull sinne but to doe it in the vessels dedicated to the honour of the true God was a double sinne Yet is this sacriledge More fearefull than Belshazars small if it shall be compared with thine who professing Christ liues profanely hee abused dead vessels of gold siluer but thou erects a temple for the liuing God in a temple for Idols thou defilest the sanctuary of God with all vncleannesse those vessels which by Baptisme the marke of God were seperate and sealed to his holy seruice thou abusest to the seruice of Sathan by profession thou art militant vnder the banner of Christ wearing his badge but by action art a seruant to his aduersarie like as Iudas thou doest kisse Christ with thy mouth and with thy hand thou betrayest him Let carnall professors looke to him and they may see that a more fearefull iudgement abides them than the open enemies of Christ Iesus himselfe became his owne executioner Neither Caiphas nor Pilate nor the false witnesses nor the people who cryed crucifie Iudas punished sooner than Caiphas were so sodainely iudged as Iudas let men therefore learne either to make their liues in some measure answerable to their Christian profession or else if they will walke after the flesh let them leaue off any more to vsurpe the Christian name We haue here further to learne that it is not an easie A Christian life cannot be led without a battell worke to lead a Christian life but most hard considering that it cannot be led without a continuall battell betweene two parties the Flesh and the Spirit of so contrarie a disposition that the flesh lusts alway against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh it is not possible we can walke after the one the Spirit vnlesse continually we resist the other the flesh And this battell is so proper to the Christian In naturall men there is also a battell but not betweene the Flesh and the Spirit that none in the world can fight it but hee onely It is true that in men vnregenerate there is a battell betweene Reason and Affection Reason oftentimes refusing that for some worldly respect which Affection commaunds and in like manner a battell betweene a naturall conscience and naturall affection an example whereof we haue in Pilate the light of his conscience forbidding him to condemne Christ naturall affection feare of Caesar compelling him to doe the contrary But these battels in the vnregenerate are not battels betweene the flesh and the spirit but betweene flesh and flesh for in an vnregenerate man there is nothing but flesh it being true in them all which is spoken of those in the originall world I will striue no more with man for hee is Gen. 6. 3. but flesh But in the Christian the contrary parties are the new man and the olde the flesh and the spirit nature regenerate fighting against nature vnregenerate with such restlesse oppositions that there shall be no perfect peace till the one haue extinguished the other the life of the one being the death of the other Onely happy are they who in this life are exercised in this battell these are the good souldiers of Iesus for whom is prepared the Crowne As for others who fight it not though they be at quietnesse within themselues yet their peace is wicked and peruerse their being in them an agreement of all their powers to rebell against God Vbi enim non est bellum ibi pax peruersa Aug. ser 12 where there is not this Christian battell there is a miserable peace the end whereof out of doubt shall be more miserable perturbation what hope can those vvretches haue that at length they shall ouercome and obtayne the Crowne who haue neuer done so much as beginne to fight But to returne the difficultie of this Christian battell The difficultie of the Christian battel wherin it appeares appeares the more if wee consider that it is without intermission that our aduersarie is not externall neither such as stands alway vpon circumstances of time and place and exteriour obiects to i 〈…〉 ugne vs but being internall and domestike inuades vs with restlesse assaults euen then when the outward occasion serueth not The flesh saith Bernard Bernard is an enemie hostis quem nec fugere possumus nec fugare circumferre illum necesse est which we can neither flye nor yet chase away from vs a necessitie lyes vpon vs to carrie it about with vs we cannot flye from it Non enim post nos sed Ambrose de paeniten lib. 1. cap. 14. in nobis nos sequitur for it followeth vs saith Ambrose not after vs but in vs. A besieged Citie is sooner betrayed by secret enemies within then suppressed by open enemies without it is not the plain battel ordered before vs which we haue so much to feare as the traines secret ambushments of our aduersarie if we ouercome his power which is within vs his forces shal be soone enfeebled which is