their soules and hearts for whose sake it is propounded and deliuered the case notwithstanding going hard on our sides as in respect of our corruption who must as it were go to schoole to bruit breasts and insensible creatures to Iearne euen of them our dutie and obedience towards God and yet being well with vs in another respect that rather than wee shoulde lacke learning as you would say the Lorde will giue vs all meanes whereby wee might attaine to the sound knowledge stedfast beleefe and holy obedience of his blessed will Neither can I let passe the very forcible and excellent signification of that Greeke worde that the Apostle vseth to deliuer this matter withall which though it be in some sense reasonably well rendred by these wordes of feruent desire yet bicause they do not altogither expresse the nature of the same nor come so fully and wholie to the drift and purpose of the Apostle in this place it shall not be amisse euen heere also a little to inlarge our selues in this behalfe the worde importeth a most earnest and greedie desire to haue the thing that is looked for it being a double compound worde in the Greeke toong to wit of the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in that language signifieth of from or a far off and of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an olde worde in vse amongest them which betokeneth the head and sometimes the whole face and countenaunce and the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to see appeare obserue or wait for as though the Apostle shoulde say that though the deliuerance that the creature longeth after be somewhat farre off yet do they with a certaine kinde of egernesse and greedinesse as it were wait and looke for the accomplishment thereof euen as a man that would faine haue a thing or person that he desireth lifteth vp his head and his eies to see whether he can behold the man or the matter that he desireth or wisheth comming towardes him though it be as a man would say farre off hee hoping notwithstanding that though there be som large distance of place betwene him and them yea and great likelihoode also that through length of time their meeting shall be a little delayed that yet for all that he shall in the ende comfortably enioy the same sith they are as we say within the compas of a kenning All which tendeth not only to manifest the Apostles meaning as in regarde of the wordes in the exposition also whereof we haue the iudgement and consent of the best learned in that language both old and new as Sindas and others but withall to teach vs both howe earnestly wee should looke for the end of our hope and how carefully we should labour to sustaine and vpholde the same in vs though there be many difficulties and dangers between vs and the possession therof assuring our selues that herein shal gods strength most plainly appeere in our weaknes and the power of our faith be most manifested if we can with Abraham the father of the faithful Rom. 4.18 in hope beleeue against hope It followeth of the creature that is to say euery creature as appereth by the 22 verse folowing And yet here he speaks of thē al as if they were but one not only by reson of that notable harmoni cōsent that was amongst thē by creation so should haue continued had not our sin hindred the same but bicause they do al as it were with one breath desire one thing to wit deliuerance from that vain estate to which they are now constrained to be subiect the Apostle meaning also by the name creature euery thing that was created which we call by the name of the world and the whole frame and workmanship thereof consisting as the philosophers vse to speake of these two parts namely the ecclesiasticall or vpper region and the terrestiall or inferior Genes 2.1 or as the scripture saith of heauen and earth and all the host of them Both which howsoeuer they were at the first created in a most glorious estate and that to serue mans holie vses who was created for gods glories sake yet nowe by reason of mans sinne they are so debased that whether we regarde the one or the other we shall finde them maruellously altered and changed For if we looke vppon the vpper region which they call celestiall and the notable bodies that be therein contained as the sunne moone starres c. though they be indeede as a man would say incredibly beautifull yet notwithstanding we shall well perceiue that they are not freed from vanitie For besides that the Scripture affirmeth that euen the heauens Iob 15.15 are not cleare in gods sight we see by daily and continual experience that many times they haue a more pleasant aspect cast a more fauorable countenance by a maner of speech vpon the wicked of the world who are enimies to God al good men serue their turnes farre better than they do the children of God And if we regard and consider wel the inferiour region with the woonderfull varietie of creatures therein contained as beasts birds fishes trees c. and of them againe almost infinit and innumerable seuerall sorts we shall finde both by proofe and practise and by the truth of the word also That the earth is accursed vnto vs for our sinnes sake Genes 3.17 18 and that not onely in that it is become barren by the meanes therof but also bringeth forth many hurtfull and noysome things besides that many of the creatures that liue vpon the same are not onely become rebellious and disobedient against vs but readie with open mouth and piercing teeth to breake vs al in peeces and to deuoure vs quite flesh bloud and bone And yet if these things were not so neither in the heauens nor the earth nor in the creatures therein contained but that whereas nowe euerie thing that we can cast our eie vpon is a sensible document vnto vs of the wonderfull taint and corruption of our sinne and Gods iudgement against vs for the same the selfe-same things might preach vnto vs notwithstanding righteousnes peace and loue from God yet forasmuch as the word it selfe doth in sundry places affirme that euen all those things in that great last day of the Lords iudgement shall be destroyed we can not also but euen therin behold and see that present estate of theirs in which they are now and from which they hope then to be freed Psai 102.25 26 Dauid telleth vs that God in the beginning laide the soundations of the earth and the heavens vvere the vvorkes of his handes hovvbeit that they should perish and that they shoulde all vvaxe olde as doth a garment and that as a vesture God should change them and they should be changed According wherevnto saint Peter also in the new Testament vsing it as an argument to perswade vs 1. Pet. 3.10 11 12 in all
