liue here in the body climing vp into heauen that when death comes and ye must remoue out of the body ye may dwell for euer with the Lord and be receiued into the full possession of that inheriâ—ance immortall and vndefiled which is reserued in heauen for you LECTVRE LXXII PHILIP 3 Verse 20.21 From whence also wee looke for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ who shall change our vile body c. FRom whence This is the second Christian profession which the Apostle maketh in behalfe of himselfe and such others as walked as he did and it is of their expectation of Christ his second comming to saue them Which also yeeldeâ—h a reason why they haue their conuersation in heaâ—en Our conuersation saith the Apostle is in heauen And why so From heauen we certainly looke and wait for the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ when hee shall come as a swiâ—â— Iudge against all them that haue made their bellie their Goâ— but as our Sauiour to giue vnto vs an inheritance among theâ— that are saued therefore our soule-conuersation is in heaueâ— where now Christ is and whence he shall come in that day tâ— saue vs. In that the Apostle saith from whence hee noteth thâ— place whence Christ his second comming shall be and consequently the place where now he is according to his humanitieâ— for there now he is whence at that day hee shall come sittinâ— now in glory at the right hand of the throne of God in heauen whence hee shall also come in glory to iudge both thâ— quicke and the dead Againe in that he saith from whence alsâ— wee looke for the Sauiour he signifieth their patient expectation and waiting for the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ when he shall appeare the second time without sinne vnto saluation 〈◊〉 for Christ being then already descended from the bosome oâ— his Father and hauing offered vp himselfe without spot vnto God to take away the sinnes of such his chosen children aâ— through faith in his bloud haue their consciences purged from dead workes to serue the liuing God now they waited and looked for the promise of his second comming when he should come in the clouds to be glorified in his Saints but to render vengeance vnto them that know not God nor obey the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ Againe in that he saith from whence also wee looke for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ he noteth the person of him whose second comming from heauen in the clouds they waited and looked for which is the Lord Iesus Christ the Sauiour The Lord who is to be feared hauing all soueraigne power giuen vnto him in heauen and in earth The Lord Iesus who is to be feared and loued hauing laid downe his life for vs to saue vs from our sinnes and to free vs from condemnation the due desert of our sinne The Lord Iesus Christ who is to be feared loued and reuerenced hauing as our Priest reconciled vs vnto God and as our Prophet instructed vs in the will of God Vnto all which the Apostle addeth this that further he calleth him the Sâ—uiour for that then in his second comming he should not only saue them and free them from sinne and condemnation which he did at his first comming in his humilitie but shouâ—d â—â—ue them and free them from death and corruption and â—ring them into the full possession of that inheritance purâ—hased in heauen for them So that yee see the generall point â—ere spoken of is Christ his second comming in glory the â—articular points are the place whence the second comming â—hall be the patient expectation and waiting of the faithfull â—or the second comming and the person of him that shall â—ome in this second comming which the faithfull so looke â—or Now let vs see what notes and obseruations wee may gaâ—her hence whereof to make some further vse and instruction â—or our selues The first thing which I note is the Apostles Christian proâ—ession which he maketh in the behalfe of himselfe and such others as walked so as he did touching the place whence they waited for the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ They looâ—ed for the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ from heauen â—here they had set their affections where they had their soule-conuersation Hence then I obserue a ground of that point of an article of our faith wherein we beleeue that Christ shall come from heauen with glory to iudge both the quicke and the dead Whereunto also the Scriptures giue witnesse often elsewhere as where the Angels told the Apostles saying Act. 1.11 This Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shall so come as yee haue seene him goe into heauen and againe where the Apostle saith that the Lord shall descend from heauen with a shout 1 The. 4.16 and with the voice of the Archangell and with the trumpet of God and againe where our Sauiour himselfe tels his disciples Mat. 24.30 that the sonne of man shall come in the clouds of heauen with power and