without vs. O what neede haue wee therefore in all the actions of our Seeing there are in vs two parties let vs help that which we would haue to preuaile life to walke circumspectly wee haue neede of eyes within and without vs that we may discerne the inward desires of the Spirit from these of the Flesh and may looke rightly on those outward obiects which may cherish the one and suppresse the other In a battaile betweene two euery man assists that partie which he would saine haue to be victorious for the help of the one saith Basil is the ouerthrow Basil serm 2. de iciunio of the other so is it in this combat betweene the Flesh and the Spirit the Flesh being strengthened by outward allurements and carnall exercises quencheth the Spirit and bringeth it in subiection but the more the body be subdued by
put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortality 2 Resurrection confirmed by types figures such as The same is in like manner shadowed in holy Scripture by sundry types and figures among which in Tertulian his iudgement the restitution of Ionas out of the Whales belly is one albeit the belly of the Whale was more able to haue altered and changed the body of Ionas by reason of the Ionas body great heat that is therein then the belly of the earth could haue beene by reason of her colde yet is hee restored the third day as liuely as he was receiued The same he thinkes of that vision of dry bones shewed to Ezechiel which at Ezekiels bones Chap. 38. once â—t the word of the Lord was knit together with sinews and couered vvith flesh and skinne this was not onely a prediction of the deliuerance of Israell out of Babell but also a typical confirmation of the resurrection of our bodies Non enim figura de ossiâ—us potuisset componi nisi id ipsum essibuâ— Tertull. de resur carnis 〈…〉 rum essâ—t for that figure of the bones could not haue beene made if the truth figured thereby were not also to be accomplished vpon such bones Parabola de nullo non conuenit vvhat parable or similitude can be brought from a thing which is not We shall not reade in all the booke of God that any parable hath beene borrowed from that thing which neuer was nor neuer will be Of this sort also is the flourishing of Aarons rodde in the iudgement of Cyril Aarons rodde Numb 17. which being before a dry and withered sticke incontinent by the word of the Lord flourished hee that restored to Aarons rodde that kinde of vegitatiue life which it had before will much more raise Aaron himselfe from the dead Of these figures shadowing the resurrection many more are to be found in holy Scripture As for examples in euery age of the world the Lord Examples of the Resurrection Gen. 5. hath raised some from the dead to be witnesses of the resurrection of the rest Before the floud hee carried vp Henoch aliue intâ— heauen and hee saw no death vnder the law Elias was transported in a fierie chariot and in the last age 2 Kings 2. of the world not onely hath our Lord blessed for euer risen from the dead and ascended into heauen as the first fruits of them which rise from the dead but also by his power hee raised Lazarus out of the graue euen after that stinking rottennesse had entred into his flesh and vpon the Crosse when hee seemed to be most weake hee shewed himselfe most strong hee caused by his power many that were dead to come out of their graues and to enter into the Citie Yea his seruant Peter by the power of the Lord Iesus raised the damsell Dorcas from death and in the name of the Lord Iesus Act. 9. 40. Acts. 3. made him that was lame of his feete to arise and walke when we see such power in the seruant of Christ working in his name shall we not reserue the praise of a greater power to himselfe And lastly as for the practises of God in nature wee are 3 Gods working both in our selues and the creature confirmes the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. not to neglect them for the Apostle himselfe brings arguments from them to confirme the resurrection He first propones the question of the Atheist how are the dead raised vp and with what body come they forth and then subioynes the answere O foole that which thou sowest is not quickned except it die it is sowen in the earth bare corne and God raiseth it with another body at his pleasure seeing thou beholdest this daily working of God in nature why wilt not thou beleeue that the Lord is able to doe the like vnto thy selfe Qui illa reparat quae tibi sunt necessaria quanto mâ—gâ—s te reparabit propter Ang. de verb. Apost ser 34. quem illa reparare dignatus est Seeing the Lord for thy sake repaires those things which are necessary to maintaine thy life will he not much more restore thy selfe and raise thee vp from death vnto eternall life And to insist in these same