holie conuersation and godlines to looke for the comming of the Lorde declareth that the heauens being on fire shall be dissolued and the elements shall melt vvith heat and the earth vvith the vvorkes that are therein shall be burnt vp And though this be most true that the Apostle vnderstandeth by that worde creature heauen and earth with all creatures therein contained yet wee must notwithstanding except from that generall and that for the causes and reasons following also these particulars insuing namely the holie and elect angelles the faithfull and godlie people of the worlde the diuelles and damned spirits as also the wicked and vngodlie of the earth spirits as also the wicked and vngodlie of the earth For as for the angelles they haue already the full fruition of the thing it selfe our Sauiour himselfe affirming that they alvvayes beholde the face of God in heauen Mar 18.10 And they can not be wel saide to wish for that that they haue in continuall and most assured possession If anie man will obiect against this trueth 1. Pet. 1.12 that that Saint Peter saith to wit that the very Angelles desire to beholde the publishing of the gospell in this life and the inioyeng that vvhich the gospell promiseth in the life to come I answere that that is not spoken neither must or can be vnderstoode of their owne wants as though they wished that for themselues for as was said before they haue all fulnesse but as in regard of their zeale to the glory of GOD which shall then be perfected when the wicked shall be troden downe for euer and the godly continually exalted and as in respect of vnfained loue to vs and our saluation which is so deare and pretious vnto them that as they are alwayes readie according to the appointment and good will of God what they can to aduaunce and further the same so doubtlesse they doe much reioice therein of which our Sauiour himselfe beareth witnesse in an other place saying â—uke 15 10. that there is ioy in the presence of the angelles of God for one sinner that conuerteth And as for the elect and faithfull people seeing they are of two sorts and yet al making but one bodie that is to say some whome the Lorde hath taken to himselfe and finished the dayes of their pilgrimage heere and othersome that doe and must tarrie the Lordes good leasure for the time of their dissolution and departure hence wee feare not to affirme that either of these may iustly in a true and holie meaning and vppon very good reasons and causes also be excepted from being comprised vnder this generall terme creature for as for the first sort they being in that state and condition that the Angelles are that is alwaies beholding the face of God in heauen they can not nor doe not any more wish the same than they And if at anie time they seeme as the Angelles before are saide to doe the same and for and in regarde of the same considerations and causes they finding also now that they are in heauen that to beleeue in themselues which while they were on the earth they did as in regard of the forefathers of their faith beleeue to be true bicause the holy ghost hath spoken it That they vvithout vs can not bee perfect Hebr. 11.40 And the latter must needes be excepted likewise as who are by the spirite of God in the mouth and penne of the Apostle excepted in the 22. and 23. verses following Philip. 1.23 who daily desire euen in this life to be loosed from hence and to be vvith Christ vvhich is best of all and continually sigh and grone 2. Cor. 5.2 that they may be clothed vvith their house vvhich is from heauen As for the diuels and damned spirites which are the third in number that are excepted from this we haue also good reason to except them both bicause that in their peruersenesse against God and man they do not onelie not carry that loue toward the adauncement of Gods glorie or the accomplishment of the number of Gods elect and their saluation that the Angelles and faithful people do but rather would if they could tel how to the vttermost of their power continually deface both the one and the other and also bicause that they know that when that time commeth then there shall fall vpon them in most dreadfull maner the fulnesse and perpetuitie indeede of their endles condemnation they themselues after a sort confessing the truth of this when they saide to our Sauior Christ Art thou come to torment vs before the time Mat. 8.29 Lastly that the wicked themselues should be excepted there is a double reason likewise one is bicause they are so far off from desiring that day that they do rather prophanely scoffe scorne at as al truth vniuersally so particularly that which is deliuered touching the generall iudgement and the day of the restauration of all things Of whome S. Peter speaketh notably calling them mockers 2. Pet. 3.3 4. and men that vvill vvalke after their ovvne lusts vvhich say vvhere is the promise of his comming for since the fathers died all thinges continue alike from the beginning of the creation the other bicause they labor as much as in them lieth partlie by the manifolde