great glory But what needeth further proofe of this point It is a thing which wee all beleeue and confesse that Christ being ascended into heauen where he sitteth at the right hand of the throne of God shall come againe from heauen in his appointed time with power and great glory so that euery eye shall see him yea euen they which pierced him thorow and shall render vnto euery man according to that he hath done whether it be good or euill The vses which we are to make hereof are these First to beware of such false teachers as tell vs that the body of Christ is not only in heauen but in earth also in euery Kingdome in euery City in euery parish in euery loafe iâ— euery peece of bread and cup of wine where the sacrament iâ— receiued For doe wee looke that he shall come from heauen the second time with power and great glorie And shall weâ— not thinke that now he is there whence then hee shall come True it is that Christ as hee is God is not in heauen alone oâ— limited vnto any place but filleth all places being infinite and incomprehensible But as he is man so is he there alone whence hee shall appeare the second time vnto saluation for so it is written Act. 3.21 that the heauens must containe him vntill the time that all things bee restored And wat else is it but to destroy the nature of a true body to say that it may bee in diuers places at one time Let this for this time suffice vs Wee looke for Christ as he is man from heauen therefore as hee is man he is in heauen the heauen must containe him till all things be restored therefore he is alone in heauen hee hath a true body therefore hee cannot be in diuers places at once Beware therefore of such deceiuers that yee giue no place vnto their errour and trust perfectly that Christ sitteth at
possession thereof Of the like assurance of his saluation our Apostle protesteth saying I 〈◊〉 perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angells c. Wheâ— the Apostle doth not onely speake of a probable perswasion but of such a sure confidence as whereby else where he saith from henceforth there is laid vp for me a crowne of righteousnes c. 2 Tim. 4.8 Neither groundeth he this perswasion vpon any speciall reâ—â—lation but vpon that ground which is common to him 〈◊〉 all the faithfull euen the loue of God in Christ Iesus Noâ— as Iob and Paul not to instance in any others assured themselues of their saluation so we by the power of the same spirâ—â— and vpon the same ground of the loue of God in Christ Iesus may and ought to assure our selues of our saluation Trueâ— is that if our saluation and the certainty thereof stood any way in our selues or depended vpon our workes wee might indeed iustly doubt of our saluation as knowing our selues by reason of our sinnes and iniquities to haue deserued death and damnation But the ground and the foundation of the certainty of our hope is the sure promises of God in Christ Iesus who hath promised in his word eternall life to all thâ—â— beleeue We looke not vpon our selues or our owne works or our owne worthines for then must we needs doubt bâ— we looke vpon him that hath promised euen as Abraham did whose faith we are to follow of whom it is said that her neither did consider his owne body which was now dead â—eing almost an hundreth yeares old neither the deadnesse of â—â—raes wombe Rom. 4.19.20.21 neither did he doubt of the promise through 〈◊〉 beliefe where note how doubting is tearmed vnbeliefe â—â—t was strengthened in the faith and gaue glory to God be â—â—â—g fully assured that he which had promised was also able to â—e it He then being faithfull which hath promised saluatiâ—n to them that belieue in his name we are sure to be saued â—ut what neede we to looke farther for this point then into 〈◊〉 every nature of faith which the Apostles haue defined to â—e such a full assurance that if ye take away assurance ye take way faith For what else doth that meane that the Apostle â—â—metimes calleth faith the ground of things which are hoped for Heb. 11.1 Coloss 2.5 â—â—d the euidence of things that are not seene sometimes a stedfast â—â—th sometimes a full assurance Rom. 4.21 Iam. 1.6 sometimes an assurance without â—uering and sometimes the anchor of the soule both sure and â—â—â—dfast Let vs draw neere saith the Apostle with a true heart assurance of faith sprinkled in our hearts from an euill conscience Heb. 6.19.10.22.23 â—d washed in our bodies with pure water Let vs keepe the profesâ—â— of our hope without wauering for he is faithfull that promised â—oth the Apostle exhort vs vnto an assurance of faith vnto hope without wauering resting vpon his promises that is â—â—thfull and true Surely if we ought thus to belieue if wee â—â—ght thus to hope and that vpon this ground that hee is â—â—thfull that hath promised then may we and ought to assure â—â—r selues of our saluation Whether then wee looke vpon â—e examples of holy men in the Scriptures or vpon the sure