confirmations which we may A two-fold meditation to coÌ„firme the resurrection haue from the working of God in nature both in our selues and in other creatures if eyther with Iustin Martyr wee consider of how small a beginning or then with Cyril how of nothing God hath made vp man we shall see how iustly the Apostle calleth them fooles who deny the resurrection of our bodyes The Lord saith Iustin Maâ—tyr of a little drop of mans seede which as Iob saith is powred out like 1 How of a litle drop god made vs that which now wee are water buildeth vp daily this excellent workmanship of mans body who would beleeue that of so small a beginning and without forme so well a proportionate body in all the members thereof could be brought forth nisi aspectus sidem faceret were it not that daily sight and experience confirmeth Iust Mart. apol 2. ad Senat. Rom. it why then shall it be thought a thing impossible to the Lord to reedifie the same body after that by death it hath beene dissolued into dust and ashes And againe if with 2 How God hath made vs of nothing to be that which now wee are Cyrill wee will s 〈…〉 out our beginning and consider what wee were this day hundred yeare wee shall finde that wee were not seeing the Lord of nothing hath brought out so pleasant and beautifull a creature as thou art this day shalt thou thinke it impossible to him an hundred yeares after this oâ— longer or shorter as it pleaseth him to restore thee againe and raise thee from the dead qui potuit id quod non Ciril cate 4 erat producere vt aliquid esse id quod iam est cum â—eciderit restituere non poterit he that could bring out that which was not and make it to be something shall we thinke that he cannot raise vp againe that which now is after that it hath fallen Which of these two I pray thee is the greatest and most It is easier to restore one that hath been then to make one that neuer was difficult worke in thy iudgement for vnto the Lord euery thing that hee will is alike easie whether to make one who neuer was or to restore againe one who hath beene Doubtlesse to make a man in our iudgement is a greater thing then to raise him In the worke of creation the Lord made that to bee which was not in the worke of resurrection the Lord shall make that to be which was before the one thou beleeuest because thou seest it dayly done the other thou doubtest of because it is to be done but cease to doubt any more and of that which God hath
and life As no This life is a thorow-way or middle passage eyther to heauen or hell man commeth eyther to a Pallace or a Prison but by the entry thereof so no man goeth eyther to heauen or hell but by the way thereof A wicked life is as a thorow-way to that prison and place of darknesse he who goes on in it without returning shall out of all doubt vvhen hee hath passed the path-way enter into the prison and a godly life is the very way to heauen hee that walkes in it persâ—uering to the end shall enter at last into that Pallace of Glory which is the Paradise of God Salomon saith that where the Eccles 11. 3. tree fals there it lyes and experience teacheth vs that it fals to that side on vvhich the branches thereof grow thickest if the greatest growth of our affections and actions spring out after the Spirit out of doubt wee shall fall to the right hand and shall be blessed but if otherwise thy affections grow downward and thou walke after the flesh then assuredly thou shalt fall to the left hand and die in sin vnder the curse of God But seeing they who walke after the flesh are dead already They who liue in sin are dead and yet a worse death abides them in hell how saith the Apostle they shall dye To this I answere both are true presently they are dead and yet a more fearefull death abides them That they who liue in their sinnes are dead already wee shewde before for sinne is that vnto the soule of man vvhich fire and vvater are to the body that is to say an vnkindely Element in the which it cannot liue but certainely a more fearefull death abides them which the spirit of God calleth the second death vvherein they shall not onely liue depriued of life wanting all sense yea and all hope of the mercy of God but shal also feele the full measure of his wrath due to their sinnes powred out vpon them Now albeit they be dead in sinne and depriued of the fauour of the Creator yet the vaine comforts of the creatures doth so betwitch and blinde them that they know not how wretched and miserable they are but when the last sentence of damnation shall be pronounced vpon them they shall not onely be banished from the presence of God into euerlasting perdition where the fire of the Lords indignation shall perpetually torment them but also the comfort of all Gods creatures which now they haue shall foâ—sake them The least degree of their punishment shall be a fearefull The least degree of their punishment shall be a fearefull famine of all worldly comforts Ioel. 1. 