pleasures that they possesse in this life and partly by benummednesse of heart and growing into forgetfulnes to put far from them the euil day wishing that either it might neuer come or els that it might be de ferred as long as possibly might be That wee may say nothing of this that euen they theÌ„selues as the diuels likewise whose slaues and seruants they are do in the sight of their sin the fear of the punishment that they know they haue deserued for it treÌ„ble quake we knowing this also to be true by coÌ„mon experience that no malefactor wisheth the day of his arraignement much lesse the time of his execution for if he might be left to his libertie or put to his choise he woulde be glad rather to liue though it were in all miserie and that therfore neither the diuelles nor the wicked can or will desire that time that shall be vnto them not so dreadful as death only but so fearful terrible both for bodies soules and that for euer and euer world without end as cannot be either thought or expressed In these exceptions I haue freelie according to my poore measure deliuered my minde not meaning yet therein either to attribute perfection to my owne words or to barre or stop vp the way to other who in these deep points may certainly see say more than I do from adding hervnto Only in this behalfe as in all other let vs looke to vtter that we do vpon good grounds and warrants of the word onelie It followeth vvaiteth to wit as it were with a certaine kind of patience and quietnes for howsoeuer the burthen be greeuous vnto them
this waye foorth to stirre them vppe to glorifie GOD and Gods glorie can not bee but as in respecte either of all these or some one of these it must directlie followe in my mind that this is but a dotage or dreame that these men propound concerning the continuaunce of the creatures after the restitution specially as they will haue it for the manifestation and inlarging of the glorie of God That was indeede wee must acknowledge it Psal 19.1 the ende wherefore God created them at the first and the Lorde himselfe had appointed them to serue vnto that vse in this life and so long as the worlde lasteth that thereby the very wicked might be vvithout excuse Rom. 1.20 and the godly prouoked more and more to praise him but for as much as this naturall life shall cease 2. Pet. 3.10 And the vvorlde vvith all that is therein shall be purged and consumed by fire there is no likelihoode that then they shall stande vs in stead that waye at all Besides all this if it be true that the creatures shall be eternall and mortall by meanes of their restitution I woulde faine knowe then what priuilege man shall haue aboue the creatures by that most reuerend noble yea miraculous worke of his rising againe and what difference there shall be betweene him in his resurrection and them in their restauration Surelie I can see very small or none at all For if they will affirme that the creature haue for a time as a man would say forborne their immortalitie hath not man as in respect of his bodie also committed to the ground and dissolued into dust and to which also the resurrection dooth properly belong borne that aswel as they and had a common lot and portion that way forth togither with them The truth of this is so plaine that besides religion reason it selfe wil easily persuade it In all that hitherto I haue deliuered touching this first point I woulde willingly bee taken as I meane I hauing putte downe the same not as though I were of this minde that the creatures after their restitution should quicklie vanish away though in my persuasion there be greater likelihoode of presumption in all shew of reason and truth for this than for that other but thus rather standeth my iudgemēt that forasmuch as god hath not reucaled in his word for aught that I either knowe or haue read in the same what shall be the state of his creatures either durable or flitting I will rather in all holy vnderstanding according to sobrietie leaue the matter in his owne handes to dispose of them according to his owne good pleasure than in presuming to knovve aboue that vvhich is meete to knovve and vnderstand Rom. 12.3 determine either on the one side or on the other And if this holie measure had beene faithfully obserued in the days of our fathers there had not so many subtil points entred into mens hearts and heads as haue beene disputed vppon with and against as they say specially amongest the popish scholasticall diuines as they call them or were it yet at this daie put in practise as it ought to be wee shoulde not haue so many not onelie curious and vaine but wicked and vngodly questions also irreuerently tossed too and fro in the mouthes of prophane people and that not onelie amongst the vnlearned but the learned ones also the more is the pittie and the greater I feare me is our sinne Thus hauing touching the first point shortely yet soundly I trust deliuered my minde and iustly censured it if not condemned it of the crime of curiositie at the least as pronouncing and concluding more than by the warrant of the worde men are able I come to the second matter and giue a newe charge or a fresh onset vppon the same assaulting it yea battering it and beating it downe to the ground as it were with a most righteous accusation of manifest falshoode and vntruth For to affirme that we shall haue the vse of the creatures after their restitution and our most glorious resurrection standeth vppe directlie against the truth of Gods worde which plainely aduoucheth that in Mat. 22.30 and after the resurrection vvee shall be as the Angelles of GOD in heauen neither marrying vviues nor hauing vviues bestovved in marriage vppon vs nor doing suche actions of a naturall life or vsing suche meanes for the vpholding of the same as wee did while wee liued vppon the face of the earth wee knowe belceue and confesse