â—omises of God in Christ Iesus made in the Scripture or vpâ—â— the nature of faith in the writings of the Apostle still we â—ll finde that we ought not to doubt but certainely to assure â—â—r selues of our saluation through a sure and stedfast faith in â—hrist Iesus who hath promised life and saluation to all them at beleeue in his name This then may serue for the confutation of that vncomâ—â—rtable doctrine of the Papists where they teach that withâ—â—t speciall reuelation no man ought or can assure himselfe 〈◊〉 faith of his saluation The erroneousnesse of which doâ—trine though it hath beene fully manifested by that which already hath beene said for confirmation of the plaine opposite doctrine which we teach yet for a further clearing of the truth in this point I beseech you in a few words to consâ—â—â— how weake proofes they bring for what they teach Why then I demand may no man without speciall reâ—â—lation assure himselfe by faith of his saluation Because 〈◊〉 man can say my heart it cleane Pro. 20.9 I am pure from sinne Men 〈◊〉 be cleane from sinne saith Bellarmine but no man saith he 〈◊〉 so Lib. 3. de Iustif c. 4. because they that are cleaue cannot certainly know that they oâ— cleane therefore no man without speciall reuelation may assure himselfe by faith of his saluation But see the weaknes of this proâ—â—â— which 1. is grounded vpon a corrupt reading as the teâ—â— the originall sheweth whence the words are thus to be read who can say I haue made my heart cleane and are spoken to 〈◊〉 presse the insolencie of such as thinke to be iustified by thâ—â— owne strength And 2. leaneth vpon a point of mans pâ—â—â— from sinne in this point which plainely contradicteth the holy Ghost both in that text and throughout the whole Scripture which hath concluded all vnder sinne And 3. conâ—â—deth without promises Gal. 3.22 inasmuch as nothing thence can be concluded against assurance by faith of iustification or salâ—â—tion For though no man can say that he hath made his beâ—â— cleane that he is pure from sinne in himselfe or by himselfe yet inasmuch as the holy Ghost witnesseth that by faith 〈◊〉 purifieth our hearts Act. 15.9 1 Ioh. 1.7 and that the bloud of Iesus Christ clenseth 〈◊〉 from all sinne in him and by him through faith in his bloâ—â— we may assure our selues of our iustification and saluation Eccles 9.1 Yea but the Preacher saying that a man speaking saith Belarmine of the iust and wise knoweth not whether he be worthy of loue or hatred but all things are kept vncertaine for the time â— come sheweth thereby that not the iust or wise and so not the faithfull can assure themselues of their iustification or saluation But see the weaknesse of this proofe also which 1. as the formeâ— is grounded vpon a corrupt translation as the originall 〈◊〉 sheweth where the reading is much different from the vulgar and so very obscure both there and in the Greeke that it iâ— an vnfit place for the proofe of such a point And 2. failâ—â— in vnderstanding that of the iust and wise only which is spoken of all both iust and wicked as the next verse where the â—eacher expoundeth himselfe sheweth And 3. prooueth â—ely that no man by outward things in this life knoweth â—hether he be loued or hated of God For so the words are be read that no man knoweth loue or hatred i. whether hee loued or hated of God by all that that is before them By the outward things which happen vnto them Which â—peareth to be most true in that neither the iust onely prosâ—â—er nor the wicked onely
God is constant in his doings so that looke what he beginneth that he finisheth therefore I am perswaded that hee which hath begun this good worke c. Now it is to be noted that the Apostle saith not I am perswaded that God which hath c. but that he which hath begun wherby he implieth that the beginning of that as also indeed of euery good worke was alone from God for if it had been from any other then they should not haue vnderstood him to haue spoken of God when he said that he Againe it is to be noted that the Apostle saith not I am perswaded that you which haue begun well shall also end well but that he which hath begun c. grounding his perswasion not on their vertue and constancie but on the constant immutabilitie of God which had begun a good worke in them Now the good worke which he had begun in them was their embracing of the gospell whereby they had fellowship in the gospell with other Churches which was indeed a speciall good work and such as they that persecute them in whom God hath begun this good worke make but vaine braggs of their good works I am then saith the Apostle perswaded that he that hath begun this good worke in you of embracing the gospell will performe it .i. will confirme and stablish you in it or will finish and perfit it vntill the day of Iesus Christ when he shall come and change your vile bodies that they may bee fashioned like vnto his glorious body for albeit by the day of