12. Reu. 18. 14. famine of worldly comforts The Pomegranat Tree the Palme Tree the Apple Tree shall wither The Apples after which now their soule lusteth shall depart from them they shall finde none of them yea if a cup full of colde vvater might comfort them it shall not be giuen vnto them thus you see how they are dead and yet a more fearefull death abideth them Therefore the spirit of God to expresse the fearefulnesse Why that second death is called a wrath and a wrath to come of that second death he calleth it a wrath and giues it these two titles first hee calleth it a vvrath prepared by God Salomon saith the wrath of a King is the messenger of death what then shall we say of the wrath of God Secondly he cals it a wrath to come to teach vs that it farre exceedes all that wrath that we haue heard or seene The drowning of the originall world the burning of Sodome a great wrath but nothing comparable to the wrath which is to come Beside this both the place the vniuersality and the eternity The place of the damned shewes the greatnesse of their iudgement Reu. 21. 8. Esa 30. 33. of their punishment serues to let vs see if wee looke to them how horrible this death is which here is threatned against them who liue after the flesh As for the place it is called the wineprâ—ssâ— of the wrath of God the lake that bâ—rnes with â—ire and brimstone Tophet prepared of old deepe and large the breath of the Lord like a riuer of brimstone â—oth kindle it It is that great deepe which the damned spirits themselues abhor they know it to be the place appointed for their torment all that they craue was onely that the Lord would not send them thether to be tormented before the time It is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a place wherein is no light to see therefore Iude called it blacknesse of darknesse and our Sauiour called it vtter darknesse Iude verse 6. Mark 9. 48. 1 Pet. 3. 19. Math. 5. 22. there is in it a burning fire but without light a gnawing worme without rest Saint Peter cals it a prison and our Sauiour cals it Gehenna for the horrible scrieches of them who are burnt in it and the vile and stinking filthinesse wherwith it is replenished And as for the vâ—â—uersality of their paine It is certaine The vnâ—â—uersality of it Nothing in man shall be without paine all Gods plagues shall concor to punish him that as euery thing in them sinned so euery thing in them shall be punished No power of their soule no member of their body shall be free from that wrath Surely it should astonish man to consider this for if now any one of Gods ordinary plagues inflicted vpon any one member of the body be so insufferable how intollerable vvill that paine be he who now is payned with the tooth-ach takes some comfort when he sees another tormented with the collicke and he also if he see another burnt vp with Anthonies fire beares his owne crosse the more patiently because he sees a greater laid vpon another No man in this life suffereth all things one cryeth with the Shunamites sonne for excessiue dolour alas my head my head another with Antiochus my belly the third with Asa my feete my feete but what are all these comparable to that paine vvherein head and belly and feet yea the whole man shall be racked vpon the torments of Gods wrath and that not with one plague onely but with manifold for as all the waters of the earth runne into the great Ocean so all the plagues of God shall concurre and meete together in hell for the punishment of the damned But yet the eternity of that paine doth still increase the The eternitie of it horrour thereof there shall be no end of their punishment their fire shall neuer be quenched their worme shall neuer dye they shall seeke death as a benefite and shall not finde it The fire of Sodome was ended in a day the deluge of water that drowned the originall world lasted but a yeare the famine that plagued Aegypt lasted but seauen yeares the captiuity of Israell was ended in seauenty yeares but this wrath of GOD vpon the damned shall endure for