that the Angelles are nowe of their owne nature by that creation which they had from GOD inuisible spirituall and immortall substances and this wee feare not to acknowledge bicause wee haue learned it out of the written worde Wee knowe againe on the other side that visible corruptible and bodilie sustenance can not bee fitte foode for suche heauenlie and excellent creatures reason it selfe besides religion or without it hauing taught vs this that there must be a certaine proportion likelihode and consent betweene the nature and disposition of the foode and the thing that is to be fedde or norished thereby Very notable as seemeth to mee for this purpose and the proofe of this point is the speech of the Angell that appeered to Manoach and his wife Sampsons parents when they woulde haue staied him till they had made readie a kidde for him Indg. 13.16 the Angell answering thus Though thou shouldest detaine me yet vvoulde I not eate of thy meate if thou vvilt prepare a burnt offring thou shalt offer it vnto to he Lorde As though hee should say there are but two endes of preparing and setting forth meate the one that it may bee eaten vp after the manner of menne the other that it may bee dedicated vnto GOD and vnto his seruice In the first consideration there is no neede to present it to mee bicause I liue not by such foode this being rather my meate to nourishe mee in all readie and holie obedience to perfourme the thinges that the Lorde himselfe inioineth mee to doe either for the good of his children or the punishment of the wicked If thou offer it in the other respect knowe that thou must offer it vppe vnto the Lorde onelie bicause vnto him alone and none other in heauen or earth belong these solemne seruices and sacrifices as may appeere by prescribing and commaunding the same in his lawe there being not anie mention at all of offering sacrifices of any sort whatsoeuer to Angell or other creatures If anie will obiect against this truth that great example in Genesis the eighteenth chapter where it is saide that the Angels vvhome Abraham staied Gene 18.8 did eate I answere that though in outward shewe and wordes it seemeth to make against my assertion that yet in the true and naturall meaning of it it dooth no whit at all thwart it but confirme it rather All the Scripture of GOD which in the bare letter of it containeth either an absurditie
as if he should say they are in no case machable or comparable this also being the Apostles speciall purpose not to reason of the value or price of such afflictions as the faithfull indure or suffer for Christs sake in this life but to shew rather that whether wee respect the qualitie or quantitie of them as a man woulde say and compare the same with eternall life and saluation we may easily yet gather therevpon that we shal be infinitly more blessed with Christ when we shal in the kingdome of heauen be gathered vnto him and vnited with him as our true and onely head than euer we were miserable while wee liued here vppon the face of the earth And the truth of this may appeare not onelie by the plaine wordes and very drift and purpose of the apostle as before but also by his maner of speech hee speaking not cōparatiuely specially in extolling of our sufferings which he greatly debaseth by affirming them no maner of way worthy of eternall glorie but rather in magnifieng of euerlasting lise Yea the worde it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being vsed in his right and proper signification which as the grammarians doe wel witnes is affirmed of those things that being weighed one with another are found to be of equall poise or weight with a negatiue particle put before it to abolish the credit that wee woulde carry with our selues and before others in about our sufferings and to extoll the wonderful excellencie of the heauenlie kingdome can not choose but euince and gaine this point at their handes Touching other allegations as namely that out of Prouerbes 3. and 2. Corinthians 4. for we mind not to stand vppon places alleadged out of the bookes called Apocrypha as Ecclesiasticus Tobie and such like in as much as they are but produced onely for the phrase and yet prooue not the matter for which they are brought forth we shall God willing answere the same in some more conuenient place specially sith we haue bene long already in this confutation this being sufficient for this present to let the worlde vnderstand that they are brought foorth very impertinently and onelie to no purpose but contrarie to truth also There remaineth only one reason that seemeth to haue some pith in it to wit that wee may as well affirme that the workes of sin demerit not damnation as that the sufferings of Gods saints deserue not eternall saluatiō but this indeed as the former hath neither bones nor marrowe nor sinnows nor flesh nor any thing else that may giue it force or strength For howsoeuer arguments taken from contraries may be strong in humane reason and yet there they be not so vniuersall but that something may be iustly obiected against the same yet in matters of religion faith and the seruice of God they haue not any such sure footing as these men fantasie That righteousnes and sinne be contraries as also saluation and damnation no man in his right wits I thinke will deny but that the one should arise from man as wel as the other no man vnlesse he be starke madde and insensible yea peeuishly hereticall Mat. 7.16 will euer affirme Doe men gather grapes of thornes Iames 3.11 or figs of thistles Doeth a fountayne send forth at one place svveet vvater and bitter Can not only the barren but the brierie heart of man yeelde such good fruit as the oliues and figges of Gods righteousnesse Or can that florishing tree of eternall goodnes in the Lorde bring foorth briers and brambles Their owne vulgate translation in a place of the