Christ might be ment the day wherein the faithfull die in Christ yet by the day of Christ I rather vnderstand here the day of Christ his second comming in the flesh in the last day as also it is vnderstood in the next chapter vers 16. because the Apostle speaketh not onely of them that then were at Philippi â—ut of the Church also which afterward should bee there vntill the second comming of Christ Thus much of the sense of the words The first thing then which here I note is the ground of the Apostles confidence of the Philippians perseuerance His ground is not the Philippians vertue and constancie as if now they were so well grounded stablished in the faith that they could not but hold out keep fast their good profession vnto the end but his ground is the constant immutabilitie of God who where he beginneth to worke a good worke there he maketh an end of it Whence I obserue a notable ground of the perseuerance of all Gods faithfull children in that grace wherein they stand and that is this he that hath begun a good worke in them will performe it and confirme them vnto the end To which purpose also there are many other places in the holy scripture as where it is said of Christ Iesus Ioh. 13.1 that forasmuch as he loued his owne which were in the world vnto the end he loued them Whence we take that commonly receiued saying that whom God loueth once he loueth vnto the end And againe where Christ himselfe saith Ioh. 4.14 Whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shall giue him shall neuer be more a thirst but the water that I shall giue him shall be in him a well of water springing vp into euerlasting life Here is but once drinke and neuer thirst once sanctified by the spirit and neuer vtterly forsaken of the spirit And againe where Iohn saith 1 Ioh. 3.9 whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not namely vnto death and why because the seede of God remaineth in him the spirit of God hauing once seazed vpon him alwaies abideth in him And againe where our Sauiour saith him that commeth to mee I cast not away once come by faith Ioh. 6.37 no feare of forsaking afterward And the reason is plaine for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 He calleth vs by his gospell and giueth vs gifts and graces of his holy spirit not for our owne sakes or for any thing that he seeth or foreseeth in vs for then we might well feare a fall and a change but his gifts are giuen freely by grace according to his good pleasure So that he neuer repenteth of any grace which hee bestoweth vpon vs nor suffereth his mercies to faile from vs for euer but holdeth our soules in life and keepeth vs from the pit of destruction Wherevpon we read that as Dauid hauing had experience of Gods helpe in his deliuerance out of the paw of the Lyon and out of the paw of the Beare afterwards feared not to encounter Goliah but assured himselfe that the Lord that had deliuered him out of the paw of the Lyon 1 Sam. 17.37 and out of the paw of the Beare would also deliuer him out of the hand of that Philistim so the children of God hauing once felt the loue of God in Christ Iesus in their soules and the testimonie of the spirit witnessing vnto their spirits that they were the sonnes of God afterwards feared not the encounters of sinne or Satan but assured themselues that nothing should be able to separate them from the loue of God in Christ Iesus So wee see that our Apostle breaketh out and saith Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ Rom. 6.35 shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednes or perill or sword Nay I am perswaded that neither death 38. nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come 39. nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord And againe I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed vnto him 2 Tim. 1.12 which is my selfe against that day And thus many others of Gods children as vpon other grounds so in assurance of Gods vnchangeable resolution in his doings haue builded a full and assured perswasion of their perseuerance Now we must vnderstand that in perseuerance there be two things which ye may call the parts of it the one is a holy will and desire to perseuere in that grace wherein we stand the other is a reall continuance and continuall persisting in that grace wherein wee stand This reall continuance and continuall persisting in the grace wherein we stand is often in the best of Gods children so abated and diminished that it seemeth vtterly to bee extinguished but that holy will and desire to perseuere the Lord doth neuer suffer vtterly to faile from his children Take for example the holy prophet Dauid and the blessed Apostle Paul did not Dauid in the bitternes of his soule cry Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer Psal 77.7.8.9 88.14.15.16 and will he be no more intreated Is his mercy cleane gone for euer and is his promise come vtterly to an end for euermore Hath