confidence on GOD and here the creature is brought in teaching vs to become weary of our present seruitude of sinne and to long for our promised deliuerance This is that miserable estate whereunto man is brought How farre man by apostacie hath degenerated from his originall glory by his apostacie from God In the beginning man was made Lord and gouernour of all the creatures in one day he called them all before him and gaue them names according to their kindes as one who knew them better in their nature and vertue then they did themselues and they all by comming at his call to his Court acknowledged him vnder God their superiour and Lord this was a part of mans glory in the beginning but now falling away from God hee hath also so farre degenerated from his owne kind that he is become inferiour to the beasts as Balaam Asse was wiser then his maister so the creatures in their kind reprooue the foolishnes of man who was their Lord. Waiteth The word import a continuall act of expectation The waiting of the creature may make man ashamed that waites not for that glorie their expectation expecteth this earnest vvaiting of the creature may make vs ashamed of our blockish dulnes that haue not our mindes and hearts set continually vpon that day of our redemption notwithstanding that exhortation belongs vnto vs that wee should looke for that day and hast vnto it As the creatures were not made for themselues 1 Pet. 3. but for vs so they shal not be restored for themselues but for vs for the greater augmentation of our Glory and if they who shall haue but the second roome long for that day how should we long for it for whom that glory chiefly is prepared When the sonnes of God shall be reuealed The sonnes of The sonnes of God now are not reuealed God are now said not to be reuealed in two respects first because their persons are not reuealed secondly because the glory and dignity is not yet reuealed As for the persons In regard of their persons which now are not knowne of elect men it is true the Lord knoweth who are his and makes themselues also after their effectuall calling to know that they are his his Spirit bearing testimonie vnto their spirits that they are the sonnes of God he giues vnto them that new Name vvhich none knowes but they vvho haue it but now they are not so reuealed that they are knowne of the world For this cause the world knowes you not because Ioh. 15. 20. 22. it knowes not him The good wheate of the Lord is now so couered with chaffe and his excellent pearles are locked vp in earthen vessels the vessel is seene and contemned for the basenesse thereof the pearle is not seene and therefore not esteemed according to the excellencie thereof beside this there are many of the sonnes of God not yet come into the world and many already gone out of it whom vvee know not but in that generall assembly all the Saints of GOD shall be gathered together into one at the right hand of the Lord Iesus and shall be clearely manifested that the wicked their enemies shall know them and be confounded to behold them And of this ariseth a warning to vs all that none of vs This learnes vs not to despise other men because we know not what they are in Gods election despise another but that euen those who for the present are euill and contrary minded wee waite vpon them patiently proouing if at any time God vvill giue them repentance that they may come out of the snare of the Diuell The sons of God are not yet reuealed he that presently is an enemie in regard of his rebellious conuersation what knowest thou whether in the counsell of GOD hee be one of Gods chosen children or not and if hee be so thou maist be sure that ere hee dye the Lord shall conuert him if not of a persecuter to make him a Preacher as hee did Paul yet at least a Professour of that same truth which thou hast embraced Secondly not onely are the persons of Gods sonnes vnknowne but their glory also now is obscured and their life In regard of their glorie which now is obscured Col 3. 3. is hid with Christ they are accounted the off-scowrings of the earth and intreated in the world as if they were the onely men to whom shame and ignominie did appertaine yea their glory is not knowne vnto themselues euen those who haue receiued the new Name and the testimonie of the Spirit recording to them that they are the Sonnes of God when they looke to their contemptible bodies and abundant corruption in their soules they seeme vnto themselues to be nothing lesse than the sonnes of God I marke it that wee The sonnes of God shold not iudge of themselues by their present state may learne to beware of Sathans pollicie whereby he carrieth vs to iudge of our selues by our present estate which cannot but breed in vs horrible feare and doubtings To this craft let vs oppone that comfort of the Apostle dearely beloued 1 Iohn 3. now are we the Sonnes of God yet doth it not appeare what we shall be it is but the beginnings and not the perfection of grace and glory which we haue in this life by the beginnings let vs know that we are the sonnes of God and where we finde no perfection let vs not be discouraged remembring this is the time wherein the glory of the sonnes of God is not yet reuealed We are here againe further to consider that vvhere the Comfortable that where the Lord cals the rest of his works his creatures he calleth vs his sonnes Lord