prophet Hosea affirmeth the contrarie saying Hosea 13 9. Destruction is thyne O Israell onely in me is thy helpe As though he should say men by meanes of their sinne pull iudgements and destruction vpon themselues but if they attaine to health and saluation they can no where finde it but in the Lord onely by which exclusiue terme also wee may see that saluatiō is not to be looked for or to be found either in our selues or in others but in the Lorde alone who iustifieth the vvicked Rom. 4.5 and shevveth mercie to vvhome it pleaseth him Rom. 9.15 And doth not the Lorde himselfe most plainely propound this trueth saying in the prophet I euen I am the Lord Isai 43.11 and beside me there is no sauiour Cast away from you for shame these grosse conceits of your owne and in time humble your selues to the trueth of the Lord O ye his aduersaries which in many places of the same confuteth you and iustifieth our assertion Out of an infinit number take one place which is so plaine and euident that though you your selues labour to darken it by an obscure translation and would wring your selues out of the snares that it hath cast vpon you by your corrupt gloses yet can you neuer shift it I meane that last verse of the sixt of the Romans where he telleth vs in the first place that the vvages of sinne is death Rom. 6.13 not onely naturall for that all must taste of Hebr. 9.27 God hauing appointed that all men shall once die and after that commeth the iudgement but eternall proper and peculiar to the condemned onely and consequently sheweth vs that eternall life which hee opposeth against eternall death and damnation is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord setting there-against mans sinne and corruption not mans imagined righteousnes as they would haue it but Gods great gift goodnes bestowed vpon vs in and for Christ Iesus sake onely wythout which of a trueth not onely no one man could euer be saued but all flesh must of necessitie perish In logike there is a rule which also they themselues approoue of namely that as we haue great scarcitie of true differences for many things so the reason of that want is not in the naturall thinges themselues for no doubt but euerie seuerall kinde hath his right difference but in that lacke of light iudgement and experience which lieth lurking in euery one of our selues The like wee can not pretend here both bicause God is more perfect than nature as who is Lord thereof and also bicause he hath inlarged himselfe so that we may plainly perceiue and see the truth of this point And if naturall things may by their seuerall differences be certainly deserued one of them from an other how much more truly surely may we distinguish God from men and the workes of his holinesse and grace from the deeds of our cursed corruption Why do we not deale herein as we do in worldly affaires If wee will rightly discerne of them wee will oppose things that be contrary indeed one of them against another as blacke against white war against peace c. Bicause wee rest persuaded that so they may be best discerned no man in this case dealing so fondly as to compare yellow and blacke togither or to resemble a colour with a thing that is not
experience that in the holie vse of the creatures hee himselfe and other faithfull together with him had religiously obserued and so commended the same vnto all ages of the worlde in writing by authority of the holy spirite of God to serue for their instruction and comfort as all other scripture doth vpon vvhome the endes of the vvorlde shoulde come And what serueth this then for the vpholding or establishing of such doctrines as neither haue the seale of the spirite nor the warrant of the worde into the triall of truth Nay which is more besides that they are without anie suche ground or foundation as before wee shall finde them as directlye contrarie to the wholsome doctrine of the spirite and woorde as darkenesse is to light and hell is to heauen of whiche sorte indeede are those thinges whiche the heretikes abouenamed and particularlie the Papistes woulde vnder the pretext of traditions and vnwritten verities thrust vpon the vnthankefull and ignorant world Againe wee say that for as much as wee beleeue that there is most absolute perfection both for the duties of pietie to God-ward and of charitie also towards men as well for knowledge as beleefe and obedience contained in that blessed book that we call the Bible or holie scriptures of Gods and that Christ our Sauiour himselfe hath therfore appeered and come into the worlde as for manie other causes so particularly for this that he might actually performe that that God had after a sorte and in shadowes signified and set out by the lawe and the prophets and fully opened his fathers will vnto the worlde putting an ende nowe vnto al reuelations and visions whatsoeuer as the Apostle plainelie prooueth in the first chapter to the Hebrews and sith that Paule also in the holie spirit of truth telleth vs Gall. 1.8 that though he or his fellovv-ministers or an angell from heauen shoulde preach othervvise or any other doctrine vnto the church than that vvhich they had preached alreadie that they might then safely holde all such accursed that therefore we are sure it was neuer the Apostles meaning or purpose either to propound or to establish any thing that might at any hand no not in the least shew seeme to vphold the dotages of mens idle heads and hearts He addeth that euery creature I take the word to be as large as of it selfe it seemeth to import to wit that it shoulde comprehend beasts fishes foules trees plants hearbes and all other thinges which the Lord hath made for mans vse excepting and that for the reasons before alleadged in the explication of vers 19. those thinges which are there alreadie excepted not that they are not creatures for if they were not creatures they should be God bicause there is no meane thing betwixt these two a creator and a creature the name creator appertaining properly and onelie to God and creature to all other things beside whatsoeuer how excellent soeuer they are or may seem to be but bicause they are iustly and vpon very good reason excepted as may well appeare by those thinges which are aboue specified It followeth groaneth vvith vs also that is to say that as wee sighe and groane vnder the burthen of our miseries and woulde gladly be deliuered from them so doe they vnder theirs which what it is hath bin declared before as in the verse following shall be shewed God willing what the sighes and groanes of the faythfull are and trauaile in paine togither to wit with vs or as well as we He vseth a metaphore taken as it should seeme from women with childe written by S. Luke is verie plaine and pregnant Act 3.21 whē the day of iudgment is called the time vvherin all things shal be restored Which little could not truly be attributed vnto it vnles that there should be a restauration of them To the same purpose also appertayneth that which in the third chapter of the 2. Epistle of S. Peter and in other passages mo 2. Pet. 3.13 Reue. 21.1 is mentioned touching the renevving of the heauens the earth Prouided alwayes that we be wise according to sobrietie and in the sobernes of our mindes staye our selues onely vpon the trueth of the word and the euidence thereof standing onely generally vpon the renouation and restauration of the world and entringe not either curiouslie to searche what parts of the world shal be restored what place shall containe them what actions they shall haue what proprieties they shall be iudued with and such like The neglect whereof hath in time past and at this present also because men haue not bene soberlie minded cast them into beastlie errors and made men fowlie to ouershoote themselues as in manie vncertaine and dangerous points so principallie in two respectes first that they dare affirme that after this great restitution the creatures shal be durable and remaine as it were immortall The other is that at that time also there shal be vse of them Neither were the olde heretickes I meane Cerinthus and the Chiliastae ouertaken onelie which these beastlie dotages and conceits but euen some of the fathers of greatest antiquity yea other of late daies though otherwise in manie pointes of verie sound iudgement haue inclined to much that way though not in iumping altogither with them Concerning which points in truth I could say nothing had they with the length of time and continuance of ages worne awaie and perished to rottennesse as one that thinketh it better not to stire such filthe least the stincke of it might not onelye breede trouble but infect and defile manie also sauing that euen in this last age of the worlde Sathan hath stirred vp manie lewd instruments afreshe to set abroach these corruptions and amongst the rest one R. E. I spare to put downe his name wholie as yet for it maye bee that God at some one time or other maye pull him out of that great puddle of corruption into which thorow manie errors if not heresies he is deepely suncke and bring him againe into the waie of trueth and saluation from which hee hath straied But leauing the persons let vs come to the pointes Concerning the first to witte that the creatures after their restitution and reuocation at the generall resurrection shall continue and remayne for euer mee thincketh this reason should carrie some force and waight with it againste the same namelie that for as much as all men some few onlye excepted doe confidenthe and groundedlie affirme that after the generall resurrection there shal be no vse of the creatures that therefore also there should bee no eternall durablenesse or continuaunce of them For if in the first creation when GOD in his almightie and euerlasting knowledge fore-sawe that confusion thorowe sinne should enter into the worlde hee did yet notwithstanding create nothing but verie good and that to excellent vse and purpose it should seeme not onelye probable but certaine that sith nowe as then hee doth in his eternall wisedome
fore-see that singular perfection that by his most mightie power in their restitution they shal be restored to that either they must of necessitie bee subiected to some holye and necessarie vses or else that their immortalitie shal be bestowed vpon them in vaine which were to accuse God ether of lesse care or lesse power or both in this notable worke of the restauration of his creatures he drawing them as it were out of that into which they haue bene dissolued than he had at the first creation of them when hee made them all of nothing as christian religion and the woorde doe plainlie propound vnto vs. But if against this they will obiect that gods glorye shall thereby bee wonderfullye manifested I answere that his power and glory shal be greatly prouided for and exceedinglie declared in that great generall yea and sodaine restauration of them though they indure but a smale whyle or no whitte all I call it greate and generall beecause that in the ende of the world it shal be as great and vniuersall a work as the worke of creation at the beginning if not more large in as much as not onelye the seuerall sortes and kindes of thinges created but all that haue bene are or shal be vnto the end shall then stand foorth in a most excellent estate and condition euen as glorious and good as they were at the first before sinne entred in as much as at that daie euen sinne it selfe shall cease and be as it were destroyed And I name the same sodaine also because as the Lordes comming and the resurrection of the dead shall be in a moment and pinch of time or in the turning of a hand as you would saye or the tvvinckling of an eie 1. Cor. 15. as the scripture