giues vnto the rest of his workes the name of a creature hee vouchsafes vpon vs the names of sonnes shewing vs that albeit in regard of creation we are his creatures and come vnder that same name with the rest of his works yet now in regard of his grace communicated vnto vs wee are much more than that which wee were by creation and in that respect more esteemed of by him then all the rest of his workes beside As a Father counteth much more of his sonne whom hee hath begotten than he doth of all other things he hath whatsoeuer so the Lord our God esteemes more pretious vnto him one of these his excellent ones whom he hath begotten in his beloued Sonne the Lord Iesus than he doth of all others besides For their sakes hee reprooues Kings hee alters the course of nature and turneth vp-side downe the state of things in the world yea he shall declare at length that they are his onely treasure from the time that once he gets them all gathered vnto him the administration of this world as now it is shall cease and take an end Oh that we could stirre vp our hearts to a thankfulnesse Our duty againe craues that in our heart wee
vvould also put them in possession of the vvhole accordâ—ing to his promise euen so the Lord Iesus who hath gone before vs to our heauenly Canaan not to view it onely but to take possession thereof in our name hath sent downe vnto vs some of the first fruites thereof that wee may taste them such as peace of Conscience and ioy of the Spirit that by proofe of the small beginnings wee may know what excellent comfort is laid vp in store for vs. Wee sigh in our selues Here followes now the two effects Two effects which the Spirit workes in the godly first a sense of their miserie for which they sigh of the Spirit which he workes in them vvho haue receiued it The first is a sense of their present misery which causes them to sigh vnto God for deliuerance and he saith they sigh within themselues to teach vs that it is not an hipocriticall and counterfait but an inward and godly sorrow which the Spirit workes in the children of God Which I doe not so speake as if I did condemne those sighes which breake forth without for sometime the grieâ—e of heart is so aboundant in the godly that not onely it breakes out in sighing and mourning but in strong crying to GOD also but to restraine the hipocrisie of others who make a faire shew of that in the flesh vvhich is not in the Spirit True religion striues rather to be approued of God than seene of men one sigh proceeding from the hart is a louder crying in the eares of the Lord of hosts and more forcible to moue him than the noise of all the shooting Priests of Baal when they are gathered together into one We are therefore more deepely to consider this that the Sighing and mourning goe before comfort Spirit of God first teacheth vs to sigh and mourne for our present misery before he comfort vs with a constant hope of deliuerance If now we mourne not we shall not reioyce hereafter it is onely mourners whom God hath marked in the fore-head to saue from the wrath to come such a continuall Psal 6. 6. mourner vvas Dauid who protests that in the night he watered his couch vvith teares and in the day mingled his cup therewith and Iob in like manner my sighing said he Iob. 3. 24. comes before my eating The Saints of God are not ashamed to professe that of themselues vvhich the mockers of this age esteeme a womanly affection there is nothing to be found among them but eating drinking singing and a contracting of one sin after another with carnall reioycing but woe be vnto them that now laugh for assuredly they Luke 6. 25. Mat. 5. 4. Gen. 27. 38. shall weep the end of their ioy shall be endles mourning and gnashing of teeth they shall shed teares aboundantly with Esau but shall finde no place for mercy Let vs therefore goe to the house of mourning with the Maries teares pleased Christ better than the Pharisies delicates Luke 7. 38. verse 44. godly rather than to the banquetting houses of the wicked reioycing in their sinfull pleasures At one time Simon the Pharisee gaue our Sauiour a dinner and Mary vvho had beene a sinner brought him the sacrifice of a contrite hart and the Lord esteemed more of her teares than of the Pharisies delicates No banquet pleaseth the Lord Iesus so vvell as a banquet of teares poured from a truely penitent heart Psal The Lord is said to gather the teares of his children and keepe them in a bottle thereby to tell vs that they are pretious in his sight for hee is not like fooles who gather into their treasures things which are vaine and needelesse But alas how shall hee gather that vvhich wee haue not scattered vvhere are our teares the vvitnesses of our vnfained humiliation before God The hardnes of heart hath ouergrowne The deplorable hardnes of hâ—rt in this age that cannot mourne Gen. 4. 