speaketh so shal also this great worke of the restitutition the Lorde not taking manie daies as at the beginning of creation for the performaunce of this noble deede but doing it quickly and vppon the sodaine for the further manifestation of his almightie power glory But because wee are fallen into speache of gods glorie and the glorifieng of his name I would faine know this of them that now so much vrge it to wit who they are that the creatures restored shal stirre vp to glorifie GOD in the sight and beholding of them Of god himself they dare not affirme it I suppose because as in respect of his owne most excellent essence and beeing he hath no neede by suche meanes to bee prouoked to seeke his owne glory which also hath from all eternitie bene is and euer shall bee so greate that not they alone but not all the creatures either heauenlye or earthlie shal be able to adde therto so much as a shadow or most small sparke If they wil maintaine it of the angels either elect or reprobate that is as vnsounde also for as for the elect Angels they in the integritie of their nature promooting alreadie Gods glorie and that in all perfection though not of it yet of them selues can not then haue that desire anie whit encreased in them the perfection wherof they haue alreadie thorowe Gods goodnesse attained vnto and vnto perfection wee knowe that nothing can bee added Besides that beeing simply and onelye of spirituall natures it maye bee called into question whether that by such outwarde thinges they may be furthered in such holy duties And as for the reprobated Angelles and damned spirites because they are continuallie carried awaye thorowe the corruption of their nature as with malice towardes man whose saluation they would hinder to the vttermost so with enuie and disdaine towardes GOD the encrease of whose glorie is an addition to their torments they cannot though there might bee some suche force in the creatures restored which yet is not prooued or at the least wise they will not bee prouoked thereby to giue glorie to GOD because that the more that he is glorified the more greeuously greatly are they them selues tormented that I maye saye nothing of that impossibilitie that is in them to perform this dutie aswel by reason of the deprauation of their nature as that irreuocable and most certayne sentence of condemnation for euer that the LORD the most iust iudge hath alreadie determined and after a sort pronounced vpon them all There resteth none nowe but men which are of two sortes good and bad damned and saued concerning either of which to affirme it is absurde and vnreasonable as the former For as for the wicked is there anie likelihoode that they that in this life Psalme 17. had their bellies filled vvith the hidden treasures of God and inioyed both sea and land and had infinit occasions giuen them to glorifie his name in the liberal allowance and continual vse of his creatures and yet for all this were blind to see gods glory and dumbe or tongue-tyed to speake vnto his praise shall in the life to come where they shall not onely haue no vse of those blessinges but a full measure of condemnation lying vpon them as for all their sinnes generallie so particularlie for the abuse of so manie excellent graces that they shoulde then and there glorifie his name Naie wee feare not to affirme on the other side that they shal be so farre off from seeing or confessing gods glory in them at that time that beeing in the state of eternall condemnation far seperated also from the place where the creatures restored shal be that they shall haue their hearts bodies soules and all continuallie seized with the feeling of their owne torments and their mouthes alwaies replenished partlye with all manner of lamentation and mourning by reason of the most miserable and euerlasting paines they endure and partlie with all kinde of blasphemie cursing and contempt of Gods eternall Maiestie and themselues And as for the faithfull and godlye beeing then in the kingdome of heauen a place marueilouslie muche distant from that place that the restored creatures shal be in and beeing filled also with the fulnesse of the ioyes of GOD they shall bee so farre off from fixing their eies vpon anie of the creatures from whome they shal bee sundered further by many degrees then mans eyes can well descrie in as muche as the space betweene heauen which they shall possesse and the earth that the restored creatures shall occupie is exceedingly great that they shall not haue neyther sight nor senses mooued muche lesse busied in beholding suche things but rather shall haue all the thoughtes of their heartes all the woordes of their mouthes and all the actions and partes of their bodies and affections and powers of their soules continuallie taken vppe and occupied in the contemplation of GOD the fountayne of all goodnesse alvvayes praysing of hym also that sitteth vppon the throvvne Reue. 7.23 and in seruing of him for euermore Nowe then if that neither GOD nor Angelles nor damned spyrites nor elected men nor the wicked condemned shall haue vse of the creatures
you come to these wordes of the seuenteenth verse if so be that we suffer with him c. Where he beginneth to shew and declare by what wayes and steppes as it were Gods children must come to the enioying of that euerlasting felicitie to witte by treading the same path and running the same race Hebr. 12.2 that Christ The author and finisher of our faith himselfe didde that is by manifold crosses and grieuous afflictions in this life for so it pleased God to Consecrate both to himselfe Hebr. 2.10 and to vs the prince of our saluation euen through afflictions we also thereby thus far-foorth making our profit that if It haue beene doone thus in a greene tree Luke 23.31 wee should not much maruell if it be so In dried braunches neither be dismayed that if after the wicked and vngodly haue reuiled the maister of the houshold and done to him whatsoeuer they listed they practise the same against his seruaunts and friends Now forasmuch as for The present time Hebr. 12.11 no chastising seemeth to be ioyous but greuous rather as the Apostle saith wherof this may be one reason amongst many bicause that is laid vppon men which they like not but abhorre and would gladly flee from and forasmuch also as that not onely men but euen godlie men likewise aswel by the reliques and remainders of sinne in themselues as also by the greatnes and greeuousnes of the afflictions that they ate subiect vnto this being their common case in the worlde that the more godlie they are the more they are molested and troubled cannot wythout some special comforts vndergo the burthen of the crosse being so heauy and waighty as indeede it is the Apostle therfore for the sweetning of that bitter cup of the crosse intermingleth with that that semeth vnto vs as bitter as gall or wormewood that which is in it selfe and of it selfe a thousand fold more sweeter than the hony or hony combe that is the moste pleasant promises of eternall life Neither is he spare or pinching in propounding comforts but dealeth in that respect very liberallie and plentifullie with vs that so in the multitude of our consolations we might both with patience for the time beare and through faith and constancie at the last for euer ouercome that great swarme as it were of our sorrowes and griefes And first he telleth vs that wee are not alone in that case and conflict but haue Christ our head and captaine not onely a common companion as you would say with vs in those afflictions but one that hath gone before vs in that path and straight way as hauing broken as you woulde saye the ice for vs and before vs that so wee might go on forwarde with the lesse daunger and the 〈◊〉 boldenes In worldly warfare doubtlesse it addeth no small corage vnto the cōmon souldior that he hath other with him to sustain the hard assaults of the enimie yet if he haue a valiant couragious captaine he is much more cheered and hartned bicause souldiors look not so much one of thē vpon another as haue all their eies bent vpon the ringleader to the rest if they be perswaded that hee is such a one that can as it were with a worde or countenance confounde their aduersaries how valiantly do they not onelie giue the first onset but mightily hold on to the end of the field that so euery one of thē may at the ende of the skirmish or pight battel cary away with them some notable ensigne or token of the victorie Oh how much more ought this to cōfort vs in spiritual combats and conflicts that we come not alone to the field but haue with vs besides the rest of Gods saints and infinit number of holy angels God and all his graces to be as it were a brasen wall vnto vs yea Christ Iesus himselfe the head of men and angels who hath not onely all creatures at commandement to vse for our good and the hurt of his and our ennimies Ioh. 18.4.6 but with the least breath of his mouth is able to ouerthrowe them as hee did those that came to take him and with the meanest sparke of his maiestie to confound and abolish them 2. Thess 2.8 as hee shall do Antichrist vvith the brightnesse of his comming Against which though our naturall corruption may seeme to say somewhat when it obiecteth this fleshly reason how can we suffer with Christ seeing he is in heauen and we in earth or howe can we be partakers of his spirituall graces and infinit power seeing we our selues are earthly and tied to a place yet if wee weigh eyther that spirituall vnion that is betwixt him as the head and vs as the members the effectuall feeling whereof is to be perceiued onely by a true a liuely and a stedfast faith grounded generally vpon the canonical scriptures but more particularly vpon the sweet and gratious promises therein contained specially such as concerne the free pardon and ful forgiuenes of all our sinnes through Christ and in him also the assured hope of eternall saluation or regarde those plaine places of the word vttered not by men onely indued with Gods spirit but by Iesus Christ himselfe the eternall sonne of the eternal father and that for the comfort of the godly and the terror of the wicked wherein this is aduouched Iuke 10.16 Matt. 10.40 that Iniurie offered to his is accounted as if it vvere done to his ovvne blessed person and kindnes shewed to them is esteemed as if it had beene practised vnto himselfe though indeede hee standeth not in neede of any such thing or respect the nature and strength of holie faith that maketh things past present and things to come as if wee had them in possession yea that most effectually ioyneth things togither though they be as farre asunder as heauen and earth otherwise howe could we be partakers of Christs death to the forgiuenes of our sinnes or of his righteousnes to the possession of the eternall inheritance or of euerlasting life all of them being matters that wee must of necessity be familiarly acquainted withall We shal cleerly see with ease enough to answeare this argument that the blindenesse of flesh and bloud would seeme to make agaynst the trueth it selfe Me thinketh rather that sith in this reason of the Apostle the holie ghost alludeth to the common custome of men and after a sort as a man woulde say stoupeth downe to their weakenesse who if they haue companions wyth them in their afflictions doe more comfortably for the most part and paciently carry the same perswading themselues that a burthen diuided is more easy and light than when the whole weight of it lieth al vpon one mans shoulders that therfore we shold much more comfort our selues not onely that we haue one to beare some part with vs but ra her that beareth al for vs who if we suffer or indure any thing specially for his sake