22. this age that albeit there be more then cause yet there is no mourning The sonnes of Cain learned without a teacher to worke in brasse and iron and the wit of man can make the hardest mettall soft to receiue an impression but cannot get their owne stonie heart made soft yea the children of God finde in experience how hard a thing it is Numb 20. 11. to get a melting heart The rocke rendred water to Moses at the third stroke but alas many strokes vvill our hearts take before they send out the sweet teares of repentance this I marke that knowing our naturall hardnesse vve may learne without intermission to fight against it For herein is our case so much the more pittifull that hauing Seeing we haue so many causes of mourning without vs the troublesome estate of Gods Church Nehe. 1. 4. more than matter enough of mourning yet vve doe not mourne without vs should not the troublesome estate of the Church of God be a matter of our griefe though our priuate estate were neuer so peacâ—able Godly Nehemiah being placed in the honourable seruice of King Artashashte the Monarch of the world was not so much comforted with his owne good estate as grieued at the desolation of Ierusalem Decay of Religion and increase of Idolatrie 1 King 29. 4. made Eliah weary of his life the Arke of God captiued and the glory departed from Israel draue all comfort 1 Sam. 4. 19. Aâ—â— 6. 6. out of the heart of the wife of Phinces these and many moe may â—each vs that the affliction of Ioseph should be matter of our sorrow The causes of mourning within vs are partly our sinnes Causes of mourning within vs our manifold sinnes partly our manifold tentations As our sinnes are contracted with pleasure so are they dissolued with godly sorrow It is the best medicine which is most contrarie to the nature of the disease our sinne is a sicknes wherein there is a carnall delight to doe that which is forbidden and it is best cured by repentance wherein there is a spirituall displeasure and sorrowing for the euil which we haue done this mourning for sinne lasts in the godly so long as they liue in the body Rom 7. 24. yea those same sinnes which God hath forgiuen and put out of their affection are stil in their remembrance for their humiliation so that with godly Ezechia they recount all 2 King 20. 23. their dayes and their former sinnes in the bitternes of their heart so long as sinne remained in their affection it was the matter of their ioy but now being by grace remoued out of the affection it becomes the matter of their sorrow And our manifold tentations The other cause of our mourning is our manifold tentations for this vvorld is no other thing but a stormy Sea wherein so many contrary windes of tribulation blowes vpon vs that we can hardly tell which of them we haue most cause to feare On euery side Sathan besetâ— vs
the word In the carnall brotherhoode though the parents be one yet the inheritance is not one though the seede of the flesh be one yet the soule that quickneth the body in both is not one but in the spirituall brotherhood the parents are one the inheritance one the seede vvhereof they are begotten is one and the spirit which quickeneth them all is one It is not then Baptisme nor externall profession which proueth a man to be the kinsman and brother of Christ it is the spirit of Iesus which whosoeuer hath not the same is not his and whosoeuer hath him it is certaine they become new creatures Great is that dignitie certainely whereunto we are called The greatnes of Christs loue toward vs in making vs his brethren and matchlesse is that loue which the Lord Iesus hath carried toward vs who not content to make vs his seruants hath made vs his brethren If he had shewed vs no more kindnesse then Abraham did Lot his kinsman yet euen for that had hee beene worthy to be loued for euer but behold what a greater loue our Lord hath shewed vnto vs we forsooke him more vnkindly than Lot did Abraham yet did hee still retayne his kindly affection toward vs when we were carried away captiue by spirituall Chedarlaomer he did not onely hazard but laid downe his life for our Redemption Moses is greatly praised for that vvhen hee was honourable in Aegypt he left the Court of Pharaoh to visit his brethren esteeming the rebuke of Christ in his people greater riches than all the treasures of Aegypt and Ioseph is also commended that being second person vnder Pharaoh in the kingdome of Aegypt yet hee was not ashamed of his Father and brethren albeit they for their trade being sheepekeepers were abhomination to the Aegyptians But all these are not comparable to that loue which the Lord Iesus hath borne toward vs in that notwithstanding our base estate hee hath not beene ashamed to call vs his brethren The Lord make vs thankefull and shed abroad in our hearts the sense of that loue vvhich hee hath borne toward vs that wee neuer be ashamed of him for no Crosse that for his sake can be laid vpon vs. Verse 30. Moreouer whom he predestinated them also he called and whom he called them also he iustified and whom he iustified them also he glorified THere is no part of holy Scripture vvhich is What a cleare sight of saluation is here discouered to the Christian not stored with the words of eternall life but as that part of earth which is rich of minerals of gold and siluer is more esteemed than other land vvere it neuer so fruitfull so ought this place of holy Scripture to be accounted of vs all as containing in it a most rich minerall not of gold siluer or precious stones but of a more precious saluation wherein the deeper thou art able to digge the stronger clearer and greater sight of saluation ariseth vnto thee there is not in all the booke of God a place of holy Scripture vvhich presents to the childe of God so cleare and certaine a sight of his election and glorification as this place doth wherein now we are trauailing for the holy Apostle in this golden chaine of Saluation doth in such sort knit our effectuall Calling with our Election and Glorification that the Christian vpon earth may euidently see what God in the heauens hath decreed toward him we haue spoken of the first two lincks of the Chaine Prescience and Predestination now we proceed to speake of the third to wit our Calling Where first of all for our greater comfort let vs stand The prerogatiues of a Christian are farre more honourable than any that worldlings can claime and consider how great and glorious are the benefits which God hath bestowed on the Christian before time the Lord hath chosen him after time the Lord will glorifie him in time the Lord doth can and iustifie him Worldlings also haue their owne prerogatiues wherin they place their glory those among them that haue most ample and ancient inheritances are counted most honourable but thou vvho art named a Christian if thou be so indeede looke to thine owne priuiledges and thou shalt see that the glorie of a Christian doth far exceed the glorie of the most honorable Worldling as the Psalmist spake of Ierusalem so may wee of the Christian Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou man Psal 87. 3. of God Election is the first and most auncient charter of the The most sure and auncient Charters of a Christian to his inheritance right of Gods Children to their Fathers inheritance Calling is the second by it we are knowne to be the Sonnes of God and our Election secret in it selfe is manifested to vs and others Iustification is the third by it wee are infest in Iesus Christ and made partakers of all that is his Glorification is the last by it wee are entred heyres to our Father and fully possessed in his inheritance No King vpon earth can produce so auncient a right to his Crowne though vvith the Egyptian thou shouldest reckon thy beginning so many yeares before the creation of the world yet canst thou not match the Christian hee hath the most auncient charter of the most ample inheritance neither can any man vpon earth be knowne his Fathers heyre vpon such sufficient warrand as the Christian for in the regeneration the Father communicateth to him his Image his Nature his Spirit whereby he beginneth from feeling to call God his Father and in life and manners to resemble him No freeholder so surely infest in his lands nor hath receiued so many confirmations thereupon as the Christian iustified who vpon his gift of righteousnesse and life hath also receiued the earnest the pledge the scale and the witnesse of the great King And last of all the Christian shall be entred to the full possession of his Fathers inheritance vvith such ioy and triumph in the glorious assembly of the Saints as the like was neuer seene in the world no not in Ierusalem that day wherein Salomon entred heyre to his Father Dauid then the earth rang for ioy but nothing comparable to that ioy wherewith the heauens shall ring when all the Sonnes of God shall be caught from the earth into the ayre to meet the Lord Iesus and to be inuested in the Kingdome of their Father But now wee are to speake of this Calling wherein consists all our comfort for it is the middle lincke of this indiuisible Calling is the first manifestation of our Election and forerunner of our Glorification Chaine he that hath it is sure of both the ends Our Calling is the first manifestation of our secret Election and it is a sure forerunner of our Glorification being in effect the voyce of GOD fore-telling vs that he will glorifie vs. As the best way in a maine land to finde the sea is to walke by a riuer